Don’t Ignore “Sarcopenia”

What’s that, you say? Sarcopenia, is age-related muscle loss. And for you youngsters who think it’s an “old age” thing, think again. It can start in your 30s. If you don’t take action now, you could begin to lose as much as 1 to 2 percent of your muscle mass a year by the time you hit 50. And the big picture? Less muscle, less movement = less activity. If that’s not enough, less muscle means you burn fewer calories and store more of them as fat. Now THAT’S a pretty picture, eh? No body wants to get there. And great news, you can add muscle at any age and reap benefits (but be sure to check with you doctor before starting an exercise plan AND don’t forget the importance of a well-rounded plan that incorporates resistance (for muscles and bone strength), cardio for your heart and blood pressure, and flexibility.)

What can you do? The key to stopping muscle loss is to strengthen your back, shoulders, arms, and thighs. “When you increase lean muscle mass, you burn more calories, even when you’re vegging!” Gotta love that. There are lots of places to find strength workouts, if you don’t work with a trainer. I’ve been lifting for 25 years, but I am constantly changing up my workouts and trying new things. Some good places to start are: Womens Health Magazine or, Fitness Magazine And if you are trying to lose weight, be sure to keep lifting! Our US government (http://www.healthierus.gov/exercise.html ) and American Heart Association recommend 30-60 minutes of activity most days of the week. For an idea of how to get started, look here., Studies show that if you don’t keep it up the pounds can sneak back up on you!

So, keep moving and keep choosing….HEALTH

Too often, we focus on one or the other of the fitness trio, but the reality is that each plays a significant role in our long term health and well being.  Sadly, flexibilty fitness is often the one we leave behind. However, simple logic will tell you that if you are not flexible, your range of motion is limited. If your range of motion is limited, your activity is limited. When activity is limited–esp. as we age, the body can start to decline. And with the already decline in muscle mass each year beginning around age 30, it is vital to commit to a well rounded program. Take heart! You can prevent muscle deterioration by resistance workouts–weights, bands, plyometrics, etc. Work out with a weight or resistance that is hard enough that you struggle to do 12 reps–in other words, really a weight that you can manage in good form for 8-10 repititions is key. Then after your work out, STRETCH! Seriously, at least 15-30 minutes 3 or more times a week. Folks often let this one go. I mean, lets face it, you don’t SEE results from stretching like you see from cardio and resistance workouts. It’s not as “cool” to do…altho yoga and pilates have finally emerged as wonderful options.  Have a personal trainer walk you through some stretches. It’ll do your body good.

And as a reminder for your MUSCLE–you WANT to work it and work it good to prevent age related decline. You can BUILD muscle. And remember that folks often get confused with just how much protein to take in to support your body’s needs. Remember it’s usually discussed in kilograms.  A kilogram is = 1000 grams, or 2.2 pounds.  So, when looking at charts, you want to divide your weight by 2.2 pounds to determine the kgs and then multiply that figure times .8 .  Then, depending on your activity, etc. you may need a bit more or less.  Check out this article at Runner’s World (which by the way is an EXCELLENT site full of training, nutrition and motivation):   Click here for Runners World Article

Be Strong and Happy Monday!

For one, we can change our lightbulbs. CFLs (compact fluorescent lightbulbs) reduce pollution by using 75%LESS energy than reguarl lightbulbs! If we each replaced ONE, we’d save $60 mil in energy costs. I bought a bunch of these and then as my regular bulbs went out, I replaced them with CFLs one by one. Now I have a complete CFL household! For starters, try GE Energy Smart Spiral (26 watts but = 100 watts of the old kind), costs about $5 and you can get it at Home Depot or try www.gelighting.com for a list of stores. Another one to try is Sylvania Supermini with 13 watts (= 60 watt regular bulb). This one costs about $8 for three and you can get it at Amazon.com. Then there is Westinghouse’s “mini-globe” which is 9 watts (= 40 watt bulb) for about $16 at www.servicelighting.com .

Be a friend to a farmer and get local, organic produce delivered to your table weekly (or maybe you pick up). Either way, join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and you can help cut down on energy used to transport food across the world AND use of pesticides and dangerous chemicals used for conventional farming.

