Fitness Tip - Year Round Fitness

No, it's not summer any more, but this is still a great refresher article on staying active year-round by Kalev training.

Does your body fall apart in the Summer?

When the summer hits Vancouver each year, the we tend to get caught up in all the exciting activities that our city has to offer, while we neglect to maintain our health and fitness. Weekend barbeque’s, road trips, and beach outings are much more enticing than a trip to the gym.

And, though we might stay active with recreational sports, we still need to supplement with a structured program of weight bearing movements. The crucial distinction between activity and exercise is in the outcome that you are after. Sport/Activity is a means of social interaction, competition, or some form of pleasure. Conversely, the primary purpose of exercise (which should also be fun!) is to improve function, bone density, composition, posture, etc. Sport breaks us down - the more we push to our limits on the court or field, the more potential damage we subject our bodies to. A well designed exercise plan will prepare our bodies to become resilient to this damage.Investing the time and energy in the gym allows us to recover more quickly from the weekend pick-up game, or from the night of partying that follows.

But during the weekly grind, exercise sometimes takes a back seat to meetings, deadlines, workshops, phone-calls and fill-in-the-blanks. And, though we know we ’should’ exercise, that never-ending list of to-dos is not getting any shorter.

We should be moving our bodies daily, and exerting ourselves to break a sweat at least 5 days a week. 3 - 5 of those days should include a strength training component and each workout should finish with a relaxing stretch.

If exercise is a priority in your day, like taking a shower, cleaning your teeth or going to work, treat it like a priority. If exercise is not already a habit that you consistently do at the same time every day, schedule it like you would any important appointment. Block off a chunk of time in your agenda that will give you time to travel, change, shower, eat..whatever other details that need to be anticipated. This is your time to “tune-up” your body. Ensure that you book off specific time each day (actually write it in your schedule!) devoted to exercise.

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MSG

I got one of those email-circulated nutrition myths the other day. This one was not about aspartame or margarine, it was MSG (monosodium glutamate), and as usual, it was full of misinformation. This email suggested MSG is in everything we eat, and is responsible for everything from headaches to the obesity epidemic.

Yes, MSG is everywhere. It is often listed as "hydrolyzed vegetable protein" or any other number of names on ingredient labels, which can be confusing. Is it possible that some people experience stomach issues, headaches or other reactions to MSG? Sure. MSG can it cause some mild to moderate reactions for people with an MSG intolerance, but is MSG the route of all these huge health issues? Likely not.

What is MSG?

MSG is a sodium salt from a naturally occurring amino acid, glutamate, that is used as a flavour enhancer. MSG used to be derived from seaweed extract or wheat gluten, but is now usually made using bacterial fermentation of carbohydrates (similar to how beer and wine are made). Commercial MSG is made from fermentation of starch, sugar beets, sugar cane or molasses. In water, it dissociates into sodium (a natural salt) and glutamate (an amino acid that is made in our bodies). Most foods with MSG are foods we should stay away from anyway. MSG is found most abundantly in packaged and fast foods that contain many other additives and less healthy ingredients than MSG.

The studies quoted in the email were all done in rats. When it comes to studies, we have a rating system for determining how relevant they are, and animal studies are very low on the list and don't hold much weight. Studies with animals, especially rats, are never able to be directly extrapolated to humans. We are very different species with different metabolism processes. What happens to a rat when given a certain substance does not mean it causes the same effect in humans. It's only a preliminary study.

Secondly, one would have to read these studies in depth to find out 1) if the study design is valid, and 2) what dose were the rats given? The amount of MSG needed to add flavour to our foods is extremely minimal. The rats in these studies are often given mega-doses that humans would never even come close to taking in, even if we drank nothing but soup, salad dressing and gravy all day.

