Bernie & Sharon Kahl
Kathryn Kahl
Alan, Cheri & Brooke Shamblin
Mike & Suzanne Swenson
Vicki Lewis
Are You A Sedentary Athlete?
By Nancy Clark, MS RD CSSD
For Active.com Imagine this: a lean, fit athlete who trains hard, eats heartily, and does not fret about getting fat. While this image holds true for some athletes, it seems far from reality for others. All too often, I listen to my clients complain, "I should be pencil thin for all the exercise I do." Or they moan, "I eat like a bird compared to my friends..." How could this be?
The answer is many athletes burn far fewer calories than they realize; they are actually couch potatoes the majority of the day. These seemingly active people can be surprisingly sedentary, apart from their purposeful exercise.
Think about it. The majority of your waking hours can easily be spent sitting with TV and the computer being the primary culprits that induce sedentary behaviors. The average athletic person sits at breakfast; drives to work; sits all day; drives to the gym; exercises for 45 to 90 minutes; drives home; sits at dinner; and then sits in front of a screen before going to bed. Even competitive athletes who do double workouts often live a sedentary lifestyle. They generally do little but rest and recover during the non-exercise parts of their day.
According to Neville Owen, speaker at the American College of Sports Medicine's Annual Meeting (Seattle, May '09), the average person sits 9.3 hours a day. Even if you are physically fit, this high amount of inactivity is bad for your health. Exercise reduces health risks in both lean and overweight people, even if the exercise is not associated with weight loss. Owen reports the more a person sits, the higher the risk of mortality. Hence, we not only need to find time to exercise, we also need to find ways to sit less--for example, bike to work, pace when talking on the phone, stand up when writing emails. (To elevate the height of your laptop computer, put it on top of a cardboard box that you put on top of your desk.) Why, we could even reduce our carbon footprint by hanging laundry outside to dry on a clothesline. That would not only add on exercise but also save energy!
Because activity has been engineered out of our lives, non-exercisers and avid athletes alike can easily spend too much time doing too little activity. For example, we no longer use our muscles to open the garage door; lower the car window; wash laundry; or even walk down the hall to ask a colleague a question (email is easier). For many of us, the primary movement we get in a day is our purposeful workout/training session. Hence, the goal of this article is to increase your awareness of your 24-hour activity level, and encourage you to take steps (no pun intended) to move a bit more and sit a bit less throughout the waking hours of your day.
Sitting & Weighting
People who sit a lot tend to gain undesired body fat. The more they sit, the fatter they get. Fatness heightens the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and associated chronic diseases. These health risks start at a young age. A recent study with sedentary teens reports just four weekly 30-minute workouts with moderate aerobic activity was enough to stimulate major health improvements (1). And isn't it scary to think teens are already afflicted with the so-called "diseases of aging"...?
Both sedentary and active people of all ages commonly assume their undesired body fat will melt away effortlessly once they start exercising. Not the case. A study with sedentary people (ages 56 to 78 years) who added one hour of brisk walking a day indicates they did not lose undesired body fat, despite adding the hour of exercise and eating no additional food. How could that be???
They failed to lose weight because they napped more and slept more! In the course of the 24-hour day, they compensated for the extra activity by conserving energy and being more sedentary at other times of the day (2). Endurance athletes tend to so the same thing (3). Many fail to acknowledge how inactive they are when they stop training. Hence, exercise enhances fat loss if it contributes to a 24-hour calorie deficit. But all too often, athletes burn off 600 calories when training, only to refuel with 800 calories of bon-bons while watching TV--counterproductive!
Fidgeters vs Sitters
Some (generally weight-conscious) athletes love to be sedentary. They look forward to finishing their workout, settling into their Laz-y-boy chair, putting their feet up, turning on the TV, and vegging-out for hours on end. Yet, other (lean) athletes rarely sit, and when they do, they can't sit still. They shift and wiggle in their chairs, and are very good fidgeters. Their desire to fidget is genetic, starts at birth, and explains why they prefer to relax by puttering (as opposed to sitting and reading)--and why they eat more than the sedentary athletes who eat like birds.
While fidgeters may enjoy having a "fast metabolism," sedentary athletes often complain they have a "slow metabolism." They eat small portions, yet have undesired body fat. They commonly believe something is wrong with their bodies. The truth is, they barely move their bodies in the course of a day--other than during their five mile run or one hour spin class. Nothing is medically wrong with them. (Or, they may fail to acknowledge how much they actually do eat!
To their detriment, sedentary athletes (who are good at sitting) tend to burn fewer calories than they realize over the course of the day. Similarly, obese people (who are good at sitting) tend to sit 2.5 hours more than their peers; this saves them about 350 calories a day (4). A good fidgeter, in comparison, can burn an extra 300 to 500 calories per day. So the question arises: does obesity foster sedentary behavior? Or does the tendency to be sedentary foster obesity?
The Bottom Line
If weight is an issue, try to be more active throughout the day, not just during your exercise sessions. Figure out how to move your body in ways that have purpose and meaning: walk the dog, scrub the floor, walk to the post office. Your health and waistline will be glad you did! Nancy Clark, MS RD CSSD (Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics)
Recipe of the Week
Broccoli Pancakes
Even if your kids don't like broccoli, they will eat these pancakes. You can serve them as a side dish; however they are certainly a meal on their own if you want to serve them as an entrée. Broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables including cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, turnip greens and kale are rich in antioxidants, which help protect against both cancer and heart disease.
