What does metabolism actually mean?

Your metabolism, scientifically speaking, is the rate at which your body uses energy at any given moment, or in other words, the rate at which your body burns calories no matter what you're doing, whether it be watching a movie or going for an afternoon run.

Metabolism is used in many contexts. For example, you've probably heard a friend say, "I have such a slow metabolism!" Most often when he says that, he means, his metabolism is resting. A resting metabolism is the calorie burn required to keep your body alive and moving. Your resting metabolism is always around, because even when you're sleeping, your body needs energy to keep your heart rate up, your kidney's functioning, etc.

So what does your resting metabolism account for? Normally, it accounts for 60 to 75 percent of your total calorie burn for the day. However, your active metabolism accounts for 15 to 30 percent which is totally dependent on how much you move around during the day. The thing about your body is that it always requires spending energy to do anything. So, even when you're eating and digesting your food, you're still burning calories, although not much, just 5 to 10 percent. Nevertheless, your resting metabolic rate is personalized, meaning everyone's rate is different. It depends on your body size, genetics, and your muscle mass.

Yoga for You

Yoga is an absolutely amazing thing to practice for two main reasons. These reasons are that they provide a tremendous healing and transformational power as well as a calm confidence. Whether you choose to practice daily or use yoga as a rest day activity, yoga can suit every lifestyles.

Some few tips before you get started:

• Go barefoot
• Use a yoga mat to help with traction
• Warm up before trying to stretch too deep
• Let your eyes have a soft focus or be closed
• Move slowly into each pose to avoid injury 
• Know that discomfort is okay, but pain is not
• Breathe! Inhale and exhale through the nose. Not through the mouth, unless instructed to do so.

Adhere to these tidbits of advice, and you should be able to experience a very relaxing and enjoyable yoga practice.

So now that you know what to expect, here are some poses to try. Over the weekend, Leigh and I went out to practice some yoga to show that anybody can do it! They are perfect for people of all abilities. Do not worry about trying to bend further than is comfortable. Over time, the longer you practice, the more flexible you will get. In general, hot yoga is wonderful for extending your flexibility.

Child Pose
This pose is a great foundation pose for yoga. Whenever you feel tired and need a break, go into this pose.
Simply kneel with you knees together and place your forehead on the floor. Inch your arms forward and sit your bottom on your heels.

Folded Butterfly

This pose stretches and strengthens the lower back and hip areas. Sit with soles of the feet together in front of you, as close to your body as is comfortable. Hold onto your feet and flap your knees to relax your hips. With your hands on your feet, gently bring your head toward your feet and hold the posture.

Life Nerve Stretch

Sit high on your bottom with your legs stretched out in front of you. Keep your left leg straight in front of you, or slightly to the side. Tuck your right foot into the groin, with the heel as close to the top of your inner thigh as is comfortable. Inhale and stretch your arms up overhead, lengthening your spine. Exhale and bend forward, reaching your hands to your toes or any part of the leg that you can reach to give you a good stretch. As you move forward, bring your chest down to rest on your left thigh.

King/Queen Dancer

This gives a sense of elation and power, and improves your sense of balance. Stand straight with your arms at your sides. Bend your right knee so that your right foot is behind you. Take hold of the inner side of your foot with your right hand. Straighten your elbow. Stretch your left arm up close to your ear. Inhale and lean forward, lengthening the spine. At the same time, lift your bent leg and arm up behind you as high as possible.

Camel Pose
This pose builds strength in the muscle groups of the back. So called because according to yogic teaching, it helps grow control over hunger and thirst, just as a camel would. Sit on your heels with your spine straight and hands on your things. Then, kneel upright, reach back with one hand and grasp the heel on that side, then repeat on the other side. Press the hips and thighs forward to steady the pose and lift the chest up, tilting the head back, but not dropped fully.

Mantra Meditation

In this meditation, start off with one repetition of the mantra on the held inhalation and exhalation. Sit cross legged. Straighten the lower vertebrate, lift the chest, and draw the chin slightly in toward the neck. Rest your hands on your knees lightly. Press your first finger with your thumb. Close your eyes. Pull your navel slightly toward your spine and upward. A common mantra is Har Har Wahe Guru.

Tree Pose

This balancing pose adjusts the vertebrate of the spine and promotes good posture. Stand tall with your feet close together and your arms at your sides. Place one foot inside your opposite thigh, ideally top of the inner thigh. Steady yourself in this pose. When you feel ready, stretch the palms up toward the sky.

Spinal Twist

This gives a lateral stretch to the vertebrate, back muscles, and hips, keeps the spine elastic, and helps to retain side-to-side mobility. Sit with your spine straight. Raise the right knee. Place the right foot flat on the ground. Place the right foot on the ground outside your left thing, your right knee bent over your left leg. Place the right hand on the ground just behind your back. Raise the left arm up. Bring your left arm over to you right knee, and reach around to catch hold of the right ankle if possible.

Triangle

This pose stretches the spine and spinal nerves laterally. Stand with the feet 3-4 ft apart and your arms raised so that they are straight out to the sides at shoulder level. Pivot one foot 90 degrees out and turn other foot in slightly by moving the heel outward. Inhale, lower your right arm, and bring it to rest on your shin. Extend your left arm up from the shoulder with the palm facing forward. Look up toward the extended arm, straight ahead, or down at the foot.

