Fitness Prep to Compete and Win

Athletes who want a winning edge need the right nutrition. When you drink enough water and eat a balanced diet, your body can make energy efficiently and fuel top performance.

You can make the most of your athletic talents and gain more strength, power, and endurance when you train. Base your diet on a variety of factors, including your age, size, physical condition, and the type of exercise you are doing. See your doctor for individualized nutrition advice.

Hydration
Water is the most important factor in sports nutrition. Water makes up approximately 62% of body weight and is involved in almost every body process. Your body cannot make or store water, so you must replace the water you eliminate in your urine and sweat.

Everyone should drink at least 2 quarts (8 cups) of water each day, and athletes need more. Drink plenty of fluids before, during, and after sports events to stay hydrated and to avoid overheating. When you work out or compete, especially in hot weather, try to closely match the amount of fluid you drink with the amount you lose in sweat.

Cool water is the best fluid to keep you hydrated during workouts or events that last an hour or less. Sports drinks containing 6% to 10% carbohydrates are useful for longer events. Most sports drinks should be diluted with approximately 50% water.

Drink water even if you are not thirsty. Thirst is not a reliable way to tell if you need water. You won’t start feeling thirsty until you have already lost about 2% of body weight–enough to hurt performance. Also, if you stop drinking water once your thirst is satisfied, you will get only about half the amount you need.

Some tips for staying hydrated:
• Drink small amounts of water frequently, rather than large amounts less often.
• Drink cold beverages to cool your core body temperature and reduce sweating.
• Weigh yourself after working out, and drink 2 to 3 cups of water for every pound lost. Your body weight should be back to normal before the next workout.
• Pay attention to the amount and color of your urine. You should excrete a large volume that is nearly colorless. Small amounts of urine or dark yellow-colored urine can indicate dehydration.

Fuel Sources
Eating a balanced diet is another key to sports nutrition. The right combination of fuel (calories) from carbohydrates, proteins, and fats gives you energy for top performance.

Carbohydrates
The most important fuel source, carbohydrates are found in fruits, vegetables, pastas, breads, cereals, rice, and other foods. Carbohydrates should provide about 60% to 70% of your daily calories.

Your body converts the sugars and starches in carbohydrates to energy (glucose) or stores it in your liver and muscle tissues (glycogen), giving you endurance and power for high-intensity, short-duration activities.

If your body runs out of carbohydrate fuel during exercise, it will burn fat and protein for energy, causing your performance level to drop. This can happen if you start exercising without much muscle glycogen, exercise heavily for more than an hour without eating more carbohydrates, do repeated high-intensity, short-duration exercises, or participate in multiple events or training sessions in a single day.

Use a carbohydrate strategy to stay energized and perform at your best:
• Eat carbohydrates for at least several days before exercise/competition to start with glycogen-loaded muscles.
• Eat more carbohydrates during exercise/competition that lasts more than an hour to replenish energy and delay fatigue.

Proteins
Proteins are found in meats, fish, poultry, eggs, beans, nuts, dairy products, and other foods. Proteins should provide approximately 12% to 15% of your daily calories.

Proteins give your body power to build new tissues and fluids, among other functions. Your body cannot store extra protein, so it burns it for energy or converts it to fat. The amount of protein an athlete needs depends in part on level of fitness; exercise type, intensity, and duration; total daily calories; and carbohydrate intake.

Fats
Saturated fats come from animal-based foods, such as meats, eggs, milk, and cheese. Unsaturated fats are found in vegetable products, such corn oil. Fats should provide no more than about 20% to 30% of daily calories.

Your body needs small amounts of fat for certain critical functions and as an alternative energy source to glucose. But eating too much fat is associated with heart disease, some cancers, and other major problems. Also, if you eat too much fat, it probably means that you don’t get enough carbohydrates.

How your body uses fat for energy depends on the intensity and duration of exercise. For example, when you rest or exercise at low to moderate intensity, fat is the primary fuel source. As you increase exercise intensity, your body uses more carbohydrates for fuel. If your body uses up its glycogen supply and you keep exercising, your body will burn fat for energy, decreasing exercise intensity.

Precompetition Nutrition
What you eat several days before an endurance activity affects performance. The food you eat the morning of a sports competition can ward off hunger, keep blood sugar levels adequate, and aid hydration. Avoid high protein or high fat foods on the day of an event because this can put stress the kidneys and take a long time to digest.

General Guidelines:
• Eat a meal high in carbohydrates.
• Take solid foods 3 to 4 hours before an event. Take liquids 2 to 3 hours before an event.
• Choose easily digestible foods (ie, not fried).
• Avoid sugary foods/drinks within 1 hour of the event.
• Drink enough fluids to ensure hydration (ie, 20 ounces of water 1 to 2 hours before exercise and an additional 10 to 15 ounces within 15 to 30 minutes of event.) Replenishing fluids lost to sweat is the primary concern during an athletic event. Drink 3 to 6 ounces of water or dilute sports drink every 10 to 20 minutes throughout competition.

