Written by Kelley Bennett on 12 August 2010
No doubt that most of us have had the regrettable experience of plopping down hard earn $$ for supplements at the local health store, only to get them home and find that you’ve paid for what tastes like a bucket full of dirt. The mere mention of protein powder to a new client usually has her nose turning up in disgust at the memory of said experience. Despite the bad reputation, there has been quite a bit of advancement in milk-based protein supplements and you can find some pretty tasty powders that don’t even have that noticeable chalky texture. Just when I had finally found two mixtures that worked for my palate (a pre-workout Syntha-6 shake and a post-workout Myofusion whey isolate & gatorade mix), I came to the hard-to-swallow realization that I had a nasty dairy allergy.
So my quest to find the best vegetarian (non-soy) protein supplement began and I dedicated myself to trying everything I could get my hands on. After months of consulting fitness forums, my local trainer/supplement provider, and multiple trips to a local nutrition store, I had consumed every available brand and flavor of rice and pea protein powder on the market and had resigned myself to picking the least repulsive one that I had tried.
And, then, destiny intervened and a supplement angel was sent my way! After a chance meeting at a workshop on hormones & detoxification, I found the BEST vegetarian protein supplement from an unlikely source: ARBONNE. I have to admit that I was skeptical about trying a “health and weight loss” product sold via yet another MLM company. The main reason I decided to even give it a try was the company’s long-standing history of promoting vegan-certified products with only natural and safe ingredients. So far, so good.
Moving on to the taste test, I sampled both the vanilla and chocolate powders in smoothies and also in a stripped down powder+water+shaker format. The smoothies were Delicious and the bare minimum method was actually tolerable! I was starting to think that this might be too good to be true!
I had just two more questions for Ms. Martha Gano, Arbonne-rep-extraordinaire: 1) Can I read the nutritional label? 2) How much does this stuff cost? She didn’t skip a beat and immediately let me read the label of her empty container! My scan of the label showed a whopping 20 grams of protein per serving and then revealed the 9grams of added sugars that explained the mixture’s yummy taste. Because I don’t really need that much protein per serving (I am a small female), it is easy enough to cut the sugar & carbs in half so that my smoothies can tolerate added almond milk & frozen fruit for flavor.
So now we are left with price. I have to admit that the sticker shock on this powder is a check in the negative column for this product. At $56 for 30 servings, it is one of the most expensive vegetarian powders on the market. However, because I can stretch the container to 50-60 servings, it reduces the price per serving to less than $1 for me. As an educated consumer, I’ve found that I usually have to pay more for products that are made with safe, natural ingredients and am accustomed to making a small investment in products that will be a staple in my kitchen. If there were any other products that came close to the quality and taste of this vegetarian powder, the cost might make a difference in my purchasing decision.
Product Review Summary:
Arbonne’s Go Easy! Protein Shakes are made from vegetarian (non-soy) protein sources including pea and cranberry. The fine texture of the powder dissolves well with liquids and has very little aftertaste unlike most vegetarian protein powders. This product offers two common flavors of vanilla and chocolate to appeal to a wider array of palates and even comes in a ready-to-drink version for those needing a tasty snack on-the-go.
Although the higher retail price is a definite downer, this is one protein powder that actually delivers a superior product for the higher price. You get what you pay for with the excellent quality, taste, and additional vitamin & minerals. Whether you are a vegetarian athlete or a health-conscious consumer, this is a product that is worth seeking out!
**You can contact Martha Gano through her Facebook page and find out more about Go Easy! Protein Shakes and the entire line of nutrition and weight loss products from Arbonne.**
(This is not a paid advertisement. I am not an Arbonne distributor and have not received any free or discounted products in return for this endorsement. )
Tags: dairy-free, personal trainer, protein powder, supplement, vegetarian, weight loss
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Written by Kelley Bennett on 04 August 2010
A Connecticut judge ruled last week that competitive cheerleading does not qualify as a sport and, therefore, its participants are not counted as athletic participants under Title IX. Title IX is a federal law that mandates gender equality in athletic opportunities. This ruling, although absolutely ridiculous, doesn’t surprise me. As a former competitive cheerleader (yes, yes, I was a cheerleader. Stop snickering so you can continue reading), I’m tempted to be offended by the condescending remarks made from the uneducated sports fan about the uselessness of cheerleaders. Even my own father, an avid sports FANATIC, would remind me during my teenage years that cheerleading wasn’t a “real” sport despite the grueling 4 hour practices, gymastics training, and frequent injuries. So why didn’t I speak out in support of the true athleticism that cheerleaders possess? It was simply a hurdle that I couldn’t overcome… the SKIRT.
