Spring is the time to set a new personal goal and stick to it. The weather is beautiful and I cannot think of a better way to enjoy the sprouting of new beginnings than setting a new goal. Flowers are emerging from their winter slumber and are ready to bloom- so are you! Whether it is weight related or not, setting a goal is a great way to get excited about change.

Put a little spring in your step! A great way to get motivated is to sign up for an athletic event such as a local 5k. By registering for such an event, you are keeping yourself accountable and on track for success. There are plenty of events to choose from: charity walk/run events, triathlons, half marathons, etc. If you are new to racing, then set a realistic goal such as finishing without walking. If you are a seasoned event participant, then set a goal such as a personal record. Personally, nothing beats finishing something you worked so hard to achieve.

Spring out of your comfort zone and into a new you. Try something, like a new activity or food, to encourage your goal of doing things that are new to you. Get in the habit of saying “yes” instead of “no”. Being positive will propel you forward towards accomplishing what you have set your mind and body to do.  Do something you have always wanted to do and do not be afraid to do it! It is time to spring out of your shell!

We all know the feeling; you get a great idea and you just go with it. You go full out, head first, with an enthusiastic, “I can do this” attitude and then the realization of reality kicks in and you get the wind knocked out of you. In all of your glory you forget that you actually have to do something in order for the great idea to happen.  This, my friends, is what goes through our minds when we think about initiating a lifestyle change. Whether it be challenging you to go to the gym or vowing to eat organic, we all have this great intention but don’t always follow through.  With the New Year just around the corner I figured this would be a great time to nudge you to stick with it with a little advice.

The most challenging hurdle that we must all overcome in order to succeed at anything is ourselves!  We are our worst enemy and the only way to get past our reservations is to push the mental challenge in a positive yet selfish direction.  You might think, positive yet selfish? You’ve
got to be kidding me. No I am not. This is the hard reality here.  You want to think positively as in “I can do this” but you also need to be thinking, “I can do this because this is what I want.” When setting a goal you have to keep in mind that this is your goal. Not anyone else’s.  No one is going to wake you up at 5am to get you motivated to hit the gym.  You have to rely on yourself and be strong.

Staying strong especially through the holidays is really tough to do.  Pre-holiday festivities, holiday work parties, after-the-holiday parties and plenty of other reasons to overeat and forgo the gym are upon us. This is the time where our will power is tested and where we can really show ourselves that we have what it takes in order to succeed.  The best thing to do is to stick to as normal of a routine as possible.  If you go to the gym after work on a regular basis, continue to do so.  If you have an obligation to attend then work out before you go to work.  Make small changes in your routine, do not alter altogether because this will disrupt your normal pattern and can ultimately lead to you accidentally “giving up” on your goals.

Forget the past and move on. Slipped up and ate too much or skipped a couple of workouts? Don’t panic.  You cannot waste time or energy thinking of ways you could have “been better”, what’s done is done.  The only thing you can do is get back on the horse.  After a binge at a holiday party or a couple of unexcused absences from the gym, the best thing to do is to acknowledge the mishap and get back into your normal routine.  Congratulate yourself for feeling guilty and know that this is a good sign, it means you care. It’s not too late to being again with extra enthusiasm and some insight as to what can happen if you get off track.

Now is the time for you to start a change!  The holidays and the New Year is a good excuse for initiating a lifestyle change but honestly, any day is a good day to start.  It does not have to be a New Year’s resolution or anything pertaining to anybody else.  This has everything to do with you and what it will take to get you motivated enough to think about making a change and then actually implementing it.  The idea of making a change is exciting and thrills even the best of us but it is those who actually stick to their idea who are really rare.  My only question is, are you strong enough to be one them?

When it comes to athletic performance, what you eat to fuel up is key. When you eat, what you eat, and how you get your source of energy is of the upmost importance. Whether you are in training or gearing up for your event, the types of food you eat are vital to how well you will perform. When it comes down to that moment when the gun goes off you do not want your energy sources to fail you. So, the question is, what to eat to ensure a great performance?

