How to eat 3000 calories without starving
I don't know about you but every now and then I need a plateau busting routine to shake my body into a greater rate of fat loss. It's not that I recommend that anyone, especially women, attempt to lose more than one pound per week of body weight, but rather, that I believe it to be imperitive that everyone seeking to lose fat, especially women, engage in vigorous weight training at least twice per week.
Why?
Because weight training causes the release of Growth Hormone which is necessary, in combination with testosterone, to promote the burning of bodyfat. But only the most obese should seek to lose more than one pound of fat per week and that under their physican's guidance.
Have you seen the cosmetic surgery shows on the Discovery Health Channel? If you have, then you no doubt have seen what people look like who have lost 100 lbs or more in a period of less than 2 years without engaging in vigorous weight training. They look hideous, draped as they are in huge flaps of loose skin that can only be removed via surgery. And the surgery! Just the recovery from it is so painful that the patients often get addicted to painkillers because they must use them for so many weeks at such high dosages.
Is that what you want?
Then, read on...
Anyone who does not weight train while dieting will quickly plateau after just a few weeks and over 60% of the weight lost will be lean muscle tissue and water. The extreme loss of muscle will lower the metabolic rate (the rate at which one burns calories) and seriously reduce the potential for the - safe - loss of bodyfat in the future.
I said "safe" because the caloric intake will have to be reduced in order to break the plateau. Such a step will CERTAINLY push the dieter into a state of semi-starvation because it is impossible to get the optimal amount of nutritional support from foods purchased at the local supermarket in the United States on an intake of less than 3000 calories. Yes, you read right.
A position paper by the American Dietetic Association says the following about non-dieting American women:
"A high proportion of young United States women (20 to 50 years of age) are under consuming a variety of nutrients as seen in the latest results of the Third National Health Examination Survey (16). Irrespective of ethnic origin, 75% of women do not meet current Adequate Intakes for calcium, and 90% of women have inadequate intakes of folate and vitamin E from food sources alone. Overall, United States women are not meeting their nutritional needs through their typical diets (16)...
"Chronic over consumption of foods high in energy and low in nutrients may result in marginal nutrient intakes if substituted for nutrient dense foods or in obesity, if consumed in addition to the basal diet (21). In the United States, more than 31% of daily energy is composed of foods that are energy dense and nutrient poor (22). This pattern of eating may contribute to excessive intakes of sugar, salt, and fat (22)..
"Although women's diets may contain excess energy, studies show marginal intakes of calcium, iron, vitamin D, and folic acid. For example, in the Nurse's Health Study, data indicate that women who consume more than 12.5 µg of vitamin D daily from foods and supplements had a 37% lower risk of hip fracture, yet only 41% of women met these levels (32)...
"Although food sources of nutrients should be encouraged, diet alone may not be sufficient to achieve nutritional adequacy during all times in a woman's life. Currently, 64% of United States women of childbearing age report taking some form of vitamin supplement, with cost considered to be the major barrier to nonuse (39)...
"According to Troppmann and colleagues (40), multivitamin supplements help overcome low intakes of folate, iron, and vitamin D, and calcium supplements were effective in achieving adequate calcium intakes. However, a conundrum exists in that individuals who are the most likely to use supplements are also those who consume better diets, whereas those who consume poorer diets and are most likely to benefit from supplements are less likely to use them (16)."
http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/advocacy_3780_ENU_HTML.htm
Are you shocked and sadened to learn that you are literaly starving yourself even if you are not dieting?
Me too.
In future posts I will provide you with ways to bring your nutritional levels up to optimal standards. I will also provide you with weight training routines that will keep you from ever experiencing rolls of loose skin. In the mean time, you can join a gym and get put on a weight training program or you can write to me and I'll try to help you.
Please feel welcome to visit my other blog:
http://www.xanga.com/Prayercrafter
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Warming Up to avoid injury
Warming Up to Avoid Injury
Warming up prior to any physical activity does a number of beneficial things, but its main purpose is to prepare the body and mind for more strenuous activity. One of the ways it achieves this is by helping to increase the body’s core temperature, while also increasing the body’s muscle temperature. By increasing muscle temperature you are helping to make the muscles loose, supple and pliable.
