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Health 101 – Weight Loss
Well, aren’t you curious! Fantastic questions! Well, before I get into that, please let me make it crystal clear that there are many reasons why we gain weight and why we can’t lose it, so please don’t let me over simplify anything. I have specialized in weight loss for years, and there are a multitude of reasons. I will make sure to address anything Agenda‘s readers (but only Agenda readers, no one else, of course) might want to know about in this new phenomenal health addition to Agenda. So with that said, I will give some specifics as to how much someone should eat to lose weight with average circumstances given for now. The trick to weight loss is simply to use up more energy than you take in (food and stored fat are energy). Now, you first have to make sure you don’t eat less than your body’s safety point, called your BMR. This is basically how many calories you would burn if you were to just sit for a 24-hour period. If you are not active at all, eating your BMR (basal metabolic rate) calories only is a good start until you get moving more. To find your BMR, simply multiply your body weight times 10, and that will give you a great estimate. If you are fairly active (1-3 workouts a week), add 2-300 calories on top of your BMR to keep everything working properly. If you are very active (4-5 workouts a week) add 4-500 calories so that your body can take the beating. Please note that when you’re very high in activity, your body needs a lot more. If you give it less than what it needs, it will simply rebel by slowing you down to conserve energy. So work with it and not against it. I would recommend getting some professional help to modify some things for you so that you get the best out of your workouts if things get hard. If you just want something to calculate your calories for you, go towww.caloriecontrol.org/calcalcs.html, and the work is done for you. Remember to spread those calories you are supposed to have evenly throughout the day over at least 6 meals so that your body feels safe and gives you the best results. I must urge you all not to cut meals as it will make it longer and harder to lose weight. If you want more results just work out more often or harder, and your body will love you for it, rewarding your efforts with that engaging silhouette you are seeking. Your body doesn’t know you’re working out to look better or feel better, it simply reacts. If you go hard and don’t give your body enough fuel, it will simply rebel and slow your metabolic process to conserve precious energy. A car without enough gas will just stop, but your body will make you tired sooner, sleepier more often, and drain your good moods. This all can be avoided by giving it the right fuel. Hard work and eating frequently are weight-loss’s greatest weapons. If you eat once, twice, maybe three times on a good day, then food is typically scarce in the world of your body; so it holds onto the weight a lot more aggressively for self preservation. You see, one reason your body holds onto the body fat is because it thinks it needs it, like a camel storing water for hard times. No hard times means no aggressive storage, means no muffin top. So eat, for goodness sake! Now that we’ve got you eating, let us address activity a bit more and how hard you should push. This is where many go wrong and have no clue what they are doing wrong. The human body responds best when it is pushed. It’s marvelous! You see, your body is great at doing as little as possible (go figure). Its primary purpose is to be as efficient as possible. Why use 300 calories for that run if we can get it down to 100 calories? That’s what your body was designed to do, so the best way to approach activity is to challenge your body with one notch past comfortable. Problem is that in general we have a tendency not to push ourselves hard enough. You know that’s true, so don’t even start with me. We push as much as we can, and when we get to that comfort border, we stop and take a break until we get back down to the lower end of the comfort gauge. Problem here is that the best and quickest results are past that sweaty border. The best way to overcome this is to take a class at your gym, any class that you want, but stay for the whole class no matter how tired or out of place you feel. This isn’t about being perfect; it’s about progress. The idea is to get an idea of what that border is and learning to push past it, even if it takes getting yelled at for an hour to do it. This is almost always the best way to start. If that isn’t enough, take a boot camp course or get a trainer (article on picking the right trainer to come). Now let’s get more specific on intensity. In general if you are in good health (please consult your physician before beginning a hard regimen), you should be getting your heart rate up between 70-80% of your heart rate for cardio workouts and try to keep it there for as long as you can for now. To find that out simply subtract your age from 220, and that will give you your 100%. Multiply that by 0.7 and 0.8 to give you that range (i.e. 220 – 35yrs = 185 max heart rate, then 185 x 0.7 and 0.8 = a target heart range of 130-148 for a kick-butt fat-shredding workout). Buy yourself a heart monitor if you don’t want to be held to a machine, or you can always use the one built into the machines if that is where you plan to be. Weight training in itself is a whole other article that we will approach later, but for now, find a great class, boot camp, or trainer that will do the trick. Well, that’s it for now ladies. That is how to shred the body fat off your bodies in a nutshell. Fuel your bodies and push them hard, and they will reward you with heavenly curves to die for. Days of starvation and silly diets are numbered if I have anything to do about it (and I do). There is always more depth to all these subjects, so stay tuned and make sure to voice your opinions and questions in Agenda’s health blog. I promise to help as much as I can as our new health relationship develops. Until we meet again, I bid you all adieu, fair ladies. * All Information from this article is taken from Fitness: The Complete Guide, Frederick C. Hatfield, PhD – Edition 8.6.6, 735pgs, International Sports Science Association. By Anthony Heredia |
Tag: Fitness
YogaFit for Cyclists – DVD Review
YogaFit for Cyclists – DVD Review
We will be taking a look at YogaFit’s “Yoga for Cyclist” program tailored to improve health and performance while preventing injury for all cycling enthusiasts. This is a great idea for cyclists of all levels in order to achieve better oxygen efficiency, faster recovery, enhanced performance, improved range of motion, and over all better health while reducing any stress and tension you might be harboring as told by YogaFit:
“While bicycling and indoor stationary cycling are among the best forms of cardio vascular conditioning, they often leave the participant with tightness, aches and even pain. Using this DVD as a consistent sport related yoga program alleviates many of these symptoms including lower back pain, trapezious stress, and tight hamstrings and quadriceps. Repetitive cycling forces the body in long periods of forward flexion, similar to sitting at a desk for long hours or driving a car. However due to the work involved there becomes the additional problem of tightening in the muscle groups of the lower body, quads, hamstrings and gluteus. This is your perfect tool for balance and stress reduction.”
