types of WATER!?
Bottled Water: What's the Difference?
While there are many different types of bottled waters on the market, is one any better than another? That depends on your needs and your taste preferences. Read on to learn the differences between the most popular options.
Spring water: This type of water comes from natural springs that get their water from underground geological formations. The water can be collected directly from the spring or it can be extracted through a tap.
Purified water: Added steps to the purification process results in water that is reportedly lighter, cleaner, and more easily absorbed into the body than spring water. More impurities and dissolved solids are reportedly taken out of water that is purified than through the standard filtration process.
Mineral water: Some of the dissolved solids (sulfur, salts, gasses) that are typically removed are left in mineral water, or are added through an additional process. The minerals are believed to help cleanse the system and have restorative health properties.
Artesian water: To qualify as artesian, water must come from a well that taps into an underground layer of rock or sand.
Sparkling water: This bubbly water is filled with carbon dioxide, giving it a pleasant fizz similar to that of sodas and ginger ale.
Electrolyte-infused water: Electrolytes—salts that are essential for proper muscle and nerve function—are commonly found in sports drinks, and have found their way into some brands of bottled water. The electrolytes can help remove toxins and excess waste materials that pollute the system.
Flavored water: Tired of plain water? Several brands on the market have added flavor—citrus, berry, etc.—designed to keep your taste buds entertained. Some do this without adding any calories, but most add a negligible amount (5 calories or less per serving).
Oxygenated water: Added O2 makes the water bubbly, which supposedly helps people feel fuller—making these waters attractive to people who are trying to suppress their appetites and shed pounds—and also can aid in muscle recovery post-workouts. Oxygen waters tend to have a heavier taste and a thicker consistency that regular H20.
Tap water: In most areas that draw from a municipal water supply, fluoride has been added to reduce tooth decay. However, fluoride is a toxen so don't rely solely on tap water. Most bottled waters fail to add fluoride, and those that do don’t always add enough to make a difference.
If you’re concerned about your oral health or that of your family, check water bottle labels carefully and opt for brands that have the most fluoride.
Spring water: This type of water comes from natural springs that get their water from underground geological formations. The water can be collected directly from the spring or it can be extracted through a tap.
Purified water: Added steps to the purification process results in water that is reportedly lighter, cleaner, and more easily absorbed into the body than spring water. More impurities and dissolved solids are reportedly taken out of water that is purified than through the standard filtration process.
Mineral water: Some of the dissolved solids (sulfur, salts, gasses) that are typically removed are left in mineral water, or are added through an additional process. The minerals are believed to help cleanse the system and have restorative health properties.
Artesian water: To qualify as artesian, water must come from a well that taps into an underground layer of rock or sand.
Sparkling water: This bubbly water is filled with carbon dioxide, giving it a pleasant fizz similar to that of sodas and ginger ale.
Electrolyte-infused water: Electrolytes—salts that are essential for proper muscle and nerve function—are commonly found in sports drinks, and have found their way into some brands of bottled water. The electrolytes can help remove toxins and excess waste materials that pollute the system.
Flavored water: Tired of plain water? Several brands on the market have added flavor—citrus, berry, etc.—designed to keep your taste buds entertained. Some do this without adding any calories, but most add a negligible amount (5 calories or less per serving).
Oxygenated water: Added O2 makes the water bubbly, which supposedly helps people feel fuller—making these waters attractive to people who are trying to suppress their appetites and shed pounds—and also can aid in muscle recovery post-workouts. Oxygen waters tend to have a heavier taste and a thicker consistency that regular H20.
Tap water: In most areas that draw from a municipal water supply, fluoride has been added to reduce tooth decay. However, fluoride is a toxen so don't rely solely on tap water. Most bottled waters fail to add fluoride, and those that do don’t always add enough to make a difference.
If you’re concerned about your oral health or that of your family, check water bottle labels carefully and opt for brands that have the most fluoride.
Diet to Improve Mood and Energy
Diet for Depression
Trying to find a diet to ease depression? Unfortunately, there’s no specific diet that works for depression. No studies have been done that indicate a particular eating plan can ease symptoms of clinical depression.Still, while certain diets or foods may not ease depression (or put you instantly in a better mood), they may help as part of an overall treatment for depression. There's more and more research indicating that, in some ways, food and mood are connected.
How can my diet affect my depression?
Dietary changes can bring about changes in your brain structure, both chemically and physiologically. Those changes can improve mood and mental outlook. Here are 10 tips for eating if you or a loved one is recovering from clinical depression.1. Eat a diet high in nutrients
Nutrients in foods support the body's repair, growth, and wellness. Nutrients we all need include vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, protein, and even a small amount of fat. A deficiency in any of these nutrients lead to our bodies not working at full capacity – and can even cause illness.2. Fill your plate with essential antioxidants
Damaging molecules called free radicals are produced in our bodies during normal body functions – and these free radicals contribute to aging and dysfunction. Antioxidants such as beta-carotene and vitamins C and E combat the effects of free radicals. Antioxidants have been shown to tie up these free radicals and take away their destructive power.Studies show that the brain is particularly at risk for free radical damage. Although there’s no way to stop free radicals completely, we can reduce their destructive effect on the body by eating foods high in powerful antioxidants, including:
- Sources of beta-carotene: apricots, broccoli, cantaloupe, carrots, collards, peaches, pumpkin, spinach, sweet potato.
- Sources of vitamin C: blueberries, broccoli, grapefruit, kiwi, oranges, peppers, potatoes, strawberries, tomato.
- Sources of vitamin E: margarine, nuts and seeds, vegetable oils, wheat germ.
3. Eat “smart” carbs for a calming effect
The connection between carbohydrates and mood is linked to the mood-boosting brain chemical, serotonin. We know that eating foods high in carbohydrates (breads, cereal, pasta) raises the level of serotonin in the brain. When serotonin levels rise, we feel a calming effect with less anxiety.So don’t shun carbs – just make smart choices. Limit sugary foods and opt for smart carbs, such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes, which all contribute healthy carbs as well as fiber.
4. Eat protein-rich foods to boost alertness
Foods rich in protein, like turkey, tuna, or chicken, are rich in an amino acid called tyrosine. Tyrosine boosts levels of the brain chemicals dopamine and norepinephrine. This boost helps you feel alert and makes it easier to concentrate. Try to include a protein source in your diet several times a day, especially when you need to clear your mind and boost your energy.- Good sources of protein foods that boost alertness: beans and peas, lean beef, low-fat cheese, fish, milk, poultry, soy products, yogurt.
5. Eat a Mediterranean-type diet
The Mediterranean diet is a balanced, healthy eating pattern that includes plenty of fruits, nuts, vegetables, cereals, legumes, and fish. All of these are important sources of nutrients linked to preventing depression.A recent Spanish study, using data from 4,211 men and 5,459 women, found that rates of depression tended to increase in men -- especially smokers -- as folate intake decreased. The same increase occurred for women -- especially those who smoked or were physically active -- but with a decreased intake of another B-vitamin: B12. This wasn't the first study to discover an association between these two vitamins and depression. Researchers wonder whether poor nutrient intake leads to depression or whether depression leads people to eat a poor diet.
Folate is found in Mediterranean diet staples like legumes, nuts, many fruits, and particularly dark green vegetables. B12 can be found in all lean and low-fat animal products, such as fish and low-fat dairy products.
