A day at the beach

We went to CA last week and for the first time in a long time I was excited to wear a bikini.  Jenn and I had fun taking some pictures of each other on muscle beach.  I think the guys working out were a little put off or maybe just distracted as we were the only to girls in the vicinity.  I gave myself licence to eat whatever I wanted and not feel guilty about it and it was everything that I thought it would be.  We even had ice cream for dinner one night...it was glorious. 
Since none of this is workout related I feel the need to add a little note of advice.  Do your cardio after you lift weights.  Your body takes 20 mins to burn through its glycogen(sugar) stores before you start to burn fat.  It you burn thought the glycogen during weight lifting, you will start burning fat for fuel as soon as you start your cardio and get the most bang for your buck.

Chelle

Teeny tiny bikini

My sister and I went to the Fitness competition on Saturday.  This is the same competition that we are going to compete in next year.  There were a record number of contestants...262!  It was amazing to see some of the bodies of the athletes.  Some of the men were so cut and defined that you could see the different fibers in their chest muscles.  It was like being at Body Worlds, but you could see the muscles with the skin still on.  The women started with the fitness competitors.  They come out on stage according to their class which is based on height.  They do quarter turns in front of the judges completing a circle, flexing the whole time they are on stage.  They were so muscular; you could see all of the muscles in their backs, beautiful v-tapers, ripped abs, defined bootys and not a drop of fat.  I was so intimidated, not to mention that the women the judges seemed to favor were a little bigger than I would like to be.  I was feeling reluctant...then the bikini women took the stage.  Now these women have some beautiful bodies, but not cut so you can see all the muscles.  They are toned and tight with not so much as a thigh dimple.  They don't have to flex, they simply stand in front of the judges, pose and smile.  They do a short "model walk" and present their backside to the viewing audience.  This was far less intimidating and totally achievable.  They had about 20 contestants per "class", so I have to have a better body than about 20 hard bodies to win.  I realize that this is probably not going to happen, but hey, at least I can say I tried.

Ketosis

While talking to a trainer at my gym to inquiring about getting ready for a fitness competition, he mentioned that I would want to put my body in to a state of ketosis for 2 weeks before.  Having lived though the Atkins craze I am familiar with the term and am none to happy to have to try it again.  I tried Atkins, where you eat a very minimal amount of carbs, for a few days about 8 years ago...it was awful.  I felt shaky and jittery; I could feel my blood sugar dropping and if you have ever had a sugar crash, you know that you have to get sugar and you have to get in NOW!  So it made me wonder, what exactly is a "state of ketosis" and why is it so important for body building? 
Ketosis is when the body lacks fuel from food sources and must burn its own fat for fuel. Normally the body burns carbohydrates for fuel -- this is the main source of fuel for your brain, heart ,and many other organs. A person in ketosis is getting energy from ketones, little carbon fragments that are the fuel created by the breakdown of fat stores.

As a result, your body changes from a carbohydrate-burning engine into a fat-burning engine. So instead of relying on the carbohydrate-rich items you might typically consume for energy, and leaving your fat stores just where they were before (alas, the hips, belly, and thighs), your fat stores become a primary energy source.  It also benefits people weight training is by increasing the growth hormones released due to low insulin levels. Don't worry about getting bulky if you are considering ketosis, as women it is nearly impossible to "bulk-up" without the use of steroids; we just don't have enough testosterone to make it possible.

This sounds pretty good, the body burning fat for fuel, I'm totally loving this clever evolutionary trick.  Think about early man, meat would often be more readily available than crops containing a high amount of carbohydrates, thus the body would find another way to get energy...from fat stores.

Since in our modern, fast food world, we are never at a lack for carbs our body wants to avoid this "state" at all costs.  It can take several weeks for your body to get used to using ketones for energy instead of glucose(derived from carbs). During these weeks, your body will fight to get its carbs back and I can say from experience, it fights dirty.  I can't imagine feeling that way for several weeks; I only lasted a few hours. 

