The incredible shrinking hippocampus (and how to stop it)

I found this article here and had to share it with you.  The Nerd in me couldn't help it...

September 27th, 2011

7 comments

Over the last few years, a bunch of studies have built the case that aerobic exercise does something to keep your brain in good working order as you age — or perhaps more accurately, it does several good things for your brain. Last week, I blogged about a study showing that exercise stimulates the growth of new mitochondria in the brain. In the comments of that post, Seth Leon pointed out another new study — this one in the September issue of Neuropsychology — that links exercise to greater volume of the hippocampus, which in turn improves memory.
I’ve been particularly interested in the hippocampus ever since I wrote this article in The Walrus back in 2009, looking at suggestions that increased use of GPS navigation would lead to decreased volume of the hippocampus, where our direction-finding skills reside. And smaller hippocampi are associated with increased risk of age-related cognitive impairment. One of the researchers I spoke to worried that this is part of larger shift:

But Bohbot sees the decline in spatial thinking as part of a broader shift toward stimulus-response, reward-linked behaviour. The demand for instant gratification, for efficiency at all costs and productivity as the only measure of value — these sound like the laments of the nostalgist in the Age of the Caudate Nucleus. But here, they’re based on neuroscience. “Society is geared in many ways toward shrinking the hippocampus,” she says. “In the next twenty years, I think we’re going to see dementia occurring earlier and earlier.”

I can’t count the number of times I’ve taken wrong turns since writing that article because of my stubborn refusal to use GPS unless absolutely necessary! But I digress…
Anyway, this new study, by researchers at the University of Illinois, looked at a group of 158 sedentary adults between 60 and 80 years old, to look for evidence for the following model:

The basic gist is straightforward: they hypothesize that fitness (as measured by a graded exercise test to exhaustion) predicts hippocampus size, which in turn predicts working memory, which in turn predicts how frequently you forget things. What’s new about this study is that they separately consider age, BMI, sex, physical activity, and education to see if any of them are skewing the results. Here’s what they find:

By and large, the data supports their hypothesis. There are a few wrinkles: for example, age, in addition to affecting fitness, also has a direct effect on hippocampus size. That means no matter how fit you are, your hippocampus is still getting smaller. Also, physical activity (that’s the PASE box) didn’t directly contribute to fitness — but that’s not surprising, because the volunteers had to be sedentary in order to be admitted to the study, so they all had roughly the same (lack of) physical activity.
Bottom line: aerobic fitness is good for the brain — and in particular, it’s good for the hippocampus. So maybe if I get enough exercise, I’ll start letting myself use that GPS navigation system.

Why All Runners Should Strength Train. . .

by Jason Fitzgerald · Saturday, February 25th, 2012 02:38 pm GMT -5 · Fitness

This piece was written by guest contributor Jason Fitzgerald, a running coach at StrengthRunning.com and 2:39 marathoner. He is also co-founder of Run Your BQ, a program dedicated to helping marathoners qualify for the Boston Marathon. The view expressed herein are his.
In the old days, runners ran. Ask runners a few generations older than you what they did for their daily workout, and they’ll likely answer, “I ran.” But no matter what race you’re preparing for, you might not want to stick to mom’s old training routine. We’ve learned a lot over the last 30 to 40 years, and running has evolved.
Today, runners need to do more than just run. Runners need to be strong and athletic. If they’re not, they can get hurt even if they practice good running form. In fact, some injury statistics put the annual injury rate for runners at a staggering 66 percent. That’s higher than professional football!
Reducing the injury rate isn’t actually that difficult, though. In fact, we can do so effectively with just 10 to 20 minutes a day of strength training.

Going Strong — The Basics

The benefits of strength training for runners are real — for both injury prevention and performance. So if the goal is to simply run easier with less pain or get faster in your next race, try adding a few strength sessions every week. Using runner-specific strength exercises will increase structural fitness — the ability of your bones, ligaments, tendons, and muscles to withstand the impact of running. Several studies have shown that while most forms of strength training can help improve overall performance, adding heavy resistance exercises can make you faster during the final sprint of a race ^{[1] [2]}.
Strength work is especially important for injury-prone runners and those who are putting in a lot of miles. So for marathoners, that means at least three strength workouts every week! While building your aerobic engine (read: endurance) through running, it’s key to counteract all that wear and tear with the right exercises.

Making Moves — Strength Work for Runners

Since many of us live fairly sedentary lives in front of a computer all day, it’s no wonder running injuries are so common — we’ve lost all our strength! But which exercises are most effective for runners?
The best exercises for runners train movements, not muscles. So stick to compound, multi-joint exercises in the gym. Some of the classics include deadlifts, squats, pull-ups, chin-ups, bench press, and step-ups onto an elevated platform. These exercises target functional movements you do in real life, like bending down, pushing and pulling things, and picking things up. (Above all else, make sure your form is correct!) Complement these with a good dose of bodyweight exercises you can do in your living room after an easy run (here’s an eight week progression you can follow).
Bodyweight routines are more restorative and help you recover from running while still building the strength needed to help prevent future overuse injuries. A majority of running injuries are caused by weak hips — a major problem area for runners who sit for most of the day. One solution is the ITB Rehab Routine, a series of exercises that treats and prevents IT band injuries but also works well for general injury prevention. It focuses on hip and glute strength — two of the most important stabilizing muscles that are used while running.
Other effective exercises you can do almost anywhere include lunges, planks, pistol squats, push-ups, side planks, bird-dogs, and side leg lifts. All of these build the core strength you need to prevent injuries and get stronger.
Strength session can be quick, too: Simply pick 3-5 exercises and do 2-3 sets each, aiming for 4-8 repetitions. And don’t be afraid to lift heavy: Remember, heavy weight helps runners! Just keep in mind these are more intense and should be done just 1-2 times every week.

