Tag: weight loss

Don’t Forget Your Back

Most of us spend a large portion of the day hunched forward.  Think about when you are working on the computer, cooking, driving or even relaxing.  Your typical posture during these activities is head and neck forward, shoulders rounded forward, back curved and hips flexed.    When you remain in this position for an extended period of time, the muscles in the front of the body tend to shorten or contract, while the muscles in the back of the body tend to weaken.    This can be a set up for back, neck and shoulder problems and in addition, tends to make you look shorter, heavier and less confident.

Stretching before and after exercise as well as during the day is often overlooked in the rush to “get your workout in”.   Stretching however, has numerous benefits.   According to a study published in the Annals of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Medicine in September 2016, by I Fekhfekh, et al, dynamic muscle stretching of the knee musculature actually resulted in an increase strength gain in those muscles.  Interestingly, this study also found a decrease in the postural stability of the knee after stretching.    In English, it appears that stretching helps your to build strength, but may decrease the stability of the muscles you stretch at least temporarily.

In general, stretching helps to improve flexibility, joint range of motion, and usually is helpful for injury prevention.    Stretching helps by increasing blood flow to the muscles stretched.  This increased blood flow carries important nutrients to your muscles to allow for muscle growth and repair.  In addition, the increased blood flow helps to wash away muscle “waste” which leads to decreased soreness and inflammation of the muscle.

If allowed to remain in a contracted position for a prolonged period of time, our muscles will shorten.  For example if you spend a large portion of your day sitting in a chair or driving, the muscles in the front of the hips, your hip flexors will shorten.  These muscles have a direct effect on both your posture and your back health.

 

So what should you do?

It is important to stretch the muscles in the front of the body at least daily.

Exercises that focus on the hip flexors:

-Kneeling hip flexor stretch  – in the position of a lunge, allow your back knee to touch the floor and drive the hip of your front leg forward.  This will stretch the hip flexor of the knee on the floor

–Pigeon stretch – extend your right leg straight back and bring the heel of your left leg underneath your right hip.  Then drive your hips forward towards the ground.  Stretch and repeat on the other side.

– Yoga poses such as: low lunge, crescent lunge, upward facing dog, and revolving side angle pose

 

Stretches that focus on the chest muscles and prevent rounded shoulders:

– Door Frame stretch- stand in a doorway or at the corner of a room with your arms up like you were going to stop traffic.  Line your arms up from the elbow to the hand with the doorframe or in the corners of the wall.   Step towards the door and you should feel a stretch in your chest (pectoralis “pec” muscles) and hold for 20-30 seconds.

– Wall slides – stand with your back to the wall and keep your shoulders against the wall.  Walk forward 1-2 steps and slide your arms up and down the wall and squeeze your shoulder blades together.  You should feel a stretch in your upper chest muscles.

–Shoulder squeeze stretch –  clasp your hands together behind your back and slowly try to lift your hands.  Squeeze your shoulder blades together to stretch out the chest wall.

– Yoga poses include : bridge pose, camel pose, cobra pose and cow face pose

 

Stretches for your neck:

– Chin Tucks (Neck Retraction) – keep your shoulders back and your head in a neutral position (eyes facing forwards, chin level) slowly move your head backwards until you feel a slight stretch in the back of your neck.  Hold for 10-20 seconds and repeat.  If needed you can apply a gentle pressure on your chin with your fingertips to press your chin backwards and deepen the stretch.

Incorporating these exercises into your daily routine will help to prevent shortening of the muscles in the front of the body which leads to poor posture and often pain of the neck and back.  As always, if you are having pain which persists you should be evaluated by a certified health care professional to ensure that these exercises are safe for you.

This week we primarily discussed stretching exercises to prevent muscle contraction, and next week we will discuss the importance of strengthening the back muscles to further combat the issues of a hunched posture.

Can You Calculate Nutritional Needs Based on Exercise Level?

The short answer to this questions is NO.  You cannot directly calculate your increased calorie allowance based on increased exercise levels.

This is because the equation Calories In = Calories Out is not entirely accurate.

While it is true that if you eat significantly more Calories then your body burns per day, then you will store these Calories as fat and likely gain weight.  This is because of the Law of Thermodynamics, which states that energy is neither created nor destroyed.    In addition, if you eat significantly less Calories then you burn per day, in theory you should lose weight.

