Increase Your Fiber
By: Joy Diggs, MS, CPT
Are you eating enough fiber? That seems to be the big question lately! With so much emphasis on fiber, what’s the big deal? Fiber is carbohydrate that cannot be digested. It is found in the plants we eat— fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes. It helps move food through the digestive system easier. The average American only consumes 15 grams of fiber a day, which is only about half of the daily recommended amount.
Daily Recommended Amount:
|
|
Age |
Age |
| Men |
38 |
30 |
| Women |
25 |
21 |
Adequate daily fiber consumption has many benefits:
- Regulates bowel movements. Dietary fiber softens and increases the bulk of your stool. This makes the stool easier to pass, decreasing your chance of constipation.
- Helps maintain bowel integrity and health. A high-fiber diet may lower your risk of developing hemorrhoids and small pouches in your colon (diverticular disease).
- Lowers blood cholesterol levels. Soluble fiber found in beans, oats, flaxseed and oat bran may help lower total blood cholesterol levels by lowering LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol levels. Fiber can also reduce blood pressure and inflammation.
- Helps control blood sugar levels. Fiber can slow the absorption of sugar, which can help improve blood sugar levels.
- Aids in weight loss. High-fiber foods generally decrease overeating by keeping you full longer. High-fiber diets also tend to be lower in calories.
There are many ways to add more fiber to your diet. Start consuming more high fiber foods like whole grains, fresh fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, and flaxseed. Fiber supplements may be necessary for some people, but whole foods should be consumed, if possible, for their additional vitamin and mineral content. Gradually add more fiber to your diet to prevent gas, bloating, and cramping. Also make sure to drink plenty of water!
Is Your Workplace Expanding Your Waistline?
By Joy Diggs, MS, CPT
Behind the seemingly safe doors of many office buildings lie dangerous, deceptively innocent items that are taking employees captive. These items are causing expanding waistlines, increasing risk for diseases, and have become so common place that many employees have grown immune to their existence. Have you?
Have you noticed the amount of unhealthy foods that are readily available in your workplace? You probably have the candy bowl or drawer that everyone digs into at least once a day. How about the cupcakes or cookies that someone always makes for the office? Then there’s the office meeting with huge bagels and Danishes that everyone always feels compelled to eat. If you think back on the past month, you can probably pinpoint numerous opportunities for unhealthy eating. As tempting as they are, these foods can cause you to pack on extra pounds quickly! Did you know that eating only an extra 100 calories a day can lead to a weight gain of 10lbs in a year? One of those Snicker Minis has about 50 calories… something to think about.
If you find yourself hungry during the day or craving something sweet, come prepared! Packing your own snack is the perfect way to resist temptation. Eat every 3-4 hours to prevent overeating at lunchtime or dinner. Make sure you pack a mixture of carbohydrate and a lean source of protein to keep your body fueled throughout the day and stave off those hunger pangs! Your waistline will thank you!
No Bake Granola Bar
From: food.com
Yield: 30 bars
Ingredients:
- 2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
- 2 cups Rice Krispies
- 1/2 cup craisins (dried cranberries)
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut
- 3/4 cup almonds, sliced
- 3/4 cup light corn syrup
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions:
- Line a 9 x 13 inch sheet pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Mix rolled oats, cereal, craisins, coconut and almonds in a large bowl. Set aside.
- In a saucepan, mix corn syrup and brown sugar. Bring to a boil while stirring. Add peanut butter and vanilla. Stir just to blend well.
- Pour over oats and fruit mixture. Stir and mix well. Press mixture firmly onto pan. (I place a piece of wax paper on top while pressing hard.) Let cool and cut into bars. Store in air-tight container. Freezes well, if securely wrapped.
- Enjoy!
Nutritional Information (per serving)
| Calories |
130 |
| Total Fat |
1.5g |
| Saturated Fat |
5g |
| Total Carbohydrate |
18g |
| Dietary Fiber |
1.5g |
| Protein |
3.5g |
Fitness Quiz: How Well Do You Know Your Muscles?
By Raquel Lannes, M.A., C.S.C.S.
Take this short True/False quiz to find out.
1. T or F: If I stop working out, my muscle will turn to fat.
2. T or F: If I build my muscles, I will gain weight.
3. T or F: If I lift weights, I will decrease my speed (running, cycling, etc.)
4. T or F: Weight training will make females bulky.
5. T or F: “Light” Weights and “High” Reps will tone my muscles.
The Answers:
1. FALSE: Muscle and fat are two different types of tissue. Physiologically, it is impossible one type of tissue to be converted into another. If you do not adhere to a healthy diet once you stop training, excess calories will be stored in your fat cells. As a result, your fat cells become enlarged. If you are consuming more calories than you are burning, the net result is weight gain.
