Category: sports training

Protein And Exercise

Posted on by Shelli Stein

How much protein do you need after exercise? You may already know this answer, but I want to make sure!

I’m all for getting a little more protein in your diet, but enough is enough. Some of the protein shakes you can buy have 40 or 50 grams.

Do you really need that much protein after you exercise? Nope.

Resistance training causes muscle breakdown, and to repair those muscles over the course of a few days, you need amino acids from protein.

But for quite a few years now research has proven that we only need to consume a moderate amount of protein after exercise to begin the rebuilding process and keep the fat loss process humming along.

Just to give you an example of how this is researched, in one study scientists put six young men through an intense leg workout on five separate occasions. After the workout, they received 0, 5, 10, 20, or 40 grams of whole egg protein. The 20-gram protein dose caused maximum muscle protein synthesis. More important, when the subjects consumed any more than 20 grams, their bodies simply used the excess protein for energy (just as the body uses carbohydrates and fat), and part of the amino acids got excreted in their urine.

In other words, when you consume excessive amounts of protein, whatever you don’t need literally gets flushed away. Eating more protein than you need does NOT force your muscles to repair and rebuild faster.

Look at it this way. Imagine that your muscles are a factory, and the amino acids delivered to your muscles are parts. Inside the factory, little workers are building more muscle. But the factory has a limited rate of production.

It doesn’t matter how many extra parts get delivered. Those little muscle-factory workers can only work so hard and so fast. So those excess parts just sit there and eventually get removed by the factory’s clean-up crew and turned into waste. (If the factory is paying a pretty penny for those parts, it’s a waste of money too.)

So for your post workout meal you could consume a 20-gram protein shake or simply eat a regular meal that contains 20 grams of protein. If you’re in fat loss mode, makes sure that meal doesn’t have too much sugar!

I hope this helped remind you of what you already knew or brought some new useful information your way!

Will Running Help You Lose Weight?

Posted on by Shelli Stein

As a health and fitness professional I field a lot of questions that revolve around the “what’s the BEST” topic. Everyone wants to know the BEST, but it’s an awkward question to answer and maybe even the wrong question to be asking. The best for what? The best for whom? And for each best recommendation that you might hear about or read about in the media, even if it’s wrong for you, there might be some truth in it.

So you may be exercising and eating all wrong, for YOU and your goals.

And the fitness field sure does lead to some interesting ideas posing as “the truth”.

For instance, here’s a sample taken from questions I receive:

  1. Is running several miles per day the key to getting fit?
  2. Is doing a ton of long, slow distance (LSD) running absolutely necessary?
  3. Is lifting the heaviest weights you possibly can the best way to get really strong and fit?
  4. Will eating five or six times per day crank up my metabolism?
  5. Will training one part of my body today and another part tomorrow prevent over-training?
  6. Is working out only 2-3 times per week the fastest way to make progress?

While there are pieces of truth in all these questions, there are also pieces of untruths. Let’s take one of these, the one about running and metabolism, which is one of the most frequent questions I get. I can’t tell you how many times I hear people tell me they are training for a marathon, or even a half marathon, and yet they aren’t losing any weight.

For example, long, slow cardio may make you feel good, but if you want to “STEP UP” your metabolism, you’re far better off doing a very hard, very vigorous workout that calls upon all your physical and mental reserves. You’re better off with a short workout that will never get easy, no matter how often you do it.

Consider the sprinter. Her body is lean, muscular, and powerful. But it is rare to find a long-distance cardio person who is well muscled. They may be lean, but there’s no power. Not only that, after a period of time they may end up suffering from hip, knee, ankle, and lower-back pain, particularly if their technique isn’t good.

Why? All the pounding on the joints takes a tremendous toll on the body.

And as I suggested, it depends on YOU and your goals. Running a lot of miles isn’t the best approach if your goal is fat loss or a change in body composition.