In Good Time — Strength Work Scheduling Tips

Scheduling these exercises isn’t difficult — simplicity is the best policy here! Follow these three easy principles to make sure your strength sessions fit well with your running schedule.

1. Save the weights for post-run. Since gym workouts are higher intensity, do these after you run (immediately or later in the day) on moderate effort days. Avoid doing them on your long run or workout days since you’re already fatigued from your running. Your form may suffer so we don’t want to increase your injury risk. And keep your easy days easy — no hard lifting when you should be prioritizing recovery!

2. Bodyweight? Piece of cake. Bodyweight sessions are usually a low to moderate effort and can be done on any day of the week. Do them right after you finish your run and they’ll help you warm-down properly by increasing your range of motion and preventing muscle adhesions (when muscles get knotty from scar tissue). By doing this you’ll avoid a lot of the aches and pains that are too common with most runners.

Start with just five minutes of strength exercises (or 4-6 exercises) after your run and build from there. It’s more important to do something than nothing at all, so just get started. Don’t worry if it’s the perfect exercise or routine — you’ll notice yourself feeling better in no time.

3. Ready for more? Once you’re comfortable with the basic exercises, start increasing your reps or the time that you’re doing them. Just make sure you’re adding several types of exercises (mentioned earlier) so you’re keeping the variety up — your body will benefit most when it’s working multiple muscle groups.

When you’re doing 15 to 20 minutes of strength work a day your injury risk will decrease dramatically, allowing you to run more, train faster, and ultimately race faster. You’ll never be sidelined again.

1. Cyclists Improve Pedalling Efficacy and Performance After Heavy Strength Training. Hansen, E.A., Rønnestad, B.R., Vegge, G., et al. Center for Sensory-Motor Interaction (SMI), Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Denmark. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 2011 Dec 2. [Epub ahead of print]. [↩]
2. Effect of resistance training regimens on treadmill running and neuromuscular performance in recreational endurance runners. Mikkola, J., Vesterinen, V., Taipale, R., et al. KIHU-Research Institute for Olympic Sports, Jyväskylä, Finland. Journal of Sports Sciences, 2011 Oct;29(13):1359-71. Epub 2011 Aug 22. [↩]

Protein. . . Not Just For Breakfast Anymore . . .

We would like to thank all of our gym members who came out to support our Arbonne Health Night... Here's an interesting article to support why you all should be considering your recovery routine post workout. . .

 

News: Chug Protein Before Bed for Better Muscle Recovery

by Laura Schwecherl · Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012 04:38 pm GMT -5 · Fitness

Photo by Ben Draper

A midnight snack might not be such a bad idea. According to a new study, consuming protein right before bed could aid in muscle recovery ^[1]. (Morning burpees, anyone?)
Sixteen young men were put to the test: They worked out at 8 pm for slightly less than an hour, then immediately ate a meal filled with protein and carbs. Thirty minutes before their midnight bedtime, some participants consumed a beverage with casein protein (which we digest slower than many other forms of protein ^[2]). Scientists found that during the night, the protein from the beverage increased protein synthesis rates (protein synthesis helps repair muscles) by 22 percent, compared to rates in those who did not enjoy the protein drink.
Refueling with protein after exercise is vital to staying on top of our A-game, since muscle breakdown is likely to occur during workouts ^{[3] [4]}. But these findings might not apply to the general population. The experiment was small, and involved only men. (It’s worth noting that women naturally have higher rates of protein synthesis.) ^[5]. The study also looked at muscle recovery after evening exercise, so those who workout in the morning or midday may not need a protein-filled bedtime treat.
Muscle mass breaks down in men and women as they age, so it’s important to remain active and get enough protein as we get older ^[6]. But be careful: Overdoing it in the calorie department can lead to weight gain, no matter which food group the calories come from ^[7]. So if exercising at night, ditch dining with Outback Steakhouse in bed. Stick to a small protein beverage, or snack on some nuts or slices of lean deli meat before shutting off the lights. Those muscles will thank us in the morning.

1. Protein Ingestion Prior To Sleep Improves Post-Exercise Overnight Recovery. Res, P.T., Groen, B., Pennings, B., et al. Department of Human Movement Sciences, Brentford, United Kingdom. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2012 Feb 9. [↩]
2. The digestion rate of protein is an independent regulating factor of postprandial protein retention. Dangin, M., Boirie, Y., Garcia-Rodenas, C., et al. Laboratoire de Nutrition Humaine, Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine, Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France. American Journal of Physiology - Endocrinology And Metabolism, 2001 Feb;280(2):E340-8. [↩]
3. Human muscle protein synthesis and breakdown during and after exercise. Kumar, V., Atherton, P., Smith, K., et al. University of Nottingham, School of Graduate Entry Medicine and Health, Derby, UK. Journal of Applied Physiology, 2009 Jun;106(6):2026-39. Epub 2009 Jan 22. [↩]
4. Exercise, protein metabolism, and muscle growth. Tipton, K.D., Wolfe, R.R. Metabolism Division, University of Texas Medial Branch-Galveston, Galveston, TX. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 2001 Mar;11(1):109-32. [↩]
5. Higher muscle protein synthesis in women than men across the lifespan, and failure of androgen administration to amend age-related decrements. Henderson, G.C., Dhatariva, K., Ford, G.C., et al. Division of Endocrinology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. The Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, 2009 Feb;23(2):631-41. Epub 2008 Sep 30. [↩]
6. Exercise, aging, and muscle protein metabolism. Yarasheski, K.E. Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri. The Journals of Gerontology, Series A, 2003 Oct;58(10):M918-22. [↩]
7. Effect of dietary protein content on weight gain, energy expenditure, and body composition during overeating: a randomized controlled trial. Bray, G.A., Smith S.R., de Jonge, L. Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA. The Journal of American Medical Association, 2012 Jan 4;307(1):47-55. [↩]

