Here is a really eye-opening video about the huge amount of calories and fat in some of our favorite restaurant foods…

One of the authors of “EAT THIS, NOT THAT” Matt Goulding tells us all about some of the misconceptions about eating out and what you may think is the better option on a menu but really is not…a 2310 calorie personal deep dish pizza with 162 grams of FAT? Could wraps be bad for you? and more

And also how to make healthier choices…Check this out…

Eat This, Not That! Thousands of Simple Food Swaps

that Can Save You 10, 20, 30 Pounds–or More! From Amazon.com

Best price!

Technorati Tags: Eat This Not That, healthy eating, Matt Goulding, Worst Restaurant food in America

I am sometimes asked about strength training for young athletes and found that there are a lot of misconceptions about this topic. I have researched the issue and found that strength training, done properly and age appropriately, can have a positive effect on performance, bone density, and other measurments of health and athletic success such as skill in movement and coordination.

Thanks to the International Youth Conditioning Association (IYCA) for this great article on their blog about this subject…

The commonly held belief that strength training for kids is dangerous to the growth plates is simply not accurate provided that appropriate guidelines are followed with respect to, specifically, exercise execution. In fact, improved sport performance, increased muscular endurance and enhanced bone strength are all likely benefits of resistance training for children.

More over, the rigors of a typical soccer, football or baseball game place far more of a strain on the structures of kids than does a well-executed lift. In fact, Mel Siff in his book Facts & Fallacies of Fitness suggests that “stresses imposed on the body by common sporting activities such as running, jumping and hitting generally are far larger (by as much as 300%) than those imposed by Powerlifting or Olympic Lifting.”

The real crux of this issue stems from the argument of which type of resistance training is most safe or suitable.

In North America, we tend to buy into the concept that fitness machines are most safe due to their static nature and fixed paths which remove our need to stabilize during a movement – which would be fine if the body actually worked like that, but it doesn’t! This is why I am so outspoken against ‘youth sized’ strength training machines. To the uneducated eye, they certainly appear more safe and prudent than training with free weights, especially in dynamic movements such as Olympic lifts… but are they? Should kids stay away from dynamic strength training exercises like the Olympic lift?

If there is not a fully qualified an exceptionally experienced coach involved, than yes – without question. However, can the Olympic lifts actually be beneficial for younger athletes… let’s examine that.

While machine-based strength training for children has been shown clinically to be positive, it does not appear that the clinical evidence supports anything other than the fact that isolated strength has increased. More over, due to their static nature, it can certainly be concluded that machine-based strength training does not positively impact coordination or movement skill – something that is extremely crucial for young athletes.

On the other hand, North American research has never sought out to prove whether or not Olympic Lifts are dangerous for young athletes; it has always just been assumed so. Furthermore, according to Mel Siff in Facts & Fallacies of Fitness, “Epidemiological studies using bone scans by orthopedists have not shown any greater incidence of epiphyseal damage among children who lift weights.

On the contrary, bone scans of children who have done regular competitive lifting reveal a significantly larger bone density than those who do not lift weights – In other words, controlled progressive competitive lifting may be useful in improving the ability of youngsters to cope with the rigors of other sports and normal daily life”. In addition, because of their dynamic nature, Olympic Lifts are actually quite ideal for aiding in the development of coordination and movement skill….

Read the Rest of this Article, including Strength Training Tips for Youngsters HERE

Technorati Tags: lifting weights, power lifting, resistance training, strength training for young athletes

Building lean muscle is really the best way to lose weight and keep it off permanently.

Interesting fact:

For every pound of lean muscle you build, count on losing an extra 35—50 calories per day, or up to 1,500 calories a month or 18,000 calories per year while resting. That’s approximately 5 pounds of bodyfat you can eliminate at rest. That’s Per Pound. Build 5 lbs of lean muscle and you burn and eliminate 25 lbs of body fat in one year just by doing this one thing. Here are more tips thanks to Korr Inc’s website (Korr makes state of the art metabolic testing and oxygen uptake testing equipment for the fitness and wellness industries.)

