Free the Body of Sadness

Article

Putting the Pieces Back Together After a Life-Changing Event

By Lyn Prashant

Job loss, death, divorce, break-ups, financial strain, and the many challenges life presents are painful and tramautic. Sadness is stored within our bodies, sometime long after we think we've moved on. Addressing the issues in the tissues can in fact help individuals move more quickly through the grieving process to help reclaim stability and, ultimately, happiness. And massage can play a key role. 

I define grief as a mental and emotional experience, usually triggered by a traumatic loss, that has physiological correlates associated with deep pain.

For instance, we are all familiar with the term "heartache." It is commonly accepted that if a person experiences a traumatic emotional event (such as the loss of a lover or the death of a family member), this mental and emotional state often results in a definite physical sensation. We can feel the grief in a specific part of our body. Our insides actually hurt. Because our culture does not deal with the grieving individual effectively, I believe such grief can create long-lasting physical imbalances in the human body.

Degriefing is the process of recognizing mental and physical pain which accompanies grief and treating it with a combination of somatic therapies. Unlocking and removing grief from an individual's body can heal not only physical symptoms, but mental and emotional wounds, as well. 

While conventional therapies may be effective, they usually do not begin to address the physical imbalances induced by a traumatic loss or great sorrow. The individual's mental state might be temporarily lifted, but the physical state often remains unchanged. Therefore, complete healing can be illusive. 

Grief can be stored in the body, although sometimes we grieve and it passes through us in a relatively short period of time. For instance, when we expect the death of an elderly individual, the sadness is more easily tolerated, and our body and mind accept the loss relatively easily. That can be called "simple, uncomplicated grief."

However, in today's society, we experience many types of loss and sorrow that are not dealt with effectively. From childhood through adulthood, we experience many traumatic events which leave permanent, physical scars or imbalances. That's called complicated, unresolved grief, which I believe can reside in the muscles, fascia and tissues of the body. I have found through emotional release during massage that clients have gotten in touch with memories long dismissed, repressed or forgotten. 

Recently, even modern Western science has discovered that seemingly non-physical constructs such as memory, intuition and emotion have physical correlates. They don't know how these things are recorded, but they are starting to acknowledge that the body can retain mental experiences. When grief is recorded in our bodies and retained, the individual suffers. That's why Degriefing is an effective, exponential technique that is based on combining compassionate touch and communication.


Integration With Bodywork
Many individuals I have treated respond well to professional bodywork, which often opens energy channels and chakras. A variety of therapeutic massage techniques, such as Swedish, Shiatsu, lymphatic massage, polarity and reiki can effectively be combined. There are many modalities that combine extremely well for this work and create a truly exponential effect.

Massage, primarily intended to induce relaxation, is also powerful for stress reduction and is tremendously beneficial for the maintenance of well-being. The goal of the Degriefing process is to actually unlock blockages, which have developed in our bodies, and shift the systems to a more harmonious state. It may be helpful to explain to your massage practitioner your emotional state so that she/he can address the session with a clear intention of healing and integrating. 

Other valuable therapies for releasing grief include acupuncture, dance therapy, deep massage, compassionate touch therapy and vibration therapy. I often use tuning forks and Tibetan bowls in my work. I've used auditory treatments and even long distance healing. These treatments are equally effective, as they can help restore the body's natural balance. 

From the perspective of self-preservation, it is necessary that the body hold on to emotion. But to move forward requires getting on the other side of self-preservation. For people carrying pain and sadness, massage and bodywork can help you get there. 


Lyn Prashant, founder of the Degriefingâ„¢ Process, completed JFK University's Graduate Psychology Grief Certification Program and has a private therapeutic bodywork, yoga and grief counseling practice in Marin County, Calif. She teaches the Somatic Aspects of Grief class at U.C. Berkeley Extension, co-coordinates the U.C.Berkeley symposium "Changing Paradigms of Loss and Grief," and teaches "Degriefing for Bodyworkers" at Alive and Well Institute of Conscious Bodywork. Her forthcoming book is titled The New Art of Degriefing: Transforming Grief Using Body/Mind Therapies for Health-care professionals, counselors, clergy, caregivers and bodyworkers. For information call 415/457-2272, view www.degriefing.com, or e-mail lyn@degriefing.com.

“Personalize” Your Training—Less Often Means Success

Original article

While most professional athletes get paid to train and compete, the vast majority of endurance athletes are age-groupers who follow very similar training and are just as dedicated to their sport. As such, they must fit training and competition into a year filled with career, family, and other obligations.

If you’re a serious recreational or amateur athlete, or even a professional without the luxury of a big sponsorship contract, you still need to carefully piece together the best possible training schedule that will help you achieve optimal performance in endurance events. The most important aspect of training, the one most neglected, and the real “secret” in endurance sports, is to individualize your workout and recovery schedules. And by individualize I mean make it personalized. 

The main goal of training is to develop the ability to compete successfully and without injury or ill health. Then, your day-to-day schedule becomes a secondary feature—exactly how many minutes per day you train is no longer the main focus. 

Training Diary

Each of us has important stories to tell. And if you keep a training diary, part of your story is written in it. Like any story, you often have a good idea what may happen next. Is it time to add anaerobic training? Are you ready for competition? Are you getting stale? Your diary should include everything from total time and heart rates of each workout to which course you trained on that day and how far you went. It may mention the weather, how you felt, along with your fears and dreams. Most importantly, your diary should include a chart of all your MAF Tests. Neatly plot them out so a quick glance will give you the last few months of progress. Looking back over the past few months in your diary, you can more objectively assess your progress. Check for consistency and gradual increases in total time of each workout, indicating increased fitness. Write down your goals

Traditionally, most athletes record the distance and pace of the workout. For example, five miles at an 8:20 average pace or a thirty-mile ride averaging 22 mph. However, it’s better to emphasize total time and heart rate, for two reasons:

1. When measuring only distance, total training volume will diminish over time as aerobic speed improves. This results in the completion of the same course in less time.
2. When measuring only distance, some athletes feel pressured to complete a certain weekly mileage. This is a way to compare themselves to other athletes, training partners, or younger versions of themselves, or even compare to some article written in a sports magazine that “recommends” a certain mileage. Heart rate is a more useful parameter than distance because it relates to the quality, rather than the quantity, of the activity.

Training Volume

Perhaps a better title for this chapter is “Less Is More.” Meaning that for the average athlete with other responsibilities, less training usually produces better athletic performance than trying to accumulate many miles and hours of training.

While I have worked with many professional athletes in virtually all sports during my career, the majority of the athletes I’ve helped are not professionals. I’ve learned that if you work a full-time job and have a family, a house, and other responsibilities, you can still train and perform at very high levels. But don’t expect to be able to put in the same amount of time and milage as professional athletes. Nor do you need to for success. In fact, many of these pros put in much less time training than you’d think.

Most of the time, I find that less rather than more total training hours per week allows for better recovery and less stress. This helps the aerobic system build itself much more efficiently. When your competitive season comes, you’re more refreshed and ready to race.

I had one patient by the name of Carla who was a middle-of-the-pack triathlete in her late thirties with hopes of improving her times. But after her fourth year of diminishing returns, she searched for a better approach. After reading one of my earlier books, she strictly followed the program, except for one thing: her training schedule averaged eighteen hours per week. Unfortunately, Carla really didn’t have the time for that amount of training, but she tried to squeeze in the workouts. She worked part-time and had a family with two young children. As a result, she woke earlier in the morning and stayed up later in the evening to catch up on other work. For Carla, this meant less sleep and inadequate recovery. After some improvements in her MAF during the first few months, she became very fatigued and began feeling physical discomfort in her lower back and knees.