Health Canada states that the safety of MSG has been reviewed by regulatory bodies and food scientists worldwide, and does not pose a health risk to consumers. The FDA concluded in 1995 that MSG is safe for most people when eaten in customary amounts. Food scientist, Harold McGee states that after many studies "toxicologists have concluded that MSG is a harmless ingredient for most people, even in large amounts". In addition, Health Canada states there is no evidence to support that MSG is related to obesity. For the few small studies that found that high MSG intake may be associated to a higher Body Mass Index, I would dare to argue that the results are not be due to MSG, but rather the fact that people eating higher amounts of MSG also likely have a higher intake of packaged and fast foods, and therefore, also Calories and fat.

Even without MSG added in foods, we are regularly exposed to glutamates which occur naturally in food. In fact, glutamate makes up 10-25% of our protein sources. Interestingly, people with sensitivities to glutamates in MSG have been found to be sensitive to both those from MSG, and those naturally occurring in foods.

In short, we are not able to draw conclusions from these small, preliminary studies, and it's unfortunate they get blown up in the media and circulated around the internet. These studies simply don't hold enough clout. The reason the general public doesn't hear about it is not that anyone is trying to hide anything, it's because the current research is not considered strong or valid enough to make a conclusion.

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Burger Nightmares

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!

A commercial for Red Robin came on yesterday for some massive burgers that nearly gave me a heart attack just watching it, and I just had to share. I went to the website and they were kind enough to post nutrition information. Restaurant food is not known for small portions or being low in Calories or fat, but this is OVER THE TOP!!

The worst burger I saw had to be the "Wise Guy" burger that is made up of a beef patty, bacon, pepperoni and 3 deep fried mozzarella sticks!! Unfortunately, the nutritional info wasn't available for that one, but here are a few of the other nutritional offenders:

The Guacamole Bacon burger boasts:

1160 Calories

77g fat

1460mg sodium

The Monster burger

1151 Calories

69g of fat

2141mg sodium

And the winner is ... The Royal Red Robin Burger

1191 Calories

83g fat (!!!)

2090mg sodium

And remember, this is ALL without the extra Calories from Fries or pop, which could tack on another 582 Calories and 28g of Fat!

Enjoy your turkey and stuffing!

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Nutritional Quality of Organic Foods

There's been a lot of press lately on the controversy surrounding organic foods. To a lot of people, the term "organic" is synonymous with "healthy" and to them, that means more nutritious. Food companies also play a role in misleading consumers with their sly marketing tactics. So when a recent study came out looking at all the available evidence on organic foods and nutritional quality, and found that there was no substantial difference between organic and conventionally grown food, the media took it an ran. I heard a lot of people's bubbles bursting that day, and more than likely, lots of them went back to conventional foods. It's true, if you were buying organic thinking you're getting more nutrients, you were mistaken. However, it's important to note that there are many other benefits to eating organic that are the reason it caught on in the first place.

What does organic mean?

Organic production standards vary by country. Canadian standards are available here. In general, organic foods include produce, meat, and products that are produced without any pesticides, herbacides, artificial food additives, hormones or genetic modification, and should be certified by an independent organization. The basic principles of organic farming make it less harmful on the environment in a number of ways:

• They don't release synthetic pesticides into the environment which can harm the soil, water and wildlife
  
• Help sustain ecosystems (ie: plants, insects, etc)
  
• Use less energy and produce less waste

Needless to say, some people also choose organic foods because they believe they taste better, and/or as a way to reduce their own exposure to certain chemicals. Scientifically, the research isn't there yet to say yay or nay to this, so when it comes to organic foods, it really comes down to personal choice. There are a number of factors that may help you make a decision as to whether to choose conventional food, or organic, including:

• Cost
  
• Environmental commitment
  
• Where the food is produced
  
• Flavour

And remember, just because a food is organic, does not mean it was produced locally. For instance, think of organic fair trade coffee, which may come from as far away as Guatemala or China. Although the method of production may be more environmentally-friendly, the transportation emissions to get it here may do some damage.

So what's the best type of food to buy?