So can I get in "competition" shape without ketosis?  Only time will tell...

Anitbiotics, friend or foe?

I took antibiotics about two weeks ago to get rid of a sinus infection; it worked.  It killed most of the bacteria in my body, then my husband got gastroenteritis (stomach flu).  It didn't seem too bad, he was sick for about 10 hours and recovered for the most part in 24.  Then I got the stomach flu and it kicked my butt.  I was hold-up in the bathroom for 24 hours and writhing in pain.  I was convinced that something more must be wrong since I was in so much pain.  I tried to go to urgent care, but there was about 25 people in this dirty little room with plastic chairs and I decided I would rather go home and die then wait there.  It started to get better that night and I was able to keep food down.  It still took 2 days before I could stand without the black fuzzy dizziness that you get when you are super dehydrated.
So why was I hit so much harder than my husband?  As you may have already guessed, antibiotics are the culprit.  They can't distinguish between good bacteria and bad bacteria, so while traveling through my digestive tract they took out all of the good, healthy bacteria that keep things running smoothly.  The hubs, unknowingly, passed the virus on to me and bahm!  My system is without defense and tells my brain, we have no defenses here, just get rid of everything and brain does just that.  The whole digestive system contracts and seizes until everything is out. 
It takes the human body 18 months to regrow all of the good bacteria that are killed from taking one round of antibiotics.  18 months! Taking probiotics and eating foods with them, like yogurt, can help and I know I should have done that...too late now.  Doctors should say that every time they write a script for antibiotics, "Take some probiotics with this and if you come in contact with the stomach flu you will feel like you are dying.  Still want the antibiotics?"  I officially declare antibiotics foe and I will try to take them only when necessary; no need to die from strep to prove a point.

Back in the gym

After being out of the gym all last week due to a sinus infection and sick kids, I was so happy to get back today. I stuck to my plan and lifted legs for 30 mins and then ran/walked for 45 mins.  I must say I did better than I thought I would.  I actually ran about 2/3 of the time which is pretty good for me since I wasn't being chased by anything.
I read up on nutrition for running.  Most people know that you should carb load before a long run for sustained energy, but what you might not know is that foods that are high in protein, fat and fiber can actually make you feel worse.  These foods are difficult to digest; since your body takes blood away from functions like digestion during bouts of high activity, eating them will cause gastrointestinal issues.  Whats more, eating refined carbs like white flour and pasta are the best since they are already broken down.  On running days it is better to eat a low protein/high carb breakfast, no that doesn't mean you can have a donut.  Try a banana and half a protein bar, I especially like this option because I can eat half in the car on the way to the gym and eat the other half on the way home. I did follow-up my workout today with a protein shake since I also lifted.
I have been taking the creatine before my workouts and I am starting to notice the difference.  Maybe it is in my head, but I feel like I can go longer before I reach failure and I can run longer too. 

I'm a runner now?

This weekend I went to the Rock'n Roll Marathon to see two of my good friends complete the half marathon.  The energy was amazing; I got a total contact high.  My friend Jen told me that her next event is going to be the half marathon in Disneyland later this year.  I hate to run, anyone who knows me knows I hate to run.  However, I love Disneyland, seemingly more than I hate running because I have committed to doing the race with her.  I still want to do a fitness competition next year, so I need to continue to build muscle as I train to run 13.1 miles (oh god help me)  I have a plan; I have created a schedule for myself for the next month(see below)  After a month, I will see where I am and fine tune my schedule to my new level.  I also want to work in a few long runs outside with the girls that are going to do the 1/2 marathon.
After the half marathon in September, I plan to drop long distance running and train hard for the fitness competition in 2012. 
Now I have to figure out what foods are best before and after running as I want to protect my muscle from being cannibalized for fuel.  Stay tuned...

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Run 45-1hr Lift Legs	Lift Bis/Tris & Shoulders	Run 45-1hr Chest/back	Lift Legs	Run 45-1hr Bi/Tri/shoulder	Lift Chest/Back

Eating like crap!