The premise for fusing Yoga into a cyclist regimen is oxygen, stability and mobility. Your muscles operate in either an aerobic mode or anaerobic mode, which basically means with oxygen (aerobic) or without oxygen (anaerobic)–and when the best of the two is aerobic. Its like a burning fire. The more oxygen a fire has, the hotter and stronger it gets. When a fire has no oxygen it simply goes out or in the case of your body, goes into anaerobic mode. When you are performing an exercise for long periods of time, there are periods when you run low on oxygen and your body switches gears to be able to compensate. The problem is the byproduct of that switch. When you are in anaerobic mode your body will lose over 9/10ths of its power and produces lactic acid. This is basically a natural waste substance that your muscles produce when they have to work without oxygen. This byproduct is a big cause of that deep soreness afterward, along with all the damage from the workout of course. The idea is that if you become better at breathing and utilizing oxygen then you can go longer on your bike with out that sore feeling, resulting in a more enjoyable ride. The tightness comes from the lactic acid and from small scar tissue that naturally forms around your muscles from the workout, but this is easily remedied with good stretching and breathing, hence our DVD. The yoga helps stretch all those key cycling muscles so that scar tissue will not shorten the muscle by holding it tight. This means you will sleep better, have less pain, better range of movement, increased oxygen utilization, less injuries, better circulation, and overall enhanced health.
The DVD includes a warm up to be done before your ride in order to keep you safe and ready. We also find the core program which tends to the lengthening, stretching, strengthening and stabilization of the body to thoroughly enhance your rides. When wrapping up your workout you will also find a cool down segment designed to help clear out that fun lactic acid that prolongs your recovery and stretches to help increase range of motion so you can get right back up and ride again the next day even stronger. Good circulation and hydration are best for clearing up lactic acid. If you take care of yourself, your oxygen rich blood will clean it up in a jiffy. The breathing exercises in the video are excellent for helping your body nurture itself. The more efficient your body is at utilizing oxygen the faster you will recover and the better you will feel on a day to day basis, this is one of Yoga’s many powerful elements. The DVD is a great idea and very useful tool for all cyclists, yoga conscious or not. The DVD runs at a good pace and Beth Shaw gives great directions and keeps you very aware of your body so that you don’t injure yourself. So beginners feel free to grab a copy. This DVD can be used by all levels, but please do go at your own pace and know your limits, this is critical in yoga. Leave your ego at the door and your body will thank you.
Reviewed by Anthony Heredia
Read the interview with Beth Shaw
Through The Looking Glass – The Vision Behind YogaFit
Through The Looking Glass – The Vision Behind YogaFit
YogaFit has come to reign as the largest yoga entity in all of North America and currently trains a staggering 11,000 motivated yoga enthusiasts each year with no end in sight. As powerful as yoga is to our overall health, Agenda Magazine felt compelled to unveil the inspirational personality that is quickly becoming fitness royalty in a growing health conscious world. We took the opportunity to discover what has distinguished YogaFit as such an influential presence in the US with some one on one time Beth Shaw herself.
What would you say distinguishes YogaFit from all other Yoga entities out there today?
YogaFit is more than just a yoga company, we are a way of life for millions of people. By that I mean that as a company we stand for philanthropy, helping others, making a positive difference in the world, and helping the group consciousness of the planet evolve. In terms of yoga, we are ‘Real Yoga for Real People .’ This means we take a common sense and safe approach to yoga and try to attract as many people as we can to the practice via a user-friendly fitness based formant.”
It’s fantastic how conscious YogaFit is of its clients needs and very admirable that YogaFit is giving of itself as it prospers. Who would you say you created YogaFit for and why?
I created YogaFit because I saw a need in the marketplace for accessible user-friendly and safe yoga.
What would you say is one of the most common beginner mistakes you encounter in the world of Yoga and what advice would you give to correct it?