COME TONIGHT ! ! !

WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE ALL OF YOU TO ATTEND TONIGHT'S FREE LECTURE ON WELLNESS AND NUTRITION SPONSORED BY ARBONNE.  THE TALK WILL BEGIN AT 7:00 PM AFTER CLASS.  THIS INFORMATIVE GATHERING WILL HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF NUTRITION AND THE ROLE IT PLAYS IN  POST-WORKOUT RECOVERY.  IT IS ALSO A TIME FOR US TO GET TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY AND MEET ALL THE "FACES" WE SEE IN THE GYM DURING CLASS TIME.  WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU TONIGHT!

I Want To . . . Do A Pull Up !

by Laura Schwecherl · Monday, February 20th, 2012 02:38 pm GMT -5 · Fitness

Drop and give me 10? Perhaps. Hoist that body up for a single pull-up? Not so much. Pull-ups can be an especially tricky exercise because it takes so many different muscle groups to get that chin over the bar. But where do we begin? Which exercises will develop that pull-up power, and how long will it really take to see progress? We went straight to Greatist Expert and Equinox trainer Kelvin Gary for his action plan.

Illustration by Christopher Hardgrove

Besides impressing our friends, strength training— including complex exercises like pull-ups— can help rev metabolism, tone muscles, and even boost brainpower ^{[1] [2]}. To nail that first pull-up or tack on a few to our personal record, Gary created a three-week plan to strengthen the back, chest, shoulders, arms, and core, so we can get up and at ‘em— literally. His prediction: After three weeks, we should be able to add up to five pull-ups to that total. Yep, that’s even if we can’t do one to begin with.

Movin’ On Up — The Workout Plan

Before the weights and cables come out, Gary recommends grabbing the foam roller to stretch out the lats and pecs. Try rolling out each muscle group twice for one-minute increments. Then, it’s time to get a move on (preferably up!).

Workout A	Monday
Set x Reps	Exercise
2×10	Shoulder Circuits
2×10	Band Pull Aparts
2×10	Wall Slides
2×10	Plank Push-Ups
3×15	Close Grip Front Lat Pulldown
3×15	Push-ups
3x1min	Planks
3×15	Standing Wide Grip Cable Row
3×15	Bicep Curl with Shoulder Press
3×15	Standing Push/Pull
Workout B	Wednesday
2×10	Shoulder Circuits
2×10	Band Pull Aparts
2×10	Wall Slides
2×10	Plank Push-Ups
3×15	Assisted Pull Up
3×15	Cable Anti-Rotation Press
3×15	Seated Narrow Grip Row
3×15	Low Wood Chop
3×15	Standing One Arm Cable Chest Press
3×15	Straight Arm Pulldown
Workout C	Friday
2×10	Shoulder Circuit
2×10	Band Pull Aparts
2×10	Wall Slides
2×10	Plank Push-Ups
3×15	Wide Grip Lat Pulldown
3×15	Dynamic Side Plank
3×15	Alternating Dumbbell Chest Press
3×15	Bent Over Dumbbell Row
3×15	Hanging Knee Raise
3×15	Bicep Cable Curl

Repeat workouts A, B, and C for two more weeks, adding 2-5 additional reps for each exercise in Week Two. And no need to power through— Gary suggests about one to one and a half minutes of rest between sets.

Crossing the Bar — Technique Talk

Ready to grab hold? Gary notes the different ways to grip the bar use the same muscles differently, since various grips change our plane of motion. Try pronated (palms facing away), supinated (palms facing toward the body), neutral/narrow (palms facing each other), or a wide grip to mix things up.
Proper form is key to staying safe (no surprises there). So keep in mind that swinging the body or not using the correct posture can potentially lead to injury. Once the hands are set, stick to these steps for a pull-up free from harm:

1. Play dead. Begin in a dead hang— with arms extended, chest up, and shoulders back.

2. Eyes on the prize. Whether you’re afraid of heights or not, don’t look down! Instead, focus on where the body is heading: the bar.

3. Pull (you heard it here first). Start pulling the body upwards, focusing on leading forward with the chest while driving the elbows down. And this isn’t a dance floor, so don’t even think about sticking that booty out!

