Tuesday, November 30, 2010

133/365 Laughter Revisted

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

After playing a wildly hilarious game of Mad Gab, I decided that we should take another look at laughter and its affects on our cardiovascular system.

Laughter has been likened to "inner jogging" by professor Lee Berk of Loma Linda University in California. Your heart rate gets elevated, your breathing increases, and the stress hormone cortisol is inhibited. A year long study was done on patients who suffered heart attacks. Both groups were prescribed medical care; one group was also prescribed to watch 30 minutes of comedy. By the end of the study, "the laughing group had lower blood pressure, lower stress-hormone levels, fewer episodes of arrhythmia and, most important, fewer repeat heart attacks. (Kluger)"

Laughter shouldn't replace exercise but it's definitely a positive activity that you should strive to do every day. I recommend games like Taboo, Catch Phrase, and Mad Gab. Watching Who's Line is it Anway? is also great.

In health,

Lauren

Kluger, J., Miranda, C., & Song, S. (2005). The Funny Thing About LAUGHTER. Time International (Canada Edition), 165(3), 56-59. Retrieved from Business Source Complete database.

Monday, November 29, 2010

132/365 Rock Climbing

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Rock climbing is a total body activity that you can use to strengthen your body, improve endurance, and adopt as a new hobby. This post is dedicated to my friend Anthony who rock climbs for recreation.

Rock climbing obviously puts your upper body to work so that you can scale the wall. These muscles would be your latissimus dorsi, teres major, pecs, and rhomboids just to name a few. Your core is essential for keeping your body upright as you balance yourself on the wall's face. Your lower body also plays a crucial role for pushing yourself higher and higher. Not only does rock climbing exercise your body, it exercises your mind. Getting to the top is the goal; using the different grips and ledges are your tools to getting there.

Many universities have added climbing walls to their fitness facilities. Take advantage of them while you can. If you are out of school, there are rock climbing gyms and walls all over the world; this site can help you find one near you.

In health,

Lauren

Sunday, November 28, 2010

131/365 Another Way to Row

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Rowing exercises are a great way to strengthen your back. By using cables instead of fixed machines, you can manipulate gravity so that the exercise works you differently. This is a squatting row

1. Align cable column so that the cable is a little below your pelvis. Grab the handlebar attached to a cable with both hands. Take steps backward away from the column to increases resistance.
2.  Squat down so that cable is now between your xiphoid process and belly button. Make sure your lower back is arched so you don't strain yourself.
3. Start contraction with arms fully extended. Imagine that there's a ball on your spine. Squeeze the ball by flexing your elbows and retracting your shoulder blades. Slowly return arms to start position. Keep squatting the entire time.

This exercise works your trapezius, rhomboids, biceps, brachioradialis, brachialis, posterior deltoid, quadriceps and hamstrings. Squatting makes this exercise more challenging and forces you to engage more muscles as opposed to a seated row.

In health,

Lauren

Saturday, November 27, 2010

130/365 Thou Shall Eat Thine Own Sweets

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

As winter's chill begins to set in, Christmas and other holiday parties will be getting underway. I think we can all agree that we don't need to try every dessert put out on the table. A rule I try to follow is to only eat sweets that I make myself. This is pretty restricting as I am often too busy to bake. I sometimes extend this to sweets that my friends make or those that are made by people I know, not a bakery, grocery store, food chain.

The major reason for this commandment is because I know that we are often too busy, too lazy, or simply don't know how to bake our own sweet treats. If we can't do it, then we can't eat it.

The second reason is the ingredients used. I know everything that I am putting into my dessert. I have the power to decide the recipe I choose. Will it use shortening? Will it use lard? How much sugar is in it? Can I adjust it? I also know that most of my friends don't have access to high fructose corn syrup, soy lecithin, or any other additives. I can be certain that the only ingredient put into my treat that can't be found in the grocery store is love; it makes the food taste extra good.

So, at your next engagement, do your best to only eat the sweets that you contribute. Your only possible exception would be goods handmade by someone you know personally.