Ego plays a huge part in creating expectations and injuries. Trying to master each pose too quickly is unnecessary and injurious to the body/mind.
There are so many potential yoga enthusiast out there today. What words of wisdom do you have for an individual who is deciding whether to begin a journey into yoga?
Try many different styles and teachers. Find out who and what resonates with you -it’s like dating (playful smile).
Your passion for your clients is wonderful. Where do you hope to see YogaFit’s passion take you in a few years?
I hope to see YogaFit rapidly becoming a worldwide global force for positive change and advocacy.
What would you say most inspires you as positive health authority?
The power that fitness yoga and health has over me, and the positive changes they consistently produce in others. Our health is our foundation for everything and our most valuable asset always!”
You must reflect constantly to have such a great out look on life, what is the last significant positive life lesson you have learned?
A small group of concerned citizens can make a difference–everyone can make a difference on this planet, and we all need to.
Why don’t you give our readers a better understanding of Beth Shaw, who do you most admire in this big beautiful world of ours and why?
[I admire] People who walk their talk. I have come in contact with many people who speak ‘ Spiritual-ese’ but fail to live it. I admire Judy Mancuso of Social Compassion who authorized the mandatory spay/neuter bill for California. I admire my animal activist friends like Ellen Levinthal from Animal Alliance who works tirelessly for animals. I admire Gretchen Wilde who founded the humane society genesis awards. I admire Ingrid Newkirk, founder of PETA–she is the real deal!
It is very refreshing and wonderful to know that you are keeping an eye out for the four-legged inhabitants of this world too along with us two legged creatures. Tell us, what are you most proud of in the long-lived successful life of YogaFit?
The vast amount of community service we have been able to do for humans and animals.
Why don’t you give Agenda readers a sneak peek of your future plans. What exciting projects are you working on currently?
My new book, YogaFit gets released from Human Kinetics Publishing in January. Also, we have some very exciting new class formats like ‘Full Body Blast’ and some great eco-friendly bamboo clothing.
Any last words?
We would love to have more like minded-people join our network – also – Spay & Neuter your pets PLEASE!
Visit YogaFit online at www.yogafit.com and learn about the 9 mind body fitness conferences nationwide annually.
Interviewed by Anthony Heredia
Getting Your Other Half off the Couch
Getting Your Other Half off the Couch
The average American reaching age 77 will have viewed over 150,000 hours of TV in his/her lifetime. (Are you kidding me!?) That equates to spending roughly 17 years of one’s precious life in front of a glowing box. Absolutely horrendous! According to the surgeon general, more than 60 percent of American adults don’t exercise regularly and 25 percent aren’t active at all. The Center for Disease Control says that 34 percent of Americans are overweight, and more than 72 million people were obese from 2005 to 2006. Inertia has become a national emergency. Had I not excavated the research myself, I wouldn’t have believed it. This issue of Fitness Couture will be dedicated to tackling the daunting task of prying our significant other off that couch in a manner that won’t result in law enforcement showing up at your door. Let us avoid that whole sirens-blaring scenario, shall we? Exercise is absolutely omnipotent in the way it enhances every single aspect of your life. Being fit enhances self esteem and energy levels; it promotes better sleep patterns, clearer thinking, promotions at work─yes, you read that right─relieves depression, and improves complexion. Living fit slows aging, regulates sex drive, regulates hormone levels, increases work productivity, and enhances the immune system, along with so much else. There are a myriad reasons as to why someone should get fit, but today we are going to highlight the fact that couples who live a fit life together stick to their programs longer, as well as stay together longer and happier. Once you are inspired to help your loved one at the end of this article, head over to Health 101 for help with a battle plan for actually getting him/her moving.
For some, exercise is an outlet. I know that I consider my workout time “me” time. I don’t take my cell phone with me or let anyone know I’m out running so I can disappear if even for a moment, but there are always those times when I would love some company. It’s about balance. You might love exercise as “you” time, which is fine, but that doesn’t mean you can’t share a workout or two, getting your potato of a spouse motivated. Here are just 6 benefits to exercising with your partner that you might not have thought of.
1. Balance – With many couples, one partner tends to favor cardio (typically women), while the other tends to favor strength training (typically men). By working out together, you can balance your workout program to include more of both while educating each other. Let your partner teach you about the areas of fitness you’re unsure of, and be open to new fitness experiences.
2. Quality Time – Couples spend most of their time apart due to careers and regular responsibilities. Instead of working out alone every time, why not plan a little workout time that fits both of your schedules. The couple that sweats together stays together after all. You’ll reach your fitness goals without sacrificing that one-on-one time every partnership needs.
3. Respect and Pride – These topics are immense deal breakers. Getting in shape for someone who doesn’t appreciate the work has ended many a relationship. By working out together at least once a week, you both can respect each other more by seeing what it takes each other to be healthy. Taking care of your body and your health also shows your other half that you care about him/her by wanting to be around for years to come.