6. Get plenty of vitamin D
Vitamin D increases levels of serotonin in the brain. Researchers, though, are unsure how much vitamin D is ideal. There are individual differences based on where you live, the time of year, your skin type, and your level of sun exposure. Researchers from the University of Toronto noticed that people who were suffering from depression, particularly those with seasonal affective disorder, tended to improve as their levels of vitamin D in the body increased over the normal course of a year. The recommendation is to try to get about 600 international units (IU) of vitamin D a day from food if possible.7. Select selenium-rich foods
Selenium is a mineral that is essential to good health. In a small study from Texas Tech University, supplementation of 200 micrograms a day for seven weeks improved mild and moderate depression in 16 elderly participants. Other studies have also reported an association between low selenium intakes and poorer moods.It is possible to take in too much selenium so that it becomes toxic. But this is unlikely if you're getting it from foods rather than supplements, and it can't hurt to make sure you're eating foods that help you meet the recommended intake for selenium, which is 55 micrograms a day. The good news is that foods rich in selenium are foods we should be eating anyway. They include:
- Beans and legumes
- Lean meat (lean pork and beef, skinless chicken and turkey)
- Low-fat dairy products
- Nuts and seeds (particularly brazil nuts)
- Seafood (oysters, clams, sardines, crab, saltwater fish, and freshwater fish)
- Whole grains (whole-grain pasta, brown rice, oatmeal, etc.)
8. Include omega-3 fatty acids in your diet
We know that omega-3 fatty acids have innumerable health benefits. Recently, scientists have revealed that a deficit of omega-3 fatty acids is associated with depression. In one study, researchers determined that societies that eat a small amount of omega-3 fatty acids have a higher prevalence of major depressive disorder than societies that get ample omega-3 fatty acids. Other epidemiological studies show that people who infrequently eat fish, which is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, are more likely to suffer from depression.- Sources of omega-3 fatty acids: fatty fish (anchovy, mackerel, salmon, sardines, shad, and tuna), flaxseed, and nuts.
- Sources alpha-linolenic acid (another type of omega-3 fatty acid): flaxseed, canola oil, soybean oil, walnuts, and dark green leafy vegetables.
9. Watch your lifestyle habits
Many people who are depressed also have problems with alcohol and/or drugs. Not only can alcohol and drugs interfere with mood, sleep, and motivation, they can also affect the effectiveness of your depression medications. In addition, drinks and foods containing caffeine can trigger anxiety and make it difficult to sleep at night. Cutting out caffeine or stopping caffeine after noon each day can also help you get a better night's sleep.
WebMD Medical Reference10. Stay at a healthy weight
Findings published in the journal of Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, show a link between obesity and depression, indicating that people who are obese may be more likely to become depressed. In addition, according to this study, people who are depressed are more likely to become obese. Researchers believe the link between obesity and depression may result from physiological changes that occur in the immune system and hormones with depression. If you have a weight problem, talk with your doctor about healthy ways to manage it with diet and exercise.
SOURCES:
National Institute on Aging: “Don’t Let the Blues Hang Around.”
Mental Health America: “Staying Well When You Have a Mental Illness.”
American Psychiatric Association, Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients with Major Depression, 2000.
American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: DSM-IV-TR, American Psychiatric Pub, 2000.
Fieve, R. Bipolar II, Rodale Books, 2006.
National Institute on Aging: “Don’t Let the Blues Hang Around.”
Mental Health America: “Staying Well When You Have a Mental Illness.”
American Psychiatric Association, Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients with Major Depression, 2000.
American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: DSM-IV-TR, American Psychiatric Pub, 2000.
Fieve, R. Bipolar II, Rodale Books, 2006.
© 2009 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.
__________________
Vitamin D and mood:
http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/depression.shtml
Homemade Energy/Electrolyte Drink!
Ingredients (32 oz or about 1 liter):
2 Tea Bags
6 level teaspoon sugar (24 grams)
A pinch of salt (0.5 grams)
2 oz lemon juice (about 55 grams)
30 oz boiling water
Contains:
100 calories
500 mg Sodium
60mg of Potassium (from the lemon juice)
Caffeine varies, est 100mg-200mg caffeine (depending on the tea used and infusion duration)
Estimated Cost:
Lemon juice: $0.10
2 Tea Bags: $0.06
Sugar, Salt, water, etc: negligible
Compare to 32 oz Gatorade:
200 calories
440mg Sodium
120mg Potassium
No caffeine
Cost: $1.29
2 Tea Bags
6 level teaspoon sugar (24 grams)
A pinch of salt (0.5 grams)
2 oz lemon juice (about 55 grams)
30 oz boiling water
Contains:
100 calories
500 mg Sodium
60mg of Potassium (from the lemon juice)
Caffeine varies, est 100mg-200mg caffeine (depending on the tea used and infusion duration)
Estimated Cost:
Lemon juice: $0.10
2 Tea Bags: $0.06
Sugar, Salt, water, etc: negligible
Compare to 32 oz Gatorade:
200 calories
440mg Sodium
120mg Potassium
No caffeine
Cost: $1.29
Fat Burning Basics
The Basics of Burning Fat
If you're trying to lose weight, knowing how your body uses calories for fuel can make a difference in how you approach your weight loss program. We get our energy from fat, carbs and protein but. Which one our bodies draw from, however, depends on the kind of activity we're doing. Now, most people want to use fat for energy, which makes sense. We figure, the more fat we can use as fuel, the less fat we'll have in our bodies. But, using more fat doesn't automatically lead to losing more fat.
Understanding the best way to burn fat starts with some basic facts about how your body gets its energy:
The body primarily uses fat and carbs for fuel. A small amount of protein is used during exercise, but it's mainly used to repair the muscles after exercise.
The ratio of these fuels will shift depending on the activity you're doing.
For higher intensity exercise, such as fast-paced running, the body will rely more on carbs for fuel than fat. That's because the metabolic pathways available to break down carbs for energy are more efficient than the pathways available for fat breakdown.
For long, slower exercise, fat is used more for energy than carbs.
When it comes to weight loss, it doesn't matter what type of fuel you use. What matters is how many calories you burn as opposed to how many calories you take in.
This is a very simplified look at energy with a solid take-home message. When it comes to weight loss, what matters is burning more calories, not necessarily using more fat for energy. And, the harder you work, the more calories you'll burn overall. Think about it this way: When you sit or sleep, you're in your prime fat-burning mode. But, you've probably never contemplated the idea of sleeping more to lose weight, as lovely as that thought is.
The bottom line? Just because you're using more fat as energy doesn't mean you're burning more calories.
The Myth of the Fat Burning Zone
One thing we know is that exercising at lower intensities will use more fat for energy. This basic premise is what started the theory of the 'fat burning zone,' or the idea that working in a certain heart rate zone (around 55 to 65 of your maximum heart rate) will allow your body to burn more fat.
Over the years, this theory has become so ingrained in our exercise experience that we see it touted in books, charts, websites, magazines and even on cardio machines at the gym. The trouble is that it's misleading. Working at lower intensities isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it won't burn more fat off your body unless you're burning more calories than you're eating. One way to increase your calorie burn is to exercise at higher intensities.