Moon Salutation

Stand upright with feet close together. Inhale slowly and deeply as you raise and stretch both arms above your head. At the same time, arch your upper body backward in one smooth, unbroken line. This stretches and tones the abdominal area, improves digestion, and opens the lungs.

Warrior Balance

Stand with your left leg forward, right foot behind and turned out slightly. Inhale into full warrior pose. Exhale and lift the heel of your right foot up and lean forward with the spine lengthened. Keep your arms up and reach out and up as you shift your weight to your left foot and lift your right foot off the ground. Lift your back leg so that your body forms a straight line from our hands to your toes. Point your toes of the lifted leg.

Downward Facing Dog

This pose rejuvenates your whole body. An inverted pose, it allows for the reversed flow of gravity and increases the flow of blood to the head and heart. Stand up straight, set one leg one in front of the other, place both arms on the floor. Set the foot back with the other foot so that the hands and feet are about 3 ft apart. Your head should be pressed downward, aligning with your arms. Your weight should be evenly distributed between your hands and feet.

Cobra

This pose increases flexibility and rejuvenates the spinal nerves. Lie down on your front with your arms resting at your sides and your chin on the ground. Take a deep breath. Keeping your lower body relaxed, place your hands on the ground under your shoulders to prepare for cobra. Lead with the head and chest and curve your spine up and back into cobra as you inhale.

Heart Disease? (Obesity-Related Diseases)

It is important to be aware of the risks of having either or both high blood pressure and high cholesterol as it can eventually lead heart disease and stroke. Obesity can cause you to have high blood pressure and/or a high cholesterol level. However, the good news is that by simply losing a few pounds by either beginning to eat healthier or exercise for just a few minutes a day, you will be able to lower your chances of developing heart disease or having a stroke.

Steps to Staying Healthy When Eating Out

1. Choosing a healthy restaurant
1. Find one that has a varied selection, but not buffet- that promotes excessive eating
2. In general it is good to avoid "entertainment eating"- places where musical or other entertainment groups perform because they often offer limited choices of fatty foods
3. Try to avoid spur of the moment thinking: consider what you want before you choose a restaurant, look at the menu online
4. Don't leave the house hungry (make sure to have a small snack 1-2 hours before you go to the restaurant)
2. Being cautious of first arrival
1. It is best to politely decline the free appetizers, like bread and butter or chips and salsa- they are often fatty and will curb your appetite for a more well rounded entree
2. Ask for water and sip it slowly- sometimes that can help reduce hunger
3. Ordering
1. Each restaurant differs in terms of portion size- don't be afraid to ask your server how big the plate is
2. Go colorful! Unhealthy options are often disguised in browns, beiges, and whites
3. Order one course a time so you don't overestimate how much food you have room for
4. Recommended appetizers include broth-based soups (avoid creams), seafood, fruits and veggies- they are light and contain many nutrients that most restaurant entrees lack
5. The key to a healthy salad is in the dressing- try to look for low-fat options, or perhaps something light and natural like a little bit of squeezed lemon juice
6. Look for bad prep words (fried, au gratin, etc) vs. good prep words (broiled, baked, grilled)
7. Be conscious of fatty (beef) vs. lean (fish, pork) meats
8. For a side dish, ask for an alternative to the classic french fries: many restaurants will have a variety to choose from including seasoned vegetables and rice that are much better
4. Eating
1. Eat the low calorie items on your plate first
2. Eat slowly
3. Stop when you feel close to full

Closer Look: Binge-Eating Disorder

Binge-Eating Disorder is classified as an eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS). However, it does not have a life-threatening consequence. Binge-Eating Disorder is defined as exhibiting recurrent binge eating without following a compensatory type of behavior like purging.

Symptoms include:

• frequent intake of large amounts of food in a short duration of time
• having no sense of control over eating during an episode
• feeling guilty, disgusted, and depressed because of over eating 
• eating alone because embarrassed of the amount of food intake 
• eating when not hungry/eating when uncomfortably full

Since no compensatory behavior takes place, BED can ultimately lead to clinical obesity. With obesity comes the regular health risks of being overweight. Some health risks include: 

• high blood pressure
• high cholesterol
• heart disease
• diabetes (type 2)
• gallbladder disease
• musculoskeletal issues

Binge-Eating Disorder effects more women than men. Some people who suffer with BED can be of average or above average weight. Most people feel shame and guilt for their overeating. BED is often associated with depression. 

Mind-Body Exercise: Yoga

Yoga is a great form of exercise for people of all ages and all abilities. There are so many different types, so finding one that suits you the best is possible. Most of the types are branches of Hatha yoga, which focuses on the pose more than the spiritual aspect. All yoga workouts include a blend of strength, flexibility, and body awareness exercises. It requires focus in order to balance as seen in the picture below.

http://crossfitwc.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/yoga.jpg

Yoga is not an intensive exercise like the cardio of running. As a result, it burns less calories with the average person burning around 240 calories per hour in a typical yoga class. Therefore, yoga is more for the mental well-being of the person and shouldn't be used to focus on losing weight only. To see significant weight loss success, supplement your yoga with cardiovascular activity and improved eating habits.

