AsOneWishes.com

Tuesday, 7 September 2010

20 Day Weight Loss Only Goals Fail

A “20-day weight loss only” goal is a short-term fix for your weight problem and will not ultimately help you attain your goals! Establish eating and exercise habits that will help you burn fat and lose weight for a lifetime.

The type of food you eat and timing of what you eat is very important for your metabolism to work properly. Your body needs adequate amounts of the macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, fats) to function properly.

Increasing muscle mass is critical to permanently speed up your metabolism. Your body has to work harder to maintain muscle mass. And, increasing muscle mass will burn the fat off of your body. So, start doing your regular weight training workouts 2-3 days a week.

Protein's main role in your body is to repair and rebuild body tissues (especially so after an intense weight training workout). When your body doesn't get enough protein, it will take protein from other sources--mainly your muscles! Obviously, you don't want that to happen. Including foods with protein in every meal will help you eat less during the day. This happens because it takes your body longer to digest protein.

Carbohydrates, in the form of glycogen, are your body's preferred source of energy. Glycogen is stored in your liver and muscles and it is broken down into glucose. Glucose is then used by your body to make energy.

As a result, when your glycogen stores are low, your body's performance will suffer. When your body doesn't have enough carbohydrates, it uses energy mainly from proteins. As stated above, protein has another primary role in the body. And, again, your muscle mass will take the hit. Carb cycling can be useful in some situations, but don’t start with this method. Establish your eating foundation first.

Fat is important for your diet because it helps you feel full for longer periods of time and keeps skin, hair and nails healthy (among other things). You should limit your intake of saturated fats (usually solid at room temperature, such as butter) and trans fats ( partially hydrogenated fats found in packaged foods and fast foods).

Instead, increase your intake of heart-healthy unsaturated fats (they are usually liquid at room temperature, such as olive, canola oil, fish, nuts, seeds and avocados). Fats should not exceed 30% (closer to 20%) of your total caloric intake. Again, fats should not be used as your primary energy source.

Your body needs the macronutrients at all times to function properly. When your body functions properly, your metabolism will also function properly. That's why you should eat every 3-4 hours to give your body what it needs and to protect your vital muscle mass. If you are a person who skips breakfast, stop doing that! You are sabotaging your fat loss and weight loss efforts and throwing your metabolism out of wack!

Eat for health, fat loss and weight loss. You should not ever try a “20-day weight loss only” program to reach your long-term goals.

If you need to know how to lose weight the right way, get My Fitness Hut's 7-Day Weight Loss And Fat Loss e-Course! The e-Course is FREE!

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

Sunday, 5 September 2010

How Sugar Makes You Faster and Stronger during Exercise

Just about everyone agrees that taking carbohydrates, particularly sugar, during exercise increases endurance in both humans and animals. For years, I have told everyone that eating sugar preserves stored muscle sugar called glycogen. However we have to find a new explanation because recent data show that taking sugar during exercise does not preserve muscle glycogen (Sports Medicine, September 2010). The NEW most likely explanation is that during prolonged, intense exercise, you become exhausted because you cannot keep up with your requirements for oxygen. This interferes with the sodium/potassium pumps, inside cell membranes, that pump potassium into cells and sodium out of cells.

Your brain sends electrical messages along nerves to tell your muscles to contract. When the electrical message that travels along nerves reaches its connection with muscles, other electrical messages travel along muscles to cause them to contract. The electricity comes from your cells' ability to keep sodium outside cells and potassium inside cells. This is done by "pumps" in the cell membranes.

During intense exercise, how fast you can move is limited by how long it takes to get oxygen into muscles. Anything that reduces your requirements for oxygen will help you to move faster. Sugar and other carbohydrates require less oxygen than fat and protein to supply energy to your "pumps", so sugar is a very efficient source of energy for the sodium/potassium pumps during exercise. When the sodium/potassium pumps lose their efficiency from lack of oxygen, potassium leaks from cells and you can't get enough electrical current to contract your muscles with the force you need to compete. So your muscles weaken and you have to slow down.

If you want to compete in sports that last more than 45 minutes, you will probably be faster and have greater endurance if you take in sugar while you exercise. Taking caffeine with sugar during prolonged exercise increases endurance even more. We drink sugared, caffeinated soft drinks when we race, and avoid them when we are not racing. When muscles contract, they remove sugar so rapidly from the bloodstream that you do not get a high rise in blood sugar. However when muscles are not contracting, you lose this benefit and can develop a high rise in blood sugar that can damage all of the cells in your body.

Top 10 Runners' Foot Injury Prevention List

If you are a dedicated runner, you are at risk for more foot injuries than the average exerciser. Prevention of injuries is always best. If you train to run races such as 5Ks, 10Ks, marathons or triathlons, your risk for foot injuries increase even more. I have seen more than one friend over-training for these events and literally "running themselves into the ground."



