Getting Fit: Training For a 10K Race -- Week 2

Last night was my second round of interval training... slowly making progress and increasing the amount of time I do the intervals.

5 minutes warm-up run at 7mph
12 minutes of 30sec/8.5 mph and 30sec/6.0mph
12 minutes of 30 sec/8.5mph and 60 sec/6.0mph
10 minutes run at 6.4mph
5 minutes cool-down walk at 3.8mph


Doing the intervals weekly is the only main change to my overall exercising program. The other days I still do jogging or elliptical, as well as weight training.

Getting Fit: Training For a 10K Race

I've decided to register for a 10K race. In the past I've ran in four 5K races, but never 10K. Since I'm in okay-shape, I'll be able to finish the race without walking, but I'm certainly not going to be able to finish with a competitive time. My plan is (to do what I did with the 5k races) to get the best time I can in this race, and then try to beat that by a goal amount the next time. Last night I started doing a little interval training on the treadmill to help me prep for the race. My workout was:

5 minutes warm-up run at 7mph
10 minutes of 30sec/8.5 mph and 30sec/6.0mph
10 minutes of 30 sec/8.5mph and 60 sec/6.0mph
10 minutes run at 6.5mph
5 minutes cool-down walk at 3.8mph

Next time I'll try to extend these interval runs to more time. This 10K is going to be at the end of July (in about 7 weeks), so that should be enough time to make some good improvements on these intervals.

The Truth About Carbs

Over the years there has been a craze over cutting out all carbohydrates, followed by the realization that this wasn't such a good idea. Here's a little (and very, very abridged) history on how all this happened:

Large numbers of people started cutting out fats from their diets to lose weight. So dieters' meals consisted of mostly carbohydrates and proteins. People would buy candy and cookies that were labeled low-fat or fat-free, but still contained a lot of refined carbohydrates. However, many people didn't lose that much weight. In fact, with the low-fat diet period came an increase in diabetes and heart disease, and even an increase in weight.

Then people realized that highly refined carbohydrates lead to extra release of insulin in the body, which indirectly lead to increased fat storage in the body, increased blood sugar, and diabetes cases.

This then led to diets such as Atkins, South Beach, etc. that aimed to drastically reduce (and for some, practically eliminate) the amount of carbohydrates in the diet. People did in face lose weight using these low-carb diets, but they are much less healthy. There are two reasons that these low-carb diets are so unhealthy:

(1) There are good carbs and bad carbs.

It's true, it is very important to minimize the amount of bad carbohydrates -- highly refined and processed carbs – in the diet. THESE are the carbohydrates that cause higher insulin levels, higher blood sugar, and lower HDL (good) cholesterol levels. These effects then directly contribute to the onset of diabetes and heart disease.

Examples of these carbohydrates include:
sodas
cake, brownies, cookies, pastries, etc.
pizza
potato products (baked potatoes, potato chips, french fries...)
rice
popcorn
white bread
beer

But there are also good carbohydrates. These are the intact and unprocessed carbohydrates, which are critical for maintaining good health. These are products containing whole grains and fiber. Eating more of these intact grains has shown in studies to reduce the chance of getting heart disease. When shopping for bread, cereals, and other food that do contain large amounts of carbohydrates, make sure that WHOLE GRAIN is the first word in the list of ingredients.

2. You need to eat fats

Because so many people were anti-fat, and then became anti-carb, the low-carb diets were interpreted by many to mean high-protein diets. But just eating protein isn't healthy – you also need to eat unsaturated fats to maintain heart health (See Eat Healthy Fats to Lose More Weight) and to lose weight. Studies have shown that people who eat more mono- and polyunsaturated fats and whole grain foods lose more weight and are healthier than those who do not follow this practice.

Take Your Vitamins to Lose More Weight

I recently read reports on two separate weight loss studies involving vitamins and nutrition. Both of them show that there is a direct correlation between taking vitamins and being thinner (not to mention healthier). Here they are:

1) The British Journal of Nutrition reported results of a study involving multivitamins in both men and women. The results showed that for both men and women, those who took a multivitamin had lower bodyweight and fat mass. The women in the study additionally reported that when taking a multivitamin, they noticed reduced hunger levels as well.

2) When in combination, vitamin C and calcium just might reduce the body’s fat absorption and storage. The Public Health Nutrition Journal reported results of a study performed on 900 Iranian women whose daily consumption of vitamin C and calcium were monitored. The results showed a correlation between women who had LESS abdominal fat and MORE of these two nutrients. There was also a potential trend that women who had the potential for being obese (particularly in the central area of the body) also had low dairy consumption (the main source of calcium) and low vitamin C consumption throughout the course of the study.

Don't Only Consult The Scale

Many people base their image of their health on weight. Many doctors and health organizations refer to the Body Mass Index to determine level of health. The BMI does offer a good starting point, as American Cancer Society studies have shown that death rates do decline with lower BMIs. A BMI of about 18 – 24.9 kg/(m^2) is considered to be a “healthy” range (see a BMI graph at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/bmi_tbl.htm).

Many health professionals use the BMI to determine if someone is at a healthy weight. So lets look at two people that have a “healthy” BMI. A 5’7” person weighing 125 pounds has a “healthy” BMI of 20, and another 5’7” person weighing 150 pounds and BMI of 24. Both are in the “healthy” range, but it is clear that there is a big difference in how healthy each person’s weight is. The American Cancer Society recommends that you strive for a BMI of about 18 – 20*. If you currently have a BMI around 23 or 24, it is better to try to reduce that number even more.

