THE LAST LAP - WEEK 20 !!

What Do These Two Things Have In Common And What Do They Have To Do With Your Health?

Warren Shepell is a Nutritionist who provides EAP counseling at CNC Global. He just published a report this week that seemed pretty timely. He calls the full report "Healthy Eating In A Fast Food World" and it is available at www.warrenshepell.com. This information is based on his report.

FIVE HEALTH TIPS

1) PAY ATTENTION - Many people will keep eating when food is in front of them even if they are no longer hungry. Often this happens when watching TV. Try not to eat when your attention is elsewhere. If you must eat in front of a TV or in a meeting RATION YOUR FOOD. Understanding portion size will make a huge difference. One serving of meat (3 oz.) according to the National Food Guide looks like a deck of cards. One cup of potatoes or rice or pasta looks just like a tennis ball. Yes, it's a long way off from a 20 ounce steak or that massive plate of Fettuccine Alfredo served at most restaurants.

2) FOOL FAST FOOD - It would be great if you never set foot again in a fast food restaurant, but since that's unlikely, choose healthier options. Skip the processed cheese. Order all salad dressings and sauces on the side where you can control portions. Pick items that are lower in fat - this can cut your fat intake by half. NEVER SUPERSIZE YOUR MEAL and skip the French Fries. Did you know that French Fries are the most eaten vegetable in and out of the home - and they are loaded with the unhealthiest of saturated fats (plus free radicals galore)?

3) SLASH SUGAR - Sugar is loaded with calories and totally devoid of nutritional value and contributes to Type 2 diabetes, obesity and puts you at greater risk of heart attack, stroke and cancer. Avoid sugary breakfast foods (yes, breakfast makes a good start but Fruit Loops doesn't count). Remember that pop is loaded with sugar. Juices, even unsweetened, also contain a lot of sugar so water them down. Better yet, eat the fruit instead of drinking it. (If God wanted you to drink oranges he would have included a straw.)

4) WATCH THE AISLES - Healthy eating can quickly be sabotaged by a quick trip down the junk food aisle at the grocery store. Try shopping around the perimeter of the store - where less processed foods like fruits and vegetables are usually found. If you must venture down the 'riskier' inner aisles - bring a list and stick to it. And never shop on an empty stomach.

5) SNACK OFTEN - Snacking is important to the body, fueling it between meals. Without a boost you can't perform at your best. Pack your bag with healthy snacks from home - wholegrain crackers, vegetables, yogurt and nuts. Snacking during the day will quell overeating at mealtime.

WEEK NINETEEN!

TWO WEEKS TO GO TEAM !!!!

OK! The SPRING Super Challenge is about to launch. We do need some feedback though.

Do you want a break between the two events?

Will have details out this week on how the new challenge will work.

The best way to travel? With your biking shorts. Here is Wally and I at Red Rock Canyon / Cottonwood Valley in Nevada, altitude 4000 feet plus (and you can feel it). Here's what they say about the ride -

"Not for the faint at heart! This trail is designed for the more advanced rider with adventure on their mind. Located in the foothills of the Spring Mountains, the Cottonwood Trail begins with a 700-foot gradual ascent to Cottonwood Pass followed by an exciting slalom descent. Combine the thrill of a competitive mountain bike trail with the beauty of Red Rock Canyon; things couldn't be better."

Week 18

Thinking About The Next Challenge?

Next week we will be announcing plans for the new Super Spring Challenge. There will be some interesting new twists to this challenge - as well as a new custom component so everyone can tailor their own program.

We will also have a short break between the two challenges, details to come shortly.

The finish line is in sight! Keep up the great work.

WEEK SEVENTEEN

The Benefits of Stretching
By Elizabeth Quinn - from Sports Medicine.com

(Mapper added some info last week on the importance of cool down after a workout. So here's some info on stretching from Sportsmedicine.com)

If you want to improve your sports performance, prevent sports injury, alleviate back and other muscle pain or just increase your flexibility, a comprehensive stretching program may an appropriate addition to your training routine.

Whether an athlete, coach, or trainer, you know how annoying and debilitating a sports injury can be. In reality, when you have a sports injury you’re actually losing on two fronts. An injury does damage to muscles and tendons and you need time to recuperate. You’re also losing the time you could have been putting into training.

A correct warm up will help to raise body temperature, increase blood flow and promote oxygen supply to the muscles. It will also help to prepare the mind, body, muscles and joints for the physical activity to come.

While warming up is important, a good cool down also plays a vital role in helping to prevent sports injury. A good cool down will prevent blood from pooling in your limbs. It will also prevent waste products, such as lactic acid, building up in your muscles.

Cooling down will help your muscles and tendons to relax and loosen, stopping them from becoming stiff and tight.


