Sore Today Strong Tomorrow

Hello everyone! :) I thought today I would find some information on how to ease post-workout muscle soreness. I sometimes feel really sore the next day or even sometimes 2 days after an awesome workout and I am pretty sure I am not alone. Working out might be hard on your muscles, but sometimes for many of us results are all that really matter! I found 5 tips that will help to ease our post-workout muscle soreness, but first, I’m going to explain what that post-workout muscle soreness is. Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) describes a muscle soreness or muscle stiffness that occurs in the day or two after exercise. This muscle soreness is most frequently felt when you begin a new exercise program, change your exercise routine, or dramatically increase the duration or intensity of your exercise routine. DOMS sucks, I know, but it is a normal response to an awesome workout and is part of an adaptation process that will lead to your muscles gaining strength and stamina. This process of muscle recovery builds hypertrophy. Hypertrophy put simply is the noticeable change in muscle size as the muscle cells begin to grow larger and stronger. Thankful for us there is a bright side to all our discomfort! So don’t give up. And to help you and myself assure that we don’t give up here are 5 tips brought to you from LRlifestyle to ease the delayed onset of muscle soreness. 1. Don’t skip stretching! As you get older, your muscles tend to be less elastic, and, as a result, you risk being less flexible. It’s essential to stretch after your workout because stretching generates blood flow and keeps the muscles loose and flexible. Remember, the tighter your muscles are, the more soreness you will feel. Not stretching can also lead to worse things than soreness – painful hyper-extension of joints and tendons! 2. Eat properly after every workout. The more your muscle protein is damaged during a hard workout, the more sore you’ll feel. In the first 30 minutes post exercise, you should consume protein to rebuild the muscle tissue that was broken down and to stimulate new muscle growth. Eat a snack that contains protein and carbohydrates – carbs produce insulin, which reduce soreness. Spices such as turmeric or warming herbs such as cayenne, ginger, and peppermint have an anti-inflammatory effect and help muscle soreness. To help with your muscle recovery, you need foods rich in antioxidants: kiwi, oranges, apricots, cabbage, kale, sweet potatoes and almonds are only a few. Here’s a tip that works – drink sugar free tart cherry juice, it’s full of antioxidants and has wonderful anti-inflammatory effects. 3. Heat is the best for sore muscles. Take a hot bath or step into a steam room. If you don’t have access to a steam room, make a spa at home by getting into your bath tub. Put some Epsom salt, lavender or chamomile oil (both oils are great for tense muscles) into the water and relax for 30 minutes. This decreases inflammation and muscle discomfort and improves circulation. Suggestion: Try Aromatherapies Sleep-Well Bath Soak Lavender & Chamomile™. 4. Stay active and keep working out! You need to mobilize your muscles to speed up recovery from soreness. Even if you feel a little sore, don’t become inactive – this will make it hard to get back into working out! Do light aerobics activity such as walking, stair climbing, or dancing for 15-20 minutes. It’s all about keeping your muscles moving. Go easy on all resistance training and don’t forget to always warm up before exercising. 5. Get a massage or massage the sore area with a cooling balm. Massage brings blood flow to sore muscle tissues and encourages quick muscle recovery. After your hot bath, rub in a natural balm made of anti-inflammatory ingredients such as tea tree oil or cooling menthol. All right guys have an awesome day and stay active! Melissa

