The Busy Fitness Pro

Posts Tagged ‘Blood Pressure’

Let’s find out the truth, are fat burner pills effective?  Is it too good to be true that you can burn up to 500% more with fat burners? For legal issues, manufacturers are not permitted to make these bold claims on the bottles that they do work. However, companies can use other forms of strategic marketing to entice the consumer by luring vulnerable individuals with commercials, ads in newspapers and magazines. Before I actually discuss this topic I’ll address what they are, how it functions through our system, is it safe, and does it really work?

The usage of fat burners induce thermogenesis. This is the process the body uses to burn fat by manipulating our metabolism. The derivative for thermo is heat and genesis is production. The most common ingredient on the market today is Ephedrine and referred as Ma Huang (an ancient Chinese herb). It has been around China for over 3000 years in preparation to help with colds, flu, asthma and allergies used as tea. Other common ingredients on the market are caffeine and aspirin. These 3 combined are known as the ECA stack and the ingredients are greater as one maximizing thermogenesis. Aspirin is salicin which is a component of white willow bark which led to discovery of aspirin. Guarana commonly found in northern Brazil is also known as caffeine. Researchers or others have said that caffeine boost the effects of ephedrine and aspirin. Thus, combining the ECA stack together are greater than each ingredient alone. Green tea is another ingredient found in fat burners. A common ingredient found in most fat burning supplements is L-tyrosine which is a nonessential amino acid. L-tyrosine is also the precursor of several neurotransmitters that include L-dopa, dpamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. In addition, Cordyceps, yohimbe along with the others I’ve mentioned possesses the ability to simulate specific fat receptors such as the hips and buttock area for women.

I’ll now be discussing about our nervous system such as our autonomic nervous system (ANS). The ANS helps regulate blood pressure, hearts activity, movement and work in the stomach, intestine/salivary glands, secretion of insulin, and sexual functions. The ANS is subdivided into 2 components which are the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). The SNS is a excitatory system which meditates the body response to activity, stress, danger which includes increased heart rate, constriction of arterioles in skin, digestive system, and inhibition of digestive functions. The PNS is an inhibitory system which has a decreased heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, etc. As we can tell our bodies are very complex involving our hormones and neurotransmitters. Imagine this is only a small percentage of what is being addressed on how our body functions. Consider our body similar to a car. I would like to think of my body like an Audi R8 (by the way, my favorite car!) which allows us to excel in every aspect such as acceleration, cornering, speed, etc. Then you sneak a peek to see what is under that hood, it is quite complicated and sophisticated appreciating what it takes for this car to perform.

Within the SNS has a chemical called catecholamines which checks the level in your blood. It is a hormone produced by the adrenal glads found at the top of the kidneys releasing blood during physical or emotional stress. This is the process when you are grasping for air doing 5-20 minutes of jogging depending on your physical conditioning. The fat burners work a few different ways: first thing, we understand fat burners assist the body to break down body fat which involves releasing it from fat cell. It then enters the bloodstream as fatty acids to be transported to the muscle cells where it is burned. Secondly, fat burners will tend to suppress our appetite. As discussed prior, many of our hormones and neurotransmitters are involved. Last, weight loss is inhibiting the body from absorbing fat during digestion. Fat blockers do not work if that person isn’t eating fat in her/his diet. They also wont prevent weight gain if a person is overeating protein or carbohydrates. Of course the negative side effects we may consider taking these fat burners are digestion, stomach discomfort, diarrhea, interference with other medications such as birth control pills, estrogen, decreased appetite, stress, teeth grinding, muscle fatigue, alarming incidents of death, and possible long term effects we are not aware yet.

So it is apparent that fat burners are effective. Indeed the public is becoming more knowledgeable these days with products but why do more people only rely on fat burners to lose weight and discontinue their routine with exercising and eating right? Would it not be more effective with a monitored diet and exercise program? In my opinion, this is where most people go wrong and individuals truly convince they have a slow metabolism so they will only use the fat burner and not exercise. My point is that if people do decide to use fat burners, it is only 1 portion of the equation of maximizing your results. Also, we should be careful of what we put into our system by researching and understanding the product. Sometimes we have to think of the short and long term effects of anything we do in life. So, next time you make a decision think of the long term consequences rather than the immediate benefits.

