Supplementation Part I

Not often will you hear me go on a rant about which supplements to take. Heck, not often will you hear me mention anything about the nutritional products I endorse. Why, you ask? Mainly because the area of supplementation can get very tricky and very confusing at the same time. However I thought I'd spend a small amount of time covering some pure basics.

First and foremost, let me say that the majority of my readers are women therefore the majority of this content will apply to them (sorry fellas, but my Momma always said "ladies first"). At the very least a high quality multivitamin should be a front line supplement that both men and women should take faithfully. None of us will ever get all the nutrients we need from the food in the fridge no matter how good your diet is. I would also recommend that you stay away from vitamins in tablet form since these are the hardest for your body to breakdown and absorb. If you are not taking some form of multivitamin I suggest you start now.

Another supplement that is a staple to optimum health and fitness would be protein. Understand this, protein comes in various sources but the superior choice is whey protein. Protein will help you maximize muscle gains (no ladies, you will not look like a man if you consume too much protein) and speed muscle recovery. The problem with protein is that many are concerned with consuming a certain amount when in fact the focus should be on how much is consumed in the bloodstream.

Whey protein is the fastest digesting protein there is - this is also why most people choose whey protein as their post workout supplement. A person should consume .15 - .25 grams of protein per pound of body weight post workout. Whey protein can also be used before a workout as well to provide the energy needed to endure the intensity of the workout.

That's all for tonight, or should I say this morning....It's 1:42am and my eyes are heavy. I will resume this post tomorrow...

Are You 35 Yet?...

Don't take the question literally - this has no reference to your age! The 35 that I'm referring to is 3,500 calories. Are you there yet? Is your body burning 3,500 calories per week more than the food you put into it? If not, then there's your problem right there.

Simply put, it takes 3,500 calories burned to drop 1 pound. This can come in the form of reducing your food intake (and I'm not talking about a diet - I hate that word in the wrong context) and exercise. Or you can do a combination of both which is what I prefer. The bottom line is, you have to do whatever you can remain consistent with.

Here's a fact that we may need to staple to our forehead and forethought - most people expend 65-75 percent of their total daily calories with only their resting metabolism. This means they do nothing, just the normal day in and day out of work, feed the dog, take out the trash, drive to work, grocery shop, watch tv, and occasionally sit on the toilet. 20-25 percent is burned via exercise. This number is higher for active individuals and lower for sedentary people. The remaining 10 percent is what's called thermic (also know as the thermic affect of feeding). In layman's terms - it is the energy we used to consume, digest, and metabolize the foods we eat.

Activity is key. Take a person at 155lbs and another at 190lbs and they both complete the same activities for the same duration of time. The larger person will burn more calories because there's more mass to move thus requiring more effort. So let me breakdown a list of activities both individuals can do and how it relates to caloric output.

Each activity is for an HOUR of duration - remember, we are focused on being 35. The first number is the calories burned for the 155lb person and the second is for the 190lb person.

Desk work: 127 - 155
Watching tv: 70 - 86
Walking (moderate): 246 - 302
Running (moderate): 703 - 862
Weight lifting (moderate): 211 - 259

I merely listed the things most people engage in either on a daily, consistent basis or sparingly. Moderate activity was chose because I believe most people, if shown correctly, will at least partake in moderate exercise. Unfortunately, the problem with this is those same people hardly ever push themselves to do more. Many people are stuck at a light or moderate exertion when it comes to their workouts. This is a huge reason why there are no results.

Increasing the running to something more vigorous means you can cut the time but still have sufficient calories burned. For example, the same two people (150lb and 190lb) can work out at a vigorous rate and burn 422 and 517 calories respectively - double the output. And if you're pressed for time, you can do this in a shorter time frame and get in an hour's worth of caloric expenditure.

Back to my point. Seeing this information it is my hope that you gather something very important - your weight loss may not be happening because you haven't hit 35 yet. 8 hours at work for the 190 pound person is only 1240 calories burned. Factor in a little cardio and weight training and now we're at 2,102 (running) or 1,459 (weight training) total calories burned for the day, but the day is over now. Any additional calories will come from leisure activity.

This would be great if that person is burning 2,102 calories and is only consuming 1,500 calories. But more than likely, a 190lb person will need 2,300 calories to maintain. But if you cut that by 500 (hence 5 x 7 = 3,500) the intake is 1,800 to drop weight. While this seems like a win initially, the 300 calorie difference only equates to 2,100 calories for the week - resulting in .6lb being lost (nothing that you would notice).

