Diet Beverages & Artificial Sweeteners

Diet Beverages & Artificial Sweeteners – The Scientific Truth (It May Surprise You)

There’s a hot debate whether diet beverages or soda and artificial sweeteners are healthy or dangerous.

It’s no wonder that so many people are confused (including myself) with some authorities recommending their intake over the high sugar versions, while a lot of other gurus state they are extremely unhealthy and a chemical storm that will wreck your health and cause disease.

As always, there isn’t one clear-cut answer and the issue is often debated based on ‘opinions’ or the latest meme that goes viral on FB rather than hard, honest well-designed research studies or controlled science.

In this article, I’ll dive into the honest research regarding diet soda and artificial sweeteners and whether or not they play a role (both positive and negative) in obesity and even health.

I guarantee some of the answers may surprise you. Here’s the bittersweet truth…

Diet Soda & Artificial Sweeteners – Good, Bad or the Devil?

Artificial sweeteners come in many different forms but the most popular typically include aspartame (Equal), sucralose (Splenda) and saccharin (Sweet’N Low).

The use of these sweeteners actually dates all the way back to the 1800s when saccharin was accidentally synthesized (1).

These artificial sweeteners have become a staple in our diets due to the attempt to reduce excess sugar intake and the fact they are far sweeter than actual sugar, while contributing very few or even no calories.

Despite the fact they can reduce sugar intake and lower total calorie intake, aiding in weight loss, many people still see them as unhealthy.

This is partly due to the belief that consuming them induces similar hormonal and brain responses to that of sugar, in addition to potentially being associated with increased risk of disease states such as cancer. But, what does the actual science say?

‘Negative’ Research on Diet Soda & Artificial Sweeteners

Anything is dangerous in the right dose, even water. Yep, that’s right … Here are two examples:

• Firstly, a 28 year old woman in the USA died after drinking six liters of water in a 3 hour period for a contest, dying later that day from water intoxication.
• In 2005 a study published by the New England Journal of Medicine found that around 16% of marathon runners developed some level of dangerous hyponatremia, or dilution of the blood caused by drinking too much water.

So, before we continue, my question to you is, just because water can kill you in high doses, does that mean that a normal intake, i.e. 2-4 liters per day is also unhealthy?

Clearly the answer is no, it’s basic logic. However, this EXACT principle applies to diet soda and sweeteners (see the example below), although most people (especially the ones who dislike it) tend to ignore this fact.

When it comes to the limited research regarding human subjects and artificial sweeteners, there is some correlative data (i.e. weak data that draws conclusions over years) indicating that consuming artificial sweeteners may increase the risk of developing metabolic syndromes, leading to increased risk of diabetes and obesity (2, 3).

Unfortunately as with any research, the devil is in the details. Along with artificial sweeteners, the study also found associations with typical western diet staples such as meat (which we know is healthy) and fried foods.

To conclude that artificial sweeteners are a reason for obesity based on this study is speculative at best, since there are so many other factors that may be contributing.

In essence, there is in fact research associating artificial sweeteners with an increased risk of obesity, but it’s not a direct relationship. It’s a relationship confounded by many other factors that certainly contribute to obesity and negative health, rather than simply consuming artificial sweeteners.

In the world of research and science, these types of studies are often ignored and not classed as ‘real, controlled research’.

Additionally, there is some negative research regarding artificially sweetened beverages and cancer. Although there is one catch. The studies are done using rats (but again, all the people who hate diet soda or sweeteners tend to ignore this fact).

Of course, the big issue with these studies is that they simply point us in the right direction from a biological standpoint, but not direct cause and effect; more often than not, what happens in a rat does not translate to humans.

Often the effects of substances vary widely when given to humans compared to rats. Artificial sweeteners are one of these cases.

Despite the fact that some research has indicated that artificial sweeteners like aspartame are linked to cancer in mice, the doses which would be required to do so in humans would be astronomical.

For instance, the FDA has set safe daily consumption of substances like aspartame to 50 milligrams per kilogram of body weight (4, 5).

For a 90 kg (200 lb) individual that would be the equivalent of consuming 25 cans of artificially sweetened soda per day and would still be considered within a safe range.

Diet Soda & Artificial Sweeteners Cause Weight Gain – False Science?

At its most fundamental level, it’s impossible for artificial sweeteners to directly contribute to weight gain; it’s basic science and the laws of thermodynamics.

In fact, artificial sweeteners are often used in order to reduce calorie intake and thus help reduce body weight. However, many people still insist that artificial sweeteners induce an insulin response, similar to what happens when you consume sugar in one form or another.

As a result of this insulin spike, it is theorized this leads to a metabolic disorder called insulin resistance, which means that insulin isn’t able to do its job of removing glucose from the blood and storing it in various tissues of the body.

In theory, when this occurs, it can lead to further disease states such as type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Unfortunately for proponents of this incorrect theory, research has determined that artificial sweeteners such as aspartame don’t induce an insulin spike, despite claims.

Even if they did, a small insulin spike would not match that of an insulin spike from regular sugar, soda, ice cream, pizza etc. It’s these foods consumed over years which cause weight gain and insulin resistance, not sweetener or diet soda (6, 7, 8, 9).

Additionally, in a groundbreaking study on evaluating the use of artificial sweeteners versus just water when attempting to lose weight, the researchers revealed that consumption of artificial sweeteners was actually associated with greater weight loss and a greater ability to keep the weight off after the diet (10).

It’s very likely that consuming artificially sweetened beverages such as diet soda may satisfy sweet cravings without providing the additional calories, leading to weight loss.

Does this mean that diet soda is better than water? No, but it doesn’t appear to be worse in sensible moderation (just like water). Because it has no calories, it simply can’t cause weight gain, it’s physically and biologically impossible.

So What’s The Conclusion About Diet Soda & Artificial Sweeteners?

As it turns out, there probably isn’t any issue with consuming artificially sweetened beverages such as diet soda on a regular basis in moderation.

Research that has shown negative effects is fairly weak, most of it being done in rats not humans and even that has many other factors affecting the outcome, making it impossible to blame artificial sweeteners (2).

