Whole Motion with Derek Beres

Derek Beres is an accomplished fitness professional and the author of the new book entitled Whole Motion: Training Your Brain and Body for Optimal Health. In this book, Derek shares the interconnectedness and importance of exercise for not only one’s body but also the mind.

A healthy body is one that moves well and stays in homeostasis as much as possible. One way to achieve this to explore a range of ways to move. Continuing to move in new ways keeps both the mind and body sharp. In addition, when we focus on learning good form and use the power of muscle memory to maintain that proper form, we set ourselves up for success.

Derek also highlights several beneficial programs or concepts mentioned in the book, including:

1. A regeneration program that assembles three basic principles of exercise that many don’t incorporate into their day to day routine, including getting up and down without pain.
2. Using tabata as a way to get one’s metabolism and heart rate up in a short burst.
3. The importance of interaction and relationships among those in group classes and the fitness community as a whole.

Derek also emphasizes the importance of living the present and enjoying what we do. When we engage in workouts, it is important to stay focused on what we are currently doing to maintain proper form, but also to maintain the interconnectedness of the mind and body, which yields great results for our overall health. Avoid distractions such as texting between sets or even during workouts.

To connect with Derek Beres or to learn more about Whole Motion: Training Your Brain and Body for Optimal Health, visit http://www.derekberes.com.

Sponsor:

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Lose your menopause belly with Shawna Kaminski

Lose Your Menopause Belly by Shawna Kaminski is a short book that is jam packed with consumable and powerful information and action steps for women who seek to lose their belly fat and become healthier.

Shawna explains that as we age, our anti-aging hormone or human growth hormone naturally decreases. This is called somatopause, and is often to blame for aging issues we experience. The first outward symptom is increased belly fat. The best way to counteract this is to naturally increase HGH levels, which can be achieved through a moderately intense workout.

Choosing the right type of exercise is important, and higher intensity exercises will burn calories for an extended period of time even after you’re done exercising; this is called excess post oxygen consumption. Additionally, you are also building resistance and strength.

Shawna also shares a few key ideas from her book, including:

• Using the HALTS (hungry, angry, lonely, tired, stressed) methodology in staying mindful of the eating choices we make.
• Incorporating the 10-minute rule for when you don’t feel like exercising, but committing to at least 10 minutes of activity which will get you moving and hopefully encourage you to finish.
• The snowball effect of encouraging small changes in diet and exercise over time to begin seeing positive results and encourage forward progress.

Shawna also warns that the scale is not the ultimate measure of health, as it doesn’t account for body composition. A combination of numerous measures such as one’s complexion, blood work, and how one feels may be better metrics. Shawna recommends approaching goals with a focus on the process rather than outcomes, as one always has control over the process itself.

To connect with Shawna Kaminski or to learn more about Lose Your Menopause Belly, visit http://www.loseyourmenopausebelly.com. You can also find Shawna on Facebook and on Instagram.

Sponsor:

Please support the 40+ Fitness Podcast by joining Thrive Market. Get an additional 25% off + Free Shipping all with a 30-Day Free Membership. Thrive Market, making good food affordable.

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The coffee lovers diet with Dr. Bob Arnot

The Coffee Lover’s Diet is a new book by Dr. Bob Arnot that serves as a sort of primer to understanding coffee and all the benefits it can offer. One main benefit is the great metabolism boost and performance enhancement it provides, making it the perfect pre-workout drink to consume.

There are many other health benefits of consuming coffee, including:

• decrease in heart disease with each extra cup you drink
• improvement in endothelial function
• cancer prevention
• decreased risk of liver disease and neurogenerative diseases
• decreased risk of diabetes
• decrease in the amount of sugar and fats absorbed from a meal

Dr. Arnot explains that polyphenols in coffee are key to reducing inflammation, which is often the main driver of disease. Coffee is actually a top source of antioxidants.

This helps to explain why coffee quality matters. The greater the quality, the greater the health benefits. Dr. Arnot recommends choosing a coffee where the beans were grown in a high altitude location. One should also consider a light roast, fine grind, hot temperature, and a fairly long time for extraction. He also suggests going to a local roaster to find out where their beans are sourced. Coffee should be obtained in low volumes and should not be stored in the refrigerator or freezer.

Dr. Arnot warns that some people may have difficulty metabolizing caffeine. Consuming coffee may disturb sleep, pulse, and blood pressure, for example. Those in such a situation should consume one early morning cup containing a high dose of polyphenols or selecting a decaffeinated option.

To connect with Dr. Bob Arnot or to learn more about The Coffee Lover’s Diet, visit www.drbobarnot.com. The book is also available for purchase on Amazon.

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Cardiovascular health with Dr. Jay N Cohn

Dr. Jay Cohn is an accomplished cardiologist and the director of the Rasmussen Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention. He is also the author of a new book entitled Cardiovascular Health: How Conventional Wisdom is Failing Us.

Dr. Cohn explains that more than half of American adults will die from a cardiovascular morbid event, yet we have the ability to detect and prevent cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease is developed over our entire lives. Every organ is dependent on the blood supply that is delivered by the pumping of the heart into the arteries. As we age, the function and flexibility of the arteries diminishes, which may also be impacted by one’s genetics in addition to environmental factors.