Does this mean that, if you want to burn more fat, you should avoid low intensity exercise? Not necessarily. There are some specific things you can do to burn more fat and it all starts with how and how much you exercise.
Fat Burning Tip #1: Incorporate a Mix of Low, Medium and High Intensity Cardio Exercise
You may be confused about exactly how hard to work during cardio. You may even think that high intensity exercise is the only way to go. After all, you can burn more calories and, even better, you don't have to spend as much time doing it. But having some variety can help you stimulate all of your different energy systems, protect you from overuse injuries, and help you enjoy your workouts more.
High Intensity Cardio
For our purposes here, high intensity cardio falls between about 75 to 85 of your maximum heart rate (MHR) or, if you're not using heart rate zones, about a 6 to 8 on this perceived exertion scale. What this translates to is exercise at a level that feels challenging and leaves you too breathless to talk much. You're not going all out, as in sprinting as fast as you can.
There's no doubt that some high intensity training work can be helpful for weight loss as well as improving endurance and aerobic capacity. For example, a 150-lb. person would burn about 225 calories after running at 6 mph for 30 minutes. If this person walked at 3.5 mph for that same length of time, he would burn 85 to 90 calories. But, the number of calories you can burn isn't the whole story. If you do too many high intensity workouts every week, you risk:
Overuse injuries
Burnout
Inconsistent workouts
Growing to hate exercise
Not only that but, if you don't have much experience with exercise, you may not have the conditioning or the desire for breathless and challenging workouts. And if you have some kind of medical condition or injury, forget about doing high intensity training (or any kind of training) without checking with your doctor first.
If you're doing several days of cardio each week, which is what is recommended for weight loss, you would probably want just 1 or 2 workouts to fall into the high intensity range. You can use other workouts to target different areas of fitness (like endurance) and allow your body to recover.
Some examples of high intensity workouts:
A 20-minute workout at a fast pace
You can use any activity or machine, but the idea is to stay in the high intensity work zone throughout the workout. You'll find that 20 minutes is usually the recommended length for this kind of workout and most people wouldn't want to go much longer than that.Interval Training
A great way to incorporate high intensity training without doing it continuously is by doing intervals. Alternate a hard segment (e.g., running at a fast pace for 30 to 60 seconds) with a recovery segment (e.g., walking for 1 to 2 minutes). Repeat this series for the length of the workout, usually around 20 to 30 minutes. You can learn more in my Interval Training Workouts.
Moderate Intensity Cardio
There are a variety of definitions of what moderate intensity exercise is, but it typically falls between about 60 to 70 of your MHR (a level 4 to 6 on this perceived exertion scale). The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) often recommends this level of intensity in its exercise guidelines. The lower end of this range usually incorporates the 'fat burning zone.' That means can carry on a conversation without much difficulty and you feel pretty comfortable with what you're doing.
Moderate intensity workouts have some great benefits such as:
Comfort -- Hard workouts are, well, hard. It takes time to build up the endurance and strength to handle challenging exercise. Moderate workouts allow you to work at a more comfortable pace, which means you may be more consistent with your program.
Better health -- Even modest movement can improve your fitness while lowering your risk of heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.
More choices -- High intensity workouts will usually involve some kind of impact or, at the least, a fast pace. But, you can usually get up into the more moderate heart rate zones with a variety of activities, providing you work hard enough. Even raking leaves or shoveling snow, if you do it vigorously enough, can fall into that category.
For weight loss purposes, you would likely want the majority of your cardio workouts to fall into this range. Some examples:
Walking 10,000 steps a day
A 30 to 45-minute cardio machine workout
A brisk walk
Riding a bike at a medium pace
Low Intensity Activity
Low intensity exercise is considered to be below about 50 to 55 of your MHR, or about a level 3 to 5 on this perceived exertion scale. This level of intensity is no doubt one of the more comfortable areas of exercise, keeping you at a pace that isn't too taxing and doesn't pose much of a challenge. This, along with the idea that it burns more fat, makes this a popular place to stay. But, as we've learned, you can burn more calories if you work harder, and that's what you want for weight loss.
That doesn't mean that low intensity exercise has no purpose. It involves the kind of long, slow activities you feel like you could do all day and, even better, activities you usually enjoy such as:
Taking a stroll
Light gardening
A long, slow bike ride
A gentle stretching routine
This doesn't have to be a structured, scheduled workout, but something you do all day long by walking more, taking the stairs, doing more physical chores around the house, etc.
Fat Burning Tip #2: Exercise Consistently
It may seem like a no-brainer that regular exercise can help you burn fat and lose weight. But, it's not just about the calories you're burning. It's also about the adaptations your body makes when you exercise on a regular basis. Many of those adaptations lead directly to your ability to burn more fat without even trying. When you exercise regularly, your body:
Becomes more efficient at delivering and extracting oxygen -- Simply put, this helps your cells burn fat more efficiently.
Has better circulation -- This allows the fatty acids to move more efficiently through the blood and into the muscle. That means fat is more readily available for fueling the body.
Increases the number and size of mitochondria, also known as cellular power plants that provide energy for the body.
And, don't forget, regular exercise will also help you manage your weight. The more activity you engage in, the more calories you'll burn, and the easier it is to create the calorie deficit needed to lose weight.
Tips for Consistent Exercise
Schedule some exercise time every day, even if it's just a few minutes.
Split up your workouts. You can get the same benefit from short workouts spread throughout the day as do with continuous workouts.
Change daily routines to incorporate activity. Park at the edge of the parking lot at work to add more walking time, or add an extra lap at the mall when shopping. Integrating more activity into your usual routines will help you stay active, even if you don't have time for a structured workout.
Make exercise your focus and schedule the rest of your day around it instead of trying to squeeze it in when you can. If it's not a priority, you won't do it.
Exercise Resources
Fat Burning Tip #3: Lift Weights
Adding more muscle by lifting weights can also help with burning fat, especially if you're also dieting. Lifting weights:
Preserves muscle mass -- If you diet to lose weight, you actually risk losing muscle as well as fat. Muscle is metabolically active, so when you lose it, you also lose the extra calorie-burn muscles can provide.
Keeps your metabolism going -- Some studies have found that a diet-only approach to weight loss could lower a person's resting metabolic rate by up to 20% a day. Lifting weights and maintaining muscle helps keep the metabolism up, even if you're cutting your calories.
Helps you burn extra calories -- If you lift weights at a higher intensity, you can actually increase your afterburn, or the calories you burn after your workout. As About.com Weight Training Guide Paul Rogers states in his article, Burn More Fat, "If you can get afterburn...that’s a bonus because you burn fat during the exercise and after you cease as well."
Strength Training Resources
There's no way around the fact that, when it comes to burning more fat, we have to work at it. There is no magic exercise, workout or pill that will do the job for us. But, the good news is that it doesn't take much activity to push the body into that fat burning mode. Try incorporating some type of activity every day, even if it's just a quick walk, and build on that over time as it becomes more of a routine. Do that and you're on the way to burning more fat.
Sources:
Kinucan, Paige and Kravitz, Len. "Controversies in Metabolism." www.drlenkravitz.com. Retrieved Oct. 3, 2007.
Kravitz, Len. "Fat Facts." IDEA Fitness Journal, Sept. 2007.
