My Bold Statement About Weight Loss for America… and the World

So, as I’m sure everyone knows the current obesity epidemic is a huge problem in America.  People are essentially eating themselves to death at a far to young age.  I do agree that eating is a personal health problem and one of which many people are embarrassed about and uncomfortable with.  I also realize some people have hypothyroid and an array of other issues that cause weight gain.  However, these medical reasons are highly overestimated by the average individual, meaning that most people who are overweight, are that way because of their poor eating habits.  I am not going to address the wide variety of psychological issues that are apparent in those that are obese and overweight.

My proposal is not as much as a goal for personal gain, but a goal for economic and national gain.  The specific example I can provide is the idea of gas mileage.  It is a relatively far-fetched example however the idea can be transferred to other aspects of the American lifestyle.  The idea is this.  An average, mid-sized, automobile for the average American family of 4, gets about 21 miles to the gallon.  Lets say this average American family has an overweight but not obese mother (weighing 205), a father who is overweight and obese (weighing 400) and two overweight children  (weighing 150 each) or 300 total.  I know everyone in every family is not overweight and obese but 33% of the population is and therefore, translates into a large number of extra lbs!  This example is slightly exaggerated, but does exist in certain families.  The average mid-sized car we were talking about a second ago, like I said gets twenty miles to the gallon.  However, that mileage is calculated based on 300lbs of cargo in the vehicle.  Our average American family that we were talking about weighed a total of 905lbs!  So, their car is actually not going to get the advertised gas mileage when travelling distances and especially around town.  For each 100lb increase in weight over 300lbs the fuel efficiency of the car actually decreases by 2%.  Therefore, simple math tells us that the fuel efficiency of that car for that family when everyone is travelling in the car together decreases about 12.1%!  This is huge!  Talk about saving money on gas!  If this family were to lose 400 lbs all together they could not only save money on gas but on food, health bills, and so on, the list continues indefinitely pretty much. 

So you’re, thinking ok whatever this family can save money and blah, blah, blah, but how does this pertain to me.   Well, most of us find our selves spending money on things that have no meaning to us in our personal life.  I think a lot of people call this dishing out of money, taxes.  Taxes provide a wide range of funding for government programs and many other things within the national and federal branches of the government.  A simple example is this.  Food stamps are given out to those who are in need and qualify.  I have seen to many times to count, people using food stamps to buy, soda, candy bars, candy, chips, basically anything and everything unhealthy.  So, I’m paying taxes for people to eat crappy food, waste abundance about of resources in the mean time (gas, water, electricity) and then get sick and die.  This makes no sense at all!   Food stamps should be limited to certain types of foods and other household items that are NECESSITIES for living. 

I realize this is quite a far-fetched and bizarre example of how obesity is affecting the nation and even the world for that matter.  I make a bold statement as to say that they are basically wasting valuable economic resources.  However, I do not condemn anyone who is overweight in the negative sense but I do challenge them to get healthier not only for themselves but their families and the future of a world that is moving (no pun intended) in a healthier direction (hopefully). 

Being overweight is a concept that is largely over looked by many people and is usually deemed as a characteristic of someone who is lazy.  This is largely not the case. Someone who is overweight usually has underlying psychological issues that need to be addressed prior to any physical changes.  If you have ever watched The Biggest Loser, each one of the contestants one time or another while on the show has a “breakdown”, “breakthrough”, “confession”, or “release” with one of the trainers in which a problem from childhood or and earlier age is addressed, dealt with and let go.  This is not always the case for everyone who is obese, but there is usually a larger problem at hand that must be dealt with.  So, that being said try not to condemn or look down upon those who are overweight, however, I do think they should be challenged to lose the weight not only for themselves but for all of humanity.  

Wheat Bran Pancake

So I'm always looking for new ways to make pancakes and also new ways to make them low carb because I have been experimenting with Pauline Nordin's Fighter diet.  If you have never heard of it, look it up.  It is a pretty interesting concept.  Anyways, that how I got the idea to use wheat bran for this recipe instead of oats.  And yes it is when bran NOT oat bran.

