Product Review: Bodylastics Resistance Bands

Getting to the gym can be a real challenge given our busy lives of work and family responsibilities.  When I was in college and even grad school, there seemed to be plenty of time to get to the gym and enjoy a leisurely workout.  Now that I’m a bit older, time is definitely more limited.  I’ve noticed the same thing with my clients over the years.  Once they hit a certain age, it becomes very hard for them to get to the gym on a consistent basis.   Therefore, as I’ve mentioned before, I’m a big advocate of working out at home. 

Most parts of the body are very easily exercised with a flat bench and some dumbbells.  However, the back can be a bit more challenging to workout at home.  There are several dumbbell exercises that focus on the back, but to really get the variety you want, you’ll need to bring in some other equipment.  I figured I’d use this post to introduce one such piece of equipment: Bodylastics Resistance Bands.  

Bodylastics Resistance Bands are a stackable and adjustable resistance system.  The kit I purchased has up to 96 pounds of resistance, but they also sell kits with more or less resistance.  The system comes with 4 different colored bands of varying thickness that you can combine to produce the exact resistance you need for any exercise.

In addition to the stackable resistance bands, the system comes with handles for both your hands and ankles as well as a door anchor.  The door anchor is the absolute key.  It allows you to attach the system to any door that closes in your home.  If you put it up high, you can simulate high pulley exercises like lat pulldowns.  If you keep the anchor a bit lower, you can simulate low pulley exercises like seated rows.  This adds a completely new element to how you can work your back at home.  Let’s take a quick look at the pros and cons of the Bodylastics system.

Pros

1) Extremely Well Made And Durable:  These will last you a lifetime.  I’ve had mine for 2 years and they are showing no signs of wear and tear.

2) Serious Resistance: I’ve historically been a bit down on resistance bands in general.  I never felt like I was getting the type of resistance that I needed.  Not so with the Bodylastics system.  These feel a lot tighter than other bands I’ve used.  I get a great workout with these.

3) Comes With A Door Anchor:  Great for working the back with simulated high and low pulley exercises.

4) Very Portable:  The system comes with a carrying case that can easily fit in your luggage for when you need to bring your workout on the road.

5) Very Secure Door Anchor: Door anchors tend to make me nervous.  Not this one.  It is solid and it’s going no where, so feel free to workout with confidence.

Cons

1) The only con that I can come up with is the price.  They are a bit more expensive than other resistance bands.  They retail for $54.95, but as of this writing, amazon.com has them on sale for $35.95.

Do I Recommend Bodylastics Resistance Bands?

Absolutely.  These are a great addition to any home gym and will allow you to be much more creative with your workouts.  While they cost a bit more than other bands on the market, the quality of the product easily makes it worth the extra investment.  To learn more about these bands or to pick them up, check out their amazon page (here).

The Top Non-Dairy Sources Of Calcium

Calcium is a very important nutrient.  We all know that it is pivotal to the maintenance of our bones.  Calcium also serves several other important functions, including the regulation of the hearts rhythm, the transmission of nerve impulses, and even plays a role in blood clotting.   The best sources of calcium are dairy products.  However, many people are lactose intolerant or have other, less dramatic sensitivities to dairy.  For many of these people, daily consumption of dairy products is not an option. 

I figured I’d use this post to list out some of the healthiest non-dairy sources of calcium.

This information was found in Appendix B of the Dietary Guidelines For Americans (Reference 1)

 1) Calcium Fortified Almond Milk: 1 cup has 457 mg of calcium.

 2) Calcium Fortified Soy Milk: 1 cup has 368 mg of calcium.

 3) Sardines, in oil:  3 oz has 325 mg of calcium.

 4) Pink Salmon, canned, with bone:  3 oz has 181 mg of calcium.

 
 5) Collard Greens: ½ cup has 178 mg of calcium.

 6) Spinach: ½ cup has 146 mg of calcium.

 7) Soybeans, green: ½ cup has 130 mg of calcium.

 8) Turnip Greens: ½ cup has 124 mg of calcium.

 9) Ocean Perch, Atlantic: 3 oz has 116 mg of calcium.

 10) White Beans: ½ cup has 96 mg of calcium.