Stretching - The simple technique of stretching can play an important role in helping you to prevent the occurrence of sports injury. Unfortunately stretching is one area of athletic preparation often neglected. Don't make the mistake of thinking that something as simple as stretching won't be effective. Stretching is a vital part of any exercise program and should be looked upon as being as important as any other part of your health and fitness.

How Does Stretching Prevent Injury? One of the greatest benefits of stretching is that you’re able to increase the length of both your muscles and tendons. This leads to an increased range of movement, which means your limbs and joints can move further before an injury occurs.

For example, if the muscles in your neck are tight your ability to look behind is limited. If your head is moved beyond this range, it could result in a muscle tear or strain. You can help to prevent this from happening by increasing the flexibility, and the range of movement, of the muscles and tendons in your neck.

The Hamstring muscles are put under a huge strain when doing any sort of sport that involves running and especially for sports that require kicking. Short, tight hamstring muscles can spell disaster for many exercisers. By ensuring these muscles are loose and flexible, you'll cut your chance of a hamstring injury dramatically.

(All the exercises shown simply require holding for 20 seconds)

WEEK 16!

What's the most powerful force in the Universe?

Einstein was once asked this question by an American writer. His answer? Compound Interest. This is one of my favorite quotes 1) because I have always been interested in Albert's life and 2) it's not the answer you would expect from a Theoretical Physicist. But what does this have to do with the Activity Challenge?

Exercise and the resulting benefits of physical activity work much the same way as compounding interest. The more you move out of your comfort zone more often, the greater the short and long-term results. And it works geometrically.

Aerobic and physical improvement comes from a process that happens within the cells and muscles of your body. When we put 'stress' on cells or muscles, they respond! They strengthen, secrete hormones and proteins that protect us now and in the future, and cause complex systems to evolve over time.

Simple example - push one muscle in your body every second day to the point of exhaustion. What happens? The muscle gets stronger. It builds bulk, lengthens and increases in mass. Just like magic. The result of course - body builders!

The same process works on hearts and lungs. The secret is to push past the comfort zone of a muscle or group of muscles (and remember the heart is a muscle and it does become fitter with activity) and get into the improvement zone.

Little changes (like saving money) can have huge results.

Example - You warm up for five minutes then get into some kind of aerobic or physical exercise. You've reached a point now where you feel a lot more comfortable than you did when you started. You have increased endurance. You have better muscle tone. Maybe you just plain feel better. At the end of 30 minutes you're warmed up, tired and ready to quit.

Most people would guess that an additional 3 minutes of exercise at this point would add about 10% to the workout (10% of 30 minutes). Training coaches would suggest it's 20-30% more in terms of benefits. Especially if you really push the envelope over the last few minutes!

That's why PULSE TRAINING is so popular today. Pulse training is based on running slow for one minute then pushing yourself to the limit for another minute then back to a slow walk. The pulsing pushes your fitness envelope more often and triggers those responses we talked about that cause dramatic improvements.

So give your exercise routine another few minutes every day and really push for the last 2-3 minutes. The benefits are quite significant.

Week Fifteen!

What's a Muscle Cramp?

(From Orthopedics.com) A muscle cramp is a sudden, uncontrolled contraction of a muscle. This type of pain is most commonly experienced in the legs, and therefore often called a leg cramp or a "charley horse." Leg cramps occur when the muscle suddenly and forcefully contracts. The most common muscles to contract in this manner are muscles that cross two joints. These muscles include the calf (crossing the ankle and knee), the hamstring (crossing the knee and hip), and the quadriceps (also crossing the knee and hip).

Leg cramps usually last less than one minute, but may last several minutes before the contraction subsides. In some patients, the leg cramps occur primarily at night, and can awaken the patient from sleep.

What causes a leg cramp?The exact cause of a leg cramp is not well understood, but there are some risk factors that are thought to contribute to this condition:

- Muscle fatigue
- Heavy exercising
- Dehydration
- High weight (not necessarily obesity)
- Electrolyte imbalances

The most common cause that is typically seen in patients who develop leg cramps is exercising in an unusual way, meaning either more activity or a different exercise.

Leg cramps are more common in young (adolescent age) and older (over 65) patients. Patients who weigh more are more prone to developing leg cramps. Also, some medications can cause side effects of leg cramping. How can leg cramps be prevented?

Stay Hydrated! It is not well known exactly how dehydration and muscle cramping are related, but it is known that dehydration can predispose to leg cramps. Drink at least three full glasses of water each day, including one before bedtime. Also drink plenty of fluid before, during, and after exercise.

Stretch Regularly! Stretching can relax muscle fibers. When working out, a good post-work out stretching routine can help relax muscles and prevent cramps. Make sure you cool down after exercising, and do not exercise vigorously just prior to sleep.

Train Gradually! Gradually build up an exercise program, and try to avoid sudden increases in activity. The "10% Rule" is a good rule of thumb: never increase your exercise over one week by more than 10% compared to the week before. Sudden changes in activities can cause leg cramps.