4. Be smooth. It’s hard we know, but maintaining a steady, controlled motion is key— try not to swing or squirm up.

5. Count it. Once the chin clears the bar, keep the body controlled when lowering back down. And hey— that’s one!

Ready to show off those pull-ups? Don’t worry about hitting the bar (at the gym) during every workout to keep those numbers up. Many experts recommend training two or three times a week to see significant improvements in the strength department. And don’t forget to add in some cardio and lower-body lifting to keep the whole body in tip-top shape!
A final reminder: This is just one trainer’s take on how to achieve your pull-up goals. Be sure to adjust the amount of reps or exercises depending on fitness level and how the body is feeling.

Further Resources

• Record Holders — World Records for Chin Ups and Pull-Ups

  See if you can eventually top this list.
  

• The New York Times — A Neighborhood Bar Where They Bend Elbows Over and Over

  Who needs the weight room when there are city streets?
  

• BodyBuilding.com — Exercise of the Week: Pull-Ups

  Spice up that pull-up routine with these variations.
  

• Evil Cyber — How to Do Pull-Ups Without a Pull-Up Bar

  No equipment? No problem!
  

1. Effect of acute resistance exercise on postexercise oxygen consumption and resting metabolic rate in young women. Osterberg, KL, Melby, CL. Dept. of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 2000 Mar;10(1):71-81. [↩]
2. Strength training increases resting metabolic rate and norepinephrine levels in healthy 50- to 65-yr-old men. Pratley, R, Nicklas, B, Rubin, M, et al. Department of Medicine, University of Maryland at Baltimore, MD. Journal of Applied Physiology, 1994 Jan;76(1):133-7. [↩]

Exercise vs. calorie restriction: head-to-head match-up

Fitness or fatness: which is more important in determining your health? As  discussed in this Jockology article, some researchers (most notably Steven Blair at the University of South Carolina) believe that most of the health problems we associate with obesity are actually a consequence of poor aerobic fitness. In other words, they argue, it’s okay to be a little portly as long as you’ve exercised enough to have good endurance.
This challenges the basic tenet of old-school, keep-it-simple nutritional thought — that good health is simply a matter of matching the calories you eat to the calories you burn. Can your body tell the difference between a calorie burned through exercise and a calorie avoided through dieting? Well, a really interesting and excruciatingly careful study from researchers at Louisiana State University has just tackled this question.
Here’s the gist: 36 moderately overweight subjects, divided into three groups. One group was the control, and stayed exactly the same during the six-month study. A second group cut their calorie intake by 25 percent, while the third group cut calories by 12.5 percent and increased calories burned through physical activity by 12.5 percent.
As expected, the two intervention group lost exactly the same amount of weight (about 10 percent of their total), and they both shed roughly the same amounts of total fat and visceral fat. This makes sense, because they were both operating under identical calories deficits. Here’s the rub, though: only the exercise group had significant improvements in insulin sensitivity, LDL cholesterol and diastolic blood pressure.
This tells us that a calorie is not just a calorie — it matters how you cut calories. And, as Steven Blair is constantly pointing out, being thin is no guarantee of health if you’re not active. (And, as a nice bonus, it also tells us that it’s possible to drop 10 percent of body mass through a combination of diet and exercise — though it probably helps to have a team of researchers cooking your meals and supervising your exercise!)

Cheat Days Explained. . .

by Kelly Fitzpatrick · Thursday, February 9th, 2012 04:38 pm GMT -5 · Health

Diet six days a week, and on the seventh eat absolutely anything. What’s not to love about that? Apparently, a lot. The idea of a “cheat day,” or choosing to take a day off from strict dieting, stirs up some serious debate in the health world. So we went to the root of the issue: Can choosing to cheat actually be healthy?

What Is Cheating?

Photo by Caitlin Covington

There are generally three beliefs about what constitutes “cheating”:

1. The idea that a cheat day means eating anything during a set period of time (usually either one day or one meal).
2. Cheating as making a calculated decision to eat specific things normally avoided for health reasons (like fructose to prevent a glucose spike, caffeine to boost energy, and so on).
3. Accepting that cheating is a natural part of dieting, and therefore isn’t really “cheating” at all, says Greatist expert Lindsey Joe.

Physical Effects of Cheating

One of the pro-cheating claims is that cheat days boost metabolism by upping leptin production (we’ll explain that in a second), helping the body burn more calories after overeating. Some studies do support this claim, but others suggest overfeeding (the scientific phrase for eating too much, or “cheating”) only ups metabolism between three and 10 percent for no more than 24 hours, making the little boost not worth the hundreds or thousands of extra calories ^{[1] [2]}.
But the diet-rejuvenating effect of a cheat day may amount to more than just burning a few extra calories. Restricting calories (as most people do when dieting) can cause leptin, a hormone responsible for maintaining our energy balance and causing weight loss, to dwindle. But temporarily upping calorie intake can re-up leptin production by nearly 30 percent (for up to 24 hours) ^{[3] [4]}. It’s that quick leptin buzz that’s responsible for boosting metabolism after overeating. And in addition to regulating hunger and metabolism, this hormone may contribute to increased motivation, libido, and dopamine— so after a cheat day, dieters might actually be happier and more motivated ^{[5] [6] [7] [8]}.
It’s the combined benefits of leptin that lead some experts to advocate “cheat days” filled with foods scientifically shown to increase the hormone (as opposed to anything and everything they want). For example, one study found overeating on a high protein diet increased resting metabolism, while overeating on a low protein diet did not ^[9]. In another study, resting metabolism was only increased by carb bingeing— not from eating lots of fatty foods (think pizza and ice cream) ^[10]. And while cheat days often involve binge drinking in addition to binge eating, alcohol actually has the opposite effect on leptin. Fortunately, one study did find red wine was an exception to the rule (phew!)— but only in women ^[11]. So for anyone keeping score at home, that’s a high-protein, high-carb, low-fat, and alcohol-free (unless you’re a woman— then you can have red wine only) cheat day. Sounding less and less like a carefree free-for-all, huh?
It’s also especially important for anyone with a health condition (like diabetes, high cholesterol, blood pressure, etc.) to plan carefully, as even small indulgences can have more larger effects on health. Consider the overall balance of macronutrients in a dietary splurge— sweets may be fine, but look for those also high in essential nutrients like protein and fiber, explains Greatist expert Dr. Douglas Kalman.