Ingredients:
- 3/8 cup wheat bran
- 6 egg whites
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1-2 packets of stevia
- Walden's farm caloria free syrup (optional)

Directions:
1.  Mix all ingredients except the syrup into a mixing bowl.
2. Spray a non stick pan with cooking spray (optional).
3. Pour batter into pan.
4. Cook until done.
5. Top with syrup.
6. Enjoy.

The "D" Word

Are you getting the results you want?  Are you constantly upset with your fitness progress? Do you continue to try new things and nothing seem to work?  Does this sound like the typical infomercial pitch for the latest exercise equipment? Yes!  We about the only thing right with these commercials is that they ask the right questions to get you interested.  These questions are constantly running through the minds of everyone who had fitness or physique goals on any level. So enough about the questions, because the are legitimate, and what about the answers?  Well first of all if you aren't ready to work hard for your fitness you can save your time and stop reading this now.

A fitness program should be designed specifically for you an your goals.  There are precisely two reasons why the workouts for the latest person on the cover of men's or women's health magazine does not work for you.  These reasons are individualization and diet.  First, let's talk about individualization.  Your body is different from everyone else's, and it will most likely respond different to certain training programs.  Fitness in itself is not only a learning process for learning the exercises and ways of training but also being so finely in tune with your body so you can be aware of the most minute changes.  This allow you to quickly see if things are working or not working.  However, by quickly I do not mean you did one workout and tomorrow you don't wake up looking like the next sports as fitness model.  It will take time!  If you have been on a program for 12 weeks and haven't seen results, yeah it's probably time to change.  Generic fitness has also become a huge problem thanks to corporate America.  It is easy for a place like the Rush to standard personal training and streamline it in such a way that they maximize their time and make the most money, great for business but usually not producing maximal or desired results of the client.

Ok now the one four letter word that is not a curse word but has essentially the same effect on the ears for some, diet!  It shouldn't be so difficult, however, one again thanks to corporate America and free will, we have fast food and alot of people with no self control which results in obesity and all kinds of other problems!  When I say diet I am not referring to Atkins, weightwatchers, or any other plan that someone 'tries' out and then goes back to eating crap.  By diet I also don't necessarily mean a caloric deficit.  By diet I mean the things you eat; you either have a good diet or a bad one.  For me there is no in between.  If sometimes you eat crap, you may as well admit you have a bad diet because bad things out last good things in terms of diet. Start eating real foods people!  Vegetables, lean proteins and healthy days in moderation!  There really are no secrets it's just about eating all good things all the time.

Upon my graduation from undergraduate school from High Point University I may look into designing training plans for people who are serious about getting fit and getting healthy and continuing these behavior changes.  If you are interested please stay tuned for more information and notice about this! 

My Top Ten's

My Top 10’s
I got the idea for doing my top ten favorite things from one of Ava Cowan's blog entries from a few weeks back.  She is one of many figure athletes that I look up to in the world of competitive bodybuilding.

The top ten things I always bring to the gym and never leave home without are:

