Blood Sugar

Control blood sugar levels, control your body.Many, if not all of us, know someone with Diabetes (whether it be type 1 or 2) who has to carefully monitor and regulate their blood sugar levels. In many Type 2 (Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus - NIDDM) cases, this can be accomplished by manipulating dietary carbohydrates, and incorporating exercise into a daily routine. Essentially, by eating the right carbs and working out, one can stabilize their blood sugar levels, and in some cases, even increase Insulin sensitivity in the long term.You might be thinking at this point "that's great, but I don't have Diabetes, so where is this going?"What we as health and fitness-conscious individuals can take away from the advice doctors of Diabetes patients have been doling out for years is an important lesson in hormone manipulation that can have a positive effect on both body composition and daily energy levels. The biggest reason we need to control blood sugar is Insulin. The hormone Insulin is released by the Pancreas as the body's response to elevated blood sugar. Insulin sends a signal to the body that the excess sugar in the blood stream should be taken up by the liver, and stored in fat cells and skeletal muscle tissue as Glycogen (the body's way of storing energy from carbohydrates). This is great for an athlete or bodybuilder after a tough workout or game, when their Glycogen stores are depleted severely. However, the negative side for the other 99% of us is that Insulin also tells the body to stop using fat as a fuel source, as it needs to use up the extra blood glucose before it causes organ damage. So, to sum that all up: If blood sugar is spiked by eating the wrong foods, Insulin is released to counteract the high levels. The Insulin in response, tells the body to only burn simple sugars for fuel, and to store the excess in muscle tissue and fat cells. It also tells your body not to use fat for energy - meaning that until that Insulin response has subsided, your body will not be able to burn off body fat!Another important aspect of controlling blood sugar is to regulate your energy levels throughout the day. Have you ever had a can of soda or a pixie stick and felt like you could run laps around the planet for about 15 minutes, only to then crash and need a nap immediately after? That little burst of energy is your body trying to get rid of extra blood sugar, and the crash is what happens when the sugar is out of the blood stream and your body still doesn't want to use fat as an energy source - leaving you with no immediate energy.To counteract this roller coaster energy trend, as well as avoid fat storage from Insulin release, we can simply control blood sugar by eating right and exercising. Studies have shown that over the long term, the body becomes more efficient at processing carbohydrates and responding to Insulin. In addition to exercise, eating the right kinds of carbs at even intervals can keep blood sugar levels at an even keel, rather than spiking at different intervals throughout the day. By spacing out good carbs (as opposed to eating all of your carbs in one giant bagel for breakfast), blood sugar will stay steady. These 'good' carbs are all complex carbohydrates that are digested slowly by the body and thus will not cause blood sugar to rise significantly, while 'bad' carbs digest very quickly into glucose and spike blood sugar.Good Carbs include:OatmealWhole Grain breadsBrown RiceVegetables such as Broccoli, Beans, Spinach, and Sweet PotatoesBad Carbs include:Sugary Drinks like Soda, 'Fruit juice' (often minimal real juice, with tons of added corn syrup), and GatoradeWhite Bread (including most bagels)White RiceMost processed snack bars that come in a box.Pretzels made with White flour (starting to see a trend in the White products?)Candy, Cakes, and similar dessert items.In conclusion, by spacing out our healthy carbs (most of which, by the way, are nutrient-dense foods that we can take necessary vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber from) and working out consistently, we can control blood sugar levels and minimize the body's release of Insulin - thus allowing us to keep burning fat for fuel, and have a steady supply of energy throughout the day.

Steve Decker ChrisFit Personal Training http://www.chrisfit.net/

Food as your friend?