4. Inspiration and Support – Getting encouragement and praise from your partner is one of the best motivators. When he/she sees you sweating bullets, it creates admiration. The absolute best compliment anyone can give someone is, “You make me want to be a better person.” You become inspiration. It helps both of you to remain consistent, take care of one another, and inspires you to continue your workout program.
5. Teamwork and Safety – Working out together gives you a chance to work on your communication skills and teamwork. With someone else watching your form and being there to spot you when you need it, you’ll exercise more safely than if you were alone. This creates fantastic bonding and trust.
6. Sexual Desire – Exercise produces chemicals in the brain that evoke feelings of happiness, reduce stress, and also increase arousal and libido. Several studies show that men and women who exercise regularly report better (and more frequent) sex with their partners. Watching your partner grunt, sweat and combat a hard workout regimen can be a powerful aphrodisiac, but don’t take my word for it. Let me know how this all turns out Agenda readers, don’t forget to check out Health 101 for a battle plan. Until we meet again I bid thee all adieu.
With these workout ideas for couples, you and your partner can spend quality time together while you stay on track to reaching your goals.
A.C. Nielsen Co Study – 2007http://www.csun.edu/science/health/docs/tv&health.html
Written by Anthony Heredia
Top 10 Big Bank Fitness Gifts
1) Body Bugg
Have you ever wondered how many calories you’re burning throughout the day; how many calories you need to burn a day to hit goal? Hate keeping a food log in order to count your calories? Well, log no more, thanks to the Body Bugg, which does all the work for you. I just love how much time this saves by taking all the guessing out of the equation. Make sure to take a look at the details: http://www.bodybugg.com/ $349.90
2) Bowflex Home Gym
The Bowflex home gym is the ultimate boy toy for getting in shape as it dominates with over 95 strength-building exercises and a calorie-burning cardio rowing feature that gives you a complete full body workout. This is a lot of power in a small package but with a hefty price, so make sure he has been a good boy this year. $2,999.00 www.bowflex.com
3) iPod Touch / iPhone
There is no better gift than the gift of motivation and we all know how the right song can make all the difference in the world. The great thing about the iPhone is all the new possible fitness applications that can track your calories, steps, progress, and so much more. www.apple.com
4) Massage Package
Most men typically pass pampering in the form of a soothing light Swedish massage; but mention deep tissue, and he will be sure to jump for joy. Deep tissue massage is extremely beneficial for you heavy workout enthusiasts in order to get the beaten body back in fighting shape faster. Make sure to look into it athttp://www.burkewilliamsspa.com/ or your favorite spa. Price will range from about $100-$150 a session.
5) Boot Camp Gift Certificates
There is nothing like an over aggressive trainer screaming at you to push harder at 5 a.m. when all you want to do is go back to bed. Boot Camp is actually a great idea for a gift because it’s one of those gifts you want but you just won’t get yourself. By giving this to a friend you now obligate that friend.
6) AMPHIBX Armbands and SURGE Headphones
Take music under water along for your morning laps with AMPHIBX Armbands and SURGE Headphones. Get away from it all through music in the water. $130 atwww.h20audio.com.
7) Garmin Forerunner 205 GPS Receiver
Form meets function with Garmin’s next-generation, sleek and stylish personal trainer, the Forerunner 205. Designed for athletes of all levels, this running partner and personal trainer has one goal in mind-a better you. It continuously monitors your speed, distance, pace, and calories burned so you can train smarter, more effectively. $142.95 – $267.84
8) Bow-Flex Select Tech Weights
Tired of all those weights taking up room in the house or not having the right weight when you need it? The solution is Bowflex® SelectTech® dumbbells. With just the turn of a dial, you can automatically change your resistance from 10 lbs all the way up to 90 lbs. These wonder weights replace 34 Dumbbells at $699 for a set. www.bowflexselecttech.com
9) Hummer Mountain Bike
A bike is a fun and inviting way to get your heart pumping with the bonus of taking a trip in the outdoors for a scenic workout. Top pick for mountain bikes goes to www.hummerbikes.com at $2,299.00 for performance, sturdiness, and portability.
