Many of you may have heard of interval training before, and if you have played sports or have exercised in the past, there is a high probability you have used interval training whether you knew it or not.
So what exactly is interval training? Well ultimately, you are performing intervals whenever you do something for a set period of time that pushes you to your max energy expenditure (high heart rate) followed by a rest or lower-intensity exercise for a set period of time. Intervals come in many shapes and sizes and can include resistance training, dancing, or running. Whatever will get your heart rate soaring within a set period of time in considered an interval.
Keep in mind that not all interval workouts are the same. For example, running to catch a bus would be considered an interval as you are sprinting at a high pace to catch the bus, then once on it, you are resting. The problem is, that is only 1 interval and definitely not enough to be considered a 'workout'. The duration and intensity of each interval is what defines it as a great workout, good workout, or no workout at all!
On the flip side, aerobic training - such as jogging - is a great way to improve your aerobic capacity, but does little to improve your body.
At this point, some of you may be thinking the same thing, what about the "fat-burning zone"? These posters are plastered in virtually every gym. They show a graph that indicates your theoretical fat-burning zone based on age and heart rate. Many trainers may even tell you to reduce the intensity of your workout so that you stay within your zone so that you burn more fat.
On paper this makes sense and sounds good, and here is the science behind it. When you eat too much or take in too many calories (including sugar), your body makes stores of energy throughout your body called adipose tissue, or fat. This is an evolutionary thing that your body does for a multitude of reasons like insulating your body, protecting organs, energy storage, etc. Adipose is like diesel fuel for your body. It is used as your primary fuel source during low-intensity activities such as breathing, digestion, walking, etc. The problem is, fat (diesel fuel) burns at a very slow rate. That is why diesel fuel is not used in race cars.
So, staying within a certain (low) heart rate means I burn more fat right? Well, that is only part of the equation. Yes, your body burns a higher ratio of fat during low-level activity as another product of evolution. It is trying to conserve your blood glycogen (sugar) that is stored mainly in your muscles and liver for high-intense activity, such as running from a predator. Your glycogen is your jet fuel and is used for things like lifting weights, jumping up and down, sprinting, and pushing your body to maximum energy expenditure, say, when you're doing intervals!
Ok, so this still doesn't explain why intervals are better, but I am getting there. Our bodies are always adapting, for good or for bad. For example, sitting on the couch all day is sending a message to your brain and body that your muscles are not needed, so if they're not needed, then dispose of them and remove them. This is called atrophy. How do we combat this? You have to push your body to a level of exhaustion. When you do so, your are damaging body tissues. Yes, in this case, damaging your tissues is a good thing.
By pushing your body to exhaustion, you are damaging tissues and telling your brain and body that not only are you using your body, but you need a better body. By tearing down the walls of your muscles and other tissues in your body your brain releases waves of hormones in order to rebuild your better body. The process of reconstructing your body tissues requires a lot of energy so your metabolism is naturally increased.
This is known as progressive overload. Your body has to adapt to the damages you created so that the intense exercise you just did won't be as difficult next time. But, if you keep returning and pushing yourself a little further each time, then you will continue to create dramatic change in your body, constantly bumping up your resting metabolism, or the amount of energy your body needs daily to repair damaged tissues as it continues to adapt in a positive way. All of this positive adaptation is causing your body to burn fat at a faster, more efficient rate!
The thing about intervals is that most people like to exercise in their comfort zone. As long as they go to the gym and do their 30mins on a treadmill, they feel good about themselves for exercising, but also feel fine because they didn't push themselves too far. That is fine and dandy, but it does not dramatically change your body. Yes, people that run or cycle great distances have lean bodies, but that is because they exercise for very long periods of time covering great distances.
Resistance training can technically be considered interval training, but generally you see body builders doing intense sets followed by long rest periods. Circuit training, on the other hand, is a highly effective form of resistance training, especially for the recreational exerciser, because you can train alternating body parts with little rest in between to keep your heart rate peaking up and down with short breaks in between sets.
