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Thursday, 25 August 2016

Is your nutritionist/dietitian keeping you fat?

Have you noticed how dietary advice has changed dramatically over time?

Older nutritionists who are licensed or go to courses from the government tend to say high carb/low fat is the key. The logic is fats have more calories, therefore the more fat you eat the more calories you eat.

Now, it doesn't matter what research comes out the recommendations largely remain the same. Any deviation from high carb will be treated with suspicion and contempt. You will be told you are wrong. If the diet doesn't work you will be told you failed.

This old brand of nutrition is so rigid it has not changed since it was taught by very much.

Newer, nutritionists tend to be more open minded. They tend to more influenced by current research. Current research paints a much more diverse set of scenarios that work for different people. One particular theme is high fat and low carb. This works well because fats tend to be satisfying and a small amount can keep appetite at bay for longer. Meaning overall fewer calories may actually be consumed.

Now, who is right the old or the new? I reckon both have their good points. But it depends on the person you are and your body. There are plenty of people who use the high carb/low fat approach and it works for them. There are also people who use the high fat/low car and it works extremely well for them.

If I was confused I would try both, noting how I felt say what my energy levels were, how I felt, what my appetite was like, how much my weight changed (up or down), how easy would it be to maintain the current diet, whether I enjoyed it and could stay on it. Using a number system where 1 was the lowest and 10 the highest, Then I'd compare each diet for 2-3 months. (That is plenty of time for a trial. Shorter time frames like a week are usually not recommended because the body can still be readjusting especially if the diet is radically different.)

Go with the more effective one with higher scores, rather than going with dogma.

Then I would make adjustments to keep on improving the diet to make it more manageable and suitable for my lifestyle.

Now, I am not willing to wait for research to back up whatever the view is because life just does happen like that. The only people who wait are the ones who end up doing nothing.

Thursday, 18 August 2016

Olympics and goals
by Kyn

The olympics is well underway, Years in training and moments to shine. The competition is fierce and the pressure intense. The smallest mistake will be heavily punished. To the victor goes the spoils. To us the viewers we only see the athletes performing when it matters but not all the preparation and training,

I love the olympics especially the 800m, badminton and shot put - all events I had some competency at. But whatever the event the spirit of the games is there, It brings together so many countries and peoples. (The best of that country. Its amazing how many shared interests people share. How much pride and belief each person and their couches have.)

On a personal level when I see something done at a high level I push myself harder. It makes me know that I can dig deeper, find the reserves that have been hidden within and my work, exercise and play improves,

To train in our own ways, to improve in our own ways, to practise, feel and focus as our athletes do. There is surely little we can do when we believe and keep working along the same lines.

What are your goals? Have you put all your efforts into making them happen or just a part time effort?

Monday, 1 August 2016

Physio: Think of splitting wood as a whole body exercise

The little goblins, ghouls and witches have had their night of searching for sweets, the lakes are quiet of boat traffic, and there’s now a dusting of snow on the hills.
It’s time to face the fact that the sunny, warm days of summer are over. It’s time to pack up the shorts and pull out the wool socks and long johns.
For many Lake Country residents, it’s also time to stoke the wood stove or fireplace to heat the home.
The process of chopping wood may be a chore to some, but it also can be a great exercise that gets your muscles working hard, and your heart rate elevated.
During the course of lifting up the axe or maul, and controlling its path down to split wood, many muscle groups are recruited of the arms, back, legs and abdominals—it’s a whole body exercise.
The activity involves both concentric and eccentric actions—the muscles being worked both shorten and lengthen, depending on the phase of the swing.
It also can be compared to interval training: chop the wood, haul it to where it’ll be stored, pile it in an organized way, and then do it again: chop, haul, pile.
Added benefits include: Being out in the fresh air, the potential of stress-relief, and also importantly, this kind of activity goes very well with a ‘Movember’ moustache.
Being a multi-joint interval exercise, the activity requires a whole body warm up (perhaps a hike to find the wood to be chopped) before, and a cool down that includes stretching after. Doing so, and following the tips below, can help reduce the chances of delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and the risk of injury.
I will focus on prevention of common pains that can be sustained from overuse, but remember to take necessary precautions to avoid any traumatic injuries; for example, wearing safety glasses and gloves, avoiding wood with nails or many knots, and only doing the task if it is safe for you.
• Pains can commonly be felt in the lower back during and after the process of splitting and picking up wood. Raising the wood you are splitting will help ease the strain on your low back which occurs with repetitive bending. A 14-16-inch splitting block is an ideal height to decrease strain while keeping the wood within a zone where the axe or maul will exert a strong force; sometimes referred to as being in the “power zone.”
• Keep your knees bent and your back in as neutral (slightly curved) position as possible—both while doing the swinging and while picking up the chopped pieces.
• Another consideration for your back is the direction that the ax travels. Many people swing from one side and down toward the other, typically only in one preferred direction. This causes twisting in the spine and uneven use of muscle groups in the upper body between right and left sides.  By keeping the axe centred, you will limit the rotational forces and will also get more symmetric recruitment of abdominal muscles. Imagine always chopping down diagonally in one direction as being similar to doing bicycle crunches only to one side.
Forearm pain is another common symptom due to the use of the finger flexors with gripping and the wrist extensors.  Use of these muscles can result in tendonitis in the wrist or the elbow, especially if they are used a lot already with your job or hobbies.
Stretch each side of your forearms after your task is done to reduce the pain.
To stretch the top of your forearm (the extensors) hold your arm out so that your palm faces down. Use your other hand to bend your wrist so that it’s as though you’re bringing your palm to the underside of your forearm. Bend it far enough to feel a pulling sensation in the muscles, but not pain, and hold it gently for 30 seconds before releasing.
To stretch the flexors, start again with your arm held out, but this time pull up on the fingers and wrist the opposite direction.
If you do experience muscle soreness that doesn’t resolve a couple days post-activity, or if you get sharp, acute pain, seek a health professional for advice, such as your doctor or physiotherapist.
As the days grow colder and you don your flannel plaids to go outdoors, don’t think of wood splitting as a chore. Instead, consider it a whole body exercise that can build a strong core, arms and legs when performed safely.