1. Headphones – as you all may know I am not of fan of chatting while working, I do talk to people at the gym and have many friends there.  However, mid set is not the time to chat about the weather.  This is why I put my headphones in.  I’ll let you in on a little secret, sometimes my iPod isn’t even playing music.
2. iPhone/iPod/Music – While sometimes my phone is not playing music, I do enjoy music while doing plyometrics or cardio.  Also, sometimes during lifting I will use it but I usually like to concentrate on the contractions while lifting.  Also, when I have been listening to music I have been using Pandora radio instead of iYunes, this allows for a continually playing of a wide array of music and music that i am not necessarily familiar with.
3. Hoodie – usually like to cover up when working out, creates less of a distraction and its usually pretty cold in there!
4. Gym bag – like a girl, I do like to carry STUFF around.  I may not even use this stuff but I like to be prepared and always have my gym bag with all my crap in it.
5. Versa gripps – these grips are by far the best grips I have come across for heavy back days.  The material that the grips are made of really holds to the bar well allowing you to concentrate on your back instead of your grip strength on the bar or dumbbell or whatever.
6. Hair ties – I have to have to have these when working out.  I can’t stand when my hair is in my face flying around so these are great.  And you know you have had a good workout when you break them!
7. Training journal – progression in any training program is very important for change in your physique so to kee track of my workouts and progress so that I am able to change my routines, I write them all down.
8. Nalgene with bottle topper – the nalgene bottle is a preference, however, I highly suggest the topper.  The topper allows you to dink from the nalgene without spilling out half of your water onto the floor, you can purchase the toppers for under 5 dollars at your local outdoors store.
9. Shoes – and I mean GOOD shoes.  If you are working out in flats, go home, please.  Good shoes are important because they can effect your entire body mechanically all the way up from your feet through your back and so on.  However, sometimes when squatting I will squat barefoot, however, this is also a preference.
10.  Resistance band – this is a newly acquired additive to my gym bag.  I use this band to warm up by shoulder muscles and rotator cuff muscles to prevent injury and rehab my shoulder.  Although I have had many shoulder issues, it is a good idea for everyone to adequately warm up the rotator cuffs prior to weight training to prevent injury.

Rambles

Being a woman now with a busy life and always juggling ten-billion things at once, my monthly gift always likes to make its appearance to be the extra thing I need to deal with.  First of all I want to say I am writing this for you to get a laugh at because I’m sure many of you out there can relate to this very much.  I am a very positive and optimistic person so I even try to find light in the bad things.  And just because I am a positive person doesn’t mean I don’t have my bad days as well.  Everyone has ups and downs and that is just part of life, but it is how you respond to the good and the bad that will have the most effect on you.   

That being said I’d like to just share a few funny stories with you.  If I’m having a horrible day, and I mean bad, like flat tire, no wallet when you get to the checkout, dropped a glass jar in the store, got a speeding ticket, broke a mirror, alarm didn’t go off on time, late for important meeting, missed a meal, burnt your breakfast, bad.  That kind of bad day for me lends itself to become worse for some reason.  It is always on these days can I guarantee I will also receive my monthly gift!  What is up with that?  Well instead of freaking out about all the small things, I have made it my new years resolution to save the sweating for the gym only and not sweat all the small hassles that I come across in my day to day routine. 

Starting my last semester of my college undergraduate is exciting, scary, fun, and sad all at the same time.  Emotions reek havic on our everyday lives all the time.  But it is important for you to be aware and be in control of your own emotions.  It is easy to let them get the better of you and it is also hard sometimes to separate them from yourself.  But this is something that is important to be able to learn how to do.  In removing yourself from your emotions in most situations it allows you to make better decisions and move in a more positive direction.  Anyways, I am very excited to have started my course in strength and conditioning and I hope to share many cool things for you in this upcoming semester on the related topic.  

Biomechanics: A Lesson in Levers

Biomechanical properties are truly the source of most all aspects of your weightlifting and training.  They are the methods behind the madness so to speak.  A cool thing I learned in physics, which I think you all will enjoy learning about as well are these crazy boogers called levers.  The way levers work is rather simple, however the way they work in the body is extraordinary.  First, I will discuss the three types of levers and then I will talk about how they relate to your training and some cool analysis of levers within the human body that allow you to be awesome and not even know it.

All levers consists of an axis of rotation about which the movement is occurring, the force that is being applied to cause the movement and the resistance, that of which is acting against the force.  The first type of lever is the First class lever.  A first class lever consists of the fulcrum or axis of rotation being located between the force and the resistance.  Real world examples include seesaw and scissors to name a few.  The second type of lever is the second-class lever.  The second-class lever is one in which the resistance is located between the axis and the force being applied.  Examples of this would include wheelbarrows.  Last but not least, the third type of lever is the Third class lever.  In a third class lever the force is located in between the axis and the resistance.  An example of a third class lever would be tweezers. 