However, the problem is that not all Calories are created equally.

Foods are processed via different biological pathways, and have different effects on complex hormones in the body.

For example, 100 Calories of protein consumed are not processed by your body the same way that 100 Calories of carbohydrates consumed are processed.

When you eat 100 Calories of protein, your body uses between 20-30% of those Calories just to chew, swallow and digest the proteins.  Therefore you are left with a net of 70-80 Calories for your body to burn or store.  In addition, eating protein provides your body with amino acids, which form the building blocks to make more muscle.  This muscle in turn is then able to burn more fat and boost the metabolic rate.    The protein also stimulates your satiety center, so you will feel full and satisfied.

In contrast, when you eat 100 Calories of carbohydrates (we will use fructose in this example) it only takes about 5-10% of those calories  to digest the fructose.  Therefore you are left with a net of 90-95 Calories for your body to utilize.  If your liver has room, it will store the fructose ultimately as glycogen.  However, if your stores are glycogen are full in the liver, then the body will convert the carbohydrates to fat and store them.   In addition, fructose raises insulin levels, a hormone which ultimately promotes fat storage,  and has no effect on decreasing hunger hormone ghrelin.  Therefore, you will likely still be hungry.   Furthermore, fructose can lead to insulin resistance, and increase your cholesterol and triglyceride levels and increase abdominal obesity.

With regard to fat metabolism, it takes only 0-3% of total Calories consumed to process fat.   Therefore, 100 Calories of fat results in a net of 97-100 Calories to be burned or stored by the body.  It is important to understand however that not all fats are bad, and they body needs fat for survival and brain function.   Trans fats lead to inflammation and insulin resistance.  However, good fats, can decrease inflammation and promote cardiovascular health.

When you diet, and begin to cut Calories, your body thinks you are starving, and will therefore decrease your metabolic rate to conserve energy.   A recent study done by Pontzer and colleagues and published on Jan 28 in Current Biology, found that for “less active people, energy expenditure increased alongside increases in physical activity.  But at higher levels of activity, calorie burn plateaued. “The body has a metabolic set point, which it works very hard to maintain.

The take home message from this study is in order to lose weight, it is more effective to focus on calorie intake, rather then increase activity above a certain point.

Not only is it important to limit calorie intake, but it is also important to eat the right types of Calories, at the right times, in the right portions.  This is because a proper diet is can optimize your nutrition obtained from high quality foods.  This in turn, positively impacts your body and targets weight loss hormones rather then promoting hormones which signal the body to store weight.

Isometric Exercises, Isotonic Exercises, and Isokinetic Exercises

 

Last week we discussed the importance of aerobic and anaerobic training and this week we will focus on the importance of incorporating strength training into your exercise regimen. Basically, there are several different categories of exercise: Isometric Exercises, Isotonic Exercises and Isokinetic Exercises. By combining the first two types of exercises during your weekly workout regimen, you will attain synergistic benefits that both these exercises provide.

One of the main reasons for exercise is for weight loss and to improve your body composition. According to a study done at UCLA School of Medicine by Dr. Srikanthan published in July 2011 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, building higher muscle mass may improve insulin sensitivity and decrease the risk for both pre-diabetes and diabetes. This finding is quite significant because provides motivation for those who have difficulty “losing weight”. By adding resistance (strength training) into your exercise programwe are still building muscle mass and therefore, decreasing our risk for pre-diabetes and diabetes and contributing to positive changes in our metabolic profile. In addition, several studies have demonstrated that strength training may improve our self-esteem and body image more so than aerobic exercises alone.

So what are the different types of exercises we perform?

Isotonic Exercises:
In this type of exercise, thereis no change in the muscle tone or degree of muscle tension throughout the exercise.In simpler terms, during these exercises, the muscle contracts and causes the body part to which it is connected to move. These exercise result in a change in the joint angle that the muscle crosses. A bicep curl results in bending and straightening of the elbow joint. Typically, isotonic exercises are more vigorous types of exercises such as cycling, swimming, running, tennis, etc. In general, isotonic exercises tend to burn more calories, improve bone density and lower risk of heart disease. Isotonic exercises can be further classified by the type of contraction that occurs in the muscle.