Interval training should be a mainstay in everyone's workout program, not just for athletes. You need to push yourself to your limits, allow your body to spend all day burning fat like crazy repairing your tissues, then come back and do it all again next time by pushing yourself a little further. That is how you create dramatic change in your body!
Tyler Robbins
B.Sc. PTS
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Introduction to the Glycemic Index
In past blogs, I discussed such topics as timing and relevance of your diet. I have even discussed sugars and carbs and how they effect our diets. Today, I am going to give you a fairly brief, yet good, introduction into what is known as the glycemic index!
In a nutshell, the glycemic index (GI) relates to the fluctuations in our blood sugar levels. This is very important for diabetics because they must control their diets/medication in way to keep a steady blood sugar level. Unfortunately, regular, "healthy" people don't seem to take enough interest in their GI's when they should because it plays a large role in our everyday lives such as food cravings, mood, and energy levels.
How It Works:
When you ingest a food, if it contains any type of carbohydrate whatsoever, your body breaks down that food and absorbs the nutrients into the blood stream as quick as possible. The subsequent "spike" in your blood sugar level is represented by a number on the Glycemic Index based on how quickly that particular food enters the blood stream. Sugars enter the blood at an alarming rate, but when digested with other nutrients such as protein, fats or fiber, the process is slowed down.
Refined foods should be approached with caution. What I mean by this is that refined or cooked foods can have their fibrous structure broken down which increases their GI number. For example, a baked or cooked potato will have a higher number than a raw potato. As you begin to remove the fibrous nature of the carbohydrate, when it is digested, it enters your bloodstream and acts like jet fuel. This is great if you are about to be very active and go exercise/play a sport, but if you are sitting on your computer or watching tv, the effects can be lost (refer to previous blog regarding Strategizing Your Diet). Ingesting high-GI foods gives you that "sugar rush" that can cause short-term energy and awareness, but can also cause you to "crash" just as hard as your insulin levels rise to meet the need of all of that sugar, only to bring your levels tumbling down until you reach the point where your body craves...more sugar!
So What to Watch Out For:
Some of you by this point may start to Google Glycemic Index and think to yourself, "Alright, coffee and Diet Coke are both low on the GI scale...and bananas and carrots are high, I should just stick to drinking those awesome beverages...right?!?" Wrong. What you need to keep in mind is that the GI scale is not the be-all end-all of the diet world. You should still keep to your ratios of macronutrients based on your activity level. For example, if you exercise intensely every single day, your carbohydrates should be high. If you are sedentary or only do light exercise, then your carbs will be lower. Either way, your carbs, fats, and proteins should be mixed in some sort of healthy ratio that suits your lifestyle.
Great, so what about those items that are low on the GI scale? Well, things like bananas and carrots are high on the GI scale, but they also contain fiber and other vital nutrients, you know, the stuff that keeps our bodies healthy and functioning, that essentially cancel-out any negative GI number they carry. Candy on the other hand should be avoided or used only as a rare special treat, and yes, candy includes desserts, etc.
The reason why things such as Diet Coke would be low on the GI scale is that they don't contain any sugar. Sorry, let me rephrase that, they don't contain anything useful for the human body...just a bunch of chemicals you are putting in your body...but that will be left for another day!
One of the main offenders, and diabetics learn this pretty quickly, is refined grains. I am talking about white rice, white bread, white pastas, etc. The refining process combined with cooking these items makes them all but void of any fiber, so their GI numbers are off the charts. The saving grace here is if you eat your bread with meat or cheese or vegetables that contain either fat, protein or fiber that help slow the digestion and absorption process. If at all possible though, eliminate white, refined grains from your diet as much as possible and stick to whole grain as they have more fiber in them eliminated the sugar spike.
