1. Children should participate in moderately intense physical activity for 30 to 60 minutes on most days of the week
2. It is important that each child undergo a general physical fitness assessment (e.g., FITNESSGRAM), including tests for cardiovascular fitness, body composition, muscular strength and endurance, and flexibility
3. Training programs should be multiplanar because most sports are not performed in only one plane. Exercises should enhance the young athlete’s proprioceptive motor skills, including balance, core stabilization, strength, speed, and agility.
It has been well established that our youth need to be involved in a variety of physical activities that enhance all the components of physical fitness. Thus, the consensus is that children should participate in moderately intense physical activity for 30 to 60 minutes on most days of the week. These activities should be fun and non-competitive in nature. (1,2)
By the same token, there is a growing number of children who participate in competitive sports and, hence, are exposed to more intense training protocols. While children grow and mature at different rates, the child athlete is usually matched in competition by chronological age. As such, differences in size, height, and body weight can further increase the child’s risk for physical injuries. (3)
It then becomes our role as personal trainers, coaches, and PE instructors to ensure that our athlete children are “fit” to compete.
Guidelines for Training of the Athlete Child/Youth:
It is important that each child undergo a general physical fitness assessment (e.g., FITNESSGRAM), including tests for cardiovascular fitness, body composition, muscular strength and endurance, and flexibility. (4)
Once it is established that the athlete child has successfully reached acceptable levels of physical fitness, a performance assessment should be performed. Tests are specific to the needs of each sport and may include such parameters as speed,agility, power, balance, postural control, and core strength.
Training programs should be multiplanar because most sports are not performed in only one plane. Exercises should enhance the young athlete’s proprioceptive motor skills, including balance, core stabilization, strength, speed, and agility.
Exercises should be progressed from a stable to a more unstable environment.
The young athlete should be reassessed approximately every eight weeks to ensure program safety and effectiveness.
The young athlete should allow days for rest and recuperation.
In summary, a well-planned and supervised training program will not only ensure performance success but also safe participation by our young athletes.
References
(1) Faigenbaum A. Resistance training for adolescent athletes. Athl Ther Today Nov 2002;30-35.
(2) Wallace T. Junior Athletic Conditioning: Integrated Training for Kids! Personal Training on the Net 2003. p 1-6.
(3) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Guidelines for School and Community Health Programs to Promote Physical Activity Among Youth. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 1997.
(4) Council for Physical Education for Children. Physical Activity for Children: A Statement of Guidelines. Reston, VA: NASPE; 1998.
One of the most important messages that is clear from the scientific literature is that increasing the amount of exercise yields health benefits, including losing weight. Health and fitness professionals also understand that the inverse is true; weight loss attempts without exercise are both less healthful and more likely to fail, when the outcome measure is sustained weight loss. It is, of course, important to ensure the client is expending sufficient calories through exercise to experience enough weight loss to keep them motivated. As a result, moderate intensity exercise is usually the focus of the cardiovascular exercise recommendations, in order to advise a higher overall volume of exercise. This is particularly important for clients for whom lower intensity exercise may be important, and certainly, in the initial phases of weight loss, ensuring regular exercise without risking orthopedic injury is paramount.
Fitness Matters
Of course, the motivation for weight loss varies between clients. While most clients would include improved health as a desired benefit of their program, most would agree, that achieving an improved aesthetic appearance through a lower body weight is likewise a high priority, and somewhat regrettably, the most important priority in the view of the client. But if health is indeed a priority, and health and fitness professionals have a clear responsibility to communicate that message to clients, fitness also matters.
It has been well established that there is a strong relationship between mortality and obesity , and how this is influenced by fitness. (1) In addition, the risk of cardiovascular disease and unstable symptoms increase as a function of elevated body mass index. (2) The effect of fitness on reducing mortality increases linearly with body mass index, (3) and Blair and colleagues showed that death rates are significantly lower in those who are overweight and fit than those who are lean but sedentary. (4) Wessel and colleagues have published impressive data showing that in women, the risk of a major cardiovascular event is reduced in those who are fitter, regardless of whether they were obese or not obese, but this effect was even greater in the obese. (5) In other words, fitness is a much more powerful determinant of health than body weight.
That is not to suggest physical activity without focused improvement in fitness is not important.
An analysis of the data collected in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of nearly 9800 subjects published by Fang in 2003 clearly shows that as physical activity is increased, cardiovascular disease mortality rate by recreational physical activity, and overweight/obesity status is markedly reduced, when adjusted for age and gender. (6) The studies cited here make an important point about the importance of fitness even in the absence of weight loss. Of course, weight loss should naturally occur with regular exercise. It is usually recommended – and emphasized – in most sensible weight loss programs that exercise should be comfortable and at a low to moderate effort level to optimize calories expended, by avoiding fatigue and possible injury. The weekly caloric expenditure should approach 12,000-13,000 calories, and be modified as necessary to meet weight loss goals. Eventually though, there is a logical crossroads between the amount of exercise and increasing the exercise effort, to more efficiently burn calories while improving fitness.