Try these 5 approaches instead:

  1. Begin doing vigorous bodyweight exercises that force you to lose control of your breathing. If you aren’t getting out of breath when you train, your system is NOT being forced to adapt and change. The harder you are breathing, the more shock to the system. The more “shock” there is, the greater the shake-up in your metabolism.
  2. Instead of running or bicycling several miles per day for cardio exercise, train like a cheetah. No I didn’t say train eating Cheetos, I said train like a cheetah! Run as hard as you can, at full blast, for as long as you can. Run with all your might. When finished, you’ll be gasping for oxygen. And this gasping is what turns on the fat-burning furnace within. Make sure you’re in appropriate shape before you tackle this one.
  3. Practice deep breathing. The deeper you breathe, the more oxygen in your system. The more oxygen in your system, the faster your metabolism. Don’t just get your deep breathing from vigorous exercise. Get if from the act of deep breathing itself, done all day long.
  4. Eat plenty of fiber-rich, water-content foods while avoiding starchy foods most of the time.
  5. Change the mental picture you have of yourself. As you see yourself in your mind’s eye, so you become.

While #4 and #5 aren’t about exercising per se, coupled with the first three suggestions, they’ll surely help you make progress.

So always remember, it’s about you and your goals and what exercise and diet plans will help you reach them in the safest, most efficient ways possible.

Easiest Thing You Can Do To Improve Your Health

Posted on by Shelli Stein

After the last blog post about cardiovascular disease, I received an interesting question. The reader asked me, “From the list of ten recommendations you gave us, which one should I start with?”

Great question! Hard to pick just one, but here’s what I suggested.

One of the easiest and most effective things you can do to improve your health in general and heart health in particular, is to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables.

I found a recent study where researchers from Iran’s Obesity Research Center examined fruit and vegetable intake in 840 men and women from Tehran, and the results were dramatic. The subjects who ate a lot of different fruits and vegetables were significantly and inversely associated with cardiovascular disease risk factors.

Specifically, it appears that eating a VARIETY of fruits and vegetables leads to lower LDL cholesterol in a dose-responsive manner. That means you’ll get more benefits from eating an apple, an orange, a banana, and some broccoli than you will from just eating an apple and an orange.

So every time you are at the grocery store, add at least one new fruit and one new vegetable to your cart. You can choose from kiwi fruit, avocados, asparagus, pears, spinach, and so many other amazing and delicious foods. This past month two foods I’ve added to my salads are radishes and jicama. I guess I was craving crunchy foods! And for fruits, let’s just say that lately I’ve been going gaga over grapefruit!

Try to be a little better every week with your fruit and vegetable intake and you’ll reduce your risk of heart disease in one of the simplest possible ways.

As you know I’m all for extending my life and living out my years in tip-top health, and I really do think that it’s a matter of making simple lifestyle choices, like eating a wider variety of fruits and veggies!

Don’t Feel Like Working Out?

Posted on by Shelli Stein

Here’s a silly question for you.

Have you ever gotten started on a workout program and then all of a sudden stopped?

I said it was a silly question. Who hasn’t gone through that stopping and starting.

Trust me, it happens to the best of us. Yes, even me.

So the question is: How do you get yourself started again when, quite honestly, you just don’t feel like it?

Don’t we have enough stuff to do in one day without throwing in one more time consuming task on our “to do” list?

Complaining only goes so far, so let’s figure out a good solution!

I was having a conversation with a good friend who just recently got himself back to the gym. After just the first 2 days of getting back into his old routine of going to the gym after each work day he said:

“I forgot how great I used to feel after a workout. All that time I spent dreading going back into the gym was really just a waste. Once I got in there, it was no big deal. Why did I waste all that time?”

I couldn’t agree more. I know this isn’t going to sound like revolutionary advice, but when you fall off the wagon, you just need to get back on! That’s it.

Just walk back into the gym one time, break a sweat, feel the burn, check out your own muscles in the mirror, whatever it takes. Chances are you will be right back on track. Yes, that fast. Whether or not your exercise is done in the gym or somewhere else, the same principles apply.

