A Balancing Act: Nutrition

Recent nutrition research has made news and sparked diet trends such as gluten, lactose and soy-free. Whole grain, dairy and soy products were once credited with preventing ailments like heart disease and cancer, but are now making headlines as unhealthy options and foods to avoid.

One day you may read that low-fat dairy products can help you lose wieght, while the next day a new report says that many people have trouble digesting them. Soy was once praised for everything from preventing cancers to lowering cholesterol, but recent news has highlighted its potential interferance with thyroid and hormone function. Gluten-free foods are popping up all over grocery stores and restraunts, and many claim that avoiding the protein found in wheat improves energy levels and digestion.

Concentrate on balance when deciding how to incorporate nutirition research into your own life. Educate yourself by doing your own resreach on the food in question, and realize that every body is different and will react differently to certain foods. Ask your doctor to test for food allergies if you suspect you have one, and experiment with different types of food for a balanced diet.

Gluten-free products, for example, are often made with corn or oats and can be a great option for balancing the types of carbohydrates you eat. You may try experimenting with low-fat, soy, rice and almond milk to see which option you like best. The key is remembering that, unless you have a medical reason to avoid a food group, a balanced diet should incorporate a variety of foods. Practicing moderation in your eating habits can help prevent the potential health risks assosciated with foods containing gluten, lactose and soy.

Maximize Your Workouts at the DAC

Most people do not want to waste time or energy during a workout. However, a majority of people do just that with improper training techniques and misdirected efforts. To avoid being one of these people, start training more intelligently by creating a clear and measurable goal.

With all the effort to pay for a gym membership and use that membership on a regular basis, you do not have time to be doing inefficient workouts. When used properly, the gym is full of incredible resources to help you achieve and maintain your health and fitness goals. Use these resources to their full advantage when mapping out a training program.

Ask a personal trainer for advice on how you can maximize your time. A trainer can help you adjust your workouts to ensure maximum results with minimal time and effort.

Take advantage of group fitness classes. Variety is essential to a successful exercise program. Classes can give you fresh, new ideas for exercises and training principles that you can incorporate into your own program. If you are short on time, classes offer balanced and challenging workouts that require no planning on your part.

Learn to use a new piece of equipment. Again, variety is an important part of an effective program. Learning to use a new piece of equipment will challenge both your body and your mind!

Fuel properly for energy and recovery. Many people, especially those with weight loss goals, avoid eating before and after workouts because of a misconception that this will help them see results more quickly. This could not be further from the truth. Energizing properly before a workout will allow you to work harder during exercise, yielding more results in less time. Refueling within 30 minutes after strenuous sessions will help speed recovery, ultimately making you stronger and more effective in future workouts.

Have fun. Remember that you are fortunate to have a healthy body and seek enjoyment in the exercise you choose to do. Take pleasure in the sense of accomplishment you get from a challenging workout. Balance those challenging efforts by allowing yourself time for proper recovery and relaxation.

Enjoy Training Outdoors This Fall

The Fall is a great season to participate in outdoor sports in Amarillo. With the long days of Summer quickly fading, we can look forward to cooler weather and beautiful scenery. The Fall is a busy time for endurance athletes as they try to fit in those last few triathlons of the season or begin gearing up for the next marathon. As training intensifies, it is important for these athletes to approach workouts with balance and consistency.

A balanced program should include a combination of strength and stability training, as well as flexibility and mobility work. Endurance athletes are typically very consistent with their run, bike or swim workouts but tend to neglect doing proper supplemental activities that would truly enhance performance and reduce the rate of injuries.

Here is a list of activities to include in a training program for any athlete, from recreational to professional, to enjoy a healthy and happy Fall training season:

Strength training 2 days per week. Complete 1-2 exercises for each major muscle group. Focus on strength and stability in the hips, shoulders, abs and lower back for proper posture and technique during running, cycling and swimming.

Mobility and flexibility training during warm-ups and cool-downs. When preparing for a 2 hour bike ride or an intense strength training session, practice mobility drills to prepare the body for exercise. A series of dynamic stretches can help increase blood flow to the muscles that will be used during training and reduce muscular imbalances. Cool-down from tough sessions with foam rolling and static stretching to help speed recovery and loosen tight muscles and tendons before they cause overuse injuries.

Fuel before and after training sessions. Consume 100-200 calories of carbohydrate rich food or sports drink about an hour before training. Be sure to also consume 100-200 calories within 30 minutes following intense training. This post-workout snack should have a 4:1 carbohydrate to protein ratio. A perfect example is low-fat chocolate milk because the sugars help replenish glycogen stores and the protein in the milk helps to rebuild muscle.

Sleep. Getting adequate sleep is essential for recovery of the body and mind. Aim for 7-8 hours of quality sleep each night. Sleep is just as important as workouts when it comes to successful performance and injury reduction.

Remember to have fun while training. A balanced training program will lead to more enjoyment and success this Fall.

