Found this article on Weight Watchers website. It's got some good info. Link to the webpage is at the bottom.
Busting Fitness Myths by S. Kirk Walsh
Flat abs now!" "Miracle abdominal crunches!" Daily, we are bombarded with get-fit-quick messages on television, in magazines and even from friends. With this inundation of information, how do you sift through the fiction for the fact? Below, we've set the record straight on some of the most common exercise myths so you won't fall prey to these fitness fallacies.
Myth #1: More is better
Often when you're kick-starting a new fitness routine, the tendency is to go into overdrive. "People start working out eight days a week, 370 days a year, thinking it will get them quicker results," explains William Sukala, MS, CSCS, a clinical exercise physiologist at Sharp Memorial Hospital in San Diego. "They usually burn themselves out and eventually fall off the exercise wagon." But the truth is that consistency and moderation are the keys to success. Establishing a regular routine should be your top priority.
Myth #2: Crunches will give me flat abs
People are always looking to target specific areas of their bodies with exercises, believing that zillions of crunches will lead to a picture-perfect, washboard stomach, for example. "There is no such thing as spot reduction," says Sukala. Crunches and sit-ups can strengthen your abs, but they can't get rid of fat. "Only regular exercise training—aerobic and strength—and a sensible diet can eliminate excess body fat," says Cedric Bryant, Ph.D., chief exercise physiologist at the American Council on Exercise.
Myth #3: Women who lift weights bulk up
Wrong! It takes numerous hours—and years—of heavy weight lifting for professional bodybuilders to bulk up like the Incredible Hulk (sometimes with the help of steroids). Also, most women are not genetically predisposed to develop large muscles because they don't have the stores of testosterone needed for this kind of muscle development. The reality is that lifting weights is an excellent way to tone and strengthen. "In fact, many women lift weights that are far too light," says Sukala. "If you can lift a weight for 45 repetitions without stopping then it's too light. After ten or fifteen repetitions, you should feel the weight becoming heavier."
Myth #4: I must join—and live at—the gym
The truth is, there's no magic at the gym. If you're intimidated by all of those mirrors and high-tech machines, find a workout buddy and walk around the neighborhood. Or try another favorite activity, such as tennis or biking. "All you need to do is commit to moving—and it can be cumulative, like walking to a co-worker rather than sending an email or taking the stairs instead of the elevator," says Bryant. "Exercise is like loose change in your pocket—it can add up."
Myth #5: The best time to work out is early in the morning
"There is no rhyme or reason to the best time to work out," explains Sukala. "People should work out when they're comfortable: This could mean 4:00 in the morning for some people and 10:30 in the evening for others." To find what works best for you, try exercising at different times of day. One thing to keep in mind is that for most people, blood pressure is more elevated in the early morning. If you exercise then, your blood pressure response is probably going to be higher, particularly if you are training with weights or other forms of resistance. If you have normal blood pressure, this should not pose a problem. However, if your resting blood pressure tends to be elevated, discuss early morning exercise with your physician.
http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=29331
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
2 Main Functions of the Core
Have you ever wondered if it's necessary to do thousands of crunches to develop your core muscles? To answer this question, we must first look at the function of the "core". The core muscles involve more than just the abs. All of the muscles from just above the knee to just below the chest can be considered part of the "core". Take a minute to think about how these muscles are used in every day life. I bet none of the uses that came to mind involved lying on the floor and raising your head toward your knees for endless reps.
There are two main functions of the core muscle groups:
1)Stabilize- the core muscles keep the upper or lower body still or steady during movement. Example: when lifting a box from the floor, your abs and low back muscles engage to keep the upper body from bending at the waist and putting your spine in an awkward position that may cause injury.
2)Power transfer- the core muscles work to transfer the power or energy created by one muscle group (generally from the lower body) to another muscle group (generally the upper body). Example: a pitcher lifts his leg and takes a large step forward to create as much power as possible to be able to throw a ball as hard and fast as possible. In this case the core muscles allow the power generated by the lower body (i.e. legs) to transfer to the upper body (i.e. throwing arm).