You can be as intense of a follower of yoga by leading the yogi life-style or simply practice it on your days of rest to relax your muscles.

http://www.aisquared.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/yoga.jpg

Next week, yoga how-tos will be put up! Until then, Namaste.

Mind-Body Exercise: Stretching

Mind-Body exercise means any exercise that requires a conscious effort to link how you're feeling to what your body is doing. This generally includes stretching, yoga, and meditation. These are different that other exercises because unlike running or swimming, each pose requires you to do it in a thoughtful manner.

The Importance of Stretching:
Stretching is key to maintaining flexibility. Flexibility is required to do simple tasks such as reaching for the light switch or bending down to pick up something. Moving, bending, jumping, and running all require a level of flexibility. Maintaining flexibility is imperative for you to be able to do tasks comfortably.

As you grow older, your tendons shorten and tighten, causing stiffness. This explains for the inability for the elderly to walk as gracefully or with their back as perfectly straight as the younger generations.

Although stretching has been proven to not relieve soreness after a workout or reduce risk of injury, stretching after a workout when your muscles have already been warmed up is the best time to work on your flexibility. Flexibility is key for balance and coordination.

When you stretch, make sure you do not stretch until you are properly warmed up. You do not want to pull a muscle. Usually, after 3 minutes of cardio exercise is enough time for your muscles to be ready to be stretched. For each stretch, hold it for 30 seconds. Any longer is not necessary.

Basically, stretching is not as important for avoiding injury or soreness in the short term. However, in the long term, the increased flexibility will help avoid injury through better balance and coordination gained from it. So stretch!

Closer Look: Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS)

EDNOS is having a combination of signs and symptoms of both Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa. Thus, like each disorder, EDNOS can lead to death.

Since EDNOS is not one specific disorder, but a combination of two defined disorders, the signs and symptoms are the same as those of each disorder. You can show signs from both disorders.

However, there are some discrepancies with EDNOS. Some examples include:

• in females, menstruation still occurs although person still exhibits anorexic behavior
• all symptoms classify person as anorexic, but person exhibits normal range of weight (bulimia sign)
• compensatory behavior occurs less frequently than the criteria for Bulimia Nervosa 
• purging without binge behavior (can be referred to as purging disorder)

The commonality of all eating disorders is the emotional and physiological suffering you may be going through. 

Supermarket Success

Grocery stores are designed so that in an ideal world, we would only have to circle the outskirts of the store. Think about it; the outer walls contain the dairy, meat, vegetables and fruit- everything you need for a well balanced diet. The inner aisles are comprised mostly of processed foots, such as cereals, chips, and candy. Obviously for no one to ever go in the middle aisles is unrealistic, and I hope from today's blog you can learn how to navigate those center aisles effectively :)

The key to discerning the smart choices from the unhealthy ones is in the nutrition facts label. Knowing how to read a label is essential to making informed decisions for what to feed yourself and your family. Below is a common example of what a nutrition facts label will contain:

It is so important to start with the serving size because that is what determines the calorie quantity and nutrient levels listed below. One package of a food can be entirely one serving, or can be made up of many smaller servings. Your levels of consumption are all relative to the serving size. Another important tool is calories. If a serving contains less than 40 calories, it is considered low, around 100 moderate, and 400 and above calories is high. Another important tool is the %DV (percent daily value). These values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet per day, serving as a frame of reference for any diet.

There is also a financial component to supermarket success. By devising a well-considered list of necesseties, it avoids frequent returns and impulse buying. In addition, take note of the significant difference in pricing between fresh and canned vegetables. If, for example, a vegetable is a small component in a dish you are planning, I advise you to consider the canned, and thereby cheaper, version.

Here are some more helpful tips on successful shopping:

• Avoid the displays at the end which encourage impulse shopping
• Shop while full
• When choosing from a variety, whether it be meat, veggies, or fruit, take note of each option and choose for meat the leanest or for veggies/ fruit the ripest

Closer Look: Bulimia Nervosa

Bulimia Nervosa is the action of bingeing with an intent to compensate the binge eating with self-induced vomiting. This type of eating disorder can lead to a life-threatening result. People with Bulimia Nervosa typically look to be of average weight.

Developing Bulimia Nervosa starts with regularly digesting large amounts of food at once showing no signs of control over when to stop eating and regularly compensating for over eating with behaviors like making yourself vomit, taking laxatives, fasting, and/or exercising excessively. Usually, you show major concern over your weight and body shape.

Like Anorexia Bulimia and any type of eating disorder, early detection is crucial for recovery. Therefore, knowing some of the signs of someone with Bulimia Nervosa is important.

• finding evidence that large amounts of food has been consumed in a short period of time
• constantly making excuses to use the bathroom right after a meal, followed by smelling of vomit
• discovering laxatives
• unusual swelling of cheeks or jaws
• calluses on the back of hands and knuckles as a result of self-vomiting
• constant exercise no matter if injured, bad weather, busy
• living very routine in order to work in times to binge-purge 
• discoloration of teeth

Bulimia Nervosa does not just put your mental health at risk but also your physical health. The constant cycle of binge/purge can ruin your entire digestive system. Purging can also create electrolyte and chemical imbalances that can have an effect on your heart and other organs. More specifically, it can lead to irregular heart beats that can in turn cause heart failures. Purging can also cause inflammation and rupture in the esophagus and tooth decay. 

