More advice from Operation Boot Camp - San Jose:
A couple great online tools to help you with your food choices is at www.nutritiondata.com, www.fitday.com, www.mypyramidtracker.gov You can search for foods already in the database, or you can enter in the nutrition data yourself to get an overall rating of each food. There is an interesting page for weight loss tips: http://www.nutritiondata.com/dieting-weight-loss.html#facts.
Here are some snack ideas that will help keep you on track. Please use common sense when snacking! Don’t let your portion sizes get too big. Go easy on the nuts- only about 10 or so per day. Same for peanut butter- 1-2 tbsp. per day.
Fruit: try to choose raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, cantaloupe and apples – instead of bananas, pineapple, and grapes, which might have much higher sugar content.
Click here for some snack pairing ideas: SNACKSmarts.doc
Click here for some snack recipes: Easy Snack Recipes.doc
Click here for more snack options: www.cookinglight.com
Monday, June 21, 2010
FFF Diva Operation Boot Camp Advice: Movie Night!
To all you slackers who slept in this morning, your butts missed out...literally. To those of you who there, nice job. Im sooo happy the mornings are warm and light and NON-HUMID!! Tonight is movie night. Yes that's right- go home, have a healthy dinner (chicken and asparagus?), pop in a good movie (I'll be watching "Valentine's Day"...no laughing...), grab your foam roller if you have it, and get to work. If you don't have a foam roll yet, start doing the static stretches that you have been learning at camp. Like we talked about this AM, stretching is crucial to consistent progress! Frustrating injuries and plateaus can be avoided by stretching. If you weren't at camp, disregard the fun movie and go running!!
This Thursday is Bring a Friend Day. If you have anyone you will be bringing, please shoot me their email address so I can send them an email! This Saturday is also Preview Day. Come get an extra workout in and bring friends and family. If you know anyone who might like to join camp but is scared off by the 6AM, keep in mind that starting in July, we will also be offering a camp at 9AM (camper arrival at 8:45).
Today’s mission: Stop yourself from complaining when you hear yourself doing it today!
Assignments: Glance in your logbook and look at the goal you wrote down for this month. How are you doing on them? What can you do today to work towards them? Are you on track to meet your goals? If not, is there an area where you could step it up?
Stop Complaining!
- By Jeff Keller
How do you feel when someone unloads all of their problems and complaints on you? Not very uplifting and energizing, is it? The truth is, nobody likes to be around a complainer -- except, perhaps, other complainers.
Of course, all of us complain at one time or another. The important question is: how often do you complain? If you're wondering whether you complain too much, simply ask your friends, relatives or coworkers. They'll let you know.
Now, when I say "complain," I'm not talking about those instances when you discuss your problems in an attempt to search for solutions. That's constructive and commendable. I'm also not referring to those occasions when you share your experiences (including disappointments) with friends or relatives in the context of bringing them up to date on the latest developments in your life. After all, part of being human is sharing our experiences and supporting each other.
I am referring to the kind of complaining that is counterproductive. For instance, one of the most common areas of complaint is the subject of illness. In this category are comments such as, "My back is killing me" or "I have terrible stomach cramps." Worse yet, some people graphically explain the gory details of their particular ailment (e.g., "I had this green stuff oozing out of my....") And, doesn't it just make your day when your coworker tells you that he or she is nauseous?
Let's face it. What can I possibly do for you if you have a stomach ache? I'm not a physician -- go to a doctor if you have a medical problem. More importantly, why are you telling me this? You might want sympathy, but all you are doing is dragging me down and reinforcing your own suffering. Talking about pain and discomfort will only bring you more of the same -- and encourage those around you to look for the exits.
When it comes to complaints about illness, the principle of escalation usually rears its ugly head. Here's how it works. You tell your friend about the agony you went through with the flu. Your friend interrupts and says, "You think you had it bad. When I had the flu, I had a 104 degree fever and had to be rushed to the hospital. I almost died...." Or, tell someone that your back or foot hurts -- and count how many seconds it takes for that person to switch the conversation to his or her own back pain or aching feet. Complainers love to play this game; their pain is always worse than yours.
Another favorite complaint area is the weather. It starts to rain and people say, "What a lousy, miserable day." Why does some moisture from the heavens make it a lousy day? When someone makes that remark to me, I respond, "It's wet out -- but it's a great day!" By associating "rain" with "lousy day," you are programming yourself in a negative way. Furthermore, your complaints about the weather will not change the conditions. It simply makes no sense to get upset about things over, which you have no control – and, which have no significant impact on your life.