In late fall, Carla came to my clinic for help. My first recommendation was that she reduce her schedule to about twelve hours per week—it was the only training schedule change necessary. Carla was doing everything else right. By next summer’s racing season, eight out of nine races were personal bests for Carla, and she placed in the top five of her age-group in four of those events.

Training Cycles

The importance of planning your training and competition, including racing goals, cannot be overemphasized. This means considering the twelve-month year as a cycle, with one or two base periods, and one or two competitive “seasons.” In North America, for example, the weather dictates much of this pattern as competitive events occur mostly from spring to fall. For example, winter is generally a time to build an aerobic base, leading up to spring races. Summer is a stressful time with hot temperatures, making it a good period for recovery from competition and easier training again—and a time to build a bit more aerobic function. This leads to more competition in the fall, ending the season in December when your long aerobic base period starts again. 

The training cycle can always be modified as various factors present themselves. For example, if an unexpected busy work schedule suddenly affects your training, or if an unfortunate bike crash slows your aerobic base building period, modifications are easily made. Or, if your MAF Tests are exceptionally good, or not progressing as well due to poor diet, adjustments can easily be made.

An important part of your diary can be made in the early winter, when you plan your training cycle for the next twelve months. You can also highlight specific races.

Less Means Success

For many years, researchers have known that there is a limit to how much an athlete can train before it adversely affects performance. Many studies have shown that, compared to athletes who train with much more volume, lower-volume trained athletes can perform as well, if not better. The majority of your physical benefits received from training may occur in the first ten weeks or so of the training cycle. For example, if your competitive season ends in November, then go on to build an aerobic base from December through mid April, since the training benefits obtained in those early months, including those in the brain, muscles, and metabolism, can be maintained very easily. Afterward, you can then reduce your total workout time to make room in your schedule for anaerobic training as well as racing. By early July, you can slowly raise your aerobic training during the remaining summer months again—without the stress of anaerobic workouts or racing—before cutting back again in mid September for more anaerobic training and competition.

All this, of course, should be based on one’s individual needs and conditioning. Some athletes won’t use anaerobic training but instead add a couple of short races at the end of their base building, then begin a racing season. Others will not increase outdoor training time in the summer months if the weather is too hot. 

Despite the evidence that less training offers more benefits, overtraining due to high volume is still common. If you are training for a single sport, your schedule is usually easier than if you are a multisport athlete. Single-sport athletes will usually have one workout a day. The best time to do this is based more on your daily non-training schedule rather than on the latest ever-changing research. When do you work? What other obligations exist? Many runners, for example, find a morning workout most suitable. Athletes in other sports may have limits; swimmers usually have pool hours to consider, cyclists and skiers the weather. I frequently recommend single-sport athletes perform some other activity one to three times per week. As previously noted throughout this book, cross-training has a positive benefit, especially for the brain and nervous system, as long as it is aerobic and fits into your schedule.

If you are a multisport athlete, you may have a busier schedule. But this does not mean you have to perform each sport every day. However, many endurance athletes still attempt this, and often to their detriment. Let me use the example of Jay. He loved triathlon but was stuck in an overtraining cycle for three years. He would train in each of his three events as many days as possible. He would run at 5 a.m., swim at noon, and ride late in the day. The problem: Jay had his own business and worked from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. He also had a family. Maintaining that schedule for five days, with Tuesday and Thursday reserved for his long bike ride and run respectively, was quite a chore. Jay was often exhausted, and about every couple of months, he’d have to take about a week off completely due to illness. As he started feeling better, he would pick up his “normal” schedule again. But as this vicious cycle would not end, Jay consulted me for help. I gave Jay my version of a program tailored to his needs, explaining how he would race better and get healthier. However, he could not understand how one could improve without the very high-volume weeks, noting that the pro triathletes all trained that way. I assured him this was not the case. Unfortunately, Jay was not compatible with my approach, and I never saw him again in my office. But occasionally we would meet at a race, where year after year he showed no improvement and often had an injury.

If you’re a multisport athlete with at least three days a week of each activity, your schedule can be very effective, although even this much volume is not always necessary. If possible, spread these workouts through the week so they are not on consecutive days. For example:

Swim—Monday, Wednesday, Saturday
Bike—Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday
Run—Monday, Thursday, Sunday

Reader Q&A

Question: On one wet, Sunday afternoon, I was plodding along in the heavy rain, all by myself, pleased with myself for going outside in the soup and running for forty-five minutes, when common sense might have said, “Stay indoors.” Then, another runner appeared out of the mist and blazed right past. My initial instinct was to pick up the pace and not let him get ahead. Then I realized, “What’s the point?” So I remained at my current (slow, aerobic) pace and watched him run off. Which leads me to the following questions: Is there a competitive gene in the brain? And why are some people so much more competitive than others? Can one be taught or trained to think or feel this way as an endurance athlete? Or is it something innate that we carry from birth? In fact, I have a training buddy who will not let anyone—strangers or friends—pass him on a bike training ride; he will practically kill himself to ensure that he always finishes first.

Answer: I think there are two forms of competition. One is healthy competition, which is based on a logical approach; first there’s a great training routine, where we don’t compete with anyone but ourselves in getting most fit. Next is the race, where we also compete with ourselves but can feed off others in a positive way. Healthy competition relies on the brain to balance the physical, chemical, and mental efforts used during training and racing.

Unhealthy competition is much more common. This is based on a “no pain, no gain” approach, where emotions can overshadow logic and common sense. With unhealthy competition, we can’t face the fact that someone out there is more fit than we are, and, as if we can just turn on a switch to go faster than anyone else, we work ourselves into a rage to beat that person. It’s more than a game, it’s an obsession. It’s like the bully we all knew in grade school, always looking for a fight. As mature adults, we should know better. Likewise, as intelligent endurance athletes, we want the best out of our bodies, and a well-planned strategy helps provide that, with a brain that also balances emotions.
Humans are naturally not only competitive, but very successful competitors. It’s how we evolved so successfully as a species. So in a sense, we all have that built-in competitiveness. Those most successful can control it. In training and racing, like all other aspects of life, harnessing that attribute can make us better athletes.

Rest Days

Notice the above schedule has nothing planned for Friday. It may be the end of a workweek, and the beginning of a busy training weekend, making Friday a perfect “off” day. If you feel better calling this a rest or recovery day, that’s perfectly okay. Sometimes the word “off” refers to not doing anything. But these days provide a most important part of the training formula that I like to keep repeating in this book due to its overpowering significance: 
Training = Work + Rest

For most athletes, the weekend can be a time for longer workouts, including one on the bike on Saturday and a long run Sunday. Or, you can combine two events and make one longer workout such as a two-hour bike followed by a forty-five-minute run. A favorite cold weather workout is a swim immediately followed by an hour of indoor biking on rollers or a trainer. These combined sessions provide not only a longer workout but also help mimic race transitions, where your body has to adjust to the stress of changing from one event to another.