Furthermore, other research showing associations with artificial sweeteners and cancer is carried out on rats and still very early. Next, these findings are done at crazy doses that equate to say 200 cans of diet soda per day, so they are far from realistic or unbiased (4).

Lastly, research on artificial sweeteners for weight loss actually indicates a beneficial effect overall, such as reduced body weight, rather than the commonly held misbelief that they lead to weight gain. If you know even the basics of fat loss and metabolism you will clearly understand how it’s physically impossible for a zero calorie product to cause weight gain.

Despite outlandish claims from people with unbiased agendas or the ‘clean eating gurus’, artificially sweetened diet sodas are safe for you to consume and even advised if your goal is to reduce calories and body weight.

Take Home Key Points on Diet Soda & Artificial Sweeteners

Firstly, the key point is to understand that there’s not any real, strong research in a controlled setting to show ill health from a sensible dose of artificial sweeteners in humans.

Sadly, like many aspects of nutrition, it’s very easy for people with hidden agendas to twist the research or churn out random ‘facts’ that have no real evidence at all. Of course, any new meme or video always goes viral, but it doesn’t mean it’s true.

Now, am I advising you to consume artificial sweeteners or diet soda? No, but equally, should you not consume it and avoid it, if you do enjoy it? No, absolutely not.

Like everything, it depends on you. If you love it, then go ahead, it probably will help you consume fewer calories, it may reduce cravings and may actually aid in hydration (remember it’s around 98% water).

If you think that diet soda or artificial sweeteners are bad or unhealthy because they’re not natural, then you should maybe spend some time reading the science to become less biased. Of course, I will be the first to say we should focus on natural whole foods 80% of the time, but drinking the odd diet soda or using a normal intake of artificial sweeteners is also perfectly fine.

In summary, diet soda or artificial sweeteners are perfectly ok in a moderate dose, just like water. If you still want to say it’s unhealthy because rats got ill from taking in the equivalent of 200 servings per day, well you should probably not drink water either because 200 servings of water would have killed the rats far quicker than the artificial sweetener.

As with everything, remember to actually check the research and don’t trust the internet fitness/health gurus who don’t understand or even know how to read a research study…

References

1. The Pursuit of Sweet. (2017, March 06). Retrieved June 14, 2017, from https://www.chemheritage.org/distillations/magazine/the-pursuit-of-sweet
2. Lutsey, P. L., Steffen, L. M., & Stevens, J. (2008). Dietary intake and the development of the metabolic syndrome. Circulation, 117(6), 754-761.
3. Nettleton, J. A., Lutsey, P. L., Wang, Y., Lima, J. A., Michos, E. D., & Jacobs, D. R. (2009). Diet soda intake and risk of incident metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Diabetes care, 32(4), 688-694.
4. National Toxicology Program. (2005). NTP report on the toxicology studies of aspartame (CAS No. 22839-47-0) in genetically modified (FVB Tg. AC hemizygous) and B6. 129-Cdkn2atm1Rdp (N2) deficient mice and carcinogenicity studies of aspartame in genetically modified [B6. 129-Trp53tm1Brd (N5) haploinsufficient] mice (feed studies). National Toxicology Program genetically modified model report, (1), 1.
5. Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. (n.d.). Food Additives & Ingredients – Additional Information about High-Intensity Sweeteners Permitted for use in Food in the United States. Retrieved June 14, 2017, from https://www.fda.gov/food/ingredientspackaginglabeling/foodadditivesingredients/ucm397725.htm
6. Møller, S. E. (1991). Effect of Aspartame and Protein, Administered in Phenylalanine‐Equivalent Doses, on Plasma Neutral Amino Acids, Aspartate, Insulin and Glucose in Man. Basic & Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology, 68(5), 408-412.
7. Wolf-Novak, L. C., Stagink, L. D., Brummel, M. C., Persoon, T. J., Filer, L. J., Bell, E. F., … & Krause, W. L. (1990). Aspartame ingestion with and without carbohydrate in phenylketonuric and normal subjects: effect on plasma concentrations of amino acids, glucose, and insulin. Metabolism, 39(4), 391-396.
8. Horwitz, D. L., McLane, M., & Kobe, P. (1988). Response to single dose of aspartame or saccharin by NIDDM patients. Diabetes care, 11(3), 230-234.
9. Teff, K. L., Devine, J., & Engelman, K. (1995). Sweet taste: effect on cephalic phase insulin release in men. Physiology & Behavior, 57(6), 1089-1095.
10. Peters, J. C., Beck, J., Cardel, M., Wyatt, H. R., Foster, G. D., Pan, Z., … Hill, J. O. (2016). The effects of water and non-nutritive sweetened beverages on weight loss and weight maintenance: A randomized clinical trial. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.), 24(2), 297–304. http://doi.org/10.1002/oby.21327

https://www.rudymawer.com/blog/diet-beverages-scientific-truth-may-surprise/

Are You Strong Enough to Run? Part 2

As a runner you may think that strength training doesn’t necessarily apply to you as running is all you need to either stay or get in shape.  I had that thought once, and it didn’t work out too well for me.  Achy knees and a lot of hip pain from poor mechanics.  Don’t let my mistake be your downfall.  Let’s learn from it.

Mechanics or Phases of Running

Breaking down the mechanics of a stride, it’s a series of single leg exercises, with 2 different phases:

Stance- This is where the all your bodyweight is on a single leg and typically where breakdowns occur.  This phase can also be broken down into smaller phases:

Initial Contact- Your foot first hits the ground, and as you touch down, the knee and ankle flex a little to absorb the force of the ground, and the foot pronates or turns in slightly.  This can create the first break down if we don’t have a requisite amount of strength or motor control.

Midstance-  Once the foot and leg are underneath the hip, you enter what is the midstance phase.  This is where all your weight is on the one leg.  Again, there is potential for injury here.  An over pronation at the foot can cause a chain reaction up the leg into the knee and hip.  Hip stability is also vital here as you need to be able to load the base leg in order to set yourself up for the propulsion phase.  It’s a basic load and explode situation.  Your muscles, tendons, and fascia are all storing up elastic energy from the previous phase, waiting to use it.  Lacking necessary joint stability and strength will hinder your stride, and really, your ability to run efficiently.

