It is important to acknowledge that caffeine is considered to be a drug; specifically a stimulant. While I leave it to the readers of this posting to decide whether or not caffeine consumption should be part of your diet, I do want to point out that pregnant women need to be aware that there is research that associates an increase in the risk of miscarriage with caffeine consumption.

With that out of the way, I’ll disclose that I am a coffee-holic. I will defend my right to drink coffee until the day I am no longer here on Earth. However, if this stuff is eventually going to kill me, I wouldn’t mind knowing so I have been pouring over what seems like an insurmountable amount of research trying to determine if coffee is actually my friend or foe.

For years there have been correlations made between caffeine and cardiovascular disease and in my research I was able to find several older studies that support the hypothesis that caffeine consumption increases the risk of heart disease.

These studies for the most part are focused on “heavy” coffee consumption (which I will define as five or more 8 oz cups per day) and the role caffeinated drinks play in regards to increased blood pressure. When coffee drinkers ceased drinking coffee, they experienced significant reductions in measured blood pressure, thus reducing their risk for a cardiac event.

A little discouraged I dug a little deeper and found research published this past summer in the Annals of Internal Medicine. This study concluded that regular coffee consumption was not associated with an increased mortality rate in either men or women, and may actually be associated with lower cardiovascular mortality.

These findings are supported by research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition which suggests that in adults older than 65 without existing high blood pressure, caffeine intake may be associated with reduced cardiovascular mortality.

As stated earlier, it is not difficult to find research to support your side of the argument.

Caffeine and Fat Loss

Consumed ‘wisely’, caffeine can have a positive impact on fat loss.

A recent study documented in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning supports the use of caffeine as an ergogenic aid in untrained to moderately trained individuals.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln researchers reported that weight-trained men who took a supplement containing about 200 mg of caffeine (equivalent to 16 fluid ounces of regular coffee or a 12 fluid ounce cup of Starbucks regular coffee) before working out, increased their one rep max (1RM) on the bench press by about 5 pounds. An earlier study also found that caffeine increased subjects’ 8 RM. In addition, researchers from the University of Georgia found that when subjects consumed caffeine about an hour before intense cycling exercise that was designed to make their thighs sore, they reported significantly less pain than when taking a placebo.

This means that caffeine can increase muscle strength, as well as your ability to endure more reps at the end of a grueling workout. Over the long, this can lead to greater fat loss and increased muscle growth.

My Two Cents

It is likely that an individual’s response to caffeine will vary and the amount of caffeine which improves performance in one individual may result in negative side effects in another.

Clearly, if you are pregnant or prone to hypertension, drinking coffee may be harmful to your health. Similarly, if you have high cholesterol it would be advisable to limit whole egg consumption, and if you suffer from vertigo my recommendation would be not to climb the Statue of Liberty.

The point is, there are a myriad of factors that dictate how something we consume interacts with an individual. We need to stop trying to neatly fit foods into a “good” or “bad” column and instead look at the big picture to determine what is best for ourselves, at a given point in time.

Ultimately, as with just about everything we consume, my take-away is that moderation is key.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

How many times have you been given a task with a distant deadline and then ended up waiting until the last possible moment to do it? I did that all of the time until I finally sat down and wrote out my goals. I decided to go for it in 10 pound increments, and I found it was much easier to do. The next thing I knew, I was halfway to my goals in less time than I thought. I doubled my weight loss goals in the time I originally set. My results were due to hard work and strict discipline, but anything is possible if you keep it realistic. I have seen many friends and family members go full-boar towards a goal as lofty as losing 50 pounds during the year. The first 3 or 4 weeks they really try hard, but when they see that they still have so many pounds to go and they really haven’t made a dent they lose confidence and motivation. This is why if you set those goals in smaller increments you’ll feel great when you reach one and you will be excited to give the next one a go. Baby steps are the best approach. My favorite quote about this subject:

“He who would learn to fly one day must first learn to stand and walk and run and climb and dance; one cannot fly into flying.” ~Friedrich Nietzsche

Best of luck and stay strong.