Making "What if it works?" A Habit

Creating a new habit, whether it's exercising more, changing your diet or writing a blog post every Wednesday, requires repetition. But how often does it need to be performed before it no longer requires mass amounts of, sometimes complete exhaustion of, self-control? It's going to depend on the type of habit you're trying to form and your desire in pursuing your goal. So are there any general guidelines for how long it takes before behaviors become automatic? No need to Ask Google-- I've done it for you--you'll get a figure of somewhere between 21 and 28 days. Getting back to the type of habit you’re trying to form… As you'd imagine, drinking a daily glass of water becomes a habit or “automatic” very quickly but doing 50 sit-ups before breakfast requires more dedication. Based on studies what this boils down to is that when we want to develop a habit like drinking a glass of water each day or doing 50 sit-ups before breakfast, it could take us over two months of daily repetitions before the behavior becomes a habit. And, while research suggests that skipping single days isn't detrimental in the long-term, it's those early repetitions, 21 days, which give us the greatest boost in habit forming. Shifting gears just a bit, when creating a new habit of exercising more, eating healthy, getting more zzz’s and limiting stress, you may find yourself in a sea of DOUBT. Doubt can be a bad word! Too much doubt can stop us living our lives to the full. Here's the stink of it, we never really know what the outcome of our decisions will be, that's the nature of life. But the person who wallows in doubt never gets anywhere. At some point, after a little looking, you've got to leap. I read that recent studies have uncovered two steps which point to a possible path for escaping the doubt habit. Step one: Shake Your Head. The physical action of shaking your head while thinking about your uncertainty causes one to cancel out the other. Step two: Doubt Your Doubt. When I read this particular step, I thought… “Um what? A bit counter-intuitive don’t you think?” But read on, it makes sense... This particular study makes the case that lack of confidence in your own thoughts is beneficial. For some people having confidence in their doubts just leads to more procrastination, self-handicapping and worse. While shaking your head can't be considered a miracle cure by itself, when used in tandem with doubting your doubt you can work to dispel the original doubt. Taking you back to the creating a habit thing--Brenda is always talking about the danger and the benefit of “what ifs.” Based on what I've just told you, She’s totally Nailed it! “What if” becomes dangerous when based on the premise of doubting your ability to create the habit of exercising more, eating healthy, getting more zzz’s and limiting stress. Good news everyone, “What If” actually does become beneficial when based on the premise of a positive outcome mindset…This is going to WORK! Even more good news, you are NOT alone in this habit creating process. You will have a battery of support which includes, just to mention a few, Brenda, Michelle and of course Me. In theory, with more people working together to change one person's habit, you are in a stronger position. It's not just that we are here to be your cheerleader; it's also that it increases self-awareness and makes the healthy habits permanent. You've already made the decision for a healthier lifestyle through fitness and nutrition, now just use the “What If” to your advantage. Exploit it! Chat Brenda’s mantra…”To Be Positive Is To Be Successful!” Be open to change, be non-judgmental and avoid punishing yourself for pitfalls. Have an excellent rest of your day and remember, BBC is your biggest fan! Talk to you soon, Melissa

Sickness got you Down? Not anymore!