I often recommend at least one rest day per week to help with recovery. During the racing season, you will more easily maintain your fitness level with less training but require more recovery; in fact, two rest days are even better since anaerobic stimulation (from training or racing) will be added. Off days are best taken going into a weekend, if that is your busiest training time or if there is a race. Another appropriate time is Monday, which is a day when a lot of your energy is needed for recovery. Or make Monday an easy day if Friday is an off day and the weekend includes a lot of training.

When planning rest days (and easy ones), consider job stress too. If Mondays are always busy at work, don’t train that day.

Seasonal stress may also be a factor. If you own a retail business and your busiest time is the fall holiday season, end racing before that time.

Another important time to take it easy is at the end of your training and competitive season. For some athletes, this may be November or December. At this time, I recommend taking up to two or three weeks off, or more if you need it. While periods of rest are helpful for the body, a mental break is just as important. During this time just let your body do what it wants: easy running, hiking, or walking. Some athletes seem to benefit from doing nothing for a week or so. Or, train short and easy every other day instead of doing it daily.

Runners: Electrolytes and When to Replace Them

By Gail Olson • Active.com
No doubt you’re ramping up your race-season nutrition plan to include enough carbs and healthy fats to fuel hardworking muscles, enough protein to rebuild them, and plenty of fluids to stay hydrated and energized for every run. That’s good.
But what about electrolytes—those electrically-charged minerals like sodium, potassium and calcium, that keep all the systems of the body functioning like a well-oiled machine? How do you get enough of these all-important minerals to maintain your health and enhance your performance? How do you know when you're running low on electroltyes and the best way to replace them?
To find out, we talked to Katie Jeffrey, a registered dietitian, Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics, and owner of FitNutrition.
“Electrolytes produce electrical impulses in the body," says Jeffrey. That makes them vitally important to a number of biochemical processes, including balanced blood chemistry, healthy blood pressure, and the proper functioning of muscles, nerves and heart.
“Runners and other endurance athletes lose electrolytes in their sweat, making it especially important that they get enough in their diet,” says Jeffrey.
Muscle cramping is likely first to come to the minds of many runners worried about replenishing electrolyte levels.
Low electrolytes aren’t the only cause of muscle cramps, but Jeffrey says a deficiency in certain electrolytes, combined with dehydration, is certainly one of them.
“Improper fluid intake as well as a inadequate intake of sodium, potassium and calcium can increase one's risk for cramping,” says Jeffrey.
So, how do runners know when they need to replenish their electroltye levels?
According to Jeffrey, if you’re a casual runner who’s eating a diversity of nutrient-rich foods and staying hydrated, you probably don’t need to take special steps to replace electrolytes before or after you run.
“A well-rounded nutrition plan provides most casual athletes with all the electrolytes they need,” says Jeffrey.
“But if you know you sweat heavily, run in hot temperatures or heavily-layered in cold temps, or if you run longer than one hour, start consuming a sodium-enhanced sports drink or tab an hour before your run, and then every 10 to 20 minutes throughout your run, depending on how heavily you sweat.”
Is it possible to get too many electrolytes?
“It’s possible,” says Jeffrey. “But it’s hard to overdose on electrolytes from food. The people who get too much normally do so because they’re taking too many or too high a dose of supplements” says Jeffrey.
“For example, too much sodium chloride (salt) can cause high blood pressure in people who are salt sensitive,” says Jeffrey. “And someone who takes too much calcium may eventually develop kidney stones or even iron deficiency—a certain recipe for fatigue.”
Here’s a look at some of the more common electrolytes, how they impact health, performance, and how to get enough of them into your diet.
Sodium Chloride
“Of all the electrolytes, this is the one runners and other endurance athletes lose the most of in sweat,” says Jeffrey. “Sodium chloride (common table salt) facilitates thirst and helps the body retain fluids. It also helps maintain a normal blood pH.”
Sodium chloride also supports the function of nerves and muscles, and, together with potassium, maintains the right balance of fluids both inside and outside of cells.
Most people, including casual runners, get enough, if not too much, salt in their diets. But, again, if you run longer than one hour, it’s important to replace this electrolyte afterwards.
“Depending on how heavily they sweat, runners lose on average of around 900 mg to 2,500 mg of sodium per hour. You can replace that by adding about a teaspoon of table salt (for 2,330 mg of sodium) to your water, coconut water, or favorite sports drink, if it doesn’t already contain sodium,” says Jeffrey.
Another factor to consider when replacing sodium chloride: some runners lose more salt in their sweat than others.
“Some runners are saltier sweaters than others,” Jeffrey says. How do you know if you’re a saltier sweater?
“Hang your running hat or shirt to dry after a hard run. If a white, crusty residue forms, that’s a good sign you’re a salty sweater, and may need to take additional steps to replace this electrolyte after a hard run,” says Jeffrey.
You can do that with salty snacks like pretzels, baked chips, cheese or with a sodium-enhanced sports drink or tab. Soups and milk are good sodium sources to include in your general diet or as part of a post-run recovery meal.
Potassium
“This electrolyte helps support heart function and muscle contractions,” says Jeffrey. Because it conducts electrical impulses, potassium facilitates communication between nerves and muscles.
It also facilitates the transport of nutrients into cells and promotes glycogen storage. (A good thing since glycogen is what fuels muscles.) Potassium can also help counter sodium’s negative impact on blood pressure.
Potassium deficiency is fairly rare since the body stores ample amounts, it’s easy to get enough from food, and we don’t lose a lot of potassium, even during hard exercise.
Bananas, sweet potatoes, dark leafy greens and oranges all contain lots of potassium. Include these foods every day or as part of your post-run recovery snack, to keep your potassium levels up to snuff.
Calcium
Calcium is another electrolyte that performs several important functions. It plays a vital role in the contraction and relaxation of blood vessels and muscles, and supports nervous system function.
“It also builds and maintains strong bones and teeth and supports the function of the heart,” explains Jeffrey. "Calcium is abundant in dairy foods, dark leafy greens, and some nuts and seeds." 
How much calcium you need depends on your age and other factors.  Some people take calcium supplements, which is fine if they’re eating a calcium-poor diet, but mega-dosing with calcium supplements could potentially cause health problems.
Make sure you get plenty of vitamin D along with your calcium, as this vitamin helps your body absorb calcium.
Magnesium
This electrolyte helps the body produce protein, facilitates the function of some of our enzymes, boosts energy, and helps muscles to contract and relax.
“Along with potassium, magnesium also plays an important role in maintaining healthy blood pressure and heart function,” says Jeffrey.
Magnesium deficiency is rare, but can occur in some people, causing symptoms ranging from drowsiness and muscle weakness (mild deficiency) to hallucinations and numbness (severe deficiency).
Good sources of potassium include dark leafy greens, nuts, avocados, bananas, and whole grains.
Phosphorus
Another electrolyte with several important jobs, phosphorus boosts energy by helping the body use carbohydrates and fats. Phosphorus also facilitates the production of protein the body needs to maintain and repair tissues and cells, and helps muscles contract.
Although a phosphorus deficiency is rare due to its abundance in food, a lack of this electrolyte can cause “fatigue, muscle weakness and irregular respiration and heart rate,” according to Jeffrey.
Best foods for phosphorus include meat and dairy products, although a small amount of phosphorus can be found in fruits and vegetables.

The 38 Best Methods of Successful Exercisers

Original article.

By Leo Babauta

How do you form the exercise habit — really make it stick?

Take the first step.

Then take another. Make each step so important that you can’t miss it. And enjoy each step.

That’s my method, honed from eight years of forming the exercise habit. It works, for me.

