The Importance of Essential Fatty Acids

Essential fatty acids are imperative in the diet especially that of a body builder.

There are hundreds of fatty acids found in nature, but only 20 of them are common to human food. Specifically, two are essestial for human health- the essential fatty acids- EFA's.

Omega 3's play a large role in human health. Examples include:
-help maintain a healthy immune system
-protect against everyday pollutants
-required for normal brain development
-required for visual, brain and nerve, and adrenal function
-reduce stress levels
-stimulate metabolism
-increase metabolic rate
-increase oxygen uptake
-increase energy
-increase speed in muscle recovery

EFA's can be consumed in food. Flax seed and fish oil are the richest sources.

Never Give Up! Race for Angella!

This past weekend, I participated in a 4.4 mile walk/run to benefit a woman named Angella who has recently been diagnosed with lung cancer. Angella Morin Joslyn is a mother of four, a Winchester Elementary School Teacher, and a 1991 graduate of Monadnock Regional High School. Previously, an avid runner, Angella lives life to the fullest, loves spending time with her family and friends and strives to make a difference.

Over 500 participants joined together and helped raise over $20,000 to benefit Angella and her family. It was truly amazing to see so many people come together for a great cause.

What I found interesting at this race was that there was such a wide age range of runners that placed in the top positions. 29 year old 1 Justin Fyffe won the race with a 5:01 pace, and not too far behind him was 65 year old Stanley Dutton who ran with a 6:35 pace.

The feeling of camaraderie surrounded the course. It was great to see that age was nothing more than a number. No matter how old you are or how fast you are, at the end of the day all that matters is if you cross the finish line!

http://www.csofkeene.com/angella/

Why Bodybuilders Prefer the High Protein Diet

A diet is imperative in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle and when trying to lose excess weight. Exercise alone cannot effectively burn off fats if one is not eating healthy.

There are a lot of options for diets that are appropriate for the different needs of people. For example, athletes and runners who typically need a lot of stamina usually choose to have more carbohydrates in their diet. On the other hand, bodybuilders and those looking to build strength opt for more protein than carbs.

There are many benefits of a high protein diet. Foods rich in protein need more energy to burn. Also, protein takes a longer time to digest. As a result, the dieter feels full and satisfied for a longer period of time. Another great benefit is that protein rich foods contain amino acids which contribute to the faster building of muscle tissue.

Most bodybuilders and individuals looking to gain strength opt for lean protein. Examples include: egg whites, chicken, fish and whey protein.

While maintaining a high protein diet, it is still important to remember to eat vegetables and fruits and include whole grain carbohydrates.

Post Competition Blues...

For almost all competitors, competing in a figure competition is one of the most rewarding and challenging events of your life. However, after the competition is over, many athletes find themselves in a depressed state and in constant battle to regain control.

After training so intensely for so long and being on such a strict diet, it is hard to find balance between normalcy and extreme training.

Fortunately there are some ways in order to beat the blues.. By Re-examining your priorities, you can go back to why you truly love working out. Almost everyone enjoys the break from the intense workout and strict diet... and then it lasts so long that you lost your sense of direction. So ask yourself why did/do I train? Health? Strength? Appearance? Personal satisfaction? Really question yourself about what makes you head to the gym. What makes you want to select healthy foods over junk? What makes you prioritize the gym over relaxing at home? Decide why you want to train, and then set personal goals. Give yourself a reasonable time period in which to acomplish your goals.

As for the diet, it is now challenging because there is no reason behind it. Unfortunately, junk food is everywhere. It's much easier to cave and say "yes" then it is hold back from the candy and say "no." Once you set your training goals, nutritional discipline tends to fall into place.

In the end, it takes small steps to get back into the swing of things. Ultimately you have to remember not to be too hard on yourself and to set realistic goals.

Female Athlete Triad Syndrome

Female participation in sports is drastically increasing. Today's athletes are competitive and strong. As a result, it is important to look at the health concerns specific to women athletes.
The Female Athlete Triad is what women are at risk for. The triad consists of disordered eating, amenorrhea, and osteoporosis.

The first part of the triad, disordered eating, affects 16% to 72% of women athletes. Disordered eating is not only defined as anorexia nervosa or bulimia. Specific to the triad, the main aspect of disordered eating is that the female athlete's regular diet does not provide sufficient calories to for their sports and training; and, this is not always a conscious restriction of calorie intake. Many times, these athletes have ritualized nutrition habits, compulsive behavior, low intake of food and increaded energy expenditure. Generally it starts as monitoring food consumption, moving to restricting foods from the diet (such as red meats or fats) and then eventually limiting acceptable foods.

Disordered eating can consequently lead to the second aspect of the triad, amenorrhea. Primary amenorrhea is the delayed onset of a menstrual cycle (older than 16 years old). Secondary amenorrhea is lack of menstrual cycle for 6 months or more, having once had normal menstrual function. Recent research theories suggest that caloric deficit results in too little energy to keep up the endocrine reproductive system, and as a result the menstrual cycle stops. It is uncommon for coaches to ask their female athletes about their menstrual cycle, and a lot of female athletes are not worried about the lack of their menstrual cycle because it is convenient.

The third component is osteoporosis. Amenorrhea is highly correlated with osteoporosis, premature bone loss or inadequate bone formation. Consequently low bone mass, micro architectural deterioration, increased skeletal fragility, and increase risk of stress fracture are all risks. It is imperative for female athletes to keep up their bone mass during their teenage years and early 20’s. If high levels of bone mass are not obtained during this window, because women are loosing bone mass when bone should be forming, the athlete is predisposed to premature, irreversible osteoporosis.

PREVENTION:
To prevent female athletes from embarking on this dangerous path, it is important to look for these risk factors:
Chronic dieting
Low self-esteem
Family dysfunction
Perfectionism, and
Lack of nutrition knowledge