But there’s another very important aspect to health: the amount of fat in your body.

As people age, they tend to experience an increase in body fat, while simultaneously losing muscle mass and bone density. Metabolic rate slows as well. These factors can add up to a minor weight gain on the scale, but a major increase in health problems. Increases in body fat (particularly in the abdominal area) are related to the onset of many health conditions such as high cholesterol, stroke, heart disease, high blood pressure, and gallbladder disease.

Consider another person with a healthy BMI. A 6’0” ft tall man weighting 156 lbs has a healthy BMI of 21. As he begins to reduce his physical activity, he loses 10 pounds of muscle mass and 5 pounds of bone mass, and gains 20 pounds of fat. He gained 5 pounds and his BMI only increased by 1 . However, this man’s health has plummeted. Maintaining muscle mass and minimizing fat increase is as equally important as the number on the scale or the BMI chart.

So what’s the best way to stay healthy? Eat healthy (less saturated and trans fats, which are linked to high cholesterol and larger waists) and get to the gym. Burning calories is important for preventing fat gain, and weight training is important for preventing muscle loss.

*Myers, Tim, et. Al. “American Cancer Society Guidelines on Nutrition and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention: Reducing the Risk of Cancer with Healthy Food Choices and Physical Activity.” ACS Guidelines on Nutrition and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention Volume 52 • Number 2 • March/April 2002. p. 93-119.

Another Dangerous “Diet”

I recently heard about the KIMKINS diet, which is not only one of the most ridiculous I’ve ever heard of, but is also a total scam.

The diet consisted of eating 500 calories per day, with most of these calories consisting of protein-based foods. Fats and carbohydrates were practically eliminated. The diet forbids most fruits, nuts, and milk-based products.

This diet description is really a recipe for complete malnutrition. Fiber and fat are essential for maintaining good health. Additionally, the diet’s website actually recommends taking a laxative to help lose weight! The body cannot maintain a diet that low in calories.

Some people paid money to join the Kimkins program and lost a lot of weight very quickly. Not surprisingly, most people also had very bad side effects, including fainting, liver damage, hair loss, and missed periods; all effects associated with starvation. Many people tried to get refunded after experiencing these effects, but instead of receiving a refund, they were banned from the program and no longer allowed access to the Kimkins website.

The issue isn’t completely the diet itself, but the person promoting it.

The founder, “Kimmer,” claimed have lost 198 pounds in under a year, meaning about 4 pounds per week (if “Kimmer” ’s story had been true, I’d go on about the fact that this weight loss rate is extremely fast and extremely unhealthy). To join the Kimkins diet, there was an enrollment fee to be a member and to receive diet planning advice. But she banned members who reported bad results. She encouraged what is essentially anorexia, and promoted it under the falsehood that she herself had lost weight and kept it off using this method.

“Kimkim” is actually Heidi Diaz, a morbidly obese woman. She recently confessed that she had not actually lost weight and that she had tricked many people into giving her their money.

There truly is no get-slim-quick method out there. Most diets like this will cause significant damage to your health.

Adjust Weight Training to Match Your Fitness Goals

As mentioned in my article Build Muscle to Lose More Weight (link), it is important to add weight training to your routine. Aging causes a decrease in muscle mass over the years if you are not active. While cardio can help boost your fitness dramatically, challenging the muscles is equally important for weight loss and overall fitness and health.

If you’re just starting to add strength training and weight lifting to your workout, here are a few tips when getting started:

1. Warm-up for a few minutes on a cardio machine prior to lifting weights and cool-down gradually after sessions. Also, don’t forget to stretch.

2. Do exercises properly using the correct techniques regardless of the exercise (cardio, weight machines, etc.). Always read and understand the instructions on the machine and consult a personal trainer when unsure of proper technique.

3. Make sure there is a spotter when lifting free weights. If you try to do squats, bench press, or any exercise where you lift weights over your head, make sure to ask someone to spot you. If something happens and you can’t get the weight back up, you’ll need someone to be there to help you get out from under the weights.

4. Challenge the muscles, but make sure that it's kept safe. While it is usually recommended to do 12 – 15 reps for toning and muscle maintenance goals and 8 – 12 reps for muscle building goals, it is still good to mix up the number of repetitions to keep challenging your muscles and to be sure you do not reach a plateau. Reducing the number of reps and adding weight, and vice versa, can help keep your muscles challenged and in shape as you work out. The same thing goes for the number of sets that you do. Most trainers recommend three sets of each exercise. Sometimes, though, it may be good to decrease the number of sets and mix up the sets/repetition/weight combinations. Challenging your muscles in this way will also help to keep your metabolism high, assisting in weight loss.

Aerobic & Anaerobic Exercise -- Why You Should Do Both

When people talk about aerobic and anaerobic exercise, what exactly are they referring to?

According to the dictionary, aerobic means “pertaining to or caused by the presence of oxygen” and anaerobic means “pertaining to or caused by the absence of oxygen.”

In anerobic exercise, there is not enough oxygen available to support the activity being done. So obviously, this exercise can only be done for a very short amount of time. (30 sec – 2 min).