Next time you invest, consider a company that is committed to using less energy. Money speaks volumes, folks. With so many choices out there, the power has shifted from the COMPANIES to the consumer. Let’s make our voices heard. We can make a difference.

Another thought–kudos to everyone recycling your water bottles. I require my kids to always bring them back home to recycle when they are out and about. BUT, there is a better way. Sipping water from a safely reusable metal bottle. I put a filter on my tap water. Whole Foods has a special plastic bottle made from a material that won’t break down during washing so it can be used multiple times AND recycled.

If you have some other good ideas, I’d love to hear them. Remember every conscious effort DOES make a difference. Commit to the change, one action at a time. We can make a better earth.

Know your family history. How did your mother’s two aunts die? And Uncle Julio? Knowing this helps you prepare an informed health preventive plan for longer term life and fulfillment. Check out the U.S. Surgeon General’s Family Health Portrait site at: (familyhistory.hhs.gov ) . It has easy instructions.

Know your waist to hip ratio. Why? Because it is the best test to predict heart attacks. Measure the smallest point of your waist and the largest part of your hips. Then divide the first number by the second. A ratio of .8 or lower is good.

Know your body compensation. A normal BMI (body mass index) for women is between 19-25. To test for body fat, your gym can use calipers or a bioelectric impedance analysis. Your family doctor can do this also. Here is a BMI calculator from the American Heart Association.

Your resting heart rate. How do you do that? Measure it first thing in the morning. Count it for 60 seconds, or just count for 10 seconds and multiply by 6. A healthy pulse is between 60-80, or even lower for athletes. That means your heart doesn’t have to work as hard to move oxygen throughout your body. http://www.americanheart.org

Know your cholesterol levels. When is the last time you had this checked? It’s a simple, quick and very informative test. You should do this at least every 5 years beginning at age 20. Shoot for saturated fat being less than 10% of your total caloric intake and strive to eliminate ALL trans (partially hydrogenated or fake) fats. Read labels. Products can say “0” trans fats and yet still contain trans fats in it (they lower the servings so they can say that). www.americanheart.org/transfats

For a good starting point for healthy living, check out the recommendations for the health related numbers, exercise and diet tips from the American Heart Association. Get moving today. Your body will thank you. AND, so will your children.

For more information and facts about heart disease, visit Dr. Oz’s recommendations found at: http://www.oprah.com/health

Isn’t it amazing how we can hold on to worries, fears, regrets….and then revisit them over and over?  We get real good at dwelling on issues that are long past or do not benefit us.  On the other hand, have you noticed how you feel when you just let it go? Do it today. Release–and, inhale. You suddenly have “room” to breathe. You smile. You relax.  As you go into your Friday and weekend, try it.  Let go of negative emotions and old hurts…or anything/anyone that brings you down. Just let it go. And breathe. Deeply. Repeat. And, enjoy!

Several friends of mine have asked me to share my personal snack options….Oh my…how much time do you have? ! Being a food fan, I love to eat–so I was thrilled when years ago, I learned how A.) more muscle = more calories burned (muscle is metabolically active) and B.) eating through the day helps keep your metabolism running. I’ve been on the snack attack for over 15 years now and truly it IS enjoyable! Now, I DID have to make some adjustments to my 3 primary meals so I didn’t add calories to my day, but most days I eat 5-6X a day. What I eat for snacks is where I get the most variety in my diet.  And for me, variety is truly a spice of life. Sort of reminds me of my weekly workout plans….but, I digress!

So, here are examples of my mid meal snacks or mini meals:

PB or Almond Butter and half a banana or granny smith apple (sooooooooo satisfying!).

Apple or gluten free (I’m one of those sensitive to gluten gals) waffle with honey or agave nectar drizzled on it.

My own crunch mix: Barbara’s Cinnamon Puffins (gluten free, good fiber, natural ingredients), almonds and/or 1/8 cup pumkin seeds, + some dried cranberries or cherries for a little tart.