Are you secretly envious of your co-workers and friends who, like superheroes, never seem to get sick? You know, the ones glowing with good health while everyone around them is sneezing, sniffling, and coughing like villains. I’ll be honest, I certainly do find myself a tad bit envious. I suffer from an extremely aggressive immune response to allergens. My upper respiratory system is seized when spring and summer hits and my exercise and nutrition suffers because of it. Allergies may be a different beast from a virus or a bacterium, but the immune response is similar and without a strong immune system your body weakens. I’ve learned that I can’t hate the healthy people. Instead, I can steal the secrets of people who manage to stay above the sickroom fray and take steps to boost my body's immunity and maintain my fitness and nutrition. I share the belief that the holistic approach to exercise calms the mind and relieves stress. The cardio, strengthening, and conditioning help boost the immune system. Followed up with adequate rest and morning sinus rinses, I find that no allergen can keep me down, oh no, I’m gonna keep moving! As you start to train, you start to change your habits, either drastically or with baby steps, the change still takes place. :) You clean up your diet and train more. You will find that you look better, and you’re stronger than you ever have been. One bout of Tabata training, Circuit training or Tactix training with Brenda or Michelle can increase circulation. Whenever circulation is increased, you get far more white blood cells that check for foreign germs and are far more apt to be able to gobble them up. I have a few tips you can make a habit and help your body out that much more. This may not occur to you without being made aware of it, but Pay Attention to Your Mouth. The gums have many blood vessels which provides direct access to your blood stream. Germs get in! It’s been shown that gargling regularly with an antiseptic mouthwash has helped improve dental health and may help fend off other illnesses. Remember this, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”? Guess what? An Apple a Day Really Works. A natural antioxidant called quercetin, found in red apples as well as broccoli and green tea, may give an immunity boost to individuals under stress. This next tip requires a bit more practice for me… Don't Worry, Conquer Stress! Stop worrying. The fear and expectation of having something adverse happen actually lowers immunity. When people are worried all the time they literally scare themselves to death. To sum it up…stress causes cortisol levels to rise--high cortisol levels weaken the body’s overall immunity--the immune system plummets--you get sick. I’m always preaching to Up Your Vitamin Intake. We have a worldwide epidemic of vitamin D deficiency. Everybody needs vitamin D and having an appropriate amount of vitamin C from fruits and vegetables can boost immunity. The brain is a powerful ally, so Mind over Body. Every thought is accompanied by a chain of biochemical reactions in your body. So a positive attitude can increase levels of nitric oxide, which help to balance neurotransmitters, improve immunity, and increase circulation. Fun fact…Whenever nitric oxide levels are high -- from anything ranging from positive thought to exercise -- you're actually improving your resistance to disease. Those of you that were able to attend the Eat Right for Your Type seminar know how I feel about hand sanitizer, but for those of you who weren’t able to attend I will tell you this—-Only use hand Sanitizer when soap and water are not immediately available. Soap is a detergent. The detergent works to break down the capsule of most viruses and bacteria hand cuffing them in a matter of speaking and hauling them away when rinsed with water. Antibacterial hand sanitizer is NOT 100 percent effective in removing bacteria, most viruses are unlikely to be touched. The bacteria that is left behind will continue to multiply and is likely to become a more powerful pathogen. Wash Your Hands - Over and Over. In order to prevent illness, it's important to wash your hands with soap many times during the day because you're in contact with all kinds of pathogens -- door knobs, stair railings, and other people. You really want to have clean hands. Lastly, I’ve said this already, but Get Your ZZZs. Sleep is one of the best ways to stay healthy. Sleep efficiency is the key, so be sure to practice the sleep hygiene tips I gave you a couple blogs back. :) A good night's sleep will restore the immune system. Always keep in mind the importance of exercise and nutrition. Commandeer the secrets to successful immunity and be sure to listen to your body, it gives you signs. When you start to get stuffy or wheezy, REST so that you can continue your workout regimen and help your body out. If you allow the illness to “set up camp” you will not be able to continue your healthy steps and your body will falter leaving you weaker and making it harder for you to get back on track with your fitness and nutrition. That’s all I’ve got for today. Live well and let others know of your success by inviting them to a complimentary training session with Brenda or Michelle! The gift of health is one size fits all! Talk to you soon. Melissa