Not to sound discouraging but the question that I ask is - Are you active enough to hit 35? Does your exercise/health regimen stop on Friday? Depending upon your answer will determine your fate when it comes to losing the weight....

Understanding the Affects of Salt aka Sodium....

I know I'm not the first person to tell you this and I know I won't be the last - loose the salt!

It is common to add a pinch here and there to help "season or flavor" foods when cooking. I have no problem with that because only 11% of our intake comes from that dash we add at the table or during food prep. However, it is the astonishing 77% that kills me. And where does this enormous amount come from? Come on, take a guess....processed foods!

Don't get me wrong, we do need some sodium to do bodily functions such as influencing the contraction of muscles, transmitting nerve impulses, and even balancing fluids in the body.

Take note that the kidneys are responsible for regulating the amount of sodium in the body. Too little sodium, your kidneys will conserve more sodium and if too much the excess sodium is released through urine. Therefore proper kidney functionality is essential. If the kidneys can't eliminate proper amounts of sodium, it will then begin to build up in your blood. In part, this contributes to congestive heart failure, cirrhosis, and chronic kidney disease.

It has been widely accepted that your sodium intake should not exceed 2400 mg per day. The main sources of sodium in our diets come from processed foods, condiments, and natural sources of sodium.

Canned vegetables, soups, lunch meats, and frozen foods contain high amounts of sodium to preserve the food and improve the taste. In most cases one serving of soup will carry half the amount of a person's recommended daily intake. And remember, the label will often dictate that serving as half a cup - who actually eats and gets full off a half a cup of soup?

One teaspoon of table salt has 2,325 mg of sodium and the same serving of soy sauce has roughly 1,000 mg of sodium in it. Adding either of these to your meal can significantly raise the sodium intake of your meal.

Naturally you will find sodium in foods like meat, poultry, dairy products, and even vegetables. However in most cases it is a much smaller amount such as a cup of low-fat milk. It carries about 106 mg of sodium.

Now to relate this to your fitness goals let me make this clear, high sodium does not affect your fat levels. However, it does and will affect water retention. When you are stepping on the scale and your body composition has changed but your water retention has either remained the same or increased, the scale can be your worst enemy.

You want to reduce the amount of sodium so that you are healthier and to eliminate excess water from the body. This reduction in water weight will make you not only lighter but will also give you a more toned look to your body. Who doesn't want that?

If you have ever had a conversation with me about reading labels, you will know that I make every attempt to educate people on the misconceptions of those labels. Ultimately, I believe people should understand thoroughly what happens to the foods and crap they ingest and how it affects the body.

So what's your sodium intake? Is it too high?

Does Your Workout Pass the PE Test?

If only all my clients told me "you work me out harder than everyone one else!" In the end, I guess it really doesn't matter because the ones that don't say it are definitely thinking it. And if you're a client reading this and you have never had the thought cross your mind, then this article is for you.

Everyone should know that they are much tougher than they give themselves credit for. Women traditionally don't "push it" because of the fear of pain or injury. This mindset must be eliminated and people must learn to find their individual threshold. Just as your workouts need variation and consistency, they must also have INTENSITY!

Intensity is needed just as much as variety and consistency to give you results. If any training program is going to work, then you must find that special place you need to get to - pushing out extra reps, getting low when doing squats and lunges for extra range of motion, and not being afraid to pick up the heavier weights as you get stronger. Intensity is all about pushing it to that discomfort threshold without stepping over the line of pain (you never want to jeopardize form and increase the possibility of an injury). Under-training or giving up simply because you "can't" do it or saying "it's too heavy" before attempting to pick the weight up will never allow you to know what it's like to get back to the old you (the 20lb lighter version of you that is).

Secondly, there is an understanding that under-training and over-training both accomplish nothing. Doing the same routine with the same amount of weight, and the same intensity yields the kind of results sure to frustrate you - no results! The opposite is when you physically cannot complete the workout, the next 3 days your joints hurt, and you can't feed yourself. The soreness you experience should be in your muscles and not your joints. Vomiting after a workout is also not allowed.

Lastly, you should be able to carry on a conversation during your workout. Getting dizzy and lightheaded is not a good sign (although this could be a sign of not eating as well). Typically if you are experiencing this, you are overexerting yourself and should stop. We all have a perceived exertion that dictates how hard we are working out based on a scale of 1-10. This number should almost always be at least a 5 and should never be higher than a 8 for beginners. As you progress, you want this number to change from 5 to 7.

