Energy drinks are tempting. Who wouldn’t want a quick burst of power before a workout, practice or game? But don’t be fooled. These drinks pose hidden health risks, especially for high-performing athletes.

Energy Drink Concerns

One major concern about energy drinks is their diuretic effect. These drinks increase urination rates and cause more rapid dehydration, which can certainly hinder sports performance. Avoid consuming energy drinks before practice or a game to ensure your hydration levels stay high.

Athletes especially need to understand the stimulant effects present in many energy drinks. Some energy drinks contain high levels of caffeine and other stimulant ingredients, such as guarana, green tea, yohimbine, vinpocetine, 5-hydroxyl trypophan methylphenylethylamine (5-HTP) and ginseng. When multiple stimulants are combined in one beverage, serious cardiovascular issues can occur. We recommend that you take only NSF-certified dietary supplements, which have been screened for contaminants and banned substances.

Pay attention to serving size, too. Some energy drinks actually contain multiple servings in one container, so consuming the full contents could introduce an unsafe level of caffeine into the body. If you feel the need to consume an energy drink, take only one serving in a single setting.

Additional issues often cited about energy drinks include:

• Drug Interactions: Concerns exist about the ingestion of large amounts of ingredients found in energy drinks and how they may adversely affect people with poorly controlled or undiagnosed psychiatric conditions. Some energy drink ingredients are known to interact with certain prescription and over-the-counter drugs, causing adverse health effects or reducing the effectiveness of the drug.

• Blood Thinners: Vinpocetine, an ingredient found in some energy drinks, can increase blood flow to the brain. Anyone who is taking blood thinners—including aspirin, Coumadin, Plavix, Tidid, Pentoxifyline, vitamin E, garlic or gingko supplements—should avoid drinks containing this ingredient.

• Blood Pressure: The stimulant yohimbine, frequently found in energy drinks, should not be taken in combination with antidepressants, drugs for lowering blood pressure, amphetamines or any other central nervous system stimulants. The combination of yohimbine with these substances can lower blood pressure to dangerous levels and make the blood pressure medication inactive. Also, yohimbine should not be combined with nasal decongestants, diet products containing phenylpropanolamine, cheese or red wine, as it can cause high blood pressure and heart palpitations.

• Interaction With Alcohol: Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has banned the sale of energy drinks containing alcohol, some individuals still risk their health and safety by mixing high-caffeine energy drinks with alcohol.

Bottom line on energy drinks: be careful. If you choose to consume them, read their labels carefully and thoroughly research their contents. Closely monitor your hydration levels and drink plenty of water, especially during exercise.

Came across this great article.  Thought it would be very helpful.

Certified Personal Trainer, Everett, WA Arturo Espitia

Source : Stack

Carbs provide energy for muscle function and act as the primary fuel for the brain. Carbs like whole grains, fruits and vegetables are rich in fiber, so they help control appetite, slow digestion and improve heart health. Processed carbs, on the other hand, such as white breads, pastas and baked goods, provide little nutritional value and are converted quickly to sugar and easily stored as fat.

Good Carbohydrates Vs Bad Carbohydrates

There is a trend to categorize carbohydrates into “good carbs” and “bad carbs.” The science behind the categorization is the glycemic index or glycemic load.

The “good carbs” are typically those that are high in fiber and less processed (whole grains, fruits, and vegetables) with the more official name of low glycemic index carbohydrates. The glucose from these types of carbohydrates is released slower, therefore providing energy for a longer period and producing less of an insulin spike.

The “bad carbs” are those that are typically more processed (white breads, pretzels, candy) or high glycemic index carbohydrates. The glucose from these carbohydrates is quickly released, causing an insulin spike and the quick removal and shuttling of glucose from the blood stream into the cell.

Nutrient Timing

For an active person, both the high and low glycemic index carbohydrates are important for ensuring a proper amount of energy for optimum performance. The trick now is figuring out the timing. It is optimal to have lower glycemic index carbohydrates in your meals throughout the day and before training or activity. During intense and prolonged exercise (exercise lasting an hour or more), it may be advantageous to have a high- glycemic-index sports drink to maintain blood glucose levels. The optimal time to have higher glycemic index foods is when you have finished your exercise or activity. After activity, there is about a two-hour window of optimal recovery. During these two hours, your cells are most receptive to nutrition to replenish the glycogen stores that you have depleted. The replacement of these stores is crucial for the next workout.

