You can figure out how many and what kind of calories you need to
meet your sports and fitness goals but if you don't prepare you won’t be
successful. It's like anything else in life. Students who don't take notes,
read assignments and cram for tests are generally not as successful as students
who have prepared and studied all semester.
Achieving success in your nutrition goals is no different. You have
to plan to be successful and it all starts at the grocery store. You have to
buy lean sources of protein, healthy complex carbohydrates, fresh or frozen
fibrous vegetables and healthy snacks. If you don't have healthy choices at
home you’re going to reach for what's there. If you are married, live
with kids or roommates chances are there will be plenty of unhealthy choices in
your pantry or refrigerator. If you are only shopping for yourself don't
buy unhealthy choices like candy and chips to tempt you. Buy those on
your designated cheat day each week and try to buy what you intend to consume
that day.
Preparation is another important factor in a successful nutrition
program. Most people have busy lives. The last thing most people want to do
after a long day at work or taking care of responsibilities is to prepare a
healthy meal. Especially if you are already cooking for kids. Find some time
once a week you can prepare enough healthy protein choices for the whole week.
I try to grill enough fish, ground turkey, chicken, lean beef patties etc. for
a week every Sunday. I put half the meat in the fridge for the first half the
week and half in the freezer for the second part of the week. I usually prepare
my complex carbohydrates like baked potatoes, rice, sweet potatoes and fibrous
vegetables as I go or the night before. Don't just cook a bunch of chicken or a
bunch of turkey. Give yourself choices. If you know you have plenty of choices
already prepared at home you are less likely to stop somewhere and make a bad
decision or make a bad diet decision at home like eating corny dogs with the
kids. If your evenings are busy with kid's activities or your own busy schedule
take your food with you. This is where a lot of people's downfall comes.
Parents are out driving kids to practice, games or competitions and they get
hungry so they run through a fast food drive through.
On those occasions when your food runs out before you have time to
go shopping have a backup plan. Make a list of restaurants that will prepare
food the way you need it for your nutrition plan. Enter these restaurants’s
phone numbers in your phone so you can call them and it's ready for takeout
when you get there if you're on a tight schedule. This isn't the 80's when some
friends and I got up and left Denny's one time because they wouldn't make us
egg whites. Restaurants are used to being asked to prepare food healthy. Don't
hesitate to tell them exactly how you want it.
Preparation is imperative to a successful nutrition plan. I have
heard all kinds of excuses of why people couldn't follow a healthy nutrition
plan but it all boiled down to the person they look at in the mirror each day
and a lack of preparation. Your chances of a successful nutrition program will
be much better if you follow these three steps:
1. Make good choices at the grocery store
2. Prepare food for the
entire week
3. Have a backup plan.
Whatever your goals may be, if you implement these three easy steps
to your nutrition planning you will be amazed at the positive results you get.
Let me start by saying I am not a Licensed Dietitian. I have been working with people to obtain their fitness goals since the summer of 1986 when I took my first job working at Gold's Gym in Lubbock, Texas while attending Texas Tech University. I finished undergraduate in 1987 with a BS in Kinesiology and earned my masters in Kinesiology in 1989. I moved back to Dallas where I had grown up and began my personal training career shortly after. In 1989 there were probably as many personal trainers in the city of Dallas as you would find in one Lifetime Fitness or 24-hour Fitness today. I learned early on to figure out a person's caloric needs according to their age, height, weight, activity level, and goals.