Or you could just start with something simple. Anything goes. A walk. Some pushups. Bench press your dog food bag. Yes, anything. The goal here is to get yourself back to the point where you’re feeling the wonderful effects of exercise and you actually don’t want to miss your workout.

Imagine that. So get back on your routines and you’ll be feeling like my friend felt…….I promise!

Are Looks A Marker Of Health?

Posted on by Shelli Stein

The other day I was thinking about how looks can be deceiving. For instance, Lance Armstrong, and Jim Fixx (who wrote The Complete Book of Running), looked like two of the healthiest men on the planet. Armstrong beat testicular cancer, but came within an inch of his life. And Fixx died of a heart attack after taking a short jog.

So even if you look healthy and feel like a million bucks, you still need to know your levels of inflammatory markers. These you get from blood tests.

But in the meantime, it’s important you ALSO create a low-inflammatory lifestyle. Here’s how you do that.

A low inflammatory lifestyle would include a low-inflammatory nutrition and training plan, along with plenty of stress-free time.

Many of these blog posts help you with those first two. The third one, de-stressing, is mostly up to you. You may want to spend 30 minutes a day doing yoga, walking, meditating, praying, or whatever calms your mind and body.

Living a healthy life requires you to manage your insulin levels keeping them low, and using low-inflammatory nutrition and a smart exercise plan. So remember to use:

  1. Short workouts that are intense, effective, and enjoyable. Use both weights and cardio.
  2. Longer “soft” workouts (like brisk walking) that help de-stress the body and burn more body fat.
  3. A low-glycemic, high-protein diet packed with plenty of fruits and vegetables.

Keep Your Muscles Healthy As You Age

Posted on by Shelli Stein

Keeping your muscle as you age is ESSENTIAL! I don’t use the word ESSENTIAL very often, but in this case I’d yell that first line I wrote from the rooftops.

Maintaining muscle will keep you healthy, fit and functional, and I guarantee the quality of your life will be so much better if you pay attention to this advice.

Unless you do something to prevent it, you’ll lose muscle as you age. That makes you susceptible to a host of health problems, including fat gain, sexual dysfunction, and depression.

Here are two steps you can take to rebuild or maintain your muscle mass.

1. Eliminate Aerobics.

I know I’m taking on a sacred cow here but there are different kinds of aerobics. Research shows that low-exertion, long-duration aerobic exercise causes muscle loss and actually shrinks your heart and lungs. So, unless you are in training for a marathon or long distance race, do this instead.

Your exercise routine should include short bursts of high-intensity exercise with gradually changing intervals over time. It’s the most effective way to burn fat and obtain a muscular body with functional strength.

For instance, this morning I went swimming. I didn’t swim a steady long distance. Instead, I treaded water for a minute and then swam 30 strokes, treaded again and swam again. Over and over again. I did this in the ocean so I got my heart rate up with the 30 strokes and then used all the muscles in my body for treading. Be creative and create your own high-intensity intervals.

2. Take Muscle-Supporting Nutrients.

You can also take nutrients daily to build and maintain muscle. Some of the best include:

Protein (as the main focus of every meal). Your body needs protein to maintain your muscles and support new muscle growth. Throw away carb-heavy snacks and snack on protein snacks instead. A piece of celery with some almond butter is a good snack. Or an egg and a few nuts.
Creatine Creatine increases speed, performance, endurance, and strength. It increases the amount of muscle you build during resistance training.
L-Arginine (500-1,000 mg a day). L-arginine is an essential amino acid that builds strength and muscle mass.
Carnosine (500 mg a day). Made from two amino acids, carnosine helps protect the integrity of your muscles and makes sure new muscle will be healthy and will last.
Glutamine (5 g a day as a powder in a shake). This amino acid helps stabilize energy levels and boost the production of natural growth hormone in your body. That tells your body to shed fat and build muscle. It also helps prevent muscle breakdown.
Remember, supplements are to “supplement”. Always, always eat real food first. Don’t eat poorly and then think supplements will make up for the rest. That’s never good for creating optimum health or a muscular body.

