So, scientists have now turned their attention to uncovering why many women in mid-life start to accumulate that added weight as fat in the abdominal area. While fluctuating hormone levels, particularly lower estrogen levels, may be partially responsible for the redistribution of fat to the belly area, research is demonstrating that estrogen is not the only hormone responsible for this phenomenon.

It turns out that stress and stress related hormones have been linked to excessive fat storage around the abdominal area. How you ask? Apparently it’s a result of the flight or fight instinct that our distant ancestors were so dependent upon for survival.

During times of stress, mental or physical, the body releases corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH). This generates a release of the hormones adrenaline and cortisol.

The adrenaline released results in instant energy and increased strength. This is what allows people to do superhuman things, like the woman that lifts the car that fell on her son.

Meanwhile, cortisol is responsible for bringing the body back into balance after the stressful event. In other words, cortisol’s job is to stimulate the appetite to replace the carbohydrates and fat that should of been burned while fleeing or fighting the stressful event.

However, as most of you know, today’s sources of stress rarely result in calorie expenditure. Stress today is more likely to result in people sitting with frustration or anger while reaching for something to eat. But the body doesn’t know that it did not expend any calories during the most recent stressful event. So cortisol is still expected to perform by increasing the appetite for carbohydrates and fat.

A recent study conducted by researchers at Yale University and published in the September 2000 issue of Psychosomatic Medicine suggests that cortisol may actually cause fat to be stored in the center of the body. Couple that fact with the fact that the fat cells located in the belly area are richer with stress hormone receptors than fat cells located elsewhere and you have a recipe for abdominal obesity.

If the added belly fat is not distressing enough, it should also be noted that belly fat has been linked to an increased risk of developing heart disease.

Never fear, there is a way to combat belly fat generated from stress, it’s EXERCISE! Exercise works to prevent belly fat generated from stress, by reducing the levels of stress hormones in your body. That’s right, vigorous exercise generates beta-endorphins. These endorphins are responsible for calming the body down and reducing the level of stress hormones in the body!

How much exercise does one need to combat belly fat in times of stress? I suggest 20-30 minutes of a physical activity you enjoy. Whether it be a 20-30 minute vigorous walk or a weight training session. Just so long as you get the body moving and releasing those beta-endorphins.

Of course exercise also helps to combat belly fat simply by burning calories. This way when cortisol increases your appetite you will have expended the carbohydrate and fat calories during your workout. Allowing cortisol do its job and preventing those extra calories from being stored on your belly.

But – do not go overboard – exercising too hard for too long can also generate cortisol. This defeats the purpose of using exercise to combat cortisol and its belly fat generating affects.

So, the next time you start to get stressed out, instead of sitting and chewing food in your frustration, get up and take a 10 minute vigorous walk. This will help beat those stress hormones by releasing beta-endorphins and taking your mind off the thing stressing you out.

Tips for combating stressed out belly fat:
Exercise a minimum of 20-30 minutes, 3 days a week
Eat small balanced meals 5-6 times a day
Snack on high fiber foods
Set time aside to do activities you enjoy
Avoid excessive amounts of caffeine, alcohol & cigarettes – these items in excess have been shown to raise cortisol levels
Get 8 hours of sleep – lack of sleep will also increase cortisol levels

By incorporating these tips you will be able to stop belly fat before it starts!

It might not be possible to increase speed in leaps and bounds, but taking a second or two off the clock is often more than feasible. In many cases, the answer lies in the stride the runner is taking. An improper stride can slow things down, while a properly formed stride can take seconds off the clock quickly and efficiently.

While many runners thinks this means increasing the length of strides, that’s just not the case. To get faster, it’s important to increase the speed of running strides, not the distance a single step covers. A runner’s foot should always land under the body – not out in front of it. To enjoy the greatest speed, push off with the toes of the rear leg for optimum propulsion.

There are a number of other things runners can do to help shave a little bit of time off their finishes. They include:
• Building endurance – Endurance and speed do often go hand-in-hand. As a person begins to fatigue, speed can suffer greatly. The longer a runner can keep up a proper stride, the faster he or she is likely to be on the finish.
• Practicing – Running with proper form for enhanced speed can take some getting used to. With this in mind, it can be critical to make sure practice is a part of the regular routine. This is especially so when a big race is on the horizon. Work with a trainer to get on a practice schedule that helps build endurance and speed both.
• Eating right – Diet is important for runners. This is a high-energy sport that can take a great deal out of the body. Be sure to fuel the body right on a regular basis and don’t overlook the importance of proper hydration, too. When the body isn’t fueled and hydrated properly, fatigue will set in quickly.
• Dressing right – Runners need to wear proper shoes and clothing to be comfortable as they move. If comfort and support are compromised, speed will likely suffer.