Technorati Tags: Aspirin, Autonomic Nervous System, Blood Pressure, Bloodstream, Bold Claims, Burn Fat, caffeine, chinese herb, Colds Flu, Discovery Of Aspirin, Eca Stack, Effects Of Ephedrine, Ephedrine, Estrogen, Fat Burner Pills, Fat Burners, Fat Burning Supplements, Fatty Acids, Green Tea, Guarana, Hormone, Kidneys, L Dopa, L Tyrosine, Ma Huang, metabolism, Nervous System, Neurotransmitters, Norepinephrine, Northern Brazil, Salicin, Stomach Discomfort, Strategic Marketing, System, Thermogenesis, Vulnerable Individuals, weight Loss, White Willow Bark, Yohimbe

Effective weight loss supplements :

For those who seek a quick and easy solution to weight loss, it is natural to gravitate toward weight loss dietary supplements.

But what exactly are weight loss dietary supplements?

Are they safe and healthy for you to use? Will they really be effective?

Or will they be counter-productive and/or a total waste of money?

Some people use weight loss dietary supplements to enhance their exercise and diet regimens. These supplements are a blend of various vitamins, amino acids and minerals. Some supplements also contain herbs.

Remember to seek your doctor’s advice before using any supplements.Because weight loss supplements are not usually reviewed by the FDA, you must use caution when taking these. They are not subject to the standards that other medications must pass. Only if they are deemed by the FDA as not being suitable for human consumption would these supplements be discontinued from being sold.

Because there is no government regulation as to what goes into these weight loss dietary supplements, sometimes the ingredients listed on the labels do not match the actual ingredients used in the product. Ephedra, touted as a weight loss dietary supplement, was taken off the market after it was shown to cause seizures, raise blood pressure, and exacerbate depression, chronic headaches and even cause death.

Since ephedra is no longer available on the market, bitter orange is being promoted, even though it hasn’t shown any effect with weight loss. New research suggests that it has the same effects as ephedra did on the body. An unhealthy and unsafe weight loss dietary supplement, bitter orange has yet to be pulled from store shelves.

Guar gum and chitosan have been shown to be two very common but ineffective weight loss dietary supplements. Ingestion of these two dietary supplements for weight loss is not encouraged anymore. Their long term effects on the body are not known since neither of them has been studied or tested for that in particular. However, it has been shown that they do not contribute or help dieters to reduce appetite or lose weight.

St. John’s Wart and green tea are reportedly helpful in weight loss. When used together with diet and exercise both of these have proven to be effective weight loss dietary supplements. Green Tea can come as pills and patches if you would like a change from the traditional tea form.

Technorati Tags: Amino Acids, Bitter Orange, Blood Pressure, Chitosan, Chronic Headaches, Diet Regimens, Diet Supplements, Dietary Supplement, Easy Solution, Effective Weight Loss, Effective Weight Loss Supplements, Government Regulation, Guar Gum, Human Consumption, Ingestion, Minerals, Seizures, Store Shelves, Waste Of Money, Weight Loss Dietary Supplements, Weight Loss Supplements

1. BETTER POSTURE – If you have rounded or hunched shoulders and want to improve your posture, here are two things you can do. Backward shoulder rolls and shoulder squeezes with short sustained holds can help strengthen you upper middle back and stretch your chest. Think of your chest as if it were the headlights of a car and always keep your head lights up. Avoid arching your back. You’ll soon walk straighter, stronger and be on your way to better posture for life.

2. METABOLISM – Exercise not only increases the metabolic rate for the duration of the activity, but also for many hours after completion. Studies have indicated that the resting metabolism is still elevated some 18 hours after the exercise period. That means you’re still burning calories long after you’re finished working out.

3. WEIGHT LOSS – “It’s hard to lose weight and keep it off”. How many times have you heard that? The recent release of information saying that we have a fat gene is very depressing. It would be so easy to believe the “doomed to be fat” editorials or the notion that there’s little that we can do about how much we weigh. But don’t you dare for a minute, buy into that kind of thinking. If you watch what you eat and stay active, how much you weigh will be “OK”. Think about it, there are people you know who have been successful at losing weight and keeping it off. Think positively.