In other words, should one focus on adding more time or distance, or pick up the pace?
The benefit of fitness could be offset by the risk of fatigue and a lower overall caloric expenditure from exercise. Health and fitness professionals should help their clients monitor weight loss but stay in control of their program to minimize this risk while providing significant health benefits. To summarize the important scientific literature, what matters for those trying to lose weight is that once physical activity is a regular part of the plan, eventually tinkering with the program to improve fitness should be a serious consideration to maximize health benefits.
What you put in your stomach may go straight to your heart. Luckily, a heart-healthy diet is an easy one to follow – it’s not a diet at all.
“A heart-healthy diet is generally characterized by a diet that’s high in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low- and non-fat dairy products, legumes, lean meat and fish at least twice a week, preferably oily fish,” says Dr. Alice Lichtenstein of Tufts University. This type of diet will be low in saturated fat and trans fatty acids.
Lichtenstein, the Gershoff professor of nutrition science, emphasizes that there aren’t necessarily heart-miracle foods. Instead, she says, “It’s a general pattern and it can be adapted to different people’s personal preferences, ethnic backgrounds and religious requirements.” Constructing a heart-healthy diet is especially necessary in the U.S. today. Heart disease is the leading cause of death, accounting for 27 percent of all deaths in the country, according to the American Heart Association. But, incorporating exercise and altering one’s diet can significantly decrease the risk of having heart problems later on.
Lichtenstein says making positive changes to one’s diet is easy and flexible.Changes often require a simple substitution – low-fat milk for regular, lean cuts of meat for fatty cuts – can significantly revamp a diet. These choices will help reduce unnecessary saturated and trans fat and cholesterol, while adding more heart-healthy nutrients like fiber and omega-3 fatty acids.
Hindrance and helpers: the nutrients in a heart-healthy diet:
The American Heart Association recommends certain dietary requirements and limitations to ensure a heart-healthy diet.
Cholesterol: Limit cholesterol to 300 mg a day. One egg has about 215 mg – all found in the yoke.
Saturated fat: This fat should make up less than 7 percent of one’s total caloric intake. Saturated fat is found in meat and animal products and is the main contributor to high blood cholesterol.
Trans fat: Limit trans fat intake to less than 1 percent of total calories. Margarine and cooking oils are a common source of this cholesterol creator.
Fiber: Consume at least 25 to 30 grams of fiber each day from whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes. Fiber aids in the digestive process.
Omega-3 fatty acids: Fatty fish like salmon, albacore tuna and trout contain these acids which reduce risk for cardiovascular disease. Soybeans, walnuts and flaxseeds also can contribute omega-3 fatty acids.
Overall, it’s crucial to balance the calories consumed and calories expended. “Any food eaten in excess, even if it’s good for you, would work against energy balance and not be good,” she says. “One of the biggest challenges we’re facing is the absolute quantity because two-thirds of us are overweight or obese.” Following a heart-healthy diet will both shave pounds and reduce the risk of heart disease. And, as more and more health options become available, the transition can be an easy one. “You can make minor adjustments in any type of cuisine, food that’s available or choices in restaurants so that you can end up getting the components of a heart-healthy diet,” she says. “Be creative.”
Requirements of a heart-healthy diet:
Maintain a healthy weight
Keep your meals low in saturated and trans fat
Choose foods rich in fiber
Meet daily nutrient requirements
Substitute risk for wellbeing:
Do your heart a favor by making these simple substitutions:
Low- and non-fat dairy for full-fat dairy
Lean cuts of meat for fatty cuts of meat
Skinless poultry for poultry with skin
Whole fruits for juice
Prepare your heart for heart health:
According to Dr. Lichtenstein, certain preparation methods can significantly alter a meal’s dietary composition.
Account for what you add. “If you’re adding a lot of butter, you’re adding saturated fat so you altering the composition of the food you’re consuming,” she says.
Grilling may drain the pounds. “On the other hand,” Lichtenstein says, “if you grill, you would be draining fat off of the meat, so that would be good.”
Forget the fryer. “If you bread and deep fry it in partially-hydrogenated fat, you’re probably getting trans-fatty acids,” she says.
Weight loss drugs, referred to as pharmacotherapy, have been popularly used since the 1950s, though long before that there were products available claiming to contain sanitized tapeworms available for purchase. Following several drugs such as dinitrophenol and the amphetamine-like compounds that posed serious side effects, the weight-loss drugs most commonly used today are appetite suppressants and nutrient absorption blockers.