Carbohydrates-the powerhouse of all energy sources. Carbohydrates break down into glucose which is readily used by muscles to create the energy needed to do work.  Glycogen is the stored form of glucose that can be used by the body for energy once the glucose has been used.  In general, according to the United States Anti-Doping Agency, 50-70% of an athlete’s diet should consist of carbohyrates. Carbohydrates should be eaten 3-4 hours before activity to ensure proper energy stores are well stocked as well as preventing hunger pains from occuring. Any activity lasting longer than 45 minutes requires carbohydrate intake during that activity to replenish glycogen stores. Immediately following activity, carbohydrates should be ingested. This allows the glycogen stores, which were used during activity, to be replaced and allows for quicker muscle recovery.

Proteins-the helpful sidekick to carbohydrates.  In the past, proteins have been mainly used by those wanting to gain muscle mass.  However, protein is an important aspect to nutrition for every type of athlete, not just those wanting bigger muscles. Proteins can be used to compliment carbohydrate consumption which allows the rate of carbohydrate absorption to slow down creating a more consistent release of energy. Most athletes get the necessary amount of protein needed, 15-20% of their diet,  in the foods they normally eat.  Ultimately, they should be consumed in combination with carbohydrates to create a smoother release of energy during activity rather than a roller-coaster ride of highs and lows.

Fats- the energizer bunny of the nutritional world.  Fats are used during long bouts of light to moderate activity.  This energy source burns slowly but for a long period of time which helps the athlete keep going and going.  Fat is an important aspect to diet and ideally, 20-30% of an athlete’s diet should consist of fat.   Even though fat is being used by the body during extended activity, there is no need to increase the amount of fat consumed in the diet.  The slow release of energy from fats allows for activity to be done over longer periods. There is no quick burst of energy but rather a slow and steady release.  Triathletes, like myself, rely on this steady flow of energy to keep us going.

Performance is based not only on how hard you train but how well your energy is supplied.  Proper nutrition is the key to having a successful training program as well as having success on race day.  Making sure your glycogen stores are full is important as well as incorporating  the right amount of protein and fat to keep the energy flowing.  Having a balanced diet of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats will ensure that on race day you are ready to give it your all

The study was conducted over the lifespan of 2400 individuals and looked at grip strength, chair rises, and standing balance times at ages 36, 43 and 53 years.  The participants were asked to complete a survey, at each age, questioning their fitness habits such as frequency and duration of physical activity in past months.  The results conclude that those who were physically active at the younger ages performed better at the activities at the older ages.

The more active you are now can mean you will be more fit later on in life.  This is great news: not only is  being physically active in the present day helpful to prevent developing various diseases,  it is now shown  to help us be in better shape as we age, “aging gracefully”, if you will.
The more active you are the more fit you will be later on in life which can mean reducing your overall risk for developing diseases that take so many lives.  Now is the opportune time to start being more physically active if you aren’t already and if you already are… keep up the good work!

 Do you have a slow metabolism or fast metabolism? Your thyroid gland plays a role in your metabolism. If it is low or hypofunctioning, this could lower your overall metabolic rate leading to weight gain. A blood test can determine your thyroid functioning.

 Sugar metabolism plays a large role in energy expenditure and fat storage. However, not all sugars act the same in our bodies. Glucose stimulates insulin secretion that then promotes the cells to take up glucose for use as energy or to store as glycogen. The presence of insulin inhibits fat breakdown for energy (because now the body is using sugar) and promotes fat cells to not only take in fat, but also to produce fat (typically in the form of triglycerides). Therefore in the presence of circulating insulin, the body is going to make and store fat. This is why insulin resistance is associated with weight gain.

Fructose on the other hand, does not stimulate insulin production. It is metabolized in the liver and stored as glycogen or fat (in the form of triglycerides). Therefore, if we are inactive and not using our glycogen store in our muscles, we will convert fructose directly to fat. This is why fructose sweetened beverages and excessive consumption of fructose may be a possible health problem and could be contributing to the obesity epidemic. ^1,2,3 Glucose, insulin, and triglyceride blood tests can be performed to determine your metabolic status.