Concentric Isotonic Exercises:
In this type of exercise, (i.e. the upward motion of a bicep curl with weights), the force the muscle generates is greater than the resistance placed on the muscle (weight in the hand) leading to a shortening of the muscle. Concentric exercises always decrease the angle of the joint that the muscle crosses. For example, the upward motion of a bicep curl — starting with the arm fully straight with the hand and weight by the thigh and ending when the arm is fully bent with the hand and weight by the shoulder — is the concentric portion of this exercise.

The Benefits of Concentric Exercises Include:

  • Allows for specific muscle strengthening and repair of muscle damage
  • Improvement in the range of motion in the joint and muscles exercised
  • Improvement in strength in the muscle exercised

Eccentric Isotonic Exercises:
Eccentric exercises occur when the muscle is contracting but lengthening at the same time. In this case the force of the weight may be greater than the force that the muscle can generate. Examples of eccentric isotonic exercises include slowly putting down a heavy object, or the downward portion of the bicep curl — beginning with the hand and weight at the shoulder and slowly straightening the arm and elbow and ending with the hand and weight at the thigh. In eccentric exercises the joint angle that the muscle crosses gets larger. Eccentric exercises are the main cause of muscle soreness and are more likely to result in injury. This is because the muscle is contracting but lengthening at the same time which results in more micro-tears in the muscle belly. It is not the tearing of the muscle that builds muscle, but instead the repairing of these muscle tears which increase protein production and causes muscle growth and hypertrophy (swelling or enlargement). Eccentric exercises are thought to provide greater muscle strengthening as compared to concentric exercises because of the higher tension the muscle is under during the exercise.

Exercises such as cycling, swimming, weight lifting (upwards and downwards motion of the weight), and stair climbing all provide benefits of both concentric and eccentric exercise as the muscles are shortening and lengthening throughout the exercise.

In contrast, Isometric Exercises, occur when the muscle contracts but there is no change in the length of the muscle. It neither lengthens nor shortens throughout the exercise. In this case the force generated by the muscle is equal to the opposing force (such as a hand weight). Therefore, neither the muscle nor the joint moves. An example of an isometric exercise is holding a weight out in front of the body in a fixed position, or holding a squat in a fixed position. Isometric exercises can be further divided into:

Yielding Isometric exercises are those in which the weight is neither dropped nor lifted, despite the fact that the muscle has the ability to move the weight.

Overcoming Isometric exercises are those that no matter how much force is exerted by the muscle, the weight will not move. For example, attempting to move a 2000 pound boulder by pushing against it is an overcoming isometric exercise. The terms yielding and overcoming are somewhat of semantics as the benefits of both types are isometric exercises are fairly equal.

Benefits of Isometric Exercises:

  • Can be used in cases of arthritis when joint movement is painful
  • Used to heal injured muscles without much strain being placed on the joints
  • Improves muscle strength and size
  • Less chance of injury when performing these exercises
  • Ability to isolate certain muscles to allow for strength training and muscle healing
  • Increased bone density
  • Increase in lean muscle mass
  • Decreased blood flow during the prolonged muscle contraction may contribute to increased muscle growth because growth factors remain in the muscle tissues longer
  • Holding the contractions longer increases muscle mass
  • Increasing the number of contractions increases muscle strength

Risks/Caveats of Isometric Exercises:

  • Blood pressure rises during contractions which can be risky in individuals with high blood pressure or increased risk of stroke
  • Increases in strength are angle specific therefore it helps to hold the exercise in several positions. For example, an isometric bicep curl should be held with the elbow joint at approximately 45 degrees, 90 degrees and 135 degrees to strengthen different parts of the muscle belly.
  • No improvement in muscle speed, agility or power
  • If body alignment is poor, injury is more likely

Another type of exercise that exists is an Isokinetic Exercise. In this exercise, usually machines are used which control the speed of the muscle contraction within a specific range of motion. Essentially, these machines can control the resistance placed on the muscles and keep the speed of the muscle movement fairly constant. These machines combine the benefits of isotonic and isometric exercises. Examples of these machines include the stationary bicycle, and the Cybex arm machine.