Carbohydrate Loading
To avoid running out of carbohydrates for energy, some endurance athletes, such as long-distance runners, swimmers, and bicyclists, load their muscles with glycogen by eating extra carbohydrates in combination with doing depletion exercises several days before an event:

• First exercise to exhaustion. Your workout must be identical to the upcoming event to deplete the right muscles.
• Then eat a high carbohydrate diet (70% to 80% carbohydrates, 10% to 15% fat, 10% to 15% protein), and do little or no exercise starting 3 days before your event. Muscles loaded with unused glycogen will be available to work for longer periods of time during competition.

Discover the Fitness Secrets
of the “Naturally” Lean

You know who they are, the “naturally” lean people. You see them on almost every magazine cover wearing their ridiculously skinny jeans and their washboard revealing midriff tops. Their super charged metabolisms seem to burn off anything they eat leaving their bodies impossibly lean without any effort.

They’re just too perfect to live and, truth be told, they don’t really exist. These people with seemingly impossibly fast metabolisms, these people that eat anything that they want are just like you and me. They just have a secret weapon against fat that anyone can use, including you.

Secret Weapon #1:
They eat when they’re hungry:

Here is a statement that I want you to burn into your memory; if as a society we only ate when we were hungry, there would be no overweight people in the world.

Your body has the ability to regulate your weight naturally. Your brain knows that extra fat on your frame is unhealthy; it actually fights against it… for awhile. However, society has programmed us to overeat.

Portions are enormous, snack foods like chips and cookies are not just encouraged, they are mandatory, almost everything in our world is somehow tied to food. That’s right, you have been programmed to overeat.

Remember when you were a kid? You didn’t worry about watching calories. You ate when you were hungry. Somewhere along the way those natural eating patterns set by your own internal rhythms were overridden with imposed programming.

Maybe your parents made you clean your plate before leaving the table, maybe you learned to eat when you were stressed out, maybe you got into the habit of eating junk in front of the T.V. Somewhere along the line our natural habit of eating when we were hungry became eating when we are stressed, or sad, or bored, or distracted.

As a society we use food for almost anything but what it was intended for, a source of fuel. The first step to getting to lean is to separate actual hunger, from something masquerading as hunger. Thirst, lack of sleep, stress, boredom, all can trigger the hunger reflex.

There was a time when listening to your body and its internal rhythm was second nature. The first secret is to get back to the point where your body tells you what it needs and when it needs it… and you listen.

Secret Weapon #2: They eat the foods
that they want to:

Our bodies have the innate ability to eat the foods that they need. What we call “cravings” are actually our bodies way of telling us we need something in that food to grow, heal, maintain.

However, just like our ability to regulate when we eat, we have reprogrammed or ability to regulate what we eat and how much we eat. Listening to our bodies is not something that is encouraged in our society, as a matter of fact the assault on our natural inclinations is relentless.

Every commercial, every billboard, every magazine advertisement screams that we should consume, and consume as much as possible. Not only have we built a fast food restaurant on every corner, we can have it delivered if we don’t want to leave the couch. We have an entire industry dedicated to getting us to overeat.

Once again, the secret here is to listen to your body, not that commercial. Have you ever felt “bad” after eating food that you knew was unhealthy? Maybe it gave you heartburn, maybe it made you sluggish and tired, maybe you got a headache. All of these things are your body way of telling you, no, screaming at you that you ate the wrong thing.

Now, how do you feel after you’ve eaten a meal that you know is good for you. A quality lean protein source, lots of fresh vegetables and fruits, a complex carbohydrate.

I’d be willing to bet that you feel great! You have more energy. Your mood is lifted. Your workout was more satisfying. What do you think your body is telling you when feel this way? Listen to that message. Embrace that feeling.

Secret Weapon #3:
They don’t count calories :

We are all creature of habit. Take a look back at any week of your life and you will see patterns in the way you eat. We usually eat at roughly the same times everyday, and we usually eat the same things from the same places.

Once the pattern is recognized and established you know where your calories are coming from, and once they’re counted, you know how many you’re taking in. Now of course there are some times when there will be exceptions, like when you’re traveling or special occasion dinners.

However, for the most part your diet stays pretty constant. The trick here is to know the calories in the foods you eat, to make that knowledge a part of the eating process.

Once you know the calorie counts for all of the foods that you eat, you automatically know how many calories you’re taking in on a particular day and if you’re over or under your calorie goal. So the secret here is, don’t count…know!