Think about the work you have been putting in at the gym lately...is it too low, too high, or are you being pushed to your limit? Make note that this does not apply to resistance training only. You're cardiovascular training is affected by intensity as well.

And You Wonder Why....

Still struggling with the idea that the scale hasn't shown you the results you desire? Maybe one of these days you will take advice from someone who has extended education in this area. Or are you waiting for the weight loss media giants to state the real facts?

Look, we've been through this before and quite honestly it really is getting old. For the last time, not eating or not eating enough solves absolutely nothing. Who cares that you started working out this year and you have been consistent with it! And to think that if you eat less that will help, HA! Seriously?

Your body requires a set number of calories just to cover your basal metabolic rate (BMR) just to function. Let me stress that this does NOT include exercise nor daily activity - only living, breathing, and sitting on the couch. I've said it before and will break it down again, if you eat less then yes you will loose weight but trust me it's not the weight you really want gone.

Eating less does one or all three of the following: you loose water, you loose muscle, and you loose very little fat. Not eating causes several things to happen. Your body will begin to go into survival mode and survives by eating your muscle, thus storing fat because that's how it can survive the longest. Do you really think your body knows that your goal is to loose fat? Heck no, it wants you to survive so it seeks a way to preserve itself by using muscle for energy.

As your body continues to catabolize itself, muscle is eliminated and the body is then able to survive off of fewer calories. This is exactly why fad diets do not work for permanent fat loss. Starving your body puts you in a very unhealthy state and drives you to the quickest energy source it needs to survive - sugar and fat (and you wonder why you don't want to eat healthy foods). It is vital that you take yourself out of this phase by stop starving yourself and eliminate the sugar.

If you are loosing weight and the primary loss is muscle, the loss will be very short lived and unhealthy for you body. You need muscle to allow your body to burn more calories throughout the day. Throw your scale out the window and stop relying on it to determine you fat loss. Get your body fat checked and have it checked monthly. Lastly if you see the scale rise or remain the same and you have been eating properly with exercise, know that your body is adding the muscle it needs to burn out the unwanted fat.

Will you continue to rely on the scale or will you do something different now?

Where's the Fat?...

Recently a client asked me, "where does the fat go when you loose weight?" While I gave him the short answer I thought it would be a good topic to discuss with anyone who might be interested. Besides if I'm not writing about the things that interest you the most, then why am I writing in the first place.

It's all too common that many of us would agree that losing 5-10 pounds, possibly more for some, isn't a bad idea. So let's learn some basics so that all of this stuff makes sense. First, we are all born with a predetermined number of fat cells. With the exception of liposuction, this number will not decrease although it is very possible that it can increase.

Even though the fat cells do not increase, the size of the cells can and will increase. We all need body fat to coat and insulate our organs and to do other bodily functions like provide energy. The fat cells will store this energy as triglycerides (fancy term for fat). Therefore the cell will increase or decrease depending upon on filled it is.

When you energy needs are higher than your caloric intake, your body will turn to fat as an energy source. Your body will release hormones and enzymes that tell your fat cells to release fat from storage. Triglycerides are then broken down to free fatty acids (FFA's) and glycerol through a complex process. From here your muscles, liver, and kidneys are fueled from the FFA's via your bloodstream.

Heat is generated from all of this and is used to maintain your body temperature. Carbon dioxide and water are the waste products from this complex chemical process. By now I'm sure you guessed what happens next, you excrete the water through sweat and urine and the carbon dioxide through the air you exhale.

Make note that I am not saying you sweat, pee, or breathe out the fat. That is simply a byproduct of the chemical process your body goes through when the fat is released from fat cells and released into your bloodstream to be used by the muscles, kidney, and liver.

For some reason I want to go for a jog, what about you?

Don't Cheat Yourself....

We are thirteen days into the New Year and the same goes for the resolutions we have made. From what I hear many people started on January 4 therefore they're only ten days in. Either way, I must ask how your progress is going?

No matter when you started I'm certain at some point over the last ten to thirteen days the idea of a "cheat day" has crossed your mind (go ahead, admit it). For some people, every day has been a cheat day or at least had a cheat meal in it. You know who you are! It's natural for us to want to reward ourselves when we have accomplished something therefore having a "cheat meal" is one way of congratulating our minds (and taste buds) for all the hard work.

