Fitness & Wellness

Are Multivitamins Useful?

Are Multivitamins Useful?

Published by on November 15, 2022 | Leave a response

There’s a lot of variety of multivitamins on the shelves of pharmacies, so you might think they’re the most useful health benefit available. That isn’t exactly true. If you’re in the grocery pharmacy, the produce section is actually more beneficial for your health. Madison Avenue has done a good job convincing America that they need to take vitamins daily, but so did the covid-19 scare. In 2020, the multivitamin market in America grew dramatically with children’s vitamin’s increasing 37.2% for $306 million in sales, men’s up 33.7% for $229 million in sales and women’s vitamins up 19.6% for $474 million.

Recent studies have changed old beliefs.

A widespread recent study of 450,000 people showed that multivitamins didn’t reduce the risk of cancer or heart disease. Another study of almost 6,000 men that lasted 12 years showed it didn’t reduce the risk of mental decline in seniors, contrary to an earlier study that said it did. While there are some benefits for taking specific supplements, that’s not necessarily true for multivitamins. One study, however, did find that multivitamins may reduce the risk of macular degeneration and cataracts.

More isn’t necessarily better.

More recent studies also found that taking high doses of vitamin E and beta-carotene at high doses may be harmful. If you’re taking water-soluble vitamins, your body flushes excess out in the urine and feces. The biggest problem from consuming too much of a water-soluble vitamin is digestive issues. However, fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamin A, D and E, are stored in the body, which can lead to overdoses.

There’s a better way to get your vitamins than taking a multivitamin.

Taking a specific vitamin and mineral supplements is quite different from taking a multivitamin. For instance, women that are considering pregnancy or who are in early pregnancy should supplement with 400 micrograms of folic acid daily. People in northern areas in the winter would do well to supplement with vitamin D if their diet doesn’t contain enough. Also, supplemental iron can be beneficial. If a person is deficient in a specific vitamin or has problems with absorption, it also is a good idea to take it. Most of all, eating a healthy diet is the best way to ensure adequate dietary needs are met.

  • Too much vitamin A can cause liver damage, interrupt calcium storage and cause calcium to build in the kidneys, damaging them. It also can contribute to lung cancer in smokers, but ironically may help those with COPD.
  • In order to get the benefits of multivitamins, they need to be absorbed and the right form of the nutrient. The binders used and type of nutrient needs to be natural and not in tablet form, which normally means they’re very expensive.
  • The most common problem, even for the far more expensive multivitamins, is an insufficient dose to make a difference or an excess dose that can cause problems. Most problems come from an insufficient dose.
  • Many multivitamins contain filler or are made from non-organic materials, such as ascorbic acid—vitamin C—which is made from GM corn. There are artificial flavors and colors added, plus heavy metals and chemicals.

For more information, contact us today at Body Sculptors Personal Training

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How Often Should You Go To The Gym As A Beginner?

How Often Should You Go To The Gym As A Beginner?

Published by on November 5, 2022 | Leave a response

When someone is a beginner, at Body Sculptors in Louisville, KY, there are a lot of variations on how much time is spent in the gym. Some people come every day to workout, while others come once a week or even less. What is the perfect amount of time to spend? The answer varies based on your goals and even your fitness level. However, if you only come once a week to the gym, you need to be doing some type of exercises on other days to get in at least 150 to 300 minutes a week.

Part of the variation is contributed to the type of exercise you’re doing.

Are you pushing hard and going at peak intensity? Then that 150 to 300 minutes a week is suddenly reduced to 75 to 150 minutes a week. That’s about two to three gym visits, since high intensity workouts are normally shorter. Your body can’t keep up the pace for that long, especially if you’re a beginner. For other people, particularly those out of shape, taking a more moderate pace would require more time at the gym.

Not all types of training have to be done at the gym.

