All posts tagged with: exercise

Whether you’re training to run a marathon, lifting weights at the gym, attending a yoga class, hiking up the Grouse Grind, or kayaking in Deep Cove, you’re body is working hard, burning calories and pushing your muscles to keep you going. Understanding how to refuel your body and repair your muscles after a workout is key for success.

During every workout, cells, tissues and bones throughout the body are pushed and pulled. At the end of the exercise, the body instantly goes in to recovery mode. The body needs to be refueled to begin the repair cycle. The two key nutritional requirements the body needs are protein and carbohydrates.

Protein keeps the body healthy and maintained. Both the enzymes and hormones in protein are needed for growth, healing, digestion, fitness, and immunity. Protein is also beneficial for weight management and is associated with alertness and attitude.

Daily fitness levels determine the amount of protein required each day. Very active people require 0.75g of protein per pound of body weight per day, 0.6g for moderately active people, and 0.5g for mildly active people. For example, a moderately active male weighing 170lbs would require about 102 grams of protein per day.

Sources of Protein:

• 3.5 oz Chicken: 15 grams
• 8 oz low-fat yogurt: 12 grams
• ½ cup black beans: 8 grams
• 1 scrambled egg: 6 grams
• 1 cup of broccoli: 5 grams

Post work-out the body requires 20-25g of protein within 25 minutes of completing exercise. Most people who work out miss this incredible window of opportunity. Within this time period is the biggest benefit to rebuild muscles, delivering greater strength and maximizing the workout. After 25 minutes without consuming protein and carbohydrates, the workout is essentially complete without long-lasting benefits, other than the calories burned during the workout period. Anything in excess of 25g of protein per serving is wasted because the body can only process that amount at one time; the rest is removed from the body as waste.

While you’re probably not going to have four scrambled eggs ready and waiting for you immediately after showering at the gym, or able to consume five cups of broccoli after running 29km, or having 1.5 cups of black beans, there are other options available to quickly get protein in your body as you travel from your exercise program to your work, home, or next activity.

Protein bars are an option post-workout, however, the fastest method for the body to absorb protein is in liquid format. Protein bars are better used throughout the day as a longer sustaining energy source.

A second option is to get a to-go shake. To-go shakes are high in sugar or calories, especially if they are from coffee shops or fast-food restaurants, and do not contain a significant amount of valuable protein. Juice bars are expensive and not always conveniently located near a gym or where you have completed your fitness.

The third option is to mix protein powder with milk or water. There are a number of really great protein powder options, however, protein powder can be clumpy if it is  not made using an expensive shaker bottle, and potentially make a big mess in your gym bag if it spills.

A fourth and convenient option is to bring a pre-packaged protein shake. Muscle MLK* is a good option because it doesn’t need to be refrigerated. Each bottle has 20-25g of protein, 9-11g of carbohydrates and is lactose and gluten free. Muscle MLK does not contain milk; however it does have dairy based proteins (calcium & sodium caseinate, milk protein isolate, and whey) that are derived from cow’s milk. Muscle MLK is available in 12-pack cases or can be purchased individually at 7-Eleven stores.

What’s most important is that you refuel your body immediately after working out.

*In Canada, Muscle MLK is a different formula than Muscle Milk in the United States, because of different requirements by Health Canada.

Training for a marathon is a huge commitment. Running five days a week for four months can tire on the body, relationships, emotions, sex drive, and interest in the sport. Although the types of training are different each day of the week, and change in distance and style over the training program, running is very repetitive. The body needs cross-training for multiple reasons.

The most important reason for cross-training is injury prevention. Many runners, beginner to seasoned veteran, experience injuries, which can be prevented by cross training. Cross training is both cardio and strength training.

Here are five great cross-training activities that runners will benefit from:

1. Yoga – perfect for stretching tight muscles and relaxing the entire body. From zen to flow, and especially hot yoga, all types are good. You can do yoga at home or go to a yoga class at a studio.
2. Biking – Much like running, biking is a repetitive movement of the lower body. Biking requires the use of different muscles to fire at different times. Building strength.
3. Swimming – An ideal full-body workout including upper body, back, core and lower-body. Aside from yoga, swimming is the lowest impact cross-training exercise.
4. Weight Lifting – No one said you have to lift as much weight as a professional body-builder, but runners really need to work on upper body and core strength. Weights build valuable muscle that is burned during long runs. Focus on chest, back and core strength exercises. This is key!
5.  Rowing – Rowing machines at a gym are a perfect alternative to running, especially when experiencing running injuries. Rowing machines work the back, core, chest, arms, and lower body.

