Citizens of Westwood, Norwood and other surrounding towns we are now in your area helping people reshape their midsections at 6am on M,W,F at the Islington Community Center.    Sign up through the Westwood Recreation Department.  http://www.townhall.westwood.ma.us/index.cfm?cdid=25311&pid=19935

Wednesday October 12th we are offering a free trial class for people in the Newton Highlands, Newton Center and anywhere Newton at 54 Lincoln Street, Newton Highlands. The venue is called the Hyde Community Center and Park. Ideal for stay at home or part time moms.

Tuesday November 1st there will be another free trial class offered at 69 Tyler Terrace in Newton Center. On the field of the Newton Center playground. We will be inside at the hut if weather is poor. Bring a friend, tell a neighbor, challenge a co-worker to come with you and give it a try.

www.newtonmabootcamp.com

Since 1997 Weightwatcher’s has helped a lot of people lose weight.  But weight loss seekers should remember that it is just that, a business.  I know too many people who have tried and have had success with the weightwatcher’s program.  Then they stop, they stop going to the meetings and they stop losing weight and start gaining weight back.  The typical point of concern is when all of the weight thas was lost is gained back.  The common next plan of action is none other than… follow the weightwatcher’s plan again.  Why would you try something that didn’t work the first time?  Temporary weight loss is easy to achieve to a certain degree and for the most part weightwatcher’s appears to be a short term fix for a life long problem for many.  Unless it is something that can be maintained over time it isn’t going to work.

Jared Vogel is a great example of someone who is on a yo-yo meal plan.  Google (images) Jared Vogel from the Subway commercials and you will find pictures of him at his heaviest prior to losing weight; you’ll find him at his thinnest after losing alot of weight; you’ll also find pictures of him in between the two.  His plan isn’t something he can consistently follow for a lifetime.

Weightwatcher’s has recently stated that there might be better ways to a permanent weight loss plan.  It’s taken them 24 years to finally change their philosophy.  It’s taken the fact that their business has been floundering in the recent years.  If they were still progressing as a business, there wouldn’t be any concern of the actual advice they were giving out. 

What is an example of something that will work over a long period of time?  What is the right lifestyle approach to losing weight? Great question.  The basis of all sound nutrition plans should be as follows:

Plenty of green leafy vegetables at every meal.  Nutrient dense, fibrous foods are essential for hunger control and nutritional value.

Quality proteins from animals, nuts, beans, fish and seeds.  If you can get healthy fats within your protein source you are killing two birds with one stone. 

Healthy, omega 3 rich foods/fats from flax, nuts, fish and other fruits and vegetables like coconuts and avocadoes.  These food items will satisfy huner and curb cravings for porcessed sweets and foods.

Meal plans don’t have to be boring to be healthy.  Here is a sneak peek at mine yesterday.

5:30am – Smoothie with real coconut, banana, plant protein powder, chia seeds(omega 3′s), walnuts mixed with alomnd milk.  This tatses fantastic and is filling.

10:30am – Grilled cod seasoned with olive oil and oregano with mixed green salad with sliced avocado, with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, pecans and black beans. 

2:00pm – Grilled turkey burger on an Arnold sanwich thin.  Topped with avocado, raw cheddar and mustard with lettuce and sliced tomatoe.  Another fantastically tasting dish, and healthy. 

6:00pm – Mixed green salad with chick peas, chia seeds, colored peppers, cucmbers.

8:00pm 3-4 squares of dark chocolate 85% cacoa.  Herbal/chamomile tea.

The fact that Weightwatchers allows for processed foods to be consumed leads to a dependancy on those types of foods.  The yo-yo approach is a fast track to both failure and a  depleted bank account.

Is Vince Wilfork considered athletic?  Is he an athlete?  When I hear the word athletic the below picture comes to my mind.

A lean, mesomorphic build weighing in the mid 200′s.  An NFL or division 1 collegiate linebacker, cornerback or wide reciever.  A quarter back and running back also fit into that the athletic category.  Look at some of the athletes in other major sports.  The MLB, NBA and how about the NHL?  How many overweight hockey players do you see skating around on the ice?  A different sport by nature, but there is no confusion to whether or not those guys are athletes or not.  I think hockey players are some of the greatest athletes in the world with what they are called upon to do during competition.   

