Continue reading »]]> By now, most people realize that adding lean muscle mass to your body does wonders for your metabolism and fat loss, as well as a host of other benefits that allow you to live out your life as healthy as possible.
Unfortunately, most people I see performing weight training or resistance training at the gym are spending too much time with the exercise and not working hard enough. They’re not going to burn very much fat this way.
The secret I’ve found is that training for lean muscle and strength requires the proper application of three vital elements that are often ignored by those who attempt it.

Those three elements are:

• Intensity
• Volume & Frequency
• Progression

The intensity is how hard it is to perform for you, given your current condition. The volume and frequency are how much and how often you perform the exercise. The progression is related to how much the demands increase from workout to workout.

Most times, weight training, is carried on for too long and performed too many times per week. It is unfortunately treated much the same way as so-called fat burning aerobic exercise. But they are vastly different forms of exercise. In fact, they’re complete opposites.

Aerobic exercise typically is characterized by low to moderate intensity, high volume and frequency, and little progression. Anaerobic exercise, or weight training, must be performed at a high intensity, lower volume and frequency, and with progression to be as effective as possible.

No amount of weight training performed at a low or moderate intensity will provide significant muscle or strength building benefit beyond the first few weeks. On a high level view, it is simply the combination of sufficient intensity, coupled with attempting to increase either the number of repetitions of a weight training exercise or the amount of weight used each and every workout that will keep your body evolving into the ultimate fat burning machine!

You also have to pay attention to other details when creating an effective and efficient routine to maximize your workout and minimize your time spent in the gym. Why? Because perhaps even more important that the workout itself is the rest period that follows. You’re not going to get stronger or more muscular if you don’t rest.

You see, when you strength train properly, you are creating tiny injuries to your muscles. You then have to let the body repair itself, and then overcompensate and build upon the already existing amount of muscle mass you have. If you workout again before that process in completed, you’ll experience lackluster, if any, muscle building or fat burning results.

So make sure to get proper rest between workouts, which typically means a minimum of 1 to 3 full days of rest between properly executed resistance workouts.

Now upon hearing the idea that you’ve got add muscle to your body to ensure the maximum fat burning environment, a lot of people, women especially, start thinking, “But I don’t want to get bigger, I want to lose weight!” But this is such a shame, because it’s very unlikely to happen, and countless women are losing out on these fat burning benefits because of it.

You see, most men and almost all women simply lack the necessary genetic traits required to produce such muscle gains that would cause them to look bulky or overly-developed to most people. These traits include testosterone levels, muscle fiber makeup, muscle belly length, and others.

Those competitive bodybuilders you’ve seen on TV and in the magazines are the genetic cream of the crop for muscle development and they are typically on heavy doses of anabolic steroids, growth hormone, and other bodybuilding drugs. Don’t be fooled by these images, or those that scare you into thinking this way. Also, lean muscle is more compact that fat, as it takes up less space in your body, so you will actually be getting smaller when replacing the fat on your body with lean muscle.

Please understand that you’re putting yourself in the best position to succeed with your fat loss and fitness goals when you perform properly conducted intense resistance training, no matter who you are.

But make sure you understand and apply the three critical principles I discussed above. If you don’t, you’ll ultimately be unhappy with your results, both in your ability to burn fat and realize the lean, strong, and healthy body you deserve.

Continue reading »]]> Get the facts about potassium and learn some good dietary sources of this nutrient.

By Connie Brichford

Medically reviewed by Niya Jones, MD, MPH

Potassium is a mineral that most of us get every day through the foods we regularly eat — and that’s a good thing. “Potassium is a mineral necessary for good health,” explains Alexa Schmitt, a clinical nutritionist at Massachusetts General Hospital. “It aids in maintaining heart health by helping to regulate the fluid balance in the body.”

Potassium is classified as an electrolyte, which means that it carries an electric charge in your body. The body needs balanced amounts of electrolytes — including potassium, sodium, magnesium, and others — to keep the blood chemistry at the right levels so that your body can function at its best. Potassium also helps your body put the protein you eat to work, building muscle, bones, and other cells.

Who Needs to Pay Attention to Potassium?
Even though potassium helps our bodies in many ways, Schmitt says she cannot simply make a blanket recommendation about eating more potassium. That’s because different people need different amounts of potassium, depending on their overall health.

So who needs to watch their potassium intake?