2. TRUE: If you build muscle, you can add-on weight. However, muscle takes up less space than same amount of fat. Thus, your body will be leaner. In addition, resistance training will improve your caloric expenditure at rest. Muscle is more metabolically active than fat. Therefore, the more lean muscle you gain the better fat burner you will be.
3. FALSE: Absolutely not! High intensity resistance training stresses the muscles resulting in stronger fibers which, in turn, can improve your speed especially when you need to sprint at the end of a race. Research has demonstrated strength training minimizes the loss of stride length during intense running bouts.
4. FALSE: Since females lack adequate amounts of testosterone, the hormone that promotes muscular growth, there is little chance for females to look bulky. Without the use of certain drugs or a highly specialized bodybuilding program, females who weight train develop more lean muscle mass.
5. FALSE: There is no such thing as muscle tone! Muscles either atrophy (shrink), hypertrophy (increase in size), or maintain size. Light weight and high reps result in local muscular endurance (LME) which is repeated contractions against low or moderate resistance in the working muscle. If you wish to see those muscles, lift some heavier weights, and reduce your body fat percentage.
Bottom Line: Many fallacies about working out are created from opinions and personal experiences. Unless you are reading a peer-reviewed scientific journal, remain skeptical about the stuff you read in magazines, on the web, and even in certain books. Always look at the author’s credentials.
Inadequate exercise is a leading
nearly a dozen risk factors, employees not getting enough exercise is a leading cause of increased medical costs for employers.
pressure and reduces the risk of obesity.
The study authors encourage the company to implement health promotion initiatives and employee exercise programs with incentives to participate in exercise. Kowlessar, et al. (2011). The Relationship between 11 health risks and medical and productivity costs for a large employer. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 53(5): 468-477.
Think drinking low fat milk is doing your body good?
By Raquel Lannes, M.A., C.S.C.S.
Think drinking low fat milk is doing your body good? Did you know that 2% low fat milk really has 36% of its total calories from fat?
So, let’s back it up to see the mathematical reality:
Determining calorie (kcal) content of a food (2% milk – 1 cup)
| Nutrients | Weight (grams) | kcal / (grams) | kcal |
| Water | 218 | 0 | 0 |
| Protein | 8 | 4 | 32 |
| CHO | 12 | 4 | 48 |
| Fat | 5 | 9 | 45 |
| TOTAL | 244* | 125 |
Determining % calories (kcal) from CHO, protein and fat in 2% milk
| Nutrients | kcal | % kcal(kcal/total) | % kcal |
| Water | 0 | 0/125 | 0 |
| Protein | 32 | 32/125 | 25.6 |
| CHO | 48 | 48/125 | 38.4 |
| Fat | 45 | 45/125 | 36.0 |
*Total weight of cup of milk = 244 grams
Total weight of fat in cup of milk = 5 grams
Fat weight (gm)/weight of cup of milk (gm)
5/244 = 2%
Therefore 2% of the weight of the milk is fat, not 2% of the total kcal
Resistance Training Improves Your Health
By Raquel Lannes, M.A., C.S.C.S.
We are all aware that resistance training has been well-recognized for its value in improving the health and performance of athletes. Only recently has scientific evidence emerged that relates to its benefits in health promotion and disease prevention of medical conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, pulmonary disorders, and heart disease. The American College of Sports Medicine, American Heart Association, American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation, and the Surgeon General’s Report on Physical Activity all include resistance training as an integral component of a well-rounded health and fitness conditioning program. The current research indicates that, for healthy persons of all ages, strength training should be performed a minimum of 2 days a week. Why should you engage in strength/resistance training? In a nutshell, resistance training simply improves the quality of your muscle (via protein remodeling). Another added bonus is that resistance training improves your calorie burning efficiency in the long run. In other words, you’ll burn more calories even when you are resting which, in turn, makes it easier to maintain a healthy weight. To name just a few, some of the benefits of resistance training are
*Increased lean muscle mass
*Increased bone strength
*Increased resting metabolism
Machines vs. Free Weights
So, should you exercise with free weights or machines? What is the difference? Both free weights and machines have advantages and disadvantages. Find out what one is right for you.