Psychological Effects of Cheating

But then there’s the whole other side of the cheating equation: psychology. Psychologists and nutritionists often believe allowing a cheat meal or cheat day to satisfy a craving allows people to stick to otherwise restrictive diets, Kalman explains. Other proponents of “cheating,” accept that people will only really adhere to a strict diet about 80 percent of the time. The other 20 percent is like built-in cheating. Diet gurus like Mark Sisson, the creator of the Primal Blueprint, and Paleo dieticians espouse a similar ideology.
The key, according to Joe, is getting past the guilt of assigning “good” and “bad” tags to various foods. Rather than turning a minor slip-up into a major back-slide, she says cheaters should simply accept what they ate, and continue with their diet as planned.
All in all, it appears calculated cheating can boost the benefits of an otherwise restrictive (read: low-cal) diet. No holds barred bingeing, however, can be dangerous and may even set off a problematic psychological chain reaction. For those who wish to indulge without all the scientific calculations, focus on quenching a craving rather than substituting an entire meal of unhealthy foods for a healthy one.

Further Resources

1. Metabolic studies in human obesity during overnutrition and undernutrition: thermogenic and hormonal responses to norepinephrine. Katzeff, H.L., O’Connell, M., Horton, E.S., et al. Metabolism: Clinical and Experimental, 1986 Feb;35(2):166-75. [↩]
2. Effects of short-term carbohydrate or fat overfeeding on energy expenditure and plasma leptin concentrations in healthy female subjects. Dirlewanger, M., di Vetta, V., Guenat, E., et al. Institute of Physiology, University of Lausanne, Switzerland. International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders, 2000 Nov;24(11):1413-8. [↩]
3. Plasma leptin responses to fasting in Pima Indians. Pratley, R.E., Nicolson, M., Bogardus, C., et al. Clinical Diabetes and Nutrition Section, Phoenix Epidemiology and Clinical Research Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Arizona 85016, USA. The American Journal of Pysiology, 1997 Sep;273(3 Pt 1):E644-9. [↩]
4. Effects of short-term carbohydrate or fat overfeeding on energy expenditure and plasma leptin concentrations in healthy female subjects. Dirlewanger, M., di Vetta, V., Guenat, E., et al. Institute of Physiology, University of Lausanne, Switzerland. International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders, 2000 Nov;24(11):1413-8. [↩]
5. Leptin signaling, adiposity, and energy balance. Jéquier, E. Institute of Physiology, University of Lausanne, Switzerland. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 2002 Jun;967:379-88. [↩]
6. Adipostatic regulation of motivation and emotion. Davis, J.F. Department of Psychiatry, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45237, USA. Discovery Medicine, 2010 May;9(48):462-7. [↩]
7. Adipose tissue and the reproductive axis: biological aspects. Hausman, G.J., Barb, C.R. USDA/ARS, Richard B. Russell Agriculture Research Center, Athens, GA, USA. Endocrine Development, 2010;19:31-44. [↩]
8. Modulation of the mesolimbic dopamine system by leptin. Opland, D.M., Leinninger, G.M., Myers, M.G., Jr. Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. Brain Research, 2010 Sep 2;1350:65-70. [↩]
9. Effect of dietary protein content on weight gain, energy expenditure, and body composition during overeating: a randomized controlled trial. Bray, G.A., Smith, S.R., de Jonge, L., et al. Pennington Biomedical Research Center, 6400 Perkins Rd, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, USA. The Journal of the American Medical Association, 2012 Jan 4;307(1):47-55. [↩]
10. Effects of short-term carbohydrate or fat overfeeding on energy expenditure and plasma leptin concentrations in healthy female subjects. Dirlewanger, M., di Vetta, V., Guenat, E., et al. Institute of Physiology, University of Lausanne, Switzerland. International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders, 2000 Nov;24(11):1413-8. [↩]
11. The effect of red wine on plasma leptin levels and vasoactive factors from adipose tissue: a randomized crossover trial. Djurovic, S., Berge, K.E., Birkenes, B., et al. Department of Medical Genetics, Ullevaal University Hospital, N-0407 Oslo, Norway. Alcohol and Alcoholism, 2007 Nov-Dec;42(6):525-8. [↩]

COLUMBIA CROSSFIT NEWS!!

We would like to invite all of our gym members to attend an Arbonne Night on Feb. 23rd!  Come after class and listen to a short presentation from our Arbonne representative, sample some goodies that with help keep you super healthy and socialize with your CrossFit community!  Pick up a flier at the front desk when you sign in before class for details.  We hope you will support our gym and your families health by coming to this important event.