• People with kidney disease are at risk of having too much potassium in the blood. They tend to retain potassium because their kidneys don’t get rid of extra potassium as normal kidneys would. Hyperkalemia, or high levels of potassium in the blood, can be caused by a number of things (including certain medications and hormonal deficiencies), but kidney disease is the most common culprit. High levels of potassium can lead to irregular heartbeats. Therefore, your doctor may periodically check your potassium levels, especially if you have kidney disease.
• People with high blood pressure are at increased risk for having low potassium levels (hypokalemia) because some high blood pressure medications can deplete potassium levels in the blood. Other conditions that can cause low potassium include vomiting, diarrhea, and eating disorders. Certain laxatives and diuretics have been found to cause low potassium as well. Low potassium is characterized by weakness, fatigue, constipation, and muscle cramps. If your potassium level becomes too low, it can also affect your heartbeat. Talk with your doctor about monitoring your potassium levels if you take high blood pressure medication or have a condition that may cause low potassium.

Foods High in Potassium
Though a lot of people associate bananas with potassium, there are a number of other foods that are high in potassium, which Schmitt defines as having at least 350 milligrams of potassium per serving.

In addition to bananas, Schmitt’s high-potassium food favorites include dried apricots, cantaloupe, beets, figs, honeydew melon, and orange juice. “Cantaloupe and honeydew are great [for potassium] because people tend to eat more cantaloupe in one sitting than they would bananas or dried apricots,” she says. Other foods that are high in potassium include potatoes (with the skin on), soy products, dairy products, and meats.

Many of us already enjoy foods that are high in potassium, but if you’re worried about your potassium intake because of conditions such as high blood pressure or kidney disease, talk to your doctor or see a nutritionist. They can help you plan a healthy diet.

Continue reading »]]> Some people wonder why they feel tired all the time. They wonder if they’re getting enough vitamin supplements, so they stock up on those. They think they’re not getting enough sleep, so they try to squeeze in a nap or two and wind up napping all day and still feel exhausted. They pinpoint too much activity causing their tiredness, and try to cut back on an already lax schedule, but still feel tired even when they just spend the day lounging on the couch watching soap operas. Perhaps they haven’t reconciled their sluggishness to a lack of physical activity instead of an excess of it. Sometimes when a person feels slothful, it can also be caused by a lack of activity, or more specifically, a sense of boredom. In that case, exercise can actually provide a solution.

First off, exercise increases metabolism rates. The increased efficiency means that the food you eat will get all the nutrients delivered straight to their targets. This solves the problem of whether you are getting enough nourishment much more than trying to stock up on vitamins while not getting them infused into your system. Perhaps your organs were a little inefficient prior to the workout routines. When you throw in a little exercise, the improved metabolism will translate into your organs getting the necessary nourishment quickly and efficiently.

Second, the heightened heart rate and breathing that comes from exercise results in a person who feels more alive. This increases body temperature, giving you a boost of energy. This is why some athletes, especially runners, undergo what they call a second wind. Instead of feeling tired a certain time period into a running session, they have a heightened boost of energy that enables them to speed off much faster than before. The same thing happens when a person exercises. After the initial trouble of getting up and moving, a sort of second wind happens wherein he gets the needed energy boost that gets him going for a long time more. You will find that you actually enjoy getting active, and will want to do it over and over!

Next, exercise makes you concentrate on a certain task. For example, instead of lounging around thinking of worrisome realities, when you exercise, you wind up focusing on getting the correct movement and it may temporarily chase away the worries. It also fights boredom by giving you something to look forward to on the daily schedule. This is especially true when you set a regular schedule for your workout. Instead of wandering around looking for things to do, you at least have something set for that given time, getting you off your butt and onto the exercise equipment.

Lastly, exercise releases endorphins or happy hormones, which are responsible for the good mood that people feel. Being in a happy mood means you will be less prone to feel bored, whether or not you are doing something, therefore making you less susceptible to sluggishness. After all, sometimes a main cause of wanting to spend hours in front of the TV is boredom or a sense of exhaustion that may not actually be physically caused. At least when you get a dose of the happy hormones, you will feel active and ready to take on the world no matter what the cost. The happy feeling actually even stays much longer than the actual exercise itself, so you can see how, even after you wrap up your workout session, you will find yourself longing to keep being active and productive.

Once you understand the role that exercise plays in stirring you up from sluggishness, you will find yourself wanting to get moving. You will find yourself excited to shake off that perennial exhaustion and finally feel alive and kicking once again. Finally, there is a solution that does not require any expensive investment! After all, working out can be done right in your own home or perhaps right outside your front door. Rest assured, you will definitely see results even on the first workout session you embark on, because exercise can do wonders even to the most amateur or workout enthusiasts! Try it and see how it helps you feel much more active and excited for life.

Continue reading »]]> What makes protein good or bad? Learn to make smart protein choices.

By Connie Brichford

Medically reviewed by Niya Jones, MD, MPH

Our bodies need protein to build strong bones, muscles, skin, and cells. Because we can’t store protein in our bodies the way we can store carbohydrates, we need to make sure we eat enough protein every day. But is all protein created equal?