When it came to supplementation advice I always added multiple vitamins to their nutrition plans. The rest of my supplement advice depended on a person's goals. As a young trainer I had no idea that not all supplements were created equal. For instance most of the hard pressed once-a-day multivitamin tablets you find in the supermarket are "optimized for extended shelf life. To mask oxidation, spoilage, odor, and discoloration common to all supplements, their manufacturers use artificial colorings, preservatives, and glazes. ... 'One A Day Essential' is one of the more popular store brands. Their label lists eleven vitamins and thirty-one total components. ... These 20 extra items are fillers, preservatives, excipients, antioxidants, glazes, sweeteners, artificial coloring, binders, deodorizers, and other technological substances used to shape and hold this atrocity together."(1)
All these fillers affect absorption of the actual nutrients in the supplement. You may be taking enough of certain supplements, but because of all the fillers, binders, and preservatives in some products your body cannot absorb the active ingredients. Beyond this, some companies publish inaccurate labels. Their labels proclaim a certain amount of vitamins and nutrients in their product, but when tested by an independent lab the claims prove so inaccurate as to be fraudulent. Other bogus label claims include being 'natural' "but test these so-called 'natural' products in a lab and what will you find? Pesticide residues, GMOs and a long list of problematic and/or carcinogenic synthetic chemicals and additives." (2) Then there are companies whose labels flat out lie about what's in their product. To avoid these scams you are better off using products that are Certified Organic by an accredited third party certification organization.
Another issue with the "once a day tablets" as well as some of the other multivitamin packs sold in stores is they don't take age into account. As we get older our body does not absorb some vitamins and nutrients as well as when we are young. At different points in life our bodies have different needs. Arthritis is a good example. Not many people have arthritis in their twenties. Arthritis is gradual and usually begins after the age of 40. It makes no sense that the same multi-vitamin is being sold to someone in their twenties as someone in their forties or someone in their forties is taking the same multi-vitamin as someone in their seventies. Many companies have Children's, Adult, and Elderly formulated product offerings. This is not sufficient, because our needs are different even year to year. Children's, Adult, and Elderly are not sufficient ways for companies to divide their products for consumers needs. My needs are much different at fifty than they were at thirty-nine and that's only an eleven year span. How can any company justify having a one box fits all for all adults?
There is so much information to take into account it can get extremely confusing and frustrating for the average consumer. I have been in the fitness industry almost thirty years, and it's hard for me to process all the information. The media does not help. You read one article that says supplementation is critical and another article that says supplementation is a waste of time. In my opinion getting all the vitamins and nutrients your body needs from food alone is nearly impossible. Working as a personal trainer for so long, I have been around people my whole adult life that eat near perfect and still include supplements in their daily nutrition regimen to ensure their body receives all the nutrition it needs. I am a perfect example. I have had eight surgeries in the past four years. The most major ones being a four-level 360 fusion, Discectomy, Shoulder replacement and a knee replacement. Obviously arthritis and chronic pain are something I deal with daily. How in the world am I going to get all my joint and bone support from food?
Recently I was exposed to the first dedicated "Customized Supplement" company in the world, IDLife. Barring going to a doctor and having blood taken to build a custom prescription plan which can be very costly this company provides the most comprehensive individual nutrition available. You may think that the blood test would be more accurate than an assessment you take, but the blood test has no idea if you smoke, if you are exposed to second-hand smoke, if you have a very stressful life, etc., just to mention a few factors. Dr. Paul Sullivan (See Video above) has been working on this customized nutrition system for nearly eighteen years. Logan Stout is the founder and CEO. He played college baseball and had a professional baseball career for a while, so nutrition and supplements seem to be something of a passion in his life after helping others. In my near twenty-eight years in the fitness business, I can look anybody in the eye and tell them I have never been exposed to a nutrition company this innovative or with the goal of truly meeting the needs of each client.
I listed a bunch of age factors that are common to different age groups, but the truth is each and every one of us have different supplement needs. I will use myself as an example. Most people in my age group don't have the joint, bone and arthritis issues I have; no doubt brought on by training with some of the top bodybuilders in the world. IDLife provides me with the tools I need to get a customized supplement program for my exact needs. Before, I had to make an educated guess which supplements to suggest for my clients to take. IDLife is not a gimmick. IDLife's products are natural and organic with an extremely high absorption rate. Your body uses the supplements you take. IDLIfe is not a miracle. You still have to exercise. You still need to eat right. I suggest you take their FREE assessment at www.IDLife.com/RandyDEdwards and see what your body needs and why. You have nothing to lose by taking the assessment and everything to gain by getting the supplements you need with no artificial garbage, so your body actually absorbs what it needs and uses it.
