If you have been doing the same routine for a while now and are looking for something fun and challenging then this workout is perfect. I have come up with a routine that burns a ton of calories and doesn’t require any equipment at all. For the challenge you have 20 minutes to do as many rounds of the routine as possible (taking breaks as needed) trying to beat your record the previous day. Your workout challenge should begin with a 5 minute warm-up and end with a 5 minute cool down.
Workout Routine
45 Jumping Jacks
15 Squats
5 Jump Squats (Modified: 30 sec Wall Sit)
20 Leg Raises
30 Sec Plank
10 Calf Raises
5 Push Ups (Modified: Kneeing or Wall Push Ups)
10 Lunges (Each Leg)
15 Tricep Dips
There is your workout Challenge for the week, remember to take a break as needed. Your warm up routine can consist of standing marches, shoulder rolls, arm circles, or a brisk walk. Your cool down needs to be 30 sec stretches that targets your hamstrings, quads, abs, triceps, and biceps.
As we continue to learn more and more about the foods we eat and how they interact with our bodies, ideas about whether a particular food is good or bad for us can get a little confusing. We heard that eggs were bad because of the cholesterol, but now we know that cholesterol isn’t the demon it was once touted to be. Margarine was supposed to be a better substitute for butter because of the saturated fat, but the trans fat in margarine is now recognized as far more dangerous. And the debates on other foods will continue as time goes on. One that is still talked about with mixed reactions is soy.
Soy was initially touted as a health food, primarily as a meatless source of protein. It is vegetarian friendly, less damaging for the environment versus the impact of raising animals with their associated waste and costs, and it does provide a source of protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals — without the cholesterol and saturated fat found in meat. There was even a time when the American Heart Association used to advocate eating soy as part of a "heart healthy diet" because it showed decreases in the LDL cholesterol levels of test subjects. But they have since retracted the recommendation because the effects turned out to be minimal, only lowering LDL by 3% at an intake of 50 grams per day.
The type of soy foods eaten also have a bearing on how healthy they are. Snacking on edamame, which is soy in its natural form, is healthier than eating something like tofu hot dogs that have been processed and may include additives, preservatives and other undesirable non-food ingredients. Different cultures have eaten soy for centuries and not shown the same ill effects as we have seen in our country, but again, it is being eaten in a “cleaner” state.
Whether soy can be beneficial is also dependent on a particular person’s physiology. Soy contains isoflavones — a type of phytoestrogren that mimics the effect of estrogen on the body. When you eat lots of soy, it has the potential to disrupt estrogen-sensitive systems in your body, including the reproductive system (which includes the brain, the pituitary gland and the reproductive organs). Too much estrogenic activity in the body can disrupt a woman’s menstrual cycle or be a possible contributing factor in breast cancer risk. It can also have an impact on our thyroid function. Soy flavonoids (soy isoflavones) reduce the activity of thyroid peroxidase, the enzyme required to insert iodine into thyroid hormone. Decreased thyroid function can then lead to weight gain, brain fogginess, decreased libido and other symptoms.
As you can see, the jury is still out on a definitive as to whether it is fully safe to eat or whether it should be left alone. If you do prefer to add soy to your diet, keep it in its most natural state and avoid overindulging or making it a large staple of the foods you eat. If you have any questions as to whether it is safe for your particular body, consult with one of our doctors who will be able to give an opinion that takes into consideration any health conditions or problems that you have.
Finally, some good news regarding sodas! (From a health perspective, there usually isn’t anything “good” to talk about concerning them…) In recent months, there have been numerous reports confirming that overall consumption of carbonated soft drinks (soda) has been steadily declining. As a doctor, I couldn’t be happier because they are frequently a contributing factor to many health conditions that we see in the office such as weight issues, diabetes and gastrointestinal problems. The fact that Americans are slowing down their consumption gives me hope that more people are realizing that regular soda is nothing more than liquid candy (and diet sodas aren’t any better for you with all their chemicals).
Over the last 20 years, sales of full-calorie soda have dropped by more than 25%. Soda consumption, which grew mainly from the 1960’s to the 1990’s, is now experiencing a sustained decline. Researchers found that 30.1 percent of adults reported drinking sugar-sweetened beverages at least once a day in 2013, according to the report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In 2010, 50.6 percent of adults reported drinking at least one sugar-sweetened beverage a day, according to the report, which gathered data from survey respondents in 23 states.