Examples of these exercises are sprinting, interval training, heavy weight lifting. An example of interval training is sprinting as fast as you can for 30 seconds, followed by 1 minute of walking or slow jogging to “recover”, sprint again for 30 seconds, walk, and so on. Heavy weight lifting involves lifting as much weight as possible for only a couple of repetitions. Understandably, many women would not want to do such heavy lifting, but interval training on the treadmill or elliptical machine will be plenty of anaerobic exercise. This is a strenuous exercise so it may be difficult to do if you are just starting out, and it should absolutely not be done everyday.

An anaerobic exercise will not burn as many calories as an equivalent amount of time of aerobic exercise (i.e., 30 minutes of aerobic exercise vs. 30 minute of anaerobic exercise). However, there are many benefits of anaerobic exercise that support, and can even improve, weight-loss efforts:

*Continuing to burn calories long after you’re done doing the exercise, whereas with aerobic exercise, you stop burning calories shortly after finishing. This means that in the long run, anaerobic exercise can enhance weight-loss.

*Anaerobic exercise causes the body to release lactic acid, which causes the body to release the human growth hormone, which causes the body to release fatty acids into the blood stream, which are then burnt off.

*Resting metabolism will increase, which will allow you to burn more calories throughout the course of the day.

Lose Weight or Lose Your Money?

I read an interesting guest post in the Freakonomics blog on NewYorkTimes.com, called Could You Lose a Pound a Week to Save $500?

The author reported that while most people who seriously followed many of the popular diet and weight loss programs did lose weight, most also gained it back after about 6 months. The author himself had also lost and regained weight over the years.

He then made a "contract" with himself, that he would lose one pound per week, or he would have to pay $500. In doing this program, he was able to lose weight successfully. The self-contracting program, called StickK, allows a person to make a contract with him/herself based on any agreement they'd like. Many other people who have tried the program have been successful at meeting thier goals as well . The article suggests that the program is successful because there is money on the line.

The program has not been around for very long, so the article did not mention how successful people have been at keeping the weight off. I would recommend if someone were to do this would to include in the contract (or start another contract) to not regain any weight.

Another question I have: who verifies that a person actually loses the weight (or meets whatever requirements are put into the contract)? It appears to be an "honor system", so a person could potentially lie about whether or not he/she lost the weight, keep their money, and stay fat at the same time.

I do agree, though, that for many people, the thought of losing a significant amount of money is probably enough to get serious about dieting and exercising. The fact that a person would have to spend a lot of extra money on additional health care because he/she is so overweight probably does not cross many peoples' minds when it comes to weight loss motivation.

Avoid a Weightloss Plateau

While there are some things little things here and there that can be done to increase your resting metabolism by a small amount (i.e., staying hydrated, eating smaller meals more frequently, etc), the bulk of one’s metabolism is directly related to the amount of muscle mass and the amount of fat mass in the body.


Most men have a higher metabolism than women (which is why they can eat a bag of chips and not gain weight, and we eat a handful and put on a few pounds) because the average man has significantly more muscle than the average woman. On the other hand, an obese woman who weighs 75 pounds more than a healthy woman would most likely have a higher metabolism because the body expends energy maintaining fat as well.

So if you’ve been losing weight (yay!), your resting metabolic rate is going to go down along with it because your body doesn’t need to use the extra energy to maintain that fat you lost. So, eventually, you will stop losing weight even though you continue to eat and exercise the same (boo!). You may need to eat even less or start exercising even more to continue losing weight and avoid hitting a weight loss plateau. Also, let’s say you weighed 150 pounds for several years and did not gain or lose weight, and then started eating less /exercising more and lose weight. You won’t be able to go back to eating the way you did at 150 pounds without gaining weight due to your decreased metabolism.

One thing people say often is that they have either a “fast” metabolism or a “slow” metabolism. Actually, The American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition reported that in a study of identical twins, baseline metabolism is somewhat set at birth. For those born with a slower baseline metabolism, it will be harder to lose weight (but not impossible!) because they will not burn as many calories when not exercising. But even someone with a slow resting metabolism will be able to lose weight if they exercise more and burn more calories ‘actively’.

An Interesting Workout – Using only a Deck of Cards

I recently read an article about an exercise routine called “Deck of Cards”. I really liked it because it offers an exercise option when you do not have access to a gym. Since I sometimes have to travel, I’ve found myself gymless many times. The only “equipment” you need is a deck of cards.

Choose three exercises you’d like to do. The article recommends choosing an upper body, a middle body, and a lower body exercise. In the example, lets say you choose to do pushups, squats (which can be done without weights), and crunches or sit-ups.

Then, shuffle the cards. Turn over the first card, and whatever the number on the card is the number of reps you will do for each of the three exercises. You can give values to the face cards such as Jack = 11, Queen = 12, King = 13, Ace = 14. Once you do all three exercises, turn over the next card, and do that many reps for the three exercises. The goal is to complete the deck of cards. Of course, you can decide to do as many or as few cards as you like (remember, it’s YOUR workout and your fitness and weight loss program). When doing the exercises, do not rest in between each set. This way, your heart rate will stay high and you will get an aerobic workout while doing strength training exercises. This will help with both weight loss and muscle maintenance. Shuffling the cards before doing the workout routine will help mix up your workout so that your body does not get used to the routine.

I mentioned this workout is great if you are traveling and do not have access to a gym. But it can be used at home as well, when you don’t feel like going to the gym. Or, it could be done every single day.

