ROD 020112

January 31, 2012 By Leave a Comment

ROD

Wednesday, 01Feb12

 

Kettlebell Two Minute Torture
On the 2 minute mark for 20 minutes, do…
  • 5 burpees
  • 10 kettlebell snatches 5/r-5/l or snatch pulls
  • 15 mountain climbers ( two legs is 1 rep)
  • 20 kettlebell swings
This is a classic and if you’ve ever done this workout before you know that at each round it will become more and more difficult to keep up with the clock. With performing the snatches, you must be able to perform them properly.
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THE 10 RULES OF HEALTHY LIVING

Years ago, I used to start planning my New Year’s resolutions almost a little too early. At the time, I was either too young or too naïve to realize what I was really doing: Procrastinating. I may have seemed ambitious, but I was spending so much time looking toward the future that I completely ignored the present. As a result, I was taking two unnecessary steps back before beginning my journey forward.

New Year’s resolutions are a great tradition. It’s one of the few times when you make a concentrated effort to write down your goals and become better. It’s something that we should all do more often, and not just once a year.
But in looking forward you oftentimes forget two important things: To live in the present and try to become better, and to look back and reflect on what you’ve learned. The past is a great indicator of what you’ve achieved, where you’ve failed, and how you can become better.
Here are the 10 things I learned or was reminded of in 2011. Hopefully they can help your journey for self-improvement in 2012.
STICK TO THE BASICS
I’ve spent my life trying to figure out the best ways to help people get in better shape. And the more exercises I perform, the more programs I experiment with, the more I become convinced that a simplified approach provides the best results. Every year people are trying to reinvent the wheel. And while some of those exercises are fun and challenging, and many diets actually work (more on that soon), making change starts with learning and mastering the basics.
Eat well. Move more. Sleep. Repeat.
It sounds almost too simple to be true, but good health begins and ends with those ingredients. That’s not to say there aren’t other important factors—hormones, stress, and inflammation—are three examples of “hidden” elements that play an important influence on how you look and feel. But before you can begin worrying about the minutiae, you need to establish a healthy foundation.  Once you’re consistent in those three areas, I promise you’ll be amazed by the changes that will occur to your body.
MORE PLANNING, MORE RESULTS
This past year I developed a habit of writing down my goals before each day. And you know what happened? I became more productive than ever. The truth is, everything we do in our lives is dictated by our minds. Whether we roll out of bed and go to the gym, select healthy food or the unhealthy choice, and even pushing yourself to do more at your job or be a better husband/wife/son/daughter/parent/friend—everything is a mind game.
Listen, it’s easy to lose sight of what we want to accomplish and what we actually achieve. So I remind myself daily. I don’t beat myself up when I fall short of my goals, but writing down expectations is a great way to stay accountable. Maybe you do it once a week, or once a month. But if you focus on the psychology of success rather than the end goal, you’ll probably end up achieving more than you thought you could.
STUBBORNNESS IS STILL STUPIDITY
As much as I have learned about fitness, I still make some big mistakes. This year I ran a Tough Mudder. It was a great race, lots of fun, challenging, and something I’d recommend for everyone. What I wouldn’t recommend? Going from running 0 miles to tackling 12 miles. Sure I had good intentions and wanted to prepare, but I didn’t. As a result, my feet are still angry at me.
As the saying goes, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” Be patient with your body and you will be rewarded. Be impatient, and you’ll always fall short of your true potential. (or hurt yourself repeatedly )
DIETS WORK
I know that most people hate the word “diet.” As I’ve explained before, people need to understand that it’s just a word to describe eating habits. But more importantly, it’s essential that you understand that many different diets work very well.  While some are admittedly terrible (see: Cookie Diet), there are many ways to eat healthy, lose weight, and feel great.
Here’s the problem: Diets are filled with too much dogma. Paleo dieters are upset with people who eat grains. People who eat grain are upset with low-carbers. The low-carbers are mad at those who don’t eat fat. On and on it goes. It’s a constant shouting match that drowns out a simple reality—the best diet is the one that works for your lifestyle. And to figure out your lifestyle, you need to develop increased self-awareness.
If you have food sensitivities or allergies, you might need to cut back on certain foods (wheat, dairy, and grains are common problems).
If you love fatty foods, you might want to pick a diet that allows them.
If you can’t live without carbs, well, don’t live without carbs. Take a more balanced approach and see if you lose weight on the plan. If you don’t, then adjust.
The point is this: I’ve gone high fat, high protein, 3 meals a day, 6 meals a day, a cheat meal per week, and even fasted. I’ve experienced success with each variation, and you can probably find research to support all of them, as well. So don’t worry about finding the best solution; only focus on what works for you. The dieting process is fairly simple:
1) Find a plan that is rooted in science. You want some basis of legitimacy. For instance, we know that the calories-in vs. calories-out is a foundational element of weight loss/weight gain. Use that as a baseline and I’d try tracking your calories—at least in the short term—so you can learn portion sizes and understand how much you’re actually consuming.
2) Learn the details and rules of a specific diet approach and see if you think it’d work for your lifestyle.
3) Try it out and see if it works.
If I had a better solution, I’d give it to you. And we can talk all day about macronutritents (proteins, carbs, and fats are important), but you have to find something that works for your preferences and your lifestyle. If it’s not sustainable for you, it’s probably not worth doing.
MENTORS ARE INVALUABLE AND NECESSARY
I would not be where I am today without the help and guidance of many people. And I wouldn’t have the knowledge to share with you if it wasn’t for the lessons I’ve learned from others. I truly do stand on the shoulders of others, and it’s their information that allows me to help so many people. I am a student first and a teacher second, and that mentality allows me to learn more, constantly improve, and fix my errors and mistakes.
So many special thanks go out to the following people. Your contributions and lessons are invaluable:
John “Roman” Romaniello, Alan Aragon, Mike Roussell, Martin Rooney, Jim “Smitty” Smith, Alwyn and Rachel Cosgrove, Joe Dowdell, Bill Hartman, Mike Robertson, Eric Cressey, Jason Ferruggia, Valerie Waters, Martin Berkhan, Mike Boyle, Robert Dos Remedios, and David Jack.
I can’t possibly thank everyone, but these “experts” are a notch above the rest. And a special thanks to Ted Spiker. You are Legen- (wait for it…) DARY.
My advice: Find someone who is doing what you want, reach out to them, and do all that you can to learn from their model and adjust it to your life and your own style.
ANYONE CAN CHANGE THEIR DESTINY
I’ve always believed in the amazing capabilities of the human body. But since I’ve joined the LIVESTRONG.COM team, I’ve read more than 100 success stories, which details the amazing transformations of many different people, all of who overcame incredible hurdles. Starting in 2012, we will be featuring all of these stories more prominently, and I encourage you to share your story as well.
LIFTING WEIGHTS IS (STILL) THE BEST WAY TO LOSE FAT
This one is pretty self-explanatory. Just like dieting, there are many ways that you can drop fat and lose weight. But if you’re looking for the best, most efficient way, there’s no doubt resistance training is the answer. Whether you’re a man or woman, hit the weights and your body will change for the better.
TRUE HEALTH IS BALANCED HEATLH
I’m more convinced than ever that a rigid approach to health is unhealthy. Listen, I live, eat, and sleep health and fitness. I love the gym, enjoy cooking healthy meals, and read scientific journals for fun. (don’t judge me) But fitness and nutrition shouldn’t be a pain. It should be an enjoyable part of your life. So that means taking some days off, enjoying food (and desserts or alcohol, if that’s your preference), and finding balance. I make more time for indulgences than I ever did, and I’m still staying in great condition.
Your health should be one of the biggest priorities in your life, but that doesn’t mean it has to control every aspect of your day.  Push yourself hard, set high standards and don’t settle for less, but make sure you laugh, smile, enjoy and share your experiences with others. Battling your weight or other health demons is tough enough. Don’t make it harder on yourself. The more mentally relaxed you are, the easier it will be to stay consistent and fight your way to the goals you want to achieve.
Bonus lesson: PAY IT FORWARD
You’ll be surprised how many people genuinely want to help inspire people to become healthier. And your willingness to be a mentor or provide assistance can be the change that makes a difference in this world. I’m as committed as ever to help you in any way that I can, and I hope that inspires you to do the same for others.
To everyone: Happy holidays and thank you for a memorable 2011. I am continually humbled by all of you. Thank you for your support, criticism, and feedback. If there’s one thing I can promise it’s this: We won’t quit, we won’t overlook the present, and we’ll keep listening and doing all we can to help you live strong.
Filed Under: Uncategorized