In health,

Lauren

Friday, November 26, 2010

129/365 Gearing Up for Finals

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Finals week is coming up for us college kids. We have to prepare for our exams, remember to eat, keep our cool, and try to get some sleep. It's stressful and exhilarating and we have to be on top of our game if we're going to do well. Here are a few tips:

Study early so that you won't have to cram. We all know that our teachers are right, study a little bit at a time every day and you'll be just fine. If you do that then you won't have to stay up late and totally blow your sleep schedule. To keep your brain running, you have to remember to eat. Snacking on healthy foods throughout the day will probably be your best bet. You need to keep the tank full with foods that won't make you sluggish. Things like baby carrots, a PBJ, bananas, blueberries, spinach salad, almonds, eggs, toast, tuna, hummus, etc. Stick to fruits, vegetables, foods that aren't too heavy. After all, your stomach needs energy and blood to digest everything; we want all the energy to go to our brains!

Something that I do to prepare for exams is to sleep early, wake up early, work out (get the blood and energy flowing), have a healthy light breakfast, then take the exam (afterwards, I celebrate with more food to refuel and probably something with chocolate). Having a nice slow morning eases me into the testing mode. If I were to wake up with just enough time to eat breakfast and go, I would feel anxious from hustling over there and would still be digesting, if not chewing, my food.

Finals are important and we must do well on all of them. Get yourself mentally and physically prepared by eating well throughout the day, sleeping early, and getting enough exercise to unwind and keep the blood flowing.

Good luck!

In health,

Lauren

Thursday, November 25, 2010

128/365 Thanksgiving

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Let's be real here. It was Thanksgiving. I ate all the delicious food before me. I tried to have some self-control but when my mom's stuffing calls, I have to answer. Hopefully all of my tips have helped you enjoy your Thanksgiving without much guilt or repercussions.

I hope you all had a wonderfully delectable Thanksgiving!

In health,

Lauren

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

127/365 Thankful for Family

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

This Thanksgiving break, we will be reunited with our family. Our parents don't necessarily get to learn about or even have time for the exercise we do at school. Perhaps this break you can work out with your parents. Teach them some moves you've learned from friends or this blog or in a magazine. Encourage your brothers and sisters to play football, go for a walk, or even go to the gym together. Any physical activity you do is more fun with a group, who better than your family? The family that sweats together, stays together!

Here's to family!

In health,

Lauren

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

126/365 Thankful for Exploration

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

If you didn't catch on already, I love running outside in the fall. What I especially enjoy is running for fun with all the time in the world. It allows me to just go, forget about distance or time, just run until you're tired of running. That's the best feeling. This morning, I was blessed with one such morning of sunshine and free time.

So today, I started on my usual route then hit a trail. I lost my way for a little then got back to familiar ground. I had so much fun running around, observing the quiet nature, hearing the pounding of my feet, and making my own way. I turned back when I got tired and knew that I only had enough energy to run back home. It's important to listen to your body when going on a run such as this. You have to consider how much fuel you have left in the tank after sleeping and how far you have to go. Also, I recommend telling someone, like your mother, when you plan on coming back that way, if you do get lost, someone knows where to find you and how long you've been gone.

This Thanksgiving break, if you have time, go walking or running and explore the world around you. It's also a way for you to get your body ready for Thanksgiving. I'm not saying that it's okay to run a lot and then eat but, it keeps you in the mindset that you need balance between the two.

In health,

Lauren

Monday, November 22, 2010

125/365 Thankful for Medicine Balls

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

3 days until Thanksgiving, ya'll! One of the most fun pieces of fitness equipment is the medicine ball. These are rubber balls with sand inside. You can throw them, bounce them, and toss them to mimic the more dynamic activities of your life. Though you can do many things that I will articulate as the days go on, here's one:

1. Start by holding a medicine ball in both hands. Squat down so that your butt and chest are out and your knees are sitting right on top of your ankles.
2. Get some force going by standing up a little, extending your knees, hips, and back. Lift the arms up and flex so that elbows are bent.
3. Throw down the medicine ball with all your might by flexing your trunk and extending your arms. Make sure to catch it and not let it hit you in the face.
4. Repeat. The power comes from your legs on the up phase and your arms and back to throw the ball.