What is the best way to make a leg cramp go away?

Usually instinct takes over when a leg cramp strikes, and you massage and stretch the sore muscle. This is a perfect instinct and often solves the problem. The best steps are

- Massage the cramped muscle
- Stretch the muscle (gently!)
- Take a hot shower or bath to warm and relax the muscle

Week Fourteen!

Question: I've been working out for months now and not losing any weight! What's going on?

There's been a lot of discussion about DIET over the past few weeks, both in our house and from the other bloggers. So here are some thoughts from one of my favorite websites - www. askmen.com (sounds like an oxymoron, doesn't it?)

"Ever since we were little, we were told to eat our fruits and vegetables, and to avoid those sugary snacks that our mouths salivate for... yeah, right! Is that why more than 50% of deaths in North America (especially men) are caused by cardiovascular disease, mostly related to unhealthy eating habits?"

"One third of all cancers . . . are due to improper nutrition -- too much fat, too little fiber and not enough fruits and vegetables. So, do you need to become a vegetarian? Not at all. Simply integrate more of these foods into your daily diet, and you'll be one (huge) step closer to a healthier, disease-free life. "

"Of course, one should always keep in mind that good nutrition doesn't necessarily lead directly to great health. Be sure to integrate exercise into your lifestyle. Also, keep stress to a minimum and make sure that despite the fast-paced life you live, health is still your number one priority. "

10 FOODS YOU SHOULD NEVER EAT!

1. Quaker Oats 100 % Natural Oats and Honey Granola contain 3 teaspoons of sugar per half cup, and come laden with more artery-clogging fat than a McDonald's hamburger (check the fat content).

2. Chicken Franks contain 10 or 11 grams of fat per frank. Most hotdog manufacturers now offer pork, beef, turkey, or soy franks with zero to 2.5 grams of fat per frank.

3. Donuts - as much saturated fat as 9 strips of bacon (10 grams).

4. Cup of Noodle snacks contain pre-fried and pre-salted noodles, compounded by the practice of using artery-clogging palm oil. They add 6 times as much sodium to the noodles as potato chips contain.

5. Anything fried in Olestra, a recently formulated fat substitute that some people cannot digest.

6. Lunchables (packaged snacks) contain heavily processed meat, cheese and mostly white-flour crackers.

7. Fast food French Fries have a salty coating that allow more fat to be absorbed.

8. Campbell's red label soups come brimming with salt.

9. Snacks fried in highly saturated coconut oil. Baked snacks are better.

10. Alfredo Sauces - they contain a large amount of butter.

10 FOODS YOU SHOULD EAT!

1. Sweet potatoes. They're loaded with carotenoids, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber.

2. 100% whole grain bread contains many more vitamins and minerals than its white counterpart.

3. Broccoli comes packed with vitamin C, carotenoids and folic acid.

4. Watermelon makes an excellent source of vitamin C and carotenoids.

5. Beans win the inexpensive, low fat, high protein award. Plus they contain lots of iron, folic acid and fiber.

6. Cantaloupe supplies all the daily requirements of vitamin A and C in just a quarter slice.

7. Spinach and kale provide calcium, fiber, carotenoids, and vitamin C.

8. Oranges contain vitamin C, plus abundant folic acid, potassium and fiber.

9. Oatmeal provides soluble fiber that helps lower bad cholesterol while improving good cholesterol.

10. 1% milk ranks as an excellent source of protein, with little or no artery-clogging fat or cholesterol.

Stuff that's generally bad !

Solid fats - Anything from land animals or coconut and palm oils. Reduce your intake because they're safe for frying and slow to spoil. They're a quick and easy way to add taste and calories. These oils compete with the "good" oils for the nutrients, which slows down some of the essential cell functions. In order to absorb these fats, we must increase production of cholesterol. To have them in our blood, we also make additional cholesterol.

Heated, deep fried fats and oils - All toxic despite good taste. They aren't naturally found in food and they interfere with certain essential oils. They raise the bad cholesterol. Nearly all store-bought baked goods are made with shortening. Contrary to popular belief, butter is better than margarine.

White refined flour and most store-bought pasta - The bran and germ that are removed from such items are amazingly good sources of minerals and vitamins. They lack the essential nutrients, even after enrichment. Better to stick with whole grain products because white refined flour and store-bought pasta are linked to an increase in heart disease.

White rice - No! This does not mean to completely avoid eating white rice. However, brown rice does have nutrients that can't be found in white rice. One can possibly mix white and brown rice together for a great combination of flavor.

Sugar (white and brown), molasses and soft drinks - All of us are used to grabbing a Coke from the vending machine at work or school, but what we may not be so aware of is that the fructose portion of refined sugar is a building block for cholesterol.