ROD 013112

January 31, 2012 By Leave a Comment

ROD

Tuesday, 31Jan12

 

No Boxing Tonight… so get over it. 

Tuesday Takeover

This is 3 rounds of 6 exercises 45 seconds work and 15 seconds rest or as we will call it from now on recovery, with a 1 minute rest in between rounds. If you think about it for a minute, that is exactly what your body is doing. It’s recovering from the previous round to continue exercising to the end.

  • Snatch Pull with a Squat Thrust
  • Bent Over Alternating Row (change hands at each rep)
  • Super Plank Climber (plank climber with a pushup)
  • KB Stand-Kneel-Stand (right)
  • KB Stand-Kneel-Stand (left)
  • KB Swing

Today’s Instructor will be our very own Nancy Cofrancesco. She will be guiding you through your fitness journey. She has proven her competency as a trainer for NLP and we want to thank her for her efforts.

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Athlete ROD

This is 4 rounds of 5 exercises 45 seconds work and 15 seconds recovery

  • Reclines
  • Box Jumps
  • Mtn. Climbers
  • Burpees
  • DB Hang Squat Cleans

All these exercises should be set up in 5 rows with each row dedicated to each exercise. The class is broken down to even amounts of teams and set up at each row of exercises when done each team will rotate to the next exercise.

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It’s 141 days till summer…. will you be ready?

 or  

      or        Just Saying…

 

Filed Under: Conditioning, Kettlebell, Muscle Endurance Tagged With: , ,

ROD 013012

January 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment

ROD

Monday, 30Jan12

 

Manic Monday

5 rounds of 30 work/15 rest at each station. Complete all five rounds at each station before moving on to the next.  Take 1 minute rest between each station.

  • Knees to Elbows (at pullup station)
  • Slam Ball
  • DB Thrusters
  • KB Cleans (5 r/l)
  • KB High Pulls
  • DB Lunges (DB side to shoulder height at ea. lunge)

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It’s one month in to the year, how are you doing on those New Years goals? Whats your game plan, action items, challenges, rewards? Not sure? Come see what we are doing at Next Level Performance and see why we are changing the game when it comes getting fit Mentally and Physically!

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The Dark Side of Vitamin water

Now here’s something you wouldn’t expect. Coca-Cola is being sued by a non-profit public interest group, on the grounds that the company’s vitaminwater products make unwarranted health claims. No surprise there. But how do you think the company is defending itself?

In a staggering feat of twisted logic, lawyers for Coca-Cola are defending the lawsuit by asserting that “no consumer could reasonably be misled into thinking vitaminwater was a healthy beverage.”

Does this mean that you’d have to be an unreasonable person to think that a product named “vitaminwater,” a product that has been heavily and aggressively marketed as a healthy beverage, actually had health benefits?

Or does it mean that it’s okay for a corporation to lie about its products, as long as they can then turn around and claim that no one actually believes their lies?

In fact, the product is basically sugar-water, to which about a penny’s worth of synthetic vitamins have been added. And the amount of sugar is not trivial. A bottle of vitaminwater contains 33 grams of sugar, making it more akin to a soft drink than to a healthy beverage.

Is any harm being done by this marketing ploy? After all, some might say consumers are at least getting some vitamins, and there isn’t as much sugar in vitaminwater as there is in regular Coke.

True. But about 35 percent of Americans are now considered medically obese. Two-thirds of Americans are overweight. Health experts tend to disagree about almost everything, but they all concur that added sugars play a key role in the obesity epidemic, a problem that now leads to more medical costs than smoking.

How many people with weight problems have consumed products like vitaminwater in the mistaken belief that the product was nutritionally positive and carried no caloric consequences? How many have thought that consuming vitaminwater was a smart choice from a weight-loss perspective? The very name “vitaminwater” suggests that the product is simply water with added nutrients, disguising the fact that it’s actually full of added sugar.