In case you were wondering, this exercise works your quads, hamstrings, erector spinae, anterior deltoids, pec major, lattissimus dorsi, teres major, triceps, and brachioradialis. Wow!

In health,

Lauren

Sunday, November 21, 2010

124/365 Thankful for Leptin

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Now more than ever must we exert control over our eating impulses. Thanksgiving is in 4 days! Now I love Thanksgiving just as much as anyone else. I won't lie to you, I get my food on. From now until Thursday, I'll give you hints for not totally blowing your healthy lifestyle to bits. I refuse to give you healthy recipe alternatives because let's face it, that would not do justice to the delicious foodie holiday of Thanksgiving.

The important thing to remember is to do your best to listen to your body. I know that stuffing is my weakness. I love it. And sweet potato anything. And pumpkin pie. And green bean casserole. Okay, clearly I love it all. Take a little bit of everything and eat slowly; allow the hormone leptin to tell you that you've had enough. Nobody is going to take the food off of your plate. All this Thanksgiving isn't going to disappear that day. So listen to your body and stop when you're satisfied not when you're stuffed like a turkey. I know the challenge of stopping since the food is so tasty but we must. It's just not right and we shouldn't abuse the gift of food.

In health,

Lauren

Saturday, November 20, 2010

123/365 Hop on Board the Cross-Train

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Cross-training is important for any athlete.

If you're a runner and you think, well all I ever do is run, you still should cross train to give those running muscles a rest and work something else. Same goes for you cyclists and swimmers. Your joints can only take so much of the same stress every day or every other day.

You'll also notice that your heart and breathing work differently when you do different exercises. With running and swimming, you can breathe whenever you feel like it. When you swim, you have to train yourself to take breaths or else you'll. Your heart and all those muscles that help you breathe need exercise too. It's important to work out at different intensities and environments for progressive improvement.

Cross-training prevents boredom. I have many friends who hate running or are tired of it. Fine, don't run today. Hop on a cardio machine, an erg, a stair climber, a Versa climber, etc., or hop in the pool. Go to Zumba or a martial arts class instead then go running the next time. Also, you'll never know when you'll actually have to run, swim, or bike away from something threatening you. It would be advisable to be able to do all three well if necessary.

In health,

Lauren

122/365 A Better PBJ

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

I, like my fellow Americans, love a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. It's smooth, it's sweet, it's crunchy, it's soft, it's delicious. It's actually pretty good for you; you can make it even better.

The best PBJ I made was not your traditional recipe. I started out with some toasted whole wheat bread from Trader Joe's. Remember to look for bread with at least 3g of fiber and no HFC. Next, I slathered on some almond butter. If you've never had it, you definitely should try it. It has the same consistency as peanut butter but is made of almonds. This is a better choice for you healthwise because it has omega-3 fatty acids, less sugar, more fiber, and the same amount of protein as peanut butter. Lastly, I spread some strawberry-raspberry preserves made by some monks in the Catoctin Mountains that my parents got. Really, any fruit spread will do. I would like to dissuade you from getting jelly since there are more wholesome alternatives. Preserves have fruit pieces in it. I wouldn't say it's so much healthier but, I do feel like it's better for you.

So there you have it, the best PBJ I've ever made was actually an ABP. So yum!

In health,

Lauren

Friday, November 19, 2010

121/365 Anti Antiperspirants

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

During a discussion about Alzheimer's, my friend Elizabeth brought up antiperspirant. It has been speculated that the aluminum compounds in antiperspirants which render them effective are responsible for causing Alzheimer's. Researchers have found that there is a greater prevalence of aluminum in the cells of people with Alzheimer's; we cannot be certain that aluminum is the causal factor for the accumulation. Still, it is a good idea to stay away from aluminum in large doses and antiperspirants in general.