Gaining speed in running isn’t necessarily as easy as it is to build endurance. Take the time to practice, pay attention to diet and make sure the right stride is taken. When these things combine with proper clothing and comfort, runners are likely to see the results they’re after.

• Cause blisters and chafing
• Promote bruising on the bottom of the feet, especially for runners
• Add to or create calve pain
• Promote cramping
• Increase the likelihood of injury due to a lack of support.

Selecting Proper Shoes
Buying good workout shoes isn’t quite like picking out a pair of loafers for the office. Since intense physical activity is the plan when wearing these shoes, the fit must be excellent and the support provided proper.
Here are tips for buying the right shoes for exercise:

• Be sure to buy the right type of shoe – All sneakers are not made alike. Some are designed specifically for runners, others are meant to provide the right support for basketball, aerobics, walking and other forms of activity. Be sure to look at the right shoes for the desired exercise.
• Only try on shoes late in the day – As the day wears on, the feet tend to swell a bit. Trying shoes on when feet are at their largest is likely to produce the best possible fit.
• Be picky about feel – When trying shoes on, make sure there’s some space between the front of the longest toe and the end of the shoe. There should be enough room to easily wiggle the toes. If there’s not, a larger size is in order.
• Trust the eyes – Once a seemingly good fit is found, take the shoes off and place them next to the feet. A good fit will appear slightly longer and wider than the feet. If shoes aren’t obviously bigger, consider going up a half size.
• Consult an expert – Fitness professionals often have wonderful recommendations on the types of shoes that provide the best fit and support for certain activities. Ask around at the gym.
• Go high-tech – There are shoe stores for athletes that combine science in with fittings. They do this by using special sensors that gauge pressure points when a person is working out. This enables employees to find the right fitting shoes for each individual customer.

There are plenty of reasons that exercise routines get sidelined. To increase chances of enjoying success, start from the bottom up. Get a good fitting, comfortable pair of shoes and a new routine can start off on the right foot.

Sacrificing a few hours here and there seems harmless enough, but from your body’s perspective, it’s almost suicide! Sleep is when your body has time to restore and repair your cells from the damage of the day.

Did you know that each and every day your body makes free radicals as a result of this thing called life? Free radicals do a lot of oxidative damage to your body which leads to cell dysfunction and the onset of problems like heart disease, diabetes, and far too many other diseases to mention here… but you get the idea.

Now when you get a full night sleep, anywhere form 7-9 hours – this is the prime time when your body uses antioxidants (you hopefully consumed from your 5 serving of vegetables during the day right?) to repair the cellular damage done by those free radicals.

Antioxidants are dietary substances (you get them from nutrient rich foods, like your vegetables) that can prevent damage to your body’s cells or repair damage that has been done by free radicals. They will improve immune function and perhaps lower your risk for infection and cancer. Antioxidants really are miracle workers!

The nice thing about antioxidants is that you can get them conveniently in many forms from your foods; from ready-to-go drinks to nicely packaged pills and tablets. So, getting enough antioxidants into your body to combat the damage of free radicals is easy enough.

But here’s the problem: if you aren’t sleeping, or staying asleep, then your body will never be able to effectively put those antioxidants to use to undo the damage of the free radicals, which is going to leave you feeling less than healthy, and lacking the energy and vigor to take on the day!

Now if falling asleep or staying asleep is a problem for you, then more antioxidants may be exactly what the doctor ordered.

New studies are showing poor sleep and low antioxidant levels are directly related; And that by increasing your intake of antioxidants you may in fact improve your quality sleep! And while pharmaceutical companies are busy formulating synthetic antioxidant formulas to help you sleep, our clients are improving their sleep by simply increasing their antioxidant intake through a properly designed diet.

To learn more about how you can improve your sleep and your health, schedule your nutrition consultation today by calling 389-2320.

More and more medical professionals are recommending that women eat a more “Asian” diet as they reach menopause consisting of fish, soy and vegetables in abundance. Asian women seem to suffer fewer and less noticeable symptoms when they go through menopause. One of the reasons for this is thought to be the abundance of phytonutrients or plant nutrients in their diet.

These phytonutrients include phytoestrogens, which act something like human estrogen in the body but are much weaker. When your body stops producing sufficient levels of estrogen, these phytoestrogens can bind to the estrogen receptors and help to fool your body into thinking is still has higher estrogen levels. Increasing your intake of phyoestrogens can help to treat common menopausal symptoms like hot flashes or at least make them less severe. Soy is the most potent source of phytoestrogens, but they can also be found in cruciferous vegetables. Cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, collard greens, cabbage, bok choy and kale.