The truth is that when it comes to weight loss, what you drink may be even more important than what you eat. Americans now get nearly 25 percent of their calories from liquids. In 2009, researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health published a report in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, finding that the quickest and most reliable way to lose weight is to cut down on liquid calorie consumption. And the best way to do that is to reduce or eliminate beverages that contain added sugar.
Meanwhile, Coca-Cola has invested billions of dollars in its vitaminwater line, paying basketball stars, including Kobe Bryant and Lebron James, to appear in ads that emphatically state that these products are a healthy way for consumers to hydrate. When Lebron James held his much ballyhooed TV special to announce his decision to join the Miami Heat, many corporations paid millions in an attempt to capitalize on the event. But it was vitaminwater that had the most prominent role throughout the show.

The lawsuit, brought by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, alleges that vitaminwater labels and advertising are filled with “deceptive and unsubstantiated claims.” In his recent 55-page ruling, Federal Judge John Gleeson (U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York), wrote, “At oral arguments, defendants (Coca-Cola) suggested that no consumer could reasonably be misled into thinking vitamin water was a healthy beverage.” Noting that the soft drink giant wasn’t claiming the lawsuit was wrong on factual grounds, the judge wrote that, “Accordingly, I must accept the factual allegations in the complaint as true.”

I still can’t get over the bizarre audacity of Coke’s legal case. Forced to defend themselves in court, they are acknowledging that vitaminwater isn’t a healthy product. But they are arguing that advertising it as such isn’t false advertising, because no could possibly believe such a ridiculous claim.

I guess that’s why they spend hundreds of millions of dollars advertising the product, saying it will keep you “healthy as a horse,” and will bring about a “healthy state of physical and mental well-being.”

Why do we allow companies like Coca-Cola to tell us that drinking a bottle of sugar water with a few added water-soluble vitamins is a legitimate way to meet our nutritional needs?

Here’s what I suggest: If you’re looking for a healthy and far less expensive way to hydrate, try drinking water. If you want to flavor the water you drink, try adding the juice of a lemon and a small amount of honey or maple syrup to a quart of water. Another alternative is to mix one part lemonade or fruit juice to three or four parts water. Or drink green tea, hot or chilled, adding lemon and a small amount of sweetener if you like. If you want to jazz it up, try one-half fruit juice, one-half carbonated water.

If your tap water tastes bad or you suspect it might contain lead or other contaminants, get a water filter that fits under the sink or attaches to the tap.

And it’s probably not the best idea to rely on a soft drink company for your vitamins and other essential nutrients. A plant-strong diet with lots of vegetables and fruits will provide you with what you need far more reliably, far more consistently — and far more honestly.

 

Filed Under: Conditioning, Fat Burner, High Intensity Interval Training, Kettlebell Tagged With: , , , ,

ROD 012912

January 28, 2012 By Leave a Comment

ROD 

Sunday, 29Jan12

 

Rest Day

 

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Intermittent fasting, whey protein, and weight loss?

For those of us who’re looking to lose weight, a recent study published in the British Journal of Nutrition might offer some hope.  Losing weight is never easy as it requires a lifelong commitment to changes in dietary habits as well as activity level.

Years ago, I read a book by Greg LeMond, the former three-time Tour de France winner.  I loosely recall him mentioning something about you can’t lose weight by sitting on your couch eating hot-fudge Sundaes.

Conventional wisdom being the usual edict of calories in and calories out holds true for the most part.  However, some recent research suggest that intermittent fasting might offer an unconventional weight loss strategy.

Though I’m not going to bother citing a reference here, the Body for Life book by Bill Phillips was probably the first mention of the often promulgated advice of 6 small meals per day.  The purported benefit of this meal plan was that it would prevent your metabolism from slowing down while also keeping you in an anabolic state for those who engage in resistance training.

For most people, if you’ve ever tried the eat 6 small meals per day method, you probably find that you end up getting used to never feeling hungry.  After awhile, chances are you lose discipline over portion control and the next thing you know it leads to simply eating too much and too often.

Not wanting to stop at my intuitive feelings over the meal frequency myth, I found a very recent review study that has debunked this myth.  A review published in the Journal of Nutritionmade the following conclusion:

Taken together, these findings suggest that increased eating frequency (>3 eating occasions/d) has minimal, if any, impact on appetite control and food intake, whereas reduced eating frequency(<3 eating occasions/d) negatively effects appetite control.

Okay, so this review only addresses the effect of meal frequency on appetite control and food intake, what about weight loss?  From a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition, they found that meal frequency had NO benefit on promoting weight loss in obesity subjects on a calories restricted diet:

We conclude that increasing MF (meal frequency) does not promote greater body weight loss under the conditions described in the present study.

intermittent fasting Intermittent fasting, whey protein, and weight loss?

Intermittent Fasting?

Contrary to this diet regime, a recent study published in the International Journal of Obesitysuggest that intermittent fasting can not only be effective for lowering insulin resistance, blood pressure, and cholesterol, but also promotes weight loss.  This and other studies in this area contradict the fear that your metabolism will ‘slow down’ causing you to gain weight if you don’t eat 6 small meals per day.  In fact, intermittent fasting was more effective than calorie restriction at reducing insulin resistance in this particular study.

Okay, so now we’ve established that eating frequently won’t suppress your appetite , reduce your energy intake, or help you lose more weight.  If you want to improve your insulin resistance and lose weight, intermittent fasting is an option worth considering (in consultation with a health professional).  What if you just want to suppress your appetite to help you lose weight, is there anything that works?

Effects of whey protein on suppressing appetite:

Speaking of losing weight…  Another recent study, published in the British Journal of Nutrition, found that there’s a dose-response effect for drinking a whey protein beverage 90 minutes prior to eating.  Participants in this study, however, were already within a healthy weight range (BMI 19-25, both men and women).

In this study, the participants drank a 400 ml  [400 calorie] beverage 90 minutes prior to eating an ad libitum test meal.  In addition to a placebo beverage containing flavored water, they were also randomized to a 400 calorie beverage containing 12.5, 25, or 50% of the calories from whey protein.