Strength Training

Strength Training is extremely vital to your health in addition to cardio exercise. As you age, you lose about one-third of a pound of muscle each year while gaining about a pound of fat starting in  your mid-thirties. Because muscle accounts for a higher metabolism, losing it can cause fat gain. As a result, it is imperative that weight lifting is part of your workout as well.

Strength Training = Preserves muscle mass + strength + metabolism

Ideally, you should work each major muscle group two or three times a week. Less means no result, more means overwork and fatigue. The easiest way to maintain your muscle is to first develop a significant amount of strength from training two or three days a week, then being able to just train once per week.

A good schedule given by Liz Neporent and Suzanne Scholosberg is:

Day 1: Upper Body

Day 2: Lower Body

Day 3: Rest

Day 4: Upper Body

Day 5: Lower Body

Day 6: Rest

Day 7: Rest

Upper body is working the chest, back, shoulders, triceps, biceps, and abs.

Lower body is working the buttocks, quads, hamstrings, calves, and lower back.

As you can see, in a given week, you are working each group twice. Allowing the other group to rest by alternating days.

It is best to do each rep 15 times during the beginning stage, then upping your weights so that your muscles fatigue within 10 reps. When lifting that amount of weight is no longer a challenge, then increase the amount. Good luck!

Closer Look: Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia Nervosa is characterized by self-proclaimed starvation and thus, excessive weight loss. It can develop in both male and female, but more commonly, it is seen in female adolescents.

It is important to know the symptoms of Anorexia Nervosa in order to be aware if either yourself or a loved one may be developing this disorder as recovery can be enhanced with early detection.

Some of the symptoms include: resistance to maintain your body weight at or above normal weight (according to age and height), intense fear of gaining weight or becoming "fat," disturbance of body weight or shape (e.g. denial of weight even though severely underweight), and a loss of menstrual periods in girls and women (post-puberty). If these symptoms turn into an actual dramatic loss of weight, denial of hunger, refusal to eat (including constant excuses being made around meal times), excessive exercise, and loss of interest in friends and hobbies, then it is crucial to seek help as you or a loved one may be in the process of developing an eating disorder.

Living with Anorexia Nervosa inhibits the body to functional normally, because the body is denied the essential nutrients. The body will start to slow down all of its processes to conserve energy, which eventually will lead to serious fatalities. Some health risks are as follows. The body's heart beat will become abnormally slow and blood pressure will start to lower. This puts the heart at risk for failure. The body's bone density will diminish causing the body to develop osteoporosis. The body will experience muscle loss and weakness; it will also become severely dehydrated, which can lead to kidney dysfunction. Although hair will begin to drop, hair will also begin to grow all over the body in attempts to keep it warm.

Being Vegan or Vegetarian

People choose a vegan or vegetarian diet for a variety of reasons, whether it be ethical, health-related, or religious. A vegetarian does not eat poultry, meat, or fish, whereas a vegan not only does not consume meats but also the byproducts of animals, such as milk and eggs. If you have decided this is the right path for you, don't worry; you can still satisfy all your dietary needs. The key to a healthy vegetarian diet, as with any, is to eat a wide variety of healthy foods, including fruits, vegetables, and whole grain.

Many fear the drop in protein involved in the transition from regular diet to vegetarian, but this is a common misconception. It is entirely possible to satisfy one's protein needs without consuming meat. Protein can be found in almost all foods, with the exception of alcohol and sugar. A few excellent sources of protein include tofu, nuts, lentils, beans, and peas.

For vegans, finding a tasty and nutritional dairy substitute can be a daunting task. Substitutes include soy (milk, yogurt) and rice (milk) products. Here is a delicious recipe for a dairy free smoothie!

Strawberry Soy Smoothie

1 ripe banana

2 cups strawberries

1 cup soy milk

2 tablespoons of honey

Now that you have a basic foundation, it's time to get started! Everyone loves burgers- try this healthy new, vegan twist on the American classic! :)

Garbanzo Bean Burgers

2 cups cooked garbanzo beans (chickpeas), mashed
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1/4 small onion, minced
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
Salt and pepper to taste
2 teaspoons oil

Use this mixture to make patties and fry them up! Serves 6.

Heart Rates and Sweat

The Target Zone is the range of heart rates that is optimal for fitness benefits without risking injury or overexertion. The recommended target zone is of 60 to 90 percent of your maximum heart rate.

http://www.azumio.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/heart_rate_by_shorty6636-d33l3us1.jpeg

This target zone is allows a lot of room to vary the intensity of workout. It is very good with interval training where you alternate between 60% and 90%. Of course, this is simply a target zone, emphasis on target. As a result, if you are new to a level of fitness then exercising around 50% is perfectly acceptable. In addition, if you are training for an athletic event or would like to step up a level, going to 95% is fine as well.