Ingredients
1 large head broccoli
1/4 cup coarsely chopped onion
1/2 small hot chili pepper or 1 teaspoon chili paste
1 large garlic clove, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/8 teaspoon dried dill weed
1 pinch salt
1 large egg or 2 egg whites
1/4 cup low-fat milk
A sprinkling of paprika
Mock Sour Cream:
1 cup plain non-fat yogurt
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice
1/2 small onion or large shallot, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce, or to taste
Sprinkling of chopped fresh dill
Directions
1. Cut the florets off the head of the broccoli and separate them by cutting the large ones in half so they are all more or less the same size. You should have about 3 cups. Discard the stalks, or save them along with any remaining florets to use in soup or a vegetable stir-fry.
2. Bring 1/2 cup water to a boil in a medium pan, then drop in the broccoli florets, cover, and let steam as they cook, for 3 minutes. Strain in a colander.
3. Put the steamed broccoli, onions, chili and garlic in a food processor and pulse on and off to chop (do not puree the vegetables), or chop by hand. Transfer the chopped ingredients to a mixing bowl and stir in the oil, flour, dill, and salt. Add the egg or egg whites and milk and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon.
4. Smear the bottom of a large, nonstick skillet with 1/4 teaspoon of butter and set it over medium heat for about 1 minute. Drop tablespoons of the batter into the hot skillet, placing them far enough apart so that the pancakes don't touch, and cook over low to medium heat for about 1 minute. Turn the pancakes and cook the other side for 1 minute. Transfer them to a hot platter to keep warm while you continue making the rest until all the batter is used up.
5. Mix all of the ingredients for the Mock Sour Cream together and spoon 1 teaspoonful on top of each pancake, then top with a sprinkle of paprika.
Makes 20 1-inch pancakes - 2 per person.
Instant Motivation Overcome any obstacle on your path to fitness
By The Editors of Prevention Health Books for Women
Workout boredom, plateaus, and injuries can all sidetrack your fitness training. But with the right inspiration, you can work through those barriers. When obstacles threaten to keep you from working out, try some of these quick and easy motivational tips to stay on track. These instant motivators will rekindle your passion for working out--the greatest motivator of all.
You're Too Tired to Exercise
Make a Date Set up a standing date with a friend whose fitness level matches yours--your mutual motivation lulls will cancel each other out. Research shows that having a dedicated workout partner makes you more likely to stick with an exercise program.
Have a Snack When you run low on fuel, the extra energy demands of exercise lead your body to decide, "She's overdoing it--we need to conserve some fuel by slowing down her metabolism," says Michele Olson, PhD, professor of health and human performance at Auburn University in Montgomery, AL. That's the last thing you want, so have a protein-and-complex-carbohydrate snack, like a hard-boiled egg and a slice of whole wheat toast, 2 hours before you plan to work out. Put on Your Shoes Think baby steps--if you truly don't feel like you can get out the door, just put on your workout clothes. If that feels good, throw on some sneakers. Even if you stay in the house, the clothes will give you an increased range of motion, so you'll probably put more energy into your chores.
Pump More Iron As a mineral that helps convert food to energy, iron is essential to keeping energy levels high. But dieting, avoiding meat, and having heavy menstrual periods can put you at risk for low iron. Iron supplements are sometimes risky, so make sure your diet includes 18 mg of iron every day--choose lean meats or legumes, leafy greens, and whole grains. Don't forget citrus fruit and other juice with vitamin C, which improves iron absorption from plant foods.
Fuel up Early Eating the bulk of your calories in the early part of the day will give you the energy you need to make it through daytime workouts. Many women on weight loss plans find it easier to eat less during the day and more at night--exactly the opposite plan for optimal energy and weight loss.
Wet Your Whistle Dehydration can seriously drag your energy down. Research shows that even when you drink eight glasses of water a day, 45 minutes of exercise can put you into a dehydrated state. Don't rely on thirst as a measure of need--to prevent exercise fatigue, take a sip of water every 15 to 20 minutes while you work out.
Quotes of The Week!
“Don't count the reps. Make the reps count.”
Author Unknown
"Procrastination is one of the most common and deadliest of diseases and its toll on success and happiness is heavy."
Wayne Gretzky, Canadian Hockey Player
Envisioning Single Serving Sizes
Consumers are starting to realize that healthy eating is all about moderation. They have been bombarded with advice about portion control and encouraged to stick to single servings. But studies show that many people remain confused about what these terms mean.
According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), a portion refers to the amount of food you choose to eat, whereas a serving is used to describe the recommended amount of food you should eat at a given meal.
Still confused? Well, so are many of your clients. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, imagery may be the best way to teach them the difference. Use these visual examples provided by the NHLBI to show your clients what a serving really looks like.
Passport to Health and Fitness
Don't Let A Friend Fly Solo
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Simply click here or log on to www.ftpassport.com to enter your friends and family members to receive a complimentary introductory session and free gift when they com in for their session. Passports are also available in the studio, for you convenience.