Energy intake after preload:

  • placebo – 987 Calories
  • 12.5% protein beverage – 841 Calories
  • 25% protein beverage – 808 Calories
  • 50% protein beverage – 681 Calories

From this data, consuming a whey protein beverage prior to large meals, particularly dinner, may be beneficial for those looking to reduce their appetite and lose weight.

 

Filed Under: Recovery, Rest Tagged With: ,

ROD 012812

January 27, 2012 By Leave a Comment

ROD

Saturday, 28Jan12

 

Cusick Crusher

I love the 15/15 work/rest ratio. So lets do it again for 20 mins or 10 rounds whichever makes you feel better…of

  • KB Swings
  • Mountain climbers
  • DB Thrusters
  • DB Renegade Rows
Oh boy, just thinking about this one makes me cringe. Lets have fun and work hard. Oh yea by the way, there’s no rest in between rounds.
“Every second counts, every rep counts.”
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Athletes ROD

This ROD is most effective when done nonstop & together.

  • 80 Mountain Climbers each leg is a 1 count
  • 25 Jump Squats
  • 10 plank shoulder taps
  • 25 Sit-ups
  • 15 Burpees
  • 15 Ball Slams with green MB’s
  • High Knees for 1 minute
  • 30 Kettlebell highpulls…. Repeat sequence as needed
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 Something to think about if your a runner.

Filed Under: Conditioning, Kettlebell, Medicine Ball, Muscle Endurance, Ready For Anything Tagged With: , , , , , ,

ROD 012712

January 26, 2012 By Leave a Comment

ROD

Friday, 27Jan12

 

Fantabulous Friday

15 seconds work / 15 seconds rest for 20 mins (10 rounds) with no rest between of the following.

  • Reclines
  • Half burpees
  • Front Squats
  • KB Deadlift jumps

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This is for you Jennifer !!

Losing Weight with Hypothyroidism

How an Underactive Thyroid Can Affect Weight Loss

Many hypothyroid patients struggle with an inability to lose weight. At first, if you’d gained weight before your thyroid problem is diagnosed, you were probably told you’d be able to lose it more easily — or perhaps you were even told you’d lose all the extra weight — once you started on your thyroid hormone replacement.

So you take your thyroid hormone, and the weight doesn’t come off.

Later, despite “normal” TSH levels, and lower-calorie, low-fat diets and exercise, you find yourself still gaining, or not losing weight. You may also have high cholesterol levels. The doctor then tells you that your weight problem doesn’t have anything to do with your thyroid.

Some of this site’s visitors have reported to me that they were on a 900-calorie a day diet, walking 3 miles a day, and not losing weight, and the doctor says, “well, you just must be eating too much.”

What thyroid patients need to know more about are three factors that are likely at work for many of us with a difficulty losing weight — a changed metabolic “set point,” changes in brain chemistry due to illness and stress, and insulin resistance.

Metabolic Set Point

According to Dr. Lou Aronne, author of the best-selling Weigh Less Live Longer, when you begin to take in too many calories, you have a small weight gain. Then, in order to maintain your set point weight, “your metabolism speeds up to process the excess calories, your appetite decreases, and some of the newly gained weight drops off.” He calls this metabolic resistance.

Dr. Aronne believes that every person’s body has what is called a weight “set point.” Just like your body works to maintain a temperature “set point” of 98.6, it also appears to work toward maintaining a particular weight “set point.”

His theory is that in people with a chronic weight problem, the body puts up only modest metabolic resistance to weight gain. If you continue to take in more calories than you burn, the metabolic resistance loses strength, and your body then establishes a new, higher weight set point.

What this means is, if several years ago, as a woman at 5’7? and 160 pounds you needed 2500 calories a day to maintain your weight, and now, after a diagnosis of hypothyroidism and a steady weight gain, at 210 pounds, you need 2800 calories to maintain your weight, if you dropped your calories back to 2500, would you lose the extra 50 pounds? No, as you reduce your calories and lose weight, your metabolic rate slows down, and according to Dr. Aronne, you’d probably only drop to around 197 pounds, although you’d be consuming the same number of calories as another woman of the same height who’s stayed steady at 160 pounds.

This is probably the mysterious factor at play when we see someone who apparently eats even more than we do, but maintains a lower weight level, or conversely, the person who swears they don’t eat that much, but gains weight, or stays heavier.

Dr. Aronne believes you can’t completely eliminate the metabolic resistance, but a slow steady approach to dieting helps to minimize it. Also, a key way to increase metabolism is through exercise.

Changes in Brain Chemistry

Hunger is intricately tied to your brain chemistry. According to Dr. Aronne, your hypothalamus senses you need energy, and issues the brain neurotransmitter neuropeptide Y (NPY) with the message “eat carbohydrates.” The surge of NPY is what you experience as “hunger,” Once the hypothalamus senses you’ve eaten enough carbohydrates, it releases serotonin to tell the body, “enough carbohydrates.”

But this system can be dramatically altered by several factors, all of which can be present in chronic thyroid disease:

  • Your metabolism is too slow for the appetite level set by your brain. Thyroid disease slows down the metabolism. What your brain perceives as appropriate food intake levels can then exceed your body’s metabolism, creating weight gain.
  • Your body is under stress, which interferes with the neurotransmitter functions, and is known to reduce the release of serotonin. In fact, part of the success of the recently recalled diet drugs fen-phen was the fact that they increase serotonin and create a “feeling of fullness.”

Dealing with brain chemistry, and helping to stimulate serotonin can be dealt with in several ways in addition to taking traditional anti-depressant drugs. Alternative medicine guru Andrew Weil, M.D., author of bestsellers Spontaneous Healing,, and Eight Weeks to Optimum Health believes that the natural alternatives to boosting serotonin include aerobic exercise. Dr. Weil recommends at least 30 minutes of some vigorous aerobic activity at least five times a week. Dr. Weil also recommends the herbal treatment called St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum). More information on Dr. Weil’s natural recommendations for dealing with serotonin are featured at his website.

Insulin Resistance

Insulin is a hormone released by the pancreas. When you eat foods that contain carbohydrates (which make up the majority of most of our diets), your body converts the carbohydrates into simple sugars.  These sugars enter the blood, becoming “blood sugar.” Your pancreas then releases insulin to stimulate the cells to take in the blood sugar and store it as an energy reserve, returning blood sugar levels to a normal level.