While lifestyle measures remain the cornerstone of prevention and treatment of obesity, adding anti-obesity agents is considered by some physicians for obese patients who did not achieve sufficient weight loss after lifestyle modifications. Often positioned as an adjunct to diet and exercise, weight loss drugs are meant to supplement these behavior interventions and not to replace them. This article will review these classes of drugs, how they work, and the criteria with which physicians prescribe them to their patients.
Classes of Drugs
Today, most commonly prescribed weight loss drugs are either appetite suppressants or fat absorption blockers. For both, the goal of pharmacological intervention is to decrease feeding behavior and reduce weight. Appetite suppressants facilitate weight loss by tricking the body into believing that it is not hungry or that it is full. Most of them decrease appetite by increasing serotonin or catecholamine — two brain chemicals that affect mood and appetite. For example, the drug Subutrimine acts by increasing noradrenaline and serotonin levels in the hypothalamus, nucleus accumbens and the brainstem, all regions associated with energy homeostasis (1). Other centrally acting drugs that also work through the modification of neurotransmitters are presently being aggressively researched to determine if these novel approaches lead to clinically meaningful weight loss and improvements in comorbid conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disorders.
Clinical experience data on the success of these drugs suggests that weight loss produced by any one agent is limited and rarely exceeds 10% of the starting weight (2). This initial drop also plateaus. The ‘ceiling effect’ observed is probably due to adaptive changes as the body continues to maintain a balance in favor of energy conservation or the body’s metabolic “slow-down” in response to chronic underfeeding. One approach that some weight loss specialists have adopted to overcome this issue is to develop combination therapies that tackle the problem through more than one mechanism in an effort to minimize the impact of these adaptive changes.
Fat absorption inhibitors work by preventing the body from breaking down and absorbing ingested fat. These medications act on the gastrointestinal system and work by blocking the action of lipase, the fat-digesting enzyme, thereby reducing fat absorption in the gut. The non-absorbed fat is then eliminated in bowel movements. It also blocks the availability of fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E, and K), so patients may also take a vitamin supplement (3).
The most commonly prescribed fat absorption blocker is the prescription drug Orlistat (brand name Xenical). Research has explored the effectiveness of Orlistat compared to other drug treatments, placebo, or behavior-focused interventions. Avenell et al. carried out a systematic review of trials involving a combination of diets, drug therapy, exercise, and behavior therapy and concluded that adding Orlistat to a dietary intervention improved weight loss by 3.26kg up to 24 months (4). Research also indicates that Orlistat reduces cholesterol and blood pressure levels and improves glycemic control when compared to placebo (5).
As of 2007, Orlistat became available over-the-counter (OTC). Sold as the brand name “Alli,” which is half the strength (60mg versus 120mg) of the prescription drug, Orlistat was the first clinically-proven OTC product to be combined with a comprehensive support program. Research indicates that both Orlistat and Alli can improve weight loss if used alongside behavioral and lifestyle interventions, however due to unpleasant side effects (urgent bowel movements, diarrhea, and gas with oily spotting/anal leakage) there remain problems with adherence and much variability in patient outcomes.
The Best Candidates
While each physician develops their own specific criteria for prescribing weight loss drugs, guidelines do exist. The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute’s evidence statement on pharmacotherapy for weight loss asserts:
“Weight loss drugs approved by the FDA may only be used as part of a comprehensive weight loss program, including dietary therapy and physical activity, for patients with a BMI of 30 with no concomitant obesity-related risk factors or diseases, and for patients with a BMI of 27 with concomitant obesity-related risk factors or diseases. Weight loss drugs should never be used without concomitant lifestyle modifications. Concomitant assessment of drug therapy for efficacy and safety is necessary. If the drug is efficacious in helping the patient lose and/or maintain weight loss and there are no serious adverse effects, it can be continued. If not, it should be discontinued” (6).
Before selecting a medication(s), physicians will also consider health history, possible side effects, and potential interaction of weight-loss drugs with other prescribed and OTC medications.
It is extremely important for physicians to emphasize to their patients that weight-loss drugs don’t replace the need for changes in eating habits and activity level. In fact, several studies on drug intervention alone demonstrate that once patients stop taking the drug, they may have a higher rate of regain compared with people who also have some behavior modification support (7).
Weight-Loss Drugs and the Fitness Professional
When combined with a low-calorie diet and regular exercise, weight-loss drugs produce an average weight loss of 5% to 10% of total body weight within a year, a typical initial goal for any weight-loss effort. Losing 5% to 10% of total weight may not seem like much, but even modest weight loss can improve health by:
With interventions that combine lifestyle behavior change and pharmacotherapy, it is difficult to determine how much of weight loss success can be attributed to each. Regardless, both during drug intervention and after, lifestyle behaviors, as supported by fitness professionals, remain an exceptionally important part of the success equation.