When you’re working with a personal trainer, let the trainer be your guide. He or she will help designate how many days you should come. For others, remember, not every exercise has to be done at the gym. For instance, a beginner might start aerobic training by walking. It’s far more interesting to walk outside, or at least inside an indoor mall, than it is to walk laps around the gym. On days you walk, going to the gym may not be necessary. If you’re doing strength training, you need to rest those muscles for at least 48 hours so the microtears caused by the workout can heal.

Beginners need to start slowly and work toward increasing their workout.

If you’ve been sedentary for years and finally decided that enough was enough, you might need more rest between tough workouts and take it easier in the beginning. Some people start by working out two to three days a week for about 30 to 45 minutes. On the days away, they go for walks, ride bikes or do other gentle exercises like tai chi.

  • You can boost your exercise time by increasing your activity. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park further from the store. On Saturday night, don’t go to a show, go dancing.
  • If you aren’t working with a trainer, at least for the first two weeks take it slow. Focus mostly on form than repetition. Make sure you include warm up and cool down time in your workout session.
  • As you progress, you can increase your workout time or workout intensity. If you push yourself too hard initially, you’re apt to cause an injury that will leave you sidelined for months. Always listen to your body.
  • Make sure your program is varied. Cardio should be done at least three days a week, while strength training should be one to two times for each muscle group. Flexibility training should be done daily.

For more information, contact us today at Body Sculptors Personal Training

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Can Vitamin B6 Help Reduce Anxiety?

Can Vitamin B6 Help Reduce Anxiety?

Published by on October 25, 2022 | Leave a response

All people feel anxiety at one time or another. Sometimes, it can occur for no apparent reason. It may be mild enough that it’s bothersome, but short term does not really change life significantly. For a small group of people, anxiety can be significant. Recent studies show that exercise can help relieve the problem when paired with professional help and the latest studies show that Vitamin B6 may play a role in reducing the level of anxiety. Just like exercise, it may also be an important ancillary treatment for depression as well.

Anxiety is relatively common, but short-lived in many people.

Anxiety and mood disorders include everything from panic disorders to social anxiety. Anxiety and depression go hand in hand, so treatments for one often help the other. According to NIMH—-The National Institute of Mental Heath—approximately 31% of adults in the United States have experienced one type of anxiety disorder at some time in their life. Traditional treatment includes therapy and some ancillary therapy ranging from prescription drugs, exercise or home treatment with herbs like valerian. Now vitamin B6 and to a smaller extent, vitamin B12, may be added to that list.

The study was smaller but may be significant.

A study published July 19, 2022, in Human Psychopharmacology considered how taking higher doses of vitamin B6 and B12 affected anxiety and depression. It followed 478 young adults and used self-reporting techniques and MFQ and SCAARED tests that screen for anxiety, before and after the study, to learn the results. The blind study divided the participants into three groups. Those who took vitamin B6, those who took a placebo and those who took B12. Not only did they find that B6 reduces anxiety, based on those reports it also helped with depression levels. They found similar results from B12, but to a lesser degree. Other tests were also administered to study the One downfall of the study was that there were no baseline measures of B6 and B12 taken before the study.

B6 and B12 affect the neurotransmitters that calm the nervous system.

The brain has a delicate balance of neurons that excite and inhibit information. When the balance is off, the results are linked to autism, depression, anxiety and schizophrenia. B6 is involved with pathways that reduce neural excitation, which can help relieve anxiety. There are a number of reasons that B6 and B12 deficiencies can occur. Oral contraceptives can deplete vitamins, which include B6 and B12. Poor diets, poor absorption of the nutrients which can be caused by IBS, Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis or celiac and alcohol consumption can affect these levels as well.

  • Controlling issues that affect vitamin B6 deficiency is one way to help prevent anxiety. Vitamin B6 can also be used in conjunction with both exercise and therapy to treat anxiety.
  • While the study used supplements that contained 100 milligrams of B6 for those taking B6 and 1,000 micrograms of B12 for that group, far higher than the daily allowance, eating healthy is a better option.
  • Healthy eating not only provides vitamin B6 and 12 it also combines those nutrients with other phytonutrients, vitamins, fiber and minerals to work in synergy, which often makes the effects of all nutrients more potent.
  • Foods high in vitamin B6 include sweet potatoes, spinach, chickpeas, bananas, nuts, potatoes, winter squash, onions, watermelon, raisins and sunflower seeds. Meat sources include beef, tuna, salmon, turkey and chicken.