Also,  we have developed a fitness journal for all of our gym members.  This journal is free of charge and is an excellent way for you to begin to track your fitness progress.  It is a place for you to track your exercise routines, diet/ nutrition, medical tests/ medication, personal goals, and much more!  It is my hope that you will begin using this journal and have a record of your success stories.  The journal will also prove to be a valuable tool when consulting with your trainers about how to improve your performance and achieve all of your goals.  It also gives our trainers a better idea of the work you have been doing and how to help program you more accurately.  If you would like a free copy of the journal, please leave your email address with your trainer and ask them to pass it along to Mat.  He will be sending out a confidential email to all those interested.  Until then...    Stay Strong.    Stay Fit.

                                     
- Your Columbia CrossFit Trainers

Less sleep makes food more rewarding

Here's a very interesting article that I thought you might enjoy... We always stress in the gym that recovery is JUST as important as the workout... I hope this helps to drill home why.  We'll see you at the BOX.
Stay Strong.    Stay Fit.

 There’s plenty of evidence that lack of sleep puts you at higher risk of gaining weight. A new Swedish study in the Journal of Clinicla Endocrinology and Metabolism (press release here, abstract here) offers some new insights with fMRI brain scans:

We already know that obese people tend to find food more rewarding, as indicated by brain scans of activity in the anterior cingulate cortex:

Higher activation of this brain region has been found in obese compared with normal-weight subjects when anticipating food, suggesting that the rewarding quality of food is enhanced in obesity.

The study took a dozen volunteers and kept them up all night, then looked at their brain’s response to images of food. Compared to after a normal night of sleep, they observed the same changes that you see in obesity: stronger activation of the ACC, indicating higher dopamine signalling. You want more food than normal, because food makes you feel better than it normally would. As the graph on the right shows, those with the biggest changes in brain activity also reported the biggest appetite.

A study like this, where the subjects stayed up all night, isn’t a great way of figuring out what happens in the much more common situation of, say, getting half an hour less sleep than you need, night after night for weeks or months on end. But other studies looking at appetite hormones like ghrelin and leptin suggest that the effects are similar: too little sleep = greater appetite relative to energy needs.

Of course, this leaves us with a riddle: if you have to get up an hour early to fit your workout in, do the benefits outweigh the downsides? That depends on a  lot of things, but my general sense is that exercise has so many benefits that it’s still worthwhile. The real answer, of course, is to organize your life so that you can sleep enough and get some exercise.

Overhead Stability in the Snatch

Greg Everett | June 17 2011

When an athlete has difficulty supporting the bar overhead in the snatch, it's natural to immediately assume there is insufficient strength and to address the problem with strength work. While this may often be the problem, or at least one part of it, there are other elements to consider that may be preventing the athlete from properly using what may be adequate strength. In some cases, these problems can be corrected very quickly and save everyone a lot of headaches.

When it comes to supporting weight overhead, proper structure is the most important element. Strength is required to reinforce that structure, but we're not relying on muscular strength directly. The ability to lockout the elbows in the snatch or jerk is extremely important, and this can be easily demonstrated. Press a weight overhead and stop just short of elbow lock; when you begin to fail, lock the elbows completely and you'll find you can suddenly continue holding the weight. This is why individuals without the ability to completely lock the elbows are at a huge disadvantage in the sport, although there have been world records set by lifters with very poor elbow extension.

By creating the proper structure to support the bar, we maximize the potential of our strength. In the snatch, we can look at a few things. First, we need to create a solid foundation, which is the shoulders and upper back in this case. The shoulder is an extremely mobile joint, which has its advantages clearly, but also means there is a lot of potential for unwanted movement and instability. In order to create a solid foundation at the base of our structure, the shoulder blades must be fixed tightly in a position that prevents movement, allows the arms to rise as needed to the bar, and allows positioning of the weight and body to maintain balance over the feet. This can be achieved by completely retracting the shoulder blades and allowing them to upwardly rotate enough to open space for the humerus. I find the easiest way to accomplish this position is to imagine pinching the top inside edges of the shoulder blades together. This is not a shrug, although the upper traps will contract and bunch up.

The elbows must be locked out; in other words, they will be extended to the end of their range, which will normally be slight hyperextension. This creates the bone lock described previously and allows the muscles of the arm to support much more weight than they could directly. The elbows should be squeezed into extension directly rather than finding some indirect cue to encourage their extension. For example, many athletes have been told to pull the bar apart or something similar; I don't like these kinds of cues for a couple reasons. First, in order to pull the bar apart, you have to grip it tightly; a tight grip on the bar will limit how well you can extend the elbows. Second, I find this attempt makes it more difficult to secure the proper scapular position, and without this, the rest falls apart. That being said, if an athlete thinks of this cue and does what he or she is supposed to do, I won't argue about it.

This brings us to the hands. The bar should be in the palm slightly behind the centerline of the forearm. The hand and wrist should be allowed to settle in so the wrist is extended; do not try to hold the wrist in a neutral position. Again, if the bar is in the proper place in the hand, this will not place undue strain on the wrist, because it's not way behind the wrist as some mistakenly hold it. However, the proper hand and wrist position does require a good deal of mobility, which should be worked for diligently to allow the athlete to hold the proper positions as quickly as possible. If the athlete is flexible enough, the hook grip can be maintained overhead, but the grip must be relaxed to allow the hand and wrist to settle in properly.