Secret Weapon #4:
They don’t keep a food journal:

Now I know that I’m going to get some grief for this one. As a trainer I insist that all of my clients keep a food journal. Well, you might ask, how can not keeping one be a secret to being impossibly lean?

My philosophy on eating healthy, as well as working out is that it should become a part of your lifestyle. It should become second nature to know how many calories that you’re taking in and the quality of those calories.

Keeping a food journal is just a way to establish patterns, once the patterns are established, once you recognize the parameters, once all of this is engrained and your old damaged programming is rewritten, the food journal is internalized, just like it was when you were a kid, before your natural rhythms were disrupted. It’s just like counting calories, sure you have to do it before you can know what the count is.

Sure you have to keep your journal before you can establish patterns. But once you have, your day to day eating is established. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve asked to see my clients food journals and I see page after page of the same things over and over. Once you reach that point, the need for a food journal is done.

Secret Weapon #5:
They don’t “Workout”:

This is another one of those remember when you were a kid scenarios. Kids don’t go to the gym. They don’t need to. They play. Their workout is whatever is the most fun at the time.

Playing tag, riding bikes, roller skating, climbing the jungle gym all kept us burning calories when we were little. It’s time to get back to that mindset. Workouts shouldn’t be a chore. They should be fun. If your workouts aren’t fun, you’re doing it wrong.

If you don’t like running, don’t run. Ride a bike instead. Find a trail that inspires you, invite friends to go along. If riding a bike doesn’t get your mojo running then go surfing. The point is find something that you love doing, and you’ll never workout a day in your life.

I happen to love weight lifting, always have. Even when I was a little kid I had a set of dumbbells. Ok, maybe I was a weird kid, but the point is that when I workout, I’m doing something that I love.

Every one of us has a favorite activity. It might have been awhile since you done it, you may have even forgot about it, but somewhere in your brain is the memory of pure joy that only physical exertion can bring you. Find that bliss, it will save you.

So there you have it, the secrets to being impossibly lean. Just like most things in life, the answers are simple, they’re just not easy. Stick to the basics, make minor adjustments and have fun. Getting lean can be a rewarding journey. Don’t be afraid to start that journey today.

How Soon Will I See Results
From TigerFit Boot Camp?

-Harmony Deangelo, Marina Del Rey, CA

Dear Harmony;

Performance improvement can take place in as little as three days.

Visual improvement can take from two to four weeks depending on your effort level and your ability to stick to your nutrition plan.

It’s not uncommon to see a camper go down 1-2 sizes within the first camp.

Remember, everyone is different! It’s not a competition, so focus on your individual results, and use other camper’s energy to help motivate and inspire you! Go to Tiger Fitness Boot Camp>

-The Tiger Fitness Team

Healthy and Unhealthy Fat Myths Exposed

“You are what you eat.” “Fat is bad.” “Fatty foods make you fat.” We’re constantly inundated with messages like the ones above. But the simple truth of the matter is this: Fats are an essential part of a nutritious, well balanced diet. I’ll say it again: Fats are an essential part of a nutritious, well balanced diet. First, let’s distinguish between dietary fats and body fat. Dietary fats, as the name implies, simply refer to the fats in the food we eat.

The fat we take in does not automatically become body fat. Before we go any further, keep in mind that we do need some body fat. Stored fat helps maintain body temperature and protects vital organs from injury. For most of us, it’s the excess the body fat that we worry about when we look in the mirror. This is the result of consuming more calories than you burn.

Calories are energy. You need them to fuel your body. But when you consume too many calories (in any form) your body has an ingenious way of storing those extra calories (energy) for when you may need them later – fat. Body fat is essentially your body’s “strategic energy reserve.” That’s all fat is: a source of concentrated energy, nothing more.

Back to dietary fat. One more time: Fats are an essential part of a nutritious, well balanced diet. Dietary fat aids in the absorption and transport of the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) and other fat-soluble nutrients. Plus, fat improves the mouth “feel” of food and makes it taste better. (No surprise there.) Finally, fat provides a sense of satiety (or “fullness”) that helps us moderate how much food we eat at one time. Your body needs two essential fatty acids. (Essential meaning the body cannot produce it on its own.)

The omega 3 fat alpha-linolenic acid, and the omega 6 fat linoleic acid.Both are necessary – some would say “critical” – for a wide variety of important physiological processes. So why all the bad press for fat? If dietary fat doesn’t automatically make you fat, can I stop worrying about my fat intake? Not quite. As noted, Fat at is an incredibly efficient energy source.

Remember, energy = calories. And one gram (g) of fat supplies nine calories. Carbohydrates and protein provide just 4 calories per gram (g). Hence, more dietary fat equals more calories. This may be how dietary fat got its bad name. But it’s important to distinguish between different kinds of fat. Important, and sometimes confusing. There are essentially four kinds of fat. Some healthy, some not so much. First, the bad fats.