Carbohydrates can be “simple,” high-glycemic carbohydrates such as pasta, bread, sugar, white flour and cakes, or “complex” lower-glycemic carbohydrates, like vegetables and whole grains.

Current theory claims that sugars and starches are far easily broken down than in our more prehistoric past, and today, many of us simply do not need and cannot process the amounts of carbohydrates that are considered “normal” by current dietary standards. For an estimated 25% of the population, eating what appears to be a “normal amount” of carbohydrates in fact raises blood sugar to excessive levels.  The pancreas responds by increasing the secretion of insulin to the level where it will drive down blood sugar. For this group, consistently eating too many carbohydrates — but remember, what is too many for this group is not necessarily too many for the average person — creates a situation called “insulin resistance.”

Insulin resistance means that cells have become less responsive to the effects of insulin. So your body has to produce more and more insulin in order to maintain normal blood sugar levels. The insulin can also remain in your blood in higher concentrations. This is known as hyperinsulinemia.

In addition to those who seem to have a lowered need for carbohydrates, some people simply eat too many carbohydrates. Today’s low-fat diets emphasize more and more pasta, bagels, Snackwells, and sugary fat-free products, and most of these are high-glycemic carbohydrates. Basic over-consumption of  high-glycemic foods carbohydrates can also trigger insulin resistance and overweight.

If you are insulin resistant, eating carbohydrates can make you crave more carbohydrates. You’ll gain weight more easily, and have difficulty losing it. It is estimated that 25 percent of the general population — and 75 percent of overweight people — are insulin resistant.

High insulin levels can stimulate your appetite, making you feel even hungrier than normal for carbohydrate rich food, while lowering the amount of sugar your body burns as energy, and making your cells even better at storing fat, and even worse at removing fat.

When you’re creating this excess insulin, it also prevents your body from using its stored fat for energy.  Hence, your insulin response to excess carbos causes you to gain weight, or you cannot lose weight.

The weight problems are not the worst aspect of insulin resistance. Insulin resistance may set up a whole syndrome of other serious health problems. For example, insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia, which tend to go together, are often precursors of diabetes. And insulin resistance is also associated with a substantially increased risk of coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.

Insulin Resistance and Thyroid Disease

It seems likely that hypothyroidism, with its penchant for slowing down everything else in our systems right down to our cells, slows down our body’s ability to process carbohydrates and our cell’s ability to absorb blood sugar. Hence, the carbohydrates we could eat pre-thyroid problems now are too much for our systems to handle. So excess carbohydrates equals excess insulin equals excess weight. Plus, the fun side effects of blood sugar swings (tiredness, dizziness, fatigue, exhaustion, hunger, etc.) that we may be mistaking as thyroid symptoms and our doctors say can’t possibly be.

Any illness — such as the chronic thyroid problems we all face — also creates physical stress. And stress raises cortisol levels. And increased cortisol increases insulin levels. (I know my cortisol was through the roof last time the doctor checked. She had no idea why.) More insulin means increased chance of insulin resistance.

There’s also a vicious circle aspect to this. The liver mediates between the activities of the insulin-releasing pancreas and the adrenal and thyroid glands, which are supposed to “tell” the liver to release glucose. If the adrenals and thyroid aren’t working properly on the “telling” end, or if the liver is sluggish, stressed out, or toxic, and not working on the “receiving” end, the system goes out of balance. Either way, the result is elevated excess insulin. And ultimately, if your adrenal glands are stronger than your pancreas, this can potentially lead to diabetes. If your pancreas is the stronger organ, which is more common, then you get fatigue, lowered body temperature, and low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).

All these factors mean that insulin resistance is probably even more of a factor for overweight people with hypothyroidism than for the general population.

How to Lose Weight and Fight Insulin Resistance

Weight loss is the most important method of eliminating insulin resistance. So it’s one of those chicken and egg situations. The less you weigh, the less insulin resistant you will be. But insulin resistance makes it difficult to lose weight.

So, for people who are insulin resistant, one of the only effective methods is by eating a low fat, low carbohydrate, protein sufficient diet. This means that in addition to the usual restrictions of a low-fat diet, you also need to seriously limit intake of sugar and starches, cutting back on pasta, rice, potatoes, white flour breads, cereal, corn, peas, sweet potatoes, desserts, dairy products, meats, and fruit with a high sugar content.

You may feel frustrated that there’s nothing left to eat. But you need to rethink your eating habits, shifting to a diet of chicken, turkey, fish, non-starchy vegetables, legumes, and certain grains. And for those who are insulin resistant, once you start eating this way, you’ll find it easier, as your carbohydrate cravings will subside dramatically.

Exercise

Finally, according to Jean-Pierre Despres, PhD, Professor of Medicine and Physical Education and Director of the Lipid Research Center at Laval University Hospital in Quebec, “Exercise is probably the best medication on the market to treat insulin resistance syndrome.” “Our studies show that low intensity, prolonged exercise — such as a daily brisk walk of 45 minutes to an hour — will substantially reduce insulin levels,” says Dr. Despres.

This article was adapted from the book, The Thyroid Diet, by Mary Shomon

Mary Shomon, About.com’s Thyroid Guide since 1997, is a nationally-known patient advocate and best-selling author of 10 books on health, including “The Thyroid Hormone Breakthrough: Overcoming Sexual and Hormonal Problems at Every Age,” “The Thyroid Diet: Manage Your Metabolism for Lasting Weight Loss,” “Living Well With Hypothyroidism: What Your Doctor Doesn’t Tell You…That You Need to Know,” “Living Well With Graves’ Disease and Hyperthyroidism,” “Living Well With Autoimmune Disease,” and “Living Well With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia.”  Click here for more information on Mary Shomon.

http://www.lowthyroidhelp.com/hypothyroid_diet.html

Filed Under: Conditioning, Deadlifts, Fat Burner, Kettlebell Tagged With: , , ,

ROD 012612

January 26, 2012 By Leave a Comment

ROD

Thursday, 26Jan12

 

X- treme ROD

This is a timed set of 30 seconds on and 20 seconds rest for 5 rounds ~ No Rest

  • Deadlifts
  • Weighted Step ups
  • Wall Ball
  • Dbl KB Swings
  • Ball slams

___________________________________________________________________________

Ready for Anything Training!!!!!