But everyone has a different method, and it’s inspiring and massively useful to learn from others who’ve successfully created the habit themselves.

Today, we’ll look at a great list of those methods, submitted by folks on Twitter who have overcome the odds and successfully formed the exercise habit.

First, thank you, to everyone who submitted their successful methods. It was more than I’d hoped for, and incredibly powerful reinforcement of what works. But there were so many submissions that I had to whittle it down, tossing out good ideas and picking others that I thought were more universally applicable. Many of the ones listed here were echoed many times over in the submissions.

Let’s dive in!

I asked people who had successfully created the exercise habit — what worked for them? They answered (note – ones without a name after them were submitted anonymously):

1. Stop looking at it as a habit and instead as a lifestyle and an important part of my self-care. ~Lara Rininger
2. Work out first thing in the morning. You get it out of the way and it provides you with an abundance of energy for the rest of the day. ~Jen Zeman
3. Crank up your favorite music! I often see suggested play lists for workouts, but just listen to what excites you. It will get you moving. ~Jen Zeman
4. When I started running I started out at .5 miles and increased in .25 increments (I usually average 4 mile runs). It didn’t happen overnight – give your lungs and muscles time to adjust. Same with weight training – start light and build your way up. Results will start to show in about 3-4 weeks. ~Jen Zeman
5. Making it my #1 priority and doing it first thing in the morning.
6. 30 day yoga challenges for myself that I then give updates on my Blog. Accountability. ~Kira Elliott
7. If I workout in the morning, before my day starts, I “earn: chocolate/beer/carb later in the day. Otherwise, no treats for me!
8. No excuses. I never miss more than 2 days. You have to insist on it and protect it.
9. Also: just put your workout clothes on. Once you do that it feels silly not to start. Just commit to 10 minutes. You will probably do more.
10. Also: no one ever regrets working out. Is there anything else in the world you can do, and know 100% you won’t regret it?
11. This is the one that’s helped the most: I’ve made a point to really, really, REALLY notice how much better I feel now that I exercise regularly; I’m sleeping better, my mood is better, I’m much less sluggish. It took about 3-4 weeks to see it, but it’s helped a lot. ~Polly
12. Make it a habit, don’t rely on motivating yourself to workout, consciously think of it as just something you do after ‘x’. This was a huge aha moment for me. ~Mark Feinholz
13. On that note, do it in the morning, habits are much easier to establish in the morning. the triggers are much more dependable (finish cup of coffee – put on gym shorts). Morning triggers are always there and the day has not polluted your plans yet.
14. A daily morning ritual to mark the beginning of training. In my case, tying up my bandana on my head meant ‘It’s running time’. ~Alfonso Acosta
15. I started running consistently the month before I got divorced. In theory it was the lowest part of my life — but I’d never felt better. I couldn’t get over that. I was sold on exercise, though it took me a while to make running the nonnegotiable part of my schedule it is now. After I got married again and when our daughter was a baby I used to run at the high school track near our house. I’d pretend the bleachers were filled with people cheering me on. “Good job!” I imagined them hollering. “Way to go!” And, “It’s great you’re leaving the baby with Dad for a while on this beautiful summer evening to do something nice for yourself.” Well, nice — and hell. It was hell. I wasn’t in shape, I didn’t want to miss a second with our new baby, and that was that. The pretend cheerleaders must’ve helped. Certainly they didn’t hurt. Because eventually, through a series of learning and unlearning and relearning the importance of exercising, it’s what I do. No discussion. No bargaining out of workouts unless I’ve made them up in advance. It’s soothing, really. There are no decisions to be made about exercise. I just do it. To the extent anything else good happens, I attribute it to this: running is magic. ~Maureen Anderson
16. Fixed a time of the day that HAS to be the workout time. Cleared away tasks around that time to make sure I don’t get stuck with something else. ~Elle Kaiye
17. Mentally preparing myself during the day for the evening workout helped.Mental preparation was important to prevent talking myself out of workout on the pretext of being “”exhausted”" or having “”more important stuff to do”". ~Elle Kaiye
18. Sometimes even looking at the pictures of Victoria’s Secret Angels helped ;) ~Elle Kaiye
19. I don’t have a workout buddy now but that had helped me to stay on track in the past. Support from my Mom helped me a lot! ~Elle Kaiye
20. Doing a sport that you love and try new types of exercise/sports. ~Chris B.
21. Do it a few days in a row, you – your body and mind- will get used to it. ~Chris B.
22. Enter a race or contest. ~Chris B.
23. I had to stop setting goals – as is advised by pretty much every source out there! I just got discouraged that I wasn’t moving as fast as the ‘programme’, or that I still felt no closer to running a marathon I seriously didn’t want to. >What works instead: feeling great about just turning up. I do what I feel able to when I’m there, and if it’s not much or not as much as last time – fine. I showed up. I get to say “I went to the gym” which impresses on its own, without me detailing what I did! ~Sarah
24. A lot of people take days off when they’re exercising, which I think is great and important for your body to recover. However, I’ve found the habit of going to the gym (or wherever you go to workout) is important for me to do EVERY DAY. I run and do some strength training most days, but when it’s time for a recovery day I still go to the gym- to play racquetball, take an easy walk, shoot a few baskets, whatever. ~Dave Hall
25. What worked for me was strong commitment to myself that I do exercise on these days on this time NO MATTER WHAT. I do not accept situations I wouldn’t exercise on my planned day if for example I felt tired, or couples of friends invited me for a meeting, or it was raining (running is essential part of my routine) or anything else. These are all small excuses that we have to actually struggle with. They are too small to prevent us from fulfilling the plan. I only omit my exercise session if I’m on vacation or if I’m seriously ill. In other cases there is no way to break the habit. ~Przemyslaw
26. Don’t think about it, just do it. Even though I’ve consistently worked for over 15 years, it doesn’t mean I don’t have days that I just don’t feel like working out. I do have those days, but I push through it and do the work out anyway. ~Caroline
27. Schedule time for exercise and keeping to it like you would any other appointment or meeting. ~Katie
28. First I picked some awesome skills I wanted do be able to do from this website for motivation. While working towards them I basically only had a single goal: Do at least a single exercise every day, one pushup, pullup, sit up, … If I didn’t feel like it, wouldn’t do more, just a single one. Now I’m can do one armed pushups, one legged squads, l-seats and quite a few pullups. What also probably helped was that I didn’t need a single piece of equipment. ~Michael
29. I exercise every single day. Every. Single. Day. That’s my secret. I don’t give myself the choice of whether to exercise or not. Every time that you give yourself a choice, you give yourself the opportunity to decide not to do something. ~Mark Cancellieri
30. Sleep in my exercise gear (makes me feel mentally ready for action the next day). ~Ruth Seatter
31. Plan to exercise with a friend (running or gym class etc). $20 wager if you don’t make it. ~Ruth Seatter
32. Make it into a game or do it as a social activity with a friend. the more enjoyable it is the likelier you are to continue it. ~Matthew
33. Accountability. I am a very lazy person and I hate being answerable to people. I like to do things at my pace which is why I never stick to anything for long. But this time when it came to eating healthy and losing weight, I made myself answerable and accountable to my cook! I asked my cook to keep a check on what I eat and not offer me any junk or fried. So each time I entered to kitchen to grab some snacks, I saw him standing there and to avoid answering to his questions, I would step out with eating. This worked for me and now I am used to ‘not’ eating when I am not hungry. ~Surabhi Surendra
34. Focus on effort: Set yourself goals around effort, not around results. ~Chiranth
35. Don’t let weather deter you. Once you do one or two runs in the rain you’ll see that they are liberating. ~Patty
36. I started very small. Starting small cancelled any excuse not to practice daily. I have refrained from overdoing in the first two weeks. This left me more energy to become more stable in practicing daily. I have committed with my girlfriend on a feasible outcome in a medium term, like being fit for our summer vacations. After some weeks the reason of my motivation shifted from being willing to satisfy the external source (girlfriend’s expectations) to being more confident and happy with myself. Starting one single habit is giving me the confidence to change other habits and the clarity to identify which other habits do I want to develop. ~Niccolo’ Stamboglis
37. No more than 1 day off in a row. Find an exercise you really enjoy (I love lifting weights!). Try new types of exercise. You will be tired when beginning a new exercise program so eat well to fuel exercise and get enough sleep. Religiously stick with it for the first two weeks, then you will begin to notice an improvement in your energy levels that is very motivating. ~Patty
38. I joined a sports team (soccer), which is a fun way to exercise and ride my bike to work daily. This way I am physically active without really realizing it. I lack motivation to do exercises on my own. I almost need a team or coach or class to do well. (i.e. if I go to the gym solo, I get less results than if I joined a class). ~Bradlinn