Your Most Important Investment

Imagine you are given a new car today, and told that it will be the only car you will ever have for the rest of your life. Now, ask yourself how you are going to take care of that car so that it will run efficiently for as long as you are going to need it. You will probably plan regular maintence and tune-ups for it, making sure to preserve its condition so that it can continue to serve its purpose long term. You will likely be more than willing to spend extra time and money caring for it because it will play a crucial role in allowing you the lifestyle you need and want. Most importantly, you will probably have a great respect and appreciation for it because it is the only one you will ever have and if it were to stop working your daily life would become pretty difficult.

Now, think about your body. It is the only one will ever have. You can't trade it in for a better one. You can choose to make enhancements and upgrades to parts of it, but those parts will never function as efficiently or last as long as the originals. After thinking about how much energy you would spend caring for your imaginary car you can never replace, doesn't it seem logical to give the same amount of energy in caring for your body?

Whether it is spending extra time and money on healthier food, making workouts more focused and consistent or getting enough sleep, we all have something we could be doing to treat our bodies better. The health of our bodies is the most important factor in being able to achieve the things we want in life. If our bodies are healthy right now, we need to be doing everything we can to maintain that. If our health is not currently in perfect condition, we should be doing everything in our power to restore it. Unless we don't care about our futures, there is simply no excuse for treating our bodies with anything other than respect and gratitude.

Challenge yourself to change one major thing about your lifestyle that is detrimental to your health. Start today. Skip that second glass of wine with dinner, get in bed 30 minutes earlier or seek advice from a fitness professional about how to workout and eat more intelligently. Doing something to proactively take care of your health is the most positive thing you can do for yourself and your family.

A Fresh Look at Fitness

A recent article from MSNBC titled "Too much exercise can lead to overuse injuries," draws attention to the lack of balance in the lives of most "fit" people. When the average gym-rat becomes plagued with an injury, feelings of frustration and weakness often begin. Many feel as though their body is failing them after weeks, months or even years of working hard to keep it "fit." Professionals in the health and fitness industries are beginning to realize the necessity of a well-rounded approach to "fitness." Looking at "fitness" from a broader perspective can help promote balance and prevent burnout, both in workouts and in life.

To truly achieve our highest level of fitness, we must become proficient and consistent in four main areas: healthy eating, intelligent training, mastery of stress and mindful living. We may feel "fit" even though our eating habits are poor, or we are constantly stressed, but the reality is that each aspect of fitness is linked to another. For example, we simply can not train intelligently if we have not mastered our stress levels, because stress has a direct effect on how quickly our cells can regenerate and recover- including our muscle cells!

To take a deeper look at our current fitness levels, we must further define each of these areas and evaluate whether we are achieving a balance between them.

Healthy eating: Eating a balanced diet, complete with a variety of fruits and vegetables and limited processed foods, needs to become a way of life. Eating healthful foods in appropriate portions is one of the most basic things we can do to take control of our health. We need to realize that healthful eating is something we get to do, instead of something we have to do, and that it will give bring us good health and ultimately more happiness.

Intelligent training: Determining what we are training for will give us more direction in our workouts, which will in turn help prevent injury and boredom. Have a goal in mind, and continue to make steps towards achieving that goal. Once the goal is met, create a new goal. This will give us a greater sense of accomplishment and motivation to be the best versions of ourselves.

Mastery of stress: Stress is an unavoidable part of life. Sometimes stress comes from a place of motivation or excitement, but chronic uncontrolled stress takes a tole on overall fitness levels. Chronic stress keeps the nervous system in a constant "fight or flight" response. While in this state, the body and mind are unable to properly recover from physical and mental stress like a challenging workout or a busy day at the office. Stress management is an important aspect in achieving overall fitness. This can come in the form of adequate sleep, rest days, regular massages, Yoga, meditation, time with family and friends, and religious or spiritual practices to name a few. Practice recognizing when stress levels are becoming chronic, and be proactive about managing it.

Mindful living: This is a concept that may mean different things to different people. Living with a sense of purpose and identifying our core values can have a positive effect on our performance at work, in family life and even during workouts. Being mindful of our goals, values and purpose can boost performance in the other three areas of fitness. Mindful living can and should be applied to the way we eat, exercise and manage stress. Bringing more intention to each of these activities will help us find the balance needed to achieve optimal fitness.

Start small by evaluating and applying changes to just one of these areas. Healthy eating is a great one to start with. Finding peace with our eating habits will help teach us how much control we really have over our lives. The lessons learned from developing healthy eating habits can be applied to the cultivation of positive new habits down the road.

Blue Zones: Secrets to Longevity

I recently came across an article about areas of the world called “Blue Zones,” where people are living longer, healthier and happier lives. Blue zones are marked by regions where people reach age 100 at rates 10 times higher than Americans do. In these areas, rates of heart disease and cancer are significantly low while rates of happiness are significantly high. These zones include Sardinia, Italy; Okinawa, Japan; Loma Linda, Calif.; and the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica.