This class is a 1 hour ass kicking circuit that will leave you in a puddle of sweat.

Your cardiorespiratory and muscle strength will benefit from our motivational, challenging and fun circuit training set to energetic music.

Let’s see what you’ve got!!!!

Filed Under: Barbell Training, Bodyweight, Conditioning, Deadlifts, Fat Burner Tagged With: , , ,

ROD 012512

January 25, 2012 By Leave a Comment

ROD

Wednesday, 25Jan12

 

Couplets

20 seconds work/20 seconds work/20 seconds rest x 8 rounds

Burpees will commence as each individual person performs 3 burpees while the others perform static crab. This will continue until the last person finishes the burpees… then we move on to…

  • Jumping pullups/Kettlebell high pulls
  • Battling ropes /Goblet squats
  • Dumbbell thrusters/ Tire pushes

Complete 8 rounds of each couplet rest 1 minute and move on … until fork tender.

______________________________________________________________________

A Guide to Eating for Sports

                   

Eat Extra for Excellence

There’s a lot more to eating for sports than chowing down on carbs or chugging sports drinks. The good news is that eating to reach your peak performance level likely doesn’t require a special diet or supplements. It’s all about working the right foods into your fitness plan in the right amounts.

Teen athletes have unique nutrition needs. Because athletes work out more than their less-active peers, they generally need extra calories to fuel both their sports performance and their growth. Depending on how active they are, teen athletes may need anywhere from 2,000 to 5,000 total calories per day to meet their energy needs.

So what happens if teen athletes don’t eat enough? Their bodies are less likely to achieve peak performance and may even break down rather than build up muscles. Athletes who don’t take in enough calories every day won’t be as fast and as strong as they could be and may not be able to maintain their weight. And extreme calorie restriction could lead to growth problems and other serious health risks for both girls and guys.

Athletes and Dieting

Since teen athletes need extra fuel, it’s usually a bad idea to diet. Athletes in sports where weight is emphasized — such as wrestling, swimming, dance, or gymnastics — might feel pressure to lose weight, but they need to weigh that choice with the possible negative side effects mentioned above.

If a coach, gym teacher, or teammate says that you need to go on a diet, talk to your doctor first or visit a dietitian who specializes in teen athletes. If a health professional you trust agrees that it’s safe to diet, he or she can work with you to develop a plan that allows you get the proper amount of nutrients, perform your best, and lose weight.

Eat a Variety of Foods

You may have heard about “carb loading” before a game. But when it comes to powering your game for the long haul, it’s a bad idea to focus on only one type of food.

Carbohydrates are an important source of fuel, but they’re only one of many foods an athlete needs. It also takes vitamins, minerals, protein, and fats to stay in peak playing shape.

Muscular Minerals and Vital Vitamins

Calcium helps build the strong bones that athletes depend on, and iron carries oxygen to muscles. Most teens don’t get enough of these minerals, and that’s especially true of teen athletes because their needs may be even higher than those of other teens.

To get the iron you need, eat lean (not much fat) meat, fish, and poultry; green, leafy vegetables; and iron-fortified cereals. Calcium — a must for protecting against stress fractures — is found in dairy foods, such as low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese.

In addition to calcium and iron, you need a whole bunch of other vitamins and minerals that do everything from help you access energy to keep you from getting sick. Eating a balanced diet, including lots of different fruits and veggies, should provide the vitamins and minerals needed for good health and sports performance.

Protein Power

Athletes may need more protein than less-active teens, but most teen athletes get plenty of protein through regular eating. It’s a myth that athletes need a huge daily intake of protein to build large, strong muscles. Muscle growth comes from regular training and hard work. And taking in too much protein can actually harm the body, causing dehydration, calcium loss, and even kidney problems.

Good sources of protein are fish, lean meats and poultry, eggs, dairy, nuts, soy, and peanut butter.

Carb Charge

Carbohydrates provide athletes with an excellent source of fuel. Cutting back on carbs or following low-carb diets isn’t a good idea for athletes because restricting carbohydrates can cause a person to feel tired and worn out, which ultimately affects performance.

Good sources of carbohydrates include fruits, vegetables, and grains. Choose whole grains (such as brown rice, oatmeal, whole-wheat bread) more often than their more processed counterparts like white rice and white bread. That’s because whole grains provide both the energy athletes need to perform and the fiber and other nutrients they need to be healthy.

Sugary carbs such as candy bars or sodas are less healthy for athletes because they don’t contain any of the other nutrients you need. In addition, eating candy bars or other sugary snacks just before practice or competition can give athletes a quick burst of energy and then leave them to “crash” or run out of energy before they’ve finished working out.

Fat Fuel

Everyone needs a certain amount of fat each day, and this is particularly true for athletes. That’s because active muscles quickly burn through carbs and need fats for long-lasting energy. Like carbs, not all fats are created equal. Experts advise athletes to concentrate on healthier fats, such as the unsaturated fat found in most vegetable oils.

Choosing when to eat fats is also important for athletes. Fatty foods can slow digestion, so it’s a good idea to avoid eating these foods for a few hours before and after exercising.

Shun Supplements

Protein and energy bars don’t do a whole lot of good, but they won’t really do you much harm either. But other types of supplements can really do some damage.

Anabolic steroids can seriously mess with a person’s hormones, causing side effects like testicular shrinkage and baldness in guys and facial hair growth in girls. Steroids can cause mental health problems, including depression and serious mood swings.

Some supplements contain hormones that are related to testosterone (such as dehydroepiandrosterone, or DHEA for short). These supplements can have similar side effects to anabolic steroids. Other sports supplements (like creatine, for example) have not been tested in people younger than 18. So the risks of taking them are not yet known.

Salt tablets are another supplement to watch out for. People take them to avoid dehydration, but salt tablets can actually lead to dehydration. In large amounts, salt can cause nausea, vomiting, cramps, and diarrhea and may damage the lining of the stomach. In general, you are better off drinking fluids in order to maintain hydration. Any salt you lose in sweat can usually be made up with sports drinks or food eaten after exercise.

Ditch Dehydration

Speaking of dehydration, water is just as important to unlocking your game power as food. When you sweat during exercise, it’s easy to become overheated, headachy, and worn out — especially in hot or humid weather. Even mild dehydration can affect an athlete’s physical and mental performance.

