ADVENT CONSPIRACY

30 YEARS RUNNING

Last month, Dr. Harvey B. Simon celebrated the 30th anniversary of his running streak.
In other words, he has run every day for 10,987 consecutive days. The last time he took a pass — he was feeling a bit sore after a marathon — was Oct. 30, 1978.

Read about his dedication to daily exercise HERE.

SIMPLE STRATEGIES FOR BETTER EATING HABITS

I recently ran across this excellent article full of Healthy Eating Tips, from respected Sports Nutritionist, Nancy Clark, on www. active.com.

Simple Strategies for Better Eating Habits

By Nancy Clark, MS RD CSSD For Active.com

If you are confused by the plethora of nutrition information that filters into the media, please look to the American Dietetic Association as a trusted resource for answers to your questions. Members of the ADA recently convened in Chicago to learn the latest information about food and nutrition. Here's what they found:

PROTEIN
In all tissues and organs in your body, protein is "turned over" continually, meaning that old protein is broken down and replaced by new protein. Hence, we need to eat adequate protein on a daily basis to maintain health, particularly the health of the skin, liver, brain and heart. If you don't eat enough protein (as can happen with a sub-optimal vegetarian diet, a very low calorie reducing diet, or too many meatless pasta meals), you'll break down your muscles (a reservoir of protein) to protect those organs.The maximal effective single dose of protein to build new muscle is ~35 grams of high quality protein (milk, egg, fish, meats) at one time. While most athletes easily eat this amount--plus more--three times a day to fulfill their daily protein requirement, elderly folks may not. Hence, they become weak and frail.

The bottom line: Be sure you (and your parents and grandparents) maintain your health and vitality by enjoying protein with each meal.

EGGS AND EYES

Carrots have long been touted as being "good for your eyes" because carrots are a rich source of carotenoids (precursors of vitamin A, needed for optimal eye function). Less well known is egg yolks are also powerful eye-health protectors. The yolk is a rich source of two potent carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin. These antioxidants reduce by up to 40 percent the risk of macular degeneration, the leading cause in Americans of irreversible blindness that occurs with age.

While yellow/orange fruits and vegetables (carrots, corn, squash, orange peppers) and dark leafy greens (spinach, kale, collards) are also good sources of lutein and zeaxanthin, studies suggest egg yolks are an even better source. That's in part because the yolk contains fat, and fat helps carotenoids to be absorbed. (This also means you should enjoy olive oil with salads, rather than fat-free dressing, to help absorb the carotenoids in colorful vegetables.)

Unfortunately, in their cholesterol-consciousness, many athletes are tossing egg yolks and eating only the whites. Stop! You can healthfully enjoy the whole egg--without elevating your blood cholesterol. Numerous studies indicate consumed eggs yolks is unlikely to alter blood cholesterol levels and increase the risk of heart diease. (1)

The bottom line: Make that omelet with whole eggs, orange peppers and spinach.

ORGANIC FOODS - ARE THEY BETTER?
Many athletes debate whether or not they should buy organic foods. In terms of nutritional value, studies in the U.S. suggest no significant differences, but studies in Europe report higher amounts of nutrients, including antioxidants. Eating a larger portion of conventionally grown produce can resolve any potential differences.The bigger issue relates to protecting the soil and limiting water pollution from pesticides and fertilizers that seep into the ground. For those reasons, buying organic produce is a smart choice, particularly if it is locally grown, uses less fuel to be transported, and supports local farmers.

If you debate whether or not to buy organic milk, note that "organic" refers to farming practices, not to the milk itself. According to the research presented by Gary Rogers, PhD, there is no difference between organic and conventional milk in terms of nutrition, antibiotics and hormone content. Strict government guidelines ensure that both organic and conventional milk are safe and nutritious.

*All milk that enters dairy processors gets tested for antibiotics, to be sure they are kept out of the food supply. Less than one milk tanker in 1,000 tests positive for any drug, including antibiotics. Any tainted milk gets tossed.
*The hormone bST that helps cows produce more milk has been extensively studied. Results indicate no difference in milk from cows given bST and those who did not get any.
*Pesticides are also not a concern; milk ranks among the lowest of all agricultural products in detectable residues. Extremely low levels of pesticides can be found in all foods, both organic and conventional, because pesticides are found in all water and soil.
*One "problem" is organic milk often gets transported for long distances to areas where local organic dairy farms are not found.