Even I couldn’t demand to be taken seriously when I was wearing a skirt so short that I needed to wear bloomers underneath so my vijanga didn’t show. I mean, seriously, bloomers? Those are for preschoolers! But in light of the recent court ruling, I’ve finally come to terms with the necessity of the cheerleading uniform and am ready to speak out. So why the change of heart? I’ve recently gotten involved in yet another infamously all-female sport that outfits its players in skimpy athletic wear. And I not only understand the necessity of the uniform but actually LIKE that part of the sport! What sport is this, you ask? Roller Derby.
When others first hear about my involvement in roller derby, I usually get blank stares or quizzical looks. But like cheerleading, the level of athleticism needed to participate in this sport is something that few people outside of the sport can appreciate. While the women involved in roller derby are usually polar opposite personality types than those attracted by cheerleading, the similarities are actually quite similar. The performance aspects of the sports may be very different but the countless hours of cardio, strength, and flexibility training combined with high risk of injury make them more alike than the participants may want to admit.
So if they are both legitimate sports, why are the skirts so short? Because, like it or not, male viewership of an all-female sports event would greatly decrease if we didn’t show a little skin. Adding an element of sexuality to the performances could be considered degrading by die-hard feminists’ standards, but most rollergirls that I know are not only willing but LOVE showing a little booty in their boutfits. One of the benefits of all the hard work that goes into training for the sports is the sexy, toned physique that fans love to admire!
I’ve come to the conclusion that most of the people that refuse to believe that cheerleading is a legitimate sport have little knowledge about what skills the participants actually possess. So until the general population is educated about the athleticism of cheerleading, just arm yourself with factoids and info tidbits to enlighten the less-informed. I have a feeling that the court ruling will eventually be appealed and overturned when the competition structure of cheerleading is reorganized to meet traditional definitions. Until then, wear your skirts with pride and show them your spirit fingers one-by-one when necessary.
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Written by Kelley Bennett on 22 July 2010
If you are an athlete or in the fitness industry, you’ve no doubt heard different advice from varying sources regarding stretching. It’s hard for most people to know how, when, and what to do when the trainers can’t even agree among themselves! I’m going to do my best to tackle this controversial topic in way that can be understood by those that aren’t freakishly obsessed with human anatomy, physiology, and bio- mechanics and give some realistic advice in the matter.
What is stretching and why would I do it?
There are many types of stretching but for the sake of simplicity, I’m going to discuss the two main types of stretching that most people use:
- Static stretching is a traditional form of stretching the muscles while the body is at rest where you basically lengthen a muscle or group of muscles to the end of their range of motion and then hold.
- Dynamic stretching is lengthening a muscle to its end range-of-motion while the body is in motion.
Why would you want your body to be more flexible? If you are stretching, the main purpose is to increase the range of motion of that muscle or muscle groups. So why would you want to increase the ROM? The benefits or purpose for stretching are numerous:
- Proper posture – Stretching overly tight and often used muscles will prevent them from pulling the skeleton into positions that cause deformity. Poor posture will result in chronic pain, cartilage & ligament damage, bone spurs, nerve impingement, headaches, decreased mobility, and a decreased immune system.
- Balance & agility – Having good balance and agility could be considered a benefit of having proper posture. Good posture will allow improved circulation to muscles & soft tissues, thus, improving muscle tone and performance. When the body becomes unstable (think about what happens when you try to stand on stop of a basketball), all kinds of signals start firing between the muscles and the brain. When joints are conditioned to move in a complete range of motion, it is more likely that not only will the communication between the muscles and brain be more efficient, but the muscles can react to stabilize the body in all directions necessary.