TRANS FATS (also known as hydrogenated fats) the baddest of the bunch, Trans Fats are associated with an increased risk for heart disease. While very small amounts of trans fats occur naturally in some meat and dairy products, the majority of trans fat we consume (about 80%) is produced through an industrial chemical process called hydrogenation. (Sounds appetizing, no?)

Simply put, hydrogenation adds hydrogen to various places in the fatty acid chain. Technically, the hydrogenation process is incomplete – but the molecular structure of the fatty acids is transformed from the fats’ natural configuration to an unnatural “trans” configuration.

These trans fats appeal to food manufacturers because once fat has undergone this partial hydrogenation, it becomes a solid, spreadable fat with an increased shelf life. Thus these pernicious trans fats show up in a wide variety of everyday processed foods, everything from the obvious suspects such as margarine, shortening, and potato chips, to less obvious culprits like baked goods – breads, muffins, cookies, chips, even non-dairy creamers and candy.

Always check ingredient labels for any “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” oils. Fortunately manufactures are now including “trans fat” information on nutrition labels, but stay vigilante. And stay away from Trans Fats. Your heart will thank you. Still not convinced? In addition to increased risk for heart disease, high cholesterol and high triglycerides, continuing studies are linking trans fats to breast cancer, diabetes, birth defects, THE OTHER FATS… The remaining three fats occur naturally. While all are better than trans fats, not all fats are created equal: two have beneficial effects, but one can be harmful.

With names that don’t exactly trip off the tongue – Saturated Fats, Monounsaturated Fats, and Polyunsaturated Fats – it’s hard to tell which ones are better for you. Here’s what you need to know: The Saturated Fats: That stick of butter on the picnic table next to the corn on the cob? Chock full of saturated fats. Saturated fats are typically solid at room temperature. Others sources of saturated fat include coconut and palm oil, red meat, poultry, and lard.

Though less harmful than trans fats, these fats are the worst of the remaining three: Indeed, high dietary intake of saturated fat is associated with elevated cholesterol levels and an increased risk for heart disease. In addition, saturated fat can cause an inflammatory response that impairs the ability of the arteries to deliver blood to tissues and organs throughout the body. Consume this fat sparingly. The Monounsaturated Fats: Better for you than the saturated fats.

Monounsaturated fats are typically liquid at room temperature, but solidify when refrigerated. Sources of monounsaturated fat include olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, and avocados. Historically, monounsaturated fats, especially olive oil, were the most prevalent fats in the diets of people living in the Mediterranean and may be partly responsible for the low rates of many degenerative diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease seen in this region.

Extra virgin olive oil is delicious and good for you. But don’t overdo it. Try measuring out a tablespoon, mixing in some rosemary and crushed garlic, and using it to dip your favorite bread. The Polyunsaturated Fats: Polyunsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature and remain in liquid form when refrigerated or frozen. The two essential fatty acids –– linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid, are polyunsaturated fatty acids.

They’re both key to good health, but their intake needs to be carefully balanced. Unfortunately in the U.S., intake of polyunsaturated fats is highly unbalanced. While many people consume excess polyunsaturated fat, (it’s common in processed and fast food) they don’t get enough of the two essential building blocks linoleic and linolenic acid. Worse, even those who do consume enough of the omega 6 building block (linoleic acid) do not consume nearly enough of the omega 3 building block (linolenic acid).

The good news: with a little care, you can easily increase your omega 3 intake. Best food sources of omega 3s include flax seeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, walnuts and wild-caught fatty fish such as salmon. High dietary intake of omega 3 fats is associated with a decreased risk for heart disease, and may be beneficial in the treatment of a variety of health conditions including the autoimmune diseases (for example, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis) due to omega 3’s anti inflammatory properties.

The bottom line? When you go low-fat, be especially careful to maintain adequate intake of the omega 3 fatty acids. And go ahead, enjoy the salmon, roast some pumpkin seeds (but watch the added salt!) Your body will thank you. Fats are an essential part of a nutritious, well balanced diet. Just make sure you’re getting the right ones.

We Cut Through the Nutrition Confusion!

In our world of fast food and fried chicken it is hard to see the forest through the trees. What health foods should you eat? When given a choice between two or more food options how do you know if you are making the right one? And why is it that your waistline would much rather expand than shrink?

What should you eat? Here I am just going to give you general guidelines – since we would have to sit down together to create an exact fat burning meal plan for the optimal health of your body. These suggestions are a basic guideline to healthy meals that do not promote fat storage.