10) Oakley Thumps
Why not combine looking fashionable, blocking the sun, and great music all in one? There is nothing better than good music in a portable package while you get your sweat on. These make a great gift and are most definitely noteworthy. Stop by www.oakley.com and see what styles catch your eye. $100-$250
Reviewed by Anthony Heredia
Top 10 Fitness Gifts Under $150
Top 10 Fitness Gifts Under $150
1) Perfect Pushup & Pullup Combo
The problem all too often with working out on your own is not knowing if you’re doing things
right. These products have taken the guessing out of the upper body workout and created affordable compact tools that ensure you are in perfect form while sculpting that upper body. This combo will take complete care of your upper body in an efficient result-rendering manner. Take a look at www. perfectpushup.com $119.00
2) Aqua Bells
Maintain your weight training while you travel-without overweight luggage! The totally portable and collapsible fitness solution for people on the go. At last, a portable gym that fits into your briefcase! Carrying your weights through airports is impractical, but with AquaBells you can continue your workout program no matter where you go, without adding extra weight or luggage for your trip . $59.95 at www.aquabells.com
3) Niki Shoxs
There is nothing more essential to good work than proper gear. I’m referring to proper foot gear in this instance, as in Niki Shoxs. Proper footwear is critical to a great workout, so make sure to treat your lucky someone to the best. Take a better look at www.niki.com $100-$150
4) Fit-Deck
FitDeck is a great unique deck of playing cards containing illustrations and instructions describing 50 different upper, middle, lower, and full body exercises. The exercises call for
basic body movements and require no equipment or machines of any kind. This is a very unique way of always having a good workout at your fingertips; and at only $24.95, it’s a steal.www.Fitdeck.com
5) Bosu Ball
BOSU® Training is limitless. This is such a great tool for any health enthusiast at any level. Bosu balls are about expanding movement capabilities while reshaping the body and strengthening the mind by constantly keeping you engaged in order to remain balanced at all times. www.bosu.com $99
6) Dance Lessons Gift Certificate
“The gift of dance is a unique and perfect gift for everyone on your holiday gift list! Introduce your friends, family, co-workers, and significant other to the joy that dancing brings! Dancing is great exercise. It improves your self-confidence, relieves stress, expands your social
circle, and is just FUN! “As an added bonus, giving the gift of dance will allow you to avoid the crowded malls this year!” says professional salsa instructor Sergio fromwww.Latindancepro.com. Dance lessons are one of those activities that you would like to get involved in but find yourself a bit timid. Why not give the gift of dance for fitness sake and maybe join along with whomever you give the gift to.
“The benefits of becoming a dancer are numerous. We see students from all walks of life gain self-confidence, lose weight, overcome their shyness, and even meet their future husband/wife in our classes!” -Sergio
Pick any style of dance you would like, of course, but do make sure it’s fast paced style dancing in order to get maximum calorie burning benefits. Salsa receives the honorable mention here as one of the highest calorie burns, not to mention how intoxicating it is. Visit Sergio & Salud at www.latindancepro.com to get a better idea of dance lessons or an instructor near you. $72 (for full series)
Beach Body Workout Program
Beach Body is a great line of home DVD programs that feature fun and exciting new ways of producing real results while having fun. P90X is a fantastic hardcore home boot camp that I definitely stand by for heavy boot-camp lovers. Turbo Jam Max Results is a fast, fun kickboxing blast that focuses more on lean fast cardio lovers. All this for only $119.85. M and ake sure to take a look at www.beachbody.comfor all the details.
Foam Rollers
Foam rollers are commonly used for balance training, self-myofascial release (muscle tension release), self massage, stretching, yoga and Pilates. This is such a simple piece of
equipment but is fantastic for you workout warriors who want to keep your bodies in peak condition. $19.95 at www.performbetter.com
Weighted Jump Rope
The Original Heavy Rope is a weighted jump rope allowing your athlete to gain both a 
cardiovascular & upper-body strength workout in one. It is available in 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 pound weights for added growth. A suggested training program is included with each rope, so the $39.95 price will go far.http://www.hoopskills.com/speed/heavyjumprope.html
Under Armor Gift Certificate
Under Armor is the Roles Royce of fitness gear, where the finest equipment for any activity under the sun can be found. A gift certificate from UA is always a
premier gift choice, details athttp://www.underarmour.com/
Reviewed by Anthony Heredia
Protein Power – Full Disclosure
What Is Protein, and What’s in It for Me?
This issue we are taking Agenda readers on a revealing tour of protein as we delve into what protein is, why you need it, the buzz behind protein diets, and how they really work.
So What Is Protein?
There are three major (macro) nutrients our bodies require to keep us in royal health and balance: fats (lipids), carbohydrates, and protein. All forms of meat are dominantly protein, but you can find variant amounts of protein in just about anything that grows, as protein is the base for the growth of life. Protein’s primary function in our bodies is to serve as a building tool. Protein itself is created of subunits called amino acids, the true building blocks. Think of amino acids as puzzle pieces. There are 20 different puzzle pieces in total, and a different combination of puzzle pieces creates a different picture with its own unique purpose. There are 9 essential amino acids our body cannot create and must obtain from our diet and 11 that it can acquire all on its own. All 20 puzzle pieces are vital for normal growth and daily function, as well as critical for peak health and fitness.
So Why Do I Need Protein?
1) Structure
Each variant combination of amino acids serves a different purpose in your body, ranging from building your muscles, growing your hair, and repairing you to helping to create hormones and keeping skin youthful. Protein gives your body structure. It literally keeps your teeth in your gums, keeps your organs together, and shapes-come-hither curves that beg for summer sun. Collagen (the secret to young beautiful skin) actually makes up for 25% of the protein in your body, making protein very significant.