He was a bust, but still gotta love him

Does the following picture come to any one’s mind when the word athlete is spoken?

Endomorphic build tipping the scales at mid to upper 300′s.

If this is athletic, then I guess athletic doesn’t necessarily mean fit right?  But, we automatically associate the two adjectives.  Vince Wilfork can move very well for someone his size.  He is a competitor in the National Foot ball League.  so, this begs two questions:

What is athletic?

What is fit and healthy?

If Vince Wilfork is an athlete, does that mean he is fit and free of health concerns?

NCAA and NFL linemen are growing by leaps and bounds.  In 1985 the University of Kansas averaged 260 pounds per offensive lineman.  In 2007, they averaged 293 pounds per lineman.(1)  For some reason this is getting recognized as a positive thing.  Colleges are looking for bigger linemen every year.  Some schools won’t even look at a kid unless he meets certain size criteria.  Football training programs are aimed at improving strength and power.  Training protocols are designed around anaerobic training and high calorie consumption  .  This leads to an increased in lean body mass.  It can also lead to an increase in non lean body mass, fat.  This type of high calorie consumption can lead to obesity related illnesses, especially if the individual does not maintain the same activity level.  

Obesity related illnesses

1.  Metabolic syndrome – is diagnosed when a patient demonstrates three of the following:(2)

     @ Elevated waist circumference (>40 inches)

     @ Elevated triglycerides (>150 mg/dl)

     @ Low HDL cholesterol (<40 mg/dl)

 A study done by Buell et al found a high incidence of metabolic syndrome and other symptoms for heart disease in current college football linemen.  Of the 70 athletes participating 34 were identified with having metabolic syndrome according to measures of blood pressure, waist circumferences, fasting glucose, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides.  If the current level of physical activity for college linemen isn’t enough to wart of these cardiovascular symptoms then there is reason to be concerned  for linemen after retiring from football.(2) 

Unhealthy eating habits can increase the body weight problem and add to future health concerns.  Individuals with more fat tend to have a less desirable metabolic profile and are at an increased risk for diabetes and coronary heart disease.  In a study conducted on the body fat percentages of division one college football players, offensive and defensive linemen averaged body fat percentages that has them in the obese category.  (>25%).  Most of the fat in these players was visceral fat.  Meaning it was located in the center of the body, the abdomen.  Increased visceral fat goes hand in hand with increased risk for diabetes and coronary heart disease.(3)  Once again, if linemen maintain an unhealthy level of calorie consumption and decrease their activity level drastically after their careers they will surely end up with coronary heart disease or worse.

Psychological challenges

We’ve discussed the physical challenges and could very well do so to greater lengths, but one aspect that goes overlooked is the psychological challenges high level competitive athletes face post competition.  Their names and numbers don’t getcalled out on the sound system for 70, 80 even 100,000 people to hear.  Post competitive depression can send an ex athlete into a downward spiral of lethargy and identity loss.  Many lineman play football from a very young age and are recognized as football players which are held in high regard.  When that identity no longer applies, things change.  The emotional challenges of weight loss often get overlooked by fitness and conditioning professionals. 

Conclusion

Having worked in the Gillette Stadium catering department in the early to mid 2000′s and being responsible for serving the players food after games I can surely understand where these statistics are coming from.  It has been proposed to develop a reconditioning program for post competitive collegiate lineman who don’t go on and play pro football.  A combination of exercise, nutrition  and psychological coaching should be employed.  Similar to football not just being about the X’s and O’s.  Fitness and weight loss isn’t just about minutes of aerobics, sets and reps.  There is very much an emotional component that needs to be recognized and coached accordingly.

References:

1.)  Strength and Conditioning Journal.  Volume 32, number 5, October 2010.  Pp.28-29.

2.)  Strength and Conditioning Journal.  Volume 32, number 5, October 2010.  pp. 29-30.