However, I'm a bit perplexed with this way of thinking. Before I sat down to write this I went back to check the definition of cheat. I found this meaning - to deceive and defraud; to impose upon; to trick; to swindle. This was my favorite from Merriam Webster - to deprive of something valuable by the use of deceit or fraud.

Hmm...I'm not so sure I want to deprive my health or body of what I consider valuable. I don't know about you but I value my health. It is important for me to be healthy to play with my boys and to prevent illnesses caused by an unhealthy lifestyle. On top of that, I want to look great and feel great.

So that I don't get off subject here, let's go back to this "cheat meal." There is no such reward in depriving yourself of what you value (this would be the reason you're on your diet or decided to workout). I understand through knowledge and experience that your eating habits will not be changed overnight. It is a lot of effort to go days, weeks, and months of eating healthier. This is why you should start off with small steps.

Don't take an entire day to begin eating healthier. By doing this you place pressure upon yourself to compete with the previous day in a negative fashion. Generally what happens is you go one day of eating good then you challenge yourself for another day. Two days become three, then four (if we make it that far) and once we have reached our own personal milestone it's celebration time - hence "cheat day."

To avoid this failure that is masked with the thought of accomplishment, I would suggest you take each day to incorporate a healthier meal or snack. Do this each day with at least one of your meals. For some people it may be adding a healthy breakfast or a snack between lunch and dinner. From there set the bar a little higher and not only continue with the change you made but now swap an unhealthy meal for a clean one (clean means healthy).

Do this with dedication and consistency and you will soon find yourself not having to or wanting to cheat yourself. And if successful, you can then "treat yourself!"

Try This for Your Diet!...

We are only a few days into the New Year and many people have set their goals on a number - 20lbs lost by March or 3 sizes down before Summer. The first thing that comes to mind to achieving these goals are inevitably, diets and exercise.

As a former manager for a major fitness facility, I know the behavior and trends that come with this time of year. Overcrowded fitness facilities, 20 minute waits to use treadmills, maxed out aerobics classes are all part of the weight loss pandemonium.

Strikingly enough many individuals have turned their attention to the using one word repeatedly throughout the day - "diet!" I've said it numerous times and will say it again, "diets don't work." Even doctors at the Center for Eating Disorders at Sheppard Pratt in Towson agree(located in Maryland in case you don't want to Google it).

So what is it I'm suggesting you try for your diet? Absolutely nothing! Don't go on a "diet!" In fact, every time you hear the word diet you should get upset and encourage the person who said it to rethink what they said. Dieting is hard because people have not learned the difference between willpower and commitment to long-term behavior change.

Diets rely on willpower to keep you on track. When there is desperation and change is wanted, willpower is generally at it's highest peak. The danger with this is when we feel we have made some progress with our "diet," we tend to become less inclined to restrict ourselves from fattening or high carb foods.

A diet will only work as long as you are on it and many people get bored fast so they go on and off frequently. This causes a sense of failure and becomes a slippery slope for many people because then they will eat anything they want telling themselves "it's ok, I'll start again tomorrow." What happens next is they go from diet to diet hoping one will end their failed attempts. Unfortunately, there isn't a such diet and many people end up larger each time they try.

There are many things we want out of this life. Often times a better body or healthier lifestyle is among the top of the list. However, due to what's socially acceptable, we go about achieving these two the wrong way. Permanent weight loss isn't achieved by temporary measures. For long-term success with weight management, many things will have to change - you're nutritional habits being a major one!

As I close this post, I quote Cynthia Finley, a dietitian at John Hopkins Weight Management Center, "many people do not realize it takes two to five years to fully change eating habits."

Caffeine: America's Most Popular Drug?

With Americans consuming 330 million cups of coffee per day, there's no question that coffee is America's number one beverage choice. At the office there's a pot brewing, your car has it's on thermos, and every corner you turn to has a coffee shop on it. Next to oil, coffee may be the second most valuable commodity.

Is it the different flavors and varieties that drives the coffee buzz? If coffee contained absolutely no caffeine would it be the most dominant drink of choice? Not a chance. Is it a coincidence that all the most popular drinks, despite they all have different tastes, contain caffeine? I'll make it easy and answer for you - absolutely not!

Here's how the drug caffeine works: when consumed almost every cell in the body, including the brain, absorbs it within minutes. Caffeine works by blocking adenosine, a chemical the body releases to tell the brain it's tired. Now it's basically telling the brain the opposite, "I'm wide awake." And this is the buzz that many coffee drinkers crave.