Food as your friend - an alternative view on eating.
The other day I was discussing with a friend/client her take on meeting the prescribed numbers for carbohydrate intake during the day. She had quasi-jokingly asked if eating a scoop of ice cream after her workout would be okay, since, afterall, ice cream is made up of carbs and a bit of protein. (I use the 'quasi' prefix, since although this was said clearly just to see the look on my face as my blood pressure rose and steam began to come from my ears, I have no doubt that had I said "yes," this story might have been written on my laptop while sitting at Dairy Queen!) My answer to this was something to the effect of her needing to change her thinking about food. I said that food is not just to be mindlessly ingested, bearing only the basic numbers on the label in mind. I explained that food should be a "tool" or, to use the ever-popular analogy of the race car, "fuel." I told said friend that before eating something just because its carb count was within the allowable realm, she should consider the value of it to the body. Sure, an ice cream cone sounds great to the taste buds, but would your body get anything of any use value from it? A fat-storing spike in blood sugar levels and the subsequent insulin res ponce would be about all. However, if a more complex form of carbohydrates, such as oatmeal, brown rice, or some green vegetables were substituted, the body would get the benefits of some useful vitamins and minerals, dietary fiber for digestive health, and maybe even some of the reported cholesterol-lowering benefits of whole grains so proudly touted by the oatmeal industry. This whole idea of thinking of food as a tool to give the body what it needs came to me a few years ago while helping my mother on a landscape job. I had been carrying bags of mulch around for about 4 hours, and in doing so had worked up quite an appetite. (Now, at this point in my life, I was on a overly restrictive diet and became somewhat calorie-phobic, as I am sure some readers can relate to.) I had spent the last 1/2 hour or so thinking of the most diet-friendly lunch I could manage to acquire would be, given my current state of filthiness, when I asked what she wanted for lunch. The simple answer I received was "I don't care, I'll just have whatever will give me the energy to finish the job." This simple statement really got me thinking about my calorie-phobia. It dawned on me that it shouldn't be my goal to avoid all the delicious (yet fattening) food I had been craving, but rather to seek out the nutritious, beneficial food that my body needed.What I am getting at with these little anecdotes is that too often, while on a mission to drop some unwanted body fat, we all tend to focus our thoughts about eating toward the negative. "I can't have pizza" or "I can't go out for ice cream" need to be replaced with positive thinking about what we should eat, not what we can't. Wouldn't it be refreshing to look forward to a serving of veggies or a baked chicken breast and think about the positive attributes of healthy eating? It's only natural to have the occasional craving for something sweet, but if we all try a little harder to think in terms of what we can do for our bodies, rather than what we're being deprived of, I believe we'd all be a lot happier and more successful while working toward our fitness and health goals. -Steve

Thirsty?

Liquid Calories

By now, most ChrisFit Blog readers should know the importance of eating the right foods at the right times and in the right amounts, but, have you stopped to consider the effects of what you drink? For many people, the consumption of the wrong liquids can be a major hindrance to their fitness and weight goals. We have discussed before the importance of proper hydration in the human body, but let's face it, most of us cannot or will not drink only water for our hydration needs - we crave flavor sometimes! The problem is, many beverages on the market can really do a lot of damage to your nutrition plan. Let's take a look at some common problematic drinks:
-Gatorade - though marketed as a fitness product, Gatorade and other sports drinks are loaded with simple sugars, and a ton of sodium. A 12 oz. sports drink can contain up to or above 87g. of carbohydrates, including 42 g. of sugar! While these simple carbs and electrolytes are beneficial to an athlete competing in a grueling game, match, race, etc..., for the average exerciser looking to lose some bodyfat, those calories are just going to add up to more time on a treadmill, or less progress, or both.
-Wine - One of the biggest culprits in holding people back from achieving their goals is wine and other alcoholic beverages. A single glass of red wine (6 oz.) contains about 150 calories from alcohol and simple carbs. An average 12 oz. can of beer is around 145 calories. Another detriment to alcohol consumption is that it dehydrates muscle tissue - depriving your hard-earned muscles the nutrients needed to recover from a tough workout.
-Concentrated Fruit Juices - the juice cocktails such as Orange Juice, various Grape, Cranberry, and Pomegranate blends and Fruit Punch found in many soft-drink aisles are also full of added sugar. While the natural juices themselves are usually high in natural fructose, this is made up for to some extent by their naturally-occurring vitamin contents. However, many bottled drinks are actually a very low percentage of actual fruit juice, and are instead flavored with all sorts of flavor-enhancers and artificial sweeteners that are not readily digested by the human body, and have little to no nutritional value.
-Sugar-free drink mixes - Products such as Crystal Light and the various off-brands of sugar-free drink mix powders are a great alternative to high-calorie soft drinks such as the juice cocktails listed above. However, the artificial sweeteners found in them (aspartame to name one), are not easily digested in our stomachs and so can trigger the body to think that it is hungry, when in fact, it is just working harder to digest these chemical sweeteners. So, although these drinks can provide a splash of low-calorie flavor to your water intake, be mindful of the fact that some people will feel more hungry after drinking them, possibly leading to overeating.
-Soda - one of the worst products for your nutrition plan is soda. To be blunt, soda has no nutritional value of any kind, is full of high-fructose corn syrup, causes bloating, and should basically be avoided altogether. An occasional treat at most, Soda should be cut out of any serious plan to alter your physique for the better. This includes diet pop, which brings with it the same hunger-inducing effects of the afore-mentioned sugar-free mixes, and the bloat of regular pop.