How Many Carbohydrates Are Enough?

The place where people often go wrong is eating too much carbohydrate—or just too much of anything. Different sports require different amounts of available fuel. The marathon runner is going to need much more fuel than the golfer, so each type of athlete needs to base his or her carbohydrate intake throughout the day, before, during, and after their exercise or event on their actual activity level. Even regular exercisers need to base their carbohydrate intake on the amount of activity they are engaging in. If you are enduring longer, harder workouts, you need more carbohydrate. If your workouts are less intense, you need less carbohydrate.

Carbohydrate Serving Sizes

A healthy portion of carbohydrates should be about the size of a baseball. Here are some examples of standard serving sizes of carbs:

• 1 slice whole grain bread (whole wheat, pumpernickel, rye)
• 1/2 of a hamburger bun (whole wheat )
• 1/2 of an English muffin (whole wheat or sourdough)
• 1/2 of a whole-grain bagel
• 3 cups popped light popcorn
• 1/2 cup cooked oatmeal
• 1/2 cup cooked rice (brown)
• 1/4-1 cup of dry cereal depending upon type (high fiber)
• 1/2 cup cooked vegetables
• 1/2 cup mashed potato
• 1 small (3 ounce) baked potato
• 1/2 cup cooked lentils, split peas, or beans
• 1 small apple
• 1 medium banana
• 3/4-cup blueberries
• 1/2 grapefruit
• 1 medium orange
• 1 cup cubed cantaloupe
• 1/4 cup cubed watermelon
• 2 tablespoons of dried fruit

Carbohydrates: Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables contain powerful antioxidants, helping to protect the body from the cell-damaging effects of free-radicals:

Apples, avocados, beets, bell peppers, black beans, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, Brussels, sprouts, cantaloupe, carrots, celery, cherries, cucumber, eggplant, field greens, grape fruit, green apple, green beans, green peas, honeydew, kiwifruit, mangoes, mushrooms, oranges, papaya, peaches, pine-apple, plums, pomegranates, raspberries, red grapes, romaine lettuce, snap peas, soybeans, spinach, squash, strawberries, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, watermelon, yams

Carbohydrates: Breads, Cereals, and Grains

• Brown rice
• Cheerios
• Couscous
• Kashi
• Oatmeal
• Pumpernickel bread
• Quinoa
• Rye bread
• Sourdough bread
• Whole wheat bread

Carbohydrates in Fiber

Fiber, found mostly in carbohydrates, is essential to overall health. It improves gastrointestinal health and function and helps prevent colon cancer, regulates blood sugar, and promotes long-term cardiovascular health by reducing cholesterol. People who follow low-carb diet plans deprive themselves of this vital source of nutrition. Non-processed, fiber-rich, colorful carbs are essential to a healthy lifestyle. Eliminating carbs produces sluggishness, along with long-term negative health effects. Try to consume a lot of fiber. Fiber improves your body’s digestive function, regulates blood sugar levels, and promotes long-term cardiovascular health.

Fiber is found in oatmeal and green, leafy vegetables, beans, whole grain products, as well as in bottled form. You can sprinkle it on your meals to improve their nutritional value. Because fiber is found mostly in carbohydrates and is essential to overall health, people who follow low-carb diet plans are depriving themselves of this vital source of nutrition.

Low-Carb Diets

Several popular diets advocate that you don’t eat carbs, and that’s one way to lose a lot of weight in a hurry. After all, for every gram of carbohydrate we eat, we store 3 grams of water.  But that’s a good thing since it keeps us hydrated and satiated.

If you go on one of those diets without carbs, it’s like taking a sponge and wringing the water out. You’ll lose the water weight, but as soon as you eat carbs again—and you will at some point, because you need energy to function, and you can only go so long without carbs—then the sponge is going to fill up with water.  Research shows that the weight will come right back, and with a vengeance; people often gain back all the weight they lost while following a diet that severely reduces carb intake—and more. As with dieting, you’ll likely lose some of your lean mass in the process.