Drinking at least one sugar-sweetened beverage daily was most common among 18- to 24-year-olds, with 43.3 percent of all people in this age group reporting that they consume a sugary drink at least once daily. Adults in this age group were 2.3 times more likely to have a sugary drink once a day than adults ages 55 and over, according to the report. Other groups in which consumption was high included African-Americans (39.9 percent); men (34.1 percent); people who reported being unemployed (34.4 percent); and people with less than a high school education (42.4 percent).
Part of this declining trend is due to people making smarter beverage choices. More people are opting for bottled water to quench their thirst instead of sugar-laden drinks, which is a great shift as most people do not consume enough water daily and are living in a state of partial dehydration. Ironically, this can be exacerbated by the caffeine in sodas as it has a natural diuretic effect on the body and will cause you to lose more water. Moving away from sodas also offers other benefits as well. The carbonation in sodas produces a very strong acidic environment (just search for the videos online that show people using it to take the rust off of metal!) that the body will attempt to buffer. One way it does this is with calcium from the body’s own supply. If it takes it from our bones, it can contribute to osteoporosis and osteopenia. If it takes it from our muscles (and remember the heart is a muscle!), we can get muscle cramps or contraction problems. Lastly, the option for diet soda in the attempt to avoid excessive calories does not offer any real health benefit. In addition to causing hormonal and neurological issues, the artificial sweeteners still drive the insulin response in the body in response to the perceived sweetness. However, since there are no calories (sugar) for the body to act upon, it leaves the body looking for more and this has been shown to lead to overeating.
Overall, there really are no benefits to drinking sodas and the negative effects they produce on the body far outweigh any perceived short-term enjoyment value one would get from consuming them. Stick to pure water or other natural alternatives like cold-pressed fruit and vegetable juices or coconut water and give your body a healthier hydration option.
Getting
a good work out after spending months or even years away from the gym can
leave anyone with muscle soreness making your daily routines a little more
challenging. Soreness is a normal part of working out, but injury on the other
hand is something you should take serious and consult your medical provider. I
will be walking you through the effects of both muscle soreness and muscle
injury and how to differentiate the two.
Muscle
soreness is caused by micro tears in the muscle from working out which brings
inflammation and mild pain. Muscle soreness can begin later that day from
working out up until a couple of days after your workout depending on how
intense your workout was. Once you hit peak soreness the pain will start to
decrease and you should be in the clear of any injuries. A couple of ways to
treat muscle soreness is to stay active, perform some light stretching or a use
a foam rollers and stay hydrated.
Pain
lasting more than a couple of days and is hindering any movements or daily
activities should be checked out by a medical professional. Waiting for the
pain to reside is never a good thing as it can cause further injury which can
put a halt to your workouts and to your health goals. Now you have a better
understanding of muscle soreness vs muscle pain and if you need further explanation
talk to a health care professional.
Egg white recipes and yolk free eating has become more and more popular among the “healthier” population than ever before. There are more and more people that are avoiding egg yolks at all costs due to recommendations from health experts. It is important for everyone to know that when you do toss out the egg yolk, what you are missing out on.
Egg yolks contain vitamins A, D, E and K along with omega 3 fats. Compared to egg whites which have folate, and vitamin B12. The yolks alos contain more of the nutrient choline than the whites, and all of the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin.
Many people have fallen into the stigma that yolks are dangerous for our health due to them containing cholesterol and saturated. That fact is that the cholesterol and fat that is contained in the yolks is actually the healthy fat.
Here are some "Egg Facts”
Cholesterol rich foods tend to be among the best for your health.
Eating cholesterol rich foods does not lead to high cholesterol
Egg yolks have little to no impact on cholesterol levels for most people
More and more research shows eating eggs doesn’t raise heart risks.
For more answers on what you should or should not be consuming daily for your health call us at (210) 468-1891 for a free consultation.
As we now have approached daylight savings time, people are getting excited to once again
have more daylight time after getting home from work. Not only does this lead
to more productivity, especially in outdoor endeavors, but it also gives us a
chance for more sun exposure. Besides the obvious benefits of giving the chance
for increased vitamin D production, the actual state of having more evening
light time can be emotionally and physiologically beneficial for some
individuals, especially if they suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
Seasonal affective
disorder is actually a form of depression that typically coincides with the
winter months, with the absence of sunlight being the primary cause. The lack of light in winter may create a
“dyssynchrony” in your body’s sleep-wake cycles and internal clocks. This in
turn may lead to imbalances in your levels of serotonin, dopamine and other
neurotransmitters that control your mood, appetite and energy levels.