So, what can you drink? While water is obviously your best bet, Skim Milk can provide a good supply of vitamins and some protein, V8 juice packs a lot of healthy vitamins from actual vegetables, and brewed tea (no sugar, please!) provides not only a healthy supply of antioxidants and a bit of caffeine to boost you through a long day.


In conclusion, be mindful not only of what you are eating, but think about the impact of your beverage choices as well! Read labels, use flavored drinks sparingly, and don't forget to include the nutritional value of your beverages into your calorie count for the day.

Amino Acids and fitness

What are amino acids, and why are they important?

You may have seen the term “Amino Acid” or BCAA (standing for Branched Chain Amino Acid) floating around on the label of your favorite protein supplement, or in the ever-popular Xtend drink mix, but do you know what an amino acid is, or why it is important to you?

At the most basic level, Amino Acids are (as nearly every high school biology teacher of all time has stated) the “building blocks of protein.” What this means is that a protein molecule is made up of a series of individual Amino Acid molecules bonded together into a chain. The human body, through various metabolic pathways, is able to build proteins from these individual pieces, and use said proteins for energy or to build and repair muscle tissue.

There exists a very large multitude of Amino Acids, ranging a wide gamut of uses from both a nutritional standpoint, as well as having certain industrial applications (such as the production of plastics). Some of the more familiar Amino Acids that we see commonly in food substances include:Phenylalanine – a naturally occurring amino found in mammalian breast milk, used most commonly in diet sodas or as the artificial sweetener Aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet). It is also sold in pill form as a dietary supplement due to its reputed antidepressant effects.
Glutamic Acid – usually seen in its salt form Monosodium Glutamate – used as a flavor-enhancer in many processed foods. This amino acid should be avoided as much as possible, as a number of possible health risks are associated with high levels of MSG consumption, including increased Asthma symptoms, Obesity, and Neurotoxicity.

The most useful Aminos to fitness enthusiasts and athletes are the Essential Amino Acids (EAAs), and the BCAA group, which are used in protein synthesis. EAAs are Aminos required by the body for metabolic functions, but are not naturally produced by the body in sufficient quantity, and so must be acquired via food or supplements. There are 8 EAAs: Leucine, Isoluecine, Lysine, Methionine, Phenylalanine, Threonine, Tryptophan (yes, the substance in Turkey that makes us sleepy every November!), and Valine. Many protein supplements have high levels of these Aminos, but they are also found naturally in meat, eggs, and milk. Perhaps the most important of the EAAs are the BCAAs Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine. Roughly 1/3 of the skeletal muscle system in humans is made up of chains of these 3 Amino Acids. This fact alone is a powerful indicator that Amino Acids are extremely important in human nutrition, and especially in those who participate in weight training or athletics. Another important Amino Acid involved in muscle repair is Glutamine. This is a very popular ingredient in sports supplements, as it speeds along recovery. By ingesting Aminos via quality food sources or supplements, the body has a good supply of them to repair muscle tissue damaged during exercise, and can do so more efficiently – making you less sore after a tough workout, maximizing your workout’s effects.

One other function of Amino Acids, aside from protein synthesis, is as a source of energy. When the human body is lacking in energy to burn from dietary fats or carbohydrates, it can turn to Amino Acids as a fuel source. It generally does this under intense workloads, while the body is in a calorie-deprived state (Extreme dieting and training like that commonly undergone by Bodybuilders or Wrestlers who strive for low levels of body fat or to make weight classes, or when people exercise first thing in the morning without eating beforehand, thus having been in a long fasted state after sleep) The body will sometimes turn catabolic in this state, and start to burn its own muscle tissue as a fuel supply. To prevent this, an amino acid supplement such as Xtend can be ingested before and during exercise to supply Aminos to the body as a fuel source, helping to prevent muscle loss.
So, what does all of this mean to us? Aminos play such an important role in human nutrition that we should ensure that we consume a healthy supply of them via good nutrition, and, if necessary, dietary supplements such as Protein supplements, BCAA products like Xtend, or Amino Acid tablets like those found in nutrition shops. By getting an adequate Amino intake, we help to ensure better recovery from exercise, and a strong, healthy body.