Why The Blood Type Diet Works for Me

Hello again! :) Today I want to talk to you about my experiences and issues with food. With the recent seminar about the blood type diet I reveled that I am a huge fan simply because the way food affects the inner workings of the body makes complete sense to me. It makes sense because your immune system fends off unwanted pathogens. The food we eat comes from something that also has a blood type, your body will behave the same way it would given the wrong blood type during a transfusion, that is your immune system will react. My blood type is A. All blood types have a different set of characteristics. They are susceptible to different diseases, should eat different foods, and need exercise in a completely different manner. The Type A blood type historically originated when humans moved away from hunting and gathering to the cultivation of grains. Over time the adaptations that produced Blood Type A were based on the need to fully utilize nutrients from carbohydrate sources. The amount of stomach acid production needed to digest red meat from the hunter/gather lifestyle was no longer needed. As a result, Type A's have low levels of stomach acid production. This simply means that Type A's make healthier vegetarians because they can receive full nutritional benefit by being able to fully digest plant protein. This doesn't mean that as an A Type we can't have meat, just not red meat or at least a limited amount. Subsequently, Type A's do have high levels of the enzyme that efficiently digests carbohydrates that resulted from the introduction of grains and vegetables. Every Blood Type has its history which is revealed in Dr. D'Adamo's Eat Right For Your Type book. Let's discuss "diet" and then I will tell you about my personal experiences. When I say "diet" I am not talking about a weight loss plan, that's just a side benefit to following the Blood Type Diet plan. I am discussing diet in the more traditional sense, meaning a way to eat. I said already that Type A's make healthier vegetarians. If you are an A and you are accustomed to eating meat, I was for sure, you will find that once you begin to limit or even eliminate your consumption of meat you will have more energy. Type A's turn the meat into toxins because the digestive tract can not fully digest and utilize the nutrients. These toxins gum up your inner workings and your body struggles making you ill and lethargic. Moving from the meat and potato fare won't be easy, but it is extremely important that Type A's eat their foods in as natural a state as possible: pure, fresh and organic. With this diet you can supercharge your immune system. I've given you the history and the pathology and now I am going to tell you about my experience with The Blood Type Diet. Personally, I am a text book Type A. When I was younger, I found that certain foods upset my digestive tract but I was young and didn't think it mattered. Because of my neglect to listen to my body, and of course the lack of education on the Blood Type Diet because it wasn't known, I am paying for it now. Overtime, my symptoms have worsened, I feel them immediately and they last longer. I may have had a little stomach ache when I was younger, but now, I get a stomach ache, headache, acid reflux, vomiting and I bloat. Attractive right? Feeling this way doesn't just go away over night. No, I experience the illness for at least 2 days. I said at least. Now that I know why I am having stomach issues there is no excuse. I have a choice, I can continue on the path of destruction or I can make the changes I have mapped out for me and live a pain free lifestyle. I have chosen the pain free lifestyle of course. :) Yes, I stray I admit, it is hard. But, I don't give up. When I go grocery shopping I don't buy red meat. I get most of my protein from beans, not just any beans, but beans Dr. D'Adamo has deemed beneficial. Some beans are on my avoid list. I pretty much "buy out" the produce section at Safeway. I don't keep foods that are wrong for my blood type in the house. Out of sight out of mind. I keep a journal. I record what I eat and if I experience an adverse reaction. I have already started to feel better, I have more good days symptom free. Another downfall of being a Type A is that I have to manage my stress a bit more then other blood types. I am not saying that other blood types do not have stress and shouldn't have to manage it. In fact, ALL BLOOD TYPES SHOULD LEARN HOW TO MANAGE THEIR STRESS EFFICIENTLY and you can do this by reading The Blood Type Diet Handbook. I mean that the physiology of Blood Type A is to have naturally high levels of the stress hormone cortisol and produce more in response to stressful situations. Type A's get on the emotional train and ride it all the way to the end when they probably should have stopped at the depot. This over production of cortisol makes for a more challenging recovery from stressful situations. Exercise of course is a simple solution. Every Blood Type benefits from 30 minutes of exercise at least 3 days a week. Dr. D'Adamo has narrowed down specific exercise routines for each blood type. For a Type A, this includes incorporating exercises that provide focus and calming effects like meditation and deep breathing. The calming activities and regular exercise will put you on a path to a life saving lifestyle. There is so much more that I just can't fit into one Blog. Lucky for all of us, Brenda has invested in all our health and provides for us the resources to the Blood Type Diet. You can purchase products and receive more information specific to your blood type from Brenda's Website. www.healthystepsllc.com/products.html. You will be glad you took the time to check it out. The Eat Right For Your Type book offers a personalized nutrition guide. It will give you the history behind your blood type as well as foods you should avoid and foods that are beneficial. There are also books that contain recipes and a wide variety of vitamins and supplements that will be utilized by your body most efficiently based on your blood type. Don't forget about skin care! You will find skin care info on the website as well. As for me, I will continue to follow the Blood Type Diet until it is a permanent part of my lifestyle. I am confident I will soon be symptom free. I am also going to invest in a product called Deflect. This supplement will help me digest even more efficiently. It will also help my digestive tract out when I do stray from the diet and give into the temptation of a hamburger. :) Live Well, I'll talk to you soon! Melissa

A Recipe for Fun!

