3 tips for following low-carb diets

Doesn't it seem like a new fad diet pops up every day? One may think that we would eventually run out of food combinations, but new trends just keep emerging. Many of them are variations on the same core principles and any way you cut it, low-carb and low-fat diets are still all the rage. But do they work?

A small study published this month in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine found that obese adults assigned to a low-carbohydrate diet lost more weight over a year than those on a low-fat plan. It is important to note, though, that this study excluded exercise. In fact, the study's participants were not permitted to exercise during the one-year period, so a true comparison could be made between the two diets alone. But carbohydrates act as fuel for the body, so adding exercise to the mix may have drastically changed the outcome.

Before you jump on the low-carb bandwagon, you should know that following a low-carb diet may impact your sleep patterns. People on a very low carbohydrate diet may spend less time in deep, REM sleep compared with those who eat more carbs, according to a 2008 study in the journal Nutritional Neuroscience. The study only followed participants for 48 hours, so the longer-term effects remain unclear, but the findings do suggest that sleep is affected in the short term by eating a low-carb diet.

This study serves as a reminder that weight loss does not necessarily equate to optimal health. And even the term "low-carb" can refer to a myriad of diets from an Atkins-style bacon fest to a more balanced diet that includes a variety of vegetables.

If you want to take advantage of the weight-loss benefits of a low-carb diet, but still consume a balanced diet, here are three tips to consider:

1. Be wary of exclusions. There's no danger in excluding things like MSG or hydrogenated fats from your diet, but if a diet recommends completely excluding a certain food group, proceed with caution.

2. Remember that all carbohydrates aren't the enemy.When you hear someone say that carbs make them fat, they are probably talking about things like white flour and sugar. Vegetables also contain certain forms of carbohydrates, and they contain a great deal of vitamins and minerals that the body needs.

3. Evaluate your progress frequently.Are you hungry all the time? Grouchy or sleep deprived? When you start eating healthier, you should also start feeling better. If you aren't, the diet that you are following may not be the best fit for you. Don't fall into the trap of getting stuck on a diet just because you're losing weight. You should also be feeling well.

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TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Jacksonville Forest Park Run and Heavy Bag
I got out early today for some fun running in the brisk morning air on the J-Ville Forest Park trails.  Afterward, I spent 30 mins on the heavy bag.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Yoga for Neck and Back Relief

An astonishing 80 percent of Americans—men and women of all ages—suffer from back pain. There are numerous reasons people experience acute and chronic back pain, including poor posture, injury, excess weight and structural deformities, such as scoliosis. Not surprisingly, lifestyle choices can help or hinder back discomfort.

Individuals who lead a sedentary lifestyle and/or work primarily at a desk are at particular risk for back pain because the body’s musculature adapts to the lack of movement, and sitting for long periods often results in a “hunched” spine and tight and weak muscles throughout the body. Yoga, however, can be a great way to counteract these negative effects.

The following yoga poses benefit spinal health by opening and lengthening muscles that connect, surround and intertwine the spinal discs. This specific routine focuses on opening the spinal column in various planes of motion and includes flexion, extension, lateral flexion and rotation of the spine. Stretches are most effective when held for 30 to 60 seconds and combined with deep breathing.

read the full article here

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Lower Table Rock Run
After 4 days away from activity (including 2 full days of sitting in a car), I was more than ready for some movement today.  The days of rest did seem to be a needed break, but it was certainly time for a Lower Table Rock run.

~Feelin' Alive!~

TOPFIT Daily Activities Review

Since I spent 2 full days on the road and 2 more days doing pretty much nothing on vacation, I didn't rack up a very impressive week of activity.  But in the first part of the week I did make time for:

2 Table Rock runs
1 Jacksonville Forest Park run/hike
1 back/delt/bi workout
1 heavy bag workout

The slow week has got me itchin' to get back to normal this coming week.

~No Challenge, No Change~

Top 10 Reasons Women Should Hit the Weights

1. Boost your metabolism naturally.
By adding muscle through strength training (even just a little bit), your resting metabolic rate (i.e., the amount of calories you burn daily by just existing) also increases. Athletes are calorie-burning machines even when they are not exercising.

2. Protect your knees.
Women have a wider pelvis than men, which creates a larger angle at which the femur meets the tibia, also known as the “Q-angle.” This larger angle leads to an amplified chance for ACL injuries— up to 10 times greater than men. Building hip strength through movements such as squats and lunges has been shown to decrease this risk.

3. Gain more independence.
Isn't it nice to be able to put your luggage in the overhead compartment without the help of the man sitting behind you? Let’s smash the stereotype of men being the only ones who are able to help move furniture and get heavy jobs done!

4. Maintain bone density.
Due to dropping levels of estrogen, postmenopausal women are prone to osteoporosis. Numerous studies show a positive relationship between resistance training and bone density. When bone feels the “pull” from the muscles, bone growth is stimulated. Not only can strength training offset bone loss, it can actually cause an increase in bone density in women who regularly lift weights.

read the full article here

TOPFIT says: Let's see if you've been paying attention.  What is she doing wrong in the picture?