Final Things to Remember:
When it comes down to it, an individual with following a balanced diet and an active lifestyle does not need to worry about sugar as much, but should still try and avoid blood sugar spikes as much as possible. The problems we run into are the individuals that consume large quantities of sugar and are sedentary, as these empty calories pack on the body fat in no time! Here are few final key points to remember:
-Items with a high GI number are worse than those with a low GI number
-Natural foods are better than processed, refined foods
-Uncooked is better than cooked
-Fructose (fruits) is better than sucrose (table sugar) which is better than high-fructose corn syrup (not to be confused with natural fructose!
-Fruits and veggies are essentially fine, even if they have a high GI number
-Level of carbs in your diet should reflect your activity level
-Don't drink your calories, people consume so many of their calories through sugary drinks (soda, juice, energy drinks) that are void of fiber, causing major sugar spikes, which in turn cause many cravings
-Tyler Robbins
B.Sc. PTS
In a nutshell, the glycemic index (GI) relates to the fluctuations in our blood sugar levels. This is very important for diabetics because they must control their diets/medication in way to keep a steady blood sugar level. Unfortunately, regular, "healthy" people don't seem to take enough interest in their GI's when they should because it plays a large role in our everyday lives such as food cravings, mood, and energy levels.
How It Works:
When you ingest a food, if it contains any type of carbohydrate whatsoever, your body breaks down that food and absorbs the nutrients into the blood stream as quick as possible. The subsequent "spike" in your blood sugar level is represented by a number on the Glycemic Index based on how quickly that particular food enters the blood stream. Sugars enter the blood at an alarming rate, but when digested with other nutrients such as protein, fats or fiber, the process is slowed down.
Refined foods should be approached with caution. What I mean by this is that refined or cooked foods can have their fibrous structure broken down which increases their GI number. For example, a baked or cooked potato will have a higher number than a raw potato. As you begin to remove the fibrous nature of the carbohydrate, when it is digested, it enters your bloodstream and acts like jet fuel. This is great if you are about to be very active and go exercise/play a sport, but if you are sitting on your computer or watching tv, the effects can be lost (refer to previous blog regarding Strategizing Your Diet). Ingesting high-GI foods gives you that "sugar rush" that can cause short-term energy and awareness, but can also cause you to "crash" just as hard as your insulin levels rise to meet the need of all of that sugar, only to bring your levels tumbling down until you reach the point where your body craves...more sugar!
So What to Watch Out For:
Some of you by this point may start to Google Glycemic Index and think to yourself, "Alright, coffee and Diet Coke are both low on the GI scale...and bananas and carrots are high, I should just stick to drinking those awesome beverages...right?!?" Wrong. What you need to keep in mind is that the GI scale is not the be-all end-all of the diet world. You should still keep to your ratios of macronutrients based on your activity level. For example, if you exercise intensely every single day, your carbohydrates should be high. If you are sedentary or only do light exercise, then your carbs will be lower. Either way, your carbs, fats, and proteins should be mixed in some sort of healthy ratio that suits your lifestyle.
Great, so what about those items that are low on the GI scale? Well, things like bananas and carrots are high on the GI scale, but they also contain fiber and other vital nutrients, you know, the stuff that keeps our bodies healthy and functioning, that essentially cancel-out any negative GI number they carry. Candy on the other hand should be avoided or used only as a rare special treat, and yes, candy includes desserts, etc.
The reason why things such as Diet Coke would be low on the GI scale is that they don't contain any sugar. Sorry, let me rephrase that, they don't contain anything useful for the human body...just a bunch of chemicals you are putting in your body...but that will be left for another day!
One of the main offenders, and diabetics learn this pretty quickly, is refined grains. I am talking about white rice, white bread, white pastas, etc. The refining process combined with cooking these items makes them all but void of any fiber, so their GI numbers are off the charts. The saving grace here is if you eat your bread with meat or cheese or vegetables that contain either fat, protein or fiber that help slow the digestion and absorption process. If at all possible though, eliminate white, refined grains from your diet as much as possible and stick to whole grain as they have more fiber in them eliminated the sugar spike.