There’s no one-size-fits-all formula for how much water to drink. How much fluid each person needs depends on the individual’s age, size, level of physical activity, and environmental temperature.

Experts recommend that athletes drink before and after exercise as well as every 15 to 20 minutes during exercise. Don’t wait until you feel thirsty, because thirst is a sign that your body has needed liquids for a while. But don’t force yourself to drink more fluids than you may need either. It’s hard to run when there’s a lot of water sloshing around in your stomach!

If you like the taste of sports drinks better than regular water, then it’s OK to drink them. But it’s important to know that a sports drink is really no better for you than water unless you are exercising for more than 60 to 90 minutes or in really hot weather. The additional carbohydrates and electrolytes may improve performance in these conditions, but otherwise your body will do just as well with water.

Avoid drinking carbonated drinks or juice because they could give you a stomachache while you’re competing.

Caffeine

Caffeine is a diuretic, meaning it causes a person to urinate (pee) more. It’s not clear whether this causes dehydration or not, but to be safe, it’s wise to stay away from too much caffeine, especially if you’ll be exercising in hot weather.

Although some studies have found that caffeine may help with endurance sports performance, it’s good to weigh any benefits against potential problems. Too much caffeine can leave an athlete feeling anxious or jittery. It can also cause trouble sleeping. All of these can drag down a person’s sports performance. Plus, taking certain medications — including supplements — can make caffeine’s side effects seem even worse.

Game-Day Eats

Your performance on game day will depend on the foods you’ve eaten over the past several days and weeks. But you can boost your performance even more by paying attention to the food you eat on game day. Strive for a game-day diet rich in carbohydrates, moderate in protein, and low in fat.

Here are some guidelines on what to eat and when:

  • Eat a meal 2 to 4 hours before the game or event: Choose a protein and carbohydrate meal (like a turkey or chicken sandwich, cereal and milk, chicken noodle soup and yogurt, or pasta with tomato sauce).
  • Eat a snack less than 2 hours before the game: If you haven’t had time to have a pre-game meal, be sure to have a light snack such as low-fiber fruits or vegetables (like plums, melons, cherries, carrots), crackers, a bagel, or low-fat yogurt.

Consider not eating anything for the hour before you compete or have practice because digestion requires energy — energy that you want to use to win. Also, eating too soon before any kind of activity can leave food in the stomach, making you feel full, bloated, crampy, and sick.

Everyone is different, so get to know what works best for you. You may want to experiment with meal timing and how much to eat on practice days so that you’re better prepared for game day.

Want to get an eating plan personalized for you? The U.S. government has developed a website, ChooseMyPlate.gov, that tells a person how much to eat from different food groups based on age, gender, and activity level. [Please note: By clicking on this link, you will be leaving our site.]

Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD
Date reviewed: November 2011
Originally reviewed by: Jessica Donze Black, RD, CDE, MPH

Filed Under: Battling Ropes, Conditioning, Dumbbell Training, Fat Burner, Kettlebell, Muscle Endurance Tagged With: , , , ,

ROD 012412

January 24, 2012 By 2 Comments

ROD

Tuesday, 24Jan12

 

Ready for Anything Training!!!!!

This class is a 1 hour ass kicking circuit that will leave you in a puddle of sweat.

Your cardiorespiratory and muscle strength will benefit from our motivational, challenging and fun circuit training set to energetic music.

Let’s see what you’ve got!!!!

_________________________________________________________________

The Dozen by Dozen

Complete four rounds of the following for time:

  • 12 Half Burpees
  • 24 Dumbbell push press
  • 36 Air squats
  • 48 Kettlebell swings

_____________________________________________________________________

 Athlete ROD

40 sec work / 20 sec rest for rounds recommended at time of performance.

  • Bosu push-up w /OH reach
  • Reclines
  • Med ball slams
  • S/L Jump rope
  • Burpees
  • Band pull aparts

_______________________________________________________________________

More to Follow…

Filed Under: Boxing, Conditioning, Fat Burner, HIIT X-treme, Kettlebell, Muscle Endurance Tagged With: , , , ,

ROD 012312

January 22, 2012 By 1 Comment

Cravings: Why They Strike, How to Curb ThemROD

Monday, 23Jan12

 

Our athlete’s performed this ROD on Saturday…. now it’s your turn. 

Triple Threat

3  Stations, 7 minutes each station for Max Rounds

1:30 min rest in between stations

“Speed” (go quickly)
10 KB High pulls
10 Burpees

“Strength” (go heavy)
10 Kettlebell Swings
10 Dumbbell Push Press

“Stamina” (go w/o resting)
10 Push-ups
10 Mountain Climbers

**Post rounds to comments**

_____________________________________________________________________

149 Day’s till summer. Will you be ready for this?

What do you want to look like this summer?

   or    

                                    It’s all up to you.

_________________________________________________

 

Cravings: Why They Strike, How to Curb Them

Almost everyone has hankered after potato chips, ice cream, chocolate, or another beckoning treat. But why? And what do you do when a craving calls your name? Is it OK to give in once in a while? What if your cravings start to run amok and demand satisfaction every day?

Food Cravings From the Inside Out

Cornell professor Brian Wansink, PhD, makes it his business to understand food cravings. He’s studied a woman who loved to cuddle up with her favorite snack: a bowl of popcorn mixed with M&Ms. He knows why hearty men crave steaks and pizza, while women usually go for candy or cookies.

Insight into cravings is important because our environment is loaded with sensory cues that can prompt us to overeat, Wansink says. He directs Cornell University’s Food and Brand Lab, which studies consumers’ relationships with food. (The lab’s motto: “We uncover eating traps and change them.”) He also wrote the book, Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think.

Visual cues — such as seeing enticing foods — are the most frequent environmental triggers. Smells are potent, too. For instance, “You walk by a Cinnabon,” Wansink says, and the rich, sweet aroma can automatically trip a strong desire for the cinnamon rolls.

Don’t Blame Nutrition

One popular myth holds that people crave certain foods to fill a nutritional deficiency.

“The naive view has always been that cravings represent wisdom of the body,” says Marcia Pelchat, PhD, a food researcher at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia.