One of the key roles of these foods is in fighting cancers that are more prevalent in post-menopausal women. The vegetables contain a compound called indole-3-carbinol (I3C). This compound is thought to stop the growth of cancer cells in various cells. It help against cancers of breast, endometrium, lung, colon, liver, colon and cervix.

I3C also reduces your risk of developing cancers by undergoing a natural conversion in the body to yet another potent anti-cancer compound, diindolylmethane (DIM). The connection between DIM and hormones like estrogen stems from similar characteristics between the two substances at the molecular level. In addition to stopping hormone-dependent cancer cells from multiplying, DIM inhibits breast cancer cells that are not hormone dependent. For instance, DIM has been shown to increase the body’s production of interferon gamma. This works with your immune system to prevent the growth of tumors, making it more difficult for cancer to develop.

With breast cancer becoming a major health risk for menopausal women, it is encouraging to see that studies are proving a link between eating cruciferous vegetables and preventing breast cancer cells from surviving an forming tumors.

These cancer-prevention benefits can begin long before menopause, so it’s a good idea to incorporate cruciferous vegetables into your diet throughout your life. As the risk of cancer increases, so does the importance of taking steps to prevent them.

So if you’ve been shunning broccoli for most of your life, there’s no time like the present to give it a second chance. As with any nutrients derived from fresh foods, it’s important not to overcook them. Cooking can allow the nutrients to escape or diminish their effectiveness. Ideally, you should eat some of your cruciferous vegetables raw. If that’s too much for you to stomach, cook them lightly until they are just tender. Steaming is preferable to boiling, since the boiling water will absorb nutrients.

If you are having trouble finding ways to work the extra vegetables into your diet, here are some ideas to make things more palatable. Turn cabbage into coleslaw and serve it as a side dish with sandwiches. Cabbage rolls are also a nice change, although to increase the amount of cabbage you consume, try doubling up the leaves so you’ll have more cabbage and less filling. Broccoli and cauliflower are great with dip. You’ll find it easier to nibble on them if you have something tasty to dip them in. A pile of broccoli and cauliflower florets and a few ounces of hummus will make a filling and nutritious lunch. For people who have traditionally been broccoli and cauliflower haters, cheese sauce can help them to go down better. It works on young children, so why not try it yourself. Bok choy is easy to incorporate into a stir fry where the spices and other ingredients will make it blend in.

If you need more inspiration, check out some vegetarian cookbooks for ideas. Whatever it takes to incorporate more cruciferous vegetables into your diet, it’s worth the effort. The benefits are becoming more clear with every medical study. There are so many health risks associated with growing older that it’s very empowering to find something we can actually do without medication to improve our chances against something as devastating as cancer.

If you want to learn more about how diet & exercise can help you stop midlife weight gain and improve your health, contact Jenny May today at 518-389-2320!

Ordering Food that Sounds Healthy: The words ‘low fat’ can be quite deceptive in the world of nutrition. Just because ‘low fat’ is associated with certain foods does not mean it is nutritionally sound. Check the label for all facts about low fat foods to ensure you are choosing nutritional foods and snacks. It is particularly important to be weary of frozen dinners and snacks, which are generally filled with sodium and preservatives. In addition, do not assume that ordering a salad is a healthy choice. Plenty of salads from fast food chains or restaurants have dressings high in fat and caloric toppings, like cheese.

Building Muscle: So, you’ve been working out and working toward getting fit, only to find that you have gained weight! Do not panic, building muscle is a positive weight gain and leads to a healthier and more fit body. Although the number you see on the scale may be a bit higher, people around you will notice a positive healthy difference.

Medications: Some medications are known to have side effects that produce weight gain. Anti-depressants, some birth control and diabetes medication can cause weight due to changes in metabolic rate and hormone levels. Not all medications are subject to this side effect and it is important to consult a physician if you believe medication has become a problem in excess weight gain.

Eating Quickly: Are you on-the-go? Do you find yourself starving and pressed for time? Many people eat as quickly as they can to get back to their their busy day. This unfortunately can turn in to an easy trap for weight gain. When we eat rapidly, our bodies do not have the time register that we are full or satisfied. Try to make an effort to eat slower. It will help control your portions and will give your body time to register that is it full.

Skipping Meals: When losing weight, many people choose to skip meals in order to attain fast results. This style of dieting is unsustainable and is very unhealthy. Also known as yo-yo dieting, this approach can actually do the opposite of what is intended. When we skip meals, our body’s metabolism slows down and stores food for energy. When you can no longer sustain skipping meals, and return to our old diets, we are more likely to overeat and gain back the lost weight more rapidly. The healthy trick is to eat small meals throughout the day to keep your metabolism healthy and active.