Protein: 20% Fat: 15% Carbs: 65%

Each meal that you consume needs to have calories coming from protein, carbohydrates and fat. Your body needs each of these in small amounts throughout the day – when you take in a meal that is 90% carbohydrate 5% fat and 5% protein your body is going to digest it faster (i.e. get hungry again faster) even if the calorie count is the same as a meal with above percentages, and you are more likely to store a percentage of the carbs as fat.

Hold your horses…
Don’t go and cut all the carbs out of your meals just yet. We all saw what the low carb craze did for the Santa Monica and the country. People actually got fatter! Cutting carbs could cause a whole new “house of cards” effect and your body will once again go into fat storage mode. Believe me, you don’t want that.

The food-filled word around us may be intimidating, but weight loss success can be achieved quite easily. Most likely the food choices that you make daily could be tweaked to promote weight loss rather than weight gain. Check out the following practical guide that will train you to make the best possible food choice—one that will shrink your waist and promote optimal health and wellness.

Knowing the Good from the Bad
Use the following list to exchange foods from your current diet for ones that are healthier. Many of us have forgotten the amazing flavors of truly natural foods. There is nothing like apples, peaches, oranges and blueberries fresh from the Farmer’s Market in Santa. Your waist will only get smaller because of it!

Obesity and Insulin Level Impact
Your Prostate Cancer Survival

Listen up Men of Los Angeles and Santa Monica!
Men who are overweight and who have high insulin levels when they are diagnosed with prostate cancer may be more likely to die from the disease, research shows. This striking finding, published early online and expected to be in the November 2008 issue of The Lancet Oncology, is yet more reason to continue fighting the battle of the bulge, experts say.

“I don’t want to be sensationalist, but obesity effects and the insulin effects are so big that I think if you had to choose between being thin and having a low insulin level or having access to the best chemotherapy, you would be more likely to survive without chemotherapy,” said study senior author Dr. Michael Pollak, professor of oncology at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

“Tens of thousands of men are taking chemotherapy for prostate cancer — as they should, because it is a good treatment. Doing so is actually helping,” he said. “But potentially, dealing with insulin, obesity may one day be of more benefit.”

The findings also have scientific import, giving researchers a clue that could lead to new prevention and treatment strategies. Good to know Los Angeles!

Experts have long known that androgens, or male hormones, play a critical role in spurring prostate cancer. In fact, these cancers are often treated with approaches that deprive the tumors of testosterone.

Smaller reports have suggested that obese patients with prostate cancer have a worse prognosis than patients of regular weight, though weight hasn’t been related to actually developing a malignancy.

“We found in a large sample that obesity has a very important influence on prostate cancer outcome,” Pollak said. “Then the question becomes, why would obesity make the outcome worse for men?”

Pollak and his colleagues looked at information on more than 2,500 men who had been followed for 24 years as part of the Physicians’ Health Study. Information on body mass index (BMI) was available for all of these men, while information on C-peptide concentration (a marker of insulin levels in the blood) was available for 827 men.

Overweight men (those with a BMI of 25 to 29) had a 47 percent higher risk of dying from prostate cancer, while obese men (BMI of 30 or over) were more than two-and-a-half times more likely to die of the disease, compared with men of healthy weight (BMI under 25). Very important to know your BMI Santa Monica!

Men with the highest C-peptide concentrations also had more than double the risk of dying from their cancer compared with men with the lowest levels, the study found. Finally, men who had a BMI of more than 25 and high C-peptide concentrations had quadruple the risk of dying from their cancer compared with men who had lower BMIs and lower C-peptide levels, the researchers reported.

“This suggests that there may be a whole new story to tell, whereby not just androgens have something to do with cancer behavior, but also insulin,” Pollak said. The insulin hormone may be latching onto insulin receptors located on prostate cancer cells, he speculated. Some pharmaceutical companies are already testing drug candidates that target insulin signaling, Pollak added.

And the findings could have broader implications for other cancers that men get, said study lead author Dr. Jing Ma, of Harvard University’s Channing Laboratory.

The Simple Fixes

“The simple things are still the important things. Don’t drink, don’t smoke, exercise, and eat well,” said Dr. Ganesh Palapattu, assistant professor of urology, pathology and oncology at the University of Rochester School of Medicine. “This is yet another piece of evidence suggesting that obesity is not a good thing for many reasons.”

“Obesity is the second leading cause of cancer death in this country next to tobacco,” emphasized Dr. Jay Brooks, chief of hematology/oncology at Ochsner Health System in Baton Rouge, La. “Two years ago, I would never have told my patients that obesity is increasing their risk of death from cancer. Today, I do.” Take this to heart Santa Monica, men need to watch what they eat!

Exercising for Bone Health in Los Angeles

Vital at every age for healthy bones, exercise is important for treating and preventing osteoporosis. Not only does exercise improve your bone health, it also increases muscle strength, coordination, and balance, and leads to better overall health. Take note women of Santa Monica and Los Angeles.