What is wrong with me?  I can't stop eating processed foods this week.  Maybe it is because I have a cold, my kids have colds or the stress of trying to take care of them and me, but I just can't seem to stop.  I tell myself to eat something healthy like an apple with natural peanut butter, next thing you know I am scooping sour cream out of the tub with crackers...bwaa!  I will eat clean, I will eat clean, I will eat clean.  I recently read an article in Oxygen magazine that said, "short-term exposure to foods like beef, butter, full-fat cheese and milk contain a type of saturated fat that turns off the pathway to your brain that make you feel full."  Even if you return to good eating right after eating this kind of fat, the effects last three days.  That is three days of working against your own brain.  I must get back to clean eating; I will get back to clean eating!

Oxygen

My kiddos are sick and cranky, so this is going to be short and sweet.
I lifted legs today before I did yoga, that was a mistake.  The yoga instructor at my gym rocks and she does some hard stuff, my legs were shaking.  I won't do that again.
I got my first issue of Oxygen magazine in the mail yesterday.  I have been reading my sister's old copies for a while, but she got me a subscription for Christmas.  I love this magazine; if I could read just one magazine Oxygen would be it.  It has great nutritional information, workouts, recipes and motivational stories.  If you are interested check it out at http://www.oxygenmag.com/.  To get a rockn' deal on a subscription go to www.bestdealmagazines.com I think they have it for $5.99 for a whole year!

Protein

My good friend Danielle and I lifted our max weight today to see just how much we could lift with different muscle groups.  First off let me just say, that girl is strong; she kicked my butt on every muscle.  So here is what I lifted.
Bicep Curl barbell: 50lbs.
Leg Press: 423lbs.
Bench Press: 75lbs.
Tricep pull-downs: 42.5
I hope to improve in all of these areas over the next few months. 
One key to continuing to build muscle...lots of protein.  It is very important to get a good source of healthy protein before and after every workout.  Aim for 20grams before and 20-30grams after.  This is far more important when you are weight lifting than doing cardio.  Protein is made of amino acids, amino acids are the building blocks of muscle.  If you lift, but don't consume an adequate amount of protein your muscles won't repair and grow to their full potential, thus you are waisting your precious time.  Some easy and yummy sources of protein: Greek yogurt, whey protein, egg whites (boil a few the night before if you are in a hurry) skim milk.  Try to always get some fiber with your protein; it will slow down digestion, making you feel fuller longer. 

1 Up, 3 Down

I mentioned yesterday that by lifting weights you burn more calories even after you are done lifting, with a range of 15-72 hours after depending on what part of your muscle is utilized.  In an article published in Fitness Rx, they discuss the effect that resistance exercise has on oxygen consumption post-workout.  This post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) is believed to be the reason that you continue to burn calories after you lift.  What it all boils down to is this, the harder your body has to work to repair the muscle the more calories you burn.  Preforming exercises with a 1 up (concentric), 1 down (eccentric) count increases post-exercise metabolism for 14 to 15 hours.  However, a 1 up, 3 down count elevates your metabolic rate for 72 hours!  The one count is when you are contracting your muscle to lift the weight, the three count is when you are lowering the weight or working against gravity.  Researchers suspect the increase comes from muscle repair; it is believed that the eccentric muscles work harder to repair themselves, thus resulting in the elevated metabolic rate.
         *If you are new to lifting you may want to start with a 1/1 count.  The study mentioned that the newbies were extremely sore after preforming the exercises with a 1/3 count. 

Another article mentioned that if you want long, lean muscles you should work the eccentric part harder (ie 1/3 count)  If you are looking to build muscle for, say, a more shapely bottom a 3/1 count is optimal, but you won't elevate your metabolic rate for as long.  I think using both techniques is a great way to build muscle, elevate your metabolic rate up and keep your body guessing.