The role of the endothelium is discussed, as this constitutes the inner lining of arteries and affects all arteries and capillaries in the body. This lining secretes nitric oxide which protects the inner lining of the artery from clotting, heart attacks, strokes, and cholesterol blockages. The release of nitric oxide can be greatly impaired by smoking or inflammatory diseases. If you have a known endothelial dysfunction, you should change your lifestyle and consider drug therapy to protect the endothelium.

Dr. Cohn discusses several basic dietary rules for cardiovascular health in the book. However, he points out that eating habits are less important than how much you eat and that it is more important to avoid obesity. Cholesterol has traditionally been considered as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, yet there has been recent concern over taking statin drugs. New drugs are effective in lowering cholesterol level, but their effectiveness in preventing morbid events is not yet proven.

To connect with Dr. Jay Cohn or to learn more about Cardiovascular Health: How Conventional Wisdom is Failing Us, visit http://www.cardiovasculardiseaseprevention.org.

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Using maximum overload for superior performance with Jacques DeVore and Roy M. Wallack

Sirens and Titans Fitness founder Jacques DeVore and accomplished endurance athlete and fitness writer Roy Wallack are the authors of a fascinating new book entitled Maximum Overload for Cyclists. While this book may be geared toward cyclists, the lessons and tips shared can be applied by anyone looking to improve their athletic performance.

DeVore and Wallack explain that weight lifting is so valuable for endurance athletes because they seek to add muscle size or recruit muscle that they already have. For cyclists especially, it is important to maintain a small size, so lower reps at a heavy weight will help to increase power.

The importance of the mini set is also discussed. This involves doing fewer reps in each set, yet the body is exerting close to its maximum with each rep. By doing this, the body recruits more and more muscle power to accommodate the max jumps, which leads to bigger overloads and more time training at maximum power. DeVore and Wallack also warn against skipping the self-assessment. It’s important to establish a starting point to avoid injury.

Many cyclists are concerned about managing their body weight. One way to do this is by adding more lean body muscle, because you will burn more calories throughout the day. The efficiency of the muscle is also important to consider, as the increase of power could be more than the increase in body weight. Athletes don’t realize how much of their muscle is really being used, as there is quite a bit of inactive muscle that can help take the load off of other muscles.

To learn more about Maximum Overload for Cyclists, visit http://www.sirensandtitansfitness.com or visit the Maximum Overload Facebook Page.

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Meal timing for weight loss and health

What is the best meal timing for weight loss and health? This question comes up quite a bit online. It is one I find very hard to answer in a simple Facebook post, so I decided to dedicate a full podcast episode to it.

What is the best meal timing for weight loss and health? This question comes up quite a bit online. It is one I find very hard to answer in a simple Facebook post, so I decided to dedicate a full podcast episode to it.

I view eating windows as a continuum much like the political spectrum.  There are different approaches and people are very passionate about defending their place.  Few people are able to objectively look at the full spectrum and see the benefits of each.

The meal timing for weight loss and health spectrum is:

• Six small meals – timing multiple small meals throughout the day to avoid getting hungry.
• Workout meal timing – having carbs before the workout and carbs and protein immediately after the workout.
• Three main meals – having three meals with no snacking permitted.
• Intermittent fasting
  • 16/8 Intermittent fasting – limiting eating to an eight hour window each day.
  • 5×2 Intermittent fasting – eating normally for five days and having two very low calorie days per week.
• Extended fasting – fasting for 24 hours or more.

Most people approach meal timing for weight loss.  Before you can effectively lose weight, you'll have to manage your hormones.  Understanding your hormone profile will help you decide where you should be on the continuum.  Most of the approaches are focused on managing blood sugar and thereby insulin.

Lifestyle also plays a big role in determining which meal timing works best for you.  I am often on a 16/8 intermittent fasting approach.  I opt to skip breakfast and have a good lunch and dinner because it would be odd to not be eating when my wife is taking dinner.

All this said, being a sugar burner or fat burner will have the biggest role in determining which meal timing approach you can stick with.  Frequent meals spaced throughout the day works best for sugar burners.  Fat burners are often more comfortable with intermittent fast and extended fasting.

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Stretching for better fitness with Dr. Karl Knopf

Dr. Karl Knopf is a teacher of corrective exercise and the founder and President of Fitness Educators of Older Adults. He is also the author of a new book entitled Stretching for 50+. 

Dr. Knopf explains that many view stretching as boring and not worthwhile, as it is difficult to see immediate results. However, many have learned outdated rules and techniques. Flexibility or stretching is having the ideal amount of mobility in your joints to be able to do what you want to do. The stretching program has to be comprehensive. People need to stretch every aspect of their body, because all parts are interconnected. The beauty of stretching is that it does not require special equipment and can be done anywhere.

Dr. Knopf discusses a few tips for stretching. First, warm up the muscles by jogging or taking a warm shower, for example. Don’t stretch to the point of pain. Remember to breathe regularly as you stretch. Don’t bounce during the stretching process, as those movements can cause micro damage to the muscles. Try not to rush. Check with your health provider to make sure your stretching is appropriate if you’ve recently had an injury.

Dr. Knopf mentions several factors that influence one’s level of flexibility. These include:

• joint design
• age
• gender influence
• physical activity
• temperature
• pregnancy
• injuries

It’s important to be responsible and take care of yourself to prevent injury. Be proactive, do what feels good, and make stretching a regular part of your life.

The book is designed for all fitness levels and includes illustrations and diagrams. For more information about Stretching for 50+, visit http://www.ulyssespress.com. To connect with Karl, email knopfkarl@foothill.edu.

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