In addition to the decrease in performance associated with low carbohydrate diets,  those following the low carbohydrate diets often omit many of the high-fiber whole grains and the vitamin, mineral and phytochemical loaded fruits and vegetables.

A better approach is to eat carbohydrate based on your activity level and understand what makes up an actual serving size of carbohydrate. Carbohydrate equals fuel, and the body prefers glucose (what the carbohydrate is broken down into) for energy to fuel both the muscles and the brain. Without enough carbohydrate you are bound to sputter along like a car that is about to run out of gas. This becomes particularly important to the athlete who needs to have a full supply of energy at all times. During exercise or sports activities, the body will use available glucose in the blood for energy. Once that supply of glucose is depleted, the body will begin to break down glycogen, which is stored glucose, for energy. After that is gone, the body no longer has an efficient way to release glucose and your ability to perform at a high level will be compromised.

Throughout the day and before training, choose mainly lower glycemic index carbohydrates including high fiber whole grains and fruits and vegetables. After your training, eat enough carbohydrates by choosing some higher glycemic index carbs to replenish your glycogen stores. By using carbohydrate as your training and performance partner and not as the forbidden nutrient, your energy stores and your diet will achieve a more appropriate balance.

Arturo Espitia  Certified Personal Trainer Everett, WA

Give your workout a boost with a new playlist. I polled some random people to find out which songs top athletes are listening to during their workouts to get going and stay motivated. This list includes hot new tracks, plus some perennial favorites.

1. Beast Mode – B.o.B

2. Superstar – Lupe Fiasco

3. Feel So Close – Calvin Harris

4. Work Out – J. Cole

5. Crazy Train – Ozzy Osbourne

6. The Motto – Drake

7. Hustlin’ (Remix) – Rick Ross ft. Jay-Z and Young Jeezy

8. The Waiting One – All That Remains

9. Sexy and I Know It – LMFAO

10. MegaMan – Lil’ Wayne

11. Like a G6 – Far East Movement

12. Victory – P.Diddy ft. The Notorious B.I.G and Busta Rhymes

13. Lights Out – Breaking Benjamin

14. Under and Over It – Five Finger Death Punch

15. Hustle Hard – Ace Hood

16. Guerilla Radio – Rage Against the Machine

17. 6 Foot 7 Foot – Lil’ Wayne ft. Cory Gunz

18. Super Bass – Nicki Minaj

19. Let’s Roll – Yelawolf ft. Kid Rock

20. Drop the World – Lil’ Wayne and Eminem

21. Welcome to the Jungle – Guns N’ Roses

What’s in your workout playlist? Let us know in the comments below.

Arturo Espitia Certified Personal Trainer Everett, WA

Even if you’ve been out of running for a while, you can still record a solid 10K time with a little planning and hard work. Below you’ll find the framework for a three-month running plan to help you run great. First, check out this list of definitions to make sense of it all:

• Recovery Day (Rec) – This is your day off, but it doesn’t mean be a couch potato. Stay active, and try performing some light stretching and self-massage for your muscles.
• Hill Running (HR) – Choose a running route that offers more hills to mix up your routine.
• Race Pace (RP) – The fastest pace that you can maintain for the entirety of your run. You can approximate your race pace by running at a healthy speed for a short distance—a couple kilometers, for example.
• 400 Repeats (Rep) – This interval training drill will work your cardiovascular system and improve the way your body uses energy. To perform the drill, walk or jog slowly for 400 meters. Then run slightly faster than your race pace for 400 meters. Repeat this pattern, alternating between fast and slow.

As part of your training, spend a few minutes before each run warming up Movement Prep. After each session, cool down with stretches and self-massage, and then reach for a post-workout shake or snack. These strategies will help you avoid injury and maximize results.

Here is a great 12 week running program by the people at Core Performance.  Get ready for the season.

Arturo Espitia Certified Personal Trainer Everett, WA

Having trouble getting the recommended six to eight hours of sleep a night? Use the tips below to sleep better tonight.

1. Lower your thermostat.

Dropping the thermostat in your house to between 65 and 72 degrees has been shown to help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. While these temperatures are the typical recommendations, you may need to experiment and find what temperature helps you sleep best.