* I found the article (written by John Beck) describing this exercise at http://www.yogacoffeeoutlook.com/yogacoffeeoutlook/2007/10/youre-workout-i.html#more , on a website called “YogaCoffeeOutlook”.

Lose Weight Fast ... Then Gain it Back

Rapid and “fad” weight loss diets and programs are not as good as they seem. Research has shown that while these fad diets have led to weight loss in many people, this weight loss is usually caused by malnutrition from the diet and the weight will be gained back as soon as the person goes back to eating the way he/she used to. In fact, after losing weight rapidly in a fad diet, most people have then experienced rapid weight gain.

Research has shown that when weight is lost extremely fast, usually a large percentage of it is water, and a noticeable amount is muscle. In fact, the body is only capable of losing up to two and a half pounds of fat per week at a maximum. Lost water can be regained quickly, which explains part of the rapid regain in weight after going off a fad diet. Also, when muscle is lost, the metabolism slows down, allowing more weight gain. Weight loss pills and goofy fad diets are not all they’re cracked up to be. For the most part, they are the result of smart people realizing that they can make a lot of money off of overweight people who are desperate to lose weight quickly and easily.

I recently saw on television an advertisement for the “cookie diet.” The diet requires a person to eat 6 -8 cookies per day, and only one actual meal at dinnertime. The total number of calories consumed in this diet should not exceed 1000. People who have tried this diet have indeed lost weight … and most have gained it back when the diet was “over” and went back to eating the way they used to. Eating only 1000 calories per day will cause the metabolism to drop for sure. And there is no way that this diet will allow anybody to get enough of the vitamins and minerals that the body needs. I love cookies and I love being fit, but I’m not going to starve my muscles and malnourish myself in order to get there.

(Diet Pills are also absolutely not worth it. See The Dangers of Diet Pills, January 12).

There are also companies selling weight loss “products” to desperate overweight people. One hilarious weight loss product I read about is “slimming soap.” The soap is supposedly maid from a combination of seaweed and Chinese herbs that cause fat to melt off the body when used in the bath/shower. While the soap has shown to improve skin quality, there has been no scientific research/evidence that this soap has caused anybody to lose any weight. But still, people purchase this soap every day. Another product that people are buying is magical weight loss earrings. It is advertised that placing magnets ear your ears reduces appetite and increases metabolism. Again, there has been no research verifying this claim.

Bottom line: If you want to lose weight and keep it off, you are going to have to change your diet to something healthy but sustainable, and start sweating.

4 Dieting Tips to Help you Stay on Track

1. Eat Treats & Sweets Away from Home

I saw on the TV show “Healthy Appetite” (on the Food Network) a suggestion about eating treats. When losing weight, you cannot deny yourself the treats you love. But to rid yourself of the temptation of having these treats in your home, go out to an ice cream shop or restaurant and have dessert. This way, you can still have sweets, but still control the amount you are eating and not hinder weight loss.

2. Drink Green Tea

The University of Connecticut reported in The Journal of Nutrition that green tea may block fat from the body. Laboratory tests were performed on mice. It is not certain yet whether the results in mice will carry over to people, but the test results are still very interesting. In the study, obese mice that ate food containing green tea extract gained less weight than mice that did not have green tea extract. Also, the obese mice that consumed green tea showed less sign of liver disease (which can appear as a result of obesity) and lower cholesterol.

3. Chew Gum to Stop Snacking

Glasgow Caledonian University reports a study where one group of subjects were given chewing gum after eating lunch and a second group did not receive any gum. The group that chewed gum at 36 fewer calories during late afternoon snacking than the group that did not chew gum. The study’s authors claim that chewing gum can help reduce cravings in the late afternoon. Also, people who chew gum after eating are more likely to skip dessert.

4. Eat an Apple Before Meals to Cut Calorie Consumption

A Penn State performed a study for the Obesity Society about eating apples before meals. One group of subjects ate an apple 15 minutes before eating at a lunch buffet. A second group at applesauce before eating the buffet, a third group drank apple juice with fiber, a fourth group drank apple juice without fiber, and the fifth group did not consume anything. The group that ate the apple ate 15 percent fewer calories than anyone in the four other groups. A grad student who ran this test suggests that this is because apples stay in the stomach longer than applesauce or apple juice, helping the body to feel fuller, longer.

How to Eat for Strength, from Men's Health magazine

Men's Health magazine published an article about eating in order to increase muscle. While this article came from a magazine aimed at men, strength and muscle maintenance is just as important for women. The article suggests:

"2 to 4 grams of carbs for every pound of body weight each day."

Carbohydrates provide most of the energy used when lifting weights or doing other strength training exercises. Getting enough carbs throughout the day will give your body the energy it needs to have a successful workout. The article suggests that if you stay towards the "2 carb" end of the spectrum if you're trying to tone and maintain muscle, and closer to 4 carbs per day if you're training to gain muscle volume.

"0.8 Grams of Protein for Every Pound of Body Weight Every Day"

Protein is needed to repair muscles after breaking them down during your workout.

"Allow the Rest of Your Calories to Come From Fat"

Make sure to stick to the mono- and poly-unsaturated fats, which are found in nuts, fish, olive and vegetable oils (see "Eat Healthy Fats to Lose Weight", Feb 9 2008).

"Favor Water Over Sports Drinks"

Weight lifting doesn't cause the body to lose as many electrolytes as cardio does. If you're only lifting, stick to water.