For more information, contact us today at Body Sculptors Personal Training

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Healthy Eating In Real Life

Healthy Eating In Real Life

Published by on October 15, 2022 | Leave a response

Are you always on the run and don’t have time for healthy eating? That’s how a lot of people in Louisville, KY, feel. Real life doesn’t look like a segment from a sit com out of the 1950s where mom stayed home and cooked all the meals from scratch, families seldom ate at restaurants and there weren’t even TV dinners, let alone the variety of microwave options available today. To eat healthy today, you have to plan ahead and choose food wisely, even if it’s restaurant food.

If you have time to cook at home, make it easy and create a colorful plate.

Not everyone has a chance to cook at home, but if you do, make it nutritious. One simple way to ensure that is by making your plate colorful. If your collection of food isn’t eye pleasing, with a wide range of color, it’s probably not well-balanced. Think about a plate that only contains meat, potatoes and white bread. You only have two colors, with butter melting, possibly three. When you make your plate more colorful, by adding green, red, yellow and purple fruits and vegetables, it’s far more pleasing to the eye and healthy. Artificial coloring, like those used in Skittles or M&Ms don’t count.

Plan your meals ahead.

If you prefer not to study and learn all there is to learn about nutrition, or simply don’t have the time, don’t worry. You don’t have to know all that information. Our nutritionists can do it for you and create meal plans specifically for your needs. All you have to do is buy the food and assemble it. You can make a week’s worth of meals over the weekend and even freeze some for later if you double the recipes. After work, all you have to do is heat and eat. It’s faster than a drive through.

Expect to eat out occasionally.

Even the best laid plans can go astray, so why not plan for contingencies. If you’re going to eat at a fast food place, make it one that offers healthier options and choose those foods from the menu. Panera has a poppyseed salad with chicken that’s healthy. Chick-Fil-A offers grilled chicken options. Starbucks offers sous vide egg bites. Even KFC offers grilled chicken breast with mashed potatoes and green beans as an option.

  • It’s also about what you drink. If you’re drinking soft drinks, including diet soft drinks, you aren’t doing your body a favor. While diet soda doesn’t have calories, studies show it can cause your waistline to grow.
  • Have healthy food in the fridge that you can eat on the run. Cut up fresh fruit and vegetables and have those ready for snacks and mini meals. Individual serving packs of nuts are also good options.
  • Learn to make smarter choices when you eat. Use Greek yogurt or even pureed cottage cheese in place of sour cream for potatoes and substitute brown rice for white rice as a healthier option.
  • Avoid frying food and instead opt for other techniques that are healthier, whether it’s roasting, steaming or even air frying, you can save calories and improve the health benefits of your food.

For more information, contact us today at Body Sculptors Personal Training

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Are Beans KETO Friendly?

Are Beans KETO Friendly?

Published by on October 5, 2022 | Leave a response

Keto has become one of the latest weight loss crazes that actually works. It requires paying close attention to the number of carbs you consume, so most people opt for more protein in their diet in the form of meat. There are lots of reasons for wanting to add beans to the diet that range from affordability to making meals more interesting. They’re nutritious and a good source of plant protein. However, beans are also higher in carbs. Not all beans are the same when it comes to carbs.

There are many healthy benefits from beans.

If you watch westerns or tales of early settlers traveling by wagon train, you’ll notice that many meals contain beans. They are not only foods used in the old west, but also hundreds of years before throughout history. They’re plentiful and the most common ingredient from the past. Beans are nutritious, not only do they contain protein, they have vitamin A, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, folate, iron, magnesium, calcium, selenium, zinc, copper, phosphorous and potassium. That’s a very broad list of nutrients.