Sitting Stress

Original article

We all do it, but too much is not just associated with physical problems, but disease and longevity.

Dr. Phil Maffetone

For millions of years, the human body squatted rather than sat. It was the normal posture, one compatible with overall health. Squatting not only helped muscles, bones, joints and other structures function well, but helped other areas too, including the body’s circulation and intestinal function.

Quite recently, in the last few thousand years, humans made a bad move by sitting more and squatting less. Of course, in some cultures, squatting is still popular today. And all young children can comfortably squat.

Perhaps the most unnatural physical position for the human body is sitting modern chairs and seats, whether in your car, office, airplane or at the dining room table. For all people, even those who work out regularly, including athletes who participate in moderate-to-vigorous training, prolonged sitting is associated with significantly more injuries, ill health and even disease, all leading to an earlier death, compared to those who sit much less.

This information is not new, scientists and clinicians have been studying this public health hazard for decades. The most recent research comes from Hidde van der Ploeg and colleagues at the University of Sydney. Their study of 222,497 men and women 45 years and older, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine (March 2012), showed that those who sat the most—11 or more hours a day—are 40 percent more likely to die within three years.

The average adult spends 90 percent of their leisure time sitting down. This involves eating, socializing, and, most especially, watching TV. While those in the study who were physically active had less affects from sitting stress, those who were inactive and sat the most had double the risk of dying within three years.

Sure, it’s relaxing to plop down in a La-Z-Boy and take it easy after getting home. How harmful can that be? The fact is, our modern society offers seating opportunities everywhere. Our early ancestors never had these so-called luxuries—for millions of years they squatted and stood almost all their waking hours, and rarely sat like we do today. So our bodies have not adapted to today’s unnatural sitting position. Seats are so plentiful that most people spend more sitting time than they realize, devoting much of their day doing it.

The technology trend in chair ergonomics over the past few decades was supposed to rescue us from sitting-down stress. The technology claims to cure aching backs, necks, and shoulders. But it hasn’t, despite the commercial success of businesses specializing in “body-contour” office chairs, car seats, toilets, and even back rests. While comfort is the most important factor in determining such things as the best chair for work and leisure, and the most appropriate car seat position, sitting is almost a no-win situation. The less you sit the better.

Sitting’s Double-Edged Sword

Sitting stress is a modifiable life-style behavior. Generally speaking, it can result in two separate patterns affecting our health. One is associated with more metabolic problems. This means more body fat, higher blood pressure, blood sugar problems, even cancer, heart disease and diabetes. This is the mechanism that can lead to an early death in those who sit the most.

For many years, scientists have been studying those who spend more time sitting, demonstrating that various aspects of our metabolism can become impaired. The reasons include reduced muscular activity, especially of the lower extremities, with associated decreases in blood flow, and can literally deform blood vessels. There is also a general stress stimulus that could contribute to reduced health just like any physical, chemical or mental stress impairs body function.

The second pattern affects our biomechanics. This may induce muscle imbalance, tendon and ligament impairment, and joint stress. It’s the reason increased sitting can cause, contribute to, or maintain a physical injury.

The unnatural positions of sitting in modern chairs, car seats and couches places the pelvis in a stressful position causing the whole spine to twist, flex and extend in order to compensate for this unnatural position. In turn, this affects the shoulders and arms, and thighs and legs. In particular, your joints are most affected, from those in the pelvis and entire spine, to the hips, shoulders and even the jaw joints. Muscles take much of the brunt of sitting stress, which is not unlike wearing bad shoes. To keep the body from getting too twisted, the muscles try their best to compensate for such unnatural positions—some get tighter while others weaker. This, in turn, has a bad effect on your posture and gait. Once the muscles start making these changes, literally sacrificing their normal activity to prevent joint, bone, or ligament damage, you get used to sitting without feeling bad.

I’m not talking about avoiding all sitting, but for those who spend a significant amount of time sitting down—which is the majority of people, whether active or not—reduce the time spent in that unnatural position as much as possible. This means being on your feet more instead of hitting the couch or chair. It also might mean creating a standing workstation, which involves having your computer, writing surface or other items higher up off the desk so you can stand and work comfortably. Right now, I’m writing this article standing, with my computer at a higher level that’s easy for my arms, hands, head and eyes.

It does take a little more energy to stand compared to sitting. This occurs because you use more muscles. And until you get used to this posture—a couple of weeks in most cases—you may not be able to take the jump from a lot of sitting to much more standing overnight.

Reclining, even just using a footrest, sitting on the floor, and even lying are more natural positions for the body. But the goal should be more standing and less sitting.

With additional standing you’ll not only remain more mechanically stable with better muscle function, as the months pass you’ll burn significantly more calories to reduce extra body fat.

Of course, there’s a catch: To really reap the benefits of less sitting you have to be in reasonably good aerobic shape, and only wear good or no shoes. You just might be amazed how much better you feel.

