October  2004 NEWSLETTER

"We don't know who we are until we see what we can do."

- Martha Grimes, American author

• Hamstrings - Awesome curvy hams that resist injury!

• Fast Nutrition: All Bars are Not Alike

• Recipe: Yummy Low-fat, Low-carb Fajitas

• team explore: Kayaking Adventure, the saga continues...

• Try It!  Grocery Item of the Month

• Vitamin: B1, aka Thiamine, the beriberi antidote.

• October Savings - Save on Spark!

Hamstrings - Awesome curvy hamstrings that resist injury!

Ask any guy about a hamstring injury, and most likely they'll name 10 different football players all suffering from torn or strained hamstrings. Ask any women about hamstring injury and most likely they won't know where a hamstring is even located!  EEE!   

Located on the back of the thigh, the hamstring muscles perform 2 actions -- they bend the knee and also straighten the hip (moving the thigh backwards). So you must do two types of exercises to effectively work them; such as stiff-legged deadlift and leg curl.  

They are extremely important in power activities such as running, jumping, and climbing. Athletes and very physically active individuals depend on healthy, well-conditioned hamstrings. Optimal individual hamstring strength is 50% to 65% of the strength of the quadriceps muscle (muscle on the front of the thighs). Also, there should be little difference in strength between right and left legs.

Hamstrings are the often the fastest to tighten from a flexibility standpoint, resulting in an increased chance of injury.  Hamstring injuries usually occur with sudden lunging, running or jumping.  Symptoms of injury include spasm, tightness, and tenderness. With a more severe injury, swelling and a black and blue appearance follows. Often, a "pop" is heard or felt by the injured athlete.  Pain depends on the individual, however often the athlete is unable to continue and many times can't even stand.  Tears and strains most often occur at the middle of the back of the thigh where the muscle joins its tendon or at the origin of the hamstring at the base of the buttocks.  

Following are my 3 favorite exercises for building hamstrings that resist injury and help to power your performance.

1. Stiff-legged Deadlifts BUILDING Stiff-legged deadlifts can be performed in a variety of ways: with the barbell, with dumbbells, with the Smith Machine, etc. I consider this exercise "advanced" because its one of the hardest to teach proper form.  

 

Start by placing the barbell in front of you on the ground. Grab the barbell with a little wider than shoulder-width grip. Bend your knees slightly. Keeping your back completely straight at all times, push your hips forward to lift the bar.  The movement should not be fast but steady and under control. The arms should remain straight. Once you are standing completely straight up, lower the bar by pushing the hips back, only slightly bending the knees. Most people want to round their lower backs as they lower the bar. A much safer alternative is to keep the lower back flat and pivot from the hip. Essentially, you are sticking out your butt as you descend. The arms are merely hooks transferring resistance to the hamstrings. You'll find that your hamstrings are fully stretched at about the point where you lower the bar to your knees or perhaps a touch past. Take a deep breath at the start of the movement and exhale as you complete the movement. Start with light weights to get used to it and be careful!

2. Lunges DEFINING - Lunges stress the glutes, the hamstrings, and the quads. Lunges can be done with a barbell or dumbbells, in place or walking, stepping on the floor, or onto a box or bench. A high degree of focus and coordination are required to perform a proper lunge, and to those who have mastered the lunge, no pair of legs would be complete without them.

With Dumbbell Lunges, you start standing with a dumbbell in each hand, arms at your side. Begin with your feet close together. Your torso maintains an upright posture throughout the set. With your right foot, take a step forward about 1.5 times longer than your usual stride until your right thigh is parallel to the floor. Keep your left foot in place. Now, lift yourself back to the starting position by pushing up and back with your right leg. Repeat with the opposite leg. You can alternate legs while doing lunges or you can perform a full set with one leg, take a brief rest, and then do a set with the other leg.

3. Hamstring Curls SHAPING -  Lie face down on a leg-curl machine and hook your heels under the roller pad. Your legs should be stretched out straight so that the pads rest on the back of your ankles. Throughout the exercise keep your back straight, with your knees close together, looking down towards the floor. Grasp the handles under the bench for support. Remaining flat on the bench, curl your legs up until your hamstrings are fully contracted. Release and lower the weight slowly back to the starting position. Concentrate on using a full range of motion and do not SWING the weight up. 

 

Cute animated guys are courtesy of the nice people at: TheTrainingStationInc.com

Fast Nutrition: All Bars Are Not Alike 

One client asked me this week why I prefer Advocare's Bodylean bars to other bars on the market.  I decided to create a comparison with some of the top bars I see used in client food logs.  Here are the results:

Bars are created for various reasons.  For instance, the Detour bar is a high protein bar but also a high fat bar.  This is an excellent bar for a high-metabolism male looking to put on significant muscle mass.  Luna bars are great tasting snack bars with vitamins but will leave you craving more an hour or two later, plus they have a little too much sugar -- which we know plays with our metabolism.  They are a good choice when stuck (say at a 7-11) with little other choices.  I like Bodylean because they have enough calories to fill you up, a significant amount of protein, are low in sugar, and contain a good amount of B vitamins.