Good Morning! I've had a request to offer some insight on how to avoid over-eating at summer BBQs. Unhealthy options are the standard American fare at BBQs, but it doesn't have to be the rule. One major problem with BBQ pot luck gatherings is that we all tend to overindulge a bit. This is largely due to the fact that, when it comes to gatherings, it's easy to rationalize overeating and to stray from our healthier everyday routines. This summer, however, there's absolutely no reason that you need to pack on any extra pounds or throw all your hard earned sweat away. If you follow these simple steps then you'll be sure to remain bathing suit fabulous and not wake up the morning after with a serious case of regret. No. 5: Don't drink on an empty stomach. Without food in your stomach, alcohol gets absorbed quickly, which means it will hit your brain in less than five minutes. That will lower your inhibitions and up your appetite, a recipe for overeating. Before your first sip, eat a small handful of nuts or a few cubes of cheese (or whatever small snack is allowed according to your blood type). The protein and fat both get emptied from your stomach slower, creating a better buffer for alcohol. No. 4: Bring a safety dish. When you bring a dish to share, you're helping out the hostess and yourself. It will help fill you up and balance out smaller portions of high calorie foods like mini quiche or dumplings. A veggie tray with hummus for dipping is a great choice. It's not unusual party fare so you won't stand out. A cup of veggies, the size of a baseball, and a quarter cup of hummus, the size of a golf ball, only pack 125 calories, about half the calories in just one chicken finger. No. 3: Out of sight, out of mind. Stand out of arm's reach of the buffet table. Studies show that the amount of effort it takes you to obtain food and how visible it is greatly impact how much you'll eat. One study found that in a cafeteria, people ate more ice cream when the lid of the ice cream cooler was left open than when it was closed. Another study showed that people given a sandwich in a transparent wrap ate more than those who were given sandwiches in an opaque wrap. "Out of sight, out of mind" really does hold true. No. 2: Dress for awareness. Whether it's a clingy dress, slim-fitting pants, a belt or a body shaper, constricting clothing can definitely prevent you from overdoing it. When fully expanded, your stomach can hold about six cups of food, the size of six baseballs! So an anti-expansion strategy is a smart strategy for helping you stay in touch with your hunger meter. Top Tip to Avoid Summer BBQ Overeating No. 1: Outsmart the post-party munchies. Alcohol can up your appetite, so if you come home from a holiday party a little tipsy, you may be apt to reach for a snack before you go to bed. So think before you go. On your way out the door, pop up some healthy, low-calorie popcorn, put it in a bowl and leave it out in plain sight. When you get home, you'll reach for that instead of a bag of chips. One cup of healthy popcorn has only 25 calories compared to 150 calories in just 13 potato chips. That's it! Your strategy to prevent over-eating this summer while still having a great time. These steps are definitely do-able. You'll be please you took the time to change just a few small things. Your body will thank you! Talk to you soon! Melissa

It's All About Sheep...Sleep!

Good morning everybody! I've had a request in regards to sleeping better. This is a topic that comes as a concern to many, especially because you know very well from Brenda, that one of the key aspects of a healthy life style is getting plenty of Zzzzzzz's. Sleep and your mental health are deeply linked; often a mood episode is triggered by lack of sleep. So, as promised, I am going to bring to you Sleep Hygiene Tips to try to improve your sleep patterns. :) Goal #1: Train the brain to feel sleepy and awake at regular times. • Fixed times for bedtime and awakening, stick to this even on weekends, regardless of how much sleep you got the night before. • If you have to get up during the night to use the bathroom, do not turn on the light. • No daytime naps as this reduces your sleep drive. • Sunlight, get at least 30 minutes per day, no sunglasses. This establishes a circadian rhythm, an oscillation of about 24 hours, establish by external cues commonly the most important is sunlight. Goal #2: Develop a strong mental association between your bedroom and sleep. • Use the bedroom only for sleep and sex, don't read or watch TV in bed. • Get into bed only when you are sleepy. If you are unable to fall asleep, get up and go into another dimly lit room, do not lie in bed awake. Goal #3: Avoid being over-stimulated at bedtime. • Caffeine-avoid after about 3 pm • Alcohol-it may help you fall asleep, but use of alcohol wakes you up early and disturbs the quality of your sleep. • TV, Computers and Texting-stop use 2 hours prior- blue light inhibits melatonin production. • Mental Activity- stop doing active mental work at least 1 hour prior to sleep. • Exercise- at least 30 minutes EVERY DAY, do not exercise 3 hours prior to sleep. • Eating- avoid being too full at bedtime, eat dinner at least 2 to 3 hours before bedtime; a light carbohydrate snack may help. • Progressive relaxation- starting at your toes, tighten the muscles for 5 seconds and release. • Develop a bedtime ritual- An evening ritual helps prepare your body/mind for sleep. You can't grab sleep...you can only develop the right atmosphere for sleep to come and take you. o 1. Turn off all electronic equipment 2 hours before sleep o 2. Prepare for the next day (write notes on what you have to do, so you can tell your mind to relax, it is taken care of, when you find your mind going over thoughts of what to do the next day). o 3. Count your blessings, or journal, consciously forgive yourself and others for hurts accumulated during the day. o 4. Have a cup of herbal tea "Sleepy Time" o 5. Have a shower or bath o 6. Use a diffuser in your bedroom and with lavender essential oil o 7. Consider using herbs such as hops, kava kava, valerian, or melatonin sustained release 3-6 mg an hour before bed. o 8. Do some progressive relaxation, gentle stretching, yoga, tai chi, chi gong or meditation. o 9. Do the same thing EVERY NIGHT, as you are training your body/mind to unwind from the day. Goal #4: Create an environment conducive to sleep, your room should be: • Dark, cover LED lights, consider blackout blinds. • Quiet, consider using foam earplugs. • Cool, 65 degrees F is ideal for most people. • Comfortable, use a comfortable mattress and pillow. Alright guys, that's it! Your guide to getting your Zzzzz's. Remember, this will not come easy, you must adopt these hygiene tips and establish a habit. Be patient and you will be rewarded with sound sleep. You will find that you awake feeling rested, and after time, you won't even need an alarm clock. If you are anything like me, that sounds superb! I hate the annoying squawk of an alarm clock. Enjoy the rest of your day, and when it's at its end, sleep well. :) Melissa