 11) Kale: ½ cup has 90 mg of calcium.

 12) Okra: ½ cup has 88 mg of calcium.

 13) Blue Crab: 3 oz has 86 mg of calcium.

 14) Clams: 3 oz has 78 mg of calcium.

 References

 1) http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/document/html/appendixB.htm

Research Update: New Research On Beverages And Health

Coffee consumption and risk of chronic disease in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)- Germany study.  American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2012; 95:901-908.

This study of 42,659 men and women from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort examined the association between coffee consumption and risk of chronic disease, including stroke, cancer, myocardial infarction, and type 2 diabetes.  After approximately 9 years of follow up, subjects consuming 4 or more cups of coffee per day had no increased risk of any disease when compared to those consuming less than 1 cup a day.  In fact, they had a 23% reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.

Take Home Message: Coffee drinking has long been vilified as an unhealthy vice.  However, the research is beginning to mount that at the very least it is not harmful and may even be beneficial to our health.  So if you like a cup of coffee or two in the morning, there is no reason to stop. 

Soda consumption and the risk of stroke in men and women.  American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2012; 95:1190-1199.

This study takes a look at the association between soda consumption and risk of stroke in a very large group of subjects.  Two cohorts were included in this study: the Nurses’ Health Study (n=84,085) and the Health Professional Follow-up Study (n=43,371).  The women were followed for 28 years and the men were followed for 22 years.  Consuming one of more sodas per day was associated with a 16% higher risk of stroke compared to those who did not drink soda.

Take Home Message: Add stroke to the long list of chronic diseases that are associated with sugar sweetened beverage consumption.  We’ve also seen increases in risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, and heart disease in heavy soda drinkers.  This is not an ideal beverage choice, to say the least.

Question And Answer: Gazelle Edge

If you’ve read my book or work with my privately, you already know that I’m a huge fan of the Gazelle Edge Elliptical Trainer.  This machine is perfect for home use.  It is inexpensive at just over $100, it folds up for storage when not in use, and is extremely low impact.  The majority of my clients pick up one of these machines and use it as their primary source of cardio.  I have one myself and use it every day.  I figured I’d use this question and answer post to help owners of the Gazelle Edge get the most out of their machine.  For a complete review of the Gazelle, including where to get it, check out this earlier post (click here).

One note before we begin: whenever starting an exercise program, it is imperative that you contact your doctor and get medical clearance.  I will not even think about recommending exercise to a new client until I conduct a medical history and contact their doctor for clearance.  Safety first!  On to the questions:

Should I Use The Arms?

No. In fact, I recommend unscrewing and removing the arms altogether.  I say this for 2 reasons:  1) I want you to emphasize the large muscles of the lower body during your cardio, not the arms.  2) Having the arms off the machine will free up your hands to hold a phone, the remote control, your Ipad, book, or newspaper.

How Can I Prevent The Gazelle From Sliding Around?

If you place the Gazelle on a hardwood floor, you’ll notice that it moves around a bit during your workout.  To prevent this, use the Gazelle on a carpet if at all possible.  If this isn’t possible, a thin yoga mat underneath it will help a lot.  I actually use a yoga mat on top of the carpet to keep the Gazelle from leaving indentations on the carpet.  This combination reduces movement completely.

Initially, I Feel Like I’m Not Working Out Hard Enough, Am I Doing Something Wrong?

When you first start using the machine, you are not entirely comfortable and balanced.  This will slow down your pace.  During this early phase, many feel that they are not working hard enough.  You’ll find that if you keep at it, your balance will improve and you’ll be able to work harder.  Take long, fluid strides; kind of like you are cross-country skiing on one of those Nordic Track’s from years ago.  Also swing your arms as if you were running quickly.  Before you know it, you’ll be sweating and your heart rate will be up.

Can I Do Anything Else To Pick Up The Intensity?

For most people, just following the above recommendations will get their intensity to the proper level to improve fitness and lose weight.  However, if I have a client that is a bit younger and healthy, I’ll recommend interval training to ramp up the intensity.  I’ll have them start out their cardio at the normal intensity for 4½ minutes, and then sprint for 30 seconds.  I’ll have them repeat this 4 or 5 times during their workout.  This is a great way to increase intensity and calories burned.  The sprint does not have to be a maximal effort; simply increase your pace for 30 seconds.  If a client is very overweight or has risk factors for heart disease (high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc), I don’t recommend intervals, as the increased intensity can spike heart rate and blood pressure.