Minimize Gym Time While Maximizing Results

Article

By: NCSF  on:  Feb 14 2013

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During the first few months of any new year many struggle to maintain their exercise compliance. Initial motivations are not sustained to support the demands of lifestyle changes. Commonly, the main complaint is not the exercise but the minimal time available to keep up their “ideal” exercise regimen. This perception is often is due in part to the real and perceived occupational, family and social factors that affect our daily lives. For those citing a lack of time as a true determent to fitness, newly-published research may provide some comfort as well as solutions.
A study published in the Journal of Physiology (2013), exercise scientists at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) and the University of Birmingham, under the lead of Professor Anton Wagenmakers, investigated methods for saving time in the gym while still maximizing fitness and health-related results. Current recommendations made by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UK Department of Health state individuals of all ages should engage in at least three to five hours of endurance training each week to increase health/fitness measures while also reducing the risk for chronic diseases and premature mortality. However, as mentioned previously, most people find it difficult to set aside this much time due to a busy schedule. This investigation set to prove that replacing the more common steady-state endurance training with two types of interval training, High-intensity Interval Training (HIT) and Sprint Interval Training (SIT), can make a substantial difference on measures of health and aerobic capacity, while taking less than half the time to complete.
The research team found that three sessions of SIT, lasting a total of 90 min, were just as effective as five sessions of steady-state endurance exercise, lasting a total of five hours (or 300 min), for increasing total body insulin sensitivity. LJMU researcher Matthew Cocks explains, “One mechanism involves improved delivery of insulin and glucose to the skeletal muscle and the other involves improved intramuscular fat utilization. Additionally, we found a reduced stiffness of large arteries which is important in reducing the risk of vascular disease.” On the basis of these as well as earlier findings, Professor Wagenmakers expects that HIT and SIT could be unique alternative exercise modes suitable to prevent many forms of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes and other age- and obesity-related chronic diseases. LJMU researcher Sam Shepherd explains the protocol, “SIT involves four to six repeated 30 second 'all out' sprints on special laboratory bikes interspersed with 4.5 minutes of very low intensity cycling. Due to the very high workload of the sprints, this method is generally more suitable for experienced exercisers. However, anyone of any age or level of fitness can follow one of the alternative HIT programs which involve 15-60 second bursts of high intensity cycling interspersed with 2-4 minute intervals of low intensity cycling.” Shepherd went on to describe another current investigation at the Sports Centre at the University of Birmingham demonstrating that previously sedentary individuals (ages 25-60) find HIT on spinning bikes significantly more enjoyable and having a more positive influence on mood and feelings of well-being when compared to traditional endurance training.
These findings imply that HIT or SIT may be suitable to achieve sustainable changes in exercise behavior as program adherence is greatly improved when the individual truly enjoys the activity which they engage - and they are not required to spend excessive time reaching a given goal. Another recent study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology further supports short duration training sessions for those who have limited time for exercise, but are willing to engage in higher-intensities to maximize their results. In this investigation, researchers found acute, high-intensity endurance exercise to be more effective than moderate-intensity exercise for decreasing postprandial plasma triglyceride (PPTG) elevation, by increasing fat oxidation. Reducing PPTG elevation can have positive effects on the blood lipid profile in some scenarios, and plays a part in optimizing metabolic preferences that may promote weight loss in the long-term. Now, acute exercise has already been shown to attenuate PPTG elevation; however, the direct contribution of exercise intensity is not clearly understood. The purpose of this study was to thoroughly examine the effects of exercise intensity on PPGT elevation and postprandial fat oxidation.
Six healthy young men were placed in one of three experimental treatment groups: non-exercise control (CON), moderate-intensity exercise (50% VO2peak, for 60 min), or isoenergetic high-intensity exercise (alternating 2 min at 25% and 2 min at 90% VO2peak). The morning after each exercise bout, a standardized meal was provided (16 kcal/kg of body mass; 1.02 g fat/kg, 1.36 g carbohydrate/kg, 0.31 g protein/kg) and measurements of plasma triglycerides, glucose, insulin and β-hydroxybutyrate (an indicator of ketosis) were made while in a fasted condition before the meal, as well as on an hourly basis for a total of six hours postprandial. Indirect calorimetry was used to determine fat oxidation in the fasted condition and two, four and six hours postprandial. Compared to controls, both the moderate intensity and high intensity exercise attenuated PPTG, with high intensity training demonstrating the most drastic effects. Based on the findings, the study team easily concluded that, despite similar energy expenditure, high intensity exercise is more effective than moderate intensity for lowering PPTG and increasing postprandial fat oxidation.
Even if one finds the busy pace of the new year making gym-time seem like a physical impossibility, (or inconvenience to success in other endeavors) he or she can be somewhat reassured by the fact that current research is embracing a foundational concept related to programming: if training frequency goes down, training intensity must go up to maintain or even improve fitness measures. One easy technique involves setting a caloric expenditure goal, and simply striving to accomplish it in the shortest period of time – this creates progressive objectives based on effort and exercise tolerance. A second method can involve setting a caloric expenditure based on total time, and at the end of each week, the participant can simply increase the total calories by around 5%. This ensures a continued improvement but does not require more time to accomplish. Furthermore, adding a competitive component has shown to improve compliance and serves as a quality

Research Shorts (NCSF).

Just Stand up to Increase Daily Muscle Activity
Recent findings suggest that both the lack of physical activity and prolonged periods of sedentary behavior significantly increase the risk of chronic diseases. A growing concern is that they function independently of each other. Therefore, individuals meeting minimum guidelines for movement but working in environments where movement is limited throughout the day are also at risk. There seems to be a relevant relationship between the time spent seated and the risk for morbidity. Interestingly, even exercising three times a week at a moderate intensity, utilizing fitness equipment appears to be inadequate to offset an otherwise sedentary lifestyle. One investigation sought to examine the response of select musculature to long periods of sedentarism. The authors analyzed quadriceps and hamstring muscle inactivity as well as activity during normal daily life. Eighty-four volunteers (44 females, 40 males, 44.1 ±17.3 years, 172.3 ±6.1 cm, 70.1 ±10.2 kg) were measured during normal daily activities using shorts that measured muscle electromyographic (EMG) activity (recording time 11.3 ±2.0 hours). EMG data was normalized to isometric MVC (EMG(MVC)) during knee flexion and extension, and inactivity threshold of each muscle group was defined as 90% of EMG activity during standing (2.5 ±1.7% of EMG(MVC)). During normal daily life, the average EMG amplitude was 4.0 ±2.6% and average activity burst amplitude was 5.8 ±3.4% of EMG(MVC); this average being below the EMG level required for walking (5 km/h corresponding to EMG level of about 10% of EMG(MVC)). Using the proposed individual inactivity threshold, thigh muscles were inactive 67.5 ±11.9% of the total recording time and the longest inactivity periods lasted for 13.9 ±7.3 min (2.5-38.3 min). Women had more activity bursts and spent more time at intensities above 40% EMG(MVC) than men.

In conclusion, during normal daily life, the locomotor muscles are inactive about 7.5 hours, and only a small fraction of the musculature’s maximal voluntary activation capacity is used. Some daily non-exercise activities such as stair climbing produce much higher muscle activity levels than brisk walking, and replacing sitting with standing can considerably increase cumulative daily muscle activity. Trainers need to influence clients to not only train 2-3 times per week, but additionally participate in regular daily movement. Taking the stairs, walking the dog, and simply moving more will certainly contribute to reduce health risk associated with sedentarism.

Reference: PLoS One, 2013

Nutritional Considerations for Minimizing Sarcopenia among Older Adults
The United States has an aging population, and with that comes an increasing propensity toward health concerns. It is well documented that older age is associated with high risk for cardio-metabolic disease as well as a decline in movement capabilities. Clearly, engaging in appropriate exercise is critical to the maintenance of independence as well as a greater quality of life among older adults. Research demonstrates a lack of physical activity during the later decades of life strongly contributes to the estimated 10-30% loss of biological function experienced over this period. It should be understood that this functional decline can also be related to the presence of disease, specific genetic and environmental factors, poor mental health, and pre-existing injuries such as low back pain. Sarcopenia is defined as an age-related loss of muscle mass with associated reductions in strength and power. The loss of protein from the heavy myosin chains of muscle fibers, alongside neural and connective tissue decline collectively serve as the primary culprits behind musculoskeletal system deterioration among individuals over 60 years of age. The mechanisms behind this process of muscle wasting (which can further promote inactivity) include hormonal changes, a loss of fast-twitch fibers, glycation of bodily proteins (impairs function of cells), and insulin resistance.