Thompson, D.L. et al. "Substrate use during and following moderate- and low-intensity exercise: Implications for weight control." European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology 1998; 78(1), 43-49.
Wt train to BURN MORE FAT
We all want to burn more fat for weight loss, body shaping, health and wellbeing or for sporting purposes. Trim that butt, waste that cellulite, smooth those love handles, bust that belly; it’s all part of the trim and slim exercise and diet activity many of us indulge in.
In this article you will see exactly how fat burning works and how to get the best out of your exercise program. Also, I'll outline a new weights circuit program I am developing to take advantage of new research on weight loss and exercise from Australian researchers at the University of New South Wales, which suggests interval training, alternating sprints and rest, is a breakthrough method of burning fat and slimming down.
The Basics of Fat Burning
Energy in, energy out. The body normally burns a mix of carbohydrate, as glucose, and fat for fuel. How much of either depends on your physical activity and if, or what you have eaten recently. When you use more energy than you take in from food and drink, the body burns stored fat and carbohydrates, and then even protein, to fuel your everyday activities even if you are not exercising
That’s what happens when people starve of course; the body starts to eat itself. Depending on your family history -- your genetics -- and the way you eat and exercise to create this energy deficit, your body may decide to get conservative and drop your metabolic rate to try to hold onto body weight. Some of us seem to have inherited this tendency more than others, the origins of which may be in the early periods of human evolution where 'feast or famine' was more or less the norm.
Glucose, fat and protein. Even so, starvation always works eventually and the body starts to break down its own tissue for fuel. Stored carbohydrate called glycogen is quickly used up, then goes the fat stored under the skin and around the internal organs. Protein in muscle is then broken down to create glucose to keep the brain working and you conscious.
Fat and glucose are the body’s two main energy sources. Fat you know well, glucose comes mainly from carbohydrate foods like rice and bread and potatoes and protein is supplied mainly by meat and beans and dairy products. The amino acid building blocks of protein foods can be converted to glucose in emergencies. Your body always burns a mix of fat and glucose except at very high intensities, and the ratio of the fat and glucose in 'the burn' varies with intensity and time of exercise.
Fat burning zone. You may have noticed that some bikes and treadmills at the gym have a setting that says “fat burning zone”, which implies a setting for intensity or speed. The reason for this is that the body burns a greater percentage of fat at a slow pace (or after about 90 minutes of exercise). The fat burning zone, a low intensity speed zone is mainly a gimmick, and here is the reason.
Even though you burn more fat going slowly, you still burn a percentage of fat at much faster speeds or intensity. It all boils down to how much energy you expend in totality. For example, if you compare exercising at a slow rate that burns 60 percent fat and 40 percent glucose and a higher intensity or duration that burns only 30 percent fat and 70 percent glucose, you may still burn more fat at the higher intensity.
A typical example. Exercise (1) is the slower 60/40 mix and exercise (2) is the faster, 30/70 mix of fat and glucose fuel.
Walking on a treadmill for 30 minutes -- 180 calories used -- 108 calories of fat burned
Running on a treadmill for 30 minutes -- 400 calories used -- 120 calories of fat burned
You can see from this example that the bottom line really is how much energy you expend -- and that is the ultimate fat burning measure. The theoretical fat burning zone is mostly a convenient myth.
Weight Training Does it Better -- Or Does It?
Muscle burns more fat. Weight training is increasingly recommended as a fat-busting tool because some experts say extra muscle burns more energy than body fat at rest, so if you develop more muscle and have a higher muscle to fat ratio than before, you must burn extra energy and more stored fat as a result. This is true and has been shown in metabolic studies. However, the differences are not that dramatic; perhaps less than a few tens of calories per day for each pound of muscle increased, for most people.
Does that mean you shouldn’t worry about weight training? Certainly not, because weight training has many other benefits for health and performance, not the least of which is extra muscle. It’s just that this advantage has been somewhat overstated and we need to get this fat burning thing right in order to develop the best weight loss and performance programs.
Getting the afterburn. Okay, so extra muscle does not provide that much advantage, but what about the afterburn? The 'afterburn', or the amount of energy you use after you stop exercising, has been promoted as an important slimming idea. If you can get afterburn, which is really another way of saying your metabolism increases for several hours or longer after a particular exercise, then that’s a bonus because you burn fat during the exercise and after you cease as well. Will the fun ever stop!
However, this idea has recently been reconsidered as well. An article in the Journal of Sports Science in December last year reported that despite some promising early studies of this effect, the idea has not proven to be as useful as first thought.
Exercise scientists call this afterburn effect EPOC, which stands for Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption. The authors of that study say that the high intensities required -- greater than about 75 percent of maximum heart rate -- are probably beyond what most people wanting to lose weight can cope with in sustained exercise. So the afterburn advantage from lifting weights or running fast is there, but you need to be able to sustain that intensity, which means a lot of hard work. No secrets there, I'm sure.
Strength training has so many great things going for it that I'm a big fan -- increased strength, more muscle and body shape, better balance and bone density and improved functionality across all facets of human movement. But let’s be honest, we all need aerobic or cardio training as well. It has its own set of important functional benefits including general fitness, elastic arteries, increased heart and lung function and lower blood pressure to name a few benefits.
Lifting weights can easily move us into the high intensity exercise zone above the 75 percent effort required to get some afterburn, but it's only for short bursts. This is not consistent, steady-state effort and does not generally burn as much energy as a good run on the treadmill, cycle or row machine at moderate pace. For example, here are the energy expenditure calculations for weights versus cardio for one hour of exercise from the NAT Nutritional Analysis Tools web site. I've based this on a 150 pound person (just under 70 kilograms).
Running at 8 minutes a mile pace (5 min/km) -- burn 852 calories (kilocalories)
Weight lifting, vigorous, free weights or machines -- burn 409 calories (kilocalories)
I’ve tried to line these activities up for effort so that the comparison is worthwhile. Whenever I check these numbers it astounds me because I run and I lift weights, and sometimes I feel much fresher after a run than going for it in the gym with sub-10 RM (repetition maximum) and three sets of ten exercises. Nevertheless, the numbers always come out the same with any reputable energy calculator. Sustained aerobics always spends about twice the energy of weight training in a comparable comparison. You can see from this why cardio sessions are important for fat loss.
Should I Exercise Before Breakfast to Burn More Fat?
The answer is 'not necessarily', because even though you will burn more fat on an empty stomach, ultimately this will probably make little difference because your energy intake and expenditure and metabolism balances out, more or less, over the 24-hour period. What really matters is your total energy intake and expenditure, that is, how much you eat and how much you exercise and move in general.
However, stay tuned on this because until this is examined further scientifically, how much meal timing manipulation could help with fat loss is not certain. One thing that seems clear is that people who eat breakfast maintain weight better and lose fat quicker, so don’t skip breakfast.
The Best Strategy for Fat Loss
So where are we at with our fat burning project? Here is a summary.
Increase muscle with weight training. Extra muscle helps to burn more energy at rest, even if only a little. This is called the resting metabolic rate of muscle or RMR. Extra muscle will also burn more fat in active phase, the active metabolic rate if you like, or the AMR, so having more muscle will definitely help burn more energy and fat.