According to the principle of specificity, which states you should train a muscle for the function it is going to perform, you should do exercises that are similar to things you do in every day life. Any bodyweight exercise would qualify or exercises in which one or both feet are on the floor/ground for support. Exercises like squats, deadlifts, lunges, push-ups, pull-ups, kettlebell swings, standing military press, and medicine ball throws are just a few examples.
Crunches are good for training your abs. However, if you want to train your "core", then there are plenty of better options.
There are two main functions of the core muscle groups:
1)Stabilize- the core muscles keep the upper or lower body still or steady during movement. Example: when lifting a box from the floor, your abs and low back muscles engage to keep the upper body from bending at the waist and putting your spine in an awkward position that may cause injury.
2)Power transfer- the core muscles work to transfer the power or energy created by one muscle group (generally from the lower body) to another muscle group (generally the upper body). Example: a pitcher lifts his leg and takes a large step forward to create as much power as possible to be able to throw a ball as hard and fast as possible. In this case the core muscles allow the power generated by the lower body (i.e. legs) to transfer to the upper body (i.e. throwing arm).
According to the principle of specificity, which states you should train a muscle for the function it is going to perform, you should do exercises that are similar to things you do in every day life. Any bodyweight exercise would qualify or exercises in which one or both feet are on the floor/ground for support. Exercises like squats, deadlifts, lunges, push-ups, pull-ups, kettlebell swings, standing military press, and medicine ball throws are just a few examples.
Crunches are good for training your abs. However, if you want to train your "core", then there are plenty of better options.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
10 Nutrition Questions Answered
I was sent this Q&A done by Jayson Hunter & Chris Mohr. I like what they say, so I thought I'd share...
As nutrition experts, we get a lot of questions. So today we've got a rapid fire Q & A to cut to the chase on some common ones.
We've got 10 rapid fire Q & A for you without the dissertation response. If you care for more info, email us, and we can elaborate. Otherwise, rapid fire Q & A from your emails!
1. Can I drink too much green tea -- I drink 4 cups each day?
Unlikely, just don't drink it too close to bed because of the caffeine.
2. How much caffeine does green tea have?
Approximately 20-50 mg, depending if it's in a bag (like
Lipton) or loose leaf (this has more than the bagged variety).
3. Is peanut butter healthy?
It can be. Opt for the varieties that have 2 ingredients
-- peanuts, salt (Smuckers Natural, Whole Foods 365 brand, Crazy Teddies, etc). Jif, Skippy, and other similar products that don't need to be refrigerated typically have trans fat and sugar added to them. Not good! And watch the portions as PB is easy to overeat.
4. Should I be taking supplements?
This is a tough "rapid fire" answer, but we encourage a basic multivitamin, fish oil, and then depending on your specific gender, activity, nutrient needs, age, etc maybe some others. The key is always food first, though. Again, it's an impossible question to give a blanket answer.
5. Is meat OK to eat -- there seems to be a trend for vegetarian lifestyles. Is that healthier?
Meat is definitely OK to eat. Red meat should be in moderation (~1x/week), fish several times each week, chicken and turkey breast are great and lean. Meat (including any animal product) is one food group where we encourage organic, free range. Being a vegetarian can be healthy, but remember that deep fried tofu and French fries are vegetarian. If you choose a vegetarian lifestyle, you have to be smart about your intake. Meal Plans 101 can help with that.
6. How much water should I drink each day?
A minimum of 8 cups - when you're active, though, this number goes up. Easy rule of thumb, you want your urine to look like pale lemonade vs. apple juice.
7. What are healthy snacks? My family prefers chips and cookies.
Those kinds of foods are OK in moderation -- we define moderation as 10% of the time, or put another way, 1/10 meals or snacks. Don't buy them, then they're not around.
Instead try these: raw almonds, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, veggie sticks, fruit, hummus, cottage cheese, yogurt, hard boiled eggs, or whole grain crackers.