Alexa Schmitt, RD, a clinical nutritionist at Massachusetts General Hospital, says that what makes a protein “good” or “bad” is its saturated fat content. Proteins that are high in saturated fats can raise your cholesterol level, which in turn puts you at higher risk for heart disease. Most adults need to eat 40 to 65 grams of protein each day. And though most Americans already eat more protein than they need, we don’t necessarily eat enough of the “good” protein. So how can we make smart choices about which sources of protein to choose?

Good Sources of Protein
Here are a variety of protein choices you probably encounter every day:

• Meats. Schmitt says that salami, steak, and chicken with skin are meats that are high in protein but also high in saturated fat. A six-ounce steak, for instance, has almost all the protein you need for one day, but that same steak has nearly 75 percent of your daily saturated fat intake. Does this mean you have to give up your Italian sub sandwiches or Philly cheesesteaks? Not necessarily. Schmitt recommends moderation: “Try to eat these meats only once or twice a week,” she says.
• Lean meats. Luckily, there are also leaner choices for die-hard meat eaters. Chicken, turkey, fish, and beef that is 95 percent lean are still high in protein but have less fat, especially the saturated fats that can lead to high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
• Soy. Schmitt says that soy proteins are rich in protein and low in saturated fats. She recommends edamame (baby soybeans) and vegetarian meat alternatives such as soy nuggets and veggie burgers. Look for these in the refrigerator case at your local supermarket. Edamame is usually served lightly boiled and salted, often as a part of Japanese and Chinese cuisine. If you don’t have an Asian specialty market near you, check the freezer section of conventional supermarkets, which sometimes carry edamame.
• Beans, legumes, and nuts. All varieties of beans are good sources of protein and low in saturated fats, Schmitt says. Chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, taste delicious on salads or in hummus, a low-fat dip. Spicy vegetarian chili recipes can be a flavorful alternative to traditional chili. Legumes such as dried peas and lentils can also be used in chili and stews. And nuts, when eaten in moderation, are another good source of protein that is not high in fat.
• Dairy. Dairy products are often overlooked as sources of protein, but they are certainly worth mentioning, says Schmitt. Some dairy products are higher in saturated fat than others. She recommends the low-fat versions of cottage cheese, Greek-style yogurt, and ricotta cheese, not only because of their value as a protein source but because they also make an easy and convenient snack.

In addition to choosing good sources of protein, it can also be useful to plan your meals ahead of time. Advance planning can help you identify the foods that you tend to eat too much of, allowing you to make better substitutions beforehand.

Things to Remember
When choosing protein sources, remember that while you might get the same amount of protein from high- and low-fat options, you run the risk of increasing your blood pressure and cholesterol levels by choosing sources with a higher fat content. Consider leaner cuts of meats and getting more of your daily protein from plant sources to protect your heart.

Click here to learn more about HCG Gold Wellness Center’s Body Composition Shake

Continue reading »]]> By Robyn Moreno

Everyone’s metabolism naturally slows down with age. At 40, you could be burning 100 to 300 fewer calories a day than you did at 30, says Pamela M. Peeke, M.D., author of Body for Life for Women and assistant professor of medicine at the University of Maryland in Baltimore. That can translate into a 10-25-pound weight gain in a year. But you can counteract that slowdown and boost your body’s fat-burning capabilities by making just a few tweaks to your daily routine. The following strategies will help you bust out of a weight-loss plateau and burn even more fat.

Take five
Do five minutes of exercise each morning. We all have a metabolic thermostat, called the metastat, that can be turned up or down, and morning is the best time to activate it. Each day, your metastat is waiting for signals to rev up, so the more signals you can send it, the better. Your best bet is a light, full-body activity like walking or push-ups.

Fuel up in the morning
Numerous studies have found that regular breakfast eaters are often leaner than breakfast skippers. “Your metabolism naturally slows at night, but you can jump-start it in the morning by eating breakfast,” says Tammy Lakatos Shames, R.D., C.D.N., co-author of Fire Up Your Metabolism. And because both your activity level and metabolism decrease later in the day, it’s a good idea to make breakfast or lunch your largest meal.

Fill up on good grains
Whole grains such as brown rice, wheat germ, dark bread, whole-grain cereal, oatmeal and bran leave you feeling full because they take longer to digest than simple carbohydrates. In a study from The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School evaluated the dietary intake of more than 74,000 women for 12 years. Overall, women who regularly ate the most whole-grain foods — about 1.5 servings a day — gained less weight than women who ate the least.