IS BRENDA MAD????

Hello Everyone! I am so excited, I get to write my very first blog. You all should feel very special. :-) So, here it goes... You know how Brenda has very specific training movements that we repeat 8 rounds with 10 seconds rest in between each round (intervals). Have you ever wondered what this type of interval training is, the history behind it and of course is Brenda mad? I write to explain to you what this training is, how it came about and the logic in Brenda's madness (hee...hee) for using this specific training. This interval training method Brenda executes so well is called TABATA TRAINING. This method offers more health benefits than traditional cardiovascular exercise. “Tabata” is short, very sweet and most efficient. It can fit in almost any fitness program. Instead of hours upon hours of exercise, Tabata can be completed in 4 minutes. Historically, Tabata was founded by a Japanese scientist named Izumi Tabata and fellow colleagues at a department of physiology in Japan. Izumi and his colleague team,asked the question, "What if we used athletes to conduct a study to compare moderate intensity training with high intensity training?" Of course I wasn't there, I can only assume it went something like that. FYI, Tabata falls under the category of high intensity training. Next they did some research and constructed a hypothesis (standard scientific method protocol). Now for the experiment... Materials and Methods: 2 groups of athletes. Group one: Athletes train using moderate intensity workouts for five days a week for a total of six weeks with each training session lasting an hour. Group two: Athletes train using high intensity workouts for 4 days a week for a total of 6 weeks with each session lasting 4 minutes, at 20 seconds of intense training and 10 seconds of rest. I imagine this specific regiment came about from all that research. They're geniuses. Results: Group 1 results: significant increase in the aerobic system (cardiovascular). However, the anaerobic system (muscles) gained little or no results at all. Hmmmm...we like tone, so this was not favored. Group 2 results: showed much improvement across both systems in all athletes. Their aerobic systems increased much more than group one's, and their anaerobic systems increased by 28%. Yay, tone! We likey! Conclusion? Not only did high intensity interval training have more of an impact on the aerobic systems; it had an impact on the anaerobic systems as well. Highly favored. I LOVE SCIENCE. :-) TABATA BING, BADA BOOM (can't take credit for this, but I thought it was very clever)! Brenda is not MAD, she simply wants to give you only the best, take you to the highest level of fitness each and every workout! I know, hard to swallow especially when you are on your final round of BURPEES. HA...HA...HA... But rest assured (only 10 seconds :)), it is worth every gut busting move. That's it, my first blog! Hope you all enjoyed it. Live Well and I will see you next Wednesday! Melissa Martin