Why Exercise?
Like muscle, bone is living tissue that responds to exercise by becoming stronger. Young women and men who exercise regularly generally achieve greater peak bone mass (maximum bone density and strength) than those who do not.

For most people, bone mass peaks during the third decade of life. After that time, we can begin to lose bone. Women and men older than age 20 can help prevent bone loss with regular exercise.

Exercising allows us to maintain muscle strength, coordination, better overall health, and balance, which in turn help to prevent falls and related fractures. This is especially important for older adults and people who have been diagnosed with osteoporosis.

The Best Bone Building Exercise
The best exercise for your bones is the weight-bearing kind, which forces you to work against gravity. Some examples of weight-bearing exercises include lifting weights, walking, hiking, jogging, climbing stairs, tennis, and dancing.

Examples of exercises that are not weight-bearing include swimming and bicycling. While these activities help build and maintain strong muscles and have excellent cardiovascular benefits, they are not the best way to exercise your bones.

Exercise Tips
If you have health problems Santa Monica – such as heart trouble, high blood pressure, diabetes, or obesity – or if you are over age 40, check with your doctor before you begin a regular exercise program. According to the Surgeon General, the optimal goal is at least 30 minutes of physical activity on most days, preferably daily.

If you have osteoporosis, ask your doctor which activities are safe for you. If you have low bone mass, experts recommend that you protect your spine by avoiding exercises or activities that flex, bend, or twist it.

Furthermore, you should avoid high-impact exercise in order to lower the risk of breaking a bone. You also might want to consult with an exercise specialist to learn the proper progression of activity, how to stretch and strengthen muscles safely, and how to correct poor posture habits.

An exercise specialist should have a degree in exercise physiology, physical education, physical therapy, or a similar specialty. Be sure to ask if he or she is familiar with the special health needs of people with osteoporosis.

A Complete Osteoporosis Program
Remember, exercise is only one part of an osteoporosis prevention or treatment program. Like a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D, exercise helps strengthen bones at any age. But proper exercise and diet may not be enough to stop bone loss caused by medical conditions, menopause, or lifestyle choices such as tobacco use and excessive alcohol consumption.

It is important to speak with your doctor about your bone health. Discuss when you might be a candidate for a bone mineral density test. If you are diagnosed with low bone mass, ask what medications might help keep your bones strong. Many physicians in Santa Monica can perform these tests to help you insure proper bone health.

Supercharge Your Fitness with Strength Training
Los Angeles and Santa Monica!

Research in Los Angeles and Santa Monica has shown that strengthening exercises are both safe and effective for women and men of all ages, including those who are not in perfect health. In fact, people with health concerns —including heart disease or arthritis—often benefit the most from an exercise program that includes lifting weights a few times each week.

Strength training, particularly in conjunction with regular aerobic exercise, can also have a profound impact on a person’s mental and emotional health as well as their overall fitness.

Benefits of Strength Training
There are numerous benefits to strength training regularly, particularly as you grow older. It can be very powerful in reducing the signs and symptoms of numerous diseases and chronic conditions, among them:

• arthritis
• diabetes
• osteoporosis
• obesity
• back pain
• depression

Arthritis Relief
Tufts University recently completed a strength-training program with older men and women with moderate to severe knee osteoarthritis. The results of this sixteen-week program showed that strength training decreased pain by 43%, increased muscle strength and general physical performance, improved the clinical signs and symptoms of the disease, and decreased disability. The effectiveness of strength training to ease the pain of osteoarthritis was just as potent, if not more potent, as medications. Similar effects of strength training have been seen in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in Santa Monica.

Restoration of Balance and Reduction of Falls
As people age, poor balance and flexibility contribute to falls and broken bones. These fractures can result in significant disability and, in some cases, fatal complications. Strengthening exercises, when done properly and through the full range of motion, increase a person’s flexibility and balance, which decrease the likelihood and severity of falls. One study in New Zealand in women 80 years of age and older showed a 40% reduction in falls with simple strength and balance training.

Strengthening of Bone
Post-menopausal women can lose 1-2% of their bone mass annually. Results from a study conducted at Tufts University, which were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1994, showed that fitness strength training increases bone density and reduces the risk for fractures among women aged 50-70.

Proper Weight Maintenance
Strength training is crucial to weight control, because individuals who have more muscle mass have a higher metabolic rate. Muscle is active tissue that consumes calories while stored fat uses very little energy. Strength training can provide up to a 15% increase in metabolic rate, which is enormously helpful for weight loss and long-term weight control. Important fitness facts Santa Monica!