Pump yourself up
Muscle burns more calories than fat does, and decreased muscle mass can be one of the main reasons metabolism slows. Disuse can cause women to drop as much as 10 pounds of muscle between the ages of 30 and 50. Losing that much muscle means you’ll burn 350 to 500 fewer calories a day. To build and maintain muscle mass, aim for two to three strength-training workouts a week. If you don’t belong to a gym, try push-ups, squats, abdominal crunches and tricep dips off a chair.

Power on with protein 
Add a little high-quality, lowfat protein, such as chicken, fish and egg whites, to your meals, and you’ll help your body burn fat faster. “Because protein requires more energy to digest, it speeds up your metabolism, and protein is necessary to ensure against loss of muscle tissue,” says Michael Thurmond, author of 6 Day Body Makeover.

Get your vitamin “I”
That’s “I” for intensity. You love to walk, but if that usually means strolling along at a snail’s pace, your waistline will pay little attention. Instead, put intensity, or “vitamin I,” into your stride. Pick up your pace so you’re walking at 4 mph, or one mile per 15 minutes. Once you build up your cardiovascular fitness level, you can even alternate between walking and jogging. The key is to get your heart rate up and keep your workouts challenging.

Say yes to yogurt
In a recent study from the International Journal of Obesity, women who ate three daily servings of lowfat yogurt lost 60 percent more fat than women who didn’t. In another study, participants who ate three daily servings of dairy lost more than twice as much fat as those who ate less than that. “Calcium-rich diets reduce fat-producing enzymes and increase enzymes that break down fat,” says Michael B. Zemel, Ph.D., lead author of both studies and director of the Nutrition Institute at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Eat three servings of lowfat dairy a day, like milk, yogurt and hard cheeses (Gouda, Cheddar and Monterey Jack).

Get active after eating
Your body’s metabolic rate increases 10 percent after eating, and just a few minutes of activity could double that boost for up to three hours. Within 15 to 30 minutes of eating a snack or meal, do five or 10 minutes of light activity. Take the dog for a walk, climb stairs in your house or do some basic strength exercises.

Sip green tea
You might love your lattes, but if you switch to green tea, not only will you get a healthy dose of disease-fighting compounds, you’ll also cut body fat. In a study from The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, people who drank a bottle of tea fortified with green tea extract every day for three months lost more body fat than people who drank black tea. Researchers at a health care lab in Tokyo believe disease-fighting antioxidants called catechins in green tea may help decrease body fat.

 Click here to learn more about healthy eating and nutrition

Continue reading »]]> Are you finding it difficult to get out of bed in the morning for your daily walk — and are you making up excuses to skip the gym on the way home?

Even the most dedicated exercisers occasionally get bored with their routine. Waning motivation, cutting short and not having your old enthusiasm are signs of a stale exercise regimen.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t re-energize your routine. The American Council on Exercise (ACE) has worked out the following 10 tips for staying motivated to stay active.

1. Vary your routine or change your scenery! A new variation on your favorite activity — cardio kickboxing instead of Step aerobics; power yoga instead of working on machines — may be enough to reinvigorate a stale routine. If you’ve always exercised indoors, move your workout outside for a welcome change of scenery.
2. Try something entirely new! Make it something you never dreamed you’d do. If you’ve always stuck to solitary pursuits, sign up for a team sport. Or tackle something you’ve shied away from… maybe even rock climbing!
3. Find a workout buddy! Exercise companions add a social element to any routine. Ask a friend to be your workout partner — you won’t skip a workout if someone is waiting for you.
4. Set a new goal! Working out to stay in shape is fine, but setting a goal — such as finishing a 10k race or completing a rough water swim — will give your daily workouts more meaning.
5. Treat yourself to a workout gadget or accessory! Heart-rate monitors, aquatic toys and other exercise gadgets can make your workouts more fun and challenging.
6. Keep an exercise log to track your progress! Unsure if your making progress toward your goals? Then start a workout log. It allows you to keep track of your goals, monitor your progress and adjust your routines as necessary.
7. Don’t berate yourself if you miss a workout! Life is full of obstacles. Unexpected appointments, illness and setbacks are bound to happen sooner or later. Don’t let a few missed workouts turn into a month of unfulfilled resolutions.
8. Reward yourself! Reaching a fitness goal or milestone is a great excuse to treat yourself to something new. A massage, an evening out, or some other “indulgence” may be the key to staying motivated.
9. Focus on how good exercise makes you look and feel! You know that incredibly satisfied and healthy feeling you get immediately after a workout? Remember it! And use it to motivate yourself the next time you’re thinking about blowing off that next workout!

10. If all else fails… take a break from exercise! Sometimes a lack of motivation is your body’s way of telling you to take a break. If anything hurts, or if your energy is running low, take a break for a few days before resuming your workouts. A little “R&R” may be just what your body needs to renew your motivation.

Click here to learn more about Santa Maria Athletic Club!