Final Things to Remember:
When it comes down to it, an individual with following a balanced diet and an active lifestyle does not need to worry about sugar as much, but should still try and avoid blood sugar spikes as much as possible. The problems we run into are the individuals that consume large quantities of sugar and are sedentary, as these empty calories pack on the body fat in no time! Here are few final key points to remember:
-Items with a high GI number are worse than those with a low GI number
-Natural foods are better than processed, refined foods
-Uncooked is better than cooked
-Fructose (fruits) is better than sucrose (table sugar) which is better than high-fructose corn syrup (not to be confused with natural fructose!
-Fruits and veggies are essentially fine, even if they have a high GI number
-Level of carbs in your diet should reflect your activity level
-Don't drink your calories, people consume so many of their calories through sugary drinks (soda, juice, energy drinks) that are void of fiber, causing major sugar spikes, which in turn cause many cravings
-Tyler Robbins
B.Sc. PTS
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Strategize Your Diet - Part 3
The last couple of blogs have been about eating carbohydrates and proteins at correct times. Today's blog will be a couple of last tips for other ideas on how to strategize your diet!
Stay Hydrated - Athletes and non-athletes alike should drink more fluids, especially if you are exercising. One of the first signs of fatigue is due to dehydration. A simple rule is if you are not going to the bathroom at least every 3 hours, then you are probably not drinking enough. That means that you should also increase your fluid intake on hotter days and days of intense exercise. Stay away from sugary and caffeinated beverages though as they act as diuretics, stick to just plain ol' water! It is tough to judge exactly how much you should be drinking sometimes based on weather, exercise intensity, etc. so try this: Weigh yourself before and after an exercise session. The weight you lost will be almost entirely water through sweating and respiration. For every pound of weight lost, drink 3 cups of water (750ml) to re-hydrate your body. You should not always wait until you are thirsty because thirst indicates you are already well on your way to being completely dehydrated!
Don't Be Afraid of Salt - If you exercise intensely, you need salt in your diet as well. Your body keeps a fine balance between water and salt content, so if you are trying to maintain a low-salt diet, your body will just be expelling more and more water to counteract this. Now I am not saying that you need to go overboard and eat a bag of pretzels before a workout, but sports drinks usually do the trick of replenishing your "electrolytes" (salts). Just don't guzzle down a sports drink and then go sit and be an armchair quarterback...that gets us back to "Strategize Your Diet - Part 1" taking in useless carbs!
Get Outside - Many old-school bodybuilders were onto something when they would leave the gym and go soak up some rays. Yes, they were probably just trying to get a nice bronzed look, but research has now shown that some unprotected sun exposure, allowing your body to create Vitamin D the natural way, has many benefits to muscular (and other body parts) health and well-being. If you don't get enough sun, like many northern-climate countries, then taking a supplement will help as well!
Use these, as well as the tips discussed in the previous two posts to help maximize your diet and allow you to reap the most benefits from your exercise program possible! There is a saying in the fitness industry, "You can't out-train a bad diet" so if you are putting in the time in the gym to get fit, why squander those results by not cleaning up your diet too?
Tyler Robbins
B.Sc. PTS
Stay Hydrated - Athletes and non-athletes alike should drink more fluids, especially if you are exercising. One of the first signs of fatigue is due to dehydration. A simple rule is if you are not going to the bathroom at least every 3 hours, then you are probably not drinking enough. That means that you should also increase your fluid intake on hotter days and days of intense exercise. Stay away from sugary and caffeinated beverages though as they act as diuretics, stick to just plain ol' water! It is tough to judge exactly how much you should be drinking sometimes based on weather, exercise intensity, etc. so try this: Weigh yourself before and after an exercise session. The weight you lost will be almost entirely water through sweating and respiration. For every pound of weight lost, drink 3 cups of water (750ml) to re-hydrate your body. You should not always wait until you are thirsty because thirst indicates you are already well on your way to being completely dehydrated!
