Cardio on the Same Day As Strength Training?

"Personal trainers worldwide are giving terrible advice," explains Val Fiott, Client Services Director for Perfect Personal Training and Certification Committee Member for the American Council on Exercise.  "They're commonly telling clients to avoid cardiovascular conditioning on their strength training days and vice versa, and this isn't just bad advice - it's harmful to their wellness programs."

Cardiovascular conditioning, according to the American College of Sports Medicine, is recommended five days per week, for at least 20 minutes at a time at moderate to high intensities for those with minimal risk factors.  Muscular training is recommended at least twice per week, incorporating all major muscles.

"Given these guidelines, a person needs exercise at least seven times per week to be as healthy, statistically, as he or she can be.," Val elaborated. "Weight loss and body toning often require even more training days, especially if nutrition can't always be ideal. So, there is clearly a big need for many people to fit in cardiovascular work on the same days as strength training."

But is it safe?

"Absolutely.  As long as each workout begins with an appropriate, gradual warmup and ends with a proper cool-down followed by flexibility conditioning, there is absolutely nothing dangerous or counterproductive about training your cardiosystem on the same days as your muscles.  The real danger lies in failing to reach the appropriate amount of cardio and strength work each work.  In fact, you'll get your metabolic engine burning even brighter as a result of combining cardio and strength into the same days as time allows.  Just be sure to stay hydrated according to industry guidelines, consume appropriate proteins, carbs and fats about every three hours, and to be well-rested."

Not yet a PPT client?  Get the BEST decisions for your exercise programming, nutrition and lifestyle from the nation's top health science leaders.  Request your free consultation at http://perfectpersonaltraining.com/signup.php

Five Simple Tests For Long-Term Wellness

Fitness testing is the pinnacle of every Perfect Personal Training program:  It warns us of impending health problems that you might not feel or see, and lets us compare to what's normal for long-term health.

Below are just five of the many clinical fitness tests which help us to identify risks and implement the necessary changes:

Body Composition:  Gaining weight and losing weight never really tells the story of what's happening with your actual fat mass.  Body composition (or body fat testing) does! 

Decades of research tell us where your body fat percentage should be for long-term cardiorespiratory health, and this test is an excellent predictor of health outcomes.




Pushup Test:  This test is more important than it may seem, as it provides indicators of muscle imbalances, core weakness, standing balance deficits, and joint problems in the shoulders, wrists and elbows.  Those with poor scores on the pushup test are more likely to lose upper body mobility throughout the years, and are more prone to shoulder and back pain.



Apley's BackScratch Test:  This is a flexibility test administered to determine several factors associated with shoulder health and stability, as well as scapular placement and movement.  If your shoulders and scapulae aren't quite working properly, then this test will provide insight as to corrective measures so you don't lose mobiliy or comfort as you age.

Step-Tests & Walking-Tests: While there are many different versions of each Step-test and Walking-test, the goal is always the same:  Determine risk of cardiovascular disease by assessing the comparative strength of the heart and lungs.  By comparing these results to statistically-sound data, we're able to predict your liklihood for disorders relating to heart disease.

Passive Straight-Leg Raise:  Hip and knee problems can often be attributed to problematic muscles surrounding them.  This test assesses the flexibility of the hamstring muscles (back of upper thigh) and allows us to compare to healthy norms based on the muscles' performances.  Poor scores generally lead to back pain, reduced gait, balance issues and other movement disorders if left untreated by your PPT professional.


See how you score on these tests and many others!  Visit http://perfectpersonaltraining.com/signup.php to request your free consultation & health/risk assessment with a Perfect Personal Trainer.

Defeat Your Brain Fog

Forgetting an appointment... Misplacing your keys... Losing focus at work. Does this all sound just a bit too familiar? Memory loss and diminished concentration aren’t just normal symptoms of aging; even people in their 20s and 30s are not strangers to“brain fog”. But before you consider buying stock in Post-it Notes and Starbucks, there is a less sticky answer to boosting your brain power: Nutrition.

Many of us, jokingly, use the phrase “senior moment.” We’ve almost come to accept that getting older means “losing” our minds. While the aging process can be taxing on the mind's ability to function optimally, taking the right precautions through a progressive, well-planned lifestyle can protect our brains far more than you might think. Years of research reveal that most Americans are not consuming enough brain-boosting nutrients. We need essential vitamins, fatty acids, and minerals to fight the formation of free radicals, which are caused by environmental factors like stress and processed foods. Free radicals aren’t always bad – in fact, our bodies actually produce them to aid our immune systems and assist in hormone production. But free radicals can form in excess, wreaking havoc on cells and tissues that our bodies need to function properly. This process is called oxidative stress. In our brains, oxidative stress can lead to disease. “The most significant cause of degenerative brain diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, are mitochondrial [the energy source of each cell] decay,” says Perfect Personal Nutritional Consultant Sheryl Krohner. Making the right nutritional choices can help prevent destructive oxidative stress. “The good news is, foods that many of us have already incorporated into our eating plans to promote general health and disease prevention can help decelerate this decline,” explains Perfect Personal Exercise Physiologist Christine Waclawski.“Improved memory recall and brain motor function, as well as prevention or delay of Alzheimer’s and related dementias can be enhanced with smart food choices.”