"Just say NO!" to cardio

So I have been going to the gym about 5 days a week for 6 weeks.  When I started my body fat percentage was 24.5%; I took it again today...it was 21.5%  After a few simple calculations, I estimate that I have lost 6lbs of fat and gained 1lb of muscle.  I have done almost no cardio, except for 10 mins once or twice a week at the end of my workout to add to my calorie burn. 
Most of us know that your metabolism slows down as you age, making it harder to maintain and lose weight.  Your metabolism slows due to loss of muscle, as women we lose about half a pound of muscle every year after the age of twenty, one pound after the age of thirty and at the age of menopause that number will double!  That will equal 5lbs of weight gain in your 20s, 10lbs in your 30s and 20lbs in your 40s and 50s.  So without having changed your diet or exercise regimen you have gained 30-40lbs. 
You have to lift weights and you have to push yourself. 
I can't tell you how many times I walk past a woman sitting on a circuit training machine zoned out lifting 5 lbs on a muscle that can easily lift 20lbs or more.  It has to hurt; no pain, no gain.  If you reach 12 reps and you can still do more, up the weight.  Try to up the weight you lift a little every time you workout that muscle.  If you are working really hard, you will burn as many calories in an hour lifting weights as you will doing cardio.  Bonus: After lifting your metabolic rate stays up for at least 15-72 hours (depending on if you worked concentric or eccentric muscles, more on that next time) as your muscles work to repair themselves.  After you stop doing cardio your metabolic rate goes back to normal almost immediately.  Furthermore, after more than 30 mins of cardio your body can start to cannibalize muscle to give you the energy to keep going. 
You don't gain muscle from doing cardio, you have to lift weights.  Step away from the treadmill and head over to the scary weight room.  It is about time women take it over; how awesome would it be to see more women in the weight area then men?!

One caveat, if you are training for a marathon or an endurance event, of course you are going to be doing cardio, but if you just want to lose weight and increase muscle mass, weights, weights, weights!

Creatine, not just for big burly men

I went to Vitamin World a few days ago to get a new protein powder, while I was there I noticed a whole shelf dedicated to creatine.  I have heard of it before in regard to men lifting and assumed it was only for big muscle men who wanted to be even bigger.  I thought it was like a legal steroid; I was so wrong.  It is actually an amino acid that occurs naturally in our muscle, we acquire most of the creatine in our body by consuming meat, fish, eggs, nuts.  Amino acids are the building blocks of protien, so most (natural) high protein foods have creatine.  Creatine works in the body to speed recovery and enhance your strength.  As a supplement it allows you to work longer before you reach fatigue or failure by converting ADP back to ATP which supplies your muscles with energy.  It also helps delay the burning feeling you get from pushing your muscles to failure by buffering lactic acid.  I have read conflicting articles about whether or not creatine will help stimulate muscle growth, but by lifting longer and heavier before reaching failure one would assume you would gain more muscle.  If you are not pushing your muscles to failure then creatine is probably an unnecessary supplement.  As for me, I am taking it twice a day.  Once before I workout and once after...the jury is still out, but I figure it can't hurt anything to try it. 

"The pain of discipline is far less than the pain of regret"
- Sarah Bombell, synchronized swimmer

In the beginning

So here it is the start of a new year and the start of a new me.  I have always marveled at how the human body works.  It is amazing how each muscle, vein, fiber and cell in our body has a very specific task to keep us alive and thriving.  Really that is the whole goal of the human body, to keep us alive.  Of course this was a lot more difficult thousands of years ago when you actually had to hunt for your food and cultivate it, now we just "super size" it, drive home and plop down in front of the TV.  No wonder 60% of US are overweight.  In the interest of disclosure, I feel I must say that I am not, nor have I ever been overweight.  Regardless, I have spent many years living a less than healthy lifestyle.  I am now embarking on a journey to peek fitness.  It is my goal, in the next year, to compete in a fitness competition.  My sister, who has always been on the same wavelength as me, is joining me on this trek.  I hope to use this blog as an opportunity to share what I have learned, and what I am doing to reach this goal.  Maybe it will inspire you to reach for a goal that seems insane too.

“Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.”
            Vince Lombardi