Best Fitness Blog

... By Karli Taylor

What to eat pre-workout has long been an area of uncertainty for athletes and recreational exercisers alike. Should we just eat the same stuff we would consume at a normal meal time? What about a protein bar or a meal-replacement shake? Far too often, the result of this confusion ends up being either a cup of coffee, a few swigs of Gatorade, or in the worst cases, nothing at all.

Though there is not a single magical food that you should eat before you hit the gym or the open road, there are a few essential components to the ideal pre-exercise meal.

• Consume carbohydrates and protein in a 3-to-1 ratio. Put simply, for every gram of protein you consume, you should be taking in 3 of carbohydrate. The 3:1 ratio is almost universally advocated for optimal absorption of nutrients as protein cannot be used by the body without the energy provided by carbohydrates.
• Include quick-working, high-glycemic carbs for energy now, and a lower glycemic carb for energy later. For example, I like to start my day with ½ cup of plain oatmeal with a teaspoon of real fruit jelly mixed in.
• Include at least one 8 ounce glass of water with your pre-workout meal. Starting out already dehydrated will almost guarantee cramping and less than peak performance.
• Eat at least a full hour before working out. Cutting it too close will not only increased your risk of feeling queasy while you train, but will also not give your body enough time to get that energy where you need it to perform at your best

What are your favorite pre-workout meals?

... By Karli Taylor

By now, everyone knows that acai berries, red wine and almonds are “superfoods”, but did you know that there are hundreds of other foods that offer many of the same benefits? Let’s look at a few that I’m willing to bet you have underestimated!

Mushrooms: When we think anti-oxidants, we tend to think berries right? Would you be surprised if I told you that not only do mushrooms rate very highly on the anti-oxidant meter, but they are also a great source of vitamin D? Throw some fungi into your next pasta sauce instead of meat- your family will get the texture they are used to without the fat and calories that comes with ground beef and will get an extra nutrient punch.

Cauliflower: You hear a lot about the value of brightly colored veggies, but what about cauliflower? One cup of broccoli's colorless cruciferous cousin supplies about three-quarters of your daily value of vitamin C. Cauliflower also contains anti-oxidants linked to the prevention of melanoma, but boiling or microwaving will diminishes the antioxidants so try roasting, steaming or grilling to reap the most benefits.

Beer: Beer drinkers rejoice. You no longer have to give up your brew for a glass of vino in the name of heart health. Studies show that people who consume one glass of red wine or one beer each night have a lower risk of developing high blood pressure than nondrinkers. Beer has also been linked to greater bone density in postmenopausal women because of the mineral silicon, an ingredient found most in india pale ales. Remember to limit yourself to one alcoholic drink a day, however, as research shows that more than that may have the opposite effect on your health.

...By Karli Taylor

Just in case you don’t have enough motivation to hit the gym today, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has released an official statement regarding yet another benefit of exercising regularly. According to recent studies, people who engage in regular physical activity can reduce their risk for developing type 2 diabetes mellitus, and people who already suffer from the disease may reduce symptoms and complications and increase quality of life.

According to the statement, a combination of regular exercise and weight loss can lower the risk for type 2 diabetes by 58 percent in high-risk populations. For those already diagnosed with the disease, exercise can improve blood glucose, lipid profiles, and blood pressure while reducing cardiovascular complications and lowering the rate of mortality.

What is meant by “regular exercise”? According to the ACSM, anyone participating in 30 minutes or more of continuous exercise on most days of the week would satisfy the requirements of being a “regular exerciser”.

Though it is true that shorter bouts of exercise throughout the day do add up to help with both weight loss and cardiovascular health, the benefits of 2 or 3 ten minute exercise sessions have not been proven to be as great as those that are associated with 30 minutes of continuous work.

... by Karli Taylor

Yes, I know- we were all taught to eat 3 squares every single day. The more we have have learned about the body and the way it metabolizes food however, the more we learn that there may be a better way.

What I want you to do is hold out both of your hands in front of you with your palms facing up and your little fingers just touching- like you are forming a bowl. This is the amount of food that your body can efficiently digest at one time. yup- that's it! It doesn't matter if its lettuce or m&m's- that is all you should eat at one sitting.

I'm sure you are thinking that if that was breakfast, by lunchtime you'd be eating your arm. Well- the good news is that you need to eat the same amount of food between breakfast and lunch- and again between lunch and dinner. The terms may get confusing-breakfast, brunch, lunch 1 & 2, pre-dinner? Who knows, maybe we as a group can coin the term linner.

Semantics aside, this way of eating will keep that internal fire called your metabolism burning steadily all day long. The food becomes the log added to the fire every 2-3 hours making the flame never fully extinguish.

So this week, try to visualize that portion size every time you sit down to eat- and try to eat AT LEAST 5 times a day. After eating this way for 2 whole weeks, you will find that you will be full after a smaller amount of food, and will truly be hungry every 2 hours.

Did you know that exercise has been linked to cancer prevention? ... by Karli Taylor

While there is a link between physical activity and certain cancers, there still seems to be a gap in the knowledge of why physical activity seems to have a preventative effect on certain cancers more than others. Some studies offer suggestions, but there is no clear reason of the “why” increased physical activity may help and “how” it may help.

Could it be the increase in oxygen consumption? The decrease in stress levels? The increase in blood flow?  Maybe a combination of all of these things?

Maybe, in fact, the link is indirect. People who exercise are more likely to have other healthy habits. We are less likely to smoke or drink in excess and less likely to eat unhealthy food in excess. Perhaps the link is indirect, but there is still a link!

There is not sufficient conclusive evidence to say that an increased physical activity level has a preventative measure against the development of all site cancers. However, as discussed above, there is strong evidence for the decreased risk of certain cancers.

Similarly, the evidence linking low levels of physical activity and an increased potential for development of cancer is growing. More studies are focused on determining if physical activity can be used as a preventative measure in the incidence of cancer.

Practically speaking it is difficult to make general recommendations regarding frequency, intensity, and duration. No one individual or demographic will be the same, but one thing is becoming more clear- being active is essential to being healthy. The more active we are, the lower our risks for heart disease, stroke, diabetes AND cancer!