Finally, there are the petty complaints, such as "the waiter didn't come over to take my order for five minutes" or "John got an office with a larger window than I have." Life presents too many difficult challenges for us to get bogged down with silly things like that. And when you gripe about insignificant things, you are also saying something about yourself. If I'm your employer, I'm wondering how you'll react when we really have a problem worth worrying about!
Now, I'm not suggesting that you just sit back and ignore all of the problems in your life. However, rather than complaining, it's far better to focus your attention and your energy on those steps you can take to solve, or at least lessen, your dilemma. For instance, let's say you're feeling a little tired lately. Instead of telling everyone how lousy you feel, make an effort to exercise more regularly, or get to bed a little earlier. And, if you feel you must inform someone else about your situation, seek out an individual who is in a position to offer some possible solutions.
To review: Complaints work against you in three ways. Firstly, no one wants to hear negative news about your illness and your problems. Secondly, complaining reinforces your own pain and discomfort. (Why keep replaying painful, negative memories?) And, thirdly, complaints, by themselves, accomplish nothing and divert you from taking constructive actions to improve your situation.
It's been said that 90 percent of the people don't care about your problems ... and the other 10 percent are glad you have them! Seriously, though, all of us can cut down on our complaining. From now on, let's do ourselves and others a favor and make our conversations uplifting. The people who don't complain much (and those who speak positively) are a joy to be around. Decide to join this group -- so people won't have to cross the street when they see you coming!
--Melody Miser and the Bootcamp Staff
This Thursday is Bring a Friend Day. If you have anyone you will be bringing, please shoot me their email address so I can send them an email! This Saturday is also Preview Day. Come get an extra workout in and bring friends and family. If you know anyone who might like to join camp but is scared off by the 6AM, keep in mind that starting in July, we will also be offering a camp at 9AM (camper arrival at 8:45).
Today’s mission: Stop yourself from complaining when you hear yourself doing it today!
Assignments: Glance in your logbook and look at the goal you wrote down for this month. How are you doing on them? What can you do today to work towards them? Are you on track to meet your goals? If not, is there an area where you could step it up?
Stop Complaining!
- By Jeff Keller
How do you feel when someone unloads all of their problems and complaints on you? Not very uplifting and energizing, is it? The truth is, nobody likes to be around a complainer -- except, perhaps, other complainers.
Of course, all of us complain at one time or another. The important question is: how often do you complain? If you're wondering whether you complain too much, simply ask your friends, relatives or coworkers. They'll let you know.
Now, when I say "complain," I'm not talking about those instances when you discuss your problems in an attempt to search for solutions. That's constructive and commendable. I'm also not referring to those occasions when you share your experiences (including disappointments) with friends or relatives in the context of bringing them up to date on the latest developments in your life. After all, part of being human is sharing our experiences and supporting each other.
I am referring to the kind of complaining that is counterproductive. For instance, one of the most common areas of complaint is the subject of illness. In this category are comments such as, "My back is killing me" or "I have terrible stomach cramps." Worse yet, some people graphically explain the gory details of their particular ailment (e.g., "I had this green stuff oozing out of my....") And, doesn't it just make your day when your coworker tells you that he or she is nauseous?
Let's face it. What can I possibly do for you if you have a stomach ache? I'm not a physician -- go to a doctor if you have a medical problem. More importantly, why are you telling me this? You might want sympathy, but all you are doing is dragging me down and reinforcing your own suffering. Talking about pain and discomfort will only bring you more of the same -- and encourage those around you to look for the exits.
When it comes to complaints about illness, the principle of escalation usually rears its ugly head. Here's how it works. You tell your friend about the agony you went through with the flu. Your friend interrupts and says, "You think you had it bad. When I had the flu, I had a 104 degree fever and had to be rushed to the hospital. I almost died...." Or, tell someone that your back or foot hurts -- and count how many seconds it takes for that person to switch the conversation to his or her own back pain or aching feet. Complainers love to play this game; their pain is always worse than yours.
Another favorite complaint area is the weather. It starts to rain and people say, "What a lousy, miserable day." Why does some moisture from the heavens make it a lousy day? When someone makes that remark to me, I respond, "It's wet out -- but it's a great day!" By associating "rain" with "lousy day," you are programming yourself in a negative way. Furthermore, your complaints about the weather will not change the conditions. It simply makes no sense to get upset about things over, which you have no control – and, which have no significant impact on your life.
Finally, there are the petty complaints, such as "the waiter didn't come over to take my order for five minutes" or "John got an office with a larger window than I have." Life presents too many difficult challenges for us to get bogged down with silly things like that. And when you gripe about insignificant things, you are also saying something about yourself. If I'm your employer, I'm wondering how you'll react when we really have a problem worth worrying about!