2) Regulation
It also serves to regulate your body’s hormones, enzymes, immune system and fluid balance. Inadequate protein in your diet can cause frequent illness, low energy, poor digestion, dehydration, slow recovery times, reduced sex drive, mental fog, and a host of other problems. These problems are a result of your body simply needing to do a job and not having the building blocks it needs to complete its task. When your body needs any of the 9 essential amino acids due to insufficient diet, it will break down healthy, active muscle or organ tissue to retrieve what it needs. Your body will trade some of your nice arm muscle in order to keep you breathing. Tissue breakdown (catabolism) results from imbalanced nutrition, compared to physical demands, significant calorie reduction, or starvation. Your body will begin to recycle itself to survive. Worst yet is the fact that muscle deterioration dramatically slows down metabolism because muscle tissue is a powerful calorie-burning engine. The less muscle you have the slower your metabolism, meaning you can eat less and gain weight easier. This is very typical in most dieting American women who cut calories too low, sacrificing muscle. Low muscle women who are on a dieting cycle merely look at food and gain weight because their bodies are less equipped to process the food, leading to greater storage. Yes, these women are losing weight, but muscle weight. In exchange for losing 5 pounds of muscle she will now need to eat 250 calories a day fewer to stay the same weight. One pound of muscle burns 50 calories a day extra, so a lean toned protein-filled body is allowed to eat a lot more to stay a lot more beautiful. Remember that although muscle weighs three times more than fat, it is also three times smaller, creating a fine tight appearance. Go protein!
3) Energy
Protein finally serves as a potential source of energy. Your body loves to use carbohydrates and fat as a primary source of energy, while protein is left for last. Your body stores about 500-1500 calories of carbohydrates throughout your body in the form of glycogen for immediate fuel access, and it stores fat in all the places you love to hate; but your body does not store protein. Your body prefers to use carbohydrates as a primary source of energy for intensive physical demands and higher functions (brain and nerves), as it is a fast and efficient source of fuel. Fat (lipids) is also an excellent source of energy, but it is primarily used for less intensive physical demands and non-glucose dependent cells (like muscle cells). You use fat for energy as you sit at your desk doing your work. Fat burns longer but much slower, obviously, or we would all look like Greek statues. Last on the chain of command is protein which is not a great source of energy as it takes the longest to convert into a usable form of fuel for our bodies, and still it is inferior as fuel compared to carbs and fat. Your body works three times harder to convert protein into usable fuel in comparison to carbohydrates, one of the reasons for high protein diets becoming so infamous for fat loss.
Protein for Weight Loss?
So how do low carbohydrate / high protein diets work? Well, they basically convert your carb-burning body into a fat-burning body through manipulation. The science lies in your liver, which converts carbs you ingest into glucose for immediate energy or stores them in your liver as glycogen. The liver will release glucose (immediate fuel) into your blood system for cellular energy and stored lipids (fat) into your system for simpler non glucose dependent cells (like muscle cells), conserving glucose for needier cells. Your liver can store an estimated 12-hour supply of fuel; but once it runs out, it begins to convert amino acids (protein) into glucose (immediate fuel). The more complex cells (brain & nerve) need more than this protein fuel so your body begins to convert the released fat energy in your blood into what is known as ketone bodies (upgraded fat energy). Your brain and nerve cells are now forced to partially accept this less effective fat energy (ketones), and the body is now forced to use only fat and protein for energy (ketosis), resulting in dramatic body fat depletion.
So What’s the Catch?
The catch is that this inferior process forces your liver to do an incredible amount of stressful work, leading to possible permanent liver damage in extended trials. This inferior energy source also causes mental fog, significantly slower reaction times, dramatic fatigue, and a host of other problems as your body is basically being stressed out. Worst of all is once you return to normal eating from a prolonged period of this dieting method, your body will hyper load and retain fat in self-preservation, just in case you attempt this again. You rarely permanently win by manipulating or tricking the human body for extended periods of time. It’s a bit smarter than you might think. Remember that these are all merely tricks, gimmicks, and techniques to manipulate your body. No extended trick will ever give you the life and body you dream of. Always ask yourself if you can make whatever you are doing a permanent healthy way of life.
Fight your body and it will fight back and win. The human body has evolved over thousands of years as a sophisticated survival tool, so your best bet is to work with its original settings and instructions. Higher protein methods are O. K. for small durations as a technique to give fat loss a quick kick, but by no means is it a way of life. Protein is a powerful necessary building and structural tool in your journey towards reaching your health and fitness goals, but for best results I suggest it be used in balance as evolution intended.
So How Much Protein Do I Need?
A good nutrient balance for the average body by today’s standards is 20-30% protein, 15-25% fat (the good kind) and 55-65% carbohydrates. Individual needs of each category will always vary according to your current health, fitness regimen/goals, and daily activity; so consult your local health/nutrition professional for some precision, or grab a good nutrition book to take control yourself.