Instead of worring about getting an injury during training or on race day, try these preventative measures. Cross training should be done 2-3 times per week. Use rest-days and lower-intensity training run days for cross-training activities.

Photo contributed

Maintaining a healthy body takes discipline. Healthy living is a way of life. For some, it comes quite naturally, and easily; others find it more challenging.

From fad diets to extreme exercise regimes, people will do anything to loose weight. Their successes are often short lived and lead to great disappointment.

“There is no fast track,” said celebrity fitness trainer and CFL All-Star, Tommy Europe, as he described the best way for people to stay on track with a healthy living plan. “A lot of diets are less than 1,000 calories. Unless you’re under 100lbs it’s not for you.”

It’s great advice. Many people turn to fad diets for a fast way to quickly loose weight but then are disappointed when they fall back to the old ways and the weight returns.

“Most diets people can’t stay on long,” Tommy adds. “Short term it’s ok, but it screws you up long term. Short cuts to loose weight work, but the long term results are bad.”

To set yourself up for success, Tommy strongly recommends focusing on a balance of both diet and exercise.

“Follow a nutritional program for the rest of your life,” Tommy explained. “For permanent, long lasting results include resistance training, cardio and a well balanced, nutritional diet. It’s the key to success and your changes of falling off are slim to none.”

Tommy’s top three tips for maintaining a strong, healthy body:

1. Add resistance training three days per week
2. Increase your intensity
3. Eat every 2-3 hours

Any runner can tell you that running to the beat of music will help them run further and run faster.  According to a study by Costas Karageorghis, associate professor of sport and psychology at Brunel University in England, music really does help athletic performance.

The study showed that when listening to music, the mind has a pleasurable experience, neurotransmitters are released, raising the levels of serotonin in the brain, improving mood.

Repetitive exercise, like running, causes fatigue and discomfort. However, the research shows that while listening to the right music, the mind separates out the negative thoughts and allows the runner to focus on the tasks at hand – to reach the finish line. This is known as dissociative strategy.

This strategy works well when the beats per minute (BPM) of the music, match the steps per minute. Fast beats for a quick pace, like running on flat surfaces, and consistent tempo beats for pacing up-hill.

Pre-race, try music that is calm to keep the heart rate low. As the race begins, choose music that is steady and consistent. Plan our your race and set a playlist that compliments the course elevations. Towards the end of a race, select up-beat, high-energy music to help you push your limits to cross the finish line. Remember to smile as you cross the finish line.

Photo Credit: Machua Photography

This summer, be ready for beach weather and have fun doing it. Here are 8 tips to get you started on a sexy, summer body:

1. Set Goals. Goals are specific, measurable and attainable. Write them down and put them somewhere you can see every day.
2. Make A Plan. Block one hour per day in your schedule. Put together a weekly plan with a mix of cardio, core and weights. Each routine will target different muscle groups and help you shape up faster.
3. Join a Group. Working out in a group environment is motivating. From running clinics and boot camps, to yoga classes and soccer teams, each will have professional coaches and instructors to help guide you and provide great tips along the way.
4. Shoes! Go to a store that has professional and knowledgable staff to help you select the right footware. They should feel perfect from the moment you put them on. If there’s discomfort, then they aren’t right for you.
5. Nutrition. Remember the 80/20 rule. 80% of the time, stick to a clean diet of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, proteins and lots of water. Stay away from complex carbs, sugars, and fats.
6. Reward Yourself. Going to massage, the chiropractor and having an Epsom salt bath are all important recovery methods to relax your hard working body. When your training hard you need to help connective tissues, muscles and tissues to rejuvenate.
7. Schedule Rest. Get a good night sleep every night. Lack of sleep leads to low energy and lowers the immune system. Remember, rest days are separate from cross-training days. It’s ok  to take a day off.
8. Love Yourself.  While you are working out every day, remember your doing it because it’s fun and you’re doing it for yourself – not to look like “that guy”. Train for you. Push your personal limits and enjoy the journey.

Eating well, training hard and looking after yourself will pay dividends long-term. Love it, enjoy it and be proud of your accomplishments.