Vampires

We have all been there. Taking on a cause to better ourselves through exercise and healthy eating when those around us, those we thought are our friends try to derail us.
I call these people ENERGY VAMPIRES. They suck the life right out us. These vampires could be co-workers who bring by sweets to our desk, our friends who encourages us that “its just one drink’ or unfortunately maybe a spouse or significant other that is jealous or insecure what our new fitness levels may bring. It could also be that negative friend who is never happy with anything and may complain so much that it has become a habit—without anything legitimate to actually complain about. These people sometimes make others feel guilty for their progress or success in anything.
It most often appears in a fitness setting. This is where the excuse most often heard from those unfit pops up…..”I don’t have time.”
Well, no one really has time, we make it for the things we enjoy or feel the need to do. People make time to watch American Idol, make time to go to happy hour, make time to watch 7 hours of football on Sundays, and make time for tons of unhealthy and unproductive “things’ other than exercise. Its ironic that to excel in other areas of life we to need to focus/practice and persevere. However when it comes to fitness, somehow it becomes a negative connotation and those who don’t push themselves describe those who make progress in the gym as obsessed. It’s just another example of those ENERGY VAMPIRES trying to make them-selves feel better about their lack of dedication or focus.
Some of these people you can completely avoid, for those that you cannot avoid, keep things in perspective and try to understand why they are attempting to bring you down. Unfortunately our physical, mental and emotional energy is not unlimited. Guard it!
Once you are able to see the reasons behind the Vampires’ actions, you will find a new sense of focus and determination.If YOU are the Vampire, realize why you are unhappy and that you have the ability to change and affect others in a more positive light.

Gotta Love Intervals

Interval Cardio:Interval training is a great way to relieve the boredom of steady-state cardiovascular exercise, has great cardiovascular benefits, and is also more time-efficient and effective for fat loss. Interval training consists of alternating between periods higher intensity work (such as sprinting, or bicycling at a very fast pace) and lower intensity "recovery" work (walking or light jogging, or slower pedaling, for example). Because of the intense nature of the "working" periods of interval training, the body's response is very similar to that of a weight-training session in that the hormones released during the workout tend to boost the metabolism for a period of about 12 to 36 hours. This effect is not possible with longer duration, slower paced cardio, as the body returns to its normal resting rate almost immediately upon finishing this type of exercise. This is the concept of Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC) that some of you may have learned from Chris' nutrition seminars. As the body consumes oxygen, it uses calories (generally, these calories come from fat stores, as fat oxidizes more efficiently in the presence of increased oxygen in the body) to oxygenate the blood and carry nutrients to body tissues. If the amount of oxygen consumed is higher, so too is the number of calories burned. So, by doing intervals for a period of 20 minutes, you can effectively elevate your metabolism, and an increased resting metabolic rate (RMR), simply put, burns more calories, and helps you lose weight. Interval training, aside from allowing you to burn more calories throughout the day, can also burn more calories than a steady-paced workout if enough effort is put into the working periods.All of this metabolism, EPOC discussion may have left you thinking "That's great science, but how do I use it?" Well, look no further!


Beginner's Interval Training Plan:-warm-up with 5-10 minutes of walking or light jogging-sprint as fast as possible for a period of 30 seconds-jog at a light pace for 1 minute-repeat for a total of 5 intervals (meaning that you sprint 5 times, and recover 5 times)-cool down with another 5 minutes of walking or light joggingThis whole routine should take no longer than 30 minutes, and will yield greater fat-loss than a much lengthier cardio session at a slow, steady pace.As you advance and adapt to this type of exercise, gradually begin to increase your number of intervals to 10, and also slowly increase the duration of your working periods to about 1 minute when you feel that you need more of a challenge and are able to handle that level of intensity. Remember, intervals do not neccessarily need to be done with running, but can also be done on a bike, elliptical, stair-climber, or cross-trainer. The most important thing is to alternate between very high intensity work periods and lower-intensity recovery periods. The mode of exercise here is up to you.Steve Decker