2. Be in bed by 10 p.m.

Research has shown that sleeping from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. is optimal for physical and psychological recovery, and it's been linked to healthier eating habits. Going to bed and getting up at the same time each day will help you create a routine and regulate your sleep patterns. To fall asleep faster, try calming activities before bed—drink herbal tea, stretch, meditate, or read (no reading the news before bedtime).

3. Avoid too much caffeine.

You don't have to give up your morning cup of Joe, but drinking caffeine-heavy drinks at night can affect your sleep. Caffeine increase catecholamines, hormones that increase energy, heart rate, and blood vessel constriction, and prepare your body to respond to any challenge. While everyone's body reacts differently to caffeine, it's recommended that you stop drinking coffee about six hours before bed (for some as little as four hours and for others as much as eight hours).

4. Unplug your electronics.

Keep all electronics (phone, computer, TV, iPad, etc.) in another room. Having them in your bedroom keeps your brain active and can affect sleep. Using your bedroom for sleeping only will help your body and your brain calm down at night.

5. Skip your nightcap.

Downing a drink or two before bed can make it harder for you to fall asleep and stay asleep. It also impacts REM, or rapid eye movement, sleep cycles, which account for 25 percent of your total sleep time. This is when your brain activity and heart rate rises, you breathe erratically, and you commit things to long-term memory. If you don't spend enough time in this critical sleep cycle, you could wake up exhausted.

6. Make time for the gym.

Spend 30 minutes in the morning or afternoon working out. It can help you fall asleep faster at night. If you like to exercise later in the day, give yourself at least six hours, if you can, between working out and bedtime. Your body will be stimulated from exercising, so this gives it a chance to wind down before you sleep.

7. Make a doctor's appointment.

If you're still fighting sleep after trying all the tips above, talk to your doctor. Unpredictable sleep patterns and lack of sleep can lower your immunity and impact both your mental and physical health.

Arturo Espitia Certified Personal Trainer Everett, WA

Skimping on omega-3 fatty acids -- nutrients found in certain oils, beans and seafood -- may take a toll on brain volume and memory, according to a new study. In it, researchers used MRIs and other markers to help show that adults with lower levels of omega-3 may actually have smaller brains, as well as certain signs of cognitive impairment.

In the study, published Monday in the journal Neurology, researchers looked at the levels of omega-3s in the red blood cells of more than 1,500 dementia-free adults, whose average age was 67. The researchers also conducted MRI brain scans and administered tests measuring cognitive function.

They found that participants whose levels of DHA -- a particular type of omega-3 -- were low enough to put them in the bottom 25 percent had substantially lower brain volume than those with higher levels of DHA. The difference was equivalent to approximately two years of structural brain aging.

In addition, participants in the bottom quartile of overall omega-3 levels performed worse on tests measuring visual memory, abstract thinking and executive function, which includes processes such as organizing, planning and recalling details.

"What does it mean? Well, the areas of the brain that are affected are more indicative of vascular disease," said Dr. Zaldy Tan of the Easton Center for Alzheimer's Disease Research at UCLA and one of the study's authors. He explained that the current study does not make clear what constitutes normal levels of red blood cell fatty acids.

"It fits in with other studies looking at the beneficial vascular effects," he added.

Indeed, the authors reference past research suggesting that omega-3s can reduce blood pressure and inflammation, as well as lower triglyceride levels. (According to the American Heart Association, triglycerides, or "blood fats," are a key measure of metabolic health. High levels of triglycerides are linked with heart disease and diabetes, among other things.)

Many such vascular risk factors have been linked with an increased risk of developing dementia, prompting the authors to write that omega-3s "may delay cognitive and structural brain aging by some combination of these mechanisms."

"I think we can say that omega-3s are important for brain function, specifically DHA," said Elaine Pelc, who is a clinical dietitian at the University of Maryland Medical Center and was not associated with the study.

"DHA is actively present in the brain, and higher intakes are associated with memory, brain function and cognition," she added.

Pelc explained that the most beneficial omega-3s are found in cold-water fatty fish, including salmon, makerel, halibut, sardines, tuna and herring. Alpha-linolenic acid or ALA -- another omega-3 -- is found in sources like flaxseeds and flaxseed oil, canola oil, soybeans and walnuts.