Top Brain-Boosting Nutrients

Many health sources will recommend eating more blueberries, fish, and walnuts for better memory and focus, but they never seem to explain why. Actually, quite a wide variety of brain foods can be incorporated into your diet. We’ve examined the top brain-boosting nutritional components below, along with a list of foods packed with cerebral benefits.

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WATER

Water: Are You Drinking Enough?

Seems almost too simple, right? Yet considering that about 80 percent of your brain consists of water, it’s imperative to stay hydrated—dehydration can produce stress hormones that cause long-term damage to brain cells.

VITAMIN B12

New research reveals a correlation between low Vitamin B12 levels and memory loss, in addition to brain shrinkage. Not all Vitamin B12 forms, however, are created equal; you’ll most likely see Cyanocobalamin listed in parenthesis near the B12 listing in supplements, but Methylcobalamin is the most effective form.

The Best Way to Consume Vitamin B12: Meat, Eggs, Dairy, and Seafood.

OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS

Fresh basil: a surprising source of Omega 3s!

In a nutshell, fatty acids are the building blocks of fat and oil—two nutrients that society has been conditioned to avoid. Fatty acids like Omega-3, however, are essential in brain function. So much, in fact, that a deficiency can affect your ability to learn and recall information. A balanced diet that includes Omega-3 EFAs helps your body produce and rebuild cells, including vital brain cells necessary for memory and concentration.

Foods rich in Omega-3s: Fish (look for fish like Salmon, Sardines, Halibut, and Mackerel), Nuts (especially Walnuts, Almonds, and Hazelnuts), Flaxseeds, Soybeans, Fresh Basil, and Spinach.

ANTIOXIDANTS:

According to Perfect Personal Nutritional Consultant Sheryl Krohner, antioxidants play a critical role in protecting brain cells by fighting free radicals.

- Vitamin E -

Avocados are a wonderful source of Vitamin E.

Antioxidant Vitamin E fights and protects against oxidative stress that can lead to Alzeihmer’s disease and stroke. According to a recent study, reported in Neurobiology of Aging, 85 percent of Alzeihmer’s patients were Vitamin E deficient. But before you run out and buy supplements, consider incorporating more Vitamin E-rich foods into your diet.

Vitamin E Dense Foods: Nuts, Eggs, Avocados, Cold-Pressed vegetable oils (like Olive and Canola), Sunflower Seeds, Legumes, Sweet Potatoes, Brown Rice, and Oatmeal.

- Vitamin C -

You may have heard Vitamin C associated with “antioxidant” perhaps more than any other nutrient. That’s because Vitamin C is one of the most dynamic antioxidants; it acts as a sort of Superman, ridding organs, including the brain, of damaging free radicals. And Vitamin C helps other antioxidants – like Vitamin E – retain their potency.

Foods Packed With Vitamin C: Blueberries, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Oranges (and other Citrus Fruits), Pineapple, Red Bell Peppers, and Strawberries.

- Zinc -

Consider including more fresh garlic in your meals.

One of Zinc’s main functions is to prevent fat oxidation in brain cells (which leads to brain cell damage) and aid Vitamin E. Most people turn to this mineral during a cold or flu bout, but it’s an essential antioxidant for brain function. Be careful though: consuming large amounts can ironically increase your risk for free radical damage.

Zinc-Powered Foods:Dark chocolate, Pumpkin and Squash Seeds (roasted), Garlic, Oysters, Lamb, Crab, Lean Roast Beef, Wheat Germ, and Chickpeas.

Other Antioxidants that will help protect your brain against plaque and free radicals: Vitamin A and Carotenoids (think foods like Carrots, Tomatoes, Eggs, and Leafy Greens), Green Tea, Garlic, Turmeric, and Ginkgo Biloba.

Don't forget your Leafy Greens!

Incorporating a wide variety of nutrient-dense foods is one of the most effective measures against brain fog, memory loss, and shrinkage. And according to Waclawski, don’t forget to fit in those workouts! “Regular exercise and physical activity also plays a vital role in slowing down brain declines – it will help oxygenate your brain. That along with the adoption of a “heart-smart” eating plan will help avoid‘brain-drain’!”