Now that you know about the different types of levers, lets look at some real life examples within the human body and related to training.  Some examples of the first class lever in the human body is the action of the triceps when performing elbow extension.  The body’s action during a push-up is characteristic of that of a second-class lever.  The feet at the floor act as the axis, the pushing up of the arms of the force and the center of gravity of the body being the resistance located between the force and the axis.  The third class lever is the most prominent type of lever that we find within the human body.  This is so because of how muscles are attached to bone and essentially pull on bones to produce desired movements.  They are third class because the actual joint itself is the axis of rotation and the insertion of the muscle is not directly on the joint itself. For example, when looking at the elbow joint during flexion, the biceps brachii and brachialis muscles pull on the ulna not directly on the elbow joint itself but slightly away from the joint but still proximal to the joint.  The insertion of theses muscle is where the force is being applied, the axis being the elbow joint and the resistance being the weight of the forearm and any weight that is placed in the hand. 

That being said this brings me to a cool analysis of the human body in relation to comparing individuals.  A tall lanky individual with longer limbs goes up against a shorter stockier individual with shorter limbs, who will be able to lift the most weight relative to his/her body weight?  Given that these individuals have essentially the same relative strength, one will actually have more potential to lift more weight than the other.  Why?  The properties of levers provide a simple explanation with this scenario.  The equation for this idea is:

Force x force arm = resistance x resistance arm

In the instance of weightlifting, and purposes for our scenario, the force is the action of the muscle on the body, the force arm is the distance between the insertion of the muscle to the axis of rotation or the joint, the resistance is the amount of weight being lifted and the resistance arm is the distance from the weight being lifted and the axis.  That being said the scenario with the short-limbed person verses the long limbed person, the shorter limber person actually has the potential to be able to lift more weight than the longer limbed person.   For example say the shorter-limber individual has a forearm length of 36cm, the force arm length of 2.54 cm, and is lifting a weight of 5kg. 

F x 2.54 cm = 36cm x 5kg

F = 70.87kg

This means that the shorter-limber person’s biceps will have to apply 70.87 kg of force at the point of the insertion to lift the 5kg weight.  However, if a longer limbed person with a resistance arm of 40cm were to lift the same 5 kg weight this would be what happens.

F x 2.54cm = 40cm x 5kg

F = 78.74kg

As you can see, the shorter person will technically be able to apply a smaller force to lift the same amount of weight as the person with longer limbs!  And could therefore, lift a larger amount of weight in kg with an equal force of that of the person with longer limbs.  Crazy, CRAZY facts!  Sorry to all you big and tall people, the world must really me heavy to you!  This isn’t to say that all people with shorter limbs are stronger than people with longer limbs.  It simply implies that when removing all other environmental and genetic factors, they have the potential for being able to lift more weight!

New Years Recipes

Chocolate Cinnamon Protein Pancake (low-carb)

 

Ingredients:

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 tbsp stevia

1 - 2 tbsp milled flax

1/2 scoop chocolate whey protein

3 egg whites

Splash of pure almond milk unsweetened

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients into small mixing ball and mix until even.

2. Spray a small non-stick pan with olive oil cooking spray

3. Pour “batter” into the pan.

4. Cook on one side for 2 – 4 minutes or until ready and then flip.

5. Pancake will start to slightly puff up when ready, remove from the pan now to avoid over cooking, because the pancake can get dried out.

6. Enjoy with your favorite calorie free or sugar free syrup!

Asian Sesame Chicken

Ingredients:

2 tbsp sesame seeds

I tsp ground ginger

1 tsp

2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce

½ tsp maple flavoring

½ cup Walden Farms Calorie free syrup

2lb of chicken breast

Directions

1. Cut up the chicken breast into chunks and put into a bake safe dish

2. Mix all other ingredients together into a bowl.

3. Pour mixed ingredients over chicken.

4. Bake on 375 for 20 minutes and then let sit for 5 – 10 minutes with oven off.