Let us know if you have any comments below.

Don’t get too excited – this information doesn’t mean you can head to the candy aisle on your next super-market trip. Remember, too much of anything is not a good thing. Your chocolate intake is no different. Experts clarify their findings with these cautionary words: “We should stick to moderate consumption of high-calorie chocolates.”

Of all of your options in the chocolate family, dark chocolate is your best choice for its surprising health benefits. It is packed with antioxidants that promote heart health and may prevent many cardiovascular-related conditions. Substances called flavonoids are found in chocolate, which, studies have demonstrated have powerful antioxidant effects called flavanols and procyanidins. These two compounds come from the flavonoid “family.” When people consume these substances in chocolate and cocoa, their antioxidant levels in their blood rises. This rise in antioxidant levels can help protect us from damage to our heart and blood vessels, while guarding our DNA from things like cancer. Because dark chocolate is more concentrated in cocoa content, it is higher in flavonoids than milk chocolate.

Here are a few facts you may have not known about one of your favorite indulgences:

• Chocolate contains phenethylamine, which triggers the release of endorphins and endorphins make you happy.
• Ever wonder why your instinct during a stressful time to reach for a chocolate bar happens? The answer is: It is a biological reflex. Chocolate also contains a compound called anandamide, which activates brain receptors that bring you a ‘blissful’ feeling.
• Some studies have indicated that consuming chocolate can prolong your life expectancy…by a year! Stick to a one-ounce serving to get your fix without wrecking your waistline.
• Consuming dark chocolate may help control your appetite, or at the very least, will keep you from snacking too much, eating extra calories and avoiding salty or sugary foods.

If pushing out those last few reps is a common problem, there’s a trick that can really help. Rather than count repetitions forward, do it backward. Just like a rocket launch, this method builds excitement and can provide the extra motivation needed to get those last few reps cranked out.

There are lots of other tips and tricks that can help enhance motivation levels before and during a workout. Here are just a few that are worth trying:

• Set a workout time and stick with it – Pick the most convenient time of the day for heading to the gym, using machines at home or just going for a jog. Select a time of day that will cause the least interruption and try to stick with it.
• Vary the routine – It’s important to make sure an exercise routine is as fun as possible. Making sure to include variety is one of the best ways to accomplish this. Go to the gym a few days a week and use the off days for fun activities, such as team sports, swimming, heavy gardening or so on.
• Set mini-goals – The path to good fitness can be long, but it doesn’t have to be without its rewards. Consider setting mini-weight loss or accomplishment goals along the way. Recognize the milestones when they’re hit.
• Workout with a friend – When possible, it’s a good idea to have a workout buddy that can provide a source of inspiration and motivation.
• Call on a trainer – If going to a gym is part of the plan, take advantage of personal training opportunities. Trainers are excellent motivators and they know how to help create workout plans that are varied, realistic and mark milestones.
• Stay positive – Reaching workout and weight loss goals can take time, but every step forward is a win. Keep the mind focused on the positive benefits each and every day and the desire and will power to workout is likely to stay strong.

Motivation is a key factor for producing results in a workout and weight loss plan. Find things that provide a sense of personal motivation and use them to keep the momentum going. The end results are worth every bit of effort.

Getting ready for 5K race does involve several steps and the earlier a runner can dive into these the better. Here’s a plan to help transform a new runner into an athlete that can easily finish a 5K run:

Get a Medical Evaluation

While a 5K race is only 3.1 miles and it’s the perfect distance for beginning competitors, training should first start in a doctor’s office. It’s best to get medical clearance and advice for setting a safe, healthy training routine. A doctor is a critical piece of the puzzle because it’s important to have a clear understanding of current medical status before diving into a training schedule.

Train Smart

It’s not really a good idea to start training one day with the intent of running a 5K the next. It’s best to start weeks out from an event and gradually work to increase distance and endurance over time.

One of the best ways to get started is to work directly with a personal trainer that understands the ins and outs of distance running. A good trainer can offer advice on diet, stretches, endurance builders and more. He or she will also be able to prescribe a smart training plan that builds up to the full 5K distance and even beyond.

Eat Right

In order to train effectively and have the energy necessary to complete a 5K, a runner’s body has to be properly fueled. Eating a smart, well-balanced diet will help with training and it should also assist with any weight loss goals associated with running.

Stay Hydrated

Water is crucial for a runner’s ability to go the distance. It’s important while training for a 5K to keep hydrated. Drink water regularly and make it a daily routine. This can not only help keep the body healthy, but also will assist in keeping muscle healthy during training.

A 5K race is the perfect starting place for new runners. It’s not, however, something to try and take on overnight. Creating a proper training routine can increase chances for success in making it the distance.