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Upper Table Rock Run
What better way to enjoy this rain than to go for a run on Upper Table Rock. With a light steady stream of water running down it, the trail alternated between being spongy and slicker than snot. It was a fun and challenging test of agility, core strength and balance.....in other words, AWESOME!

~Feelin' Alive!~

Obesity study finds cardio plus weight training may be best for teens

A combination of aerobic exercise and resistance training may be the best way to fight teen obesity, a new Canadian study suggests.
In the study, published Monday in the Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics, researchers from the University of Calgary and the University of Ottawa randomly placed 304 overweight teens from the Ottawa region into four different groups.
The first group was selected to perform resistance training with weight machines and free weights; the second group performed aerobic exercise on treadmills, elliptical machines and stationary bikes; the third group did both resistance training and aerobic exercise; and a fourth control group didn't do any exercise.
The groups assigned to exercise were given training sessions four times a week for 22 weeks. Several of the sessions were supervised by a personal trainer.

read the full article here

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Heavy Bag and a Jacksonville Forest Park Run/Hike
I was a man possessed today.  I was up early enough before my first session to spend 30 mins on the heavy bag, and after finishing with clients I spent a couple of hours running and hiking on the J-Ville Forest Park trails, got some banking, shopping and other errands done, washed my car, and mowed the lawn.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Need more air? Deep breathing can help you run longer with less effort

Just before you crest a hill or reach the end of a speed interval, your lungs go into overdrive. Your breath becomes shallow and rapid. You think if only you could pull in more air, you could surge up that hill or maintain your pace. But the more your chest heaves, the more you struggle. You may even end up exhausted, bent over, gasping for air.

"Runners think about training their heart and legs, but they rarely think about training their lungs," says Mindy Solkin, owner and head coach of The Running Center in New York City. "A strong respiratory system can improve your running. It's a simple equation: Better breathing equals more oxygen for your muscles, and that equals more endurance."

Just as we strength-train our hamstrings and calves to improve our ability to power over hills, we can tone the muscles used for breathing. "Exercise improves the conditioning of the diaphragm, the muscle that separates the chest from the abdomen, and the intercostal muscles, which lie between the ribs and enable you to inhale and exhale," says Everett Murphy, M.D., a runner and pulmonologist at Olathe Medical Center in Olathe, Kansas. "When you take a breath, 80 percent of the work is done by the diaphragm. If you strengthen your diaphragm, you may improve your endurance and be less likely to become fatigued."

read the full article here

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Lower Table Rock Run and a Back/Delt/Bi Workout
In between business appointments, chores and errands, I made time today for a run on Lower Table Rock and a workout of weighted chinups, single arm alternating suspension pullups, suspension rear delt flyes, DB curls, and hanging scapular depression/retraction.

~Feelin' Alive!~

TOPFIT Daily Activities Review

I picked up the overall volume and intensity a little bit from last week (while still fitting in 2 rest days), and in addition to active time with grandkids and plenty of yard work, I also made time for:

2 Table Rock runs
2 Jacksonville Forest Park runs/hikes
2 heavy bag workouts
1 pullup/pushup workout
1 leg workout
1 chest/delt/tri workout

Did you meet your health and fitness goals this past week?

~No Challenge, No Change~

Back Pain at Work

Low-back pain is a leading cause of job-related disability and missed work in the United States. The pain is so unbearable that Americans spend more than $50 billion per year in an effort to make it go away. If you are experiencing work-related back pain, here are some back-protecting tips that may bring you relief:

1.Lift wisely. Take your time, get help when needed, use lifting devices, and alternate heavy lifting with less physically demanding tasks. Follow the rules of good posture while lifting:

• Place feet at least shoulder-width apart.
• Stand as close as possible to the object being lifted.
• Hold the object as close to your body as you can.
• Avoid twisting or bending forward when lifting and carrying.
• Bend at the knees instead of the waist. 
• Tighten your stomach muscles when lifting and lowering.

2.Avoid prolonged sitting and standing. Walk and stretch hourly if possible.

• For sitters: Place a rolled towel, small pillow or a specially designed seat support behind your lower back. 
• For standers: Distribute weight evenly on both feet. 

3.Sit with good form. Align ears with the shoulders and keep chin parallel to the floor. Avoid leaning to one side and bend at the hips instead of rounding shoulders when leaning forward. Choose a supportive swivel chair with the following features:

• Adjustable seat and arm rests
• An adjustable back rest with a spring that moves with you
• A seat that tilts forward

4.Modify your workspace to fit your needs.

• Place your computer and other frequently used objects close to you.
• Avoid neck pain by using a headset or special phone adapter for phone calls. 

5.Make your health a priority. This is an important, commonly overlooked way to reduce your risk for back pain.

• Lose a modest amount of weight. Even a small loss of 5–10% of your current body weight decreases stress on the muscles, ligaments, and joints in the back. 
• Quit smoking. It’s true, kicking the habit for good will help your back feel better. 
• Exercise regularly. This is more effective than bed rest in helping to relieve and prevent chronic low-back pain. A quality exercise program includes aerobic activity, strength training, and stretching. 

6.Visit your health care provider if the above recommendations have not provided relief or you have concerns about your condition. Further testing and intervention may be necessary.

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TOPFIT says:  The guidelines above on lifting are not necessarily appropriate for all situations.  Contact me for details.