Dan Buettner, a journalist who has published findings on Blue Zones in high profile magazines like National Geographic, traveled to these areas of the world with a team of scientists. They researched and documented the reasons for the longevity of the people, and have developed rules to live by based on the similarities in lifestyle they found in each group.

•Move naturally. Find things to do that require natural movements such as walking, riding a bike, gardening or shoveling snow. Buettner found that most people in Blue Zones take a walk everyday- so park your car further away next time you hit the grocery store and skip the elevator to the DAC and take the stairs!

•Cut portion sizes by 20 percent. In Okinawa they have a saying that translates to “stop eating when your stomach is 80 percent full.” Try using smaller plates and bowls, and take time to sit and eat as often as possible- avoid eating in the car or while you are distracted by TV.

•Enjoy a plant based diet. Use rice, beans and tofu as protein staples and limit intake of meat to a few times a week. Meat should be thought of as a side dish, with larger portions of fruits and veggies making up the majority of meals. Eating a handful size portion of nuts is a great way to get protein and healthy fats, while satisfying cravings.

•Drink red wine. In MODERATION of course. Drinking a glass or two of red wine with dinner is a common practice in Sardinia. Red wine is full of antioxidants. Buy organic, sulfite-free varieties when possible!

•Plan de Vida: determine your life purpose. People in Blue Zones have a sense of purpose in their daily lives. Think about why you get up in the morning, and establish a personal mission statement. If your job or current daily activities are not giving you a sense of purpose, search for opportunities to learn something new!

•Down shift: take time to relieve stress. Take time for yourself in the form of a walk outdoors, a yoga class or a long night of sleep. Try to limit distractions such as TV or computers during this time.

•Belong to a community. People in Blue Zones have a strong sense of community, which they establish in the form of family, friends and spiritual or religious groups.

•Put loved ones first. Make an effort to spend more uninterrupted time with your family or close friends. A family dinner or game night tradition is a great way to build feelings of togetherness and support for one another. People in Blue Zones have strong ties to family and friends; it can be a stress reliever to know that you have a strong community to depend on.

•Pick the right tribe. Spend time with people who are willing to adopt the healthy lifestyle changes that you are making. Find others with similar interests who will engage you in conversation and make you feel like an important part of the group.

For more information on Blue Zones visit http://www.bluezones.com/.

Improve your Focus, Improve your Fitness

In a recent issue of Runner’s World magazine, an article titled “Transcendental Steps, Or How I Learned To Love Running Without an iPod” reveals one runner’s journey learning to truly enjoy running, while maximizing her performance through meditation. The author attended a meditative running workshop, where she learned to apply meditation to her running. By keeping her focus in the present moment and her awareness on her breath, she was able to train her mind and body to work together more efficiently to improve her running. A meditation practice can help improve focus through mind-body awareness, which will benefit performance in any sport.

The goal of meditation is to remain completely present and engaged in the moment. “Transcendental Steps” explores the parallels between meditation and running, stating that “both require discipline and consistency—just as you need a good base to run a marathon, you need a regular meditation practice to begin to feel its benefits.” A regular meditation practice can give an athlete the ability to clear the mind so that it can focus solely on the task at hand, whether that be running, mountain biking or weight lifting.

Yoga is a classic example of integrating meditation with physical activity, and a great place to start practicing the art of staying present in the moment. The word Yoga came from the Sanskrit word Yuj which means to unite or integrate. The central focus in Yoga is to unite the mind and body by staying completely present and aware of the movements and sensations of the class. The practice of meditation and mind-body awareness makes Yoga a resource that athletes and gym-goers of all fitness levels can benefit from. The DAC is currently offering a Fitness Yoga class in Studio A, on Fridays at 12:10pm.

Athletes often forget about the power that the mind has over the way the body functions. Meditation can be used as a powerful training tool, as conditioning the mind to work with the body will enhance athletic performance. The ability to completely focus the mind on a workout can help avoid nagging thoughts about to-do lists, feelings of stress and fatigue and anxieties about physical appearance and performance. Freedom from these distracting thoughts gives the mind more opportunity to efficiently work with the body and will ultimately lead to a greater appreciation and enjoyment of exercise.

To slowly incorporate meditative practices into a training program, try doing deep breathing exercises during your usual pre-workout warm-up. Begin by bringing your focus to your breath, trying to slow your inhales and exhales into a controlled rhythm. Then connect your warm-up exercises to the rhythm of your breath, moving through each exercise according to the length of your inhales and exhales. Bring your awareness to the sensations of each movement, calmly setting aside distracting thoughts about anything other than the present moment. Notice how your body feels as your move it through your various warm-up exercises. As you move into your workout, try to keep your thoughts in the present and avoid letting your mind wander. For more tips on incorporating meditation techniques into your workout contact Brennan at brennankphelan@gmail.com.