Written by Anthony Heredia
Breast Cancer Risk Factors – Knowing Can Make All the Difference
The American Cancer Society’s most recent estimates for breast cancer in the United States for 2009 tell us that 192,370 new cases of invasive breast cancer and 40,170 deaths from breast cancer occur each year. In this issue we focus on breast cancer awareness in our attempt to keep you healthy and living a long, wonderfully productive and fulfilling life.
“The chance of a woman having invasive breast cancer sometime during her life is a little less than1 in 8. The chance of dying from breast cancer is about 1 in 35. Breast cancer death rates have been going down. This is probably the result of finding the cancer earlier and better treatment. Right now there are more than 2½ million breast cancer survivors in the United States.” -American Cancer Society
Breast cancer is simply an uncontrolled growth of confused cells forming in the breast area that was caused by any of so many factors we will discuss. These irregular cells first begin killing surrounding normal healthy cells and tissue, causing a lump or mass to form which we know as cancer. Although we still lack the medical technology to prevent breast cancer completely, we can definitely reduce risk dramatically. Awareness is key to preventing this horrid battle from ever beginning, as early detection can mean the difference between life or death, ladies. I don’t mean to be so grave, but your life is very precious and I choose not to take this subject lightly in the hopes of keeping you smiling for many healthy cancer-free years. Prevention begins with knowing your family history, routine self breast examinations, yearly routine mammograms for women 40 and over, and an annual breast examination by a medical professional.
All women are at risk of breast cancer and those with a family history of this burden are at even higher risk, so please be cautious and responsible with your health. Nearly 10% of breast cancer cases are actually hereditary, commonly resulting from the mutation of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. These funny named genes actually help to prevent cancer by making the proteins that keep your cells from growing abnormally, a checks and balances, if you will. Cancer at its most basic level is simply a glitch in your system that has caused imbalance that is growing wildly out of control, destroying good elements and causing progressively more aggressive glitches. You want to catch this “glitch” early, or better yet, create the optimal environment in your body so that this glitch never comes to pass.
A woman should perform a monthly breast self examination (BSE) to catch this glitch fast and stop it in its treacherous tracks. Optimum time for self examination is a week past the end of a menstrual cycle or on the same day each month for women that might have irregular cycles. The BSE is a quick and simple process, and it is definitely worth your life, so no complaining or procrastinating. The following link is directions according to the American Cancer Association:
You can also always ask your gynecologist or family physician for all the information you will need.
The main idea is to feel for any irregular lumps that would need immediate attention. Be aware that not all lumps are cancerous, as some are merely natural irregularities; but don’t take any chances and get a professional opinion. Your regular physician will also inform your other more powerful examination, a yearly mammogram that needs to be routine for women 40 and on. A mammogram is simply a quick x-ray of the breast in order to rule out all doubt. Women between the ages of 20-39 should take at least one exam every three years. It is recommended that women 40 and older have the exam once a year. Nearly 77% of women with breast cancer are diagnosed at the age of 50 and beyond. Regular exams are critical as the years pass since development of breast cancer only increases with age.
Reducing risks of breast cancer is simple and brisk. Maintain a history of your family, perform routine self breast examinations, get yearly mammograms, and best of all keep your body happy and healthy in the first place to minimize any possibility of this horrible cellular glitch.
Common Lifestyle Risk Factors (Factors You Can Control and Change):
· Lack of physical activity
· Being overweight or obese
· Alcohol
· Not breast-feeding
· Post-menopausal hormone therapy
· Recent oral contraceptive use
· Not having children, or having them later in life
Common Unavoidable Risk Factors (Factors You Can Not Control or Change):
· Genetic risk factors
· Aging
· Gender
· Family history of breast cancer
· Personal history of breast cancer
· Race and ethnicity
· Dense breast tissue
· Certain benign breast conditions
Non-proliferative lesions
“These conditions show excessive growth of cells in the ducts or lobules of the breast tissue. They seem to raise a woman’s risk of breast cancer slightly (1½ to 2 times normal).” – American Cancer Society
Proliferative lesions without atypia
“In these conditions, there is excessive growth of cells in the ducts or lobules of the breast tissue, and the cells no longer appear normal. They have a stronger effect on breast cancer risk, raising it 4 to 5 times higher than normal” – American Cancer Society
Common Risk Factor Myths (Rumors):
The following is a list of controversial, uncertain or unproven rumors for increasing breast cancer risk but have been investigated and found insignificant or dismissible according to the American Cancer Society:
· Working at night
· Breast implants
· Induced abortion
· Bras
· Antiperspirants
· High fat diets (Good unsaturated fats)
Ladies, please be safe and take care of those precious lives of yours. Every day is a gift that we should not take for granted. Respect that wonderful body that takes you down this wonderful journey called life, and it will reward you with a long, fulfilling life to be proud of. For more in-depth information on the various forms of breast cancer, their risk factors, and more information on prevention, make your way to www.cancer.org. Smile, ladies and gentlemen readers of Agenda. The world is better that way.