Repetitive stress injuries like plantar fasciitis, runner's knee and Achilles tendinitis are just a few of the injuries you should try and prevent. Its just common sense for runners to take care of their feet. Many of you don't adequately care for your feet.

Did you know that every stride you take while running applies a force of 3-4 times your body weight across your knees, ankles and feet? Enough said!

New York City podiatrist, Dr. Oliver Zong, is one of the premier cosmetic foot surgeons in the country. He serves as the Director of Surgery at NYC FootCare and is on the Board of Directors at Gramercy Park Surgery Center. Dr. Zong offers foot related advice and tips to runners training for and participating in the New York City Marathon.

So, here is Dr. Zong's Top 10 injury prevention list for runners:

1. Stretching. Stretching primes the body for the strenuous activity. Stretch before and after running. Concentrate on the calves, hamstrings, quads and feet.

2. Shoes. Invest in a good pair of running shoes. They provide specific impact support that running demands. If your feet sweat heavily during running, try putting talcum powder in your shoes to keep feet dry.

3. Orthotics. If you have arch or heel pain, you may be a perfect candidate for orthotics. Visit a podiatrist to inquire about purchasing orthotics for your shoes.

4. Socks. Cotton socks absorb moisture. For a long run like a marathon, your feet may require a synthetic sock (containing acrylic), which helps alleviate moisture from your skin. Make sure that the seams of your socks are not in an area of pressure, which can lead to a lot of pain. If you cannot find a comfortable location for the seams, try turning socks inside out.

5. Anti-Inflammatory Medications. Do not pop Advil or Aleve before a race to prevent aches that may arise during the race. Save this treatment for the day after the race. Taking anti-inflammatory medications will mask any pain that is felt during the race and can lead to more serious injury. Pain is a valuable feedback mechanism that you need to pay attention to during a long run.

6. Groom Toenails. Make sure your toenails are not long before a race. They should not extend past the tip of your toe and should be shaped in a straight cut. If you do not properly groom your toenails before a marathon, you run the risk of developing an ingrown nail or even a fungal nail.

7. Toes. If you have a tendency to develop corns and callouses on the tips of your toes, try adding padding in your sneakers underneath your toes. If your toes or toenails turn black, you may have developed subungual hematoma (bleeding under the nails). This may cause nails to fall off. Keep the area clean and dry to prevent infection and seek treatment from your podiatrist.

8. Blisters. Blisters are the results of excessive friction between shoes and feet. Take preventative steps by making sure shoes fit properly and are laced up so that they are form fitting to your feet. If you are prone to blisters, apply Vaseline to problem areas prior to your run or try padded "blister proof" socks like those made by Thorlo. Additionally, applying moleskin to problem areas also prevents blisters from forming.

9. Visit Your Podiatrist. Dr. Zong's patients who run in the New York City Marathon make appointments the entire week before the race to get rid of corns, callouses, get moleskin, have their orthodics padded, and in some cases receive cortisone injections for their heel spurs (plantar fasciitis).

10. Finish Line. When the race is complete Dr. Zong says practice RICE:

a. Rest your feet.
b. Ice helps keep inflammation and swelling down.
c. Compression with ACE wraps will also reduce swelling.
d. Elevation will help your feet rest up for the next big run.

Dr. Zong is credited with coining the terms, "Foot Makeover", "Foot Facelift", "The Toe Tuck", and "High Heel Feet".

Read my article series on lower leg running injuries.

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

Friday, 3 September 2010

Anterior Tibialis Stretch Helps Shins

Keep your anterior tibialis muscles flexible to avoid pain (cramps, soreness) and even shin splints. If you train for races like 5Ks, 10Ks or marathons, you need to keep your anterior tibialis muscles flexible. Sports that require sprinting can also tighten up or strain the anterior tibialis muscles.



The anterior tibialis muscle runs along the outside front of your shin and flexes your foot upward. Overuse, inflammation, tightness and stress on the anterior tibialis muscle can cause lateral shin splints.

A good dynamic warmup is a MUST before your workout. A dynamic warmup will prepare your body best for a tough workout. Do static stretches after your workout (when muscles are warm) to increase your range of motion.

Do the standing anterior tibialis muscle stretch this way:

1. Stand and use a wall to support your body during the stretch.

2. Place the foot to be stretched just behind your other foot. Your other foot should be flat on the ground for support. Stretch the tibialis muscle by dragging your toe until you feel a stretch from the top of your foot through your shins. Keep both knees slightly bent during the stretch. Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds. Repeat the same with the other foot.

See my article on how to prevent and treat shin splints.