An effective warm-up also has the effect of increasing both your heart rate and your respiratory rate. This increases blood flow, which in turn increases the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the working muscles. All this helps to prepare the muscles, tendons and joints for more strenuous activity.
Warming up prior to any physical activity does a number of beneficial things, but its main purpose is to prepare the body and mind for more strenuous activity. One of the ways it achieves this is by helping to increase the body’s core temperature, while also increasing the body’s muscle temperature. By increasing muscle temperature you are helping to make the muscles loose, supple and pliable.
An effective warm-up also has the effect of increasing both your heart rate and your respiratory rate. This increases blood flow, which in turn increases the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the working muscles. All this helps to prepare the muscles, tendons and joints for more strenuous activity.
Hamstring Injuries: Treatment and Stretching Exercises
Effective hamstring injury treatment and hamstring stretching exercises are vital to the overall health and condition of the hamstring muscles. These muscles are very susceptible to tears, strains and other common sporting injuries.
Those athletes particularly vulnerable are competitors involved in sports that require a high degree of speed, power and agility. Sports such as track and field (especially the sprinting events), basketball, tennis and football seem to have more than their fair share of hamstring injuries.
Let us start by having a quick look at the particular muscles that make up the hamstrings and where exactly they are located. We will then move on to some common causes of hamstring injuries and finally look at some preventative measures and treatments.
The hamstring group of muscles, located at the back of the upper leg, are actually a group of three separate muscles.
The top of these muscles are attached to the lower part of the pelvis and the bottom to the lower leg bone just below the knee joint.
The technical or anatomical names for the three hamstring muscles are semimembranosus, semitendinosus and biceps femoris.
The picture overleaf shows the muscles located at the rear of the upper right leg. (The three specific hamstring muscles can be seen on the picture by looking for the anatomical names located halfway down the right-hand side.)
Common causes
Now that we know exactly where the hamstrings are, let us look at some of the most common causes for hamstring injuries.
By far the most common cause of hamstring injuries is an imbalance between the quadriceps muscles (located at the front of the upper leg) and the hamstring muscles. The quadriceps is a very large, strong group of muscles, which help to extend the leg.
These muscles can become so strong that they overpower the hamstrings, putting a massive amount of tension on them. Combine strong quadriceps with weak hamstrings and you have a hamstring injury waiting to happen.
Other factors that contribute to hamstring injuries are a lack of flexibility and poor strength of the hamstring muscles. In addition, when the hamstrings become fatigued or tired they are more susceptible to injuries.
www.pponline.co.uk Page 1
Preventative exercises
The best preventative measures involve a consistent programme of both stretching and strengthening exercises. Increased flexibility will contribute greatly to the ability of the hamstring muscles to resist strains and injury. The following are two very effective and safe examples of hamstring stretches.
To perform the first stretch, simply kneel down on one knee and place your other leg straight out in front with your heal on the ground. Keep your back straight. Make sure your toes are pointing straight up and gently reach towards your toes with one hand. Use your other arm for balance. Hold this stretch for about 20-30 seconds and repeat at least two to three times.
To perform the second stretch, simply stand with one foot raised onto a chair, fence railing or similar support. Keep your raised leg slightly bent, with your toes on the edge of the support. Let your heal drop off the edge of the support. Keep your back straight and gently move your chest towards your raised leg. As for the first stretch, hold this stretch for about 20-30 seconds and repeat at least two to three times.
Warming up correctly before you stretch will also contribute greatly to reducing the likelihood of a hamstring injury.
Make sure you stretch only after an active warmup of jogging before or after any physical activity.
Dedicate time to your entire flexibility – this will not only help you avoid injury, it will also make you a better athlete.
Treatment
If you do happen to suffer from a hamstring injury, it is important that correct first-aid principles are applied immediately. The RICER regime explains the correct treatment for all muscle strain injuries.
RICER stands for: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation, and then obtaining a Referral from a qualified sports doctor or physiotherapist. So, as soon as a hamstring injury occurs, rest the injured limb, apply ice to the affected area, apply a compression bandage and elevate the limb if possible.