3.)  Strength and Conditioning Journal.  Volume 32, number 5, October 2010.  Pp. 31.

Resources:

Strength and Conditioning Journal.  Volume 32 number 5.  October 2010 issue.

     The following post is from Su Rollins who writes for a site called www.hypoglycemicdiet.com.  Su asked if I could post her article in effort to reach more people and educate them on how exercise can be a safe effective method of managing type II diabetes.  I have a lot of experience with clients who have type II diabetes.  I went through a 2-day intensive training program at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston, Ma. when I was employed at the Dedham Health and Athletic Complex in Dedham, Ma.  So if you are someone with type II diabetes and aren’t sure about how you can exercise, please read the following article from Su Rollins and contact me as I am qualified to assist.

What everyone ought to know about preventing diabetes through fitness.

What effect does exercise have on blood glucose levels?

Did you know that you can easily manage you blood glucose levels by engaging in exercise?     Type II diabetes is a disorder in the way your body turns food into energy.  The problem centers around a substance called insulin and how your body produces and uses it.  Insulin helps turn the food you eat into energy.  Type II diabetics produce low levels of insulin and their bodies’ don’t use insulin properly.  When we exercise our body uses fuel.  The fuel our body uses is in three forms.  Blood glucose, muscle glycogen and fats.  Some bodies are more efficient at metabolizing fats, while others are more efficient at metabolizing glucose.  This is why people come in so many different shapes and sizes.  A type II diabetic doesn’t metabolize glucose (storage form of carbohydrates) efficiently due to it’s inability to utilize insulin effectively.  Instead of being broken down and moved into the liver for future use the glucose stays in the bloodstream a lot longer in type II diabetic patients.  Think of a back log of glucose in the bloodstream.  And a high level of blood glucose above 110 can cause health issues.

Why is exercise important for people with type II diabetes?

Ingestion of carbohydrates increases serum glucose.  Sometimes too high for those with type II diabetes.  Exercise aids in managing blood sugar at a non life threatening level.  Muscles need energy to function.  Exercising muscles draw upon blood glucose for energy.  Exercise also improves the body’s sensitivity to insulin.  Insulin’s role in the body is to take ingested energy(carbohydrates) and bring it to the working muscles if they are working.  If not then the glucose is taken to the liver for storage for future use.  If someone ingests a large amount of carbohydrates; then after liver storage the excess glucose is stored as body fat.  A type II diabetic’s body doesn’t cooperate as well with insulin.  Leaving more glucose in the bloodstream.  Exercise enhances that cooperation between blood glucose and insulin.

What type of exercise should a type II diabetic do?  How much and how often?  

Cardiovascular exercise is the preferred type of exercise to maintain healthy levels of blood glucose.  Strength training can certainly be added as a supplement to the program.  Strength training increases lean muscle mass which boosts metabolism and burns body fat.  Strength training has more of an after effect.   Cardiovascular training is more instantaneous.  Each person should start slow and not overdo it the beginning.  Pre and post blood glucose tests should be done.  Type II diabetics should strive to build up to a minimum 30 and maximum of 60 minutes of cardiovascular training three times per week.  Again blood glucose levels should be closely monitored during the starting phases and whenever the workload is increased to ensure healthy levels.

When should patients be discouraged form exercising?

General guideline for both types. DO NOT exercise when blood sugar level reads over 240 mg/dl.  Test for ketones if this is the case.  If no ketones found the proceed to using the following guidelines.

Type 1 diabetics should not exercise if pre exercise blood sugar levels are at 300 mg/dl or over.

Type II should exercise if there levels are over 400 mg/dl.

Testing to see if this Auto Tweet works from my blog.

Sorry to go off topic here.

Now this is a sports rivalry ladies and gentlemen.  Nothing better to watch than playoff hockey.  The MLB playoff games can brutally long night in and night out.  There is no tougher tournament in all of sports than the pursuit of Lord Stanley’s Cup!  Even if you don’t like hockey you have to get fired up after watching this video.  I love the background music used.