"Begin Your Workout Nourished But With an Empty Stomach"

The article suggests eating 2 - 3 hours before working out. This meal should consist largely of carbs and protein. Having a small snack just before workout out is fine, too. Being too full or too hungry can have negative impacts on your workout.

"Refill Your Muscles and Liver with Carbohydrates"

Eat carbohydrates immediately after exercising helps raise blood-sugar levels at a time when it's needed most. Eating carbs right after working out will provide your body with the necessary supplies to repair muscles.

"Two Hours After Your Workout, Have a Real Meal"

It's important for this meal to contain both carbs and protein.

Do your Strength Training Before Cardio

The Journal of Applied Physiology reports a study that showed that "Strength training before, not after, cardio is better for your heart". In the eight-week study, one group of participants lifted weights before running and the second group ran and then lifted weights. The group that lifted weights first shed improved blood flow by the end of the study, where the group that ran first did not. According to doctors, this happens because lifting weights increases blood pressure, but running after lifting causes the body to release chemicals that lower blood pressure. So, if you're wondering which order to work out in, do your weight lifting first.

Eat Healthy Fats to Lose Weight

As people try to lose weight, many people tend to try to eliminate ALL fats from their diets, which is actually an unhealthy move. I’ve been reading Dr. Walter C. Willett’s book, Eat, Drink and Be Healthy, which provides extensive information about food and nutrition. He discusses the importance of weight control, as well as in-depth information on fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. The fourth chapter (“Surprising News About Fat”) provides information on the four fat types (saturated, polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, and trans). He provides scientific explanations, but I’m going to very briefly summarize the main points of this chapter because this information is critical for permanent weight loss:

Two types of fats, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated (found in vegetable and fish oils), are good for you and should be included in your diet. While heart disease and high cholesterol is blamed on the consumption of fat, it important to note that it is really SATURATED fat that is to blame. If you can keep your daily calories the same, but reduce saturated and increase monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, then you will not gain weight and you will be much healthier. Willet reports from his research that “people on low-fat diets generally lose about two to four pounds after several weeks, but then gain that weight back even while continuing with the diet.”

To keep your caloric intake the same while increasing healthy fats, you will need to decrease your consumption of saturated fats and also decrease consumption of some carbohydrates. Keep in mind that it is fine to consume some saturated fat, but it should be kept in moderation. Willett says, “The more saturated fat, the more heart disease. The more good fats, the less heart disease.” Consuming healthy fats can also lower LDL (bad) cholesterol.

Willett agrees with the most recent reports / suggestions regarding trans fats – eliminate them entirely. Trans fats have shown to cause even higher rates of heart disease and raise cholesterol.

Mix Up Your Cardio Workout

In cardio exercise, try different machines out to mix up your workout. This way, you'll keep your body from getting used to one type of exercise, and you'll be less likely to get bored.

The treadmill is a great way to burn a lot of calories. It can be used for running at any speed and incline, and is great for interval training. Also, the speed can be controlled to ensure that a desired speed is maintained throughout the workout. Listening to music or watching television while exercising on a treadmill can make the exercise go by very fast. If you’ve got more time in your hands or aren’t in very good shape yet, walking on the treadmill is also a good exercise. Studies have shown that walking provides many health benefits such as reducing the risk of heard disease and diabetes.

The elliptical machine provides a non-impact workout that still burns a lot of calories. There isn’t the excessive pressure on the knees and joints that come with exercising on a treadmill. Studies have shown that while it may even feel less strenuous than running on a treadmill, the workout you get is close to the same intensity as that on a treadmill* so a similar number of calories are burned. The resistance can be adjusted for a low or high intensity exercise. Some have both lower and upper body components, which allows for even more calorie-burning.

The stationary bike is another non-impact cardio machine. The resistance can usually be increased to challenge the leg muscles. But because the exercise only uses the upper leg muscles, fewer calories are burned than on other machines like the treadmill or elliptical machine.

*(ACE FitnessMatters, Elliptical Trainer Proves Effective, Volume 4, Issue 2, Mar/Mar, 1998, p. 4. )

3 Reasons to Try Group Fitness

There’s a wide variety of group fitness classes offered by most gyms. Classes include step aerobics, cycling, cardioboxing, abs, floor aerobics, Bosu ball classes, group weight lifting, and many others. There are many benefits to participating in group fitness such as:

1. They’re set at a specific time, so you can schedule it on your calendar and reserve that time for exercising. You can’t put off going to the gym for another hour when the cardioboxing class begins at 7:00.

2. Its an opportunity to receive exercise instructions from a certified teacher. There is usually an instructor and maybe 10 – 20 people in the class, so there is someone there to teach you the proper form and technique so that you can get a good workout and do it safely. It’s an excellent way to work many muscle groups, and you don’t have to be out in the middle of the weight room surrounded by other people.

3. You’re guilted in to staying. There are times when I would go to the gym and get there and realize they I didn’t feel like exercising, and feel like going home after a short, non-intense workout. Well I’d look pretty goofy doing that 10 minutes into a group cardio class. So I would just stick it out and complete the session, and burn a lot more calories.

The Dangers of Aspartame

When trying to cut calories to lose weight, many people turn to products containing the artificial sweetener aspartame (also called Equal, Splenda, etc.) to replace sugar because it has no calories. However, this ingredient may be very dangerous.