For more nutrition information, click here.

KAYAKING ADVENTURE

Date:  October 30th

Time:  TBA, probably morning.

RSVP with the Event Fee by:   October 18th

Event Fee:   $25

Cruise the intercoastal with Certified River Guide Rick in single or double kayaks.  This 2.5 hour scenic trip includes kayak instruction, and tour narration. Paddle with Dolphin, Manatee, Otters, and yes, Alligators. You may well spot such magnificent birds as the southern Bald Eagle, White Pelicans, Red Headed Woodpeckers, and Great Blue Heron.  Please let me know asap if you are interested so I can work out the arrangements.  Sounds like fun!

Vitamin B1

Vitamin B1, also known as Thiamine, comes from wheat germ, whole wheat, brown rice, brussel sprouts, peas, beans, oranges, enriched flour, fish, peanuts, poultry, pork, plums and prunes, soy beans and raisins. Oftentimes, vegetarian diets high in refined carbs may be deficient in thiamine.  (BRIAN!)

Thiamine aids the brain in its ability to use glucose. Without glucose, mental function suffers. Thiamine is vital in the production of neurotransmitters, and also maintains the transmission of electrical impulses in the nerves. Thiamine enhances circulation and assists in the production of HCL, blood formation and carbohydrate metabolism. Thiamine affects energy, growth, and learning capacity and is needed for normal muscle tone of the intestines, stomach and heart.

Since thiamine is not stored in the body and must be replaced DAILY, a decline is most common in alcoholics, people with malabsorption conditions, and those eating a very poor diet. It is also common in children with congenital heart disease, people with chronic fatigue syndrome, and individuals undergoing regular kidney dialysis.  The severe disease known as Beriberi is a nervous system disease caused by a diet that is carbohydrate rich and thiamin deficient.  

Vitamin B1 is nontoxic, even in very high amounts.  The ideal intake is uncertain, however the amount found in many multivitamin supplements (20–25 mg) is more than adequate for most.  Vitamin B1 works with vitamin B2 and vitamin B3 therefore nutritionists usually suggest that vitamin B1 be taken as part of a B-complex vitamin or other multivitamin supplement.

Client of the Month -

Congratulations to Marlie Clay for becoming, once again, this month's SUCCESS STAR! 

Marlie has lost already over 20 lbs.! Not too long ago, she started working out in the mornings 3x per week with her elderly neighbors, PLUS, when there isn't a hurricane she works out with me 2x per week.  That's when she isn't working a crazy full-time job as a traveling nurse!

Marlie loves the Take 10 Fiber bars, Bodylean Protein bars, and Cherry Spark because they are quick, take-along ways for her to get the nutrients she needs, and stay away from fast food or snack machines.

Want to be next month's success story?  If you haven't reached your personal fitness goals, contact me so we can schedule a fitness consultation and get started!   

OCTOBER SAVINGS!

SPARK! 

For Energy, Weight Loss, and Mental Focus. Also terrific just as a nutritious substitute to sodas or other "empty" calories.

SAVE $5 on a box of individual packets or canister thru the end of October.

 dmerritts@cfl.rr.com.

Advertising Opportunities for this FLEDGLING newsletter! are now available.  I am looking for ads provided they are in line with the topics, themes, and beliefs of this newsletter.  Call  or email me today and we'll get your business scheduled!  

RECIPE:  Yummy Low-fat, Low-carb Fajitas!

> 2 large chicken breasts, in strips

> Taco Seasoning mix

> Pam cooking spray

> 1 red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, in strips

> 1/2 onion sliced in strips

>  Reduced carb tortillas

> Shredded 2% or fat free cheese

>  Fat free sour cream

> 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 

> Shredded lettuce

> 1 diced vine-ripe tomato

1. Season chicken breast with seasoning blend.

2.  Spray non-stick pan with PAM. 

3.  Cook chicken, peppers and onion over medium heat until brown and cooked through.

4.  Meanwhile, spray another non-stick pan with Pam.  Cook tortillas one at a time lightly on each side until brown.

4.  Create your fajita with chicken, pepper and onion blend, tomatoes, lettuce, cilantro, cheese, sour cream.

Makes 2 servings.

Jessica, 

the Organic Grower, suggests...

Grow your own Avocado plant! 

1. Take an avocado (Remember both high in E, and fat).

2. Remove the avocado pit.

3. Stick 3 toothpicks in the avocado pit.

4. Place the 3 toothpicks on a glass filled with water so the  bottom is immersed.

5. Wait 3 weeks, keeping the bottom of the pit immersed..

6. Watch the roots sprout!

7. Plant the pit after the stalk starts to grow.

TRY IT! Grocery Item of the Month:

Quaker Real Butter Flavored Instant Grits

Plus 45% RDA Iron and 10% RDA Calcium, Thiamine, Niacin, Riboflavin, and Folic Acid.

JUMBO

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Copyright Diane Merritts 2004

www.dianemerritts.com