Propulsion- The final stage where the foot starts to come off the ground, starting with the heel.  This is where you will use all that stored/absorbed energy and push off to get into the next phase.  The ankle, knee, and hip all go through extension in order to achieve this.  Additionally, your foot/ankle should supinate, however this doesn’t always occur due to poor mechanics or poor shoes.  Either way, this is another instance in which we need to corrections during running.

Swing- From the moment your foot loses contact with the ground, till the moment it touches down again is the swing.  In this phase, your body needs to prep the leg and foot for that initial contact phase again.

There is a third phase where both feet are simultaneously off the ground, and if you freeze frame a runner, they appear to be floating or hovering off the ground.

So as you can note above, each phase of running comes with the potential for injury if the right mechanics aren’t in place.  This means a combination of strength, stability and mobility.  Thankfully we can incorporate strength training that focuses on those three aspects, and we can likely avoid injury or any aches and pains.  Then we can get back to doing what we love, which is running.

The Training

Putting together a strength program for a runner is a little tricky as you want to build as much strength as you need to avoid injury and resist the forces of running, but without putting on weight that may potentially slow you down.

Single Leg Exercises–  Being that running is largely a single leg exercise repeated over and over again, it’s important to include these into your program.  That doesn’t mean eliminating bilateral exercises like squats and deadlifts, as those will set a large strength base.  It just means adding in more single leg variations to maintain or improve hip stability.

Examples:

Lunges

Single Leg Deadlift

Step-up

Split Squats

Core Strength & Stability– Everyone uses these terms, but no one really knows what they mean.  In terms of running, the core needs to be strong and stable in order for the body to transfer forces from the lower body to the upper body, otherwise we just look like one of those wacky inflatable tube guys outside car dealerships.  And no one wants to look like that when they run.  Nor do we want to have any injuries or pain when we’re running.  If we lack the necessary core stability, meaning the control of the movement of the hips, it could result in hanging out on passive structures instead.  Have you ever gone for a run and your back was killing you halfway in or when you finished?  Yea that’s one, poor mechanics, but also lack of muscular strength and the ability to stabilize the hips.

Examples:

Anti-Extension – Plank

Anti Lateral Flexion – Side Plank

Bird/Dog

Anti Rotation – Pallof Press

Chops

Hip Extension Activation & Strength– The main mover for hip extension should be the glutes, however many end up predominantly using their hamstrings.  Hamstring injuries occur in part because they aren’t strong enough to control the eccentric contraction of the muscle, meaning a contraction as the muscle lengthens.  But also because the hamstrings compensate for a lack of glute strength.  It’s vital to the health of your hamstrings to get your glutes strong.  Then you can focus on strengthening the hamstrings via eccentric exercises.

Glute Bridge

Hip Thrust

Lateral Band Walks

Clamshells

Supine Hip Extension

Nordic Curls

Hamstring Curls via TRX, Glide Discs, Stability Ball

Running is a simple way to exercise and probably one of the most accessible to those of all levels, from beginner to advanced.  Now that the weather is getting nice, more and more people will be out there running.  Just because you can run, doesn’t mean you have to run or should.  Take account of your strength and stability, but also look at your own mechanics to see if running is for you.  Then you can move on to what could be the most important, whether or not you actually enjoy running.

http://amp-training.com/are-you-strong-enough-run/

Are You Strong Enough to Run? Part 1

What does strong enough mean?  Or in the case of this title, strong enough to run?  Would deadlifting 200lbs make you strong enough to run?  Maybe, maybe not. When it comes to running and being strong, expressing strength is more a matter of resisting forces put on it, than creating them. although you will create force into the ground to push you forward.

Everybody runs or can run, but not everyone that runs does so efficiently with good form.  Sometimes it looks a little wonky, like Elaine Benes trying to dance or like a calf trying to walk for the first time.  While running is a natural movement (for some), it does require a number of things to work synergistically so as not to get injured.  How often are you thinking of stride length, frequency, how your foot is landing, hip shifts, arm movement, etc when you go for a simple run or jog.  Or maybe its yogging, it might be a soft ‘J.”  Probably never.

Strength has more to do with running than you think, and it doesn’t just stop at the legs.  Think of running as a full body exercise, where all your muscles are coordinated to fire to ensure you absorb the forces appropriately.  And if there is a weak link in the chain, you can bet that your body will find it, and expose it.

Everyone can run, but not everyone SHOULD…..right away.

Perfect Posture

Forget Perfect Posture: It Doesn’t Exist

In this five minute video, Dr. Greg Lehman challenge common beliefs and correct myths about biomechanics and posture using current research.

Most of us know what the ideal posture looks like: a nice, neutral spine and neck and no tilt in either direction in the pelvis.

But the real question is: Does this posture really exist in the real world?

Is it possible that we focus too much on its role in healthy movement and pain? Check out this video and find out.

https://www.theptdc.com/2017/04/no-perfect-posture/

3 Great Exercises to Help You Get the Perfect Behind

It’s impossible to imagine a having a beautiful figure overall without the presence of a beautiful behind. The good news is that you don’t need to go to the gym all the time to achieve this — you can manage it just as easily by doing a workout at home, provided it’s the right one.

All you need for this however is a pair of dumb-bells (or heavy books), a yoga mat, and a strong enough desire for self-improvement.

This particular exercise scheme to get the perfect behind was developed by fitness trainer Angela Lee, who suggests that you should maintain it for thirty days.

Timetable:

The numbers in each box indicate the number of reps you should do for each day that the scheme lasts. You should do the workout in bursts lasting for 2-3 minutes, with a break of 1 minute imbetween. The workout should never take longer than about 11 minutes ever day. And don’t ignore the days when you should be resting — your muscles need time to regain strength.

1. The basic exercise

This involves doing just ordinary squats. Place your feet shoulder-width apart, keep your back straight and bend your legs at the knee to form a sitting position low to the ground, with your arms outstretched. The most important thing here is to find a good balance and place your body weight on both feet as a whole rather than any one part of them.