Aspartame consists mostly of methanol, which is a poison shown to cause blindness. In the body, methanol turns into formaldehyde, which also has negative affects on the brain. Methanol is absorbed by the body even faster when it is broken down, which happens (1) when it is stored for a long period of time or (2) when it is heated in baking or when added to hot beverages

In laboratory studies on animals, aspartame has caused brain tumors. As far as humans go, the FDA has received many complaints related to aspartame, including: irritability, anxiety, headaches, menstrual problems, dizziness, insomnia, stomach problems, seizures, and blindness.

The EPA has recommended that people do not exceed 7.8 mg of methanol per day. One 8 oz. serving of a beverage containing aspartamine has about 14 mg of methanol.

So….if aspartame is so dangerous, how did it get approved by the FDA?

For many years the FDA refused to approve aspartame because of the brain tumors and seizures shown by lab animals in aspartame studies. In the early 1980s, Donald Rumsfeld was the president of G.D. Searle company (the company that produced aspartame). When his friend Ronald Regan became president, Regan fired Jere Goyan, the FDA Commissioner, and appointed Dr. Arthur Hayes to replace him. Hayes set up a Board of Inquiry to see about approving aspartame. The Board reported “Do not approve aspartame.” Hayes disregarded this statement and approved aspartame. A short time later, Hayes took a job at G.D. Searle.

…Sounds pretty sketchy to me…

Build Muscle to Lose More Weight – and Keep it Off

When weight is lost due to dieting and doing cardio alone, up to 30% of it is muscle and bone mass. Losing muscle will cause your metabolism to slow down, so eventually it will become difficult to lose more weight (and to keep off the weight already lost). When strength training is included, that muscle and bone mass is conserved. (Keep in mind also that adults will lose about a half a pound of muscle every year naturally if no strength training is done, before even considering dieting and weight loss!)

Increasing your resting metabolism (the calories your body burns when it is resting, or sitting at the desk for that matter) will help you lose more weight. Your resting metabolic rate depends mostly on how much muscle you have. The body has to expend more energy to maintain muscle than it does fat. In fact, about 15 times as much energy, meaning 15 times as many calories.

Each additional pound of muscle burns about 50 additional calories each day. Adding 5 pounds of muscle to your body will increase your daily metabolism by about 250 calories per day (that’s 1,750 per week), which amounts to a half a pound of fat loss each week.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported a weight loss study involving two groups. The first group only did 1-hour sessions of weight-lifting exercises twice a week, and the second group only did low-intensity cardio exercise like walking. Neither group changed their eating habits. The group that lifted weights lost more than 3.5% more body fat than the other group.

Dr. Miriam E. Nelson reported in her book Strong Women Stay Young that strength training also increases bone density. She led a study with one group of women who lifted weights, and another group that did not. The group that lifted weights gained more bone mass. The group of women that did not lift weights lost bone mass during the period of the study.

A few other things to keep in mind:

• When you have more muscle, you put less strain on your joints when exercising.
• Stronger muscles allow the heart to pump more blood with less effort, so there is less stress on the arteries.
• Strength training has been shown to lower blood pressure.
• Strength training is something that should supplement cardio exercise, not replace it. Having a balance of eating healthy, cardio training, strength training, and flexibility training will lead to successful weight loss that can be maintained over the years.

Is Water Really the Best for Hydration?

I read a report in the December issue of Women’s Health Magazine about hydration. The report said that “Milk hydrates better than water or sports drinks”. The report states that the body will retain more fluid from milk than from water, because milk contains sodium and potassium to help with water retention.

I’m not sure what to think about this report. Sodium and potassium cause the body to retain water that would otherwise not be retained. If your body would not ordinarily hold on to all of the water consumed, doesn’t that mean that you just didn’t need that much water? I think it would be better to let the unneeded water go through you and then just drink some more water later on. After all, water retention leads to bloating which makes you look bigger. I’m going to stick with water for hydration purposes, and leave the milk (which, after all, has calories) for getting the protein and calcium that I need.

Other Types of Yoga

Yesterday I talked about how great yoga is for losing weight, getting stronger, and increasing flexibility. I have been practicing Hatha yoga, which is a more gentle, positioning type of yoga. There are several other yoga styles being practiced, each with a different emphasis. All types of yoga involve holding specific poses and help to increase strength, but not all of them burn enough calories to assist in losing weight. To help determine the right class for your personal goals, here is a quick summary of some other popular types of yoga practiced in America:

VINYASA

Like Hatha yoga, Vinyasa is also based on a series of poses, but is more vigorous and more movement-oriented. Sun Saluations are a series of poses practiced in Vinyasa. When practicing Sun Saluations, the body’s movement from one pose to the next is done in synch with its breathing (each move is specifically matched with either an inhale or exhale). The word “vinyasa” actually means “breath synchronized movement”.

In my Hatha yoga class we usually practice Sun Saluations for about 5 – 10 minutes during the class. In Hatha yoga the Sun Saluations are generally the most intense movements done, whereas in Vinyasa Sun Saluations are done to warm up the body, and towards the end of the class, more intense movements are done allowing for deeper stretching. If you’d like to work on stretching and also get some cardio, Vinyasa yoga is a good choice. Some Vinyasa classes can be pretty exhausting, depending on the instructor.