4. FLAT ABS – Don’t get too hung up on having the perfect flat stomach. For some people, this goal may be impossible. Even if you are very thin, your internal organs may give a slight roundness in your abdominal region. The flatness of your stomach depends, in large part on your genetics. That is, whether or not your body tends to store fat around your midsection or elsewhere.

5. HEART – Exercise has been proven to protect the heart. A moderate amount of exercise increase HDL cholesterol. It also lowers blood pressure, makes you less likely to gain weight, increases insulin sensitivity in the muscles and lowers the risk of formatting blood clots. Fit individuals have a lower risk of heart disease.

6. BMR – Our Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), which is the number of calories burned at rest, decreases with age. Researchers have realized that a person’s lean body mass is the key to compiling a definitive figure. The best way to maintain lean body mass is by including strength training to your workout regime. Without strength training, the BMR may drop by 100 calories per decade, starting at age 20, so build those muscles and burn more calories.

7. STRENGTH TRAINING – Is an excellent way to slow down the aging process, In fact, one researcher indicates that much of what we call aging, is nothing more than the accumulation of a lifetime of inactivity. For example, muscles shrink due to inactivity – a process we call atrophy and body fat increases as a result. Also linked with inactivity are risks of diabetes, hypertension and osteoporosis. By preserving muscle mass, we may prevent these problems from occurring.

8. SPOT REDUCING – It is a myth that abdominal exercises like sit ups burn fat deposits around the waist. The fact is, abdominal exercises can strengthen your abdominal muscles which in return help burn fat overall but it won’t selectively burn abdominal fat. You can’t spot reduce, which means to lose weight from specific regions of the body. However, this is not to say that doing abdominal exercises is a waste of time. When properly done, they strengthen and tone your abdominal muscles which are otherwise hard to exercise. Strong abdominals muscles provide better support for the back and may alleviate some back problems. The best way to lose fat is exercise combined with a low fat diet.

9. INFLEXIBILITY – in the quads can alter pelvic alignment, which in turn contributes to problems in the lower back. Lack of muscular coordination in this area increases risk of accidents and falls. Remember to include flexibility and coordination exercises when working out.

10. WOMEN – generally lose between 3 and 6% of their bone density annually just before and after menopause. Researchers estimate that in the women they studied, waling generally delayed osteoporosis by about 7 years and also conveyed cardiovascular benefits.

11. WOMEN & HEALTH – Women who exercise regularly experience as much as 60% reduction in the risk of breast cancer. Those who participated in at least 4 hours of exercise per week appeared to reap the greatest benefit.

12. WEIGHT TRAINING – Research has found that as women become stronger and fit with weights, they begin to spend time pursuing other physical activities, such as team sports like tennis or join a cycling group, all because their stronger.

13. HEALTH – Did you know that strokes are rare in women 25-44? Under age 45, only 10/100,000 women lose their lives to stroke or other brain disorders. After 45, however, the rate zooms to 65/100,000 and continues to increase with age. The best way to avoid stroke is to control your blood pressure by keeping weight and cholesterol in check through healthy eating and regular exercise.

14. AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN – More than 40% of African American women weigh more than 20% above their ideal body weight, which gives them a 90% greater chance of developing heart disease. This extra weight, combined with a lack of exercise, contributes to other conditions that weaken the heart and one’s overall health, including high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol. So get movin’!

15. WEAK MUSCLES – A recent study indicated that half of women age 65 cannot lift 10 pounds. Women have less muscle mass to begin with, and they start to lose muscle strength more rapidly after age 60. Often times they become so profoundly weak that they must be put into nursing homes because they are unable to perform their daily functions. So start pumping those weights.

16. EXERCISE DURATION – How much exercise is enough? Well, fitness experts say at least 60 minutes of moderate intensity activity a day. If you don’t have 60 straight minutes, break it up into 6, 10 minute workouts or 30 minute workouts 4 to 6 days a week.