The bottom line: Whenever possible, buy milk and produce from local farmers.

SIMPLE STRATEGY FOR EATING BETTER
If you want to improve the quality of your diet, think about ONE thing you could do each day to contribute to a healthier intake. Write down your goal for the day, then assess your level of confidence in achieving that goal. For example, your goal might be to eat fruit with lunch.If you are very confident you can do that, go for it. But if you are not at all confident, take a look at the barriers, and perhaps figure out another way to boost your fruit intake. Banana on cereal for breakfast? Fruit smoothie for a post-exercise recovery drink?

The bottom line: Set yourself up for success by developing sustainable eating habits. Stop making resolutions--dietary "shoulds"--that repeatedly fail.

NUTRITION MYTHS
Atlanta sports dietitian Chris Rosenbloom PhD RD CSSD addressed the following common nutrition myths:

* Is protein the most important nutrient for athletes?

No; the best sports diet offers a foundation of carbs (for fuel) and an accompaniment of protein (for building muscles).

* Are whole grains always healthier than refined grains?

No. Enriched refined grains are a good source of iron, to prevent anemia, as well as folic acid, to reduce a woman's risk of having a baby with birth defects.

* Does drinking extra water help you lose weight?

No, but eating watery foods (soup) can help reduce total calories.

* The less fat you eat, the better?

No. The type of fat is the issue. A diet with monounsaturated fat (olive oil) reduces the risk of diabetes and heart disease. The fat also enhances absorption of health-protective vitamins A, D, E and K.

WANT FOOD HELP?
The best dietary advice comes with a one-on-one consultation with a sports dietitian. To find your local expert, check out the referral network at http://www.scandpg.org/.

Reference:1 . Mcnamara DJ. The impact of egg limitations on coronary heart disease risk; Do the numbers add up? J Am Coll Nutr 2000; 19:5405

Nancy Clark, MS RD CSSD (Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics) counsels casual and competitive athletes in her private practice at Healthworks, the premier fitness center in Chestnut Hill MA (617-383-6100). Her Sports Nutrition Guidebook, new Food Guide for Marathoners, and Cyclist’s Food Guide are available at www.nancyclarkrd.com. Also see www.sportsnutritionworkshop.com for information about her
online workshop.

*Note - if interested, I would love to refer you to a local Registered Dietician for more specific nutrition help.

FREE WORKSHOP: Tues, Oct. 21st @ 6:30pm

NATURAL SOLUTIONS TO A GOOD NIGHTS SLEEP

Presented by:

Trouble Sleeping?
Understand the role of neurotransmitters, hormones, stress & pain in achieving healthy sleep patterns.

This workshop emphasizes natural non-drug solutions to reduce the symptoms of sleep disorders.

Tuesday, October 21st

6:30pm - Lecture

Spine Align

741 Chicago Drive, Holland

Guest Speaker: Dr. Karla Parkhurst, D.C.

Call for Reservations

Seating is limited

(616) 392-9500

TONING YOUR LEGS

I had a friend and previous client ask me a great question the other day. In fact, it's a question I get a lot - so I've decided to write some thoughts down. Hopefully they make sense and you'll finish reading this with a bit better understanding of this thing we called fitness.

VS.

Q. What is better for weight loss and toning the legs: running on the treadmill or doing the elliptical?

A. ANYTHING that gets your heart rate elevated, major muscles moving for an extended period of time is cardio exercise. You can achieve this through treadmill work, elliptical, stair climber, walking up stairs at home, dancing, running...the list is endless! There really is no "better" exercise (I get that question all the time) - it all depends on what you ENJOY (exercise should be enjoyable!) and what you are able to challenge yourself on.