ASHTANGA

Ashtanga is an even faster-paced, more intense yoga style. The word “Ashtanga” means “eight limbs”. In an Ashtanga yoga class, the same poses are practiced in the same sequence (called flow) every time. An Ashtanga Yoga class is physically intense, so it not only increases flexibility and strength, but also has cardiovascular benefits. Ashtanga Yoga can assist in achieving weight loss goals.

Ashtanga Yoga is sometimes also called “Power Yoga”, though in Power Yoga classes additional poses are often practiced beyond the usual Ashtanga poses.

IYENGAR

In an Iyengar Yoga class, poses are held for longer periods of time, sometimes up to five minutes. Iyengar Yoga places the most emphasis on the placement of each body part, in order to ensure the best body alignment. Because each position is held for a long time period, Iyengar Yoga offers a lot of strength benefits. To help maintain each pose for such a long time span, props such as yoga blocks, straps and blankets are usually used. I’ve used these props in my Hatha yoga class as well, and they offer assistance to beginners who are not yet very flexible.

KUNDALINI

Kundalini Yoga has a big spiritual emphasis, as it contains a bigger meditation aspect. Most participants in a Kundalini Yoga class wear head wraps and/or flowing white robes and recite chants.

Kundalini Yoga practices rapid movements done over and over again, though it is as physically intense as other Yoga types such as Iyengar and Ashtanga Yoga. Each pose is focused on specific areas of the body, as opposed to a full body emphasis practiced on most other Yoga types.

BIKRAM /'HOT' YOGA

Also called “Hot Yoga”, this is practiced in a room of about 100 degrees Farenheit and 40 – 50% humidity. There are traditionally 26 poses practiced during a Bikram yoga class (a description of each pose can be found here). The hot temperature is used to help loosen tight muscles and cause extreme sweating. Having looser muscles allows the body to go deeper into each pose. The sweating part is considered beneficial because it cleanses the body of toxins. Drink a lot of water before and after each class to stay hydrated. A Bikram yoga class usually lasts 90 minutes.

Do Yoga to Lose More Weight

Yoga is becoming very popular in America these days, helping people increase strength and flexibility and decrease stress. If you are exercising a lot it is especially important to work on flexibility as well. A Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine study found that people who increase their flexibility also see improved muscle performance. The study reported that stretching increases muscle strength by increasing the muscles’ range of motion, so joints can move more efficiently, resulting in more power for the muscle. And as I mentioned in my post on 9 Easy Ways to Lose More Weight, the stronger your muscles get, the more weight you will lose!

Yoga is an excellent way to increase flexibility through holding poses that allow for strengthening and stretching the whole body, not just isolated muscles. For years I rarely stretched after running, and was very inflexible. I started taking a Hatha yoga class, and my flexibility has improved dramatically.

Hatha yoga is gentle, slowpaced, and usually includes breathing and meditation exercises. It is a good type of yoga to start out with because it incorporates aspects of many types of yoga. In a Hatha yoga class, you’ll get a good foundation of the various yoga poses and techniques. In the class I am taking, each session usually starts with a few minutes of meditation, about 50 minutes of practicing poses, and then a 5 minute relaxation period which is also intended for meditation. If you aren’t into meditation, it’s still a good opportunity to relax and de-stress.One main goal of Hatha yoga is body alignment, which places an emphasis on strengthening your body’s core.

Hoodia -- a safe diet supplement?

After discussing how dangerous (and sometimes deadly) diet pills can be, I wanted to share a little bit of information I’ve found on one possibly successful weight-loss supplement. One diet pill ingredient that has received the least amount of negative attention is Hoodia Gordonii, which has no known dangers to the body.

After eating, the associated rise in blood sugar is sensed by the brain. The active ingredient in Hoodia causes the brain to sense this rise in blood sugar even when the body has not eaten, thus tricking the brain into thinking that the body is full even when it is not. Some articles I have read on Hoodia point out the dangers of the ingredient for those with diabetes, because the brain will think that there is enough blood sugar even when there is a dangerous drop in blood sugar.

Hoodia is a cactus-like vegetable (so it is not a drug) that has been used for over a thousand years by Sans Bushmen in South Africa to suppress the appetite. The few scientific studies that have been done on Hoodia so far have shown no negative side effects. But, that doesn’t mean that there no bad side effects. The FDA has not approved this ingredient for diet pills, and will not do so until more, longer term studies are done to see if there really are no dangers associated with Hoodia.

Hoodia is not a stimulant so it does not have direct effects on heart rate or metabolism. But, just because a diet pill bottle says it contains Hoodia does not mean there are no effects on the heart. A pill can contain both Hoodia and a metabolism-altering ingredient, and therefore can be just as dangerous. The ingredients will be listed on the label so be sure to read them. Also keep in mind that there are over 21 types of hoodia, but only the one from South Africa has been shown in studies to suppress the appetite.

The Dangers of Diet Pills

With so many Americans being overweight, its easy to see why the weight-loss industry has skyrocketed. Companies are making millions of dollars off of diet pills and supplements, and overweight people are not losing weight as much as they are damaging their health.

Unfortunately, millions of overweight people have taken dangerous weight loss supplements. People see the bottles that say they’ll get more energy, an increased metabolism, will lose 20 pounds in two weeks, etc. Most of these people do not do any outside research or consult a doctor about the ingredients in these pills. Had they done their research, they would see that these “all natural” and “all herbal” pills contain ingredients similar to amphetaines such as speed.