My Gazelle Is Starting To Squeak, How Can I Fix This?

You may notice after some time that your Gazelle squeaks a bit. I normally have headphones on when I use it, so I don’t even really notice, but some of my clients have found this annoying.  Here’s how to fix this straight from the user manual:

“If squeaks or other noises develop over time, we recommend lubricating all

moving parts as follows:
             a) Apply clear household grease (i.e. petroleum jelly) to axle tube.
             b) Spray cable holders (top & bottom) with WD40 or equivalent.”

Feature Article: Healthy Weight

When I meet a new weight loss client, one of the first questions I ask is, “How much weight would you ideally like to lose?”  Usually they turn around and ask me, “Well, how much do I need to lose?”   I figured that I’d create a post to help my readers answer this common question.

There are several guidelines to help you figure out your ideal weight.  As a Licensed Nutritionist and an Exercise Physiologist, my goal is to get my client down to a point where their weight will no longer increase their risk of chronic disease.  If they want to go a bit lower for cosmetic reasons, that is fine and I’m happy to help them do so.  However, when their weight is no longer going to negatively impact their health, I truly feel like I’ve done my job.  So how do you set your weight loss goals to minimize your risk of chronic disease?  There are actually 3 important measures.

Body Mass Index

Body mass index is a great place to start.  Your body mass index is your weight in kilograms divided by your height in meters squared.   If your body mass index is 25 or lower, your weight is considered normal.  If it falls between 25.1 and 29.9, you are considered overweight.  If it is 30 or more you are considered obese.

Risk of chronic disease begins to increase with BMI’s over 25 and rises sharply with BMI’s over 30.  I always have my clients shoot for a BMI under 25.  While the BMI measure isn’t perfect, there is a lot of solid research behind the numbers, so I always have my clients start there.  The Center for Disease Control has a free BMI calculator (click here).  You can use this calculator to figure out your BMI today and also what weight you need to reach to get it under 25.

Waist Circumference

The next area you want to focus on is your waist circumference.  Abdominal fat is particularly harmful to our health.  It has been associated with insulin resistance and inflammation, which can lead to increases in risk of heart disease, diabetes and even some cancers. 

Measure your waist with a tape measure right at your navel.  Men want to be below 40 inches and women want to be below 35 inches.  Your waist measure is important even if you are at a healthy weight.  Studies have shown that if your BMI is below 25 but your waist circumference is too high, your will have a significantly higher risk of death.

Body Fat

One other useful measure is your percent body fat.  The best way to measure this is with a DEXA scan.  This machine is often used to measure bone density.  Many don’t have access to one of these, so your next best bet is a bioelectrical impedance analyzer.

These machines work by shooting an imperceptible electric pulse up your body.  Since muscle and fat conduct electricity differently, your body fat can be measured.  If you are interested in picking up an analyzer, I recommend the brand Tanita.  Tanita sells a line of very accurate scales that come with a bioelectrical impedance analyzer.  They generally run around $100.  I’ve seen validation studies on these scales and when used correctly, they correlate highly with DEXA scans, which are the gold standard for body composition assessment.  Since bioelectrical impedance relies on proper levels of hydration, for 3 hours before the test you don’t want to eat, sleep, or exercise.

I’ve had a Tanita Ironman for years and love it.  To learn more about these analyzers or to pick one up, check out their website at tanita.com.

So what body fat should you shoot for?  A fit level of body fat is generally considered 14-17% for men and 21-24% for women.  That is a great goal to shoot for.

Research Update: Beverages And Weight Loss

Replacing caloric beverages with water or diet beverages for weight loss in adults: Main results of the Choose Healthy Options Consciously Everyday randomized clinical trial.  American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2012: 95:555-63.

Objective:  The objective of this study was to examine the effects of replacing caloric beverages with water or diet beverages as a method of weight loss over a 6 month study period.