This treatment needs to continue for at least 48-72 hours. This is the most critical time for the injured area and correct treatment now can mean the difference between an annoying injury and a recurring or permanent debilitating injury.
After the first 72 hours, obtain a referral from a qualified professional and start a comprehensive rehabilitation programme. This should include a great deal of strength and stretching exercises, as well as other rehabilitation activities such as massage and ultrasound.
Brad Walker Sports trainer and lecturer, Australia
www.pponline.co.uk Page 2
Effective hamstring injury treatment and hamstring stretching exercises are vital to the overall health and condition of the hamstring muscles. These muscles are very susceptible to tears, strains and other common sporting injuries.
Those athletes particularly vulnerable are competitors involved in sports that require a high degree of speed, power and agility. Sports such as track and field (especially the sprinting events), basketball, tennis and football seem to have more than their fair share of hamstring injuries.
Let us start by having a quick look at the particular muscles that make up the hamstrings and where exactly they are located. We will then move on to some common causes of hamstring injuries and finally look at some preventative measures and treatments.
The hamstring group of muscles, located at the back of the upper leg, are actually a group of three separate muscles.
The top of these muscles are attached to the lower part of the pelvis and the bottom to the lower leg bone just below the knee joint.
The technical or anatomical names for the three hamstring muscles are semimembranosus, semitendinosus and biceps femoris.
The picture overleaf shows the muscles located at the rear of the upper right leg. (The three specific hamstring muscles can be seen on the picture by looking for the anatomical names located halfway down the right-hand side.)
Common causes
Now that we know exactly where the hamstrings are, let us look at some of the most common causes for hamstring injuries.
By far the most common cause of hamstring injuries is an imbalance between the quadriceps muscles (located at the front of the upper leg) and the hamstring muscles. The quadriceps is a very large, strong group of muscles, which help to extend the leg.
These muscles can become so strong that they overpower the hamstrings, putting a massive amount of tension on them. Combine strong quadriceps with weak hamstrings and you have a hamstring injury waiting to happen.
Other factors that contribute to hamstring injuries are a lack of flexibility and poor strength of the hamstring muscles. In addition, when the hamstrings become fatigued or tired they are more susceptible to injuries.
www.pponline.co.uk Page 1
Preventative exercises
The best preventative measures involve a consistent programme of both stretching and strengthening exercises. Increased flexibility will contribute greatly to the ability of the hamstring muscles to resist strains and injury. The following are two very effective and safe examples of hamstring stretches.
To perform the first stretch, simply kneel down on one knee and place your other leg straight out in front with your heal on the ground. Keep your back straight. Make sure your toes are pointing straight up and gently reach towards your toes with one hand. Use your other arm for balance. Hold this stretch for about 20-30 seconds and repeat at least two to three times.
To perform the second stretch, simply stand with one foot raised onto a chair, fence railing or similar support. Keep your raised leg slightly bent, with your toes on the edge of the support. Let your heal drop off the edge of the support. Keep your back straight and gently move your chest towards your raised leg. As for the first stretch, hold this stretch for about 20-30 seconds and repeat at least two to three times.
Warming up correctly before you stretch will also contribute greatly to reducing the likelihood of a hamstring injury.
Make sure you stretch only after an active warmup of jogging before or after any physical activity.
Dedicate time to your entire flexibility – this will not only help you avoid injury, it will also make you a better athlete.
Treatment
If you do happen to suffer from a hamstring injury, it is important that correct first-aid principles are applied immediately. The RICER regime explains the correct treatment for all muscle strain injuries.
RICER stands for: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation, and then obtaining a Referral from a qualified sports doctor or physiotherapist. So, as soon as a hamstring injury occurs, rest the injured limb, apply ice to the affected area, apply a compression bandage and elevate the limb if possible.
This treatment needs to continue for at least 48-72 hours. This is the most critical time for the injured area and correct treatment now can mean the difference between an annoying injury and a recurring or permanent debilitating injury.
After the first 72 hours, obtain a referral from a qualified professional and start a comprehensive rehabilitation programme. This should include a great deal of strength and stretching exercises, as well as other rehabilitation activities such as massage and ultrasound.
Brad Walker Sports trainer and lecturer, Australia
www.pponline.co.uk Page 2
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