2. The exercise with dumb-bells

For this exercise you need to stand straight, with your legs placed slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and facing outward. Holding a dumb-bell in both hands and keeping your back and your arms straight, do the same squat into the sitting position as in the basic exercise. First use lighter ones, then gradually replace them with three- or four-kilogram ones. If you feel excessive tiredness after a few reps, slowly place the dumb-bells on the floor and use lighter ones.

3. The complex exercise

Stand up straight, with your legs placed slightly further apart than the width of your shoulders. Keeping your back straight and with your hands placed on the back of your head (and your fingers laced together), perform the squatting exercise. Make sure you that your feet are pointing out slightly and not directly lined up with your knees. Don’t push against your neck with your hands, and don’t lean your head forward. You should be able to feel that you are exercising the muscles in your back. You shouldn’t be able to see your elbows in your peripheral vision.

https://brightside.me/article/three-great-exercises-to-help-you-get-the-perfect-behind-10905/?utm_source=fb_brightside&utm_medium=fb_organic&utm_campaign=fb_gr_brightside

LOSE WEIGHT WITHOUT TRYING

YOU SHOULD NEVER EAT CUCUMBERS AND TOMATOES IN THE SAME SALAD!

The only criteria people have for a salad is mixing together some tasty ingredients, but despite the flavor, there are also other things to consider. Some ingredients don’t go together in a salad, such as a combination of tomatoes and cucumber. Each of these vegetables has different digestion time, and according to Ayurveda, we must know the exact digestion time of each food we eat before mixing ingredients together.

Combining ingredients that have a fast and slow digestion is not a good idea as the lighter ingredient will end up passing in the intestine just as the first one is completely digested. This will result in fermentation of the food in your stomach that may poison your whole body. It will lead to slow digestion and fermentation of sugars and starches, and won’t allow you to enjoy your meal as you should. Besides this, the process of fermentation can also cause gasses, swelling and pain in the stomach as well as intestinal problems.

Cucumbers and tomatoes are not compatible with each other and should never be consumed together. When they reach the stomach and the process of fermentation starts, the acid released in the abdominal cavity for digestion can cause numerous digestive problems. Here are some other food combinations you should never try:

1. Eating fruit after meals is not a good idea – fruits need a lot of time to be digested and should never stay long in the stomach. Eating them after a meal will result in “wine” in your stomach that can lead to acid reflux and other digestive problems.

2. Mac and cheese is a popular meal in the USA, but one that should be avoided nonetheless. Macaroni are rich in starch, which has a different digestion time than protein, so the delay will lead to inevitable fermentation and further digestive problems. The same goes for macaroni and meat.

3. Meat and cheese omelet is a favorite meal of millions, but you should avoid putting too much protein on the same dish. Choose only one type of protein per meal.

4. You should never mix bread or noodles with orange juice as the acid content required to digest the juice can destroy the enzyme responsible for starch digestion.

5. Vegetables and cheese is another no-no combination – eating it will only result in bloating.

6. You should never eat melon and watermelon together, as these fruits are meant to be consumed alone, not in combination with any other fruit.

7. Many people love eating bananas and milk, but this combination will significantly slow down your digestion.

8. People usually add fruit to their bowl of yogurt for breakfast, but this combination will slow down your digestion and harm your intestinal flora. This especially goes for adding pineapple to your yogurt, which boosts the active ingredients that cause food poisoning.

http://www.healthylifeidea.com/probably-didnt-know-never-eat-cucumbers-tomatoes-salad/

Do You Really Need a Rest Day After Exercise?

Rest days are a standard part of exercise programs, but they’re not the only way to avoid overworking yourself. Let’s look at the difference between rest and recovery, and when you can bend the rules.

The Reason for Rest Days

Most strength-focused programs like weightlifting either work your whole body and then skip the next day, or else they have you split up your workouts so that, for example, your arms get a rest on leg day. The idea is to let each muscle recover from a workout before you ask it to do the same thing again.

But not every activity works this way. Runners, for example, often run every day, and may only take one or two true rest days a week. But within that pattern, they will alternate days of hard running (like speedwork, hill running, or long runs) with easy runs that feel less challenging to the body.

Other sports may fall somewhere in between, but nobody expects to work every body part to exhaustion every day. Even when elite athletes do workouts every day that look killer to us, it’s because our “hard” is their “easy”. You can bet their coaches schedule in just enough of the easier workouts to keep the athlete’s progress on track with minimal risk of injury.

Rest days and splits help us to pace ourselves. Too much hard running, if you’re not used to it, sets you up for tendonitis and other overuse injuries. And too much exercise of any kind can lead to a syndrome called overtraining where your body may develop flu-like symptoms and disturbed sleep because it just can’t keep up with the demands you’re putting on it.

There’s Nothing Magic About Resting for One Day

Taking a single rest day after a hard workout isn’t the only way to keep yourself from overtraining. There are a few reasons it’s a good rule of thumb, though:

 

• Delayed-onset muscle soreness often takes two days to peak. If you did a too-hard workout on Monday, you might be feeling only a little bit sore on Tuesday and think you’re okay to work out some more. If you waited until Wednesday instead, you would have a better sense of how sore or injured you are. Then you would be able to make a better judgment call about whether, and how hard, to work out again.
• Resting every other day means only half of your days will be hard workouts. The other half will be rest days or easier days, so the schedule keeps your total workout intensity manageable.
• Mentally, it’s easier to stick to a workout when you enjoy it. Hard workouts aren’t always fun, and you may need to psych yourself up to try something really challenging. It’s okay if you don’t feel up to that every day. Having some easier, almost relaxing days can help you stick to your schedule.

If you can accomplish those goals with another schedule, though, feel free to do so. If you enjoy all your workouts, even the hard ones, slowly include more hard days in your schedule. If you feel okay with that, keep doing it! But if you end up sore or fatigued, listen to your body and put those rest days back in.

If soreness is your problem, be aware that skipping one day may not be the best way to deal with it. Soreness peaking at 48 hours is just an average, and the true timeframe can vary. Your muscles might only feel sore and weak for one day, or if you tried something new and difficult, you might feel it for a week. At the beginning of a new workout routine, you might even need three or four easy days.