Because of the metabolic benefits of omega-3 consumption, the American Heart Association recommends eating at least two, 3.5-ounce servings of cooked (or three-quarters cup flaked) fish per week, adding that people with coronary artery disease may want to talk with their doctor about adding supplements.

"A lot of cardiologists routinely recommend that patients take fish oils, because they seem to confer beneficial effects to the heart," Tan said. "The question from this study is, can this benefit your brain at all?"

Arturo Espitia Certified Personal Trainer Everett, WA

The grassroots food movement has gained traction in recent years as people look to get away from processed, industrialized food and literally get back to Earth with their food. Eating local, even organic, has been popularized by books such as Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma, television programs such as Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, and movies such as Food Inc. and Forks Over Knives.

Tanya Denckla Cobb, who teaches food system planning at the University of Virginia, explores further how Americans are demanding more fresh, local foods at home, in their schools, in restaurants, and at food markets in her new book Reclaiming Our Food: How the Grassroots Food Movement is Changing the Way We Eat.

By eating foods locally grown, she writes, we inevitably eat healthier. That’s because such foods are not grown to survive long voyages—an average of 1,500 miles in the case of many supermarket foods—and also are more nutritious and flavorful. Locally-grown foods are less likely to be treated with harmful chemicals. By “eating local,” you’re likely to reinforce the connection to how food is supposed to be produced—as opposed to the processed food that makes up most American diets. Here are five ways to eat local:

1. Plant a Garden

It doesn't get more local than your own backyard. Cobb says you don’t need a green thumb or significant space to grow your own food; many do so in urban areas. “You can start with herbs that have a tremendous impact on your health: basil, dill, oregano, sage,” she says. “All of them are easy to grow. Tomatoes are pretty easy and there are wonderful varieties that you can’t get at the store that are sweeter and tastier than the cardboard tomatoes shipped thousands of miles.”

2. Shop at Farmer's Markets and Festivals

Farmer’s markets have proliferated in recent years, providing locally-grown produce, often for less than that sold at the supermarket, which may or may not be local. Some farms have pick-your-own opportunities and food festivals are becoming increasingly popular.

3. Seek Out Restaurants That Use Locally Grown Foods

Some restaurants feature locally-grown produce and locally-raised meat, and not just because they want to help out fellow local businesses. “Chefs are seeking out more local food because it tastes better,” Cobb says. “So one way to eat more local is to patronize restaurants that offer it and thank them for doing so.” Chipotle Mexican Grill, which has more than 1,200 U.S. restaurants, has made a commitment to using locally-grown produce wherever possible, along with meat and dairy products that come from animals free from hormones and antibiotics. Cobb’s book explores Chipotle’s relationship with Polyface Farms, the Virginia farm made famous by The Omnivore’s Dilemma for its old-school, free-range farming methods.

4. Join a CSA

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a popular way to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer. With a CSA, a farmer offers a certain number of “shares” or subscriptions to the public. Shares typically consist of a box of vegetables, but other farm products may be included. Customers purchase a share or subscription and in return receive a box of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season.

5. 'Vote' With Your Wallet

A recent study at Virginia Tech revealed that if every resident of Virginia spent just $10 of their weekly grocery bill on locally-grown food, it would have a $1.65 billion annual impact on that state. “Whether you’re partaking in a community garden or opting to buy something locally grown, you can make a big impact not only on how food is produced but on your own health as well," says Cobb. "Plus you’re making this connection to your local farm and to your food that many people lost touch with in the last half of the 20th century.”

Arturo Espitia Certified Personal Trainer Everett, WA

More companies are investing in new wellness programs or expanding their current wellness initiatives, according to the 2011 Willis Health and Productivity Survey.

In the survey of 1,598 employers, 60 percent of organizations said they currently offer a wellness program and 58 percent of companies said they plan to expand their wellness initiatives with added programs or resources. The most common types of wellness programs being offered are physical activity programs (53%), tobacco cessation programs (49%), and weight management programs (45%).

“The most efficient way for any organization to reduce healthcare costs is through wellness programming,” says John Golden, president of Core Performance. “It’s encouraging to see that more and more companies realize the proven ROI wellness initiatives provide and the sustainable impact these programs have on a company’s bottom line.”

Read The Full Survey Here >

Arturo Espitia Certified Personal Trainer Everett, WA