1. Build Muscle Mass Strength training builds lean muscle tissue, which burns more calories at work or at rest, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The more lean muscle you have, the faster your metabolism will be. How do you start strength training? Try some push-ups, or a few squats or lunges. Use 5 lb. free weights to perform simple biceps curls or triceps pulls. Do these exercises three to four times per week, and you’ll soon see a boost in your metabolism as well as an improvement in your physique.
   
2. Do Not Skip Meals or Drastically Reduce Your Caloric Intake If your body senses that food is in short supply, it will slow your metabolism to conserve energy. Over time, the result is that when you do eat (even if you consume the same foods as always) your body will be slower to use the calories as fuel, thus creating a backlog of unwanted pounds. A good strategy is to cut your caloric intake by no more than 500 calories per day and never less than 1200 calories total each day. Once you determine your goal for calorie consumption, divide those calories into 6 different small meals/snacks through out the day.
   
3. Increase the Amount of Protein in your Diet Most researchers agree that protein helps to stabilize the secretion of insulin into your blood stream, a process that can affect metabolism. The average person would benefit from protein intake at a minimum of 70 grams or higher each day.
   
4. Aerobic Workout 3 Days a Week Even though exercise doesn’t affect your RMR, the extra calories you burn could add up to an additional 1-2 pounds of weight loss per month.
   
5. Increase Movement in Daily Lifestyle The more you move, the more you burn! You can actually make a significant addition to the number of calories you burn each day by relatively minor changes in lifestyle. This can be as simple as taking the stairs instead of the elevator; park a distance from the mall or office; window-shop with your best friend rather than sit over coffee; walk the dog instead of just let him out; do a little gardening or clean house while you talk on the phone. Making these types of changes for just 20 minutes of your day will cause you to burn an additional 100 calories per day or an additional pound per month. Making more of these changes can help you burn as much as an additional 1,000 calories per day!
   
6. Go For an Evening Walk Although exercising any time is good for you, evening activity may be particularly beneficial. Many people’s metabolism slows down toward the end of the day. Thirty minutes of aerobic activity before dinner increases your metabolic rate and may keep it elevated for another two or three hours. What that means for you: those dinner calories have less of a chance to take up permanent residence on your hips!
   
7. Get Adequate Sleep As funny as it sounds, sleep deprivation may make you fat and not just because you’re susceptible to cases of the late-night munchies. According to researchers at the University of Chicago, women who got less than four hours of sleep per night had a slower metabolism than those who slept for a full eight hours.

What about supplements? Diet supplements that claim to increase your metabolism have flooded the marketplace. Our advice is to beware. Stimulants (such as caffeine, ephedrine, nicotine, and others) have not been clinically proven to increase metabolic rates. It may be that they stimulate a person to simply be more active, which then burns more calories. Some of these products can be harmful and we do not recommend their use. Hot peppers (specifically jalapeno and cayenne) may increase your body’s release of stress hormones such as adrenaline, and may stimulate you to burn more calories. Green tea drinkers were shown to burn an extra 70 calories per day in a recent study. Researchers believe the increase is caused by antioxidants known as catechins

Technorati Tags: boost metabolic rate, build muscle, burn calories, weight loss, weight loss tips, weight training

Here is something I do myself and encourage my clients to do as well. Its called foam rolling and I do it once a week. I believe that it is very important for flexibility and performance.

Simply by using your own body weight on the rolls, you will be reducing pain and tension, and restoring normal muscle length and balance. Optimum muscle balance helps to provide optimum joint motion leading to optimum performance. The foam roll itself is inexpensive and something everyone should have.

This article is summarized from one written for trainers. I have copied the relevant portions.

ILIOTIBIAL TRACT (IT Band)

Position yourself side lying on foam roll.

Bottom leg is raised slightly off floor.

Maintain head in “neutral” with ears

aligned with shoulders.