17. MUSCLE MASS – More muscle creates a higher demand for energy. In order for muscles to maintain itself at rest and during exercise, you’ll need to eat more foods high in nutrients. How do we create this formula…resistance training builds strong muscles, and eating foods low in fat will help to prevent the loss of muscle mass.

18. TOTAL BODY – just like baking a pie, you need all the ingredients to have a beautiful and tasteful pie, same with your body, it’s not one without the other, taking care of your body means as a whole, mentally, physically and spiritually!

19. HEALTHY FOODS – Eating foods that are rich in antioxidants are better for your skin, cells and body. Think organic, non-chemical foods that are not loaded with toxins. Eat fewer calories

20. REST – Your body needs rest to repair itself. Also, a rested mind is a happy mind that can think more clearly and has more energy. Active minds are more likely to remain healthy.

21. LIVE LONGER – Be active and live longer! Physical activity is critical to longevity and independent living. Death rates in non-active people double the rate of those that live an active lifestyle…so keep moving!

22. ADVICE – Eighty percent of women rely on their friends for advice and support when trying to improve health habits. Eating healthier diets and increasing physical activity are the main ways that women attempt to improve their health and succeed.

23. WORKING OVERTIME – Women who work overtime consume more high fat, high sugar snacks and caffeinated beverages, smoke more, and get less exercise. People snack more when they work in hostile, high stress environments. Snacking at work is not necessarily bad if you choose healthy foods such as fruit, low-fat yogurt, or high-fiber crackers.

24. MAGNESIUM – Calcium and vitamin D get all the glory when it comes to promoting bone health. While they are the major nutritional players in bone metabolism, minerals such as iron and magnesium are also important. Good sources of magnesium include fruits vegetables and whole grains. You can also beef up magnesium intake by taking a good multivitamin that contains it.

25. METABOLICALLY FIT – Sixty percent of Americans are overweight, while 25 percent are obese. Many of these people exercise regularly, some vigorously, but are still overweight. A few extra pounds are okay if you are metabolically fit- as long as you exercise regularly. It’s best to be lean and active, but you get some health benefits from exercise no matter how much you weigh. It’s easier for a fat person to increase physical activity than to lose weight through diet alone.

26. VITMAMIN D – Skin doctors have been telling women for year to stay out of the sun and avoid tanning beds to avoid wrinkled skin and skin cancer. While the bronzed tan look is still popular, many women cover up or use protective sun lotions to protect their skin. Avoiding the sun’s rays completely is not a good idea. The body gets vitamin D largely from a reaction that requires sunlight. The vitamin is essential for building strong bones, preserving muscle strength, and preventing multiple sclerosis, diabetes, and cancer. It also helps regulate cell growth, immunity, and energy metabolism. Dermatologists (skin doctors) countered that people with vitamin D deficiencies can take supplements and should avoid excessive sun exposure.

27. STRESS – Stress can literally give people gray hairs and cause cells to age and die faster than normal. Cells can only reproduce a limited number of times. Stress shortens that interval, which makes it more difficult to repair injured cells and fight disease. University of California, San Francisco found greater cell damage in women who were under high levels of stress compared to women who weren’t. Stressed women had cells that were judged 10 years older than the cells of unstressed women of the same age. The scientists speculated that free radicals- destructive chemicals produced normally during metabolism- were responsible for stress-related cell aging. Try to reduce the stress in your life- you might live longer.

28. WHOLE GRAINS – Eating more high grain foods contributes to weight loss and prevents disease. New FDA food guidelines recommend five to ten servings of grain products- at least three of which should be from whole grains. They also urged people to eat fewer servings of refined grain products. Whole grain foods must contain all three layers of the grain- the endosperm, the bran and the germ. Read the label carefully when shopping for these foods. Dark bread does not necessarily contain whole grains.

29. DARIY FOODS – Most women know the importance of calcium intake for building and maintaining strong bones. Dairy foods, such as milk and cheese, are the best sources for calcium. Dairy foods may also help fight fat. Iranian scientists found that men and women who consumed the most dairy products are 80% less likely to be obese and have a lower body mass index. Try to consume three servings per day of non-fat dairy foods.