With more “daylight time” in the evening, people tend to be
more productive with their tasks, especially as it relates to outdoor
activities. More play time, the opportunity to get needed yard work done or
beautifying the landscape can all lead to more feelings of satisfaction or
accomplishment. Activity levels also increase with the light change and warmer
temperatures, so metabolically there are reasons why we feel better both
mentally and physically. The urge to curl up in a warm blanket and just sit on
the couch may be comforting in the winter, but it sure doesn’t offer much of
benefit for our metabolic state.
Overall, sometimes just the seasonal shift is enough to get
someone out of the grasp of SAD, but there are other means to help minimize the
risks of falling into a slump. First, stay active and avoid the tendency to
just “shut down” and hibernate for the winter months. Second, natural light
exposure as much as possible. Cats love to bask in the sunlight coming in from
the windows, so why shouldn’t we? Lastly, vitamin D from supplementation should
be at least 2000 IU per day to make up what we lose from low sun exposure.
Simple strategies in all, but they could make a big difference in keeping you
from falling “down in the dumps”.
In order to reach your fitness goals, you need a good steady
and consistent workout plan, but that doesn’t stop there. We also all need to
change the way we eat. Now living in San Antonio, I myself know it’s hard to do
with these great Tex mex restaurants all over the city. Your workout maybe for
an hour or so but food is everywhere and all around us for the next 23 hours of
our day...correct?
We know from experience that diets do NOT work! Maybe for a
little bit but then what happens after all is said and done…rebound! It has to
be a complete lifestyle change!
We all need to get to a place that we are comfortable enough
to have BALANCE! No counting macros, no binge dieting, or no counting calories.
Learn what you need to know to lose the weight, or gain muscle to buckle down
when needed, and then give yourself the freedom to eat as normally as well too.
It is possible to pair your workouts with a doable nutrition plan to really
help you reach your goals for good.Let’s stop crash dieting and really make lasting changes for yourself
and your family.
But how do you eat in order to look great, feel great, AND
still enjoy life? Learning the basics is key as well as allowing yourself some
leeway.
3 BASIC WAYS TO EAT RIGHT AND STILL HAVE BALANCE
Learning
what to eat and start making swaps. (example…my family loves spaghetti, so
instead of making pasta with beef, use squash for the noodles and swap the beef
with lean turkey)
Learn how
many calories to eat. There are tons of apps out there that can help with
this. Download one, then insert your food intake and it does it for you! Easy
enough…right!
Become
protein minded. It’s always good to have protein with every meal. Even if
it’s just for a snack
Not being able to sleep can easily be a sign of an underlying health condition. Lack of sleep or insomnia will also lead to disruptions in our circadian rhythm hormones. Many of the hormones that affect your circadian rhythm, also affect your metabolism, blood sugar and all of this is a major risk factor for diabetes and subsequently heart disease.
A number of sleep issues were associated with type 2 diabetes, including:
Trouble falling or staying asleep
Getting less than 6 hours f sleep at night
Frequent snoring
Sleep apnea
Rotating Shift work
In general, people who report having difficulty sleeping are more at risk of developing metabolic conditions. A single night without sleep can have some serious implications.
Just one night without improper sleep starts to impair your physical movements and mental focus. This can be equivalent to have a blood alcohol level of .10 percent which is higher than the legal limit in Texas.
Overall, you become more susceptible to “suggested” memories, and start having trouble discerning the true source of your memories.
Tips to improve your sleep:
Optimize light exposure during the day, and decrease it significantly at night.
Address mental states that prevent peaceful slumber.
Keep the temperature in your bedroom below 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Take a hot bath 90 to 120 minutes before bedtime.
Avoid watching TV or using electronics in the evening, at least an hour before going to bed.
Develop a relaxing pre-sleep routine.
Avoid caffeine, and other drugs including nicotine.
Sleep is very important and is a very important part of our life, immune system and endocrine system. If you have any questions about how to improve sleep or need help with getting better sleep then feel free to call our office at (210) 468-1891.