Improved Glucose Control
More than 14 million Americans have type II diabetes—a staggering three-hundred percent increase over the past forty years—and the numbers are steadily climbing (rates are also climbing in Santa Monica). In addition to being at greater risk for heart and renal disease, diabetes is also the leading cause of blindness in older adults. Fortunately, studies now show that lifestyle changes such as strength training have a profound impact on helping older adults manage their diabetes. In a recent study of Hispanic men and women, 16 weeks of strength training produced dramatic improvements in glucose control that are comparable to taking diabetes medication. Additionally, the study volunteers were stronger, gained muscle, lost body fat, had less depression, and felt much more self-confident with a higher level of fitness

Healthy State of Mind
Strength training provides similar improvements in depression as anti-depressant medications. Currently, it is not known if this is because people feel better when they are stronger or if strength training produces a helpful biochemical change in the brain. It is most likely a combination of the two. When older adults participate in strength training programs, their self-confidence and self-esteem improve, which has a strong impact on their overall quality of life. With the stressful lives that folks in Santa Monica lead, this is especially important.

Sleep Improvement
People who exercise regularly enjoy improved sleep quality. They fall asleep more quickly, sleep more deeply, awaken less often, and sleep longer. As with depression, the sleep benefits obtained as a result of fitness strength training are comparable to treatment with medication but without the side effects or the expense.

Healthy Heart Tissue
Strength training is important for cardiac health because heart disease risk is lower when the body is leaner. One study found that cardiac patients gained not only strength and flexibility but also aerobic capacity when they did strength training three times a week as part of their rehabilitation program.

This and other studies have prompted the American Heart Association to recommend strength training as a way to reduce risk of heart disease and as a therapy for patients in cardiac rehabilitation programs. Many of these fitness programs are being conducted in Santa Monica and surrounding areas.

Physical Activity Improves Women’s Health
for the Better in Los Angeles

An active Los Angeles lifestyle can help every woman.
Being physically active can provide these health benefits:

• Reduces your risk of dying from heart disease or stroke

• Lowers your risk of getting heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, colon cancer, and diabetes

• Lowers high blood pressure

• Helps keep your bones, muscles, and joints healthy

• Reduces anxiety and depression and improves your mood

• Helps you handle stress

• Helps control your weight

• Protects against falling and bone fractures in older adults

• May help protect against breast cancer

• Helps control joint swelling and pain from arthritis

• Gives you more energy

• Helps you sleep better

• Helps you look better

Physical activity also is an important part of weight loss treatment. If you are overweight or obese, losing weight can lower your risk for many diseases. A growing number of women are overweight or obese.

Being overweight or obese increases your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, breathing problems, arthritis, gallbladder disease, sleep apnea (breathing problems while sleeping), osteoarthritis, and some cancers.

Obesity is measured with a body mass index (BMI). BMI shows the relationship of weight to height. Women with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 are considered overweight, whereas women with a BMI of 30 or more are considered obese.

All adults (aged 18 years or older) who have a BMI of 25 or more are considered at risk for premature death and disability from being overweight or obese. These health risks increase as the BMI rises. Your Santa Monica health care provider can help you figure out your body mass.

Not only are Santa Monica health care providers concerned about how much fat a person has, but also where the fat is located on the body. Women with a “pear” shape tend to store fat in their hips and buttocks.

Women with an “apple” shape store fat around their waists. For most women, carrying extra weight around their waists or middle (with a waist larger than 35 inches) raises health risks (like heart disease, diabetes, or cancer) more than carrying extra weight around their hips or thighs

How much physical activity should I do?
Engage in regular physical activity and reduce sedentary activities to promote health, psychological well-being, and a healthy body weight.

To lower the risk of chronic disease, get at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity, above usual activity, at work or home on most days of the week. Most people can get greater health benefits by engaging in physical activity of more vigorous intensity or longer duration.

To help manage body weight and prevent gradual, unhealthy body weight gain, get about 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity activity on most days of the week, while not exceeding caloric intake requirements.

To keep weight loss off, get at least 60 to 90 minutes of daily moderate-intensity physical activity while not exceeding caloric intake requirements.

Some people in Santa Monica may need to consult with their doctor before participating in this level of activity. Achieve physical fitness by including cardiovascular conditioning, stretching exercises for flexibility, and resistance exercises or calisthenics for muscle strength and endurance.

How can I prevent injuries when I exercise?
If you’re not active at all or have a medical problem, start your program with short sessions (5 to 10 minutes) of physical activity and build up to your goal.

Before you start your activity, be sure to warm up for 5 to 10 minutes. Use the right equipment-whether it’s walking shoes, running shoes, or knee pads-make sure it’s in good condition and right for your skill level. Drink water before, during, and after exercise.

At the end of your physical activity, cool down by decreasing the intensity of your activity so your heartbeat is normal. Be sure to stretch. If your chest feels tight or painful, or you feel faint or have trouble breathing at any time, stop the activity right away and talk to your health care provider.