- Relaxation – Ever notice that unmistakable glow of yogis? Stretching is notorious for helping take the tension out of muscles, increase blood flow, and restoring energy levels. This, again, overlaps with attaining better posture, but regardless of whether good posture is attained or not, stretching can allow for a temporary sense of well-being.
What type of stretching should I be doing?
This is a tough question to answer because there is no one type of stretching that is right for everyone. And this is where many “experts” tend to go round-and-round in debate. Different forms of stretching are good for different things but far too many trainers want to only promote dynamic stretching and leave static stretching out in the cold. Many athletes will use stretches to ready themselves for performance (as a pre-game warm-up),to prevent muscular soreness (as a post-game cool-down), and as a way to relax after an intense workout. Static stretching is typically used to take the offending muscle out of tension in order to restore posture. Dynamic stretching is typically used more widely in athletics prior to a practice or game as a way to get the muscles warmed up and ready for battle. The debate is really about which type of stretching is more effective.
After much reading and research, I do tend to agree that static stretching has begun to lose ground when it comes to athletic performance. For instance, one study looked at measurements for vertical jump and long jump in relation to whether the person took part in static stretching or dynamic stretching. The results clearly show that static stretching decreased performance while dynamic stretching increased performance. So if you are an athlete that needs to move quickly, aggressively, and explosively, you should NOT be using static stretches prior to performing!
However, I’m not going to poo-poo the use of static stretches completely. I’ll be the first to admit that logically I agree that static stretching isn’t really going to make much of a difference in terms of reducing soreness or lengthening a muscle that is overly tight when performed after a workout. But I do think that it can be beneficial in three circumstances:
- Before a workout when power is not needed: I already know what you are thinking…. BEFORE a workout? Yes, studies now indicate that static stretching is more effective when the muscles are cold. When they are warm, they’ll just stretch and then go back to their normal condition. To actually change the flexibility of the muscles, small micro-tears must happen to break up the tissue and this can be done more effectively when cold. If you have muscle that are causing postural or performance issues, take the time before your warm-up to stretch them. **This should NOT be done if maximum power is essential in the workout or practice**
- Between sets in resistance training: As long as you aren’t into power lifting, stretching between sets can help you achieve better results in the gym. When lifting weights, the muscles tend to tighten & get a “pump” which can prevent full range of motion in future exercises. To prevent this, stretch the muscle between sets.
- Any time you want to feel better: Yoga is notorious for using both static and dynamic stretches and can elicit great chemical and hormonal responses in the body. In other words, if it feels good to you, do it! After a long day of sitting, stretching the hip flexors and activating the glutes will not only feel good but is helpful in restoring proper posture.
The Bottom Line
To know how and when you should be stretching, let your body be your guide. Unless you are an athlete, there isn’t much damage you can do with static stretching. Worst case scenario, you may end up wasting some time with stretches that don’t really do much good but they may make you feel good. If you are an athlete (or just someone that wants to use their time most effectively), I suggest sticking with a dynamic stretch warm-up before practice, workouts, and performances. Static stretches can be performed for muscles that are chronically tight but should only be done while the muscle is cold and, ideally, never before an athletic event requiring powerful movements. Stretching after a workout does not reduce soreness but it may help you relax and calm down. I highly recommend yoga for athletes to help restore posture and promote proper circulation but only on days that don’t call for your ultimate best performance.
The truth of the matter is that some people just don’t like change. If they’ve had a fitness routine that has kept them healthy and injury-free for years, chances are that they aren’t likely to care about this study or that study. And among athletes, superstition is an opponent that trainers are constantly battling. If you have a client that just doesn’t want to hear your recommendations, show them the proof. Test their vertical jump, or sprint time, or kicking distance. Have them stretch their hamstrings or hip flexors or whatever muscles are being used. Test them again. Sometimes people just have to experience the difference.
Do you have a favorite warm-up? Any stretches that you like to do but aren’t sure if they are effective? Feel free to post questions or comments below!