Scott Fitz

This is the most important question most of us should ask ourselves during the most tempting time of the year. It is the holiday season again, apple pie, beer and wine, this and that — and lots more FAT! Many people fall off of the wagon now more than ever, and simply figure they’ll get back into it after the New Year. Many people gain 1-2 pounds per year of adult life, and these are usually packed on during the HO- HO- Holidays. If you are already overweight, you have an even greater risk of gaining 5 or more pounds between Thanksgiving and New Years.

It is so easy to just let things slide and eat that piece of pie. But do you really want to undo all of this year’s hard work? If it were easy to have an incredibly fit and trim body, everyone would, right? You have to ask yourself everyday: “How bad do I want it?” I hear people claiming that since they’ve worked hard they deserve a little treat. This is true to some extent, and it mostly depends on how close you are to your goals. But sometimes it can be no different than a former alcoholic having a drink because he or she has been sober for 11 months. A little treat that could undo the progress of the previous 11 months. The mental setback can be more detrimental than the physical.

It is the ultimate question to ask yourself when you are at the precipice: “How bad do I want it?” When you answer it, you can usually muster the strength to say “No thank you”. Just remember, there is no piece of pie, slice of cake or bowl of pudding that is so good, it can ever replace that feeling you get inside when someone says, “Wow! You look great! You’re so skinny!”

Happy Holidays and stay strong.

Wouldn’t it be great to give a gift that could change that special someone’s life?  Well, here is one idea…

How about giving the ‘Gift of  Health’ ?  The timing is perfect and armed with our new 1 year Gyminee PRO Membership, he or she can start fresh and begin that ‘Life Change’ in 2009!  Subscribing to PRO workouts, setting some achievable fitness goals, and participating in a Challenge are just a few of the small steps that lead to significant change.

Now if you wanted to impress them even more, you could add a cool Gyminee T-shirt from our Gyminee Store with that membership!. If you have a humorous side, go a size or two up or down as an incentive for them to reach their goals.

Healthy holidays from the Gyminee Team.

The same can be applied to what we drink, which has resulted in my taking a very close look at my post-exercise supplementation.

I came across several studies comparing cows’ milk (whole milk, low-fat, skimmed and chocolate) to soy-based and commercial sports drinks (e.g, Gatorade, Powerade) and each supports cows milk as a good post-workout drink for both endurance and strength training.

In looking at the chemical make-up of milk, it contains casein and whey protein, carbohydrates, calcium, and a host of vitamins including D and B12. Compare that to Gatorade which is primarily composed of sugary carbohydrates, and already milk is looking pretty good.

But the news gets even better for cows’ milk as a post-exercise beverage:

- Research suggests that proteins in cows’ milk supports greater muscle hypertrophy post exercise than soy-based protein beverages.

- In addition to building more muscle, research has shown milk drinkers to lose almost double the amount of fat of athletes drinking a commercial carbohydrate beverage. Soy-protein drinkers lose no fat.

- One study found that when endurance athletes consumed chocolate milk as a recovery aid between exercise sessions, they were able to work out longer during the second round of exercise compared to when they drank a carbohydrate replacement beverage.

- Researchers have also found milk to be better at restoring hydration than other commonly used post-exercise beverages including water and Powerade

Personally, I’m not sure I can drink enough milk to reap the same benefits that I realize from using a whey protein supplementation, but I like the idea of mixing the whey powder with skim milk and adding a banana for extra carbohydrates, when necessary.

At the end of the day however, in a pinch, milk looks to be a good post-exercise recovery aid and certainly a cost-effective alternative.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

www.catapultfitnessblog.com

The final round voting for the People’s Choice is still in progress.  You can vote for us once per day, per email address by using the following widget:

Voting closes this Sunday night at midnight!  Thanks for your support!

Matt Johnson, a professional trainer, is the fitness expert at DietsInReview.com, where he shares insight and guidance for staying fit and living a healthy, active life. DietsInReview.com also provides healthy recipes, weight loss tools, health news and reviews of more than 575 diet plans.

Wow, the holidays are here again and so are the parties and the surplus of food. Staying fit and healthy during this time is a tough task, but this year it is time for a change. Many people often find themselves eating way too much and lounging around for way too long. First off, if you don’t buy it, you won’t eat it. When grocery shopping only buy the foods that you need and leave the unhealthy snacks on the shelf. This will cut your costs and your waist size. Second, try not to eat large meals; eating smaller meals more often allows your body to metabolize and digest the food rather than store it as fat.