References:
(1) Sargent B and Moore, NA. New central targets for the treatment of obesity. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2009 December; 68(6): 852–860.
(2) Tziomalos K, Krassas GE, Tzotzas T. The use of sibutramine in the management of obesity and related disorders: an update. Vasc Health Risk Manag. 2009; 5: 441–452.
(3) Hollywood A, Ogden J. Taking Orlistat: Predicting Weight Loss over 6 MonthsObes. 2011;2011:806896. Epub 2010 Nov 11.
(4) Avenell A, Brown TJ, McGee MA, et al. What interventions should we add to weight reducing diets in adults with obesity? A systematic review of randomized controlled trials of adding drug therapy, exercise, behaviour therapy or combinations of these interventions. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics. 2004;17(4):293–316
(5) Padwal R, Li SK, Lau DCW. Long-term pharmacotherapy for overweight and obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. International Journal of Obesity. 2003;27(12):1437–1446
(6) http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/e_txtbk/txgd/4325.htm last accessed 12.12.10.
(7) Warziski Turk, M Randomized Clinical Trials of Weight-Loss Maintenance: A Review. J Cardiovasc Nurs. 2009; 24(1): 58–80.
The most important aspect of shopping for produce is finding clean, delicious, and nutritious fruit and vegetables for you and your family. You work hard towards health for you and your clients, so decisions regarding produce are as important as planning an exercise program. But how do you select quality produce?
We have all stood there—under the hum of fluorescent lights and fixed upon freshly moistened produce—trying to select a piece of fruit or a vegetable. Do you tap on a banana or a watermelon? Do you smell a potato or a tomato? And what do the answers to these tests reveal to us about the produce? “If you are a farmer that knocks on thousands of melons a year you probably know what you are listening for,” shared Kyle Tator. Kyle is the Extension County Program Director for New Mexico State University in Valencia County, New Mexico and helps run a local farmers market.
But what about us, those who want to pick the right produce but don’t have years of education to back our choices?
Experts advise that we become our own produce expert. Start by learning some general tips on selecting fresh and ripe produce.
Timing Is Everything
Look at where you buy your produce and find out the best time to buy your fruits and vegetables at that location.
Laura Bittner, and Extension Agent helping to run the Valencia County Nutrition Program advises, “there are days of the week…when produce comes in to the grocery store and I would ask whoever is working in the produce section what days those are and how quickly they get the produce out [on the floor]…that would be the day that I would go and purchase produce.”
Here are some general tips to help you and your client selecting the best produce:
* Fruits are either ripened on the plant or non-climatically ripened (berries, citrus, cherries, dates, and grapes) or still ripen off of the plant or climatically ripened (peaches, bananas, apples, melons, plums, and tropical fruits)
* Remember that buying under ripe produce isn’t always the best option. Peaches, cantaloupe and nectarines are examples of fruits that may soften during storage, but they won’t ripen.
* Tropical fruits such as mangoes and kiwis will grow sweeter off the plant, but not develop their aroma (developed on the plant)
* Avocados must be picked in order to ripen (so hard is okay)
* Look for produce that is average in size and shape for the best taste. Large produce rarely tastes as good, usually has tough flesh, and takes up too much space (does anyone really eat the state fair produce winners?)
Distance Matters
The estimates of miles traveled for produce varies with each season and each piece of fruit or vegetable.
If you live in New York and buy California table grapes, that produce traveled over 3000 miles to get to your plate.
For most fruits and vegetables, quality increases—in freshness, taste, or nutrition—as the distance decreases between the farmer and consumer. Know where the produce originated. Kyle and Laura suggest adding “distance traveled” on your list of clues to select quality produce. Further, they advise to segment distance to determine your top-down list of choices for produce:
The first choice is seasonally fresh produce that are usually found at your local farmers market, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) groups, and grocery cooperatives—you will usually need a membership to the CSAs or co-ops to enjoy their benefits. Visit the Local Harvest website (http://www.localharvest.org/) to find farms, farmers markets, and CSAs in your area. You can also search for a farmers market through the USDA Agriculture Marketing Service website (http://apps.ams.usda.gov/FarmersMarkets/).
Eat local produce at the peak of freshness during their growing season and you will notice the difference. The more experience you gain from buying local foods, the more you will know the “season” for each produce selection.
When visiting your local farmers market or speaking with a CSA representative, Kyle suggests asking the following questions to help you decide if the produce is right for you:
If the booth displays “Grown Organically”, ask the farmer if they are registered or certified with the USDA. The answers will help you determine if they have gone through the application and approval steps or are misusing the label.
If the booth displays “Grown Naturally” or without an organic display, ask the farmer what type of inputs (fertilizer, insecticide, herbicide, etc.), varieties (heirloom, hybrid, genetically modified, etc.), water supply, and other practices to determine if you want to eat their produce.