Tags: athletic performance, flexibility, personal trainer, stretching
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Written by Kelley Bennett on 19 July 2010
One of the most common complaints from females trying to get in shape is that annoying bit of flab on the back of the arm. Even for women with shapely biceps and triceps, once the arm hangs naturally against the body, this problem area will appear from nowhere and taunt us in photos. So how do you get rid of it? Does it require hundreds of tricep extensions and eating salad for months on end? Only if you like that sort of thing…
My trick for addressing this area is by attacking it from three different angles. With small changes to nutrition, focusing on training for overall fat loss, and strengthening the entire area, your arms will have never looked better! Let me first say that I do NOT believe in spot reduction without surgical assistance. In other words, when you lose weight, you can’t decide which fat cells are going to be utilized for fuel. Some studies suggest that muscles can pull fuel from surrounding fat cells to some extent but it is fairly trivial. Genetics, hormones/gender, and diet will largely determine where the body loses and retains fat. If you want to “target” the upper arms, consider the following guidelines before designing a plan of attack:
Tip #1: Train for a reduction in overall body fat reduction. The hard truth is that it doesn’t matter how big or “tone” the tricep muscle is if it is covered with fat. You may have a beautiful muscle under there but you’ll never know until you get yourself into a caloric deficit. If you are a female and are over about 24-28% body fat, you will probably be unhappy with the upper arm region. If you are blessed with curves in all the right places and don’t have a problem with your arms, I’m obviously NOT talking to you! So what’s the best way to reduce body fat? Get yourself on a comprehensive fitness program including cardio, strength training, and flexibility plus eat a well-balanced diet that fuels your workouts yet contains slightly less calories than you are burning every day. That’s the short answer. If you’ve done that and still can’t lose the weight, set up an appointment with me!
Tip #2: Eliminate refined sugars/carbohydrates. Notice that I didn’t say to eliminate carbohydrates all together. Carbohydrates are important in every diet and the body cannot function properly without them. They fuel your workouts to allow you to work more intensely and are also used as a primary source of fuel for the brain. However, refined sugars (and even natural ones) simply add unnecessary calories to a diet without any nutritional value and have highly addictive properties which can actually stimulate the hunger sensation. Limiting and/or avoiding foods that are highly processed with added sugars will help get your calorie count lower without detracting from your health and well-being.
Tip #3: Get at least 1/2 your bodyweight in ounces of water per day. It may seem counter-intuitive but staying hydrated can actually help you lose weight. Most people are in a constant state of dehydration due to a combination of too much sodium in the diet and not enough water. This results in water retention. If you consistently give your body enough water, it will discontinue retaining the water for future use and begin releasing stored water. This is why many obese people can lose 5, 10, 20 lbs in a week. Most of it is actually water weight. Additionally, when you workout and begin to build muscle, more water is needed to allow your muscles to recover and rebuild. When you drink enough water, your muscular remodeling will boost your metabolism and allow you to tap into fat stores more effectively.
Tip # 4: Target the ENTIRE area with sculpting exercises for arms, shoulders, and back. Many magazines and inexperienced trainers will all-too-often try to get rid of arm flab with exercises that target only the back of the arms. While this IS important for toning the area and allowing the muscles to be more visible, you’ll get more bang for your buck if you dedicate some time in your workouts for working ALL of the muscles that support the arms. Beautiful lats (back), traps (upper back), and deltoids (shoulders) will accentuate the upper arm area and highlight the natural curves that accompany toned muscles. Strengthening these larger muscle groups along with the triceps will not only burn more calories but also fatigue the triceps more completely. Multi-joint bodyweight exercises that involve the triceps are ideal such as pull-ups, narrow-grip pushups, handstand presses, and dive bombers. Save the isolation exercises (tricep extensions, kickbacks, etc) for the very end of the workout and you’ll be training like a professional!
Hope these tips give you the needed push to sculpt the beautiful arms of your dreams! Save yourself the frustration of ineffective training and make sure you’ve got a good game plan BEFORE you start your workouts.
Tags: personal trainer, sculpt arms, weight loss
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Written by Kelley Bennett on 06 July 2010
Recover!
What’s the only thing worse than showing up for a workout on an empty stomach? Answer: not refueling after a workout! A solid nutrition plan is essential for any athlete (and especially for those wanting to lose weight) but the most important meal of the day is the one that follows a workout. Once you understand the importance of post-workout nutrition, it is easy to see why so many people aren’t getting the results they are after!
