Are you weight training?

Why weight training is so important - a guest post by Erin Mounts

     As you begin to age, your muscle mass starts to naturally diminish. No matter what age, weight training helps preserve and enhance your muscle mass.
It should be combined with a cardio workout but shouldn't replace it. Remember that muscle is heavier then fat, so if you begin training, the results may not show on the scale. Weight training also has a lot of good benefits.
    As you begin to gain muscle, you begin to burn calories more efficiently. Your body works harder to keep muscle over fat. And the more toned you become, the easier it will be to control your weight. Research has shown that women who weight train two to three times per week for two months will end up gaining around two pounds of muscle and will end up losing 3.5 pounds of fat. As you gain muscle, your metabolism will increase, so you will be burning more calories all day. For every pound of muscle you gain, you will be burning 35 to 50 more calories daily. How awesome is that?
    People might look at weight training as something guys do. You may think that all it does is bulk you up, but for women thats not necessarily the case. Women have 10 to 30 times less of the hormones that cause bulking up in men. Women don't typically bulk up from doing weights, but will however develop muscle tone and definition. As you begin to get stronger, you won't be so fatigued. Building muscle also helps with better balance. It also allows you to be less dependent on others and begin to be able to do the things in your daily life with much more ease, like getting groceries, doing the laundry, lifting and playing with kids.
     As for older women, its never too late. Strength improvements are possible at any age. However it would be wise to have a professional weight trainer to supervise. Regular training also helps improve attention for older adults.
    Between the ages of 20 and 30 you have established all of the bone mass you will ever have, and after menopause that bone mass begins to decrease unless you weight train. Weight training can increase spinal bone mineral density by 13 percent in six months. Without weight training your bones can become frail and begin to fracture. When putting your bones under moderate stress it responds by building density. It can also maintain or increase bone mass density and reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
     Fighting more than just fat, weight training can reduce symptoms and signs of many chronic conditions, like arthritis, back pain, heart disease, and diabetes. It will help with your cholesterol and blood pressure. By strengthening the lower back muscles it can eliminate or alleviate any pain. By training, it builds stronger connective tissue and strengthens joints. It may improve the way your body processes sugar, which could possibly reduce the risk of diabetes and can increase glucose utilization in the body by 23 percent in four months.
      Studies have found that 10 weeks of weight training reduces clinical depression symptoms more successfully than standard counseling did. It can boost your self esteem and make you feel more confident and capable.
      After training, give your muscles some time to recover. Rest for a good full day between exercising a specific muscle group. Also, be attentive and listen to your body. Mild muscle soreness is normal, but sharp pains or swollen joints may be a sign that you've overdone it.
     Keep in mind that it is good to switch up your routine and keep your body guessing. It is a good way to gain strength and decrease boredom.  

Erin Elizabeth

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Soda - To Drink or Not to Drink

This post was written by guest blogger Erin:

To drink or not to drink? That is the question.

   So you’re out on your lunch break ordering a nutritious and healthy meal, when asked a question, ‘Would you like a drink with that?’ Where’s the harm in ordering a soda? It tastes good, so it must be O.K for you to drink. Or, to cut calories just order a diet. With all the hype about how bad it is for you, eh, they are probably just myths, right? Well, maybe we should look at a few of the ingredients that are inside what you have possibly been drinking.

   In case you didn’t know, one can of soda has the equivalent of 10 tsp of sugar. The sugar increases your insulin level that can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney failure, anxiety, and weight gain.

   Caramel coloring is a man made chemical. It can cause high blood pressure. It is a result of heating sugars with acids and ammonium compounds under high temperatures. In a study of mice it was found that it might cause lung, liver, and thyroid cancer.

   High fructose corn syrup, when used in moderation can be a major cause in weight gain and obesity, heart disease, liver failure, plaque buildup, insulin resistance and possibly more.

   Phosphoric acid, you know, what gives the soda its fizz? It can interfere with the way your body uses calcium. Weakening your bones and muscles and corrodes teeth and enamel. It can make you feel weak and dizzy. Over a period of time can also cause chronic dehydration.

   Sodium benzoate and potassium benzoate are preservatives found in processed foods and beverages to protect the taste and freshness. It has the ability to kill fungi and bacteria and to prevent mold in the drink. If you have asthma, be careful because it can lead to an asthmatic attack. Too much sodium in your diet can cause hypertension or high blood pressure, which can increase your risk of kidney disease, heart disease and strokes.

   Citric acid is a natural preservative that can be found in a variety of fruits and vegetables. It is often used to add a sour taste to food and soft drinks. When too much citric acid is consumed, it can cause some problems like stomach pains or cramping, diarrhea, nausea and increased sweating.