Labels are Important
Buying produce—as every product in the grocery store—requires an understanding of labels. Use the labels attached to produce to help determine source and potential quality:
* Organic – The easy part is that produce is either organic or it is not. There is no such thing as 95% or 70% of organic ingredients when it comes to produce. For your best quality organic produce, select products with the USDA organic seal. To reduce the mystery of certification from international sources, select products with the USDA organic seal that were produced in the United States.
* Natural – This label means nothing regarding a certification process and there is no guarantee of what “natural” means.
* Universal Product Code (UPC) – The 12 digit number on the barcode will tell you a lot about the produce, including its origin. Use a UPC look-up service (such as http://upcdata.info/) to help find information. The UPC code is for fixed weight or volume items which is a trend with organic produce with larger companies (such as a package of organic carrots)
* Price Look-Up Code (PLU) – While that little sticker on loose produce is annoying to remove, they do provide information to help you decide on selection. The 4 or 5 digit PLU code aids checkout with specific codes for specific items and their prices per weight. The PLU provides you information such as:
o Produce that starts with the number 9 are organically grown
o Produce that starts with the numbers 3 or 4 are conventionally grown
o Produce that starts with the number 8 are genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
Make sure to clarify with the produce clerks when you find bulk produce that are without the PLU code or have a store made label above their bin. This will make sure the label is correct and aid you in making your produce selection.
If you are unsure of any produce at any venue, don’t hesitate to ask questions of the farmer, produce clerk, or anyone in charge of the selection. Even their responses will help you decide on what is best for you.
Further Reading:
To learn more about your local seasons for fruits and vegetables, visit About.com’s comprehensive state-by-state or regional listing of seasonal fruits and vegetables:
To start building a knowledgeable foundation in produce selection, you can review numerous websites that identify clues of ripeness for specific produce.
When it comes to cardio training – one size does not fit all. So this begs the question – if resistance training programs are individualized, why aren’t cardio training programs?
Our bodies are as unique as our goals and the way we train should be a reflection of both. The days of simply going for a run or hopping on a piece of cardio for thirty minutes without a clear plan are no longer the way to perform a great cardio workout. There is a smarter, more efficient way to train your heart and the best part is – it can create amazing results! Heart rate training has become the most useful and efficient way to perform cardio workouts. With the ease of use and applicability to all exercisers, using your heart rate as your guide can revolutionize your cardio fitness programs and excel results. The trick is to understand your training zones, explore interval training and progress your training in stages.
What are heart rate training zones?
Heart rate training zones are used to establish training intensity. Heart rate zones are a good starting point for developing cardio training programs and are simple to use. For fitness purposes, there are three training zones to focus on.
Zone 1, often referred to as the recovery zone, uses a lower heart rate (65-75% of heart rate max) and is great for recovery from a hard workout or creating a strong aerobic base.
Zone 2, uses a moderate to high heart rate which helps to raise your anaerobic threshold (AT) (the point at which your energy sources move from utilizing a higher percentage of fat to utilizing a higher percentage of glucose). This zone is important as it increases your aerobic base making your heart more efficient and helps you burn more calories during and after exercise.
Zone 3, is your peak heart rate zone and helps to increase your anaerobic threshold (AT) as well as increases the caloric burn during and after exercise. This peak heart rate should not be trained in consistently as sustaining a peak heart rate can lead to overtraining and adverse effects on your results.
To determine heart rate training zones, simply use the following formula:
(220 – age) x % of HRmax = Training intensity
What is interval training- it sounds hard?
Interval training involves training at different intensities for certain periods of time in a given workout. Interval training can be a challenge! This form of training allows for you to overload your body, helping to create the cardiovascular changes you want while providing your body the opportunity to work harder without overtraining. Depending on your level of fitness, interval training may mean training in two to three different zones during your cardio session. Don’t worry – we recommend beginning your interval training programs in stages, called stage training, to help you ease into the harder workouts!
What is stage training and will it help me lose weight faster?
Stage training is a pre-set system of interval training designed to use all three training zones. This is important as it allows you to avoid plateaus and break-free from the worries of overtraining. Overall, stage training helps you begin and progress your training in a way that can accelerate your results. If you begin in a program that is too difficult you may burn-out or over-train – and if the program is too easy – you won’t get the overload that your body needs to ignite change. So stage training allows you to vary the intensity of your workout and keep you progressing over time.
I have a specific goal of weight loss – so where do I start?
No matter what the goal is, the solution begins with assessing your starting point and your ability to begin a cardio training program. You may need to visit a local fitness facility for a complete cardio assessment and ask your physician before you begin a cardio training program. If you are new to cardio training, start in stage 1 and progress after a few weeks. Intermediate or advanced exercisers can begin in stage 2 and progress to stage 3 as shown below.