 

Nutrition also has a significant part to play in age-related functional decline. A recent study published in Osteoporosis International sought to identify a number of related factors, and how they may contribute to sarcopenia. The role of dietary protein, acid-base balance, vitamin D, calcium, and other select nutrients such as the B-complex vitamins were evaluated via an extensive literature review.

The following recommendations/considerations were made based on a review of current research:

• A minimal protein intake equaling 1.0-1.2 g/kg of body weight per day may be optimal for older adults to maximize muscle function, regeneration and recovery
• A moderate inverse relationship between vitamin D status and muscle strength was found, indicating a need for adequate intake to maintain optimal bone and muscle function
• Chronic ingestion of acid-producing diets appear to have a negative impact on muscle performance, indicating acid-base balance may be integral to minimizing muscle wasting
  • Artificial sweeteners, excess animal protein intake, alcohol, select fruits and vegetables, most processed grains, and select condiments and spices are known to be acid-promoting
  • Signs of high systemic acidity: fatigue, breathlessness, frequent muscle pain/cramping
• Decreases in vitamin B12 and folic acid intake may also impair muscle function through their action on homocysteine (has an impact on collagen in bone and other connective tissues)

It is clear that regular weightlifting, power training, ROM activities, and specialized nutritional strategies should be used when training older adults to minimize muscle loss and the consequent decrease in overall function. Resistance training should emphasize re-establishing a functional skeletal position and focus on muscle balance. One area of emphasis is strengthening the posterior chain, particularly the muscles that act on the humerus and scapula while lengthening the anterior chain as hip flexors and abdominals become tight due to gravitationally influenced migration into flexion. Power training should aim to recruit fast-twitch fibers but be modified to ensure safe movements during higher-velocity movement. Emphasis should be placed on the concentric aspect of the movement which can include rapid chair stands, concentric-only MB throws, and bodyweight movement drills for those at higher risk. Be cautious with individuals suspected of osteoporosis as the vertebrae, hip and wrist are sensitive to injury.

It can be hoped that future research will provide greater data related to specific quantities of key nutrients essential to limiting sarcopenia, so that these intake guidelines may be combined with an appropriate resistance training program to an effect of enhanced quality of life among the elderly.

Reference: Osteoporosis International, December 2012

Personal Trainer calculators.

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• 1-Rep Max – accurately predicts 1RM safely and effectively for any exercise
  
• Multi-Repetition – accurately predicts the appropriate weight for a given number of repetitions based on 1RM
  
• Percentage of Max Effort – estimates how hard a set of resistance training will be relative to max effort; great for programming progressions
  
• Daily Caloric Need – - The Daily Caloric Need calculator takes into account all relevant information including RMR, thermic effect of food and physical activity status to reliably predict your daily caloric expenditure.
  
• Daily Energy Nutrient Intake – provides you with evidence-based nutrition recommendations for carbohydrate, protein, and fat in grams and calories per day based on physical activity level and cardiovascular risk
  
• Caloric Expenditure – quickly determines calories expended from physical activity based on human research
  
• Target Body Weight – accurately assesses weight loss adjustments based on current and goal body fat
  
• Resting Metabolic Rate (Harris-Benedict) – estimates the number of calories expended per day based on gender, age, height, and weight
  
• Resting Metabolic Rate (Lean Mass) – estimates the number of calories expended per day based on lean mass
  
• Body Fat – rapidly provides body fat percentage from 3 site assessments
  
• Body Mass Index (BMI) – identifies predicted risk for disease and compares with healthy values
  
• Target Heart Rate – quickly identifies ideal heart rate training zones for effective aerobic training
  
• Max HR Calculators – Determining Heart Rate Max is necessary to accurately identify an exerciser’s relative training zones for improved cardiorespiratory fitness or for competitive event preparation.
  
• VO₂max - Volume of Oxygen – Easily calculate your VO₂max using the Astrand treadmill protocol, 1.5 mile run test or one-mile walk test and compare your aerobic capacity to the population norms.

Massage: Your Key to Health

Original article

Improve Sleep, Immunity, Digestion, and Quality of Life

By Laurie Chance Smith

Originally published in Massage & Bodywork magazine, January/February 2009. Copyright 2009. Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals. All rights reserved.

Therapeutic touch is an instinctive and eloquent form of communication that has been molded into a healing art. Larry Costa, author of Massage: Mind and Body,writes that massage has many "physical and mental benefits, including ... relieving muscle soreness, increasing flexibility, easing chronic pain, reducing tension headaches, boosting the immune system, promoting restful sleep, and improving concentration." Massage positively affects the body's circulatory, nervous, and immune systems. By encouraging blood flow through the veins, massage benefits the entire body. The calming effects of massage on the nervous system often produce a sense of serenity and well-being. Regular massage also stimulates the lymphatic system, which enhances the function of the immune system.

From easing arthritis and asthma to improving digestion, the benefits of massage therapy run the gamut. Massage helps relieve daily stressors and eases recovery from many serious illnesses. In The Complete Book of Relaxation Techniques, Jenny Sutcliffe points out that massage can relieve pain by stimulating the production of endorphins--the body's own painkillers--and, by increasing the sensory input to the brain, thereby blocking out the pain messages.

The positive physiological and psychological effects of massage were demonstrated in a recent study of patients undergoing care for cancer. When given massage, study participants at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston exhibited increased relaxation, better sleep, and improved immune function, along with relief from fatigue, pain, anxiety, and nausea.

In Ayurvedic Herbal Massage, author Gita Ramesh says regular massages can "relieve stress and help to promote a long and healthy life." In the Indian healing system of ayurveda, massage is considered a form of whole body exercise that increases stamina and energy, while simultaneously delivering an inexpressible quality of stillness and joy--a time to be present. Massage realigns the entire body, promotes deeper and more natural breathing patterns, and helps restore individual resources of vital energy. The moments spent in massage are an opportunity to experience oneself as completely accepted. 

Regular massage is a gift to yourself. Through the power of structured, healing touch, massage helps the body run smoothly, like keeping a musical instrument in perfect tune. Massage rejuvenates the body from the outside in, with side benefits that include improved complexion, better posture, and a relaxed disposition on life. 

Laurie Chance Smith is a Texas-based writer and photographer who works for national and international markets on a plethora of topics. She can be reached at lauriechancesmith@yahoo.com.

The Key Amino Acids For Endurance Athletes

Original article.

