We Can't Stop Growing!

Somatopause is when your Human Growth Hormone (HGH) levels drop off dramatically after age 30, as a part of the aging process. The higher your HGH levels, the healthier and stronger you will be. In order to release more HGH, you must exercise. But only certain types of exercise are effective in stimulating the release of growth hormones.

The most effective way is through Whole Body Vibration, because the "fast twitch" muscle fibers (or reflex muscles) that respond to the sensation of "falling" 20-45x per second are the ones that activate HGH release. The production is up to 400% more during a WBV session.

Another way to produce HGH is from the build-up of lactic acid. When you feel "the burn" in your muscles during exercise, that is lactic acid, which is a by-product of anaerobic training and the lack of oxygen. In order to cool down that "burn", your body will actually release higher amounts of HGH. At TUF, we have incorporated "LA" workouts where less weight and more repetition produce more lactic acid for HGH release. So, going for the burn is a good thing!

Ways to optimize your level of HGH once released with exercise:
1) a good night's sleep
2) avoid a high fat meal prior to exercise
3) drink plenty of water
4) eat healthy carbs (veggies) and high quality protein
5) get enough vitamin D
6) do not consume sugar or fructose within 2 hours of exercise

That last one is very important and here's why. Sugar consumption will trigger release of somatostatin, a hormone that inhibits HGH. And while it is critical not to consume sugar or fructose immediately after exercise when HGH release is stimulated, it is also important not to consume more than 20 grams of fructose each day if you want to lose weight. Drinking a whey protein shake post-workout will maximize muscle repair and growth but it is best to omit the fruit or other sugars.
Here is a chart showing the fructose in fruits:

                               

Steady state cardio like walking, treadmill, eliptical or bike don't stimulate the release of growth hormones like weight training or high intensity aerobic interval bursts. It is easy to add some 30 second intervals of high intensity with 90 second recovery, even with walking. Just pick up the pace with a fast walk and pumping arms and then go back to the regular walking pace for recovery. Try to work up to 20 minutes of this and it will be more effective than an hour steady state walk.

We do intervals in both weight training and cardio classes, to push women to feel the burn for maximum results. It is a myth that you can lose weight just by restricting calories and exercising. Long-term, successful fat loss is determined by what type of calories and what type of exercise....it is quality, not quantity. Making sure that your exercise and diet are optimizing Human Growth Hormones will help you to
look and feel younger, build more muscle, lose more bodyfat, improve strength and recovery and actually slow down or even reverse the signs of aging. We need to keep growing!

Why Whey?

I can't say it enough. Whey Protein is one of the most important supplements for women, especially for women who exercise, are wanting to lose weight, are over age 40, diabetic, and those with digestive issues. I talk about it all the time at TUF and remind our members constantly, but know that very few are actually making whey protein a part of their daily diet.

So here is a breakdown of why whey is so good for our bodies and health.

AMINO ACIDS - All sources of protein contain some amino acids, needed to repair and build muscle. However, whey protein is a naturally complete protein, meaning it contains ALL of the essential amino acids and the richest source of Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs).
BCAAs are metabolized directly into muscle tissue for immediate recovery after exercise (unlike other essential AAs).

LEUCINE - Part of the BCAAs, Leucine is the main AA in promoting muscle synthesis and growth. You would need to eat five eggs to get the same amount of Leucine in one (100 calorie)serving of whey protein, which has the highest concentration of this important AA.
Leucine plays a major role in preserving lean muscle mass while promoting fat loss.

GLUTAMINE - The most common AA found in muscles, over 60% of skeletal muscle is Glutamine.
Good quality whey protein contains added Glutamine.  In addition to improving strength, recovery and stamina, it also increases ability to secrete Human Growth Hormone, which is our "Youth" hormone. HGH helps to metabolize body fat and support new muscle growth. Glutamine is also useful for dieters to help lose body fat while preserving lean muscle.

Glutamine is also one of the most important nutrients for intestinal health.  It aids intestinal function and digestion.  Those with IBS, Crohn's, ulcers, food allergies or intolerances that cause gas, bloating and stomach upset really need this AA.  It also supports a healthy immune system.

WEIGHTLOSS - The body requires more energy to digest protein than other foods (thermic effect) and as a result, you burn more calories with more protein in your diet.

Whey protein contains very few carbohydrates.

Protein helps to stabilize blood glucose levels by slowing the absorption of glucose into the blood stream.  This controls hunger by lowering insulin levels and making it easier for the body to burn fat.

Whey protein helps to stimulate the release of two appetite-suppressing hormones.

MUSCLE - Since we lose muscle as part of the aging process, we need to pay special attention to resistance training.  When muscle tissue is broken down with strength training, if there is not enough protein in your diet to repair that muscle, you could actually lose more muscle!
Whey protein is the "fastest" protein and is absorbed immediately to those muscles for quick recovery and growth.