Now let’s get that heart pumping! Choose whatever form of cardio that you enjoy most and find the perfect heart rate zone and stage for you – three different fitness levels, three different training stages to focus on to achieve weight loss success. Pick your level and get moving!
Stage 1: Beginner – You are new to cardio training and need to build up your stamina.
Create a training base! You can perform cardio training up to three days a week making sure to allow yourself a day of rest in-between your cardio workouts. Start slow and remember – your body will advance over time – don’t push yourself too hard!
Stage 2: Intermediate – You are an avid mover and need a push to get past those pesky plateaus!
Push ahead! Alternate days one and two according to how many days you plan on performing cardio (i.e. if you plan on doing four days of cardio, they should be performed as follows: Day 1, Day 2, Day 1, Day 2).
Stage 3: Advanced – You are a weekend warrior and fitness fanatic with no time to spare!
Go for it! We suggest a minimum of three days of cardio training for you – just remember to alternate your cardio workouts so that you allow yourself plenty of recovery time (i.e. if you plan on training more than three days a week – always perform a recovery day after a high intensity day to allow your body to recover).
You can perform any type of cardio that you enjoy – the exercise type is up to you! Remember that cardio training is individual – start at the stage that best suits your current fitness level and progress your training over time.
Reference
(1) Wilmore JH, Costill DL. Physiology of Sport and Exercise. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 1994
Traditionally, “reactive training,” or “power training,” has been viewed as exclusively applicable to the athlete. Although this is an important part of an athlete’s protocol, it’s an equally important component in exercise programs for the typical gym member. Every activity we perform, both on the playing field and in everyday life, requires us to react to certain demands placed on our structure and to generate forces quickly enough to meet those demands. Therefore, in order to decrease the risk of injury and enhance overall performance, it is critical that people train at speeds that are functionally applicable to everyday life, as well as sports.
What is Reactive/Power Training?
Reactive Training is defined as quick, powerful movements involving an eccentric contraction (force reduction) followed immediately by an explosive concentric contraction (force production). It incorporates the stretch capabilities of our tissues to store energy (as potential energy), then utilize this energy (as kinetic energy, the energy of motion) to generate force efficiently. Reactive/power training also teaches the mechanisms of our nervous system to recruit muscles quickly, thus enhancing the rate in which the muscles can generate force.
Why is Reactive/Power Training Important?
No matter the population or the activity in question, an individual’s ability to react and generate force quickly is crucial to overall function and safety during movement. Reactive/power training can enhance a person’s ability to dynamically stabilize, reduce, and produce forces at speeds that are functionally appropriate to the tasks at hand.
The nervous system will only recruit muscles at speeds for which it has been trained. If the nervous system is not trained to recruit muscles quickly, it will not be able to respond appropriately when met with a demand that requires a speedy reaction. For example, if two basketball players of the same height are going up for a jump ball, the one who can react and generate force the fastest will win the toss.
The same holds true for both the typical gym member and the overall population. Stepping off a curb that is deeper than expected, you can lose your balance and fall. But if the nervous system has been trained to react quickly, you can recruit the right muscles at the right time, allowing you to regain your balance and decrease your chance of injury. It is important to note that reactive/power training should ONLY be incorporated into an exercise program once the individual has obtained proper flexibility, core strength, and balance capabilities.
Reactive/power training is no longer just for the athlete. It is an important component in all exercise programs to enhance function and performance, and decrease the risk of injury. Hopefully, this fact will become better understood and more people will incorporate reactive/power training into their exercise regimen. Using the example above, try a reactive training exercise. Instead of repeating the jumps, hold the landing position to begin until your body is prepared to handle repeating jumps.
Stepping on the scale each day can come with a bevy of emotions. Will the scale tip your way or are the weight loss Gods acting against you this morning because you ended your cardio workout five minutes before you were supposed to? Anyone who has waged war on their weight has done battle with their scale a time or two. And we know the smallest nudge up or down can make or break the rest of your day. However,the frustrations of daily minute changes in weight may not be painting the whole picture of your progress.
The Scale Tells the Whole Story Over Time
On any given day, the scale can lie and your true progress won’t be accurately reflected by your weight. This is because body weight can fluctuate on a daily basis due to the amount of fluid we retain. Foods high in sodium, menstrual cycles, certain medications and bowel movements can increase fluid retention and skew your weight. However, over time the scale tells the whole story. If your weight creeps up after two or three weeks, you’ve been eating more calories than you’re burning. The opposite is also true – if your weight decreases after two to three weeks, you’ve been eating fewer calories than you’re burning. A steady weight indicates the calories you’re burning and consuming are equal.