Glutamine

Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the body, accounting for greater than 60% of the total intramuscular free amino acid pool. Virtually every cell in the body uses this non-essential amino acid.
Glutamine is synthesized in both skeletal muscle and in adipose tissue in addition to the lungs, liver and brain. Because the body has the ability to produce glutamine it has long been considered a non-essential amino acid, which simply means the body has a mechanism to produce this powerful amino acid. However, there is evidence that, during times of stress, the body cannot produce enough glutamine to keep up with demand which in turn can reduce performance, immune function and mood. As a result, glutamine has recently been classified as a conditional non-essential amino acid. Glutamine offers a significant benefit to exercising individuals and those looking to increase lean muscle mass and decrease body fat. Supplemental glutamine can help promote cell volumization, the phenomenon of drawing of water INSIDE muscle cells which can help increase muscle “fullness”, increase protein synthesis (the making of proteins), and decrease proteolysis (the breakdown of protein).
Glutamine and overtraining
Intense physical exercise drains glutamine stores faster than the body can replenish them. When this occurs, the body breaks down muscles and becomes catabolic. There is evidence that supports glutamine supplementation for recovery, glycogen storage, synthesis of other amino acids and reduction of the catabolic effects of over-training. With reduced glutamine levels, performance and recovery are also compromised. It’s been proven that glutamine levels in the serum are dramatically reduced following exhaustive exercise. Glutamine has also been shown to aid in recovery and recuperation in addition to boosting immune function. It accomplishes this as one of the building blocks for the body’s most powerful anti-oxidant, glutathione, and may possibly cause extra growth hormone release with just a 4 gram oral dosage.
A strict and strenuous training program, which does not allow for enough recovery time, may cause an athlete to experience over-training syndrome (OTS). Researchers have effectively correlated OTS to amino acid imbalances. Decreased performance, decreased mood, and increased incidence of infections characterize these amino acid imbalances caused by OTS. Athletes who exercise extensively and are suffering from OTS may become immuno-suppressed. This can lead to increased infection and upper respiratory illness. In addition, recent clinical trials have shown that over-trained endurance athletes suffer from chronic low plasma glutamine levels. Maintaining normal levels of intramuscular glutamine is critical in preventing the breakdown of skeletal muscle and catabolism (the breakdown of muscle). There is also strong evidence that glutamine acts as an immuno-stimulant, which reduces the incidence of infection during training and racing. The best time to take a glutamine or glutamine peptide supplement is right after a hard exercise session since glutamine stores in muscle can be depleted up to 40% after exhaustive exercise.
Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)
Low levels of branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) may contribute to fatigue so BCAAs should be replaced within two hours or less following exercise. These include the essential amino acids leucine, isoleucine, and valine. They are very popular among athletes and there is some research validating their use. Numerous research studies have shown these three key amino acids are extremely important to consume, especially during dieting and exercising (and according to one study, BCAAs are even more important when exercising in the heat). During exercise, the body uses a mix of glucose, fats, and even protein as a fuel source. When diet and carbohydrate intake is lower than normal, the percentage of protein the body uses for fuel (specifically Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine) dramatically increases. The body will pull those needed amino acids from the continuously circulating pool of amino acids in the bloodstream.
And if not replenished from an outside source, i.e. specific amino acid ingestion in the form of BCAAs, the body will breakdown other areas of the body in order to supply this pool. Studies have shown that subjects who consume an effective dose of BCAAs while endurance training have greater levels of lean muscle mass retention than control subjects who ingest a placebo (and typically lose muscle during the same dieting period). Additionally, BCAAs form antibodies that combat invading bacteria and viruses. The body cannot manufacture its own BCAAs, so they must be supplied through diet and supplementation. BCAAs have also been studied for their ability to improve exercise capacity in heat. In a 1998 study, subjects supplementing with BCAAs significantly improved moderate exercise performance in the heat.
BCAAs and Central Fatigue
Branched Chain Amino Acids are also associated with a syndrome termed central fatigue. Following exhaustive exercise, BCAAs are depleted from the working muscle and from the circulating pool of amino acids. This depleted state causes an imbalance of the BCAA to Tryptophan (another amino acid) ratio..
When BCAAs are low, Tryptophan (a precursor to serotonin) is more readily available and can cause increases in serotonin. Low levels of BCAAs cause an increase in serotonin, which causes a feeling of sleepiness and lethargy It is this imbalance that can cause an athlete to become lethargic and almost sleepy.
Supplementing with higher levels of BCAAs will help stop the Tryptophan/serotonin mechanism. All whey protein supplements contain Tryptophan, however only some will actually disclose an amount on the label. An effective supplement should contain at least three grams of BCAAs and minimal levels of tryptophan.
Glutamine References
Petibois C, et. al. Biochemical aspects of overtraining in endurance sports. Sports Med. 2002;32(13):867-78
Hiscock N, et. al. Glutamine supplementation further enhances exercise-induced plasma IL-6. J Appl Physiol. 2003 Jul;95(1): 145-8. Epub 2003 Feb 28.
Bassit RA, et. al, Branched-chain amino acid supplementation and the immune response of long-distance athletes. Nutrition. 2002 May;18(5):376-9
Blomstrand E, Saltin B. BCAA intake affects protein metabolism in muscle after but not during exercise in humans. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2001 Aug;281(2):E365-74
Halson SL, et al. Immunoligical responses to overreaching in cyclists. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2003 May;35(5):854-861
Castell L. Glutamine supplementation in vitro and in vivo, in exercise and in immunodepression. Sports Med. 2003;33(5):323-45
Henriksen EJ, Saengsirisuwan V. Exercise training and antioxidants: relief from oxidative stress and insulin resistance. Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 2003 Apr: 31(2):79-84
Antonio, J., and C. Street. 1999. Glutamine: A potentially useful supplement for athletes. Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology 24:1-14
Lacey, J.M., and D.W. Wilmore. 1990. Is glutamine a conditionally essential amino acid? Nutrition Reviews 48:297-309
Labow, B.I., and W.W. Souba. 2000 Glutamine. World Journal of Surgery 24:1503-1513
Castell, L.M., et al. The role of glutamine in the immune system and in intestinal function in catabolic states. Amino Acids 7 (1994): 231-243
Castell, L.M., J.R. Poortmans, and E.A. Newsholme. Does glutamine have a role in reducing infection in athletes? European Journal of Applied Physiology 73 (1996): 488-490.
Van Hall, G., Saris, W.H.M., Van De Schoor, P.A., and Watenmakers, A.J.M., 2000. “The effects of free glutamine and peptide ingestion on the rate of muscle glycogen re-synthesis in man.” International Journal of Sports Medicine, 21:25-30.
BCAAs References
Blomstrand E, Celsing F, Newsholme EA. Changes in plasma concentrations of aromatic and branchedchain amino acids during sustained exercise in man and their possible role in fatigue. Acta Physiol Scand. 1988 May;133(1):115-21.
Blomstrand E, Hassmen P, Ek S, Ekblom B, Newsholme EA. Influence of ingesting a solution of branchedchain amino acids on perceived exertion during exercise. Acta Physiol Scand. 1997 Jan;159(1):41-9.
Blomstrand E, Hassmen P, Ekblom B, Newsholme EA. Administration of branched-chain amino acids during sustained exercise–effects on performance and on plasma concentration of some amino acids. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol. 1991;63(2):83-8.
Castell LM, Yamamoto T, Phoenix J, Newsholme EA. The role of tryptophan in fatigue in different conditions of stress. Adv Exp Med Biol. 1999;467:697-704.
Davis JM, Alderson NL, Welsh RS. Serotonin and central nervous system fatigue: nutritional considerations. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000 Aug;72(2 Suppl):573S-8S.
Davis JM, Bailey SP, Woods JA, Galiano FJ, Hamilton MT, Bartoli WP. Effects of carbohydrate feedings on plasma free tryptophan and branched-chain amino acids during prolonged cycling. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol. 1992;65(6):513-9.
Davis JM, Welsh RS, De Volve KL, Alderson NA. Effects of branched-chain amino acids and carbohydrate on fatigue during intermittent, high-intensity running. Int J Sports Med. 1999 Jul;20(5):309-14.
Davis JM. Carbohydrates, branched-chain amino acids, and endurance: the central fatigue hypothesis. Int J Sport Nutr. 1995 Jun;5 Suppl:S29-38.
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