Not all beans are the same when it comes to a keto diet.

Beans are high in carbohydrates, making it more difficult to insert into a keto diet and still have carbs left for other foods. You have to plan more carefully than you would if you ate a steak. To make it even more difficult, not all beans are the same when it comes to the carbs or calories they contain. White kidney beans, for instance, are high in both calories and carbs, with just a ½ cup containing 16 grams of net carbs and 124 calories. However, their dark red counterpart, dark red kidney beans, have just 109 calories per cup and 11 grams of carbs.

Which beans are better for keto diets?

The best type of beans for a keto diet are black soybeans. They’re creamier and sweeter than their yellow counterparts. They have a high protein count, lots of fiber, iron and calcium. Since soybeans are normally lower in carbohydrates, these make a good option. Most of these are used in veggie burgers, but can be made into tofu, added to salads or stews. For a half cup, they contain 120 calories, but just one gram of net carbs.

  • Pinto beans, like white kidney beans and the highest in carbs and don’t make a good addition to a keto friendly diet.
  • While beans are an inexpensive source of protein and contain a lot of nutrients, they also can cause digestive upsets and may cause inflammation from the enzymes. Most people find that the more they eat beans, the fewer problems they have.
  • While the carb count is high in beans, people who consume a targeted keto diet may be able to include them more often. People using this type of diet are often athletes and people who get more than normal amounts of exercise.
  • Rather than trying to figure out the right type of diet for you, whether it’s keto or not, why not take advantage of our nutritional program where the diet is created for you. All you do is buy the food.

For more information, contact us today at Body Sculptors Personal Training

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Yoga For Diabetes

Published by on September 25, 2022 | Leave a response

Diabetes can exacerbate some conditions, like high blood pressure, heart disease or circulation. Yoga can help directly, like stabilizing blood sugar levels. Increasing activity and eating healthy are exceptionally good for controlling diabetes. Yoga is a gentle form of exercise that most people can do. There are several poses that have proven especially beneficial for diabetics.

You might be surprised you’re already doing a few yoga positions.

Do you think you’re doing the phalakasana? Probably not. However, you may be if you’re doing the forearm plank as part of your workout. It works the whole body and helps regulate blood sugar levels, while improving insulin sensitivity. Planks—phalakasana poses—can be done by people of all ages and most levels of fitness. It can be modified for beginners who have never exercised.

Yoga relieves stress.

Yoga can help lower high blood pressure, while reducing the potential for heart disease when you do yoga poses. Yoga relieves stress and stress can raise blood sugar levels and increase blood pressure. Stress increases the production of cortisol. Cortisol plays a role in increasing the amount of visceral fat—the most dangerous type of fat. The more visceral fat you have, the more risk you have of developing high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes. Stress can also lead to stress eating, compounding the problem.

The reduction of cortisol when doing yoga can also reduce your feeling of hunger.

The more stressed you are, the more cortisol you have and the hungrier you are. That can cause you to eat more and make diabetes worse. It causes the liver to produce release more sugar to help the muscles get ready for flight or fight. That in turn, causes the body to release more insulin and the vicious cycle starts to get out of hand, creating first insulin resistance, then diabetes. Not only will yoga help reduce stress, it reduces inflammation. It increases adiponectin, an anti-inflammatory hormone.

  • Yoga can help with weight control, which helps control diabetes. While it doesn’t burn as many calories as some other types of exercise, it still burns extra calories. Studies found it also leads to more mindful eating habits.
  • Yoga can help improve overall sleep patterns and lead to a sounder, higher quality sleep. Lack of sleep causes an imbalance in the satiety/hunger hormones, making you hungrier, which leads to more weight gain.
  • Yoga helps build muscles. The more muscles you have, the more calories you burn and the easier it is to lose weight. A new study found that the more weight you lose, the more likely your type 2 diabetes will go away.
  • Whether you start yoga or some other form of exercise, healthy eating is also important for controlling diabetes. Like all forms of exercise, it can also improve your overall physical and mental well-being.