As I mentioned, the difference in nutritional value is a marginal. However, environmentally speaking, locally produced, organic food is going to have the least impact on the earth. My second choice would be local and conventionally produced. Failing those, non-local, organic foods would be next in line, followed by non-local, conventionally produced foods.

Read the study here.

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Fitness Tip - Sleep Deprivation and Plateaus

Kalev Personal Training Fitness Tip:

If you have ever tried hitting the gym or getting in your daily run while sleep deprived, then you probably know that fatigue and fitness training don’t mix. But, just how bad is it to exercise when you are dog-tired?

Pretty bad, according to a new report. Research indicates that people who workout when they are suffering from sleep deprivation are five times more likely to sustain injuries. The study also revealed that athletes who extended their nightly sleep and reduced accumulated sleep debt reported improvements in various drills conducted after every regular practice.

The study, which was conducted by researchers at the Stanford Sleep Disorders Clinic and Research Laboratory at Stanford University in California, noted significant improvements in athletes’ performances when they were allowed to get a decent amount of shut-eye (roughly 9-

10 hours per night).

According to the study, sleep extension in athletes was associated with a faster sprinting drill (approximately 19.12 seconds at baseline versus 17.56 seconds at end of sleep extension), increased hitting accuracy including valid serves (12.6 serves compared to 15.61 serves), and hitting depth drill (10.85 hits versus 15.45 hits).

The studies author noted that the results prove that sleep truly impacts performance, especially during long competitions. Interestingly, the athletes who participated in the study, confessed that it was only after the research was over that they realized how important it was for them to get adequate sleep.

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Cancer Prevention

Did you know... It is estimated that nearly 50% of cancers are preventable. The combination of the environment (including UV exposure, tobacco, diet, exercise) and our genetics act for or against us in regards to cancer. The only aspect we can control is the environment, but within that category, we have a lot of control. Diet and lifestyle are major environmental factors that can decrease our risk of cancer.

"Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity and the Prevention of Cancer: A Global Perspective" is a review of all relevant research published by the World Cancer Research Fund. This research is then compiled to make recommendations to the public, in an effort to reduce the risk of cancer.

The latest recommendations include:

1) Body fatness - be as lean as possible within the normal range of bodyweight, or aim for a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 21-23. You can calculate your BMI here, or by dividing your weight (in kg) by meters squared [kg/(m2)].

2) Be physically active in everyday life. Aim for 30 min of moderate activity, and work up to 60 min as fitness increases. Or, 30 min or more of vigorous activity each day. Limit sedentary activities (such as watching tv).

3) Limit food and drink that promote weight gain - Limit consumption of (processed energy-dense foods (defined as those with a calorie content of >225-275kcal per 100g). Natural energy-dense foods such as nuts and vegetable oils are part of a healthy diet in moderation. Avoid sugary drinks (including beverages with added sugars, pop, etc, and fruit juices).

4) Plant foods - eat foods mostly of plant origin. Eat at least five servings (at least 400 g or 14 oz) of a variety of non-starchy vegetables and of fruits every day, and relatively unprocessed cereals (grains) and/or pulses (legumes) with every meal. Aim for a variety of colours, tomato-based products and garlic.

5) Animal Foods - Limit intake of red meat and avoid processed meat. Aim to limit red meat to 11-18oz per week, and little to none processed. Read more here. There was no substantial risk found from consumption of dairy products, poultry, eggs or fish.

6) Limit alcoholic drinks. Read more here.

7) Preservatives, processing, and preparation - Limit consumption of salt and salt-preserved foods to an intake of less than 5-6g per day. Avoid mouldy cereals (grains) or pulses (legumes) to reduce exposure to aflatoxins.

8) Dietary Supplements - Aim to meet nutritional needs through diet alone, if possible. There is no conclusive evidence of benefit of dietary supplements for cancer prevention.

9) Breastfeeding - Aim to breastfeed infants exclusively for six months and continue with complementary feeding thereafter. Breastfeeding has protective effects for both mother and child.

How many recommendations do you meet?

Read more at http://www.dietandcancerreport.org/

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