1. Got a Gut Feeling Your Gut is out of Whack? Learn Gut Sense, to Enjoy Good Eats, Good Health and Long Life! Copyright 2005-2014 Konstantin Monastyrsky.2.Organic Consumers Association "Orca to Attack "Natural" Products Labeling Fraud, March 7th 2013
When I think of hot summers growing up in the Dallas area
the first one that comes to mind is the summer of 1980. When you watch the
weather and they post the record temperature for that date, there is a
better chance than not that record is from the summer of 1980 which posted 42
consecutive days over 100 degrees in Dallas/Ft. Worth. The year 2011 has the most days
over 100 degrees but in 1980 the temperature was in the 90's by 8am in June. I
was able to parlay that first summer working at the age of 16 into a job
working on the asphalt crew for the City of Carrollton Street Department,
followed by two weeks of two a days in August. I learned early on the importance
of staying hydrated that summer which consisted of back to back days of 113
degree weather on June 26th and 27th.(1) Thank goodness it was 1980 and not the
1950's when some of the greatest coaching minds of all time like Paul
"Bear" Bryant, believed depriving his players of water in hot weather made them tougher. This was still 1980 though and not all coaches had bought into the idea of
having water available to drink freely actually improved athletic
performance. Every function in the body requires water so it only makes sense
that staying hydrated improves athletic performance. It wasn't until college that I saw water all over the practice field. The first day of practice I remember wondering if it was okay to just go up and get a drink. In high school we had
two water breaks during each practice. In most cases we got plenty of water but
in 1980 I saw a few of my friends leave practice with heat exhaustion and even
heat stroke. Heat exhaustion often occurs when someone is exposed to high
temperatures. Especially when combined with high intensity physical activities that cause dehydration from sweating and overheating. Heat exhaustion can cause
the person to have an elevated temperature, but not over 104. Heat stroke is a
life threatening medical condition. This is when the body's cooling system
quits working. The body's cooling system is controlled by the brain. It causes
the body's temperature to rise above 104 degrees F at times. Heat stroke can
cause brain damage or damage to other internal organs . On average 119 people
die each year in the U S due to extreme heat conditions, according to the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (2)
When possible you should avoid strenuous activity in
hot humid environments. Those not used to the heat should pay particular mind
to avoid intense exercise in the heat. Plan your exercise programs so you avoid the hottest part of the day, and drink plenty of water through out
the day. Plan breaks in the shade and take in fluids during your activity.
Athletes and those engaging in activity are not the only ones at risk. Coaches,
trainers and managers need to make sure to pay close attention to staying
hydrated during hot humid days.
Heat exhaustionsymptoms
Pale
with cool, moist skin
Profuse
sweating profuse
Muscle
Cramps & Muscle Pain
Feeling
Dizzy
Headache
Thirst
Nausea
Temperature
elevated-usually more than 100 F
Heart
Rate Increased
Heat stroke symptoms
Unconsciousness
Abnormal
mental status (dizziness, confusion, hallucinations)
Flushed,
hot, and dry skin
High
blood pressure
Low
blood pressure
Hyperventilation
Coma
Temperature
of 105 F or higher
Mild heat exhaustion can be treated by getting the person in
a cool place with feet slightly elevated. Give them a 1/2 cup of water every 15
minutes. If the symptoms do not improve seek professional medical help. Moderate
to severe heat exhaustion, and heat stroke require medical care immediately. We
are entering the hottest part of the summer. Exercise smart. Try to plan your
physical activities in the cooler part of the day and stay hydrated. If you are thinking about beginning an exercise program and you have not exercised in a while please see a Doctor first
1. www.examiner.com -"The Summer of all-time record.
June 1980 "Desert Heat" in Dallas-Ft Worth
I post healthy meals and recipes on some of my social
network pages from time to time. I sometimes put fat free cheese in my egg
white omelets which raised a question from a martial arts expert I have known
most of my life. "Is Fat Free better?" I knew he knew the answer to
this question and was wondering if I knew the answer. The fact is most of the
time fat free foods are left tasting bland so filler ingredients are added for
flavor like sugar, flour, thickeners and salt.(1) These
ingredients are prone to raising the calories in food. Sometimes the fat free
foods are not much lower in calories than their regular counter part if any.