Resources: www.cancer.org
Written by Anthony Heredia
Fitness Couture – Five Ways to Defeat Holiday Guilt
Happy holidays, Agenda readers! We made it through Thanksgiving, but we’re not out of the seasonal woods yet. The holidays typically take a toll on our health and waistlines due to our busy nature this time of year. Fitness seems to take a back seat these days. It’s easy to enjoy an eggnog or two at a friendly gathering or indulge in one too many sweet treats only to justify it with the promise of extra fitness time later. No worries, as I am not here to scold you but to give you some fitness insider intelligence that will dispense with much if not all that holiday guilt. There is nothing wrong with taking time to enjoy the holidays and all the sweet treats as long as you are willing to keep a balance and pay back your holiday fitness debt. Here are five tips to give you an edge in the holiday season.
Tip 1 – Slowing Down Sugar Bombs
What certain goody is synonymous with the holidays? Sugar! The problem with sugar is that concentrated amounts cause havoc on our systems by ruining our skin, causing false hunger, false cravings, mood swings, increased fatigue, and mental fog. Sugar, when concentrated, shoots into our blood stream quickly, like a Rhino charging through a crystal boutique; so slow the beast to reduce the damage. A great method for calming the negative effects of sugar is to combine it with fiber, sugar’s arch enemy. Add soluble or insoluble fiber when having sugar and you dramatically decrease its destructive capabilities. Fiber when taken about 15-30 minutes prior to your sugary treats will make a world of difference.
· Walnuts
· Almonds
· Veggies
· Fruits
· Powdered Fiber
· Psyllium husk
· Whole/Multi Grains
· Legumes (such as dried peas, beans, lentils)
Tip 2 – Triple the Fitness Burn in 1/3 the Time
So you don’t have the full hour to devote to being in the gym or even working out at home, but I know you can spare 20 minutes. In order to reap an hour’s worth of results from 1/3 the workout time, you must push hard, no complaining. Go straight into your favorite workout routine, but take only 30-second to 1-minute breaks when needed and push about 20% harder than you typically would. Is it worth it? I’ll let you decide. You just might love that extra push and keep it up. Now that would be great. For more details on this type of hard, quick training, look up “Interval Training” or wait for my next article on how it works in our next issue.
Tip 3 – Burning Calories While You Sleep
Did you know that when you incorporate resistance (weights) into your workout, your metabolism is naturally heightened by about 30% for the next three days? After you do your cardio routine, your metabolism is naturally heightened by about 50-70% for the next few hours and then returns to normal. When you weight train to the point of feeling a light soreness, your metabolism revs up to repair the positive damage you have occurred, making you stronger. That light soreness burns about 30% more calories while you sleep–yes, while you sleep. Pick up some weights and push hard enough to feel a light soreness/burn that will make up for a lot of those holiday guilty pleasures.
Tip 4 – Decrease Stress to Increase Weight Loss
Stress is all around us this time of year and is hard to shake even with all the festive red, green, and white all around. Stress increases cortisol, which is a basic primal hormone that puts our bodies in defense/survival mode, telling our bodies to hold onto fat and gain some more in self-preservation. “What should I do?” you ask. Well, your best combatant against stress is relaxation and fitness. Get yourself to a spa and enjoy (trainer’s orders). Get to the gym. A short 20-minute cardio session is more than enough to dramatically reduce cortisol; 20 minutes is all you need if time is short. Sex is another great stress reliever if you enjoy a certain workout partner. Please avoid the most common of all short term stress relievers, though, sugary and refined bad foods.
Tip 5 – Mental & Nutritional Prep to Curb Overeating
There is absolutely nothing wrong with eating great food during the holidays. The problem stems from how much of it we indulge in. Sugary and highly refined foods release small, short term amounts of endorphins into our system–the feel good hormones–which is why you always want more. This is also a prime reason that we associate fond memories with sugary bad food. Unfortunately, we subconsciously eat more and more, trying to keep that initial feeling only to be left stuffed with massive calories and not feeling happy at all. Remember that it’s the atmosphere and the people that make you happy, not the food itself. If you truly love the food, then remember that it’s the flavors that have you so enamored and not the quantity. Enjoy the food slowly, and stop once you know you are feeling satisfied. Bad food is usually the culprit for overeating because it is good fats (omega-3s) and fiber that inform our bodies we are full. Most bad foods are low in both and are calorically dense. If you want to make sure you eat properly, eat about 60 calories of walnuts or an omega-3 food about 20-30 minutes prior to your meals. Studies have shown that it takes about 60 calories of good fats to trigger the natural satiety center. This small act will keep you from overeating as your body will tell you much sooner that you are honestly satisfied. Enjoy the family, friends, loved ones, memories, activities, tasty foods, and all the holidays have to offer; but control the guilt and calories, and your health will thank you deeply. Happy holidays Agenda readers!