Don’t Feel De-Feeted!

Posted on by Shelli Stein

Do you have “bad feet”? Have you often wondered if it’s genetic? It can be.

I read a recent report that supports this claim, particularly if you have bunions or high arches. Some researchers believe that foot function and mechanics may have more to do with mimicking parents’ movement rather than heredity.

In either case, given that your foot has 26 bones, 33 joints and more than 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments, some regular foot care seems appropriate so you don’t get to feeling deFEETed!

1. Take care of your foot tissue health by using a small ball. I use a tennis ball and when I’m standing I’ll put it under my arch and roll out my feet. By this I mean roll your foot back and forth over the ball.

2. Walking barefoot on grass or sand or around the house gives your feet plenty of proprioceptive information. Without getting too technical here, this is a good thing! When your feet are hidden all day in shoes, they forget how to be feet. So go barefoot and let your bones, muscles, and joints come alive.

3. Many of the tendons that attach to your feet come from muscles that originate from above your ankles. So while focusing on your feet, remember to pay attention to any tension or aches you may feel in your calfs or upper legs.

4. Yoga Toes. I’ve mentioned Yoga Toes many times and I’ve been using mine for years as part of my foot care program. At the end of the day they are great.

So don’t TipToe around these helpful hints; give them a try!

shelli

Want Exercise Results? Use The Power of Your Mind!

Posted on by Shelli Stein

I’ve been noticing that more and more gizmos, online tools and fitness books are coming on the market to help people exercise and get fitness results.

However, you’d get a huge bang for the buck (actually forget the bucks), if you used your MIND as an exercise and fitness tool.

It’s not as hard as you may think!

Your thoughts control everything from how fully your muscles contract to how difficult an exercise feels. You must use your mind to get the best and quickest results from your efforts.

Here’s how!

1. Are you working on your abs or core strength? Set a difficult goal. You may just achieve more than you thought possible. In study after study on human performance, people who aim for a specific goal significantly outperform those who just aimed to do the best they could. People generally underestimate their own abilities. Aiming high allows you to push past your own perceptions.

2. Do you ever get bored, particularly when you do cardio exercise? Many people tend to focus on boredom, fatigue or discomfort while they do their cardio routines. That usually leads to those sensations feeling even worse! Instead, try focusing on unrelated thoughts. I read about one study where researchers instructed one group to try and recall the names of every teacher they’d had since kindergarten while cycling for 15 minutes. Another group was told to focus on their exertion level. The name game group found their routine to be at least 10% easier.

3. Do you get tired or discouraged while doing your strength training? While staying focused on what you’re doing, try filling your mind with affirmations. Make up some of your own or use ones like “I can feel my muscles growing.” Positive thinking lowers levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Also, motivational self-talk boosts performance.

4. What do you use your mind for when you’re waiting on line or generally waiting for something or someone? You can use your mind and imagine yourself doing a push-up, for instance. Picturing an action activates the nerves that make muscles move and triggers an actual contraction. Please read that again, because it’s a very crucial point in understanding just how important your mind actually is in what you can accomplish.

Studies have shown that people who practiced exercise visualization for 5 minutes a day were able to increase their muscle strength by 35% in 12 weeks, without ever stepping into a gym.

Of course, don’t forget to use visualization when you ACTUALLY exercise! Always imagine yourself using proper form as you move.

5. As you complete your chores, what do you think about? Try thinking about the muscles you use to do daily chores. Carrying things up and down stairs, for instance, works your quadriceps, butt muscles and hamstrings. Again, concentration strengthens the neurological connection between the brain and the muscles, prompting the body to use up to 30% more muscle fibers during a movement. This added muscle action helps speed muscle growth while increasing caloric expenditure. That’s a GOOD thing!

So remember that your mind is not only an incredible tool in your health and fitness journey but it’s free and accessible to you ALL the time!

shelli

Using Visualization To Accomplish Your Goals

Posted on by Shelli Stein

Visualization, or imagery, whichever word you prefer to use, is an excellent tool for accomplishing any goal.