The bar should be positioned over the back of the neck or the top of the traps with the head push forward through the arms somewhat. If the head is straight up or tucked back as some try to hold it, the shoulder blades cannot be held in the proper position and the arms cannot be oriented well to support the weight.

The width of the grip is another factor to consider. Ideally the grip can be such that the bar contacts the body in the crease of the hips. However, due to variations in body proportions, this can occasionally create problems elsewhere. The wider the grip, the more likely a lifter is to over rotate and drop the bar behind during the turnover of the snatch. Additionally, as the grip gets wider, it becomes more difficult to extend the elbows forcefully. A balance needs to be found between proper bar positioning during the pull and the ability to support and stabilize the bar overhead.

Finally, overhead instability can arise from the lower body entirely at times. Most commonly this is due to inflexibility, but can also be due simply to improper positioning. Most obviously, if an athlete has insufficient range of motion in the ankles and hips (or thoracic spine), he or she will not be able to establish a sound, upright squat, and as a consequence, he or she will not be able to establish the ideal overhead structure described previously. This may be because the trunk is forced to incline forward too much, the weight of the entire system is out of balance forward, or likely a combination of the two. Adequate flexibility throughout the body must be a priority for all lifters.

Spend some time investigating your or your athlete's overhead problems with the above information and see if you discover anything unexpected. The better you can diagnose the problem, the more quickly and easily you'll be able to correct it.

Thank GOD for CrossFit. . . .

 I found this on the web and thought I'd share it with all of you... It makes me so glad that I found CrossFit and have a community that supports me in my health and wellness journey!  Don't feel bad if you bought into the devices below, you can use them as a door stop....

  The 17 Biggest Fitness Fads that Flopped


 

by Jordan Shakeshaft · Monday, January 30th, 2012 08:08 am GMT -5 · Fitness

Between Shape-Ups, sauna suits, and the infamous Shake Weight, it seems there’s no gizmo, gadget, or get-skinny-quick gimmick we won’t try. In fact, Americans spend upwards of $30 billion a year on weight loss products (clearly those late-night infomercials are doing something right). But as the saying goes, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Read on to see how Greatist ranks the biggest fitness flops, fails, and what the f*#!s?! of the last few decades— and how to avoid getting duped.

Do Not Try This at Home — The Flops

1. The Shake Weight
Spoofed by Saturday Night Live, The Daily Show, and South Park, the wildly suggestive Shake Weight needs no introduction. And while the benefits of spring-loaded 2.5-pound dumbbell remain questionable, more than 2 million units sold in its first year on the market, and sales have more than doubled since (making our gag gift theory a bit of a stretch).


2. The Free Flexor
If the Shake Weight is rated R, the Free Flexor gets a big neon XXX. With its patent-pending Circular Strength Technology, the world’s first (undeniably phallic) flexing dumbbell is said to set the forearms ablaze and “make your muscles cry.” Not exactly our idea of a happy workout. (NSFW: Best spoof ever.)


3. Vibrating Platforms
Can couch potatoes really shake themselves stronger, healthier, and slimmer? Yeah, we didn’t think so ^{[1] [2]}. And while some athletes might show improved performance after stepping off shaky ground, the jury’s still out on whether shelling out thousands for platforms like the Power Plate will bring better results than other conditioning methods.


4. Sauna Suits
No, that’s not a trash bag. We’re just happy to smother you. These rubbery waterproof suits are designed to make people sweat out several pounds per session. Problem is: There’s nothing safe about that (think: heat stroke, muscle cramps, and fainting). What’s more, those lbs are typically gained back immediately after eating or drinking.

5. 8 Minute Abs
Don’t kill the messenger here, but eight minutes cannot a six-pack make (no matter how serious that spandex is). The 80s “8 Minute Abs” craze was essentially just that. Crunch all you want, but a washboard stomach requires full-body conditioning including strength training, cardio, and a healthy diet to match.

6. Exercise in a Bottle
Yup, that’ll be the day. And the Federal Trade Commission was just as disappointed as we were. In 2000, Enforma, the company behind Exercise in a Bottle and other weight loss “miracle drugs,” was forced to hand over $10 million as consumer redress. Do not pass go, do not get America’s hopes up.

7. Toning Shoes
Tried wobbling around town with the best of them? Turns out these unstable, curved soles are little more than a fashion faux pas (honestly, no real woman looks like this in Reebok Easy Tones). Recent studies reveal that “toning shoes,” including these and the original Sketcher Shape-Ups, don’t help wearers exercise more intensely, burn more calories, or improve muscle strength and tone.

8. Power Balance
For $29.99, this performance bling claims to improve balance, strength, and flexibility through special hologram frequencies. The reality: Studies have found that Power Balance bracelets actually work no better than a placebo ^[3]. So any improvements to that game are, as they say, all in the head.


9. Ab Rocket
Five minutes a day to “sizzling rock hard” abs? After a $14.95 30-day trial, some users beg to differ. And while the Ab Rocket might do something for that midsection, the neck and back supports aren’t exactly cushy, and the whole “workout-plus-massage” part? Talk about failure to launch.


10. Big Wheel Skates
Whoever said bigger is better wasn’t referring to the in-line skates on Venice Beach. Still, monster-wheeled Chariot Skates and LandRollers went big, making those trips, slips, and falls 900 percent more embarrassing (and likely more painful).