WEIGHT MACHINES:
Safety: The likelihood of injury is reduced. For example, it is unlikely you’ll get trapped under a weight. It also requires less skill to maintain control than free weights.
Quick workouts: It is faster to sit and select a weight by inserting a pin in a stack rather than mounting plates on a bar.
Ease of use: For those who lack coordination or lifting technique, one can feel more confident with machines since they guide you through the range of motion.
FREE WEIGHTS:
Whole body training: A larger portion of the body’s musculature is engaged in the exercise. Weight bearing exercises promotes more bone mineralization than a weight stack machine, helping to prevent osteoporosis later in life. Movement of free weights is constrained by the lifter not the machine, requiring the muscle to stabilize you. For example, when you do squats,
synergistic muscles such as your abdominal and back muscles help your legs out to coordinate the movement. In other words, you indirectly work other muscles in addition to the target muscle.
Mirrors real-life activities: Many free weight exercises simulate normal daily activities. For example when you pick up a laundry basket, you have to squat. In addition, the lifting and acceleration of objects represent just about all sport movements. Machines tend to isolate single muscle groups which are not applicable to life’s activities.
Note: If you are not accustomed to working out with free weights or machines, please consult a fitness professional to assist you before trying it on your own.
Getting to the “Core” of the Matter
By Raquel Lannes, M.A., C.S.C.S.
When someone says “abs” usually the first thing that comes to mind is the notorious 6 pack (aka rectus abdominis). In fact, I think some believe it is the only muscle in the abdomen. Don’t worry; it is not your fault. In magazines and movies, this muscle receives more recognition than any other core muscle. However, there are other key muscles that contribute to core function in addition to this glamorized muscle. It is now accepted that many different muscles of the trunk contribute to stability, and their stabilizing action may change according to varying tasks.
Let’s start by defining what the core really is. Simply, the abdominal region lies between the chest and lower pelvis; this is a part of the anterior core. On the flip side, low back muscles and glutes make up the posterior core. The core is composed of an inner unit of muscles (the ones you don’t see in the mirror) and an outer unit (or the mirror muscles). Since this is not an anatomy lesson, I will avoid the unnecessary details. It is my intent to emphasize the importance of core stabilization and incorporating exercises that target all the muscles in the core.
The inner unit means the deepest core muscles. The two major ones are the transverse abdominis (TVA) and multifidus. Of these two, the TVA is the deepest as it wraps around the trunk functioning like a corset. On the other hand, the outer unit is composed of the superficial muscles such as internal/external obliques, rectus abdominis, glute medius, glute maximus, and the quadratus lumborum.
So what does the core do for us? The core muscles align the spine, ribs, and pelvis of a person to resist a specific force, whether static (still) or dynamic (moving). The core initiates all total body functional movement. Did you know the prime mover of simply walking is your core? At a glance, it may seem that the legs are the prime movers of walking. However, without balance, the legs will only cause someone to stumble or fall. If you were standing on a rocking boat, what would you do to prevent from falling? You would brace and tense your core muscles. This would help your chances in preventing a fall. If you missed a step on the stairwell, you would do the same thing. Hence, it is important to improve your core stability.
There are great exercises to help you out with this. Isometric exercises are designed to stress the core. These are exercises in which the joint angle and muscle length do not change during a contraction. In other words, you are tensing muscles but you are not moving. Isometric exercises include (but not limited to) bridges, planks, bird dogs, and their many variations. Then there are dynamic movements that stress the core. Dynamic simply means not stationary. Exercise such as squats, push ups, cable lifts, wood chops are considered dynamic.
If you decide to incorporate core training in your routine, consider working the entire core and not just the famous rectus abdominis. Dr. Chu (former President of NSCA) says to think of the core as a cylinder. Hmmm…Does a cylinder have sides? No. So why just train one side? Therefore, you have to train the entire core to function as a whole and not as individual muscles.
Did you notice that the least popular exercises are the ones we really should be doing more of? Failure to train the entire core (both inner and outer units as described above) may lead to muscular imbalances, possible injuries, and poor performance in daily activities.
Since it is imperative to perform these exercises with good form to reap the benefit, please consult a certified strength and conditioning specialist or certified personal trainer to assist you.
Got Water???
By Raquel Lannes, MA, C.S.C.S.
Under optimal conditions, the body can survive a month without food yet only 4-10 days without water. Water is essential to life; water is the largest component of the human body. More specifically, muscle tissue is 75% water, whereas fat tissue is ~20% water. More than any other nutrient, water affects our athletic performance. Despite the importance of water, so many of us do not adequately replace sweat losses with enough fluid especially when exercising in the heat. It is so important to stay hydrated during hot, humid weather.