In order to calculate the target zone:

Target Zone = 220 - (Age)

Then calculate 60 percent and 90 percent of this number for the low and high end of target zone.

This estimate is an extremely rough estimate, as it is tailored to suit the average person. However, you're fitness level could be higher or lower than the average person's heart rate. An easier way to measure your target zone is with the RPE scale where it is based on your own qualitative observations for breathing. Look at the table to see where you are:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IvQ435uKseg/SY-PgSuqShI/AAAAAAAAAno/sO6gdhviEY4/s400/RPE+Training+Zones.jpg

In general, it has been found that the fitter you are, the lower your resting heart rate is. Most people's resting heart rates fall between 60 and 90 beats per minute, while fit people tend do be around 40 to 50. However, even olympic athletes have much higher resting heart rates, so it is not an automatic indicator of fitness. This is because it also has a genetic component to it.

The reason why your resting heart rate should decrease with greater training is because your cardiovascular system becomes more efficient, so your heart requires fewer pumps to circulate your blood.

Similar to resting heart rate, there is a correlation between how much you perspire and your level of fitness. In general it is a positive trend, where the fitter person starts perspiring earlier in the workout and more profusely. This is due to the fact that a fit person's body would be able to recognize the buildup of heat sooner, allowing it to work up a sweat to avoid overheating. Since sweating is your body's cooling system, it makes sense. But again, this is not a clear indicator as it is also based on how active a person's sweat glands are which is genetically determined.

Becoming Aware of What an Eating Disorder Is

To many people, an eating disorder is starving yourself. It's more than that. It's time to become aware of what an eating disorder truly is.

Having an eating disorder is more than just a physical thing, its an emotional thing. People with eating disorders struggle with extreme emotions, attitudes, and behaviors that all have to do with food and weight. It can lead to a life-threatening consequence.

There are four different types of eating disorders. Anorexia Nervosa is characterized by self-starvation and excessive weight loss; this disorder can be life-threatening. Bulimia Nervosa can be defined by a cycle of bingeing, followed by self-driven compensatory behaviors such as vomiting; it can also be life-threatening. Binge-Eating Disorder is recurrent binge eating with no compensatory behaviors to follow. Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS) is a combination of Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa.

People who struggle with an eating disorder can seek recovery through treatment. Early detection is crucial to recovery as it may enhance recovery. Recovery is possible. However, it is possible with continued aftercare. Recovery usually takes a few years, and sometimes relapse is possible.

Aerobic vs. Anaerobic Exercise

You have probably heard the terms aerobic and anaerobic exercise before in your freshman year biology class, learning that aerobic cellular respiration meant the consumption of oxygen and anaerobic the non-consumption of it. In fitness, these terms have the same context. Aerobic exercise requires oxygen intake, whereas anaerobic, not surprisingly, does not.

Now a little bit of cellular respiration review:

Both these two processes require glycolysis, which is the conversion of glucose (stored sugar) into fuel. Aerobic is able to use oxygen to break down the glucose, allowing it to yield greater amounts of ATP (energy). Anerobic on the other hand uses other, less efficient but faster mechanisms. As a result, anaerobic glycolysis cannot be used for more than a few minutes, and is usually only relied on for sprints or such exercises. Therefore, aerobic exercise is the way to go for long term exercise. 

Simply put,

AEROBIC EXERCISE = ENDURANCE

To build endurance, you need to train. We are all born with a certain level of innate endurance capacity. This is called the VO2 max, maximal oxygen consumption. It is the physical fitness indicator of each person where it measures the greatest capacity of oxygen a person can intake and distribute to working muscles. 

You can improve your VO2 max with cardio exercise. Running, biking, swimming, etc. are all great for pushing your lung capacity and working your lungs to be more efficient with bringing oxygen to all parts of your body.

Measuring your VO2 max: *Beware it's a complicated formula*

VO2 max = 100.5 - 0.1636 (Your body weight in kilograms) - 1.438 ( Your mile time) - 0.1928 (your resting heart rate) + 8.344 (1 if you're a man; 0 if you're a woman)

Calculate it, and see where you stand! For comparison purposes, look at this chart:

http://michaelsleen.blogspot.com/2008/12/vo2-max.html

ONSET OF TRUE DIFFICULTY: MATURE ADULTHOOD

As children, our metabolism is so fast that parents are really only concerned with their child's nutritional intake. It is, however, in mature adulthood that a balance between exercise and diet becomes crucial to general wellness, weight management, and avoiding chronic disease.

At the onset of adulthood, energy requirements usually reach a plateau that will last through mid forties.  After that, one's activity levels and lean muscle mass will decrease by 5% every decade, directly lowering those requirements. However, these changes can be prevented by maintaining regular physical activity, including resistance training, which helps maintain lean muscle mass and avoid unwanted body fat build up.

Being nutritionally conscious is especially difficult during adulthood because it is at this time that the body becomes vulnerable to disease. During menopause, for example, women lose 1% of the calcium from their bones per year, and are recommended to consume 1,200 mg of calcium a day. This requirement can be met by consuming four servings of dairy products, low fat or skim preferably, and two servings of green vegetables a day.