Recovery Doesn’t Have to Mean Total Rest

Some people prefer the term “recovery” to “rest” days, because total rest isn’t necessarily your goal. After all, lifting a fork to your mouth is a similar action to a bicep curl, so if you just did a heavy arm day, would you be unable to eat? Clearly, some amount of activity is fine on a rest or recovery day.

This is where you have to calibrate your own sense of effort. If you’re new to exercising and you just did a day of heavy squats, a five mile bike ride is probably not a great choice for the following day. But if you bike five miles to work every day, you should be able to keep doing that even on your “rest” days.

When I did push-ups every day for 30 days, a few people suggested that I was setting myself up for injury by not taking rest days. But as I wrote in that article, I ramped up my fitness very carefully. A few sets of pushups every day is my new normal, and it’s no more taxing to me than a bike ride is to a bike commuter. Some days I might try a more challenging type of pushup or I might do more reps than usual; but I balance out those harder days with, you guessed it, easier days that are closer to my baseline effort level.

As you learn your own strengths and limitations, you too can alter your workout schedule according to what works for you. That might mean you only take one or two rest days per week, or it might mean you do mega-hard workouts and then lay low for a few days. If you’re getting a reasonable amount of exercise in total, and if you aren’t getting sore or injured, you’re probably doing okay.

http://vitals.lifehacker.com/do-you-really-need-a-rest-day-after-exercise-1792349953

Cravings Sweets After Eating

Sugar cravings often strike after a meal, despite feelings of fullness. Habits, brain, chemistry and your diet’s makeup cause you to crave sweets. You can learn to fight the cravings, but only after you understand why they occur.

Significance

Adam Drewnowski and Allen S. Levine write in the "Journal of Nutrition" in March 2003 that added sugar and fat make up more than 50 percent of the typical American diet and contributes to the obesity epidemic. Craving sweets after a meal can hamper weight loss efforts. You try to deny the craving, only making it more pronounced. If you indulge the craving, stopping with a small serving may be impossible for you.

Expert Insight

Drewnowski and Levine point to evidence that regular consumption of foods high in sugar and fat leads to "neurochemical changes" in the brain--hardwiring you to crave these types of foods. Food cravings often are a result of habit and association--if you have always had something sweet after a meal, you do not feel closure unless you meet that need. Sweet treats often are associated with rewards and positive feelings, so you feel good when you eat them.

Another cause of post-meal sweet cravings has to do with the mood-elevating brain chemical, serotonin. When serotonin is low, feelings of depression and sadness set in. You crave something sweet because sugars and simple carbohydrates prompt the body to release serotonin, improving your mood. Uneven blood sugar levels cause you to crave sweets after a meal as well. If you fail to balance macronutrients at your meals and eat primarily carbohydrates, your blood sugar levels soar--only to drop suddenly shortly after the meal. Your body seeks the "high" again, causing you to crave sugar.

• 

Considerations

Deprivation also can set you up for cravings. If you are following a strict diet and avoiding all sweets, you can make cravings worse by denying your desire to satisfy your sweet tooth. Professor Peter Rogers from the University of Bristol notes in the online resource ScienceDaily.com that the desire to eat foods, such as chocolate, combined with a knowledge that they should be eaten in moderation causes you to crave them more.

Solution

If your cravings are due to deprivation, allow yourself a small sweet--perhaps a cookie or a miniature candy bar. Sometimes, however, this sets you up for binging, in which case it might be best to go cold turkey for a few weeks. Over time, if your cravings are due to habit, they will subside. Make sure you are consuming adequate nutrition and calories during the day. Try to make each meal contain a serving of protein, healthy fats and complex carbohydrates such as whole grains. Techniques such as brushing your teeth immediately after eating or chewing a piece of minty, sugar-free gum also may help cut the desire to consume sweets after a meal. If you must have something sweet--opt for fresh or dried fruit, which offers nutrition along with natural sugars.

Misconceptions

If you seek to cut out sugar, eliminating cookies, cakes and candy may not be enough. Manufacturers add sugar to all sorts of products, from bread to salad dressings--so read food labels carefully. Artificial sweeteners may offer you a sweet taste with little or no calories, but they do little to curb your cravings. A 2004 study at Purdue University showed that artificial sweeteners may disrupt the body’s ability to count calories, setting you up to consume more calories overall. Also, because artificial sweeteners exhibit sweetness hundreds of times more intense than sugar, they may cause you to crave sweeter and sweeter products.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/77144-crave-sweets-after-eating-meal/

7 Step Morning Ritual - Mindset Monday - Drew Canole

What Nutritionists Eat When They Want to Slim Down

What Nutritionists Eat When They Want to Slim Down

After an indulgent vacay or even a few too many dinners out, your body’s probably craving a diet cleanup. Nutritionists go through this cycle, too—but the good thing is, we have training and knowledge that’s taught us how to slim back down in a healthy way. So I’ve asked some of my favorite registered dietitians to share what changes they make when they’re on a mission to slim down

After an indulgent vacay or even a few too many dinners out, your body’s probably craving a diet cleanup. Nutritionists go through this cycle, too—but the good thing is, we have training and knowledge that’s taught us how to slim back down in a healthy way. So I’ve asked some of my favorite registered dietitians to share what changes they make when they’re on a mission to slim down.

“I make sure to add adequate protein to meals—about 30g—especially at breakfast. People do not get enough protein at breakfast. Eggs are getting a reprise, and they are wonderful mixed with dark green and red veggies topped with fresh mozzarella cheese. Add a side of mixed berries and you have an amazing breakfast. In fact, a recent study suggests that adequate protein in the morning helps tame appetite throughout the day.”

—Angela Lemond, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

“When I’m not feeling my best it’s usually because I haven’t gotten enough sleep. I add in a bedtime snack of dried tart cherries and walnuts, which have melatonin to help me get shut eye and keep my hunger hormones in line.”