Thirst is NOT a reliable indicator of when to drink water. Since there is a delayed mechanism in the brain, you must drink before you are thirsty. If you wait too long to drink while exercising in the heat, you may fail to recognize the signs of dehydration and not make the connection.
Signs of Dehydration
Mild Signs:
Thirst | Dry Skin | Loss of appetite | Skin flushing | Dark colored urine | Dry mouth | Fatigue | Chills | Head Rushes
More Severe Signs:
Increased heart rate | Increased respiration | Decreased sweating | Decreased urination | Increased body temperature | Extreme fatigue | Muscle cramps | Headache | Nausea
So how do you beat the heat? The key is to know how much to drink and when to drink it. Fluid replacement should occur in three basic time frames: before, during, and after working out. This is the optimal way to stay hydrated. The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) recommends the following:
* Before activity: consume 1pt (0.5L) of fluid 2 hours before activity
* During activity: consume 6-8 fl.oz, every 15 minutes
* After activity: consume 1 pt (0.5L) for every pound lost through sweat
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Functional Training (in a nutshell)
By Raquel Lannes, M.A., C.S.C.S.
“Functional” training, a fitness buzzword, is often thrown around in the fitness world without properly defining what it is. Let me first explain what functional training is not. It is not about working the “mirror” muscles; it is about reducing the risk of injury and training the body to perform better to meet the demands of everyday life and sports. You see all human motion uses a combination of muscles to coordinate movement. This why it does not make sense to go in the gym and just train biceps. When in life are you only going to use one joint in isolation to perform a task? Never! Functional training requires multi-joints, multi-planes, muscles, and actions to perform an exercise using the neuromuscular system (brain to muscle communication).
According to Michael Boyle, author of Functional Training for Sports, functional training focuses on injury reduction through the use of progressively more demanding exercises, and at the same time on performance enhancement. Function means purpose; thus functional training, Boyle states, can be described as purposeful training. So what makes movement functional? The movement is functional if it relates to the target activity. For example, picking up a box on the floor
requires one to squat; therefore, squats are very functional exercises. (However, exercises such as squatting on a stability ball are not functional). Putting your pants on in the morning requires you stand on one leg; therefore, single leg stability training is functional.
It is important to realize that it is not about the exercise, it’s about the exercise’s application. For instance, torso rotation is a very important component of the golf swing; thus, just doing traditional sit-ups alone (which only flex and extend the trunk) is not as functional to this sport as exercises that advocate torso and hip mobility in multi-planes of motion. Where people miss the boat is when they value an exercise merely based on its level of difficulty. In other words, standing on
a rocker board catching a 7lb medicine ball doesn’t functionally train anyone unless you are a surfer who needs to catch a bowling ball! Bottom line: Functional training is considered to be training that attempts to mimic the specific physiological demands of real-life activities.
Keep Your Metabolism on Fire
by Raquel Lannes, M.A.,C.S.C.S.
If “buy one, get one free” sounds appealing to you, then so will something called exercise afterburn, or as scientists call it excess postexercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). Once you stop working out, the body is trying to restore itself to a more normal (pre-exercise) state. Without getting too detailed, this means that energy is being used at a higher rate during this restoration. Thus, any physiological process utilizing energy also needs to burn calories while doing it. How does this EPOC play a vital role in weight management you ask? Think about it this way: you are still burning calories at an elevated rate long after you hit the shower. What type of training will maximize this after-burn? Current research evidence suggest that high-intensity, interval training has the most pronounced effect on EPOC. In addition, research also claims resistance training versus aerobic exercise contributes to more caloric after-burn especially if you push yourself a little bit more. “Unlike tougher workouts, low-intensity exercise offers virtually no additional caloric after-burn. Your metabolism returns to normal within minutes after completing a leisurely workout session,” says Dr. William Kraemer, one of the top exercise physiology/endocrinology researchers in the world. The International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism published a study in 2000 demonstrating that EPOC remained elevated three hours post exercise and was 13% higher than pre-exercise measurements. Even better, the participants’ average resting metabolic rate (RMR) was 4.2 percent higher up to 16 hours following exercise compared the pre-workout value. What does this mean to you? The higher your resting metabolic rate, the more fat you can burn while just sitting. Keep in mind that more intense workouts are harder on the body; thus, a longer recovery is essential. If you limit your high intense routines to once or twice a week, then you are less likely to over-train or get injured.