1/4c nut mixture of almonds and pumpkin seeds and cranberries. (Ok,  I AM a chocolate lover so if I want a little treat, I take a bit of sugar free dark Godiva chocolate, melt it, and mix in dried cranberries and then freeze it to harden–then I leave it in the freezer so when I eat some, it takes longer to melt in my mouth….!)

Air popped or microwave popcorn (but not from a bag but Presto Microwave Popcorn Maker about $10 from Wal-mart) and a spray of olive oil, light salt or a Ms. Dash flavor like chipotle for SPICE, or a little parmesan. You can even throw in cranberries again for a little salt and sweet blend. I buy my dried fruits organic with no sugar added or sulfites.

Hummus with raw veggies or wheat free crackers/pretzels.

I also get the low sugar oatmeal and a scoop of protein powder (Biochem is my current fave in ….yeah, chocolate), plus a few dried…yeah, cranberries again. I throw them and some protein powder in a baggie and take it to work, then add hot water and mix it all together.

Ideally for me, I am looking for a mix with carbs and protein and if I can squeeze in some good fat or fruit for antioxidants, even better.

And then of course, there are protein bars….but that’s a whole other blog or two!  They make it really easy for a mid morning snack if you are on the go or at the office.

I DO find, that if I am rushed and I miss my morning snack and have had a lighter primary meal, I start to run low since my calories are down, so I do try to think ahead and be prepared. When I can keep food intake at regular intervals, I find my energy levels are constant throughout the day.

Hope you had a great Monday.  Set your goals for this week, plan your meals, your workouts, and count your blessings.  Live FIT, be STRONG, and LAUGH often.

-Lisa 

 Yup, today was a good one.  Got up early enough so neither I nor my kids were rushed, made us all some protein pancakes (gluten free) and two fruit servings (have to get a leg up with my kiddos in order to get them to 5-6/day!). I was able to SIP (big difference between sip and gulp) two cups of green tea, then head out to run.  Just me and Chris. Daughtry, that is.  (http://www.myspace.com/daughtry )  Newly added to my ipod.  (Which is a whole other story for my technically challenged self.)  But, back to me and Chris. What a great a.m. album to run to.  His easy rock fit my morning PERFECTLY! The weather cooperated with me, upper 50s—you know against the wind you need a light jacket and with the wind—ahhh. So me and Chris, beautiful morning, and a light breakfast eaten early enough that it fueled my run just perfectly. It was one of those perfect mornings. Blue Jays called out to me the entire run. And, I was fast today. I was faster and it felt good and it was AWESOME. I ran and grinned like a crazy woman. Glad to be here. Glad I can run. Glad for the day. Glad for my kids. Yeah, it was a great run. Oh, and glad for Chris providing great company along the way. Good tunes. Plus, I was home and in front of my laptop by 8:15 and at my daughter’s soccer game by 10:30. Not every run is like that. But when it’s good, it is oh-so-good.

“No matter our age or condition, there are still untapped possibilities within us and new beauty waiting to be born.”  Dr. Dale Turner

Stay Strong and Happy Saturday!

Do you know what’s best for you? It’s an onoing educational process as far as I am concerned! Each of us are different–we get various amounts of sleep, our diets vary, and we are exposed to different toxins, and our physical endeavors vary. I can tell you what I do–but for what’s best for YOU, is based on YOUR needs. And for that, you need an individualized plan. I have great homeopath and nutritionist friends who provide excellent guidance and direction. However, I still read and research everything I can get my hands on! For Christmas, I bought myself “You, the Owner’s Manual” ( Amazon ) by Dr. Oz, Oprah’s latest doctor friend. He came and spoke at Lifetime Fitness last year and the man is amazingly brilliant. Unfortunately, I have not let myself even peak at the book until I finish my current 3 open books! Anyway, Dr. Oz has a number of recommendations and some that are specific to your age which I found helpful ( Oprah’s Website ). You can download a PDF, which I thought was handy. There’s actually quite a few handy tools and healthy living articles from Dr. Oz at www.Oprah.com . So what’s best for you depends on you, your needs, and your nutritionist’s recommendations. If you have some other good reading recommendations, let me know. But –Dr. Oz’s book is NEXT in line and I can’t wait!