Another tough subject is exercising over the holidays. Being lazy and relaxing sounds so good during the break, but do your best to fight the urge. Take the family to the gym, on a walk each day, or to the park. Any physical activity is better than none. Being active for even a few minutes will increase the metabolism and burn some of those extra calories ingested, and will allow the body to burn more calories throughout the day as well. Remember that it is alright to take a break from working out; the body honestly needs it from time to time, but not during a time of buffet breakfasts, lunches, and dinners.

Top 10 Ways To Stay Fit During The Holidays

1. Eat smaller portion sizes
2. Be active for at least 30 minutes a day
3. Lay off the junk food
4. Spend more time outside away from the kitchen
5. Don’t leave food out on the counter (out of sight, out of mind)
6. Buy only the foods you absolutely need from the store
7. Take the stairs instead of the elevator while shopping
8. Drink more water (helps fight hunger)
9. Chew gym (helps fight hunger)
10. Refrain from being bored, do what ever it takes to stay active and away from the kitchen.

More on that later. In the meantime, as a primer, an essential nutrient is

1. Required by the body for proper function and,
2. One that cannot be made in sufficient quantities by the body and thus must be obtained through ones diet

The Essential Fatty Acids include

1. alpha-linoleic acid
2. linolenic acid

Alpha-linoleic acid (ALA) as well as the fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) belongs to a group of fatty acids called Omega-3 acids. EPA and DHA are found primarily in fish while ALAis highly concentrated in certain plant oils such as flaxseed oil and, to a lesser extent, canola, soy and walnut oils.

Most Omega-6 fatty acids are consumed in the diet from vegetable oils as linolenic acid (LA).

While the ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 should be close to 1:1, the typical North American diet has ratios now over 10:1 due to the addition of corn, sunflower, safflower, and sesame oils to our food supply.

Consequently, this shift is thought by many to be a factor in a number of chronic medical conditions including arthritis, cardiovascular disease, asthma, acne, depression and even obesity.

According to a recent study published in the November 2008 issue of Appetite, 232 overweight and obese volunteers were provided with a calorie restricted, balanced diet. Participants were randomly assigned to take a low dose of Omega-3 (260 mg/day) or a high dose of Omega-3 (1300 mg/day) supplement for a period of 2-weeks.

Those who received the high dose of Omega-3 maintained a better level of satiety immediately following meals as well as two hours post-meal. Blood tests showed not only a higher concentration of Omega-3 in these individuals, but an improved Omega-3 to Omega-6 ratio as well.

If you’re one of those individuals who are hungry 20 minutes following a meal, consider adding more Omega-3 rich foods to your diet!

Foods with high levels of Omega-3 include:

• Salmon
• Scallops
• Sardines
• Shrimp
• Cod
• Flaxseeds
• Walnuts
• Cauliflower
• Cabbage
• Romaine Lettuce
• Broccoli

Being that most folks on Gyminee are concerned with their body fat, It’s important to note that healthy fats do not make us fat. Quite the opposite. Healthy fats suppress appetite and Omega-3s help you lose body fat.  “Fat-Free” diets are partially responsible for the current obesity epidemic in America.  Eat fats, but choose wisely.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

www.catapultfitnessblog.com

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Most of what we have been working on recently has been totally behind-the-scenes (server upgrades, bug fixes, optimizations, etc.). We expect the Gyminee user-base to continue growing, and to do so at a much quicker pace in the near future. Soon, the Gyminee website will be able to scale at near 100% efficiency.

One of the updates that isn’t completely behind the scenes is a new and improved Food Search. I would expect that some of you keen-eyed users have noticed some improvements with their search results lately. This is because of a combination of things.

For one, we have completely revamped the search engine that helps drive the Food, GymBuddy, Exercise, and Forum searches. It will be faster, more stable, and also return more accurate results for all of the above.

On top of that, the (surprisingly complex) algorithm that helps return the best food results possible has been completely rewritten. Things such as how many times the food has been eaten and whether or not it has an image are now taken into account when you search for foods.

Enjoy and stay tuned for more updates in the near future!