Methods: 318 overweight and obese men and women who consumed at least 280 daily calories in beverage form were recruited for this study.  Subjects were placed into one of three groups:

Group 1 replaced 2 servings of soda per day with water.
Group 2 replaced 2 servings of soda per day with diet soda.
Group 3 was a control group that received general weight loss advice but no specific instructions on beverages.

The intervention lasted for 6 months and then weight was measured.  Replacement beverages were provided to all study participants in replacement groups.

Results: At the end of the 6 months, all three groups had lost weight.  However, participants assigned to beverage replacement were two times as likely to have achieved a 5% weight loss when compared to the control group.

Discussion: It appears that our body is not very good at registering calories in liquid form.  Studies show that when we snack on solid food, most people will generally compensate by eating fewer calories the rest of the day.  This does not seem to happen with liquid calories.  When the same people received snacks in liquid form, they did not eat any less throughout the rest of the day.  This study provides further evidence that liquid calories are usually just added to what we would normally eat in a day. 

Take Home Message: If you are trying to lose weight, dump the liquid calories.  Stick with water, decaf coffee/tea or naturally flavored sparkling water.  Don’t go too crazy with the diet sodas-- they have some issues of their own.  (To learn more about non-nutritive sweeteners, check out this post)

Book Review: The Fertility Diet

The Fertility Diet is next up for review.  Many of my clients and blog readers are at the age where they are thinking of starting a family.  Problems with conception are common and can be very difficult to deal with.  It turns out that the lifestyle habits of the mother and father have much more to do with the ability to conceive than previously thought. The book is co-authored by Dr. Walter Willett and Dr Jorge Chavarro.  Dr Willett is the Department Chair at the Harvard School of Public Health Department of Nutrition.   Dr. Chavarro is a research fellow there as well.  Full disclosure:  I know both of the authors: Dr Willett was my Department Chair while at Harvard and Jorge and I were both getting our doctorate at the same time.  Trust me when I say that my familiarity with these two amazing researchers will not bias this review.  My high opinion of this book is based solely on the fact that the book is truly well done.

Introduction

The Nurses’ Health Study has produced an impressive array of research on the subject of diet and fertility.  The Fertility Diet presents this research in an easy to understand format.  The basic premise of the book is that there are 10 diet and lifestyle strategies that will improve a couple’s chances of conception.  In the first chapter, all 10 strategies are briefly presented.  The remaining chapters of the book each cover one of these strategies in depth, and the supporting research to back up the claim is presented and analyzed.  The last part of the book features a 7 day meal plan that includes several recipes.  The book is extremely well written and converts a lot of complicated research into simple lay terms that are easy to understand to those unfamiliar with scientific research design.

5 Things I Liked About The Fertility Diet

1) It Is Research Based: Far too many nutrition books present opinion and not research based hypothesis, adding to the generalized confusion on how nutrition impacts health.  The Fertility Diet basis all recommendations on current, well designed research.  If the research isn’t definitive on a topic, the authors have the courage to say “we don’t know about this yet”.

2) It Is Comprehensive: The Fertility Diet is not just about nutrition, it covers all aspects of lifestyle that may impact the ability to conceive, including: weight, exercise, and stress.

3) Glycemic Index And Glycemic Load Are Very Well Explained:  There is a comprehensive discussion of glycemic index and glycemic load that is one of the best I have ever seen.

4) Interesting Section On Dairy:  The chapter on dairy is fascinating.  You’ll learn a lot about the difference between low fat and high fat dairy products and how they may impact the ability to conceive.  You’ll definitely be surprised by some of the research in this area.

5) Review Of Popular Diets:  In the chapter on maintaining a healthy weight, the authors present a really well done, research based review of popular weight loss diets.

Do I Recommend Reading The Fertility Diet?

Absolutely and strongly!  This book is great.  Research is becoming clear that the lifestyle habits of mother and father can not only influence the ability to conceive, but the long term health of the child.  I also think there is tremendous value in reading this book if you’re not trying to conceive.  Most of the recommendations that promote conception also promote general health as well.  In fact, the book spends a lot of time explaining how each strategy impacts health and risk of disease before getting into the impact on conception.  At times, the book had the feeling of being an updated version of Dr. Willett’s Eat Drink And Be Healthy, which, in my opinion, is one of the best nutrition books ever written.