A serving of approx. 20 grams of whey protein immediately following a strength workout will ensure that optimal protein synthesis will occur, for more muscle repair and growth.

BONES - Protein is needed to help preserve and improve bone density. Studies show that whey protein provides greater bone (and muscle) support than casein, the primary protein found in milk.

Whey protein is easily digested and helps to support every aspect of your health as well as protecting from the risk of cancer, Type 2 diabetes and other illnesses. It will also give you more energy. Quality whey also
contains calcium, B vitamins and minerals.

For those who don't "do" breakfast, a protein smoothie made with Greek yogurt, fruit, whey and healthy fat like coconut oil is a complete and healthy meal. Getting 20 grams of protein first thing in the morning will help with appetite control, fat burning and energy the rest of the day.
Whey protein shakes also make the best mid-morning and/or afternoon snacks. Pre-made drinks and protein bars contain whey and are fine occasionally, but it is best to make your own to avoid artificial sweeteners and processed ingredients.

We recommend and sell Designer Whey and NOW Foods Whey Protein powders. These brands have a reputation for quality manufacturing and ingredients. And they use the natural sweetener Stevia.
You can find cheaper brands but there is a reason why they are cheaper! Traces of heavy metals have been found in lower quality protein, they contain artificial sweeteners and they are also harder to digest.
Plus they don't taste very good!

So you see, Whey is the Whey to Go!!

Treasure Your Bones!

The biggest motivator for women who finally decide to begin exercising and join our program is weight loss.   Some have always struggled with their weight but we see alot of women who have not had trouble managing  their weight......until the big "M" and  hormonal chaos.  Some stick with it either because they begin to actually like exercise and/or  because they like what exercise does for them, while others never make the commitment and eventually drop off.  I always wonder if there was more I could have done to help motivate
the ones who don't last and just hope they are exercising somewhere else.  People who exercise on their own are rarely successful in maintaining a proper and balanced fitness regimen.

While I love to help members lose weight and tone up, one of the biggest concerns I have for women my age and older is bone health.  Osteoporosis is serious.  Once you develop it, there are very few options to treat it and any that involve medications are now known to be detrimental and can actually cause more bone damage.  Once we start losing estrogen after menopause (and by the way, HRT is one way to help prevent bone loss), we are at higher risk for weakened bones, especially if we haven't exercised consistently and/or have not kept up enough nutrients like calcium, vitamin D and protein in our diet.

If one of our members happens to experience a bone fracture, I always ask them if the Dr. treating them did a bone scan, if they tested their hormone levels, if they tested their Vitamin D level, if they were supplementing with Vitamin D and calcium and then I suggest that they add more weight training.  I just don't think that we can count on our medical professionals to look out for our best interests and we need to know enough to ask the right questions and get the attention we need.  Or find another doctor who will.

One misconception that alot of people have is that walking is a form of weight-bearing exercise that will build bone density.  Walking is a fine form of mild, low impact cardio but will not treat osteoporosis or osteopenia.
We need to lift weights - heavy enough weight to flex muscles hard enough to pull on the bone they are attached to.  Just like when muscles get microscopic tears in the muscle fiber when stressed during weight training, which starts the growing process,  bones react in a similar way when lifting weights.

The only aerobic activity that will build bone is high impact (jumping, running and landing on both feet) which is not best for knees and joints.  Plus that will only work the lower skeleton.  We still need to train the upper body.  Lower body resistance training that is effective are squats, deadlifts and lunges - all with added weight.

When muscles and bones respond to the stress of weight by getting those tiny tears, our body heals and repairs those tears in the 24-48 hours afterwards, making the tissue stronger and bigger.  However, there is a big problem that I see all the time when women do not consume proper nutrients in order for the repair and rebuilding process to take place.  Because women are notorious for not eating enough protein, even when they are told how beneficial and necessary it is.  Everyone who is serious about gaining as much muscle (and bone) as possible should be supplementing with whey protein, even if they think they are eating enough protein most days.  It makes a HUGE difference in results.

Drinking a whey shake within one hour after weight training will enhance the healing and growth process.  There is an amino acid in whey (and other dairy, but whey is the best form) called leucine, that is the main building block in protein, and is not present in animal protein.  Plus, whey has low calories.

Because heavy weight lifting (and by that I mean heavy enough weight to fatigue the working muscle in only 8-12 reps) can result in injury if not done correctly, it is not something that most people can do successfully on their own.  It is easy to take a walk, ride a bike or hop on a treadmill for cardio but weight-training takes a little know-how.  I always tell our members to make sure they get their resistance workouts done here at TUF if they can only attend a few times a week.

Another class that I think does the most good for the aging body is Pilates, because it focuses on the core (abs, back and glutes) and balance while stretching out the muscles for more flexibility.  When a person does not have a strong core, it is very difficult to maintain proper form and stabilize during execution of weight-bearing exercise.

