Today’s Olympic Champions Are Going Farther And Faster Than Ever Before … And The Rest Of Us Can Too

August 18, 2008 | 1 Comment

How are today’s Champions reaching overwhelming speeds on the race tracks?

With Michael Phelps surpassing Mark Spitz at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, along with many other amazing feats happening there, the question arises … what are these athletes doing these days in preparation for the Olympics?

You may take a look at the fitness clothing and shoes that they wear (surely for a hefty price) and think these things are making a big difference. But when Spitz competed and earned his title as the greatest Olympic athlete of all time, he did so simply in a regular swimsuit, without either the goggles or the swim cap.

Today’s athletes are competing into their 30’s and 40’s as well.

Take for instance 41-year-old Dara Torres, who is one of the oldest Olympians at the 2008 Olympics. Dara is a personal inspiration to me. Quoted for saying, “You can’t put an age limit on your dreams,” she is competing against (and defeating) women young enough to be her children. Unheard of? No. Unusual? Yes. And to prove that she has been competing fairly and naturally and not illegally doping, she has requested extra testing be done on her.

So what’s their secret?

Today’s champions endure intense training. They train longer and they train harder. They aren’t necessarily born with just the right genes. As Dr. Joyner at the Mayo Clinic stated, “Many genes contribute to performance, but it isn’t likely that one individual would have the right combination of all genes that would give you a natural competitive edge.” Dr. Joyner also attributes new world records being made to the fact that today’s athletes have improved medical care, plus there are many more athletes, from more countries, participating.

But there is one other secret they have that stands out.

These Olympic Champions have a strong mind and have a strong faith in themselves. With that faith, they are achieving world records. These athletes are proving to the rest of us that, whatever age we are, we can achieve great fitness, build good physique, and even fight aging. No matter what our health or fitness goals are, with good mental determination, we can achieve them.

But we first have to get off the sofa. And stop dreaming of being a champion, and go out and become one. No excuses!

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Posted by Julie Alexander | Filed Under Blog, Fitness, Health, Wellness

Whey Protein: The Real Breakfast For Champions

February 4, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Photo by Mike Baird
Whey protein provides wonderful health benefits, but just how safe is it?

Whey protein is a hot item among athletes, bodybuilders, and people who do high-impact exercise. And for good reason. A supplement mix containing all the essential amino acids, this high-protein powder supports the immune system, builds muscle, burns fat, and increases athlete performance. It has the highest amount of protein for the fewest number of calories. Whey is a great source for cysteine, a major building block of the prostate cancer-fighting agent glutathione. It’s a wallop of wellness in one convenient source.

Many athletes drink whey in place of breakfast. A healthy option, as long as they are choosy about which whey they drink. But it stuns me that while these athletes appear to be concerned about their health, several of them have no idea what ingredients whey supplements contain. Many protein powders contain toxic ingredients such as aspartame, sucralose, fructose, and artificial flavors and colors. They are sweetened with chemicals known to cause serious health problems. Aspartame, originally discovered as an ulcer drug, breaks down into the chemical compound formaldehyde. Formaldehyde, when ingested, causes damage to the optic nerve, brain cells, and nerve cells which control body movement. It has been linked to migraine headaches (which I can attest to), muscle tremors, vision problems, and mental confusion. Sucralose is not as dangerous as aspartame. Still, it is an artificial sweetener that causes migraines and it is believed that long-term use could cause serious health problems.

Are there any safe whey protein powders?

Definitely! They just are not as numerous. Look for whey that contains no added sugar and no artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, or artificial sweeteners. A good sweetener alternative is stevia, a natural herb that contains no calories and does not affect blood sugar levels. Also look for whey that is certified free of recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH). I recommend whey sold at MyNutritionStore.com. They carry hydrolyzed whey (most digestible whey, leads to better absorption) with none of the bad ingredients mentioned but do contain these important ingredients:

Whey peptides - for faster protein absorption
Lactoferrin and immunoglobins - support immune system and recovery from physical stress.
Bovine serum albumin- contains cysteine, a necessary ingredient that is often destroyed in other products during heat processing.

How to drink it.

Follow the instructions on the container or spiff it up a bit by making a smoothie with milk, yogurt, or ice cream and your favorite fruits. It’s not only for breakfast either. You can drink it any time of the day, although some people claim whey is most effective before a workout. Here is a good recipe from The Abs Diet:

Belly-Bursting Berry

1 scoop low-fat vanilla ice cream
1/4 cup each frozen blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1 tablespoon vanilla whey protein powder
3 ice cubes

Interesting facts:

Ricotta is a great source for whey protein.
Mothers’ breast milk contains 60% whey protein and 40% casein protein, making breast milk the best source of nutrition for a newborn.

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Posted by Julie Alexander | Filed Under Blog, Fitness, Weight Loss, Wellness

Burn Fat With Cardio Kickboxing And Kettlebells

January 30, 2008 | 1 Comment

Photo by Ganessas
Cardio Kickboxing is by far the hardest form of exercise I have ever done.

But it is also the most rewarding. Never have I felt stronger or more fit than I do now since cardio kickboxing has become a regular part of my daily routine. Cardio kickboxing is non-contact kickboxing which combines boxing, martial arts, and aerobics while giving a total body workout. It is a high intensity, high impact form of exercise that provides amazing health benefits to the body.

For instance,

It will burn anywhere from 350 to 500 calories per hour (or more).
It burns lots of fat and creates lots of muscle.
It reduces and relieves stress.
It will make you feel more empowered and confident.
It will teach you simple self-defense moves.
And if you keep your heart rate elevated by including a lot of jumping, bobbing, and weaving amongst your punches and kicks, your cardiovascular system will benefit too.

Cardio-kickboxing provides a full-body workout. If you do the jabs, punches, and kicks with power, you’ll strengthen your upper body and will start to see nice muscle definition. The kicks will strengthen your hamstrings and give you a nice shape in the legs. And the knee strikes will help firm your abdominal muscles.

But I have a second addiction, and it’s called Kettlebells.

Kettlebells is another fitness phenomenon that is changing the shape of bodies. Kettlebells (which look like a tea kettle without the spout) is a low-impact workout that can benefit overall health and wellness in just 20 to 30 minutes a day … and in only two or three days a week. Made of cast iron, they are available in a variety of weights and you can find them at your local Target or Dick’s, and, of course, you can find them along with training DVDs on eBay! By lifting and extending the weights away from the body in slow movements, they, like cardio-kickboxing, offer a full-body workout. With regular use, you’ll get improved strength, flexibility, balance, and muscle tone in half the time as other workouts. And it burns lots of body fat! Because this is a low-impact workout, even those with back problems can benefit. Check out this video of a Kettlebell workout.

The best reasons for a good exercise program are that it can slow down or even reverse the aging process while making you healthier. To really get healthy though, you need both cardio activities and weight training. Cardio kickboxing and Kettlebells both provide cardio and strength training. They both will give you a well-toned body and the look and feel of an athlete.