Other Ways to Measure Progress
If you’re making progress in at least two of the following areas, you’re on the right track:
Inches lost
Body fat percentage
Clothing size or fit
Energy levels
Gaining muscle is another way to gauge your progress. For example, if you’ve gained a pound of muscle, this is not the same as gaining a pound of fat. Gaining muscle is beneficial to your metabolism and strength level. By consistently burning more calories than you eat, muscle gain will taper and fat loss will continue. The scale will eventually capture your results and you will lose weight.
Tips for Weighing In
Be sure to weigh yourself at least once a week. Those who have lost weight and kept it off check their weight on a weekly and even daily basis. To minimize fluctuations, follow these tips for weighing in:
Wear similar clothing each time
Use the same scale
Weigh in at the same time of day
Maintain similar eating and drinking patterns prior to weighing in
Weigh in mid-week if you only check your weight weekly. Monday weigh-ins tend to be inaccurate because of food choices and eating habits on weekends
Regular weigh-ins allow you to react to small gains so they don’t become large ones. Daily weighing has been shown to prevent weight gain. If you want to know exactly how to adjust your intake or activity level on a daily basis, talk with your health and fitness professional to receive tips and valuable coaching advice.
When it comes to keeping your body healthy, your bones may not be receiving enough attention. Their functional counterparts, the muscles, always seem to benefit from our focus because of our ability to view them. Meanwhile, our bones go unnoticed and untreated, abused by our lackluster diets and inactive lifestyle. Well, it’s time to shift our focus to our bones, because like muscle, bones are alive and needing a little consideration from you!
From the beginning of life, your body is continually producing and losing bone. This is a two part process where bone is remodeled, old tissue is broken down and removed while new tissue is laid down to replace the old. Up until the age of 20, bone formation occurs at a more rapid pace than bone loss, helping to create strong, healthy bones. However as we age our bodies undergo change and as such, bone loss begins to occur faster than bone growth.
Here’s the surprising news, the pace at which our bodies lose bone can be declined or even stopped with proper diet and exercise! Healthy bones are generated from a balanced diet rich in calcium and vitamin D in addition to a healthy lifestyle that includes weight-bearing exercise, avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol consumption. When we neglect our bones by not following recommended dietary guidelines and reducing our daily activity, we move closer to obtaining a bone-weakening disease termed osteoporosis. According to research, osteoporosis affects nearly 15 million Americans, mostly women. Surprisingly, numerous studies have shown a positive effect of adequate calcium intake and regular exercise, yet many women only consume one-third to one-half of the required daily calcium consumption needed to prevent bone loss. Don’t be a statistic! Add calcium rich foods to your diet such as, milk, yogurt, cheese and vegetables like broccoli and start a weight-bearing exercise program such as walking and resistance training to help keep your bones healthy and strong. Simple changes today can mean a better life tomorrow – and who doesn’t want to enjoy all the years to come?As always, consult a physician before making changes to your diet and physical activity!
We’ve made great progress since January 2006, when Congress required that trans fat content be listed on food labels. Food manufacturers and restaurants that used the unhealthy fats have scrambled to find alternatives so they can boast of their “trans-fat-free” foods. Bills to limit or ban trans fats in restaurants or school cafeterias have been introduced in many states.
Artery-clogging trans fats have been made out to be the bad guy in American diets — and there’s good reason for that. But the truth is that just because something is trans-fat-free, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s healthy. Experts agree that using healthy fats, such as canola oil, olive oil, and plant sterols is better than using the artery-clogging trans or saturated fats. Yet all fats are loaded with calories — and so need to be limited in our diet.
To make it even more confusing, labels boasting “zero trans fat” don’t always mean a food is completely trans-fat-free. By law, such foods can contain small amounts of trans fats per serving. You’ll still need to turn over the package and look at the list of ingredients and the nutrition facts panel.
So just what are trans fats? There are two types — the naturally occurring type, found in small amounts in dairy and meat, and the artificial kind that results when liquid oils are hardened into “partially hydrogenated” fats. Natural trans fats are not the ones of concern, especially if you usually choose low-fat dairy and lean meats. The real worry in the American diet is the artificial trans fats, which are used extensively in fried foods, baked goods, cookies, icings, crackers, packaged snack foods, microwave popcorn, and some stick margarines.
These artificial trans fats started getting lots of attention after research showed that they could increase the risk for heart disease by increasing “bad” LDL cholesterol and decreasing “good” HDL cholesterol.
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends limiting trans fat to less than 2 grams per day (a figure that includes the naturally occurring trans fats). The 2005 U.S. Dietary Guidelines simply recommend keeping trans-fats consumption as low as possible.
The Real Meaning of ‘Zero Trans Fats’
In any grocery, you’ll see many products boasting “zero trans fats.” Yet this does not necessarily mean there is absolutely no trans fat in the product.
“Even though the label states “zero trans fats,” one serving of the food can contain up to 0.5 grams of trans fat, according to the law, and still be labeled trans-fat-free,” explains Elizabeth Ward, MS, RD.