Don't Be Afraid of Salt - If you exercise intensely, you need salt in your diet as well. Your body keeps a fine balance between water and salt content, so if you are trying to maintain a low-salt diet, your body will just be expelling more and more water to counteract this. Now I am not saying that you need to go overboard and eat a bag of pretzels before a workout, but sports drinks usually do the trick of replenishing your "electrolytes" (salts). Just don't guzzle down a sports drink and then go sit and be an armchair quarterback...that gets us back to "Strategize Your Diet - Part 1" taking in useless carbs!
Get Outside - Many old-school bodybuilders were onto something when they would leave the gym and go soak up some rays. Yes, they were probably just trying to get a nice bronzed look, but research has now shown that some unprotected sun exposure, allowing your body to create Vitamin D the natural way, has many benefits to muscular (and other body parts) health and well-being. If you don't get enough sun, like many northern-climate countries, then taking a supplement will help as well!
Use these, as well as the tips discussed in the previous two posts to help maximize your diet and allow you to reap the most benefits from your exercise program possible! There is a saying in the fitness industry, "You can't out-train a bad diet" so if you are putting in the time in the gym to get fit, why squander those results by not cleaning up your diet too?
Tyler Robbins
B.Sc. PTS
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Strategize Your Diet - Part 2
Last post I discussed the topic of planning your carbohydrate intake during the day based on timing of exercise as well as intensity. This post is going to discuss protein intake and its effect on the body at different times during the day.
Protein, along with carbohydrates, contain 4 calories per gram. The difference is, carbohydrates yield nearly all of those calories as energy (or stored as fat), whereas the simple act of digesting protein burns calories. Not to mention the fact that protein is needed for countless processes in the body including muscle and tissue building, hormone production, etc.
Many people feel like they only need protein in their diet on days when they are exercising. This couldn't be further from the truth. Think of your body as a construction site. Virtually all of your tissues in your body are constantly being "torn down" and replaced by newer, more efficient cells. This is part of your body's defense mechanisms against diseases like cancer. The longer a cell sticks around, the better chance it has at goofing up and making a mistake causing a mutation, but that discussion can wait for another day.
Everyone should have plenty of protein in their diets for all of your body's natural processes, as well as tissue building. Now, exercise - especially resistance training - causes micro tears and damages in your muscle tissue which needs to be repaired and replaced. This is the entire basis of resistance training. You want to damage your muscles by working them hard, so that your body will come in to repair and replace those damaged muscle cells with bigger (sometimes), faster, stronger ones. The process of muscle repair is what heightens your metabolism for hours following a workout.
So, back to protein. It is crucial that you feed your body the proper building blocks following a workout so that it can go about its business by repairing and replacing your tissues. Many different studies have been done on this topic and there are varying thoughts on the matter, but from what I have read and researched, a beverage or protein shake immediately following (within an hour) a workout with a ratio of 4:1, grams of carbs to grams of protein, seems to be the best way to feed your body.
Not only does the carbohydrates replace depleted glycogen stores in the muscles/liver to replenish your anaerobic energy levels, but it also acts as a sort of shunt or transport system delivering the correct amino acids to your muscles to aid in the rebuilding process. Chocolate milk is a great post-workout drink, and is what I use following my workouts. It has that correct ratio of carbs to proteins and is also pretty darn tasty too!
On top of using protein as a post-workout recovery drink, small amounts of protein should be ingested every few hours throughout the day. No, that does not mean that you need to be chewing on a chicken breast every few hours, but some sort of protein source is beneficial such as a protein shake, almonds, fish, quinoa, or yogurt (Greek yogurt especially!). Ingesting protein at set intervals throughout the day gives your body the tools it needs to maintain its tissues as well as stabilize its blood sugar level. Elevated protein has been shown to give healthier-looking skin and hair as well as acting as an appetite suppressor as it takes longer to digest, keeping you feeling "full" longer, which is good for fighting off those hunger pangs.
So what types of protein should you ingest? Whey protein can be found in a variety of protein shakes. It is a fast-acting protein which means it can digest, distribute itself throughout the bloodstream and be into the muscles in no time. This is a fantastic type of protein for post-workout so that you can get those amino acids to your muscles as soon as possible.