Our bodies were meant to sweat. We have sweat glands so that we can release water and cool our bodies down when we exercise or are sick. Antiperspirants stop this from happening by causing our cells to suck up lots of water and swell to the point where they cannot absorb any more water. This swelling of the cells cause our sweat gland pores to close. Not only are you absorbing toxins from the antiperspirant, you are also not allowing your body to release toxins from inside or to cool itself.

Deodorants are different from antiperspirants in that they do not keep you from sweating. You have to look at the label though to make sure there isn't anything questionable in your deodorant. Elizabeth and I are both fans of Tom's Natural Deodorant. I sweat as God intended me to. If you sweat excessively but don't want it to show, you should consider purchasing underarm pads that can absorb your sweat; I found one here.

Sweat is natural. It cools you off, it releases toxins. It's a trophy at the end of an intense work out. Don't stop it using possibly harmful antiperspirants. Let it go or have it absorbed with underarm pads.

In health,

Lauren

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

120/365 Wii Love to Dance

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Over the summer, my supervisor Jennifer brought in her Wii to celebrate National Dance Day. She, a co-worker Jessica, and I had a blast dancing to "Heart of Glass" and "Can't Touch This" on the game Just Dance. I also thoroughly embarrassed my boyfriend Kelby and our friend Shaun when I played it loudly and enthusiastically at Best Buy. It was after these two occasions that I decided that the Wii could be a legitimate way to exercise.

Kelby and I often have discussions about the Wii and other motion control game systems. Though the traditional gamer is typically dissatisfied with these, the general population enjoys them quite a bit. Frankly, I am one of them. I especially like the novelty of swinging that silly wand to a beat, dancing with it to classic songs. If you really get into the music and the dance moves on Just Dance, you can break a sweat and get your heart pumping. The only downside with doing the Wii Fit, Just Dance, or any other motion sensor game is that it gives you the opportunity to cheat. The game won't necessarily know when you are sitting and simply moving your arm.

In order for the Wii and its counterparts to be an effective exercise tool, you actually need to do the work. Get up, get into it, and shake your groove thing.

In health,

Lauren

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

119/365 Have you Tried it Dried?

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

The daily recommendation for fresh fruit is 5 servings or 2 cups. Dried fruit is a pretty good choice if you can't get fresh fruit.

There are many reasons to consider dried fruit. It's portable, you can't bruise it, and it has a longer shelf life. It's also tasty and has most of the vitamins you would find in fresh fruit. The downside to drying fruit is how they are sweetened and preserved. Dried fruit often has added sugar and/or sulfites. Sulfites are added "to prevent dried fruit from spoilage and preserve that just picked vibrant color. (Supermarket Guru)" Sulfites can be dangerous if you have a sulfite allergy or are low in sulfite oxidase, an enzyme that converts sulfites to sulfates. Other than that, sulfites aren't dangerous though more research is being conducted to prove just that.

Personally, I think we should all avoid preservatives and additives. Newman's Own is a great organic brand. They feature a line of preservative-free dried fruit. Though fresh fruit is best, dried fruit is a viable second option.

In health,

Lauren

http://www.supermarketguru.com/index.cfm/go/sg.viewArticle/articleId/1156

Monday, November 15, 2010

118/365 Go Greek! No Whey!

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Yogurt is one of the main players in my daily breakfast. It is an "excellent sources of calcium, potassium, protein, zinc, and vitamins B6 and B12. (WebMD)" If you have a couple extra dollars to spare or want to try something new, try Greek yogurt.

The first thing you'll notice is the consistency; it is a lot thicker than regular yogurt. This is because the whey, or that watery stuff on top of your regular yogurt gets skimmed off and strained away. Despite the ultra-thick, creamy texture, the non-fat Greek yogurt variety has less calories and more protein than its counterpart. You can get them with natural fruit and flavor or plain. I still recommend eating your yogurt with fresh fruit and granola. By the way, you can also use Greek yogurt as an ingredient for salad dressings and dips. I have yet to try it but, I can definitely see the healthy potential.

Just a tip, I have often seen Chobani Greek Yogurt on sale at the grocery store. It's delicious.