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Chest/Delt/Tri Workout and Heavy Bag
After a few active hours with Mason and Hailey, I spent some time in my gym doing BB bench presses, DB flyes, DB shoulder presses and single arm cable pressdowns.  Later I went back out for a 30 minute heavy bag workout.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Nutrition, exercise crucial at any age

Diet alone can’t keep gravity from taking over completely. Exercise is essential, specifically strength training.

It is no secret that today’s culture is preoccupied with retaining its youth. There are endless varieties of hair dyes, wrinkle creams and surgical procedures that attempt to delay aging. Maturing in years should be viewed as an accomplishment, and healthy at any age is beautiful.

Before buying into another beauty ointment or treatment, let’s get back to the basics of healthy eating and physical activity. Healthy aging starts in your grocery basket. Filling your shopping cart with nutrient-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy and lean meats can not only help you lose weight, live longer and feel fitter, it can also help you look younger.

read the full article here

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Rest Day
Yup, another rest day.  My body was telling me to take a break again.  Although, I did spend almost 4 hrs modeling, and that can be a bit of a workout at times.

~Feelin' Alive!~

How Consuming Alcohol Affects You Post-Workout

It might be tempting to grab a frosty beer after an intense workout session, but a single cold one is seldom satisfying. The euphoric sensation of a light buzz following an endorphin rush can be uplifting, but the consequences of ingesting alcohol post-workout can be detrimental to muscle recovery.

It doesn't take a genius to realize that alcohol doesn't mix well with exercise, but the actual impact of swigging a drink post-workout as opposed to a protein shake might be more devastating than you may think. It's important to take proper precaution when deciding to slug back a couple beers after exercise.

Alcohol Acts As A Toxin

The average gym-goer has his or her own guilty pleasures. For some, it's tough to kick a regular drinking habit, especially in social settings. The idea of cutting out drinking can be just as difficult as making a dedicated effort to eat a low-carb diet. We are all creatures of habit, which means we sometimes make decisions that might be cognitively recognized as "wrong," but we execute that choice regardless.
In regards to post-workout alcohol consumption, the general consensus is that alcohol acts as a toxin, forcing the body to use added energy. This process negatively impacts recovery and can result in added soreness the next morning. In addition, workout performance also becomes affected. You're less likely to workout at high-intensity levels on the day following a night of drinking.

Post-Workout Dehydration

For men, post-workout alcohol consumption can be especially damaging to muscle recovery, specifically because it decreases the body's naturally-occurring levels of testosterone, which is crucial for building muscle mass. As seen and heard on television beer ads, "please drink responsibly."
Consider the importance of water when working out. Staying hydrated is a crucial aspect of gaining optimal benefits from an intense cardiovascular or weightlifting session. The body needs water to help supply working muscles with the fuel they require to operate efficiently. Alcohol is a diuretic, which essentially means that it sucks water from your body, forcing you to become dehydrated. The resulting effect is fatigue and loss of muscle definition due to a lack of muscular-produced energy.

Added Belly Fat & Heart Disease

The infamous "beer belly" is a product of over-consumption of alcoholic beverages because of the so-called empty calories they contain. Most drinks won't fill you up, but that doesn't mean your body isn't enduring a calorie overload.
If you're genetically prone to quick weight gains, alcohol consumption should be limited to special occasions (e.g. not just because it's the weekend). For some, sporting a belly bulge isn't a deal-breaker when it comes to working out, but it's important to realize that excess fat deposits in the abdominal region can lead to severe health defects, such as diabetes and heart disease.
Men are at higher risk for these consequences than women because males naturally store fat in their bellies. Although a couple post-workout beers with your friends won't cause your gut to bulge overnight, a regular drinking habit can severely alter your body's composition, potentially causing health problems.

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TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Rest Day
After four fairly high volume and intensity days in a row, I decided it was time for a rest day today.  I might even take it easy tomorrow too.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Artificial Sweeteners Aren't the Answer to Obesity: Here’s Why

They’re supposed to be the sweet alternative to high-calorie, diabetes-causing sugar. But the latest science shows that artificial sweeteners may actually set us up for obesity and diabetes
Aspartame, saccharin, sucralose—sugar alternatives go by many names, but share an almost irresistible promise: all the sweetness of sugar without the calories, weight gain and increased risk of diabetes that comes with uncontrolled amounts of sugar in the blood.
In the intestines, gut microbes are hard at work, pulling out some nutrients from food that are helpful in stopping tumor growth, for example, and squirreling away others to store as energy for later use. But while artificial sweeteners aren’t absorbed by our own cells, they may be absorbed by our bacteria—and when that happens, things appear to go haywire.

read the full article here

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Heavy Bag and Jacksonville Forest Park
I took a break for a day filled with chores, errands and paperwork for a 30 minute heavy bag workout.  I finished the day off with 2 hr hike (and some running) with a friend in the hills outside of Jacksonville.

~Feelin' Alive!~

54% of U.S. adults have abdominal obesity, the most dangerous kind

The number of American men and women with big-bellied, apple-shaped figures — the most dangerous kind of obesity — has climbed at a startling rate over the past decade, according to a government study.

People whose fat has settled mostly around their waistlines instead of in their hips, thighs, buttocks or all over are known to run a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes and other obesity-related ailments.