Benefits of Isokinetic Exercise:

  • Used to rehabilitate muscles
  • Uses uniform resistance that adapts to the body
  • Less stressful on the body
  • Increases range of motion without muscle fatigue or muscle strain
  • Muscles are allowed to rest which avoids lactic acid build up

Typically, isokinetic exercises are utilized by Physical therapists and Occupational therapists for rehabilitating muscles after injury, or for treating muscle imbalances which may lead to injury. As with all exercise programs, it is important to start with little to no resistance and build up slowly both your resistance and your repetition count. If you have injuries, you should seek medical attention to determine which exercises are right for you and which can lead to worsening of your injuries.

Should You Incorporate Apple Cider Vinegar Into Your Diet?

 

Recently apple cider vinegar has been garnering a fair amount of attention due to its possible health benefits. In order to provide you with the most up-to-date information, I decided to review the literature to find out if there is any scientific evidence to support these health claims. It appears that indeed there are some benefits to incorporating a small amount (1-2 Tablespoons) of apple cider vinegar into your diet, but adding more than that may be harmful.

Apple cider vinegar is made by crushing apples and collecting the liquid or cider. Bacteria and yeast are then added to this cider which causes the fruit sugars to ferment first into alcohol and ultimately, with the help of bacteria called acetobacter, into vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is more palatable then pure vinegar due to fact that is is made from apples. Regular vinegar is much more sour and made from the fermentation of grain alcohol. The benefits of apple cider vinegar are due to the acetic acid (vinegar) therefore in theory regular vinegar should be beneficial as well. The main issue is that regular vinegar is sour and harsh tasting.

Some of the benefits of apple cider vinegar consumption:

  • Increased satiety or feeling of fullness
  • Beneficial effect of fat levels in the blood
  • Decreased blood levels of triglycerides
  • Increased beneficial HDL cholesterol levels in the blood
  • Decreased LDL cholesterol levels in blood
  • Seems to prevent/lower risk for vascular disease/ plaque formation in the arteries
  • May help with oxidative stress (functions as a beneficial antioxidant)
  • Promotes glycogen synthesis (sugar storage, thus reducing blood sugar levels)

In a study done by Kondo T, et al, published in August 2009, it was found that Vinegar intake decreased body weight, body fat mass and serum triglyceride levels in obese Japanese individuals. These effects were fairly modest and on average individuals lost a few more pounds then the control subjects over a three-month time. It appears though, that this benefit only helped when the apple cider vinegar was consumed.

According to a study published by the American Diabetes Association in Diabetes Care, 2 Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar at bedtime taken with 1 ounce of cheese favorably impacted or decreased the waking blood sugar levels in patients with diabetes. These patients were given cheese because it was felt that a small amount of food was beneficial when taking the vinegar to prevent stomach upset. The fasting glucose levels improved by 4-8% as compared to controls.

It it theorized that vinegar slows down digestion in the stomach and causes delayed gastric emptying, which is usually beneficial. This is because by slowing gastric emptying, you are slowing down the rate of sugar being released into your blood stream. However, if you have a condition called Diabetic Gastroparesis (a problem with the nerves in the stomach leading to slowed or delayed digestion), it is not recommended to take apple cider vinegar because this can worsen your digestion.

Recommendations for consumption:

  • 1-2 Tablespoons at most per day (can be used as a salad dressing or mixed with other foods/liquids)
  • Drink either after meals or dilute with 8 ounces of water
  • Don’t consume on an empty stomach or you may get nausea, bloating or gas
  • Do not use the vinegar pills – there is a case report of a women with esophageal erosion (throat burns) due to the pill being stuck in her throat for several months

Potential side effects or complications:

  • May interact with certain medications, specifically:
    • Diabetic medications
    • Digoxin
    • Anti-hypertensive medications (blood pressure medications) such as diuretics
    • Any other medications which effect potassium levels
  • In a case study of a women who took 8 ounces per day for 6 years, she developed low potassium and osteoporosis (bone loss)
    • It is thought that too much vinegar consumption will take minerals from the bones to buffer the acidity and result in osteoporosis
  • May cause damage to tooth enamel due to acidity
  • May interfere with stomach emptying (called gastroparesis) and result in heartburn, bloating and nausea

In conclusion, there is scientific evidence that a modest intake of no more that 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar per day improves your blood sugar levels, helps you to feel fuller and thus consume less calories and improves the fat profile of your blood to decrease your risk for stroke and heart disease. As always if you are taking medications or have diabetes check with your physician to make sure this is safe addition to your diet.