Americans spend more that $33 billion annually on weight loss products and services. Take a guess at what ingredient is commonly used in many of the weight loss products - you're darn right, caffeine.

Since caffeine is a stimulant, many believe it enhances fat metabolism and encourages weight loss. Unfortunately, it is the diuretic affect of caffeine that gives the illusion of fat loss. Therefore the reduction of weight isn't in the form of fat, it is strictly water loss.

Coffee and caffeine intake aggravates stress leading to increased levels of glucocorticoids including cortisol. For the record, cortisol has been shown to decrease muscle tissue which relates to a decreased metabolism.

Of all the dietary habits people struggle to change, consuming coffee is one of the most difficult due to it's social status and caffeine addiction. Like a drug, there are withdrawal symptoms associated with giving up that Cup of Joe. Symptoms include: painful headaches, nausea, vomiting, depression, fatigue, and even anxiety.

Are you considering loosing weight? If so, you would do well avoiding coffee/caffeine consumption. Caffeine increases the reactivity of the body to the stress of everyday life and increased levels of stress NEGATIVELY affect weight loss.

How many cups of coffee will you have now?

Learn This to Achieve Success This New Year...

Congratulations people! We have made it to 2010, set new goals, and made resolutions to change in areas where we lacked discipline, self control, or even knowledge. At least that is what most people have done on or should I say that is what most people are planning to do.

By far the most common New Year's resolution is to loose weight, in conjunction with exercising more and eating healthier. However the problem with this is often there is no real motivation. I doubt your physician told you to set this goal as of January 1, 2010 or you wouldn't live past the first week of the year. If my assumption is correct, and this assumes you go to your doctor on a regular basis, I'm sure he/she has been telling you to get in control of your health. All things being true, then there is no real motivation to set this goal as of January 1 regardless of it being 2010, 2011, or any year after that.

But since you say you're serious this time around, as if you didn't say that previous years, I'm going to help you out. I'm going to attempt to make the process a little easier for you by providing information that if actually used will truly assist you in your efforts. Are you ready?

Don't depend on calories to assist you with fat loss. In fact, don't concern yourself a whole lot with calories this year. Take 2010 to focus on nutrients. Your body could care less about getting calories in. What your body really wants you to do is provide it with nutrients. Ahh! There's a word we don't see much - nutrients! It's such a profound word I had to say it again.

Here's the skinny, all foods contain nutrients in some proportion or another and those nutrients provide energy to the body in the form of calories. So what I'm saying is from a caloric standpoint, 2000 calories will always be 2000 calories regardless of where they come from. Unfortunately this is only a simplistic view.

Just because protein and carbs both carry 4 calories per gram doesn't mean they have the same physiological effect on the body. Generally we can determine what goes on in the body based on the amounts and proportions of the different nutrients being consumed. The body doesn't crave calories, it craves nutrients. It is essential to have 4-6 balanced meals per day simply due to the nutritional content of those meals. While it may seem like a lot of food, it really isn't.

This year will be all about satiety - feeling of fullness. Have you ever had a large meal (burger, fries, and a coke - easily 1000 calories) and 2 hours later wanted something else? Either it was something sweet or another meal. The reason for this is none of those foods have satiating power. When you decide to go on a diet, reduce calories, watch what you eat, or whatever terminology you use, did you ever consider the satiating power of your food?

What I mean is are you eating foods that will help you remain fuller longer or are you eating the same foods but less of it? To obtain this feeling of fullness you should consume foods that are high in protein, dietary fiber, fruits, vegetables, and water. Bakery foods like cakes, cookies, croissants, biscuits, white bread, and high fat foods all have the lowest satiating power.

Although they have the same amount of calories per gram, proteins help control hunger much longer than carbohydrates while fats have the weakest effects of satiety. This probably accounts for the capacity of a high fat diet (what America is on right now) to lead to passive over-eating, which results in weight gain.

I want to challenge you to take this information and put it to use now - besides, this is part of the New Year resolution right? Eat a large order of fries from McDonald's and drink only water. Record how long it takes for you to want to eat and if you felt full. Then eat only a sandwich with 3 ounces of turkey breast and a piece of fruit with water. For the record the fries will carry roughly 160 more calories but will lack the nutrients of the second meal.

Take the challenge and if what I have said isn't true call me out on it. Here's to your health and a wonderful New Year!