Fifty-four percent of U.S. adults have abdominal obesity, up from 46 percent in 1999-2000, researchers reported in Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association. Abdominal obesity is defined as a waistline of more than 35 inches in women and more than 40 inches in men.

During the 12-year period studied, the average waist size in the U.S. expanded to 38 inches for women, a gain of 2 inches. It grew to 40 inches for men, a 1-inch increase.

"The increase is a concern. There's no question about that," said Dr. William Dietz, an obesity expert formerly with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, now at George Washington University.

The expansion in waistlines came even as the overall level of obesity — as defined not by waist size but by body mass index, of BMI, a weight-to-height ratio — held fairly steady.

"What it suggests is that even though the obesity rate may be stable, fat distribution may be changing, which would mean that we shouldn't be complacent about the plateau," said Dietz, who was not involved in the study.

Dr. Earl Ford, a CDC researcher and the study's lead author, said the seemingly contradictory trends are puzzling. He said it could be that Americans are exercising less and getting flabby. But because fat weighs less than muscle, they are not necessarily getting heavier.

The study cites other possible reasons for the increase in belly fat, including sleep deprivation and certain medicines. Also, researchers said the increase might be related to pesticides, the plastics additive BPA and other chemicals that mimic hormones that can affect weight. But the connection is speculative and unproven.

Belly fat not only makes people look apple-shaped but often means fat has built up deep inside the body, around the liver and other abdominal organs.

Compared with fat that lies closer to the surface, this "visceral" fat secretes lower levels of beneficial hormones and higher levels of inflammatory substances linked to obesity-related ailments, Dr. Lisa Neff, an obesity specialist at Northwestern University. She was not involved in the study.

"In people of the same weight, the person who carries weight around the middle is going to have higher risks" of obesity-related ailments, Neff said.

By 2011-12, the last year studied, 44 percent of men suffered from abdominal obesity, up from 37 percent. The trend was more pronounced among women: By 2011-12, about two-thirds of all women were affected, up from just over half in 1999-2000.

The researchers analyzed data from CDC health surveys and in-person exams. Adults' average age during those years was 45.

Previously released data from the same surveys indicate that about 35 percent of U.S. adults are obese, a level that hasn't budged much in recent years. Those surveys define obesity as a BMI of at least 30. For example, someone who is 5-foot-4 — the average U.S. woman's height — would be obese at 175 pounds.

Ford said that for both kinds of obesity, the bottom-line message for patients is probably the same: diet and exercise.

source

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Upper Table Rock Run and a Pullup/Pushup Workout
I braved the smoky air again today for a good run on Upper Table Rock.  Later, after catching up on yard work, I spent about 30 mins doing supersets of pullups and pushups.

~Feelin' Alive!~

400 Calorie Meals for Fall

Summer is winding down and soon we will welcome the cool, crisp air of fall. That means it's almost time for soft, forgiving sweaters that keep us warm and hide the inevitable weight gain that comes from eating the richer, more calorie-dense foods of the season.

Instead of writing off all the hard work you did to stay beach-body ready this summer, why not incorporate delicious, healthy meals into your daily diet? Try any of these low-calorie dishes and see just how great it feels to eat well while still staying healthy.

read the full article here

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Lower Table Rock Run and a Leg Workout
This morning, before it got too warm, I had a good run on Lower Table Rock.  Later, I spent some time in my gym doing BB squats, and circuits of alternating jump lunges, SB leg curls and calf raises.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Why Sitting During Your Workout Is Silly

You see it all the time at the gym -- people sitting on the exercise bikes, the weight machines or even while performing certain free-weight exercises. Many exercises call for you to be seated, but did you know that those seated exercises could actually be less effective than the exercises involving more standing and moving?

If you study the human body, you'll see that it wasn't designed to be still for hours on end. Many of us work desk jobs, which already involve plenty of hours of sitting. If you go to the gym and spend more time sitting, you could end up causing all kinds of health problems.

What Happens When You Spend A Lot Of Time Sitting?

read the full article here

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Jacksonville Forest Park
It was kind of warm, and there was a bit of smoke in the air, but it was still a great day to head to Forest Park for a couple of hours of running and power hiking.

~Feelin' Alive!~

TOPFIT Daily Activities Review

Although I really reduced the overall volume and intensity this past week, I still made time for:

2 heavy bag workouts
2 resistance training workouts
2 trail runs
1 hike

What did you do to stay healthy and fit this past week?

~No Challenge, No Change~

Be a Savvy Fitness Shopper

The benefits of exercise are well-researched and well-documented. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case with advertising claims for exercise equipment.

Some advertisers claim—without evidence—that their exercise products offer a quick, easy way to shape up, keep fit and lose weight. The truth is, there’s no such thing as a no-work, no-sweat way to a healthy, toned body.

Deriving the benefits of exercise requires doing the work.

Before you jump into the next home fitness fad, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) offers this advice: Exercise good judgment and carefully evaluate advertising claims for exercise products.

read the full article here

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Rest Day
Even though I've kind of taken it easy this past week, I still felt like I needed a rest day.....sometimes you really need to listen to your body.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Jumping Rope: Not Just for Kids Anymore

One of the greatest things about jumping rope is how little it takes to get started. All you really need are some comfortable shoes and a good rope. The best shoes for jumping rope are either aerobic shoes or cross-trainers. Be sure your shoes have a reinforced toe and provide a lot of cushioning for the balls of the feet.