I am a larger woman. Can I be physically active?
Very large people face special challenges trying to be active. You may not be able to bend or move in the same way that other people can. It may be hard to find clothes and equipment for exercising. You may feel self-conscious being active around other people. Facing these challenges is hard, but it can be done!

The Weight Control Information Network says that non-weight-bearing activities, like swimming or water workouts, put less stress on your joints because you don’t have to lift or push your own weight. If your feet or joints hurt when you stand, non-weight-bearing activities may be best for you.

• Use different jogging, walking, or biking paths in Santa Monica to vary your routine.

• Exercise with a friend or family member.

• If you have children, make time to play with them outside. Set a positive example!

• Make health activities into social occasions-have dinner after you and a friend work out.

• Read health books or magazines to inspire you.

• Set specific, short-term goals, and reward yourself when you achieve them.

• Don’t feel badly if you don’t notice body changes right away.

• Make your activity a regular part of your day, so it becomes a habit.

• Build a community group in Santa Monica to form walking clubs, build walking trails, start exercise classes, and organize special events to promote physical activity.

“Do I need to talk to my health care provider in Santa Monica before I start?

Talk to your health care provider before you start any physical activity if you:

• Have heart disease or had a stroke or are at high risk for them

• Have diabetes or are at high risk for it

• Are obese (body mass index of 30 or greater)

• Have an injury (like a knee injury)

• Are older than age 50

• Are pregnant

A Little Prep Can Keep You on
Your Fitness Program

If your job keeps you on the road, you know how challenging it can be to maintain your fitness program. Hours of travel and back-to-back meetings may leave little room in your schedule for exercise. But it’s not a lost cause. A little dedication and planning can help you stay in shape when you’re traveling.

Pack for fitness

Before your trip, call your hotel and ask about on-site or nearby fitness facilities. Then pack accordingly. You may want to bring:
• Athletic shoes
• Exercise clothing
• Swimsuit
• Jump-rope
• Resistance tubing
• Tennis racket
• Music and headphones
• Exercise video or DVD

If you prefer a quicker pace, ask the hotel staff about renting in-line skates or a bicycle. Start right away

Wear your walking shoes when you travel. If you’re traveling by plane, store your carry-on bags in a locker and walk briskly through the terminal while you’re waiting for your flight. Pump your arms to increase your heart rate. During your flight, get up once an hour to stretch and walk.

If you’re traveling by train, walk through the cars occasionally. Walk outdoors when the train stops to let passengers on and off. If you’re driving, take frequent breaks to get out and stretch. Even a short walk around a rest area can boost your mood and energy level.

Check out the facilities

When you arrive at your destination, check out the fitness facilities at your hotel or a nearby health club. Then schedule time for a workout. If the options seem limited, get creative:

• Use the halls. Walk up and down the hotel halls. Better yet, climb the stairs between hallway laps.

• Get wet. Swim laps in the hotel pool.

• Skip rope. Use a jump-rope in the hotel’s fitness room or at the edge of the parking area.

• Do jumping jacks. Try a few sets right in your room.

• March in place. Pump your arms to increase your calorie-burning power.

• Try aerobics. Follow an aerobics program on TV, or play an exercise video or DVD from home.

• Use resistance tubing. These stretchy tubes offer weight-like resistance when you pull on them. You can use resistance tubing to build strength in nearly any muscle group.

• Take advantage of your own body weight. Try push-ups, abdominal crunches and leg squats.

Stick to your routine

If you’re used to early morning, noon or evening workouts, try to exercise at the same time when you travel. Maintaining your normal routine can help you adjust to time changes and the stress of business travel.

If jet lag or extreme schedule changes leave you exhausted, try a shorter or lighter workout. It’s OK to take it easy once in a while, but remember the energizing effect of regular exercise — which may be just what you need to get down to business.

If your job keeps you on the road, you know how challenging it can be to maintain your fitness program. Hours of travel and back-to-back meetings may leave little room in your schedule for exercise. But it’s not a lost cause. A little dedication and planning can help you stay in shape when you’re traveling.

Pack for fitness

Before your trip, call your hotel and ask about on-site or nearby fitness facilities.
Then pack accordingly. You may want to bring:
• Athletic shoes
• Exercise clothing
• Swimsuit
• Jump-rope
• Resistance tubing
• Tennis racket
• Music and headphones
• Exercise video or DVD

If you prefer a quicker pace, ask the hotel staff about renting in-line skates or a bicycle. Start right away

Wear your walking shoes when you travel. If you’re traveling by plane, store your carry-on bags in a locker and walk briskly through the terminal while you’re waiting for your flight. Pump your arms to increase your heart rate. During your flight, get up once an hour to stretch and walk.