It's important to consider two things, however: Heart Rate and How Many Muscles are used. The higher your heart rate, the higher the intensity of the exercise and the more calories you will burn per given amt of time. Similarly, the more muscles you use, the more calories you will burn. Ellipticals and running on a treadmill are very similiar in the muscle groups they work...the elliptical, however, is little-to-no impact, so is a bit easier on the joints.

If I think of a recumbant bike vs treadmill - I know that I am seated on a bike (so less muscles used) but if I'm lolly-gaggin' on the treadmill and hardly have my heart rate up, it doesn't matter that a treadmill uses more muscles (you're standing and pumping your arms, so automatically your arms and core/back are working), if my heart rate is hardly up, then the bike would be the better option (considering I'm working hard on the bike).

It is good to spice things up. Always keep the muscles guessing and changing focus - b/c our bodies adapt quickly, if we do the exact same thing each exercise session, it will no longer be overload for the body. You must overload the body for any changes to happen - this can be done by using different muscles or increasing intensity, etc (up the speed, incline, duration, etc).

CARDIO machines primarily increase the health of the heart, lungs and blood vessels. As you raise your heart rate and get your major muscles moving for an extended period of time - and do this consistently - you get more and more 'in shape'. Being conditioned or 'in shape' means that your heart muscle has actually gotten bigger/thicker and stronger, so with every beat, it pumps out more blood (aka oxygen and nutrients) to your cells. This is why your resting heart rate decreases as you get more conditioned - the heart has to work less to get blood to your body. You blood vessel walls get stronger and more resilient, so as the blood rushes through them, there is less liklihood of rupture (stroke) and the plaque that may be built up on the inside of the vessel walls is more likely to be removed (so less clogging of arteries = less chance of heart attack).

Also, in your lungs, there is a more efficient exchange of oxygen (in) and carbon dioxide (out) - which is why it's easier to breathe as you get "in shape". Not only does this gas exchange happen more efficiently in our lungs, but also in the cells of your muscles.

...All this to say...cardio exercise is exercise for the above mentioned things - IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY PROVIDE THE MUSCULAR OVERLOAD TO BE CONSIDERED STRENGTH TRAINING - and therefore, isn't the primary method used to develop muscular changes (ie - TONE). Cardio is necessary for body fat reduction - which will certainly help in noticing tone - but, to get shapely, defined leg muscles, LIFTING WEIGHTS is where it is at!

While consistent cardio exercise does provide an overload that may result in muscle hypertrophy (growth), Your cardio routine, because it may use your legs, is NOT a replacement for leg muscle strengthening and toning!!! Doing leg and hip weight-training exercises will provide the direct muscle OVERLOAD to breakdown the muscle fibers and (with rest and protein) the muscles will be repaired, coming back together stronger and more toned. This, combined with CARDIO and good NUTRITION (SO important in body fat reduction), is the killer-combo for a lean, toned body.

GOOD FATS, BAD FATS, AND YOUR HEALTH

Why we NEED dietary fat:
1. To store energy
2. To help digest some vitamins (A,D,E,K) and phytonutrients (keep cells healthy)
3. To help make hormones

The PROBLEM:
High Cholesterol Foods + High Saturated Fat Foods = Increased chance of heart disease and some cancers.

GOOD guys vs. BAD guys:
Fat found in our food can be described as one of three triglycerides: Saturated, Monounsaturated, and Polyunsaturated.

GOAL
Limit Saturated fat (aka "bad fats") and increase Mono-and Polyunsaturated fats (aka "good fats"). Omega-3 and Omega-6 are two kinds of Polyunsaturates that, when consumed in the right ratio, appear to be health promoting.

BENEFITS of Omega-3 fatty acids:
Improved cardiovascular health
Reduced inflammation
Helps prevent blood clotting
Expands blood vessels (helps in lowering blood pressure)

HOW MUCH?
No more than 30% of your total calories in a day should come from fats. For a typical 2,000 calorie/day diet, that translates to 65 grams of fat. Only 10% or less of your total calories should be from "bad" or saturated fats (so...a max of 20g of saturated fat/day). This takes a conscious effort (consider that 1 cup of premium ice cream can hit you with 23g of saturated fat!!).