Low calcium levels are common, however, to both males and females. When bones become too fragile, adults can develop osteoporosis and other hindering illnesses. Unfortunately, medicine is no help. Medicine can interfere with proper nutrition because it impairs appetite, and absorption and digestion of nutrients.

What You Should Know

Many things are necessary for the individual to know before embarking on changing their fitness regimen.
Here is just a brief summary of essential things to know in order to have maximum benefits:

• Drink water!!!
• Proper hydration BEFORE the actual activity is a must, you should not be drinking water during because of dehydration, only for quenching your thirst

• STRETCH
• Warming up and Cooling down especially for intense workouts are a necessity in order for your body to be able to recover and be ready for the next day

• Eat properly
• Visit the nutrition and diet section of this blog for proper guidelines to follow
• Eating enough fruit and vegetables, having enough calcium, and protein is essential
• Remember: 70% of your body is made in the kitchen, and 30% is made in the gym
• As a result, it is crucial that you maintain a healthy diet or else all the exercise in the world would not be able to repair the damage
• Exercise is to tone the muscles, strengthen your heart, and decrease your blood pressure, all of which are extremely important but cannot combat the effects of built up cholesterol, smoke-damaged lungs, and starvation-induced fatigue alone
• As a result, do your body a favor and treat it well in all respects

• Understand everything fully before starting. Know your stuff.
• It is crucial to understand the logistics of every single activity before engaging fully


• Visit the Scientific Knowledge section for more information, feel free to ask a question if you can't find the answer

• Start Slowly
 
• When introducing yourself to a new activity, take your time
• Ease yourself into the new process, allowing your body to adjust to whatever new challenges it is to face
• Make sure you are doing the proper technique first before increasing intensity

• Make sure you make it fun
• If you are not having fun, the likelihood that you will be able to continue this regimen in the future is slim
• Remember: it takes 21 days to make or break a habit
• This means you must be able to stick with it for at least 3 weeks, so make sure you ENJOY it

 

Think about how someone trains for a marathon. They don't just up and run the 26.2 miles in one day. It take months of hard, tedious, training and preparation. Treat your goal as a life time marathon.

Fitness for the Individual

The individual nowadays has become more and more busy as the world increases its pace. For the business man or woman, or whatever makes your life busy, there are still many different ways to add in fitness.

If you find yourself with the 9-5 work schedule or long hours of work, find a way to squeeze in some time to get your heart pumping. Even half an hour of exercise a day will help boost mood, increase work speed, and alleviate stress. 

Possible times to fit in a workout:

Morning

• Great because it gives you a great boost for the rest of the day

Lunch Break

• Great because it rejuvenates you after a couple of hours of work
• Gives you a break from the monotony of sitting and allows you to calm down and think

After Work

• Try to work out before eating dinner so that you do not need to worry about cramps
• Also, make sure you finish working out 2 hours before bedtime so that the adrenaline rush you create does not interfere with sleep

Easy Fitness Add-ins:

• Walk or bike to work, take the stairs instead of riding the elevators, park further away so that you can walk more
• Get up for breaks, stretch, walk to the lobby to get water often
• Taking breaks to stretch is extremely important in order to rejuvenate your energy levels and increase oxygen intake
• For your lunch break, take a walk outside if the weather is nice and get some fresh air
• Stretch while watching TV
•  during commercial breaks do some crunches, jumping jacks, or high knees
• Keep perfect posture throughout the day, this alone can help with not only engaging your muscles, but also with improved breathing  and energy level
• Walk around while brushing your teeth
• Pace while talking on the phone

Simply try to stay active, not stationary.

TEENAGERS AND YOUNG ADULTS

Being a teenager is not only a major transitional period emotionally, but also physically. Around age 14 for boys and 12 for girls, teens enter the greatest vertical growth period, females requiring about 2,400 calories a day, males 2,800-3,000. Luckily, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans has many recommendations for how to fill these calories in a smart and balanced way. Whether, frozen, canned, dried or fresh, it is important to eat five fruits and vegetables per day, whole grain, and lean meat.

The key to avoiding excessive or unhealthy snacking at this age is breakfast. Breakfast gives you the energy you need to start your day and also helps with your memory and concentration. Most teenagers skip breakfast because they are in a hurry or are not yet hungry, but even something small can have a large impact. While a good breakfast can come from any food group, try to avoid those high in fat like biscuits and gravy or sausage.

If, however, snacking is necessary for a teen, perhaps for energy for athletics, a great alternative to store-bought tomato salsa is a cucumber avocado salsa to go with your favorite chips. It's delicious and easy to make!

BENEFITS: The monounsaturated fats in avocados slow down digestion, making you feel fuller, longer. Cucumber is rich in potassium and magnesium, which lowers blood pressure

RECIPE: Cut up a cucumber and 1/4 of an avocado into a bowl, combine with salt and lemon juice

Developing Obesity

It may seem obvious how a person can become overweight and eventually obese, however, there are a few more factors than you might think can contribute to gaining weight. Therefore, getting yourself informed is a good way to either maintain or start living a more healthier life.

So, how do people become obese?