Casein protein is found in mammalian dairy products such as cheese and milk and is a slower-digesting protein which can stabilize your blood sugars for longer and provide more of a steady drip of protein for hours after ingesting. This is great for a mid-afternoon snack!
When it comes down to it, having more protein in your diet can be beneficial for everyone, men and women. Not only does it suppress your appetite, give you a youthful appearance, and stabilize blood sugar levels, protein is also vital after exercising to build more lean, healthy, efficient muscle tissue. More muscle means a higher resting metabolic rate, which means you are burning more calories even at a resting state!
-Tyler Robbins
B.Sc. PTS
Protein, along with carbohydrates, contain 4 calories per gram. The difference is, carbohydrates yield nearly all of those calories as energy (or stored as fat), whereas the simple act of digesting protein burns calories. Not to mention the fact that protein is needed for countless processes in the body including muscle and tissue building, hormone production, etc.
Many people feel like they only need protein in their diet on days when they are exercising. This couldn't be further from the truth. Think of your body as a construction site. Virtually all of your tissues in your body are constantly being "torn down" and replaced by newer, more efficient cells. This is part of your body's defense mechanisms against diseases like cancer. The longer a cell sticks around, the better chance it has at goofing up and making a mistake causing a mutation, but that discussion can wait for another day.
Everyone should have plenty of protein in their diets for all of your body's natural processes, as well as tissue building. Now, exercise - especially resistance training - causes micro tears and damages in your muscle tissue which needs to be repaired and replaced. This is the entire basis of resistance training. You want to damage your muscles by working them hard, so that your body will come in to repair and replace those damaged muscle cells with bigger (sometimes), faster, stronger ones. The process of muscle repair is what heightens your metabolism for hours following a workout.
So, back to protein. It is crucial that you feed your body the proper building blocks following a workout so that it can go about its business by repairing and replacing your tissues. Many different studies have been done on this topic and there are varying thoughts on the matter, but from what I have read and researched, a beverage or protein shake immediately following (within an hour) a workout with a ratio of 4:1, grams of carbs to grams of protein, seems to be the best way to feed your body.
Not only does the carbohydrates replace depleted glycogen stores in the muscles/liver to replenish your anaerobic energy levels, but it also acts as a sort of shunt or transport system delivering the correct amino acids to your muscles to aid in the rebuilding process. Chocolate milk is a great post-workout drink, and is what I use following my workouts. It has that correct ratio of carbs to proteins and is also pretty darn tasty too!
On top of using protein as a post-workout recovery drink, small amounts of protein should be ingested every few hours throughout the day. No, that does not mean that you need to be chewing on a chicken breast every few hours, but some sort of protein source is beneficial such as a protein shake, almonds, fish, quinoa, or yogurt (Greek yogurt especially!). Ingesting protein at set intervals throughout the day gives your body the tools it needs to maintain its tissues as well as stabilize its blood sugar level. Elevated protein has been shown to give healthier-looking skin and hair as well as acting as an appetite suppressor as it takes longer to digest, keeping you feeling "full" longer, which is good for fighting off those hunger pangs.
So what types of protein should you ingest? Whey protein can be found in a variety of protein shakes. It is a fast-acting protein which means it can digest, distribute itself throughout the bloodstream and be into the muscles in no time. This is a fantastic type of protein for post-workout so that you can get those amino acids to your muscles as soon as possible.
Casein protein is found in mammalian dairy products such as cheese and milk and is a slower-digesting protein which can stabilize your blood sugars for longer and provide more of a steady drip of protein for hours after ingesting. This is great for a mid-afternoon snack!
When it comes down to it, having more protein in your diet can be beneficial for everyone, men and women. Not only does it suppress your appetite, give you a youthful appearance, and stabilize blood sugar levels, protein is also vital after exercising to build more lean, healthy, efficient muscle tissue. More muscle means a higher resting metabolic rate, which means you are burning more calories even at a resting state!
-Tyler Robbins
B.Sc. PTS
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