8. What do you think of artificial sweeteners?
Ideally anything artificial won't be added to your body -- it's artificial. But, with that said, if your vice is regular soda, diet would be better...or instead of sweet tea, diet tea would be better. Artificial sweeteners are in a lot of foods, though, like "light" yogurt, "1/2 the sugar Tropicana OJ" and others. Limit them.
9. Can I drink alcohol?
Recommendation is 1 drink/day for women, 2 drinks/day for men. Alcohol itself has calories, and then watch the mixed drinks that add even more unnecessary calories.
10. How many calories do I need each day?
Depending on your goals, 1500 calories each day should be sufficient. You can accomplish that with 1 Quarter Pounder with cheese, medium fries and a small soda at McD's (and nothing else), or load up on much healthier options that provide less calories, but many more nutrients. Your call.
There you have it. We love the questions, so keep 'em coming!
Yours in health,
Jayson Hunter RD, CSCS
Chris Mohr, RD, PhD
Meal Plans 101
As nutrition experts, we get a lot of questions. So today we've got a rapid fire Q & A to cut to the chase on some common ones.
We've got 10 rapid fire Q & A for you without the dissertation response. If you care for more info, email us, and we can elaborate. Otherwise, rapid fire Q & A from your emails!
1. Can I drink too much green tea -- I drink 4 cups each day?
Unlikely, just don't drink it too close to bed because of the caffeine.
2. How much caffeine does green tea have?
Approximately 20-50 mg, depending if it's in a bag (like
Lipton) or loose leaf (this has more than the bagged variety).
3. Is peanut butter healthy?
It can be. Opt for the varieties that have 2 ingredients
-- peanuts, salt (Smuckers Natural, Whole Foods 365 brand, Crazy Teddies, etc). Jif, Skippy, and other similar products that don't need to be refrigerated typically have trans fat and sugar added to them. Not good! And watch the portions as PB is easy to overeat.
4. Should I be taking supplements?
This is a tough "rapid fire" answer, but we encourage a basic multivitamin, fish oil, and then depending on your specific gender, activity, nutrient needs, age, etc maybe some others. The key is always food first, though. Again, it's an impossible question to give a blanket answer.
5. Is meat OK to eat -- there seems to be a trend for vegetarian lifestyles. Is that healthier?
Meat is definitely OK to eat. Red meat should be in moderation (~1x/week), fish several times each week, chicken and turkey breast are great and lean. Meat (including any animal product) is one food group where we encourage organic, free range. Being a vegetarian can be healthy, but remember that deep fried tofu and French fries are vegetarian. If you choose a vegetarian lifestyle, you have to be smart about your intake. Meal Plans 101 can help with that.
6. How much water should I drink each day?
A minimum of 8 cups - when you're active, though, this number goes up. Easy rule of thumb, you want your urine to look like pale lemonade vs. apple juice.
7. What are healthy snacks? My family prefers chips and cookies.
Those kinds of foods are OK in moderation -- we define moderation as 10% of the time, or put another way, 1/10 meals or snacks. Don't buy them, then they're not around.
Instead try these: raw almonds, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, veggie sticks, fruit, hummus, cottage cheese, yogurt, hard boiled eggs, or whole grain crackers.
8. What do you think of artificial sweeteners?
Ideally anything artificial won't be added to your body -- it's artificial. But, with that said, if your vice is regular soda, diet would be better...or instead of sweet tea, diet tea would be better. Artificial sweeteners are in a lot of foods, though, like "light" yogurt, "1/2 the sugar Tropicana OJ" and others. Limit them.
9. Can I drink alcohol?
Recommendation is 1 drink/day for women, 2 drinks/day for men. Alcohol itself has calories, and then watch the mixed drinks that add even more unnecessary calories.
10. How many calories do I need each day?
Depending on your goals, 1500 calories each day should be sufficient. You can accomplish that with 1 Quarter Pounder with cheese, medium fries and a small soda at McD's (and nothing else), or load up on much healthier options that provide less calories, but many more nutrients. Your call.
There you have it. We love the questions, so keep 'em coming!