—Rebecca Scritchfield, MA, RDN

“I lean on nuts, tomato juice, popcorn and tea. I top my Greek yogurt with fruit and nuts at breakfast, eat salads at lunch, snack on popcorn and tomato juice and rely on tea instead of dessert. My only splurge is a glass of wine at dinner.”

—Kathleen Zelman, WebMD Director of Nutrition

“I make a hearty Tuscan white bean soup that’s chock full of baby greens (like kale or spinach) and some diced vegan sausage…I love this soup because it’s packed with satisfying protein, rich in plant based nutrition (fiber, folate and antioxidants), and soup is a fantastic comfort food that lets you feel full longer on fewer calories.”

—Kate Geagan, MS, RDN, author of Go Green. Get Lean.

“I swap out any treats (frozen yogurt, for instance) with fruit and prepare my food very simply—herbs and spices for flavor versus sauces and mixed dishes. I also cut down on bread, crackers and other similar carbohydrates, because those are the foods I am most likely to overeat, and replace them with some combination of produce and protein (apples with peanut butter, melted cheese over steamed veggies).”

—Marie Spano, MS, RD, CSCS, CSSD, Sports Nutritionist for the Atlanta Hawks

“Since sweets are my biggest downfall, I cut back on chocolate, ice cream…all the places I get too many excess calories. I replace them with more fresh fruit to take care of the sweet craving as well as more Greek yogurt (topped with fruit). I also just really watch portion control. I may simply just take a little bit less on my plate, or fill more of my plate with veggies rather than higher-calorie items.”

—Tara Gidus, MS, RD, CSSD, LD/N, Co-host, Emotional Mojo, national TV show

“As an RD I certainly believe that no one food or nutrient is solely responsible for weight gain, but for me too much sugar and too little protein at breakfast does seem to be a big influence on an (unwanted) tighter waistband. If I notice it’s time to cut back, I start by swapping in plain Greek yogurt for some of the sweetened varieties that I love. And I add in an egg (either hard-boiled or microwave scrambled) at breakfast. These are very small changes, but they make a difference in how hungry I am later in the morning and by lunch.”

—Regan Jones, RD, Founding Editor at HealthyAperture.com

http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/what-nutritionists-eat-when-they-want-to-slim-down/?utm_source=FACEBOOK&utm_medium=FB%20MyFitnessPal

What Is The Best Comeback Workout?

People dedicate years of their life to strict training, and the entire bodybuilding lifestyle. Unfortunately, the habit can be broken. Get a workout and tips from our forum members to help you break through and reignite the passion.

THE QUESTION:

Exercising can be truly addicting. Once you start, it's a hard habit to break. People dedicate years of their life to strict dieting, hardcore training, and the entire bodybuilding lifestyle. Unfortunately, sometimes the habit is broken. Health reasons, hectic schedules, a needed change in life, work, family problems, loss of motivation, and stress are all things that can break the habit. Eventually, one may want to get back into the game. They clearly aren't going to be the same as they once were. They need a solid routine to help trigger muscle memory and get back in shape.

What is the best comeback workout? Be specific.

How long could it take to build the muscle back that you once had?

How can one prevent breaking the habit, never needing a "comeback" workout?

Bonus Question: What is the main reason you got off track or completely stopped you training program?

INTRODUCTION

We try to avoid it, but that does not stop it from happening. It's the time when for some reason, we get sidetracked off of our workout routine and never get around to getting back into the groove.

Each passing day of not working out makes it more difficult to start back up. Without even realizing it, we gain body fat and lose muscle mass. It isn't until we see past pictures of ourselves or receive a negative reaction from someone we haven't seen in a while that we realize how we've changed. Instead of getting those great "Wow you've been working out" compliments, we get the "Did you stop working out?" reactions.

It is then that we build up our past fuel for working out, and decide to make a commitment to get back in shape. At this point we are not in as bad of a position as it seems. Factors such as muscle memory and past experience will get you back into shape faster than you think.

So what is the best way to maximize your muscle memory and past experience to get back into shape faster? What workout is best to accomplish this goal? These subjects are what this article will cover.

So grab yourself a protein bar and learn how the best way to get back into the elite of society ...

PART 1:

WHAT IS THE BEST COMEBACK WORKOUT? BE SPECIFIC.

When preparing a comeback routine you should realize you aren't in the shape as you once were, however that is not a reason to do as little working out as possible. Your body has been at a lethargic state for a long time, meaning your body's muscles are completely healed and good to go for weightlifting.

Along with healed muscles, your muscle memory is another reason to not workout at a minimum. Simply put, muscle memory is the body's ability to activate the muscle fibers quickly due to having done it so many times in the past.

Let's divide muscle building into five stages:

1. Sedentary
2. Light
3. Moderate
4. High
5. Genetic Limit

Furthermore let's say for an average person to achieve these levels it takes; 3 months, 6 months, 2 years and 5 years from completion of the previous stage, respectively.

For instance, a person achieves a certain level of muscle and then stops. Some time later, if that same person gets back into the workout, he/she will gain muscle mass that he/she has already obtained in the past at a much faster rate. This can be seen visually as:

5 Stages Of Muscle Building.

This is how muscle memory plays a role in weightlifting. While these are not hard numbers, it serves as an illustration on how muscle memory works. So we make a routine based around our experience and the total usage of muscle memory.

This routine, as seen below, consists of 3 stages, each 4 weeks long.

• The first stage is getting your body back into shape. It includes easier exercises at high reps in order to increase muscle size by taking advantage of muscle memory.
• The second stage includes little harder exercises at moderate reps. Compound exercises such as pullups and dips, in order to increase muscle strength and prepare your body for more advanced exercises.
• Finally the third stage is consists of the more advanced exercises, such as weighted pull-ups and dips. They are done at low reps in order to be able to use high weight, which is optimal for strength gains.

WORKOUT TIPS:

1. While on this routine, one should use the maximum weight possible for the rep ranges called for.
2. Rest between sets should be about 90 seconds. Rest between exercises should be about 3 minutes. Thus a day's workout should not last longer than an hour.
3. Each exercise should be done with proper form coming before added weight. For descriptions of these exercises and more visit the Bodybuilding.com Exercise Database.