Here are some Do’s and Don’ts:

1. Do create an image in your mind as vividly as possible of what you want to achieve in your sport, in your health, or in your life. Just let distracting thoughts and feelings float away as you refocus on your image.

2. Do bring in all five of your senses so you can see, hear, and feel what it’s like to have already obtained your desired result. Sight, hearing, and touch are the most powerful senses for incorporating day-to-day imagery into your life. Bring the scene into the present tense so you are totally focused on the task at hand.

3. Don’t just visualize the end result; focus on seeing the process. Focus on what it takes to get there. In a sport for instance, that would be your form, your breathing, your pacing, your confidence.

4. Mentally rehearse your actions at the same rhythm and pace that you want in actual execution to establish the appropriate neurological patterns within the brain.

5. Don’t replay your mistakes. This is a challenge, I know.

You want to remove the memory of errors. If you see yourself doing something incorrectly, edit the film in your mind and replay it exactly as you wish it to happen. Imagine that you’re performance is equal to or better than your previous best.

6. Use visual models. Before going to sleep at night try watching a video of a superior performance (e.g. get out your recordings from the last Olympics). Then visualize yourself moving just as fluidly and powerfully as your visual models. I use this with my swimming and IT WORKS!

Give visualization a try. It’s a powerful tool to have in your self care, performance enhancing toolkit, no matter what goal you’re working towards.

shelli

Are You Losing Muscle As You Age?

Posted on by Shelli Stein

Keeping your muscle as you age is ESSENTIAL!

I don’t use the word ESSENTIAL very often, but in this case I’d yell that first line I wrote from the rooftops.

Maintaining muscle will keep you healthy, fit and functional, and I guarantee the quality of your life will be so much better if you pay attention to this advice.

Unless you do something to prevent it, you’ll lose muscle as you age.

That makes you susceptible to a host of health problems, including fat gain, sexual dysfunction, and depression.

Here are two steps you can take to rebuild or maintain your muscle mass.

1. Eliminate Aerobics.

I know I’m taking on a sacred cow here but there are different kinds of aerobics. Research shows that low-exertion, long-duration aerobic exercise causes muscle loss and actually shrinks your heart and lungs.

So, unless you are in training for a marathon or long distance race, do this instead.

Your exercise routine should include short bursts of high-intensity exercise with gradually changing intervals over time. It’s the most effective way to burn fat and obtain a muscular body with functional strength.

For instance, this morning I went swimming. I didn’t swim a steady long distance.

Instead, I treaded water for a minute and then swam 30 strokes, treaded again and swam again. Over and over again. I did this in the ocean so I got my heart rate up with the 30 strokes and then used all the muscles in my body for treading.

Be creative and create your own high-intensity intervals.

2. Take Muscle-Supporting Nutrients.

You can also take nutrients daily to build and maintain muscle. Some of the best include:

  • Protein (as the main focus of every meal). Your body needs protein to maintain your muscles and support new muscle growth. Throw away carb-heavy snacks and snack on protein snacks instead. A piece of celery with some almond butter is a good snack. Or an egg and a few nuts.
  • Creatine Creatine increases speed, performance, endurance, and strength. It increases the amount of muscle you build during resistance training.
  • L-Arginine (500-1,000 mg a day). L-arginine is an essential amino acid that builds strength and muscle mass.
  • Carnosine (500 mg a day). Made from two amino acids, carnosine helps protect the integrity of your muscles and makes sure new muscle will be healthy and will last.
  • Glutamine (5 g a day as a powder in a shake). This amino acid helps stabilize energy levels and boost the production of natural growth hormone in your body. That tells your body to shed fat and build muscle. It also helps prevent muscle breakdown.

Remember, supplements are to “supplement”. Always, always eat real food first. Don’t eat poorly and then think supplements will make up for the rest.

That’s never good for creating optimum health or a muscular body.

shelli