In health,

Lauren

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/best-foods-you-are-not-eating?page=2

Sunday, November 14, 2010

117/365 Grand Pomegranate

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

This morning, Sarah Brown and I shared a delicious pomegranate. Until today I had not had the pleasure of picking out the bright, juicy, tasty kernels; I had only seen them already removed and placed in a bowl. Needless to say I had much fun. While we were picking away, I wondered what awesome benefits the pomegranate must have.

According to several sources, pomegranates are loaded with antioxidants; apparently more than green tea and cranberry juice (WebMD). These are known to stop those free radical toxins from destroying our cells or making them cancerous. This has been especially proven for men who have already begun treatment for prostate cancer; pomegranate juice suppressed the growth of cancerous cells. Pomegranate juice has also been known to decrease the likelihood for LDLs to form plaque in your arteries.

So crack open a pomegranate and have fun. Not only do you get to dig for these plump rubies, you get to eat them too.

In health,

Lauren

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/pomegranate-power

Saturday, November 13, 2010

116/365 The Temple Technique

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

You've heard it before now hear it again: "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?[...] glorify God in your body. (1 Cor 6:19-20)"

Whether you are religious like not, you can recognize this truthful phrase. Your body is a temple where your spirit, soul, intellect, and mind reside. Without your body, you have no vehicle through which you can express yourself. You have got to respect your body for it is the only one you have.

Here are ways that I believe you ought to respect your body, a temple:
1. Eat foods that will make you wealthy in nutritional value. Do not be greedy and consume in excess.

2. Drink alcohol with the intention of enjoying its effects in good company. Do not drink to get drunk.

3. Sleep; give your body rest so you begin the next day refreshed.

4. Utilize all the muscles in your body. A temple must be fortified to withstand the most destructive winds, storms, etc. that attempt to ravage it. Strengthen your body with frequent exercise.

5. Enjoy everything in moderation.

6. Laugh every day. Life is much too short not to have fun with it.

This list could go on but, I'll stop myself here. Just wait for when The Temple Technique © is a legitimate program made by yours truly.

All the posts I have written before and beyond have this temple idea in mind. Your body deserves respect in everything you do. You are a person of dignity are you not? Treat your body with the same respect and care that you give to yourself. Likewise, treat your soul with the same attention you give your body.

In health,

Lauren

Friday, November 12, 2010

115/365 For Your Chest and Abdominals

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Your pectoralis major has several important actions. It helps you do practical things like sliding a door shut, pushing down the door to that machine that dries your swimsuit, and pushing yourself away from your desk when you're sitting in a rolling chair. Hence, we shouldn't forget it in our work out routines.

There are more ways to strengthen it than push ups and the bench press. You can do pec flys. This is one of my newest ways to do that while also working your abdominals.

1. Lie down on a mat or the floor.
2. Lift your legs up straight. While pressing your lower back into the floor making sure there is no space between you and floor, lower your legs down to the point where you're about to lose control.
3. Hold your weights to the side of you making a T.
4. Breathe in. Think about your chest muscles. Breathe out while squeezing your arms in above and in front of you. If you were to drop them they'd land on your face.
5. With control, bring your arms back to the T shape without touching the ground. Repeat 12 times for 2 sets.

In health,

Lauren

Thursday, November 11, 2010

114/365 Thou Shall Not Over-train

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Did you wake up this morning with an elevated heart rate? Have you noticed a decrease in appetite? Have you unintentionally lost some weight and muscle mass? If you have answered yes to any of these symptoms, you may have over-trained your body.

Perhaps you just started working out and are really gung ho about it. Perhaps you are trying super hard to lose weight that you are working out twice a day every day. Perhaps you pushed yourself beyond your limit. Whatever the case may be, you might have over-trained yourself. Exercise is stress on the body. In correct doses, exercise stress can be a great thing. Your metabolism gets kicked up so you're utilizing energy. Your heart gets stronger from demanding more out of it than usual. You breathe deeper to get more oxygen to your brain and blood. All these are great in moderation. Exercise is only as great as the amount of rest that you get. We are not all designed like Dean Kamazes. We can't all run 50 marathons in 50 states for 50 days straight. It's just not going to happen. The majority of us need to rest and recover from the happy stress that is exercise.