11. ThighMaster
Suzanne Somers may be the face of 80s “As Seen on TV” fitness, but there’s a reason her ThighMaster is collecting dust in most attics across America. All that squeeze, squeeze, sqeeeezing is kind of exhausting. Skeptical? Why would you be? Its developer, Joshua Reynolds, was also the mastermind behind the (wait— why’s it always blue?) Mood Ring of the 70s and 80s.

12. Vibration Belts
Marky Mark once told us to feel the vibrations. But we’re pretty sure he wasn’t talking about these. While vibration belts continue to captivate the late-night market, the FTC isn’t buying electronic muscle stimulation as a means of melting abdominal fat ^[4].


13. Toning Apparel
While less studied than the kicks, toning clothing raises a few red flags, too. Take the FTC’s $25 million settlement with Reebok for “deceptive marketing” of their toning shoes and apparel. The built-in resistance wear may have potential, but until we see hard evidence, we’ll keep that money in the bank.

14. Ab Lounge
Last we checked the “lean back” wasn’t exactly for the abdominals. But if the sight of a flimsy lawn chair just makes you want to bust a move, go ahead, get your crunch on! (No money-back guarantees, of course.)


15. Phiten 
Carmelo wouldn’t lie— would he? These celeb-backed titanium bracelets are supposed to reduce pain and fatigue, improve strength, and aid “bioelectrical flow” (sound fancy, huh?). But according to the research, there’s no All-Star easy button— at least not yet.


16. Ab Circle
Whipping around on a circular track looks fun, but does it really work the abs? Backed by The Hills alum Audrina Patridge (sold, right?), the Ab Circle promises to banish jiggley love handles with its Circular Force Technology. Trouble is: there’s still no research that proves this device does more than whip that hair back n’ forth.

17. Dumbbell Utensils
Believe it or not, these weighted utensils aren’t just for laughs. The creator of the 1.5-pound Knife and Fork Lift says the idea was born from frustration in diets that ultimately didn’t work. So he made each bite harder work. Unfortunately, hard work never fazed us.

Don’t Get Got — How to Avoid Getting Scammed

Ready to throw in the towel on all fitness products? Not so fast— shaping up doesn’t have to mean getting burned. Just keep these tips in mind before handing over that first easy installment.

• Don’t believe the hype. If a product boasts “secret formulas,” “magic unicorns,” and other equally far-fetched claims, just stay calm and carry on. Chances are, the latest greatest magic weight loss pill is too good to be true.
• Remember, results take time. Three minutes a day to washboard abs? Rome (a.k.a. this rock hard bod) wasn’t built in a day. According to the research, putting in work is the key to seeing— and sustaining— real results ^[5]. That means cardio, strength training, and a healthy diet— not just the all-abs-all-the-time workout routine.
• Be weary of reviews. Don’t let celebrity endorsements and customer testimonials sway you one way or another. (Of course, we’ll make an exception for anything The Rock is cooking.)
• Check the books. Not familiar with the product’s maker? It’s always best to check the company’s track record with a trusted consumer agency. And FTC lawsuits are always a red flag.
• Stick with what works— for you. Go ahead, mix it up with new equipment, workouts, and training plans. Just remember that no single product will likely “revolutionize” your anything. So keep on keepin’ on with whatever keeps you happy, healthy, and on the move.

Did we forget your pick for biggest As Seen on TV exercise bust? Tell us your favorite spoof-worthy products in the comments below!

Further Resources

• TIME — The Too-Good-to-Be-True Product Hall of Fame

  Big-time scams aren’t limited to exercise equipment.
  

• ACE — 2012 Fitness Trends to Watch

  The American Council on Exercise predicts the most popular ways to get in shape this year.
  

• The Los Angeles Times — Vibration Platforms

  Still curious about the latest high-powered platforms? Find reviews here.
  

• PC World — The Top 5 Online Scams

  Watch out for these common Internet cons, tricks, and scams.
  

1. Effect of 12 months of whole-body vibration therapy on bone density and structure in postmenopausal women: a randomized trial. Slatkovska, L., Alibhai, S.M., Beyene, J., et al. University Health Network, Mount Sinai Hospital, and University of Toronto, Toronto, and McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Annals of Internal Medicine, 2011 Nov 15;155(10):668-79, W205. [↩]
2. The Effects of Whole Body Vibration in Isolation or Combined with Strength Training in Female Athletes. Preatoni, E., Colombo, A., Verga, M., et al. Sport, Health & Exercise Science, Department for Health, University of Bath, Bath, UK. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2011 Nov 4. Epub ahead of print [↩]
3. Effect of the Power Balance® Band on Static Balance, Hamstring Flexibility, and Arm Strength in Adults: The Lifespan Wellness Research Center. Verdan, P.R., Marzilli, T.S., Barna, G.I., et al. Department of Health and Kinesiology, The University of Texas at Tyler, Tyler, TX. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2011 Oct 24. Epub ahead of print [↩]
4. Comparison of two abdominal training devices with an abdominal crunch using strength and EMG measurements. Demont, R.G., Lephart, S.M., Giraldo, J.L., et al. Neuromuscular Research Laboratory, University of Pittsburgh, PA, The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 1999 Sep;39(3):253-8. [↩]
5. Physical activity and training against obesity. [Article in Hungarian]. RISK Egészségügyi Szolgáltató Kft. Budapest, Hungary. Orvosi Hetilap, 2010 Jul 11;151(28):1125-31. [↩]