Technorati Tags: Blood Pressure, burning calories, diet, Exercise Period, Fit, Fitness, Fitness Tips, Flat Abs, Flat Stomach, Flatness, Genetics, Headlights, health, Healthy Body, Healthy Food, Increase Hdl Cholesterol, Insulin Sensitivity, Internal Organs, losing weight, Metabolic Rate, Midsection, Muscles, Nutrition, Posture, Resting Metabolism, Roundness, Shoulder Rolls, Weight Increases, weight Loss, Weight Loss Plans

So another year has gone by.  It’s hard to believe.  Did you notice that we are not getting any younger?  Each time another holiday season and New Year’s rolls around, it means we have another year under our belt.  The march of time continues…there is nothing we can do to reverse it…but it is in our power to slow it down.

Some older adults take the attitude, I’m just getting old and there is nothing I can do about it.  They don’t exercise.  They eat whatever they want, whenever they feel like it.  They may still smoke…despite decades of information on the hazards.  They don’t interact with other people on a regular basis.  Mind you there are a few that have the “just right” genetic make up and will stay as healthy as a horse and live to be 99.  They are the exception…not the rule.  For the rest of us baby boomers, doing nothing will shorten our lives and ruin the quality of life for the years we have left.

By the time you reach 50 you’d think you’d have made all the New Year’s resolutions you’d care to.  It’s actually very beneficial to take stock of your life once a year.  Review where you’ve been and where you’d still like to go.  Hopefully your 2008 Resolutions will include regular exercise.  By regular I mean the ACSM guidelines:

Can you make that kind of commitment to yourself?  You won’t regret a minute of it.  That regular exercise will help you feel better, as well as look better.  It will also strengthen your bones and increase their density.  It will lower your blood pressure and strengthen you heart.  It will help you sleep better and at the same time give you extra energy.  Surely you have 30-40 minutes/day that you can block out as “Your Time.”  That’s what exercise is…Your Time.  If you have the money, it’s worth the investment to either join a club or purchase equipment to workout at home.  I recently had a woman tell me that for her 55th birthday her gift to herself was a treadmill and a personal trainer.  She shared that it was the best money she’d every spent and worth every penny.  So what if your funds are limited?  Going to a mall and walking for 30-40 minutes is free.  So is going to a nearby school track (on a nice day).  A stability ball is a worthy investment of $30.  You can use it for sit ups…push ups…and sit on it to watch TV (which will continue to work on your core muscles).  Use the ball as a weight bench and add some weights…maybe cans of soup or chili?  For under $15 you can add on a rubber tube with handles.  These too will add resistance to your workout…which in turn will strengthen those muscles.  So a small budget is no excuse to skip a regular workout.

In addition to exercise…you need to commit to making healthy food choices…EVERYDAY. Stick to fresh fruits and veggies and limit your carbohydrates and fats.  Note I didn’t say “eliminate” carbs and fat…I said “limit.”  They can be excellent sources of energy, just consume them sparingly.  A good rule of thumb is to shop the perimeter of the grocery store and stay out of the aisles in the middle…as much as possible.  The outer walls is where you’ll find your produce, eggs, protein and dairy.  The majority of it is unprocessed and much better for you than the junk food lurking in the aisles of your grocery store.

You need to get enough sleep…at least 8 hours a night.  Planning regular social events are important to your emotional health.  Check into a class or group that you’ve always dreamed about attending.  Belonging to these classes or groups is about the time spent with other people socializing…as much as it is about participating in the activity.

There is at least ONE MORE resolution I’d like each of you to make.  Select something that you’ve always wanted to do or try.  Write it down and after it write…”will happen in 2009!”  Somehow putting it in writing makes it seem more real and you’re more likely to stick with it.  Plan to go skydiving…or backpacking…or snowboarding…or anything that challenges and excites you.  Once a year we need to tryout something new.  If you’ve never done that before…make 2008 the year to start!

Here’s to a healthy and happy New Year’s!

Technorati Tags: Attitude, Baby Boomer, Baby Boomers, Blood Pressure, Bones, Decades, Density, Eating, exercise, Extra Energy, Fifties, Fitness, health, Heart, Holiday Season, March Of Time, New Year, Older Adults, Quality Of Life, Resolutions, Sleep, Stock, workout