If you do find yourself with the aforementioned symptoms, take it easy the next couple days. Get a lot of sleep, a lot of water, and a lot of good food to replenish your energy stores. Ease yourself back into it then bring it on.

In health,

Lauren

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

113/365 Stretch while you Watch

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

After a long hard day, sometimes it's nice to plop down in front of the television and enjoy your favorite programs or whatever is on. What I find to be even nicer is stretching while watching TV.

Ideally, we are supposed to stretch every muscle group 4 times for 15-30 seconds. One of my teachers calculated this out; you would have to stretch for 150 minutes. That seems like an incredibly long time. However, if you like watching movies or maybe Glee and something afterwards, 2.5 hours can go by really quickly. Why not be kind to your body and stretch while you watch instead of just sitting there?

Everyone can benefit from stretching. By stretching, you increase your range of motion so that you can move farther without injury. I have found flexibility to be important in the daily activities of my life as well as a way to reduce cramping in muscles. Different amounts of flexibility are needed depending on the sport you're playing. A caveat: if you are going for strength, stretching can actually attenuate muscular performance. This means you probably shouldn't stretch right before you do any power lifting.

There are a couple ways to stretch: passive, static, PNF, and ballistic. Passive is done when you have a partner or object to stretch your muscle for you. Static is when you hold your body in a stretched position and slowly increase the intensity every 6 seconds. PNF is where you contract the muscle you're stretching then stretch it as you release the contraction. Ballistic is when you stretch with a bouncing movement. Do not do this; you're more likely to injure yourself doing ballistic stretches.

Next time you turn on the tube, get on the floor, and stretch your body out. You will feel better than if you simply sit on the couch.

In health,

Lauren

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

112/365 Bagelwich with Olive Oil Mayo

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

This has been my latest <200 calorie creation. It's tasty, simple, and satisfying.

I start it off with a mini bagel from Thomas' for 120 calories. Cinnamon & raisin is my personal favorite. I like that with Thomas', you can't really go wrong since most all have at least 3g of fiber. Though Arnold Bread and a couple other brands have come out with "bagel-thin" varieties, this one satisfies the need for a standard, thick bagel.

Next I add a layer of Olive Oil Mayo. I have never had an opposition to mayonnaise but this one is rather delicious. It has less calories and calories from fat than regular mayo. For 1 tbsp, you get 45 calories, more than enough mayo for this mini bagelwich.

After that goes a thick slice of tomato; perfection. Lastly, two slices of lower sodium turkey breast make the top layer. I like getting it from the deli mostly because I like chatting with the person behind the counter. For more on deli meat and how to shop for it, look here.

Mini bagels are great in general because they satisfy that bread craving with only half the calories (and size of course).

In health,

Lauren

Monday, November 8, 2010

111/365 Go Big then Go Small

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

As promised, here is another tip for weight lifting. Start with your big muscles first then work your way to the smaller ones.

Exercise scientists have concluded that strength, power, hypertrophy, and muscle endurance improve best by following this rule. For example, if you are going to work your pushing muscles, begin with some Lat Pull-downs to work your latissimus dorsi. You could follow that with rows using a barbell, dumbbells, or a cable to work your trapezius. You'll notice that while you do this, you will feel your biceps swell with blood and power as you will have naturally used them to perform the previous two exercises. The biceps are secondary muscles that are used during big muscle group exercises. This means that they are secondary when you perform activities of daily living like picking up dirty cloths from the floor or washing the dishes.

Start exercising the big muscles then continue to the smaller ones.

In health,

Lauren

Sunday, November 7, 2010

110/365 Total Body or Split Routine

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

There are a couple basic rules for strength and conditioning. Throughout the week I will post the other rules. Your first task is decide how many days/week you can go to the gym to lift weights.