What’s the point of strength and/or endurance training? If you answered, “to burn more calories”, then you are truly missing the point. For an athlete, it’s quite simple: you workout to be better, stronger, faster, etc so that you can perform better. For weight loss, the answer is the same but the reason is a bit different. You want to be better, stronger, faster so that your metabolism will speed up.
What’s the connection between working out and being stronger or faster? We spend time conditioning our bodies by pushing our muscles to their limits. This not only depletes our muscles of their fuel (carbohydrates) but also causes minor damage to the muscle fibers (protein breakdown). The immune system then kicks in while we are resting to rebuild the body to be better than it was before. This remodeling process is what fuels the boost to the metabolism and, thus, is the key to seeing improvements such as bodyfat loss, bigger muscles, and more endurance.
What does post-workout nutrition have to do with seeing improvements? Imagine that you are remodeling your kitchen. You have a plan, have ripped out and demolished the old kitchen sparing anything you are going to reuse, and the contractor is ready to build everything to your new specs. Where are the supplies? The body acts much in the same way. To rebuild, you must provide all the ingredients necessary so that muscles can be repaired. By not providing supplies, you are pretty much asking for fatigue, chronic pain, and injury.
How long after a workout should I wait to eat? Research is fairly clear about the “window of opportunity” that muscles have in order to most effectively absorb nutrients. The quicker you get the nutrients in the body (and in to the bloodstream), the better your results. 30 minutes after is better than 1 hour after. 1 hour after is better than 3 hours after. My clients are used to hearing the phrase: “your workout is not complete until you’ve re-fueled”. It’s best to bring your meal WITH you to your workout so that you can eat/drink it as soon as you are finished & properly cooled down.
What should I be eating for my post-workout meal? The components are essentially the same for most but the amounts will vary depending on your size. Your muscles need both carbohydrates and proteins in order to rebuild fibers quickly & easily. The ratio of carb to protein in your meal should be roughly 2:1 and can go as high as 4:1 depending on the length of your workout. Workouts over 90 minutes can tolerate higher carb amounts but some of those carbs should be consumed during the workout instead of waiting until after. Notice that there is no mention of fat intake. Fats are an essential component of proper nutrition but has no place in a post-workout recover. Fats should be strictly avoided during this meal The carb amount should be about .35 g/ lb of bodyweight and protein should be about .18 g/ lb of bodyweight. EXAMPLE: A 120 lb woman would consume about 42 grams of carbs and 21 grams of protein. NOTE: carbohydrate load is a bit higher than normal dietary guidelines. This is to ensure an insulin response in the bloodstream to force the fuel into the muscle cells immediately. This is only recommended for nutrients consumed within 30-45 minutes of a workout.
What if I’m not hungry after a workout? It is fairly common for most people to have a suppressed appetite after an intense workout. The blood in the body has been diverted to the muscles, heart, and lungs and putting food into the digestive system can cause nausea and/or discomfort. Thus, liquid supplementation is one of the most comfortable ways to get the nutrients into the body and quickly absorbed in to the bloodstream. Experiment with different forms of carbs and proteins until you find a combination that is most palatable for you. If you do choose to eat a whole food meal, remember to eat high glycemic index carbs (breads, fruit, potatoes, etc) and avoid fats.
Examples of good post-workout snacks:
Pre-formulated drinks: Biotest’s Surge Recovery (50 g carb, 25 g protein per serving)
Homemade drink: Gatorade + Protein powder (made specific for your bodyweight needs with 2:1 ratio)
Whole Food meal: Sweet potato (~4 oz), Fruit: banana/apple (small-medium), chicken breast (3 oz) (~45 oz carb, 25 g protein)
Don’t miss the opportunity! Skipping meals is not a good idea, in general, for anyone trying to lose weight, boost their metabolism, or improve athletic performance. Your body is a machine that requires maintenance through exercise, proper nutrition, and time for rest & recovery. The post-workout meal is your opportunity to give yourself the building blocks necessary to build a better, stronger, faster YOU!
Tags: Nutrition, personal trainer, post-workout nutrition, weight loss
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