For more information, contact us today at Body Sculptors Personal Training

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Best Stretches To Start Your Day

Published by on September 15, 2022 | Leave a response

Are you one of those people that jump out of bed and immediately rush to get ready to work? There’s a better way to start your day and that’s by doing a few stretches first. If you’ve ever watched a cat when it first gets up, all it does is stretch for a while. We could learn a thing or two from our feline friends. Stretching upon rising can increase flexibility and boost circulation.

Lay in bed and stretch before you even put your feet on the floor.

If you sit at a desk all day, these will definitely help, but even if you don’t, you’ll get benefit. Lay on your left side with your right leg laying on top of your left leg. Your knees should be at a 90 degree angle, so it looks like you’re sitting on an invisible chair. Your hands should be directly in front of you stretched out, one on top of the other with palms facing. Lift the hand on top, in this case the right hand, straight up in the air and over to the side, twisting at the waist and opening the upper body with your arms rising up and over to the other side, following it with the eyes as you turn your head.

Take a cue from a runner to loosen your quads.

Quad stretches aren’t just for runners, they’re a good morning starter. The front upper thighs are the quads and you can stretch them and get the circulation going with a quad stretch. Stand next to a chair or anything you can hang onto to stabilize yourself. Bend one knee as you lift your leg backward and upward, grasping it at the ankle with your hand on the same side. Lift it slightly and hold in bent position for 20 to 30 seconds then lower it and do the same on the other side. Repeat several times.

Twisting to the left and twisting the right can get you warmed up whether it’s day or night.

Yeah, it was meant to rhyme just for fun and this type of stretch can actually be fun. Stand with your feet slightly apart and arms outstretched, perpendicular to the body. Then twist, swinging your upper body first to the left, then returning to the starting position and swinging your upper body to the right. Do this stretch for a few times and return to starting position. Then tip the upper body to the side, keeping the arms straight with one hand going straight up and the other lowering until you can touch your leg. Go back to starting position and do it again.

  • Stretch your shoulders. Stand up. Put both arms straight out in front and lace your fingers together, pushing your palms forward as you stretch your back and your shoulders.
  • After you stretch in front keep fingers folded, lift your arms above your head, turning your palms upward. Push the palms toward the sky as you lift your rib cage for a few seconds.
  • A shoulder roll is a stretch that can reduce tension and improve circulation. Just sit or stand using good posture and roll your shoulders first forward then backward.
  • Start by sitting on the edge of the bed, feet flat on the floor. Reach your hands toward your feet as you bend over, putting your knuckles on the floor and rounding your back. Hold that position for ten seconds, rise and repeat several times.

For more information, contact us today at Body Sculptors Personal Training

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What Are The Benefits Of Foam Rolling?

Published by on September 5, 2022 | Leave a response

Clients at Body Sculptors in Louisville, KY, know that a hard workout can result in some muscle aches and pains. Those can lead to a reluctance to keep a workout schedule. The best way to deal with sore muscles is to avoid them and a foam roller can do that. There are several benefits you can get from foam rolling, besides relief of muscles aches and pains. It’s a technique where you use a self-myofascial release (SMR) technique.

When you loosen muscle tissue, you increase your range of motion.

Every workout should include flexibility exercises to boost range of motion. The more improved it is, the less chance of injury during a workout or just doing everyday movements. Foam rolling can be combined with exercises like static stretching to get the most benefit. In one smaller study, it was found that a combination of static stretching and foam rolling actually provided the most benefits for range of motion, when compared to either used alone.

Use it to warm your muscles before working out and increase circulation.

What is foam rolling? A foam roller is normally a long tube similar to a short, wider pool noodle. They can have a variety of textures from smooth to ones with foam projectiles. When you lay on them and roll, they release a variety of trigger points and can improve circulation, while loosening muscles. That same action can also increase circulation to improve recovery. It also reduces inflammation and by loosening the muscles, is the cause of increased range of motion.