Roll just below hip joint down the

lateral thigh to the knee.

*************************************************************

PIRIFORMIS

HAMSTRING

Place hamstrings on

the rollwith hips

unsupported. Feet

are crossed to

increase leverage.

Roll from

knee toward

posterior hip

while keeping

quadriceps tightened.

*****************************************************************

QUADRICEPS

Body is positioned prone with

quadriceps on foam roll. It is

very important to maintain proper Core

control (abdominal Drawn-In position

& tight gluteals) to prevent low back

compensations.Roll from pelvic bone

to knee, emphasizing the lateral thigh

******************************************************************

TENSOR FASCIA LATAE (TFL)

Position the body as described above.

Foam roll is placedjust lateral to the

anterior pelvic bone (ASIS).

******************************************************************

ADDUCTOR

Extend the thigh and place foam

roll in the groin region with body prone

on the floor. Be cautious when

rolling near the adductor complex

origins at the pelvis.

********************************************************************

LATISSIMUS

Position yourself side lying with arm

outstretched and foam roll placed

in axillary area. Thumb is pointed

up to pre-stretch the latissumus

dorsi muscle. Movement during

this technique is minimal.

RHOMBOIDS

Cross arms to the

opposite shoulder to clear the shoulder

blades across the thoracic wall.

While maintaining abdominal

Draw-In position, raise hips

until unsupported. Also stabilize

the head in “neutral.” Roll mid-back

area on the foam.

*******************************************************************

PB Elite Molded Foam Rollers - Buy From Amazon

Technorati Tags: foam rollers, foam rolling, injury prevention, muscle recovery, self-myofascial release

Working out hard is great but muscle recovery is an equally important part of the equation.

Here is an article courtesy of Jeff Galloway U.S. Olympian and author of “Marathon: You Can Do It.” Jeff’s quest for the injury-free marathon training program led him to develop group training programs and to author Runner’s World articles which have been used by hundreds of thousands of runners of all abilities. His training schedules have inspired the second wave of marathoners who follow the Galloway RUN-WALK-RUN™, low mileage, three-day, suggestions to an over 98% success rate.

GET PROPER MUSCLE RECOVERY

Correct training recovery is essential - but it takes time. This routine will speed it up.

By Jeff Galloway

Orignally published 12/17/2007 in Runners World

I’m constantly on the lookout for new ways to help my leg muscles recover so that I can enjoy my next run. And the faster or longer the previous effort, the greater the recovery challenge.

After years of fine-tuning various techniques, I’m happy to report that I recover faster today than I did years ago. What’s my secret? Two words: immediate action. If you jump-start your recovery as soon as you finish a tough workout or race, you can speed up the process considerably.

So after your next tough run or race, do your normal cooldown, then follow my five-step routine. It’ll get you ready for your next challenge in no time.

1. Move your legs-then raise them.

After a hard race or run, you can help your leg muscles pump out waste products by walking for 5 to 10 minutes afterward. If you want to eat or drink while you’re walking, that’s fine. Just keep moving at a nice, easy pace. After your walk, sit down and elevate your legs for up to 10 minutes.

2. Keep your legs cool.

Next you’ll want to soak your legs in cool water for 5 to 10 minutes. Any cool water source will do-think tub, pool, stream, pond, or (if you’re lucky) the ocean. And it’s still beneficial to soak your legs even 2 or 3 hours after your run.

The most courageous soakers add ice cubes to their tub water, but cold water straight from the tap works fine. Avoid hot-water soaks, as they can actually slow down your recovery process.

3. Repeat step one.

If you can fit it in, go for another 1- to 3-mile walk later in the day, then elevate your legs for another 10 minutes. Remember: Like the walk immediately after your hard training effort, this walk should be slow and comfortable.

4. Give your legs a rubdown.

Whether you seek out a certified massage therapist, a friend, or you do it yourself, massage can really speed recovery by improving circulation and helping to remove waste products from your muscles. The sooner you rub down your tired leg muscles, the better. That’s why most major marathons provide massage tents in the finish areas (and why there are such long lines of runners there).