1. Consuming too many calories is the number one factor. Most people today may think they are sticking to a controlled portion, but over the years, portion size has increased. Thus, overtime the average calorie intake has increased greatly. For instance, in 1971, women were consuming 1,542 calories per day, but by 2004, that rate became 1,877 calories per day. In men, calorie consumption increased from 2,450 calories per day to 2,618 calories per day. 
2. Being a couch potato means more than just sitting in front of the television snacking. With the fast technological progression, we have become more sedentary. Instead of hand washing the dishes, we now rely on our dish washer. Instead of going out to play ball, we have resorted to turning on our televisions and watching others play ball. Instead of walking to the local grocery store, we now use our cars. We have become dependent on our cars to take us everywhere. Our lives have become more sedentary, and we are not as good about making up for the lack of motion. Only some of us manage to get a decent amount of exercise into our day. 
3. A lack of sleep is also a factor as our bodies produce less and less of the hormone Leptin, which suppresses appetite, and it allows our body to produce more of the hormone Gherlin, which stimulates appetite. 
4. Inducing artificially sweetened beverages can be a huge factor, especially in women, as those types of drinks are high in fructose sweetener. Since fructose is processed in the liver, which is also where the metabolism makes alterations based on its sugar intake level, consuming fructose-sweetened drinks causes the liver to express a pathology similar to a metabolic syndrome. Having a metabolic syndrome can cause lipid accumulation and eventually lead to hypertension, insulin-resistancy, diabetes, and obesity.
5. Certain medications can contribute to obesity. Therefore, it is crucial to check with your doctor the side effects of the medications he has prescribed you. 

Where Adolescents Go Wrong

During adolescence, children have re-entered the age of rapid growth, where they are constantly hungry. Providing measured and well-balanced meals becomes increasingly difficult, and many adolescents succumb to excessive and ill-considered snacking. Many studies indicate that this kind of snacking can lower nutritional density of one's entire diet.

The majority of adolescents in the United States are not nearly satisfying their necessary daily intake of fruits and vegetables (2.5-6.5 cups) or whole grain (2-3 oz), and eating way too much sodium. Instead, empty calories form added sugars and solid fats contribute to 40% of daily calories for adolescents, impacting the overall quality of their diet. On average, adolescents, both male and female, drink double the amount of full-calorie soda than their intake of fluid milk.

In terms of vitamins, adolescents are typically deficient, but heavily reliant in terms of nutrition, on vitamin D, folic acid, calcium and iron.

VITAMIN D:
FUNCTION: strong immune system
RECOMMENDED FOODS: milk and cereal

FOLIC ACID:
Folic acid deficiencies in adolescents are often the result of skipping meals and low consumption of fruits and vegetables
RECOMMENDED FOODS: green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, beans, peas

CALCIUM:
FUNCTION: strong bones
RECOMMENDED FOODS: yogurt, cheese, rice

IRON:
Without sufficient iron, many adolescents develop anemia
RECOMMENDED FOODS: meats, legumes, green leafy vegetables

BMI?

Many of you may have heard of the term BMI, but what really is BMI? BMI stands for Body Mass Index. The purpose of BMI is to assess your weight with an association to your height, basically, it measures your body fat.

The way your BMI is measured is by using a screening tool, which indirectly measures how much body fat your body really has. In mathematical ways, you would take your weight (in pounds) and multiply it by 703. Then, you would divide that number by your height (in inches). Finally, after you have done that, you would then take the new amount and divide it once more by your height (in inches). [For the metric system: your weight (in kilograms) is divided by your height (in meters squared) (kg/m^2)]

Based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention define BMI-for-age of children at or above the 95th percentile as being overweight. However, for adults, being classified as overweight would mean that you had a BMI of 25 and 29.9 and obese with a BMI of 30 or over.

One precaution to take when measuring your BMI: Although the purpose of BMI is to determine your body fat, it can sometimes be inaccurate, as a muscleman may have a higher BMI than someone who is unfit because his muscle mass makes up most of his actual weight. BMI is useful to indicate a healthy weight for the "average person," someone who may not be a muscle builder but also not a couch potato.

TODDLERS

A toddler is a child anywhere between one and three years of age. When a child becomes a toddler, his growth rate becomes significantly slowed and ensuring that the child is eating all the essential nutrients becomes much more difficult. Toddlers are resistant to change, making this transition period to more solids is very arduous for parents. 

Many nutritionists argue that this stage of development is crucial to nutrition throughout the entire span of life. At this stage, iron, calcium, vitamin A, C and D are especially important. Toddlers are very sensitive to the amount of vitamins being consumed. For example, toddlers need to receive at least 15 milligrams of iron a day in their food, but many fail to do so. Drinking large quantities of milk may lead to iron deficiency anemia, as the child will be less interested in other foods, some of which are potential sources of iron.

At 1 year of age, a child should be consuming a wide variety of foods. As he moves through the second year of life, he should be eating 3 meals daily, along with 1 to 2 snacks, prepared and served at regular times. 

The serving size for toddlers is 25% of that of adults.

The best snack choices include fresh fruits, dried fruits, vegetables, dairy products, breads/ cereals, and proteins, like peanut butter. It is important at this stage to make sure, however, that your toddler is not over-snacking, because at this age grazing can cause aversion to scheduled meal times that create a more balanced digestive system.