The average person only needs to lift 2-4 days/week. If you are an athlete, you'll probably be working out 4-6 days/week. If you can do 2 or 3, you should probably approach weight lifting with your total body in mind. These exercise days could fall on a Monday and Thursday, a Tuesday and Friday, or MWF. When you do your total body, work your upper body, then lower body, upper, lower, etc. For example:
Total Body
- Lat Pull Downs
- Lunges
- Bench Press
- Leg Press, and so on

If you can do 3-4 days/week, you should do a split routine where you break up your muscle groups into agonists and antagonists. For example, an agonist muscle could be your biceps; your triceps would thus be your antagonists. As I've said, it's necessary to keep the strength of these muscles equal so that you are balanced. A work out like this could be:

 Split Routine Day 1 and 3
-  Lat Pull Downs
- Lunges
- Bicep Curls
- Leg Extensions

Split Routine Day 2 and 4
- Bench Press
- Squats
- Tricep Extension
- Leg Press

In this example, your muscles for pulling are in days 1/3 and your pushing muscles are in days 2/4. If you were to do a 3 days/week routine you could do pull muscles on day 1, push muscles on day 2, and legs on day 3. Don't forget about your shoulders and core!

In health,

Lauren

Saturday, November 6, 2010

109/365 Addressing a Myth about Protein

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

You know that I am a firm believer in protein. I just want to clear up a myth about protein:

I'm a girl. Protein is going to make me huge. Protein is not going to make you huge whether you are a guy or a girl. Protein is protein; it's the same as it is in a can of beans, meat, or just plain. Working hard will make you a little bigger; your muscles will naturally hypertrophy but only to an extent. Women don't have enough testosterone to get huge. It's never going to happen unless you're on steroids. Steroids will make you scary huge and you better not be going anywhere near that.

Guys, you will certainly get bigger than your female counterparts with hard work. Protein will help you recover quicker so you can get back out there and rock it some more.

In health,

Lauren

108/365 Pilates

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Pilates is a method of exercising whose aim is to strengthen your "powerhouse" and improve your posture by lengthening out your spine.

Your powerhouse, as termed by the founder Joseph H. Pilates, is the region between your scapula and your pubis bones. This is commonly known as your core or trunk today. He believed that the power of this region will determine your power in your extremeties. I think he has a point. Think about UFC fighters or anyone else who uses their upper body, they have a supremely strong core.

Exercises in Pilates focus on the abdominals, lower back, hip extensors, and hip flexors. These muscles support the spine and the pelvic girdle. Your spine naturally wants to curve. However, if the muscles that flex and extend your spine are unbalanced then you are more prone to injury in the future. Your pelvic girdle also needs to have balanced muscles otherwise you will have an anterior or pelvic tilt. This tilt, as opposed to a neutral pelvis, will cause your spine to compensate to maintain a happy base for your skull.

So, give Pilates a try and be forewarned that your core and hip muscles will be sore the next day. However you will also benefit from increased flexibility in your legs. Pilates also focuses a lot on breathing which is always nice and something we all can use more of.

In health,

Lauren

Thursday, November 4, 2010

107/365 Prevent Illness with Exercise

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

It seems that there's a cold going around. This is often the case with the change of seasons. Exercise can play a role in preventing sickness, contracting sickness, and getting over sickness.

If you were to graph level of exercise intensity against risk of upper respiratory tract infection (URTI), you would get a j-curve. People who are sedentary have a moderate risk for infection, moderate intensity exercisers are the least likely, and vigorous exercisers have the greatest risk. The reason could be from the stress of exercise. When sedentary individuals begin exercising, the stress that occurs naturally from exercise decreases immunity. Vigorous exercises experience the same thing in that their bodies are constantly stressed which makes them more susceptible.

Another explanation was discovered by looking at saliva. Several studies deduced that secretory antibodies (Sal-IgA) in our saliva help "provide defense against infections through immune exclusion at mucosal surfaces, intra-epithelial viral naturalization and immune elimination across mucosal surfaces. (Gleeson, Maree, Robin Callister, and David B. Pyne)" Sal-Iga are secreted more by individuals who exercise chronically at a moderate level while vigorous exercise results in a decrease.