But it’s not so. Some of her work has shown that people have cravings even when they’re fed a diet that’s completely adequate in calories and nutrients.

“People will often say things, like, ‘Gee, I’m craving potato chips. I’d better eat some because I must need the salt,’” Pelchat says. “But really, how many of us — aside from runners in hot weather — are deficient in salt? And then how do you explain cravings for sweets in terms of deficiency?”

We feel virtuous blaming cravings on nutritional needs, Pelchat says. But “we don’t have such great wisdom of the body,” she says. “Unfortunately, humans rely less on instincts and more on culture to determine what they eat — or on individual experience.” (In her city, for example, a lot of men crave Philly cheese steaks.)

Culture, Sex, and Cravings

Wansink agrees that culture and gender play a big role in cravings. In his research, men were more likely to crave pizza, pasta, and soup over cakes and cookies. Why? Besides being tasty and filling, such hot, savory foods reminded them of attention from their mothers or wives.

In contrast, women liked these foods well enough, but associated them with work, including preparation and cleanup. So instead, women tended to crave hassle-free snack foods, such as candy, cookies, ice cream, and chocolate.

What about that woman who liked popcorn mixed with M&M’s? Not only was the snack easy to prepare, but it made her feel “cozy and safe,” Wansink says. She and her husband had made it as a “secret snack” when they were dating in college; hence, the positive association turned it into her favorite craving.

Almost everyone has hankered after potato chips, ice cream, chocolate, or another beckoning treat. But why? And what do you do when a craving calls your name?

Is it OK to give in once in a while? What if your cravings start to run amok and demand satisfaction every day?

Good Mood, Bad Mood

Certain emotions, including stress, sadness, and boredom, can promote cravings, Pelchat says. “That’s another very strong correlate of cravings. A bad mood can become a conditioned cue for eating. Just like walking by the donut shop, being in a bad mood becomes a cue that elicits going over to the refrigerator.”

Those negative moods get all the press, but Wansink suggests that happy moods might be even more likely to cause cravings. In his survey of about 1,000 Americans, 86% reported that they craved comfort foods when they were happy, and 74% had cravings when they wanted to celebrate or reward themselves. In contrast, 52% had cravings when they were bored and 39% when they were sad or lonely.

The happy eaters craved food to maintain their upbeat mood, he explains: “I want to do something to extend my happy feeling or my happy experience.” Furthermore, they tended to prefer “more meal-like, healthier foods,” he says. In contrast, people in sad moods were much more likely to seek out ice cream, cookies, or potato chips.

You also learn to crave certain foods in certain situations. “If you have a cookie every day after school, just walking into the house cues you to have a cookie,” Pelchat says. “If you don’t get that cookie right away, your mind obsesses about it and turns it into a craving.”

Taming Your Cravings

So you want to put your cravings back in their place. What should you do?

Don’t waste your time on bizarre methods. They don’t work for most people. For example, some models deal with cravings for sweets by taking one bite from a candy bar and spitting it out, or carrying a candy wrapper to sniff, Wansink writes in his book.

Here are some expert tips to try instead:

Eat the Food You Crave Less Often

You may have heard that having a little bit of the food you crave is a good way to break the craving. Maybe not.

“We used to think that eating a small amount of those foods would extinguish a craving. For a long time, we thought that that was the way to deal with cravings, and it just doesn’t seem to work for most people,” Wansink says.

Rather than quitting the craving, continually eating the food may just strengthen the habit. “The more you eat sweets, the more you reinforce the cravings for sweets,” Pelchat says.

So should you go cold turkey? No, Wansink says. Feeling deprived of a favorite food often backfires and you end up eating too much. “You can indulge in it, but just do it less frequently,” he says.

Use Portion Control

“Allow yourself to have a food, but do it in a portion-controlled way,” Pelchat says. For example, don’t keep tempting foods at home, because it’s too easy to wolf down excessive amounts. Instead, go out for one scoop of ice cream or one slice of pizza.

Also, know yourself. Portion control doesn’t work for everyone, especially if tempting foods are on hand. Some people can count out and eat only 15 smoked almonds; others routinely barrel their way to the bottom of the can.

“If you can’t manage portion control, then you want to weaken the link between cues in the environment and eating that food,” Pelchat says. Hide the food in the back of a cupboard; don’t keep it on a kitchen counter or in plain sight. “If you resist, you weaken the link between cues and mindless eating,” she says.

Substitute a Healthier Food

“There’s a very fine line between eating an unhealthy food and a healthy food in terms of how it satisfies cravings,” Wansink says. “You may be dying for that chocolate sundae or whatever, but eating something that’s healthier will eliminate that craving almost as effectively.”

For instance, eating apple slices with peanut butter might satisfy your craving as much as if you really did splurge on ice cream, he says. The sense of satisfaction might not happen immediately or even five minutes later, but it will kick in 15 to 20 minutes later, he says.

Just make sure to eat an amount equal to the volume of the craved food. Otherwise, “you’re still going to be hungry,” Wansink says — and your craving will still be there, waiting for you to give in.

Distract Yourself With an Activity Unrelated to Food

“Substitute something else until the craving goes away. It could be in the form of taking a walk or doing pushups or calling a friend,” Wansink says. Cravings are fleeting, he says. They’ll diminish or go away within an hour, if not sooner.

Don’t wait out a craving passively. An activity that’s “somewhat absorbing” will help you to resist, Pelchat says. “Even counting to 10 does help,” she adds. “People are less likely to eat the craved food. It gives them more control over it.

Have a Plan to Combat Chronic Cravings

“The most dangerous cravings are the ones that are chronic. Those are going to be the most difficult ones to deal with,” Wansink says.

Let’s say that on most days, around 3 p.m., you crave a sweet or salty food — jelly donuts or a big bag of cheese puffs. “In those cases, it can’t be a piecemeal, day-by-day strategy,” he says. That’s a set-up for failure.

It’s better to have a steadfast plan. Make sure to have sugarless gum on hand, ready to pop into your mouth when the craving strikes. Or make it routine to take a walk at that time. “Habitually, you replace that craving,” Wansink says.

Filed Under: Conditioning, Fat Burner, Kettlebell, Muscle Endurance Tagged With: , , ,
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