High Blood Pressure and High Cholesterol and your chances of a heart attack (Obesity-Related Diseases)

High blood pressure and high cholesterol are two diseases that are among the top causes of death. However, it's easy to bring down your blood pressure level and cholesterol level by losing just several pounds.

Although most are aware of the risks of having high blood pressure, some might be wondering what causes one to have high blood pressure. As you grow older, your chances of having high blood pressure rises. Another factor, that if you are unconscious of, is your weight. The specific reason as to why obesity puts you at a higher risk is unknown, but researchers know for sure that obese people with high blood pressure express an increased blood volume and an arterial resistance.

Unfortunately, age is an uncontrollable factor. However, we can manage our weight by making health conscious choices in our lives, thus decreasing our chances of developing high blood pressure. According to professionals, people who are already overweight can bring their blood pressure down by losing as little as eight pounds.

Secondly, high cholesterol levels can put you at a very likely chance of developing heart disease. Cholesterol is transported through the blood in two ways. One way is through your low-density lipoprotein (LDL). Your LDL is responsible for transporting cholesterol to the cells that require it. Another way is through your high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Your HDL is something you can manage and regulate. It is basically your healthy cholesterol that helps decrease the chances your body may be in for heart attack. Obese and overweight people raise their chances by twenty percent by having high LDL levels. However, you can lower that level by losing weight and living healthy.

NEWBORNS

For the first four months of life, newborns depend on milk for their dietary needs, whether it be through breastfeeding or formula. Though some parents choose to combine both, the healthiest and most well-rounded option for your newborn is complete breastfeeding.

Breast milk is an excellent choice, its only fault being the lack of two essential nutrients: iron, essential to healthy brain development, and vitamin D, for strong bones. For this reason most pediatricians recommend all breastfed babies get 400 IU a day in the form of supplements for vitamin D and a 1 mg iron supplement. If your newborn has trouble with the supplement, many pharmacies provide a liquid form that can be mixed with the breast milk.

On the other hand, formula is fortified with all the necessary nutrients. Babies need 32 ounces of formula to satisfy their dietary needs. While this seems like a better option now, in the long run it can make things a little more difficult. When your child begins to wane off the milk and start solids, it is much more difficult to measure and assure that your child is getting all the essential nutrients.

WEEK 1

Hello everyone, and welcome to Healthy Living!

This week, under the label Nutrition and Diet, you can find nutritional standards for different age groups, spanning from the first few months after birth to late adulthood. This week I will focus on what vitamins or food groups each group needs to lead a healthy lifestyle.

Please enjoy :)

What risks are you at? (Obesity-Related Diseases)

It's time to get healthy! Becoming aware of some of the results of an unhealthy lifestyle is the first step.
The most common disease that your body is at risk for due to an unhealthy lifestyle is Type 2 Diabetes.

Type 2 Diabetes is the most common type of the disease; it develops when your body either is not able to produce insulin in the blood or the cells in your body ignore the insulin that your body produces.

Type 2 Diabetes can only develop as a result of an increase in a person's body mass index (BMI). Typically, those who become a Type 2 Diabetic usually have a BMI of 27 or greater, which is classified as overweight and unhealthy.

You might be curious as to how obesity can lead to Type 2 Diabetes. Well, obesity reduces insulin's ability to control your blood sugar level. Therefore, your body is at an increased risk of developing diabetes, because your body will start to overproduce insulin in order to regulate your blood sugar levels. Over time, your body will no longer be able to control your blood sugar levels and that is when you develop Type 2 Diabetes.

As Type 2 Diabetes is a result of being overweight, living with Type 2 Diabetes while being obese can complicate treatment. Obesity can make your body resistant to insulin and glucose intolerance, which in turn, makes the treatment for the disease less effective.

Fitness for the Family

Setting an example for being active as parents for the kids is extremely important. Being able to make this into a fun activity for all to enjoy is even better.

Kids are extremely active, and therefore, exercising every day is relatively easy. The recommended amount of exercise for children is 60 minutes a day or more.

Activities:

For the kids who just can't sit still

• Play tag
• Run, bike, or swim
• Go camping and hike

For the kids who have patience to learn

• Play sports 
• Throw a ball, Frisbee, play catch

For the quieter kids

• Go for a walk
• Jump rope, play hopscotch
• Take them to the playground

While kids are preoccupied, parents can work out too. If you find yourself at the soccer fields cheering for your kid on the sidelines, take the timeouts and halftimes to walk around a bit and give your legs a stretch. 

No matter what, every day try to find an hour of free time to engage your kids in a fun and active activity. Even just putting the music up loud and boogieing to your kids favorite song is enough. So go and have some fun!

Introduction to Fitness

Day 1:

Hello! Fitness is an extremely important aspect of being healthy. Although proper nutrition and knowledge is important, the human body would not be at its healthiest without movement of the joints, getting the heart to pump blood faster, and toning the muscles.

As a result, this section will be a resource for people of all abilities, ages, and lifestyles to fit in an appropriate and easy to apply fitness regimen for greater health.

 

Feel free to ask any questions or voice your concerns. This blog is to treat every lifestyle and body type. Stay strong!