Back pain can be debilitating and foam rolling can help reduce that pain.

Foam rolling is a massage, albeit a self-massage. If you’ve ever had a massage for back pain, you know how good it can feel when you’re done. There are some problems when doing this type of self-massage, but the biggest one is getting the foam in the right position and moving your body to ensure it creates the massage you want, without causing further injury due to an awkward position that can cause back straining.

  • If you want to look your best in a swimsuit, foam rolling can temporarily reduce the appearance of cellulite. However, the results are temporary. If you want more permanent results, a healthy diet and regular exercise is the way to go.
  • Fibromyalgia is a painful disease that’s exhausting and depressing. Foam rolling may help. One small study found that when 66 adults used foam rolling for 20 weeks, they had less fatigue, less depression, increased range of motion and far less pain.
  • Foam rolling isn’t good for every injury. If you are pregnant, have a muscle tear or other serious muscle or bone condition, you should avoid foam rolling. Always talk to your health care professional first.
  • If it’s hard for you to relax and get a good night’s sleep, you probably hold your tension in your muscles. Foam rolling can help loosen that tension and aid in getting to sleep faster.

For more information, contact us today at Body Sculptors Personal Training

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Why Do Some People Never Sweat When Working Out?

Published by on August 25, 2022 | Leave a response

Do you notice the guy or gal at the gym who always seems fresh and dry. They never sweat when working out or so it seems. There can be several reasons for not sweating—anhidrosis, but one of the easiest to identify is that they simply don’t push themselves to the point of sweating. However, there are also more serious health issues that could be causing their lack of sweat.

If you’re that person that doesn’t sweat, first check how hard you’re pushing yourself by taking your pulse.

If you’re leisurely exercising, riding your bike at almost a walking pace or lifting weights that aren’t a challenge, don’t be surprised if you’re staying dry. You need to exert a certain amount of effort to increase your heart rate, cause heat to generate and start to sweat. The more activity and the more you exert yourself, the more you sweat. It can be hard to tell how hard you push yourself based on how much sweat you have, since everyone is different, so take your pulse during a workout. Your target rate should be 50 to 70 percent of maximum heart rate, which is your age subtracted from 220 bpm.

You might be suffering from dehydration.

Some people are mildly dehydrated all the time and that can affect how much they sweat. If you normally sweat, but are working just as hard as normal and don’t, you could be suffering from dehydration. Dehydration is especially prominent during the summer months and is an easy problem to solve. Drink more fluid to replace the fluid lost. The American Council on Exercise suggests you drink 17 to 20 ounces 2-3 hours before working out. 8 ounces should be consumed a half hour before the workout with 7-10 hours every 20 minutes during the workout and 8 ounces a half hour after a workout.

Some medical conditions can cause lack of sweat.

More serious conditions can be the reason you may not sweat. For instance, diseases that affect the autonomic nervous system, like diabetes, Guillain-Barre, alcoholism and Horner’s syndrome, damage nerves and effect your sweat causing anhidrosis—lack of sweat. Thyroid disease can cause it since the thyroid regulates body temperature. Some autoimmune diseases, metabolic diseases and disorders of the central nervous system, like a stroke, can also affect whether you sweat.

  • Burns, skin infections and even bug bites can affect your ability to sweat, causing anhidrosis. Psoriasis can plug the pores. Even conditions that affect the sweat glands can lead to the inability to perspire.
  • If you know you have a condition that doesn’t allow you to sweat, be aware of ways to avoid overheating. Wear lighter clothing and choose activities and intensity carefully. Avoid exercising in extremely hot areas.
  • Sweating is an important bodily function that helps cleanse the body of waste and keeps it cool. Always check with your health care professional if your pulse rates indicates you’re working hard enough to sweat.
  • Lack of sweating, anhidrosis or hypohidrosis, can be dangerous. It can cause hyperthermia—overheating the body, stroke and even death.

For more information, contact us today at Body Sculptors Personal Training

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