SOME GOOD FAT SOURCES

Monounsaturated: Most nuts, avacados, peanut oil, olive oil, canola oil, safflower oil.
Polyunsaturated (including Omega-3): Salmon, flaxseed, soybeans, wheat germ, sunflower oil, corn oil, soybean oil, cottonseed oil.

SOME BAD FAT SOURCES Saturated: Meats, eggs, butter, cheese, palm oil, ice cream, cream cheese, sour cream, etc.
Trans Fats (fats processed to become saturated): Stick margarine, Fast Foods

*Adapted from Tamara Schryver's article "Good Fats, Bad Fats, and Your Health" from www. NaturesPath.com (and the back of my cereal box!) :)

Fit Fact - INTERVAL TRAINING

Lack of time is the number one reason people give for not exercising. And lack of results once they do start exercising isn't far behind. Interval training is a great solution for both of these common problems.

Interval training involves alternating short bursts of intense activity with what is called active recovery, which is typically a less-intense form of the original activity.
The Swedes came up with a term for this type of training: fartlek, which means speed play. Not only is it an efficient training method, fartlek training can help you avoid injuries that often accompany non-stop, repetitive activity, and provides the opportunity to increase your intensity without burning yourself out in a matter of minutes.

Unlike traditional interval training, fartlek training does not involve specifically or accurately measured intervals. Instead, intervals are based according to the needs and perceptions of the participant. In other words, how you feel determines the length and speed of each interval.

THE ADVANTAGES OF INTERVALS

Interval training utilizes the body's two energy-producing systems: the aerobic and the anaerobic. The aerobic system is the one that allows you to walk or run for several miles, that uses oxygen to convert carbohydrates from various sources throughout the body into energy.
The anaerobic system, on the other hand, draws energy from carbohydrates (in the form of glycogen) stored in the muscles for short bursts of activity such as sprinting, jumping or lifting heavy objects. This system does not require oxygen, nor does it provide enough energy for more than the briefest of activities. And its byproduct, lactic acid, is responsible for that achy, burning sensation in your muscles that you feel after, say, running up several flights of stairs.

INTERVAL BASICS
Interval training allows you to enjoy the benefits of anaerobic activities without having to endure those burning muscles. In its most basic form, interval or fartlek training might involve walking for two minutes, running for two, and alternating this pattern throughout the duration of a workout.

The intensity (or lack thereof) of each interval is up to how you feel and what you are trying to achieve. The same is true for the length of each interval. For example, if it is your habit to walk two miles per day in 30 minutes, you can easily increase the intensity of your walk (as well as up its calorie-burning potential) by picking up the pace every few minutes and then returning to your usual speed.

A great trick is to tell yourself that you'll run a particular distance, from the blue car to the green house on the corner, for example, and then walk from the green house to the next telephone pole.

When you first start fartlek training, each interval can be a negotiation with yourself depending on how strong or energetic you happen to feel during that particular workout. This helps to break up the boredom and drudgery that often comes from doing the same thing day after day.

A MORE ADVANCED APPROACH

Despite its simplicity, it also is possible to take a very scientific approach to interval training, timing both the work and recovery intervals according to specific goals. The box lists the four variables to keep in mind when designing an interval training program.
An certified personal trainer can help you design an interval training program based on your particular goals.

Consider the following four variables when designing an interval training program:
Intensity (speed) of work interval
Duration (distance or time) of work interval
Duration of rest or recovery interval
Number of repetitions of each interval

*Reprinted with permission from the American Council on Exercise (ACE).

This ACE Fit Fact is taken from ACE FitnessMatters® magazine. Want more information like this delivered directly to your home? ACE FitnessMatters, the bi-monthly magazine from the American Council on Exercise® (ACE®), is the source for the most accurate, up-to-date fitness information you need to live a healthy, active life. Subscribe to ACE FitnessMatters Magazine online or call 1-888-825-3636. The American Council on Exercise does not endorse or promote the companies, products or services that reside on this website. ACE does not receive revenue generated from any organizations that advertise on this Web site. Copyright 2003 American Council on Exercise. All Rights Reserved.