Jump ropes have come a long way since most of us were skipping around the playground. Today, they are made from a variety of materials and feature various grip styles.

Some ropes are weighted or have heavy handles. These ropes are usually too cumbersome and are not recommended. Instead, choose a light-weight rope with foam grips so it won’t slip away from you even if your palms get sweaty.

Here’s how to choose the right length rope for you: Step one foot on the center of the rope and bring both handles up to the chest. The handles should reach about chest high.

read the full article here

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Heavy Bag
It was a busy day of training and household chores, so I only made time for a 30 minute heavy bag workout.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Food expert suggests changes to lose weight -- willpower not required

Need to lose weight? Instead of changing yourself, you might consider changing your environment.

Making changes – big and small – to the world around you is much easier than mustering the willpower to refrain from eating high-calorie foods, says Brian Wansink, who has for years studied our eating habits, currently as director of the Food and Brand Lab at Cornell University.

And those changes can mean that your diet is more healthful without working so hard.

Wansink dismisses the popular idea that mindful eating is the way to eat what we need without overeating junk food. “For 90% of us, the solution to mindless eating is not mindful eating – our lives are just too crazy and our willpower’s too wimpy,” he writes in his new book, “Slim by Design: Mindless Eating Solutions for Everyday Life.”

The book includes ways restaurants, schools and other institutions can offer more healthful food, and provides scorecards for readers to figure out whether their homes and workplaces, the restaurants and supermarkets they patronize and their kids’ school meals, are designed for slim.

read full article here

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Bench Press and Weighted Pullup Workout
I kept the overall volume a little lower today and only made time for a workout of BB bench presses and weighted pullups.

~Feelin' Alive!~

The diet wars continue

If you are confused or frustrated by the conflicting claims about whether a low-fat or low-carbohydrate diet is the best, you are forgiven.
First we were told that eating a low-fat diet was the best way to lose weight and improve heart health. Then, research suggested that low-carbohydrate diets were better. And back and forth it has gone for years.
During this time, the prevailing recommendations have suggested that a diet low in fat and high in carbohydrates was best.
But more and more research has supported the notion that cutting carbohydrates, not fat, would lead to greater weight loss.
Although this has been supported by some research, critics pointed out that eating more fat would raise blood cholesterol and other risks for heart disease.
According to a recent study, though, low-carbohydrate diets seem to have benefits for promoting weight loss and improving some indicators of heart health over low-fat diets.
But you should hold off on shunning fruits and vegetables in favor of cheeseburgers! Here is a practical interpretation of the research and some common sense recommendations.

read full article here

TOPFIT says: If you need help figuring out the best approach that fits your goals and lifestyle, contact me now.  Bringing Fitness to Your Life, it's what I do.  www.topfitonline.com

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Jacksonville Forest Park Hike
I just hit 150 trail runs/hikes in 2014, with a definite emphasis on the running and always a lot of hills involved.  It's really shaping up to be a good year!
Since I got out before the heat set in, it would have been a perfect day for running, but my body had different plans.  So, a nice vigorous hike seemed to be the plan for the day.

~Feelin' Alive!~

7 Tips for Avoiding Stomach Cramps

Nothing is faster to dampen mid-run euphoria than stomach cramps. Cramping can be debilitating, painful and put an unanticipated stop to your run. If you are experiencing intestinal distress a couple times or more a week, consider the following:


1. Time it right.
Plan to wait at least two hours after eating a meal to go for a run. Some runners have stomachs of steel and can handle running shortly after lunch, but if you are one that has a sensitive stomach, you may have to wait up to four hours. Allow for as much time as needed for your food to digest.

If you prefer (or need) to run first thing in the morning, you can get away with running on an empty stomach if your run is going to be an hour or less at an easy pace. However, if you plan on a longer, more strenuous run, you might think about setting an alarm to get up to eat 2-4 hours before and then go back to bed. Eating just half a banana or sports gel right before a workout has been shown to improve stamina and performance. Liquid calories work as well, but be sure not to overdo it to avoid the annoying “water belly.” Be aware that caffeine may upset your stomach, so take it easy on (or skip altogether) the coffee.

read the full article here

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Heavy Bag
I took a break from the trails today partly because I was busy, but I was also rather worn out, tired and sore from the past several days of activities.  But, I still made time for a 30 minute heavy bag workout.

~Feelin' Alive!~

How to Maintain Your Summer Weight

Like it or not, summer is coming to a close. Grilled chicken and veggies in the backyard and the natural draw to sweat under the sun will soon be replaced by two things: leaves and snowflakes. Your healthy habits during the warm months may have helped you tone up or shed a few pounds, so don’t let the change of seasons put a damper on your progress. Keep your summer body strong, healthy and kicking into the colder months with these four tips!