Women need to understand that our bones are living tissue that contain nerves and blood vessels and they need nutrients and exercise to stay healthy.  No one wants to end up in a nursing home with a broken hip but even a small stress fracture can take a long time to heal and always be a constant source of discomfort.
Osteoporosis is totally preventable!!

    

What Weight Watchers Can Learn From Bodybuilders

OK, this is probably the last guy that overweight women would ask for advice on how to transform their bodies.  But in general, observing the habits, training and eating patterns of bodybuilders can work wonders
for women, especially as we age, in achieving a leaner body and lasting weightloss.

Losing weight is normally easy - just eat less and exercise, right? - but bodybuilders will tell you that FAT loss is extremely difficult.  Most weightloss by women also includes muscle and bone loss.  The key to any successful diet is to lose bodyfat while maintaining muscle density, which is a constant challenge for serious
bodybuilders.  Here are some basic principles that are common sense in the bodybuilding community that can be used effectively by women:

Diet
   Do you ever see bodybuilders drinking Slimfast?  Didn't think so.....they know that drinking products high in sugar and low in protein is a killer in a weightloss program.  It hasn't been until recently that our country has embraced the "low carb, high protein" diet when it has been advocated for decades by bodybuilders.
  Women should make a special effort to increase protein while dieting to maintain and increase muscle mass.
The combination of low total calories, aerobic exercise and decreased protein intake will cause the body to
literally strip muscle off the body (which is part of the fast weightloss) - a mistake no bodybuilder would make.
  Protein is the key - consuming at a minimum 20% of total calories each day - to obtaining a strong, lean
body.  The highest quality of protein with the lowest calories is whey protein powder.  There is a reason why protein powders and shakes fill the shelves of vitamin stores....they are absolutely essential to getting the most out of your strength training program.  The reason for weight gain as we age is a drop in metabolism caused mostly from loss of muscle.  We lose 1-2% a year after age 50!  A protein shake or smoothie after a workout should be habit along with supplementing with whey protein each day to meet the daily protein requirements.  I like to blend up a smoothie or shake for a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack.  It will also help with appetite control and energy.
   "Eating Clean" is a term well known in the bodybuilding world that means you are only eating whole foods and no processed food.  It may seem bland at first, until your taste buds adjust to the flavor of real food and you lose the taste for artificial flavoring and high fat and sugar additives.
   Bodybuilders also know that they can not build muscle without enough nutrients and calories in their diet.
They make sure that they keep their metabolisms humming by eating a meal or snack that includes protein, every 3-4 hours. 

Exercise
    Incorporating heavy weight-training (enough weight to fatigue muscles after 8-12 reps) will NOT bulk women up, contrary to popular belief.  We would need alot more testosterone and have extremely low bodyfat levels to look masculine.  Weight training is the single best way to preserve muscle while dieting and will also increase metabolic rate for hours after a workout (and can raise metabolism longterm with increase in muscle mass).

Hormones
    Bodybuilders understand the importance of maintaining a proper testosterone/estrogen hormone balance.
Women of all ages struggle with the effects of hormones on our bodies from birth control pills to menopause.
It is very important to our general health and quality of life to keep a check on our hormones, especially once into peri-menopause.  When prescribing hormone replacement, a doctor should not overlook testosterone.
Women do produce testosterone just like men, although its about 1/7th of the amount.  Our testosterone levels gradually decline as we age or drop off rapidly after menopause and this affects our ability to build muscle, our energy level, mood, sleep, sex drive and bone loss.
    When our estrogen levels are too high compared to testosterone, it will cause weight gain, as our bodies store more fat.  Burning fat becomes difficult to impossible when there is no testosterone to preserve muscle mass and mobilize fat, but plenty of estrogen to increase fat storage.

Commitment
     What impresses me the most about competitive bodybuilders is the high level of commitment they have to achieve such results.  There is no slacking off when in training and they give their workouts high priority in
their lives.  It also takes a tremendous amount of energy, time and willpower to eat clean, which is not possible without preparing your own food.  It doesn't have to be as extreme as a bodybuilder, but it is not until we get into a mindset that we make our health a priority - no matter what - that the transformation will begin.  I really hate the phrase "everything in moderation" because I see it as an excuse to not fully committing  to better eating habits. Even if you don't need to lose weight, regularly indulging in bad-for-your-
health processed,high fat and high sugar foods is risky business, even if it is the "American way".

In conclusion, I see women all the time who are facing weight gain as they age and think that the answer is to do more cardio, cut calories way back, and skip meals.  It will be slower weight loss in pounds when you  eat properly and strength train but the "bodybuilder diet" creates change in body composition that gives lasting results along with improved overall health.  Just stay with it long enough to see the positive changes and then you will be hooked!