Yours in health,
Jayson Hunter RD, CSCS
Chris Mohr, RD, PhD
Meal Plans 101
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
14 Healthier Food Options
Have you ever found out that something you thought was healthy food actually wasn't? This happens to me regularly and I'm supposed to know what I'm doing. It's very frustrating when you think you're making good choices and come to find out, your choices aren't that good. Well, I came across an article this morning on MSN written by the authors of "Eat This, Not That" and once again found out several things I didn't know about some of the foods I eat.
Check it out: 14 Health Foods That Aren't
Check it out: 14 Health Foods That Aren't
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
3 Principles For Shorter Workouts
We're all pressed for time each day to get everything done. We have to make the decision daily to give something up. More often than not, the something we give up is exercise. Why? There are several reasons, but I believe the major one is time. Most people I see think they need to spend two hours a day in the gym, doing a split body part routine, and performing 3-4 exercises per body part. The reality is you can get most of the benefits of strength training from 30-40 minute routine 3 times a week. How? I'm glad you asked.
First, you have to pick exercises that give you the "most bang for your buck". I'm talking about complex or multi-joint exercises versus isolation or single joint exercises. Exercises like squats, deadlift, push-ups, pull-ups, push press, hang cleans, etc. work several muscle groups at once as opposed to isolating or working a single muscle like bicep curls or calf raises. A study presented at 2000 NSCA Conference showed that isolation exercises added very little benefit over multi-joint exercises.
Second, working muscle groups more days for less time during the week is more effective than working them fewer days for more time. Meaning, you will gain more muscle and strength by working each muscle group for 3 sets on 3 different days each week than working each muscle group for 9 sets on 1 day each week.
Third, you need to combine exercises in a back to back fashion. We know from scientific study that when you work one muscle group the opposite muscle group is prevented from contracting and is at rest. For example, when doing a chest exercise the muscles of the back are at rest. So you can pair exercises together to get a higher volume of work done in a shorter period of time. An example of pairing exercises would be as follows:
-Dumbell bench press
-rest 60 sec
-Bentover Barbell row
-rest 60 sec
-Repeat two more times
By following these guidelines, you can get a great full body workout three times a week with only 4 or 5 different exercises each workout. Time needed for each workout is only about 30-40 minutes. Is this the perfect way to workout? No. Will you get 80% or more of the benefits of strength training by working out this way? Yes.
First, you have to pick exercises that give you the "most bang for your buck". I'm talking about complex or multi-joint exercises versus isolation or single joint exercises. Exercises like squats, deadlift, push-ups, pull-ups, push press, hang cleans, etc. work several muscle groups at once as opposed to isolating or working a single muscle like bicep curls or calf raises. A study presented at 2000 NSCA Conference showed that isolation exercises added very little benefit over multi-joint exercises.
Second, working muscle groups more days for less time during the week is more effective than working them fewer days for more time. Meaning, you will gain more muscle and strength by working each muscle group for 3 sets on 3 different days each week than working each muscle group for 9 sets on 1 day each week.
Third, you need to combine exercises in a back to back fashion. We know from scientific study that when you work one muscle group the opposite muscle group is prevented from contracting and is at rest. For example, when doing a chest exercise the muscles of the back are at rest. So you can pair exercises together to get a higher volume of work done in a shorter period of time. An example of pairing exercises would be as follows:
-Dumbell bench press
-rest 60 sec
-Bentover Barbell row
-rest 60 sec
-Repeat two more times
By following these guidelines, you can get a great full body workout three times a week with only 4 or 5 different exercises each workout. Time needed for each workout is only about 30-40 minutes. Is this the perfect way to workout? No. Will you get 80% or more of the benefits of strength training by working out this way? Yes.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Join the FitnessWave BC Challenge!
Want to be like Beth? She lost 19 pounds and made an 11% improvement in body composition on her way to winning the first ever FitnessWave BC Challenge. Check out what she had to say about winning:FitnessWave BC Challenge
The next FitnessWave Body Composition Challenge is scheduled to start January 26. If you want to start living a healthier lifestyle and make good on your New Year's resolutions, then reserve your spot in the Challenge today.
For more info on rules, prizes, etc, go to the Challenge Website.
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