Lift heavier weights. What I suggest is that the weights workout should be vigorous, with the number of repetitions kept at the low to medium end of the scale between 8 and 12 RM. To remind you, the RM is the repetition maximum, which means the most weight you can lift for this number of reps before fatigue. The 8-12 is within a range that should provide strength and bigger muscle growth, which is called hypertrophy.
If you go higher than this, say 15 to 20 repetitions to a set, or more, you are getting into the range where you would probably be better off doing cardio because the return on effort, the energy burn, is better spent jogging, cycling, stepping or rowing. At that number of repetitions you won’t build much muscle either, so very high-repetition training with weights has minimum value in my view.
Do aerobic exercise. Considering how much energy you would use in an hour of either type of exercise, weights or cardio, you must do some consistent aerobic or cardio work to burn fat.
Try high-intensity cardio. Remember the study from the University of New South Wales that we started with? High-intensity exercise, even if only in short bursts, may rev up the metabolism and get that fat mobilized. Do some high intensity as well, but don’t overdo it, because burning the fat is a long-term project and you don’t want to get ‘burned out’. A group exercise program such as a solid cycle spin class might match this requirement. In fact, I highly recommend group cycle spin classes where you are encouraged to go fast, yet with the option to slow down if you need to.
The Weights and Cardio Circuit Training Program
Combining weights and cardio in a circuit interval session may be the best approach of all. The weights circuit I propose is based on the idea of mixing high and low-intensity weights and cardio in a circuit. This idea is not new, but what I've designed uses simple equipment: one set of dumbbells, an exercise step platform and five carefully chosen basic exercises.
Check it out and let me know if it works for you.
References
Owen O. Resting metabolic requirements of men and women. Mayo Clin Proc 1988;63:503-510.
LaForgia J, Withers RT, Gore CJ. Effects of exercise intensity and duration on the excess post-exercise oxygen consumption. J. Sports Sci. 2006 Dec;24(12):1247-64.
Diet Myths!!! *weight loss*
Losing weight – and most if it should be fat – is important for people who are overweight, in terms of body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference. It is also important for athletes, bodybuilders and recreational body shapers who want to get rid of those last few pounds.
With weight loss, it seems as if everyone has an angle, but most strategies are useless or insignificant.
Weight Loss Basics
What works for weight loss is to burn more calories in physical activity than you consume in food calories -- an excess of energy used compared to energy consumed. If you doubt this in any way, consider what happens to people on starvation diets in prison or who’ve been lost at sea or in the wilderness for many weeks or months with insufficient food. The body eventually uses all stored forms of energy, including muscle, to support itself for as long as possible. Then you die, mostly in a skeletal state.
But during weight loss (intentional or not), the body does try to prevent this happening — and this is a survival mechanism developed over several millions years of human evolution — by lowering its energy-burning rate in response to low-calorie consumption. The human body makes changes in all sorts of ways to adjust to changing circumstances. This is called “homeostasis.”
Variations exist in how much weight individuals can lose in response to diet and exercise, but in the end, changing energy balance is the only major thing that matters. I make this point because trivial approaches such as drinking green tea or eating chili peppers or drinking coffee (caffeine) or taking some herbal supplement or other may have a very small effect on fat loss that could easily be negated by the body adjusting to that challenge over time by altering its metabolism. Consistent deficits in energy intake and expenditure over months and years is what you need to concentrate on.
Here are 10 weight loss approaches that could waste your time:
1. Eat According to Your Metabolic Type
The origin of this idea in the modern diet business can be traced to The Metabolic Typing Diet by William Wolcott and Trish Fahey. The general idea dates from the 1970s and perhaps even before that.
The premise is that we all have a “metabolic type” — an individual metabolism that can be manipulated by dietary choices. According to this, we all fall into three metabolic types. And how do you know your metabolic type? Usually, the practitioners of metabolic type diets ask you a range of questions about your body shape, natural food choices, energy levels and many other things. Some may charge for blood or urine tests.
No doubt, you will soon be offered a genetic test that is supposed to identify your best nutrition and training habits based on your genes, which, presumably, create your metabolic type. Already similar services are being promoted to health and fitness enthusiasts — for a fee of course.
There is no evidence that metabolic types have any validity for weight management or fitness training, including weight training. Our genes can influence how our bodies works, but genes are not faultless determinants of physical function — or behavior for that matter. Genes interact with the environment, in this case, with food and physical activity. The idea that we have a metabolic type that reacts rigidly to diet in a certain way because of a genetic component is false, or at least only partly true. Food and exercise are just as likely to change the way these genes function as genes are to demand certain foods for health, perhaps even more likely.
2. Don’t Eat Carbohydrates Because They Turn to Fat
This one still persists, even after all the debunking that has been done. It is a persistent myth of misplaced emphasis that derives from the low-carb diet movement. First, some carbohydrates can be converted to fat and stored, but this is only significant if you overeat. Fructose in corn syrup and cane sugar is more likely to do this than glucose from starches, such as grains.
Second, even if some carbohydrate turns to fat, it is not permanently enshrined in some fat larder on your hips, legs, belly, arms and butt until the end of history. Mostly, you can burn it off just like you can burn off dietary fat that is eaten and stored. What matters is the total calories you consume and the energy calories you expend.
3. Eat Foods that Boost Metabolism or Decrease Appetite
While it is true that chemical substances, such as amphetamines, boost metabolism so that you burn more calories and this helps you with weight loss, amphetamines are powerful substances and few naturally occurring herbs or extracts have this type of effect. Or, if they do, products, such as ephedra, may not be safe for casual consumption. The FDA says ephedra is unsafe.
Other plant-derived substances touted as useful weight loss supplements are caffeine, capsaicin (chili), green tea, hoodia and many others sold as natural remedies. Some, such as hoodia, are supposed to be appetite suppressants.
The main issue with these weight loss solutions is that they aren’t solutions. Some may provide a small benefit, but mostly they cost you extra money and distract from the main game, which is getting your food intake and exercise plan working for you over the long term. There’s no harm in consuming coffee, chili and green tea as part of a normal diet. Spending big on supplements or exotic herbs for this purpose is bound to disappoint you if you don’t address the major factors in weight management.
4. Negative Calorie Foods Can Help You Lose Weight
This one is only for the very naïve. The idea that certain foods use more energy in digestion than they contain in calories is not to be believed, especially when lists of such foods includes fruits that contain significant calories in natural sugars.
If you eat a diet of green leafy vegetables and fruit, you probably will lose weight, but that’s because, overall, you will have reduced your calorie intake substantially. Try the Calorie-Count database to see how many calories are in various foods.
5. You Can Spot-Reduce Body Fat
This one is easy. No, you can’t. Spot reducing means targeting a particular body region for preferential fat removal, for example, doing crunches to rid your abdominals of extra fat. What you feel when you are doing crunches is muscle contraction and fatigue. The effort (energy expenditure) to create this is distributed across the body by increased heart rate, blood distribution and lung activity.
6. You Should Do Low-to-Moderate Intensity Exercise to Burn Fat
Low-intensity exercise burns more fat than glucose (blood sugar) as a percentage of total energy, and high-intensity exercise burns more glucose than fat. Even so, the total energy expended for a given time period is more important, because you can still burn fat at high intensity, even though the percentage of the total may be lower.