1. Be Cautious of Comfort Foods
Summer isn’t known for its pumpkin, peppermint or apple. But guess what? Fall sure is. Sliced watermelon and just-picked blueberries tend to give way to caramel apples, pumpkin pies, peppermint hot chocolates, and bowls full of Halloween candy. If you’re going to treat yourself, do exactly that: Treat it like a treat. If you get in the habit of grabbing one or two pieces of Halloween candy every time you leave the house, your summer body will be the first thing that suffers. Instead, indulge once or twice a week and enjoy every bite without guilt and preferably not on the run. Oh, and be conscious of everyone’s favorite drink of the season: the Pumpkin Spice Latte. A grande will set you back 380 calories. Skip the whip and go skim instead of 2 percent, and you’ll instantly knock it down to 260 calories.

2. Stay Hydrated to Stay Healthy
A sweaty summer day has us chugging that H2O like a pro, but as the temperature drops, our trips to the water cooler become less frequent. You might not feel as thirsty without the hot sun beating down on you, but trust us, your body still needs major water intake to function (and look!) as healthy as possible. Many studies have made a connection between drinking water and losing weight. Water simply helps you feel full, which can lead to a lower calorie intake during the day. And if you’re looking to maintain your summer tone at the gym, your best strength-training sessions will come with proper hydration; muscles need water to avoid exhaustion and function at their best. The Food and Nutrition Board recommends 91 ounces of water daily for women and 125 ounces for men through various beverages (80 percent) or from food (20 percent). That’s more than the common “eight 8-ounce glasses” a day recommendation!

3. Use Fall Clean-up as a Workout
To feel beach-ready all year, finding sneaky ways to exercise throughout the day is key. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week, but they don’t specify how or where. Why not tackle your yard and long to-do list by subbing a little elbow grease for the gym. According to Harvard Health, a 155-pound person burns 149 calories raking leaves for 30 minutes and 186 calories while cleaning out the gutters. Don’t forget the other tasks: fertilizing the lawn, organizing the garage and preparing your garden for winter.

4. Don’t Use Less Daylight as an Excuse to Not Exercise
June 21, the longest day of the year, is but a sweet summer memory. The current reality is that days are getting shorter and nights are getting longer, and less sunlight inevitably means more time spent inside. Mix it up. Forty-five minutes on the treadmill every single day could make anybody bored. Rotate your cardio machines throughout the week (ever tried rowing?) and don’t stick solely to dumbbells for strength training. A medicine ball, TRX Suspension Trainer and bodyweight exercises are all great variations. If you once relished 6 a.m. runs in the morning light, you will need to make adjustments to keep your summer fitness momentum going. Find a running buddy so you can run safely in the dark or switch to a cardio workout class before work. Sunny beach workouts consisting of swimming, kayaking and paddleboarding can’t be dropped without a replacement activity or your hard work will fade. Try indoor rock climbing or try out a CrossFit class. Who knows? Your new winter activity might just become your favorite!

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TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Deadlifts and an Upper Table Rock Run
I made time before my first session this morning for a workout of standard and sumo deadlifts.  I also threw in a few supersets of calf raises and SB leg curls for good measure.  And then, I did 2 sets of 50 walking lunges with my first client.  Afterward, I had a fun run on Upper Table Rock.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Why exercise will make you better at your job

Fitting exercise into a busy week of work, travel and family commitments can be a challenge for people in high-pressure jobs. But scientists say it's worth it to prioritize physical fitness.

The payoff? Increased productivity, better problem solving and less stress.

"You have to recognize this idea that if part of your work involves interacting with others and motivating others, being in a good frame of mind matters," Linebarger said.

Scientific research supports the connection between mental and physical health, said Steve McKenzie, a kinesiologist at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. Humans historically have been physically motivated creatures, but the modern office is heavily sedentary.

read the full article here

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Jacksonville Forest Park Run
I got my week off to a great start with a 6 mile run on the J-Ville Forest Park trails.....lots of shade, a little sun and too much smoke in the air, but I did find a few blackberries and some solitude.

~Feelin' Alive!~

TOPFIT Daily Activities Review

If I had known ahead of time the level of activity I was going to achieve this past week, I might have rested up a little more last weekend.  Not only did I spend a few hours on yard work, finally washed and cleaned out my car, and spent some extremely active time with Mason and Hailey, I also made time for:

2 Jacksonville Forest Park runs/hikes
1 Lower Table Rock run
1 Grizzly Peak run/hike
1 Uhtoff trail run/hike
2 heavy bag workouts
1 chest workout
1 back workout
1 TGU/pullup/pushup workout

What did you do this past week to improve or maintain your health and fitness?

~No Challenge, No Change~

The one thing you need to know about weight loss and diet studies

Why studying diet is almost as difficult as losing weight
Studying diet is difficult. If you stick people in a lab and carefully measure everything they eat, you'll get an accurate picture of what went into their bodies, but the results won't reflect what goes on in the real world. If you set participants loose and ask them to report back on their calorie intake with little monitoring, you'll still get an inaccurate view because people are notoriously bad at remembering what they ate and frequently underestimate their calorie consumption.
Studying diet is also really expensive. So studies tend to be short term, and again not reflective of real-world outcomes. And we know most people, sadly, regain the weight they lose after a while, so in order to understand whether a diet truly works, a study needs to run for more than a year... and it's therefore more expensive and difficult to fund.

read full article here

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Active Recovery Day
Sometimes after an high volume and/or intensity week you need a day of active recovery.  And boy was today active!  I started with a few hours of active time with Hailey and Mason.  The first hour or so were just moderately active, but the last hour and a half or more was a real workout.  Hailey wanted to run almost non-stop, racing me back and forth in the yard and running up and down the little hill I have.....plus we threw in lots of somersaults, spinning, jumping and hopping.  Hmmm......I wonder where she gets her energy from?
Later, I spent time giving my car the bath it needed so badly, and even cleaned the inside a bit.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Weight loss maintenance-10 tips for keeping it off for good!