COMEBACK WORKOUT - 3 DAY SPLIT, 12 TOTAL WEEKS:

WEEKS 1-4, 12-15 REPS

DAY 1

Back - Cable Pulldowns, Cable Rows

Shoulders - Front Dumbbell Raises, Side Lateral Raises, Bent Over Rear Delt Row

Day 1 Log.

DAY 2

Triceps - Close-Grip Bench, Tricep Extensions

Legs - Barbell Squats, Dumbbell Calf Raises, Lying Leg Curls

Day 2 Log.

DAY 3

Biceps - EZ-Bar Preacher Curls, Hammer Curls

Traps - Barbell Shrugs

Chest - Incline Bench Press, Dumbbell Flies

Day 3 Log.

WEEKS 5-8, 8-10 REPS

DAY 1

Back - Pullups, Barbell Rows

Shoulders - Seated Dumbbell Press, Side Lateral Raises, Cable Seated Rear Lateral Raises

Day 1 Log.

DAY 2

Triceps - Bench Dips, Tricep Pushdowns

Legs - Barbell Lunges, Barbell Calf Raises, Standing Leg Curl

Day 2 Log.

DAY 3

Biceps - Chin-ups, Concentration Curls

Traps - Close grip barbell shrugs

Chest - Dips, Dumbbell Flies

Day 3 Log.

WEEKS 9-12, 4-6 REPS

DAY 1

Back - Weighted Pullups, Bent Over Dumbbell Rows

Shoulders - Barbell Military Press, Side Lateral Raises, Bent Over Rear Delt Row

Day 1 Log.

DAY 2

Tricepts - Tricep Dips, Lying Tricep Extensions

Legs - Barbell Squats, Dumbbell Calf Raises, Stiff Legged Deadlifts

Day 2 Log.

DAY 3

Biceps - Barbell Curls, Hammer Curls

Traps - Dumbbell Shrugs

Chest - Weighted Dips, Dumbbell Flies

Day 3 Log.

NUTRITION:

Along with the actual weightlifting, you must ingest the proper nutrition. Good training with a bad diet will yield little results or even ruin your comeback.

Usually when one stops working out, they also stop eating right. Remember to eat right you need a healthy balance of carbohydrates, protein, and fats. A good percentage would be sticking to 40% carbs, 40% protein, and 20% fats.

Depending on your body type and your goals, you then need to decide if you want to bulk up or cut. If you decide to bulk up, then set your daily calorie goals to 800 calories over your daily usage. If you decide to cut, then set your daily calorie goals to 800 calories under your daily usage.

Now that you have a template of your diet, it's time to talk about what to eat. As I mentioned before you should concern yourself not only with the amount of protein, carbs and fat but the quality of it also.

CARBOHYDRATES:

Carbohydrates supply your body with readily needed energy. However consuming carbohydrates over what your body uses will result in fat gain. Also it is important to eat the right quality of carbohydrates. Generally speaking, if it's brown it's good; if it's white it's bad.

Bad (simple) carbohydrates include white bread, white rice and sugar. Good (complex) carbohydrates include wheat bread, brown rice, nuts and whole grain cereals. The factor that separates the good from the bad is that the simple carbohydrates will spike your blood sugar, thus resulting in fat gain; whereas complex carbohydrates will gradually raise your blood sugar level, rather than spiking it.

PROTEIN:

While having to watch what carbohydrates you eat, protein is close but different. Protein in general is good for you; there is no bad type of protein. However what you eat that has protein in it determines if it's a good food or not. A McDonald's hamburger may have protein in it, but it's also loaded with saturated fats and simple carbohydrates.
On the other hand a chicken breast has a great deal of protein in it, and it's a lean source too which makes it a great bodybuilding food. There are two main types of protein, whey and casein. Whey protein is absorbed fast by the body, which makes it great for post-workout nutrition. Casein protein is absorbed slowly, which makes it great for long periods when you will not have anything to eat, such as when sleeping.

FATS:

Fats are the final nutrient. Fats, like carbohydrates have their bad forms and good forms. Saturated fat, which is found in cooking oils and butter, is the unhealthiest form of fat. The healthier fat is called monounsaturated fat. This fat is found mainly in olive oil, sesame oil, nuts, avocados and fish oil.
Another type of healthy fats is the EFA's (Essential fatty acids). These are found mainly in flaxseed oil, leafy vegetables, fish, shellfish and nuts. Fats should always be a part of your diet, as they maintain healthy skin and hair, maintain body temperature, promote healthy cell function, and are the only way your body can absorb vitamins A, D, E, and K.

SLEEP:

So we now have our workout set & our diet set - there is one more thing that will complete our comeback. That is proper rest. There is not much science behind sleep; basically 8 hours per day of uninterrupted sleep is recommended to maximize muscle gains and replenish your energy.
If you have trouble falling asleep, try keeping your bedroom cooler, avoid naps during the day, drink as few liquids as possible before bed, release tight fitting pants on your bladder, try not to sleep on your stomach and try sleep supplements such as ZMA or melatonin.
Combining the right workout, diet and sleep will make your comeback seem so much easier, and go so much smoother.

PART 2:

HOW LONG COULD IT TAKE TO BUILD THE MUSCLE BACK THAT YOU ONCE HAD?

As shown in the pyramid diagram earlier, the time it takes to build back the muscle you once had depends on how much muscle mass was achieved in the past.
If Jimmy only worked out for a month and achieved little added muscle mass, Jimmy would only have muscle memory spanning to that previous point. That position may take a short time to get there (2-3 weeks), however once that point is achieved Jimmy will be in unchartered territory. From that point on, his gains would take the same amount of time as most people's gains would.
However if Eva works out for 2 years before stopping, her muscle memory spans all the way to the High Muscle Mass level (as shown in the diagram). While a normal person takes 2 years to get there, she might achieve that same level in only 1 year because her body's muscle mass has been at that point before.
Whatever the amount of time you may have worked out in the past, it is a known fact that muscle memory will help you get to that level much faster than the average person. This alone gives you an excellent reason to get back into weightlifting.