The same guideline exists for saturated fats. Only when the food label states “no trans fats” does it really mean there are none.
The problem is that small amounts of these artery-clogging fats can add up quickly, especially if you eat several servings each day of foods that contain up to 0.5 grams per serving.
For example, popcorn can be an excellent source of fiber, is a whole grain, and can be low in calories. But if you eat several cups of microwave popcorn, the trans fat can really add up.
“Most people eat three cups at a sitting, which is three times the serving size and can have as much as 1.5 grams of trans fats,” says Ward, author of The Pocket Idiot’s Guide to the New Food Pyramids. “The same goes for trans-fat-free cookies that are easy to eat by the handful and add up quickly.”
How to Find Trans Fats on Labels
The only way to be sure you’re getting a truly trans-fat-free food is to check the list of ingredients on the label. Avoid products containing “partially hydrogenated fats or oils” (the main source of trans fats) or “shortening.” Also keep in mind that some manufacturers are listing components of food ingredients separately so they can move trans fats lower on the list of ingredients.
Michael Jacobson, executive director for the watchdog group Center for Science in the Public Interest, suggests looking beyond trans fats when you’re reading labels.
“There is a frozen ice cream snack that claims zero trans fat, yet has 20 grams of saturated fat in one serving,” he says. “So even though it has no trans fats, it contains a day’s worth of saturated fat and is anything but healthy.
“Trans fats are the worst fats, even more so than saturated fats, but you must evaluate a food on the entire profile, including calories, total fat, saturated fat, vitamins, mineral, sodium, sugar, and fiber.”
Trans Fat Substitutes
If a label says trans-fat-free, what else might the food item have in it? Food chemists are experimenting with different fats and oils that are suitable replacements and don’t alter taste or texture.
“Most of the fast-food restaurants have done a very good job switching to a vegetable oil like soybean oil to deep-fry their foods,” says Jacobson.
Using heart-healthier monounsaturated or polyunsaturated oils, such as olive, canola, or corn oil, is a great option for some products, but doesn’t work when you need a solid fat to make a food. Replacing trans fat with saturated fat is better, but not ideal.
“Trans fats are worse than any other fat, including butter or lard, so look for foods that use the least amount of trans fats,” says Jacobson. “Even if it contains a little saturated fat, it is better than consuming the trans fat.”
Adds Ward: “Tropical oils such as palm, palm kernel, and coconut may not contain trans fats, but they contain unhealthy saturated fats that are almost as bad for you as partially hydrogenated fats.”
Trans Fats When You’re Eating Out
But what about foods in restaurants, or from outside the U.S. where trans fat labeling may not be required? When restaurants and state fairs boast that their oils are trans-fat-free, some consumers may be misled into believing fried foods are good for them.
“Using trans-fat-free cooking oil to fry foods is certainly better,” says Ward. “But the food is still fried, and fried food is high in fat and calories and generally not recommended for the heart or the waistline.”
Wendy’s, Taco Bell, Dunkin’ Donuts, Baskin Robbins, Denny’s, IHOP, KFC, Pizza Hut, and Starbucks are among the food companies that have replaced trans fats or are committed to doing so. Yet plenty of restaurants still use them.
“Avoiding fried foods and cakes, cookies, and pastries is the easiest way to reduce trans fat consumption when you eat out,” says Jacobsen.
You can also ask about the type of fat used for frying, baking, and in salad dressings. Even if the menu boasts that items are “cooked in vegetable oil,” that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re trans- fat-free foods. They may contain some partially hydrogenated vegetable oil.
Beyond Trans Fats
While eliminating trans fats is important, it’s only one piece of the puzzle when it comes to protecting your heart and health.
“Trans fat is getting lots of bad press but it is important to keep in mind the ‘big’ fat picture, which includes total fat, saturated fat, and a healthy lifestyle,” says cardiologist Robert Eckel, MD.
“Limiting trans fats is … only one component of a healthy dietary pattern that includes eating a wide variety of nutritious foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains; limiting total fats [and] saturated fats; getting regular physical activity; and being at a healthy weight,” says Tufts University researcher Alice Lichtenstein,DSc. Eckel, past president of the AHA, adds not smoking to that healthy lifestyle list.
To help educate consumers about trans fats and other fats, the AHA has launched a “Face the Fats” campaign, enlisting the help of Eckel as well as The Food Network’s Alton Brown, known for his scientific approach to cooking. Brown uses his knowledge of food to help consumers learn to make low-fat substitutions that are nutritious and still delicious.
“I look at recipes and see how I can make it healthier by reducing the amount or type of fat, using a replacement ingredient, or altering the cooking method,” says Brown. “But sometimes, none of these work and the answer is to simply eat a smaller portion.”