In addition, when you burn glucose doing high-intensity exercise, such as running fast or hard weight training, you empty your blood, liver and muscles of glucose, which then stimulates fat burning when you’re not exercising. You don’t have to exercise at a low-intensity to burn fat. Fat-burning “zones” were invented to sell treadmills and stationary cycles with electronic displays.
7. Low-Carb Diets Have a Metabolic Advantage
Just about all well-designed scientific studies on low-carb diets say that there is no such thing. Theoretically, diets with more protein should have a slight advantage, because protein makes you feel fuller, and it also takes a bit more energy to digest. This is a modest advantage, though, and likely to be insignificant in the long term, which is what 12-month comparison studies of low-carb diets have shown.
Low-carb diets may indeed be more effective for some people in the short term, but it will be because they impose calorie restriction on the dieter rather than providing any special fat-burning advantage.
8. Eat Many Small Meals Rather Than Three Big Meals
Many small meals, as opposed to three main meals, is supposed to enhance weight loss by making you feel full for longer. In a technical sense, this is supposed to prevent blood glucose from dipping low in between meals, which may cause you to become hungry and overeat during the next main meal.
Like many of the myths about fat loss, there is strong acceptance of this premise on many health and fitness sites. Weight trainers and body builders tend to be strong supporters of this idea. The problem is, there is no substantial evidence that it works. Even though a few early studies reported benefits, more recent evaluation has not found solid evidence to support this idea.
In fact, increased meal frequency may lower the “thermic effect of food,” which is the energy required to digest food. This would theoretically result in just the opposite of the outcome anticipated by the “small meal” supporters, showing a comparative increase in weight.
Even so, this idea is not as outlandish as some of the others, and more research may make the picture clearer. For now, though, you should not consider smaller, more frequent meals for weight loss as providing an advantage.
9. Weight Training is Superior to Cardio for Weight Loss
Generalizations such as these mean very little unless you measure the energy expenditure related to each activity. High-intensity activity will burn more energy than low-intensity activity during and also after exercise — the afterburn effect. High-intensity cardio would burn more calories than low- or moderate-intensity weight training. Actually, cardio generally burns more calories per unit of time, because the activity is constant, whereas weight training is intermittent, even though usually of higher intensity for short periods of time.
The best strategy is to do both cardio and weight training.
10. You Can Burn More Fat Exercising on an Empty Stomach
You probably can burn a lot of fat this way because fat is a preferred fuel when blood glucose is low after you have not eaten for a while. You will then go home, though, and eat a large meal to refuel, and you will burn less fat, because glucose will be replenished in the blood and liver. Over the course of 24 hours, you will have periods of preferential fat and glucose burning for energy, in different proportions. It balances out.
Blood glucose is low on an empty stomach when fasting -- first thing in the morning for example -- but you still need some glucose when you exercise. If you don’t eat before a workout session, you risk muscle protein being converted to glucose to maintain a critical level of blood glucose. It’s best not to do hard training on an empty stomach. A piece of toast or energy bar or fruit juice or sports drink is probably enough to give your blood glucose a little boost before you work out, which should prevent you using muscle for energy and still allow good workout energy expenditure.
Sources
Bellisle F, McDevitt R, Prentice AM. Meal frequency and energy balance. Br J Nutr. 1997 Apr;77 Suppl 1:S57-70. Review.
Foster GD, Wyatt HR, Hill JO, et al. A randomized trial of a low-carbohydrate diet for obesity. N Engl J Med. 2003 May 22;348(21):2082-90.
Tai MM, Castillo P, Pi-Sunyer FX. Meal size and frequency: effect on the thermic effect of food. Am J Clin Nutr. 1991 Nov;54(5):783-7.
Taylor MA, Garrow JS. Compared with nibbling, neither gorging nor a morning fast affect short-term energy balance in obese patients in a chamber calorimeter. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2001 Apr;25(4):519-28.
how to build mass by knowing neuromuscular activation _varies by exercise
Which bodybuilding exercises are the best ones for increasing lean muscle mass gains? This is one of the most common questions that I get asked on almost a daily basis.
In bodybuilding, there is a variety of exercises that one can choose from to sculpt the body of your dreams. Results in bodybuilding are generally measured in body composition changes; increased muscle mass or tone, depending on the goal, along with decreases in body fat. The speed at which such changes are acquired depends on the bodybuilding routines being used, the diet plan followed and the amount of sleep that the trainee gets.
In order for a training protocol to work at peak efficiency, not only must it be periodized or cycled but it also must include exercises that give you the most stimulation in the minimum amount of time.
Different exercises provide different levels of stimulation. Exercises like the leg extensions, while excellent for sculpting the lower part of the quadriceps, produce less of a stimulating effect than an exercise like the squat.
What Is Neuromuscular Stimulation?
The efficacy of an exercise really depends on the exercise's ability to prompt the nervous system to activate the maximum amount of muscle fibers possible in each repetition. How many muscle fibers get activated refers to an exercise's ability to provide Neuromuscular Stimulation (NMS}. Therefore, if we want maximum results in the gym from the time we invest, we must ensure that the exercises we choose have the highest NMS potential.
NMS is of crucial importance as it is the nervous system that ultimately sends a signal to the brain requesting to start the muscle growth process. Knowing how much NMS each bodybuilding exercise provides will allow you to make smart exercise choices when it comes time to design your own bodybuilding routines. Now, how do we determine what the stimulation factor of each exercise is? Such will be the topic of the next section.
NMS Classes
In order to rate what the NMS of each exercise is, I borrowed the Class rating system used for classifying the speed of DSL systems (technology used to achieve high speed connections to the Internet through your phone line) and tailored it to fit my purpose. In this system a Class 1 technology has lower speeds than a Class 2 technology.
Therefore, in our exercise rating system composed of four classes, a Class 1 exercise yields the lowest NMS (this class is composed of variable resistance machine type of exercises) while a Class 4 exercise yields the highest NMS and is therefore the hardest but most stimulating one. In each class we may also have subclasses such as Class 1a and Class 1b. A Class 1a exercise will yield less NMS than a Class 1b.
Class 1a
Class 1a exercises are composed of isolation (one joint) exercises performed in variable resistance machines (such as Nautilus) where the whole movement of the exercise is controlled. These type of exercises provide the least amount of stimulation as stabilizer muscles do not need to get involved since the machine takes care of the stabilization process. An example of such an exercise would be the machine curl.
Class 1b
Class 1b exercises are compound (multi-joint) movements performed in a variable resistance machine. An example of such movement would be the incline bench press performed in a Hammer Strength machine. Since the movement is a compound one, more muscles get involved and therefore the neuromuscular stimulation is higher than that offered by a machine curl for instance. However, the fact that the machine takes care of the stabilization issues limits the growth offered by the exercise.
Class 2a
Class 2a exercises are composed of isolation (one joint) exercises performed with non-variable resistance machines. An example of such exercise would be the leg extension exercise performed in one of those leg extensions attachments that come with the benches that are sold for home gyms. These attachments lack the pulleys and the cams that would make the exercise a variable resistance exercise. Therefore, the muscles need to get more involved in the movement, something that as a result provides better stimulation.
Class 2b
Class 2b exercises are composed of basic (multi-joint) exercises performed with non-variable resistance machines. An example of such would be the bench press unit that is attached to the Universal type of machines or a leg press machine that contains no pulleys or cams that would make the exercise easier. Since there are no pulleys or cams to make the exercise easier as you lift the weight, the NMS is higher.