PART 3:

HOW CAN ONE PREVENT BREAKING THE HABIT, NEVER NEEDING A "COMEBACK" WORKOUT?

Breaking yourself from any habit, including weightlifting, happens mainly because you take a break and never get back into it. One day of not working out becomes a week, which becomes a month and so on.
Many things can be done to prevent yourself from breaking your routine. These factors include:
• Preventing overtraining
• Keeping yourself motivated
• Prioritizing your daily schedule
• Having the right mindset

PREVENTING OVERTRAINING:

In brief terms, overtraining is working out too hard and too long without a break. Overtraining can lead to many problems such as:
• Loss of motivation
• Muscle loss
• Insomnia
• Depression
• Loss of appetite
• Immune disturbances
All of these factors can contribute to breaking a routine. While a rest from the routine is what is needed to cure overtraining syndrome, this break often spans a few months or years.

TO PREVENT OVERTRAINING:

Have a healthy, balanced diet; take breaks after 10-12 weeks of weightlifting and manage your workout routines wisely. For instance this means not to train arms 5 days a week. Extremely detailed information about overtraining can be found here:

KEEPING YOURSELF MOTIVATED:

Without motivation, you will not stick to a routine. Motivation is possibly the most important factor in keeping yourself from never straying from weightlifting.
To Keep Yourself Motivated:
Some tips to keep yourself motivated are:
• Getting a training partner
• Setting goals
• Take progress pictures every 3 months or so
• Use mirrors in when working out
• Keep a workout log to track progress
• Stick to a balanced diet in order to keep a healthy mindset

PRIORITIZING YOUR DAILY SCHEDULE:

A set daily schedule will help tremendously in keeping yourself in a routine. If your days are unplanned then you are unlikely to have something to do when it comes time to workout. For example, you usually workout at night and you put off studying for an exam until the end of day. It now comes down to either working out or studying, in this situation studying should come first; however it could all have been avoided by just studying earlier.

TO PRIORITIZE YOUR SCHEDULE:

Devote a certain time of day to working out. During that time of day you must not plan anything else, it would be as if this period did not exist. This time of day should include a free hour before and after the workout as to not have to rush during your training. For example if you workout from 10-11 a.m., then from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. there should not be anything planned.
Training Split Articles:
• Training Splits: Which One Is Best? - By Jim Brewster
• Finding The Ideal Training Split! - By Sr. Squat
• Basic Rules Of Split Training! - By AnimalPak
• Other Training Split Articles...

HAVING THE RIGHT MINDSET:

As if combining all of the above factors, having the right mindset is working out for the right reasons. You should workout for reasons such as your health, physique, and accomplishing goals. However you shouldn't go into workouts with the mindset of getting them over with as quickly as possible, just to say you worked out. If you do, then one of the above factors could be the reason why your workouts are not at their fullest potential.

TO HAVE THE RIGHT MINDSET:

Whether you workout at a gym or at home, the weightroom should be an escape from the real world. It's a place where you can leave all of your troubles behind and relieve stress. It is important to go into your workouts with this mindset, and the fact you are constantly improving your body.
After a workout you should know you have more muscle mass or less body fat than you did the day before. Each day is more and more progress to your goals.

PART 4 - BONUS QUESTION:

WHAT IS THE MAIN REASON YOU GOT OFF TRACK OR COMPLETELY STOPPED YOUR TRAINING PROGRAM?

I did not only get off track, or just completely stop my routine. I actually got sidetracked and later on completely stopped. Here is my story ...
Rewind back 2 and a half years ago. I was working out, however not with the right mindset. I'd just go through the motions in order to get it done with as quickly as possible. The only thing that was keeping me going was my training partner, since we worked out at his house. Back then I wanted to play games, watch TV or hang out with friends rather than working out.
The desire to take recreation time over workout time is the reason I got off track from my routine. However I did not stop working out, only because my workout partner would encourage me to keep going. If it wasn't for him, I would have completely stopped my routine long before I did. This is why I highly recommend workout partners for motivation.
So anyway I kept at the half-@ssed workouts for a few months. It was then I would completely stop training, my workout partner could not weightlift at the same time as I could due to a change in his work schedule. Once I didn't have him to push me anymore I stopped working out all together.
During this time I played computer games and hung out with friends, all sedentary activities. I kept telling myself I'd start working out again, but as time went on it got easier to not workout. Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months. I had gained body fat and lost muscle, however without realizing because I would see my body everyday. It wasn't until two concurrent events that I was able to break this cycle of lethargy.
One day at work, one of my friends that I haven't seen in months visited me. One of his first comments to me was, "Whoa you stopped working out?" That was a wakeup call for me. Even though I didn't notice I was getting out of shape, it was obvious others did. After all of the positive compliments I received in the past, I had actually gotten a negative comment. That was the point where I told myself I was going to start working out again.
Not a week after that wakeup call, behold another good occurrence. My workout partner had his work schedule changed, meaning we could workout together once again.
The first day of getting back into my routine was a Monday. I know this because Monday is the day we do a full-body workout. Included in this workout are supersetting push-ups and pull-ups. Supersetting is doing a set of push-ups followed immediately by a set of pull-ups. It's something I could endure in the past, however this workout was different.
I was so out of shape that after the three sets I felt as if I had to puke. It was a horrible feeling to actually see how much I had gotten out of shape.
When I got home after that workout I told myself I'd never stop working out again; I shouldn't have to feel completely exhausted after a few pull-ups and push-ups. It's been about two years since that incident, and I have never stopped working out. The only break I had was a month and a half off, because I had to get surgery on my back. (Nothing too serious, I just slipped a disc when squatting with improper form. Better form beats more weight, but that's another story)
Two years later I still have the motivation to stick to my routine, probably even more than before. You will not see results on a day by day basis; however when you see past pictures of yourself all out of shape, it is proof that working out is paying off.
I hope this article will help some of you who may be stagnating in their workouts or completely stopped. Getting out of your workout routine may be the easier path to take, but it isn't the smartest. Even though you may have an extra hour in the day free, you'll feel like crap ... which in my opinion does not come close to that wonderful feeling you get after a workout.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/wotw51.htm