The most well-known diet pill ingredient ephedrine has been linked with over 100 deaths. the most well-known being Steve Bechler, the baseball player who died after taking 3 Xenadrine pills (you can read the CBS article here). Ephedrine was banned by the FDA a few years ago.

Over the counter weight loss pills do not need to be approved or examined by the FDA at all. Today, the only FDA regulation associated with weight loss pills is the removal of ephedrine. However, when many companies reformulated their weight loss pills, the “ephedra-free” pills still had ephedra-like effects like increased heart rate and hypertension. Other companies added more caffeine to their pills, which causes the body to release more stress hormones and can lead to anxiety and heart palpitations.

People have reported many serious side effects of diet pills, but still continue to take them. Some side effects reported are:

• Anxiety
• Diarrhea
• High blood pressure
• Strokes
• Brain Damage
• Chest pain
• Fever
• Impotence
• Heart damage
• Depression
• Irritability
• Insomnia
• Heart palpitations
• Heart attack
• Vomiting
• Dizziness
• Hair loss

There are a few diet pills now offered as prescriptions such as Xenical, Meridia, and Bontril. They are approved and regulated by the FDA, so they have to be tested extensively to accurately capture the side effects. The prescription pills are usually only given to obese people because while they do have some side effects, they are not as serious as the effects that obesity has on the body.

Remember also that if you want to lose weight, you will need to make some changes to your lifestyle and eating habits. Taking a weight loss supplement may help you lose weight, but if you continue to eat too many calories, you will just gain the weight back again. It’ll be much better for your long term health to pass by the weight-loss pill aisle and get to the gym and start eating healthier. This method may result in slower weight loss, but it will also result in longer term weight loss.

9 Easy Ways to Lose More Weight

1. Eat More Fiber

Foods high in fiber take longer to digest, so you feel fuller longer. Fruits and vegetables have a LOT of fiber, vitamin content, AND have a low calorie/volume ratio (large amounts of these foods have fewer calories). Lettuce is extremely high in fiber, but be sure not to have too much salad dressing with it. Swapping white bread for wheat or whole grain bread and white pasta for whole grain pasta are other ways of adding fiber to your diet.

2. Eat Breakfast

Skipping breakfast can destroy all of your weight loss efforts. Not eating breakfast will make you even hungrier throughout the rest of the day. Plus, studies have shown that eating breakfast can increase your metabolic rate by up to five percent!

3. Eat often

Eating many smaller meals keeps blood sugar low and helps to prevent overeating due to excessive hunger. Consuming several small meals also gives you the opportunity to have a lot of variation in your food, so you can get a wide variety of vitamins and minerals throughout the day.

4. Move around

Increasing your movement in daily activities adds up to a lot of extra burned calories. Walking around the office a few minutes several times a day can add up to a half an hour of walking in no time. Parking further away when running errands also helps with adding steps to your day.

5. Get more Calcium

Many recent studies have shown that consuming more calcium is directly related to more weight loss. The University of Tennessee conducted a study on calcium and weight loss in mice. They found that mice who consumed more calcium lost more weight when consuming the same amount of calories as calcium-deficient mice. Creighton University in Nebraska conducted a similar study (but on women) showed similar results -- women who consumed the recommended daily amount of calcium weighed significantly less tan women who did not receive enough calcium. *

Another bonus: Consuming skim milk provides a lot of calcium AND protein, to help keep you fuller longer.

6. Drink More Water

Staying hydrated is vital for achieving and maintaining weight loss, something most people don’t do. People who are constantly dehydrated can experience fatigue, moodiness, digestive problems, and trouble staying on focus. Water helps your body remove toxins, move nutrients through your blood, maintains body temperature, and even breathe (breathing accounts for about 2 cups of water loss each day). In order to make sure there is adequate water to perform these critical functions in a body that is not receiving enough water, it will begin to store any excess water consumed so that there is water available the next time it gets dehydrated. When water is continuously consumed, your body will reduce the amount of water stored, thus reducing excess water weight and bloating! (Don’t forget also that replacing sodas and juices with water will also help reduce calorie intake.)

7. Work on Strength Training

Strength training helps build muscle, which raises your metabolism. Adding some resistance training to your cardio workouts will help you lose weight much quicker.

8. Get Some sleep

Studies show that sleep loss can halt weight loss! Sleep deprivation can lead to excess eating for two reasons: Results from multiple studies have shown that sleep loss can lead to extra release of hormones that make you feel hungry even when you have eaten plenty of food. Secondly, when the someone is sleep deprived they tend to eat more food to make up for decreased energy levels to help get through the day.

Additionally, sleep loss has been shown to increase the body’s insulin levels, which can lead to additional fat storage (and decreased weight loss). Finally, being tired makes it harder to exercise as intensely as usual, resulting in fewer calories burned.

9. Set Mini-Goals

Setting a goal of losing 20 pounds over six months is not an unrealistic goal (that’s under 1 pound per week, a healthy weight loss rate that will be easier to maintain). However, it is hard for the brain to grasp ‘losing 20 pounds’, because that’s a lot of weight. So break down your overall goal into several smaller ones. Make a goal of losing 2 pounds in 2 weeks, then continue with another 2 pound goal. This method will be much easier to manage and will most likely lead to better results.

*Raloff, Janet. “Calcium may become a dieter’s Best Friend”. Science News. April 29, 2000. Vol. 157, No. 188, p. 277.