There are a few products out there like Kraft fat free cheese which is 25
calories a slice compared to a slice of regular Kraft cheese that is 60
calories. Non fat milk is another product that is lower in calories compared to
whole milk. Nonfat milk is 90 calories compared to whole milk which is 150
calories. (2) That does not mean Fat Free milk is the best decision. Some of
the lower calorie fat free foods block the absorption of vitamins and minerals
like milk which is high in vitamin A and vitamin D. They are fat soluble vitamins.
Without the fat found in whole milk or even 1 percent milk they are not
properly absorbed. If your looking to just reduce calories Fat
Free may not be the best choice. If the calories are not much less than
the regular product chances are they have been filled with empty calories like
sugar which is counter productive to what you are trying to achieve. Sugar
drives up fat storage and makes the brain think it is hungry. Using these
products every once in a while is probably not going to hurt you. Just like
most things done in moderation. If your pantry or refrigerator is loaded
with Fat Free items, chances are you are lacking good fat, vitamins, minerals
or some other necessity the body requires for proper nutrition and function
through your diet. This brings us back to why I would have fat free cheese in
my egg white omelets? I am not trying to get my A and D vitamin needs or any other nutritional benefit from a
twenty-five calorie slice of fake cheese. I just like a little cheese flavor in my
eggs and I am saving calories so that slice of cheese is not going to have an
adverse affect on my total nutrition plan.
According to the April 2007 edition of Strength and Conditioning Journal, "there are three primary concerns for exercising during pregnancy: trauma to the fetus, hyperthermia, and maintenance of normal blood flow to the uterus." The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology has guidelines for women exercising during pregnancy. There is a difference between women who were on a regular exercise program before they became pregnant and those who begin an exercise program after pregnancy. It is generally accepted "that as long as the woman who has been on a regular exercise program has no complications she can continue her exercise program during her pregnancy. There may be some limitations and modifications as the pregnancy progresses. A woman initiating an exercise program during pregnancy is a bigger concern. A more conservative approach should be taken. Improving posture, relieving lower back pain, and strengthening weight-bearing muscles are the primary goals. This will help with mobility as weight gain continues, and eases labor. Always talk to your doctor and a professional trainer before beginning a program during pregnancy. If you work with a trainer find out if they have ever worked with someone who is pregnant. Some exercises will need to be disconuted as the pregnancy moves along. Make sure your trainer knows what is safe and what isn't safe. Exercise should be low to moderate intensities during the second and third trimesters. Finally, consult with your doctor before beginning an exercise program and throughout your pregnancy.
Let's face it. Most of us do cardio to burn fat and look better. The tricky part is figuring out how much you have to raise your heart rate through intensity of exercise to get in your target heart zone. An easy formula is take the number 220 minus your age. You then take that number and multiply it by .60 and .70 because your body burns fat most efficiently when we exercise between 60 and 70 percent of our maximum heart rate capacity. Here is an example: I am 48 so 220-48 =172. 172x.6=103 and 172x.7=120. So my target heart rate is between 103-120 if I am trying to burn fat most efficiently.
References
Texas Tech University Health/PE/Recreation Department
I’ve been working in gyms since 1986 and one of the most
common questions I get asked is “do I use ice or heat after an injury?” Ice
should be applied as soon as possible after an acute injury such as an ankle
sprain or any type of injury where swelling occurs. Ice should be applied in 10
to 15 minute increments and can be reapplied when the skin temperature returns
to normal. Using an ice application will decrease swelling around the injured
area and it will help to decrease pain. Never apply ice to bare skin, always
use a thin towel or an ice pack. For those of you suffering from chronic pain
caused by overuse it is best to apply the ice to the injured area after the
activity to control swelling. Never apply ice before exercise with a chronic
injury.
Heat can be used before exercise on chronic injuries to help
loosen up the tissue and promote blood flow to the area. It is best to use
moist heat such as a moist towel under a heating pad or warm water in a tub or
shower. Heat should never be used after exercise or after an acute injury.
It is also very important to remember to never use heat or
ice for long periods of time and do not go to sleep with ice or heat applied.