 Chronic inflammation can also lead to weight gain. Most commonly inflammation is thought of as painful or swollen joints, but chronic inflammation can brew in the body as a response to diet and environment. Inflammation may have an affect on a hormone called leptin.^4,5 Leptin, mostly produced in fat cells, sends signals to the brain to decrease appetite and increase energy expenditure. Since leptin is produced in the fat cells, it circulates in our bodies proportionally to the total number of fat cells. This makes sense since leptin decreases appetite and the more fat cells there are, the less need there would be to eat. However, inflammation and too much leptin leads to leptin resistance, causing a decreased ability for leptin to decrease appetite. One way to reduce inflammation is to investigate any food allergies that could be causing chronic inflammation. I have seen success with patients who follow a personalized hypoallergenic diet according to their food allergy results and successfully lose weight. Having a personalized diet plan is often more successful than trying a diet that is marketed to the masses for weight loss.

 J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2004 Jun;89(6):2963-72.Dietary fructose reduces circulating insulin and leptin, attenuates postprandial suppression of ghrelin, and increases triglycerides in women.

Teff KL, Elliott SS, Tschöp M, Kieffer TJ, Rader D, Heiman M, Townsend RR, Keim NL, D’Alessio D, Havel PJ.Monell Chemical Senses Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104, USA.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15181085

Nutrition. 2010 Nov-Dec;26(11-12):1044-9. Epub 2010 May 14.Fructose and metabolic diseases: new findings, new questions.

Tappy L, Lê KA, Tran C, Paquot N.  Department of Physiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland. luc.tappy@unil.ch

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15749839

 Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 Apr;79(4):537-43. Consumption of high-fructose corn syrup in beverages may play a role in the epidemic of obesity.

Bray GA, Nielsen SJ, Popkin BM.  Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, USA. brayga@pbrc.edu

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15051594

J Immunol. 2005 Mar 15;174(6):3137-42.  Leptin in immunology.

Matarese G, Moschos S, Mantzoros CS.  Gruppo di ImmunoEndocrinologia, Istituto di Endocrinologia e Oncologia Sperimenttale, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Naples, Italy

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15749839

 J Am Coll Cardiol. 2008 Oct 7;52(15):1201-10.  Leptin resistance: a possible interface of inflammation and metabolism in obesity-related cardiovascular disease.

Martin SS, Qasim A, Reilly MP.  Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Institute, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6160, USA.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18926322

The search continues for the “one” pill that will cause weight loss. In July the FDA disapproved Qnexa for the market, a new diet pill that combines an amphetamine and an anticonvulsant. And not just drugs, but natural products are constantly being marketed as the next “fat burner”.

The problem with developing a weight loss pill or supplement is that weight gain is multi-factorial and can be different for each person. Drug companies investigate ways to suppress the appetite, decrease gut absorption of fats, and increase metabolism as quick fixes. However, there are many other factors that cause increased weight gain. And we all know the main factor, and that is high calorie processed and restaurant food. Now that New York has passed a law to put calories next to menu items, it’s no wonder why the most recent government data reports that more than 2/3 of the American population is obese or overweight. There are often very few meals under 1000 calories, and there are many that are closer to 2000 calories! For most of us, that is considered an entire days worth of calories in one meal.

The other most common factor to weight gain is lack of activity or exercise.  Walking is great exercise and perhaps one of the most common forms of exercise. However, it is not the best calorie burner. Walking for 30 minutes at a rate of 3-4 miles per hour burns about 150 calories.  Walking for 1 hour at 20 minutes per mile (3 miles per hour) burns about 240 calories. One Grand Latte from Starbucks is 272 calories, and that is without any sugar, syrups, or whipped cream. Some activities burn many more calories, for example 30 minutes of cross-country skiing burns about 390 calories, 30 min of rock climbing burns 373 calories, and playing golf while walking with bag 18 holes burns almost 2,000 calories! So as Americans, we are fighting high calorie foods with not enough activity to burn these calories. Not everyone can do these activities every day, but find an activity, preferably outdoors, that you can do at least once per week, and make them different every week. The body does better with change, rather than doing the same routine all the time. Before starting any rigorous activity, please consult with your health care provider first.

In my next blog, Part 2, I will discuss other factors of weight loss when diet and exercise alone are not working.

Qi gong is roughly translated as “skill and understanding of qi through practice and work.”  Qi itself is difficult to define, but can be thought of as the movement of life: from the movement of breath, to kissing a child goodnight.  It is both esoteric and obvious. In the narrow understanding of the term, qi gong refers specifically to movements, breath and intent that move and cultivate our vitality.  In traditional qi gong, human beings are to follow the greater movements of nature, to keep in tune with the natural order of things and gain insight into the best way to live.  We are now moving into a time of expansion and upward growth, the Spring.  Our physical and emotional movement should reach up and out to meet the world around us to explore and make new connections.