Keep in mind that you may feel some pain as your stiff muscles are massaged. But that pain level should never rise above 6 on a scale where 10 represents excruciating pain.

5. Walk the next day.

The day after a very hard effort, it’s better for your legs if you walk for 30 to 60 minutes rather than taking the day off completely. Walking brings more blood flow (with its nutrients and oxygen) to your tired muscles, which accelerates the recovery process.

Foster’s Rule

Sometimes it’s difficult to know just how much rest you need after a hard race. Here’s a good rule, courtesy of New Zealander Jack Foster, a former marathon world record holder in the over-40 age division: Take 1 easy day for each mile run in a hard race.

I extend Jack’s rule to any particularly tough workout. For example, if you run a 6-mile speed session that leaves your legs begging for mercy, alternate a day of walking with a day of slow running for the next 6 days.-J.G.

Technorati Tags: Jeff Galloway, muscle recovery, muscle recovery strategies, Runners World, running

Here is an interesting article that someone gave me and I thought I’d share it here. Its from a NY Times 2007 article and it makes the point that high intensity exercise alternated with slower exercise or even rest (called interval training) makes for an effective workout strategy to build endurance. While not a new technique, the recent studies show that the cardiovascular and fat burning benefits of interval training are said to be evident within a few short weeks. Anyone wanting to improve their endurance should take note!

A HEALTHY MIX OF REST AND MOTION

SOME gymgoers are tortoises. They prefer to take their sweet time, leisurely pedaling or ambling along on a treadmill. Others are hares, impatiently racing through miles at high intensity.

Each approach offers similar health benefits: lower risk of heart disease, protection against Type 2 diabetes, and weight loss.

But new findings suggest that for at least one workout a week it pays to be both tortoise and hare — alternating short bursts of high-intensity exercise with easy-does-it recovery.

Weight watchers, prediabetics and those who simply want to increase their fitness all stand to gain.

This alternating fast-slow technique, called interval training, is hardly new. For decades, serious athletes have used it to improve performance.

But new evidence suggests that a workout with steep peaks and valleys can dramatically improve cardiovascular fitness and raise the body’s potential to burn fat.

Best of all, the benefits become evident in a matter of weeks.

“There’s definitely renewed interest in interval training,” said Ed Coyle, the director of the human performance laboratory at the University of Texas at Austin.

A 2005 study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that after just two weeks of interval training, six of the eight college-age men and women doubled their endurance, or the amount of time they could ride a bicycle at moderate intensity before exhaustion.

Eight volunteers in a control group, who did not do any interval training, showed no improvement in endurance.

Researchers at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, had the exercisers sprint for 30 seconds, then either stop or pedal gently for four minutes.

Such a stark improvement in endurance after 15 minutes of intense cycling spread over two weeks was all the more surprising because the volunteers were already reasonably fit. They jogged, biked or did aerobic exercise two to three times a week.

Doing bursts of hard exercise not only improves cardiovascular fitness but also the body’s ability to burn fat, even during low- or moderate-intensity workouts, according to a study published this month, also in the Journal of Applied Physiology. Eight women in their early 20s cycled for 10 sets of four minutes of hard riding, followed by two minutes of rest. Over two weeks, they completed seven interval workouts.

After interval training, the amount of fat burned in an hour of continuous moderate cycling increased by 36 percent, said Jason L. Talanian, the lead author of the study and an exercise scientist at the University of Guelph in Ontario. Cardiovascular fitness — the ability of the heart and lungs to supply oxygen to working muscles — improved by 13 percent.

It didn’t matter how fit the subjects were before. Borderline sedentary subjects and the college athletes had similar increases in fitness and fat burning. “Even when interval training was added on top of other exercise they were doing, they still saw a significant improvement,” Mr. Talanian said.

READ MORE OF THE ARTICLE HERE

Technorati Tags: burn fat, endurance training, fitness, interval training, personal training