Class 3a
Class 3a exercises are isolation (one joint) exercises performed with free weights. An example of such exercise would be a concentration curl performed with a dumbbell. It is still not very clear whether a multi joint exercise performed on a machine offers the same amount or better NMS than the one offered by a free weight isolation exercise. However, for the purposes of this discussion, we will assume that the free weight isolation exercise provides more stimulation as stabilizer muscles come into play (especially if you do the exercise standing up).
Class 3b
Class 3b exercises, as you probably guessed by now, are multi jointed basic exercises performed with barbell free weights.
Class 3c
Class 3c exercises are multi jointed basic exercises performed with dumbbell free weights. The barbell exercises provide less NMS as the movement is more restrained as opposed to dumbbells where the weights can go in all types of directions unless all of your stabilizer muscles jump in and constrain the movement. Because of this, dumbbells provide the highest NMS in this category.
Class 4
Finally, Class 4 exercises, the king of exercises, are free weight exercises where your body moves through space. In other words, any exercise where your torso is the one moving, such as squats, deadlifts, pull-ups, close grip chins, pushups, lunges, and dips, will provide the most stimulation possible and therefore, the fastest results. Haven’t you seen at the gym how many people do great amounts of weights in a pulldown machine but have trouble doing pull-ups?
The reason for this is that in order for you to perform these type of exercises you need to be capable of not only carrying the added resistance but also involving your bodyweight as well. Therefore, many muscles are called into play in order to perform this feat. If you look at it, by performing dips, chinups, squats and deadlifts you are really hitting every single muscle in your body! These exercises not only give you fast results, but they also create functional strength; in other words strength that can be used for your daily activities.
If you are great at performing pull-ups and you go to perform a pulldown you’ll see how easy the task of performing a pulldown is. As a matter of fact, depending on your pull-up strength, you might be able to lift the whole stack in most pulldown machines. However, the reverse in not true. While you may be very good at performing pulldowns you may not be able to perform many pull-ups as the strength gained in the pulldown exercise is not as transferable as the one gained in a pull-up. Again, the reason for this phenomenon is NMS.
Conclusion
Now that you know what exercises are the ones that give you the most bang for your buck, then my recommendations are the following:
If you follow very low volume routines (3-7 sets per bodyparts), please choose only exercises in the Class 3b, 3c and 4 region.
If you follow a medium volume type of routine (8-13 sets per bodypart), stick mostly to Class 3b, 3c and 4 type of exercises but for those bodyparts where you perform 12 or 13 sets, you may want to incorporate 2 or 3 sets at either the beginning or at the end of the workout from one of the lower classes. This is especially true for legs in which a leg extension movement at the beginning of the workout is a great tool for pre-exhausting the quads or at the end of the workout serves as a great finishing movement.
For high volume routines (14-20 sets per bodypart) you can get away with having 1/3 of your routine composed of lower class (Classes 3a and below) exercises.
Remember, convincing your body to grow and develop muscle is not an easy endeavor. However it becomes an impossible one if you choose exercises that do not provide a significant NMS effect. Therefore, always choose exercises from the higher classes in order to show your body that you mean business.
See, told you to Stretch AFTER your workout!!!
Pre-Activity Stretching May Hinder Athletic Performance, Unlv Study Finds
Main Category: Sports Medicine / Fitness
Also Included In: Rehabilitation / Physical Therapy
Article Date: 22 Sep 2008 - 2:00 PDT
Contrary to the prevailing idea that stretching enhances athletic performance, a new study by UNLV kinesiology researchers found that certain stretching may actually reduce performance by decreasing leg power.
The study, which appears in the September 2008 issue of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, investigated how two typical stretching techniques for the hamstrings and quadriceps muscles in the legs affected measures of strength and power in a group of male and female athletes.
Specifically, participants were asked to perform a vertical jump and seated knee flex on three occasions after a typical duration of basic static (holding) and ballistic (bouncing) stretches, or no stretching at all. While little or no difference was found in vertical jump and leg torque, power measures for the stretching groups were significantly reduced.
"Athletes typically include static stretching as a part of the warm-up, but the evidence is clear that this practice will decrease performance in sports that require explosive movements," said UNLV kinesiology professor and study co-author Bill Holcomb, who directs the university's Sports Injury Research Center. "Developing flexibility is important for reducing sports injury, but the time to stretch is after, not before, performance."
Holcomb suggests that coaches limit stretch duration as a part of the warm up in most sports and refrain from pre-activity stretching altogether for sports that are reliant on maximum power. Instead, athletes should perform a whole-body warm-up activity followed by sport specific, or dynamic, stretching.
Power, calculated using a force-measuring device during the vertical jump testing, decreased between 2.4 and 3.4 percent after ballistic and static stretching. Vertical jump is commonly used in research as a predictor of power because the process of jumping requires a person to effectively generate force with their legs at rapid speed. Also, the hamstrings and quadriceps both function as major muscles used in jumping.
While the percentage of the power decrease may not warrant a change in warm up routine for recreational athletes, it is quite significant for competitive athletes participating in activities requiring maximum power, such as track and field and football, for example.
Participating in the study with Holcomb were UNLV Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition professors Mack Rubley and Mark Guadagnoli, and graduate kinesiology student Michelle Samuel. The study appeared in the September 2008 issue of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research and can be found online at: http://www.nsca-jscr.org.
Main Category: Sports Medicine / Fitness
Also Included In: Rehabilitation / Physical Therapy
Article Date: 22 Sep 2008 - 2:00 PDT
Contrary to the prevailing idea that stretching enhances athletic performance, a new study by UNLV kinesiology researchers found that certain stretching may actually reduce performance by decreasing leg power.
The study, which appears in the September 2008 issue of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, investigated how two typical stretching techniques for the hamstrings and quadriceps muscles in the legs affected measures of strength and power in a group of male and female athletes.
Specifically, participants were asked to perform a vertical jump and seated knee flex on three occasions after a typical duration of basic static (holding) and ballistic (bouncing) stretches, or no stretching at all. While little or no difference was found in vertical jump and leg torque, power measures for the stretching groups were significantly reduced.
"Athletes typically include static stretching as a part of the warm-up, but the evidence is clear that this practice will decrease performance in sports that require explosive movements," said UNLV kinesiology professor and study co-author Bill Holcomb, who directs the university's Sports Injury Research Center. "Developing flexibility is important for reducing sports injury, but the time to stretch is after, not before, performance."
Holcomb suggests that coaches limit stretch duration as a part of the warm up in most sports and refrain from pre-activity stretching altogether for sports that are reliant on maximum power. Instead, athletes should perform a whole-body warm-up activity followed by sport specific, or dynamic, stretching.
Power, calculated using a force-measuring device during the vertical jump testing, decreased between 2.4 and 3.4 percent after ballistic and static stretching. Vertical jump is commonly used in research as a predictor of power because the process of jumping requires a person to effectively generate force with their legs at rapid speed. Also, the hamstrings and quadriceps both function as major muscles used in jumping.
While the percentage of the power decrease may not warrant a change in warm up routine for recreational athletes, it is quite significant for competitive athletes participating in activities requiring maximum power, such as track and field and football, for example.