Getting into the Spirit of Spring

Try the following simple exercise, and see if it helps get you get into the spirit of Spring.  Dressed appropriately for the weather, stand with feet shoulder width apart and knees bent in front of a tree that is beginning to blossom new leaves.  Hold your palms open and relaxed towards a few inches from the tree with your elbows bent at about 130 degrees (180 degrees would be a straight line).  Breathe by expanding and flattening your abdomen, and feel the breath moving between your feet and the earth, becoming aware of the openness between you and the deep earth.  Once you are grounded in this way, extend your awareness to the tree.  Become aware of the presence of life in and around the tree, and allow yourself to explore it from root to branch.  Let your mind’s eye travel through it.  Meditating with a tree is a very cleansing practice, and can go to great lengths to cleanse the smudges and tangles in our own vitality, but is also a way to learn from our environment how to be rooted, and how a natural life moves.  When you close the meditation, withdraw yourself slowly and respectfully, returning your focus to your own breath and abdomen until it is firmly fixed there. 

You may become a little more serious about conservation and recycling after this sort of experience.  As your awareness develops, take a walk through the ancient mountains of New York, and get ready for a whole new experience of nature!  Next, pat yourself on the back: you are now an official tree hugger!

Many of my clients have already been taught qi gong exercises to help in their own effort to be well.  If it’s an area you would like to explore, I’m happy to share what I know and work to develop exercises that would be of benefit to you.

Recently there was a study published in JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) that concluded that women need to exercise 1 hour per day 7 days per week  to MAINTAIN weight, let alone lose weight. I have since heard on multiple T.V. and radio broadcasts about the study, and the reaction from women has not been positive, for obvious reasons. Women lead very busy lives and finding the time for 1 hour of exercise every day sounds more like burden than anything else.  So I’m writing this blog to shed some light on this study, and to clarify what the study actually concluded.

The study was published by the Department of Medicine in Brigham and Women’s Hospital at Harvard Medical School. The group was comprised of 34,079 women with an average age of 54 years old over a 15 year period. The diet was described as a “usual” diet. Three groups were followed, those exercising less than 2.5 hours per week, those exercising 2.5 to 7 hours per week, and those exercising over 7 hours per week. The exercise was defined as moderate-intensity activity.

The study concluded that all women in the group gained an average of 5.7 pounds over a 15 year period. There were only slight differences in weight gain among the groups taken in 3 year intervals, about ¼ pound. And activity level correlated with successfully maintaining weight only for those with a Body Mass Index, or BMI, of less than 25, but not for those with a BMI of greater than 25 or 30.

 So what does all of this mean? There does not seem to be large enough differences in weight gain between the different exercise groups. And the only group who actually maintained weight, defined as <5 pounds over 15 years, were those who already had a normal BMI of less than 25.

 As far as exercise is concerned, some activity is better than no activity. So don’t feel that you need to exercise 1 hour per day every day to maintain your weight. Plus in this study moderate-intensity activity was defined as brisk walking, dancing, or gardening. Higher intensity exercises typically require less time, because they burn more calories. And we all know that the more weight loss equals calories in minus calories out. What I have found is that many of us are not exercising with enough intensity, and eating too many high calorie foods. So my recommendation is to find an activity you like to do (it doesn’t always mean going to the gym) like hiking, swimming, kayaking, golfing, biking, running, etc. and do it often. The more you enjoy your activity, the more likely you will actually do it

While vigorous yoga is great for stretching the muscles, it doesn’t do much for engaging the parasympathetic nervous system. Holding postures longer, slow focused breaths, breathing into stretches and making breathing as important apart of your yoga practice as the movement, will ensure you activate the parasympathetic nervous system.

All of the Kripalu yoga classes offered here at the Stram Center for Integrative Medicine focus on breathing and breathing techniques to engage the parasympathetic nervous system and bring us into a deeper place of healing.

So, the next time you leave a yoga class feeling so much better, thank your parasympathetic nervous system.

Namaste.