   Artificial coloring is something to be very careful about. They are chemicals that do not come from nature. Their problems can range from causing hyperactivity in some children to allergic reactions and even can cause certain types of cancer. You will see them labeled as Red 40, Yellow 6, Green 3, Blue 1 and Blue 2.

   Caffeine is a stimulant drug. It causes you to become dehydrated and places stress on your heart, making the nervous system work harder then it needs to. Be careful, because most diet sodas have caffeine in them.

   And how about the Natural Flavors? Sounds pretty safe right? But when knowing what else is inside soda, and all of the other chemicals and coloring, how natural can natural be? Natural flavors are man-made additives. It’s purely for taste alone. But honestly, they aren’t looking for nutritional value when adding this in. It is probably a far fetch from what the actual ‘natural’ ingredient should be. Yes, natural ingredients may be natural, but what goes in to making the taste could be anywhere from dairy products to meat, from spices to plant material. Mix it all together and what do you get? Natural flavors.

   So maybe diet soda, since it has no calories, is better for you? Well, maybe think again. Studies have found that people who drink diet soda can actually start to gain weight. Don’t forget what takes sugars’ place in the diet soda, Aspartame. Aspartame is a chemical; it is used as a substitute in multiple things because it makes them have a longer taste. It also doubles under such names as ‘AminoSweet’ , ‘NutraSweet’ and ‘Equal’. But the danger comes into play when it enters into your body. There are many side effects to digesting this chemical, (around 90) and only to name a few, dizziness, headaches, depression, irritability, insomnia, shortness of breath, nausea, etc…

    A soda here and there will not kill you, but these are the side effects of having a long-term relationship with soda. So maybe the next time you’re thinking about ordering a soda, try sticking with good old H2O. If you want to spice things up a bit, how about asking for some lemon slices on the side.

- Erin Elizabeth


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What happened this month....

So about a month ago I posted on facebook asking if anyone wanted to do shakeology with me (in a cleanse or with clean eating)  I hadn't yet started it and wondered if I could get some company as I got used to it. (yes, I'm a coach but I never wanted to drink it because it seems like a "gimmick" or something, I never believe the hype)  But when I thought it through (and when I kept seeing everyone's posts in my groups) I thought I'd go ahead and try.  I mean, if it didn't do anything I could just stop.

So back to my facebook post, I had a lot of people answer me and message me interested, wanting to lose weight or just get healthy but no one would commit.  I couldn't figure that one out but oh well, I was going to try it and slowly change the way I was doing things.

Not sure of the exact date but probably the 3rd of June (I had the tough mudder on the 2nd and stayed out of town for it so I know I didn't have it that day) I started adding it in to my breakfast.  I didn't cut out my breakfast but added it to it.  Thinking I wasn't going to be concerned with calories, if it's that healthy for me I should just do it.

Probably not even a week into it I started to feel less bloated for sure.  It felt good (and I think I was starting to get a bit of energy as well.)  I also started to snack less at night and realized I was starting to want "better for me" foods.  My rationalization for this was that probably my body wasn't used to getting such dense nutrition and adjusted, recognized the nutrients and started wanting more.

Now I always have been and always will be a snacker and probably not the best eater.  Even so, after week 2 I cut out all breakfast except shakeology.  Brought a few late morning snacks with my lunch to work (usually nuts, yogurt, fruit and/or granola bar)  By dinner I am always hungry (this is no different) but I really wasn't craving a lot of fat and junk as usual.  And at night, although I still have a snack it's not out of control.

I definitely feel good, I have energy and think I'm sleeping better (or it could just be that my kids are and in turn I am)  I feel strong and healthy.  I like this feeling.

And here I am, about a month into this and I've lost 10 lbs (yes!)  10 lbs and I don't feel like I"m starving myself, I have energy and continue with my workouts (I've always exercised, now is no different)

So I'm going to be posting again on my facebook wall after the holiday (today is the 4th of July) and ask where all those people are today.  30 days ago they told me they wanted to lose weight and get/feel healthy. 30 days have gone and I have done all of that (I still would like to lose 10 more lbs and will do it!)  I am wondering if everyone else is still in the same place. Wishing they would lose weight, hoping they'll feel better, wanting more energy but just not committing themselves to anything to get it.

Let's hope this month is their turning point. I know I'm not going back, I plan to have shakeology in my daily meal intake forever.  Totally worth the $4 daily investment (shoot, I'd spend more on just the vitamins that are in the drink, let alone another breakfast!)

Here is my facebook group:  Camp Beachbody  If you want to be part of my private fitness group, come here:  Beachbody Fitness Camp  And if you want to join me with shakeology & working out, go here:  Team Beachbody