Why Weight Training

Why does Time for Change Fitness promote resistance training?

Many people focus on calories alone. The slash and dash mentality develops destructive patterns, like extreme calorie cuts and/or excessive aerobics. This sets off an alarm-state in the body where the body sheds muscle tissue to lessen energy demands, and stores body fat as a survival response. Once this physiological state is reached, it becomes nearly impossible to lose any more weight no matter how many calories you cut or how much aerobic work you add. What you end up with is a person who is on a starvation level calorie count and performing excessive exercise, yet is still flabby.

The calories burned during an exercise session are relatively small compared to the amount burned during the other 23 hours of the day. Most fat oxidation occurs between training sessions, not during. This means your exercise sessions should primarily be geared towards building muscle and boosting your metabolism.

After a strength training session, the metabolic rate raises (the after-burn effect) for longer periods of time than after aerobic work (up to 48 hours). This is because all of the steps involved in the recovery process from strength training (satellite cell activation, tissue repair, protein synthesis, etc.) require energy (calories).

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Another green supplement to try.

Spirulina… What is it?

A blue-green algae, often taken as a green powder mixed with water or juice. It garnered attention after it was used by NASA as a supplement for astronauts on space missions. Research has shown that it helps to reduce inflammation and sensitivity to pain, both of which may aid performance.

Fitness Boost

In a study that examined the ergogenic and antioxidant effects of spirulina, people who were given about 2 ½ teaspoons took significantly longer to fatigue and increased their fat burning by 10.9 percent compared to the placebo group.

Health Benefits

It has been shown to decrease blood pressure and blood lipids such as triglycerides, LDL, and total cholesterol while also increasing HDL. Several studies found that it increases natural killer cells, which help the body rid itself of tumors and viruses. One study showed a 40 percent increase in these natural killer cells after a seven-day dose of 400 milligrams of a spirulina supplement. That’s just over one-eighth of a teaspoon per day.

How To Use

Spirulina is needed in such small quantities to be effective that it can easily be mixed into your favorite protein shake with little to no flavor change. It can be found in most health food stores and in most health food aisles of most supermarkets. It is always the best idea to talk to your healthcare provider before starting any new supplements.

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