It is important though to note that you should exercise very lightly or not at all when you are actually sick. You are more likely to relapse and/or get someone else sick. When you are coming out of your cold you should also take it easy. Like we discussed, exercise is a stress on your body, one that you may not be able to handle if you're not back to 100%.

So eat your vegetables, wash your hands, and keep exercising to prevent yourself from illness.

In health,

Lauren

Gleeson, Maree, Robin Callister, and David B. Pyne. "Exercise effects on mucosal immunity and risk of upper respiratory illness." International SportMed Journal 4.3 (2003): 1-14. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 4 Nov. 2010.

 Nieman, D C. "Exercise, infection, and immunity." International Journal Of Sports Medicine 15 Suppl 3.(1994): S131-S141. MEDLINE. EBSCO. Web. 4 Nov. 2010.

Weidner, TG, and TL Sevier. "Sport, exercise, and the common cold." Journal of Athletic Training 31.2 (1996): 154-159. CINAHL Plus with Full Text. EBSCO. Web. 4 Nov. 2010.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

106/365 Can't Spell Time without ME

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

What I am trying to emphasize in my title is the importance of taking time for yourself. Often we get caught up in other people, homework, or politics that we forget about quieting ourselves and finding peace there.

Part of living a healthy lifestyle is having down time. My parents always made sure my sister and I had time just to ourselves, a time without being in the car to go to practice or piano lessons, a time without our friends, so that we could just be with ourselves. This isn't always easy to do since the world is unpredictable. However, we can still try. We can get into bed an hour or half hour earlier than usual and simply lie there; collect our thoughts, discover dreams and ambitions, listen to our breath. We can go for a walk by ourselves without our MP3 player and take in the world. We can turn off our technological devices and be with our thoughts. We can sit down and really enjoy a meal. We can (insert whatever brings you peace).

It's important to enjoy the quiet moments we may infrequently encounter. It also may be necessary to plan these quiet moments. Either way, I encourage you to have down time where you do absolutely nothing except that which truly brings you joy.

In health,

Lauren

105/365 A Way to Walk More

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

As I have already advised you to get a pedometer if you want to reach 10,000 steps or want to make at least three 10 minute walks, here is a tip for getting those extra steps in:

If you have to wait for a bus to arrive and you know it will be awhile, walk to the next stop. This may not be possible if the stops are quite far from each other but, if that isn't the case, power walk it over to the next stop. Though standing burns more calories than sitting, walking burns even more. If you don't think you can make it to the next stop, pace. Certainly you don't have to pace yourself in the ground; walk for enough away that you can hear/see the bus coming then come back.

Or, instead of walking to the next stop, get off at the stop before. As my friend Cori's dad would ask in response to her asking him to get something for her, "Are your legs broken?" Go on, use them! It will not hurt you to take the extra two or five minutes and walk a little further to your destination. This is likened to the idea of parking farther away in the lot. Leave those spaces towards the front for the people whose legs are actually broken, handicapped, or impaired in any way.

In health,

Lauren

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

104/365 Spaghetti Squash

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Using vegetables is an excellent substitute to cooking with pasta. Spaghetti squash is an ideal vegetable for this purpose. By simply roasting it, you can "make" pasta by running a fork over the fibers. Serve it with your favorite sauce and voila, a healthy dinner with less carbohydrates and more nutrients! Spaghetti squash is in the same family as acorn squash and pumpkin. Clearly you can see that I have a squash theme going; this is definitely due to the fact that they are in season. Here's how to make your own spaghetti squash meal:

1. Preheat oven to 375F

2. Halve lengthwise and seed spaghetti squash. Drizzle oil on flesh; bake on baking sheet flesh side down. Bake for 30 minutes.

3. Remove spaghetti squash. With tongs, flip them over. Run a fork lengthwise down the squash so as to remove the fibers. It will naturally peel off into spaghetti-like strands.

4. Pour sauce of your choice over your "spaghetti" and enjoy!




In health,

Lauren

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