Congratulations! Getting to your goal weight is a big accomplishment. Now, the next challenge is keeping it off. Maintaining a healthy weight requires an ongoing commitment to living a healthy lifestyle.

• Exercise about 1 hour each day (on average). This appears to be the #1 most important factor in keeping the weight off. Inviting a friend or family member to be your exercise partner can make workouts more enjoyable and keep you accountable.
• Eat a nutritious breakfast daily. This jump starts your metabolism, gives you fuel for the day, and makes it less likely that you will overeat later. 
• Eat a low-calorie, low-fat diet. Consistency is key. Making healthy food choices on a daily basis with occasional junk food is much better than overindulging on certain days of the week.
• Eat plenty of low-fat protein to help you feel full in between meals. 
• Weigh weekly. A weekly weigh-in allows you to track the trends without getting hung up on small daily ups and downs. Doing a waist measurement once a month is also a good way to track your progress. 
• 6.Watch less than 10 hours of TV per week and limit other sedentary activities such as web surfing and video games. When sitting, move your feet, shift in your seat, and tap your fingers. Even calories burned with small movements add up throughout the day.
• Activate your social network. Surrounding yourself with friends and family who can encourage you to keep up your healthy habits is incredibly important. 
• Create a healthy home environment. Keep fresh fruits and veggies within reach. If you purchase less-nutritious foods, buy only small portions and store them in hard-to-find places. And make sure to keep your gym bag near the door and home exercise equipment in plain view. Post reminders of why you want to be healthy in places that you look at often (bathroom mirror, car, refrigerator).
• Keep stress at bay. Times of increased stress put you at risk for backsliding to your old behaviors. Find ways to deal with stress that do not involve ditching your healthy lifestyle behaviors. 
• Reward yourself for staying on track but make sure to choose non-food rewards. Treat yourself to a spa service, a new clothing item, or something else you would enjoy for maintaining your goal weight each month. 

As with weight loss, there’s no one-size-fits-all strategy when it comes to weight maintenance. Pay attention to what does and doesn't work for you and create your own strategies for keeping your weight down.

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TOPFIT Daily Activities --- TGU/Pullup/Pushup Workout
After a good morning session with a client, I spent some time in my gym doing kettlebell TGUs followed by pullups and pushups.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Seven charts that explain America's obesity problem

A quick glance at new maps from the Centers for Disease Control tell a pretty damning tale of obesity in the US.
In every state, at least one-fifth of American adults are obese. In the Southern and Midwestern parts of the country, the problem is even more acute, and Mississippi and West Virginia have the highest obesity rates at over 35 percent.

Only a seven states and one district — Massachusetts, Hawaii, Colorado, Vermont, Montana, Utah, California, and the District of Columbia — recorded obesity rates below a quarter. Colorado was the least obese state, with a prevalence of 21.3 percent, followed by Hawaii at 21.8 percent.

read full article here


TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Heavy Bag and Uhtoff Trails
I got my day started with a 30 minute heavy bag workout in my gym before it started heating up, and later in the afternoon, I had a good run/hike with a friend on the Uhtoff trails above Ashland.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Four Nutrition Myths That Are Bad For Your Health

We all want to eat well and choose the healthiest eating plans, but separating nutrition fact from fiction can be tricky. Here are some persistent nutrition myths I often hear from friends, family and even the media, along with the facts to clear the air.

1. Raw Foods are Always Healthier than Cooked Foods

While raw foods are full of vitamins, minerals and plant compounds that promote good health, some nutrients are more bioavailable when cooked. Lycopene, the carotenoid that gives tomatoes their red color, is absorbed three to four times better when cooked. Tomato sauce, tomato paste, tomato soup and even tomato ketchup deliver more lycopene to the body than raw tomatoes. Kale is a rich source of beta-carotene and fat-soluble vitamins A and K, and all of these nutrients are more available to the body in cooked kale compared with raw kale. And the lutein in carrots, the compound that promotes healthy eyes and vision, is better absorbed in cooked carrots.
Cooking also makes proteins in meat and fish more easily digested, and let’s face it, meat or fish smells and tastes a lot better when cooked than it does in the raw state. Lastly, cooking helps destroy harmful bacteria that may lurk in foods. So, enjoy raw foods as part of a healthy eating plan, but remember that cooked foods have their merits.