If you need to know how to lose weight the right way, get My Fitness Hut's 7-Day Weight Loss And Fat Loss e-Course! The e-Course is FREE!

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

Thursday, 2 September 2010

Heavy Weights Not Needed for Muscle Growth

Exciting research from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario shows that you do not have to lift very heavy weights to grow large muscles (PLoS ONE. August 10, 2010).

The heaviest weight that you can lift once is called your "One Repetition Maximum" (1RM). This study questions what many non-competitive lifters do. They find their 1RM and do three sets of five repetitions at 90 percent of their 1RM.

In the Ontario study, fifteen men were assigned four sets of leg presses with one leg. They were asked to continue to extend and contract their leg muscles until they were exhausted against 30 percent of their 1RM, and against 90 percent of their 1RM. At 90 percent of their 1RM, they were usually exhausted at five to ten lifts. At 30 percent of their 1RM, they could do about 24 lifts before they were exhausted. So the lighter the weight, the more repetitions they could do. The authors used sophisticated tests for muscle growth (mixed, myofibrillar, and sarcoplasmic protein synthesis) to show that those who lifted more times at a lighter weight have greater immediate muscle growth.

This is just another case of scientists explaining and supporting training methods after athletes have used them to be successful in competition. Richard A. Winett, a professor at Virginia Tech who has published extensively on strength training, says "the stimulus from resistance training for muscle growth comes from the effort at the end of a set, where the last repetition in good form can be performed. There's no reason to use heavy resistance; moderate resistance, good form with controlled repetitions, and a longer time under tension is effective."

Dr Winett explains that for muscle growth:
• You do not have to use very heavy weights
• You should make an effort to exhaust your muscles (lift towards failure).
• Optimal growth comes from three sets to failure for each muscle and two or three exercises per muscle group.
• You should feel mild soreness on the next day. If you are very sore, you may have used too much resistance, too much volume, too large a range of motion on an exercise, too much emphasis on the eccentric part of the repetition, or you did not get enough sleep for recovery.

Do not lift weights that are so heavy that you lose form and do only partial contractions of your muscles. Try to find a workout that is not painful when you do it, but that makes your muscles feel mildly sore on the next day. As with all exercise, check with your doctor before starting a weight lifting program.

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Weight loss and fat loss comes to those who know WHAT TO DO and NEVER GIVE UP UNTIL THE GOAL IS REACHED. Period. The weight loss e-course will start you on your way to success.

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Staying on your fat loss track through all the events of life can sometimes throw you off kilter. This 7-day e-Course will tell you exactly what to do!

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And, if you haven't yet figured out how you need to be eating, you need a meal plan to follow! It takes more than just working out...if you burn 500 calories during a workout and later eat 800 calories, you are just "spinning your wheels" and not making progress!

Are you worth the time it takes to manage your fat loss and weight loss?


If you need to know how to lose weight the right way, get My Fitness Hut's 7-Day Weight Loss And Fat Loss e-Course! The e-Course is FREE!

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

Wednesday, 1 September 2010

Lose Weight With 20-Minute Workouts

You can burn fat and lose weight working out 20 minutes a day. Granted, your 20-minute workouts need to be intense and targeted but it can be done. So, everyone has time to workout!



The excuse of "I don't have enough time to exercise" won't hold water. When was the last time you said that or heard it on the lips of someone else. We all know that it is an easy excuse to use when we don't want to do something (or commit to something).

You have heard this saying: "You get out of it what you put into it." This is certainly true when it comes to the health benefits received from regular exercise (you actually get more than you put into it). These are some benefits of just 20 minutes of intense, targeted workouts:

1. Lost Weight
2. Reduced Body Fat
3. Lower LDL Levels (bad cholesterol)
4. Lower Blood Pressure
5. Improved Heart Function
6. Reduced Risk of Chronic Diseases such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease
7. Improved Appearance and Boost of Self-Esteem
8. Increased Energy
9. Reduced Healthcare Costs

Do you have a spare 20 minutes in your day? Of course you do! Here is a great 20-minute workout that you can do any day of the week:

Do each exercise (10 repetitions) one after the other with little or no rest between exercises. Rest 2-3 minutes and do the circuit 2 more times.

--Bodyweight squats, moderate pace
--Pushups, full speed
--Walking lunges/Side Lunges/Tranverse Lunges, moderate pace (one for each circuit)
--2-Handed medicine ball chest pass, full speed
--Squat jumps, full speed
--Back extensions, moderate pace
--Bentover dumbbell rows, moderate pace

Use correct form and get after it!

If you need to know how to lose weight the right way, get My Fitness Hut's 7-Day Weight Loss And Fat Loss e-Course! The e-Course is FREE!

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

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