Participating in the study with Holcomb were UNLV Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition professors Mack Rubley and Mark Guadagnoli, and graduate kinesiology student Michelle Samuel. The study appeared in the September 2008 issue of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research and can be found online at: http://www.nsca-jscr.org.
DIET like The Biggest Loser
'The Biggest Loser' Diet
By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD
WebMD Expert Review
What It Is
You, too, can be The Biggest Loser by following a diet and fitness program similar to that used by contestants on the NBC TV show of the same name. There are no televised temptations of cheesy pasta or gooey brownies for home dieters, no diet pills or personal trainers -- just a healthy diet and plenty of exercise.
This is a low-calorie diet based on the Biggest Loser pyramid of 4-3-2-1 (four servings of fruits and veggies; three of lean protein; two of whole grains; and one "extra"), along with good old-fashioned exercise. Eat a diet based largely on fruits, vegetables and lean protein, add a heavy dose of physical activity and you will lose weight, lower cholesterol, decrease blood pressure, and become stronger and more energized.
Tufts University obesity clinician and researcher Michael Dansinger, MD, developed the weight loss program accompanied by dietitian and chef Cheryl Forberg, RD, and trainers Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels, working with writer Maggie Greenwood-Robinson, PhD.
Over the course of the 12-week program, you can expect to eat small, frequent meals containing plenty of fiber and protein, for fullness without too many calories.
"We emphasize the quality of the calories so you can meet your nutritional needs [and] enjoy more natural, healthy whole foods and lean proteins that will help you deal with hunger before it happens," says Forberg.
And you won't be eating any "appetite stimulating" white foods like bread, pasta, or potatoes. Keeping daily food logs, watching portion sizes, and drinking 48-64 ounces of water each day round out the basic plan.
You can also count on daily workouts, starting at 30 minutes and increasing to an hour. The book contains a detailed cardio and strength-training program that increases in intensity for a "fat-busting boost." You'll also find plenty of tips and inspiration from former contestants throughout the book.
Sounds simple enough, but when you don't have a personal trainer pushing you, as the TV contestants have, how do you stay motivated? You can join The Biggest Loser club for online support, meal plans, recipes, customized fitness information, a journal, and more for about $5 per week.
What You Can Eat
The book includes one-week sample meal plans for 1,200-, 1,500- and 1,800-calorie diets, along with some recipes. Forty-five percent of the total calories come from carbohydrates, 30% from protein, and 25% from fat.
The 4-3-2-1 Biggest Loser Pyramid sets the stage for number of servings from each of the food groups:
4 servings of fruits and vegetables
3 servings of protein -- lean, vegetarian, or low-fat dairy
2 servings of whole grains
1 extra of fats, oils, sweets, alcohol, or your choice, equivalent to 200 calories
Here's a sample meal daily plan:
What You Can Eat continued...
Breakfast: 1/2 serving protein, 1 serving whole grain, 1 serving fruit
Snack: 1/2 protein, 1 fruit
Lunch: 1 protein, 1/2 whole grain, 1 vegetable
Snack: 1/2 protein, 1 fruit
Dinner: 1/2 protein, 1/2 whole grain, 2 vegetables
Dieters are urged to choose foods that are not processed and contain no added fats, sugar, or salt. "Read food labels, and if you can't pronounce some of the ingredients on the list, don't buy it," suggests Forberg.
Whole fruits and vegetables are preferred over juices or dried fruits. Foods should be eaten raw or prepared simply without extra fats. Whenever fats are used, they should be healthy fats -- not saturated or trans fats.
Dieters should choose whole grains that are less refined and have at least 2 grams of fiber per serving of bread or 5 grams of fiber per serving of cereal, with no more than 5 grams of sugar. Protein choices include lean meat or fish, vegetarian protein, or low-fat dairy. Your calorie level determines portion sizes and your protein options.
Still hungry? You can eat more than four servings a day of fruits and vegetables.
How It Works
It works because you burn more calories than you eat, and if you follow the prescription for eating healthy, whole foods every few hours, you shouldn't have to deal with hunger.
"When you eliminate refined starches and sugars or the appetite stimulating foods, hunger and appetite go way down because blood glucose and insulin spikes are minimized," says Dansinger.
Meals are scheduled frequently to help dieters avoid hunger. In addition, portion sizes are monitored and detailed records kept of food intake.
Your starting calorie level is determined by multiplying your current weight by 7 (On the television show, they use a factor of 6 for quicker results). The recommendations range from a low of 1,050 calories for a 150-pound person to a high of 2,100 calories for a 300-pound person.
Most people eat more than they think, so in essence the low end is probably closer to a 1,200-calorie diet," says medical director Dansinger.
As you start losing weight, you'll recalculate your calorie level and take in fewer calories or get more exercise. "If you want to maintain a fairly aggressive weight loss, you may need to adjust your caloric intake to your lower weight," says Dansinger.
The book also includes tips for weight maintenance once you've reached your goal. "We base our recommendation on 10-12 calories per pound and an hour per day of exercise for maintenance," says Dansinger.
You can avoid the ups and downs of "yo-yo" dieting if you follow these five nuggets of advice from contestants who have lost weight on The Biggest Loser and kept it off:
Eat a healthy breakfast every day
Enjoy fruit and/or vegetables with every meal
Have protein with all meals and snacks
Stay active
Plan your meals, snacks, and exercise
What the Experts Say
Susan Bowerman, MS, RD, assistant director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of California at Los Angeles, gives the plan a thumbs-up.
"It is very similar to the plan we use at our clinics, using very low-fat and lean protein, lots of fruits and vegetables (with an emphasis on vegetables), and avoiding refined grains -- which has proven to be successful because the diet is very satiating," she says. She also recommends that dieters get plenty of omega-3 fatty acids, either in a supplement or by eating low-mercury types of fish twice weekly.
American Dietetic Association spokesperson Amy Jamieson-Petonic, MEd, RD, also endorses the plan -- as long as you consume at least 1,200 calories daily. "It is not recommended to consume fewer than 1,200 calories a day because it is difficult to obtain the necessary vitamins, minerals and nutrients needed for daily activities," she says.
Bowerman says the carbohydrate level in The Biggest Loser diet may not be enough for someone who is very active. "If you are functioning well and feel like you have enough energy for your workouts, then the level is fine," she says. "Otherwise, you might want to increase the carbs to meet your activity needs."
Multivitamins are not suggested in the book, but Bowerman recommends that anyone on a lower-calorie diet take a multivitamin for nutritional "insurance."
"Theoretically, you should be able to get everything you need from the plan," she says. "However there is no reason not to include a multivitamin for your age and sex, because oftentimes both men and women lack certain nutrients, like calcium, because of dietary preferences or intolerances."
Food for Thought
If you're motivated by the television program, you can be your own "biggest loser" at home with this sensible and straightforward approach.
"It is doable, easy to adopt, and offers a wide variety of choices of exercises and food, so people really can stick with it and let it become a lifestyle plan instead of a short-fix diet," says Forberg.
Everyone in the family -- even vegetarians -- can follow this plan as long as you modify portion sizes to meet individual nutritional needs.
"We don't use the word diet," says Forsberg. "It is a plan that can work for everybody because there is so much variety, it is based on science, and everyone can benefit from a nutrient-rich eating plan that will foster weight loss and promote optimal health."
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