2. All Processed Foods are Bad

If you think all processed foods are bad, put down your morning cup of coffee, tea or almond milk, as all of these morning favorites are processed foods. When talking about processed foods, most people think of foods that contain excessive added sugars, fats and sodium while contributing few healthful nutrients. Those types of packaged foods are not healthy, but processed foods aren’t all bad.
Baby carrots are processed, as are the kid-friendly apple slices sold in the produce section. And while bagged salads are more expensive, who hasn’t enjoyed the convenience of bagged produce when time is tight? Recent research from the American Institute for Cancer Research suggests that new methods of processing to enhance the absorption of the good stuff in plant foods could be used to fight some cancers. So, instead of painting all processed foods as “bad,” differentiate between the processed foods that supply healthful nutrients versus those that contain too much sugar, fat and sodium.

3. Natural Foods are Always Healthier

The word “natural” conjures visions of fresh-picked blueberries or juice from freshly squeezed oranges. Too bad “natural” is a marketing buzzword that is not defined by the Food and Drug Administration. Some manufacturers use the word natural to make you believe a food is more healthful when in fact it is high in calories, fat or sugar.
For example, some candy is sold as natural because it contains agave nectar or honey, but to the body sugar is sugar no matter the source, so that doesn't make “natural” candy more healthful. Snack foods are also being touted as natural. Potato chips with the peel left on the potato before being fried into a chip are not more healthful than other chips. So, save your money on packaged foods touting to be “natural” and instead snack on truly natural foods like fruits, veggies and nuts.

4. All Sugar Should be Eliminated

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently recommended that we cut our sugar intake from 10% of calories to 5% of calories. That equates to about 6 teaspoons of sugar or 25 grams per day. Sugar that occurs naturally, like in milk or fruit, is packaged with many other nutrients, so focus on reducing added sugars but don’t worry about the few grams of sugar in milk or fresh fruit.

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TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Jacksonville Forest Park Hike and a Back Workout
Today I headed back out to the J-Ville Forest Park trails for a moderately paced hike.  Glad I wasn't intent on running since only about a mile in I twisted my ankle a bit.....not so bad that I couldn't do another 6 miles though.
Afterward, I spent some time in my gym doing weighted pullups, alternating single arm suspension pullups, suspension rear delt flyes, and hanging scapular depression/retraction.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Metabolic syndrome

About 35% of adults in the United States have metabolic syndrome, a serious medical condition that raises your risk for heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. A person with metabolic syndrome is twice as likely to have a heart attack or stroke and 5 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than someone without it!

What is metabolic syndrome?

Metabolic syndrome is not a specific disease, but rather a group of risk factors. You have metabolic syndrome if you have 3 or more of the following:

read the full article here

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Lower Table Rock Run
Today I completed my 100th Table Rock run in 2014, fairly evenly divided between the 2 Rocks (some hiking too, but the emphasis has been on running).
Plus, I spent a couple of hours catching up on yard work.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Helping Your Family Become More Active

What can you do when the people you love the most seem stuck in a pattern of sedentary living? Maybe you’d like to be more active, too? It can be tough to stick with a fitness routine when you’re the only physically active person in your household. There are ways to help your family build a healthy, active lifestyle.

Start with a Heart-to-Heart
Helping kids become more active is much easier when both adults are on the same page. Sit down with your spouse or partner and share the reasons why you want your family to spend more time moving and less time sitting around, which may include:

• Reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, overweight, obesity, and stroke for both kids and parents.
• More energy and endurance to do fun, active things together as a family, such as travelling, hiking, bicycling, or camping.
• Helping your children and teens develop a lifelong habit of physical activity for optimal well-being.
• Fostering good brain health. Studies show that regular exercise optimizes conditions within the brain for learning, concentration, and critical thinking. It’s a natural mood elevator and has shown to prevent dementia and other age-related declines of brain function.
• Promoting a positive body image.
• Come up with a game plan and cultivate a new family culture of physical activity.

read the full article here

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Chest Workout and Heavy Bag
After yesterday's trail run daily double, I gave the trails a break today.  But, I certainly wasn't sedentary.  I spent plenty of time in my gym, starting with a workout of BB bench presses, supersets of DB flyes and presses, and decline pushups.  I followed that a bit later with a 30 minute heavy bag workout.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Mindfulness matters for health

Mindfulness can be described as an awareness of thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and the surrounding environment. This is most commonly explored through mindful meditation, a practice that is credited with improving physical and mental health.

Beyond meditation, being mindful can help to improve attention and focus in nearly every aspect of life.

Thinking about your actions and the effect they have on your health and the health of others can be good for you and those around you.

It turns out that we engage in many health behaviors that are driven more by habit than conscious decision-making. This includes what, when, and how much we eat as well as how active we are, two of the most important determinants of health.

When was the last time you thought about what you were eating? Not just which restaurant to go to or what time to eat, but really thought about what and how much you ate?

Chances are, at least some of the time you eat when you aren’t hungry or keep eating even when you are full. You probably also eat foods you know you shouldn’t or don’t intend to, sometimes without even realizing it.

read the full article here

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Jacksonville Forest Park and Grizzly Peak Runs/Hikes
After seeing clients in the morning, I headed to J-Ville Forest Park for a couple hours of running and hiking.  When I was done, and had cell reception, I had a message from a friend waiting for me inviting me to join her on Grizzly Peak.  So, how could I resist!  I drove to the other end of the valley and spent a few hours hiking and running on Grizzly Peak.  All in all, a fairly even mix of running and hiking between the two trail systems.

~Feelin' Alive!~