Now, I'm not suggesting that you just sit back and ignore all of the problems in your life. However, rather than complaining, it's far better to focus your attention and your energy on those steps you can take to solve, or at least lessen, your dilemma. For instance, let's say you're feeling a little tired lately. Instead of telling everyone how lousy you feel, make an effort to exercise more regularly, or get to bed a little earlier. And, if you feel you must inform someone else about your situation, seek out an individual who is in a position to offer some possible solutions.
To review: Complaints work against you in three ways. Firstly, no one wants to hear negative news about your illness and your problems. Secondly, complaining reinforces your own pain and discomfort. (Why keep replaying painful, negative memories?) And, thirdly, complaints, by themselves, accomplish nothing and divert you from taking constructive actions to improve your situation.
It's been said that 90 percent of the people don't care about your problems ... and the other 10 percent are glad you have them! Seriously, though, all of us can cut down on our complaining. From now on, let's do ourselves and others a favor and make our conversations uplifting. The people who don't complain much (and those who speak positively) are a joy to be around. Decide to join this group -- so people won't have to cross the street when they see you coming!
--Melody Miser and the Bootcamp Staff
FFF Diva Operation Boot Camp Advice: "The Art of Being Sore"
From my friends at Operation Boot Camp - San Jose:
Many of you have been experiencing extreme soreness/knee issues/shin splints etc. Remember that soreness is expected after a hard workout, and is even a good reminder that you are working hard and building muscle! However joint issues and other types of chronic pain following a workout should be minimized if at all possible. There are absolutely things you can do to reduce it BESIDES halting your workouts. The top 2 things we recommend that you do are:
#1: Purchase new good quality running shoes if your current pair is over 9-12 months old. We highly recommend "Runner's Revolution" in Campbell. They will watch your gait on a treadmill, look at your feet, listen to your concerns, and then recommend a shoe for you. Mention that you are with OBC and they will give you a discount as well. Shoes will be more pricey here than other places, but every pair that i have ever purchased there have been incredible on my feet. Rather than spending less on several pairs of shoes that end up giving me blisters or other issues, i spend more on a pair that lasts me longer and treats my feet kindly- it's worth it.
#2: Learn how to stretch using a foam-roller. The technique is called self-myofascial release, and works wonders on tight knotted-up muscles, which is OFTEN the cause of joint and chronic pain. Talk to one of us if you would like to get your hands on a roll, which are super cheap, and we can show you some easy stretches to start doing at home.
7 Tips on Dealing with Exercise-Induced Pain
By Steve Edwards
I often get complaints from clients about being sore. Statements like "I thought exercise was going to make me feel good, but now I feel worse than ever" are somewhat common with people who are new to exercising. And there's not too much for me to tell them. The fact is that if we have any desire on changing our body for the better, we are going to spend some time being sore. It's inevitable. Fact of life: there is some pain associated with the ultimate pleasure of being fit.
But that doesn't mean you have to take it sitting down! If you anticipate, plan, and take the proper steps, you can minimize your soreness. Whenever you do something physical that you're not used to, you get sore. What this means is that most of you reading this are going to get sore—maybe really, really sore—along your road to fitness. But I can help, because I've been through every level of soreness possible, from the "ahhh, I'm starting a new program" feeling to "@#&!, I can't walk" misery. Here are seven ways to mimic the former statement, and avoid the latter.
Embrace the pain. This idea is going to be foreign to many of you but eventually you're going to learn that a little soreness means you've embarked on something that is good for you. The first time, however, you're going to have to show a little faith. Whenever I switch up my training, I go through an initial period of soreness (like today). While it's always bothersome, say, when it hurts to take off my shoes, I know that it's only temporary and that it's an important step along the road to my goal. So I embrace it. Sure, it hurts. But it hurts in a good way. A great way even. I love the beginning of a new training cycle because I know that once I work through the pain I'm going to be fitter than before. In fact, when I haven't had a period of soreness in a while, I start to feel like a slacker.
Anticipate. Remember that I said I knew I was going to get sore? You are too! So don't go full out on your first day. It's normal to get excited on day 1. You've got a new package in the mail and visions of you walking down the beach turning heads are probably dancing in your head. This is great, but keep your wits about you. You're not going to get that way tomorrow or the next day. Hammering through your first workout could end up delaying your program two weeks while you recover from your exuberance. You'll get sore anyway. Next day, push a bit harder. Next day, a bit harder still.
Eat well. The more you exercise, the better you need to eat. Junk won't fuel your muscles properly. This is especially true if you are trying to lose weight because you are eating less than you need to sustain your body. So what you eat becomes vital. The better you eat, the less sore you'll become. Try to exercise on an empty stomach and then eat a small snack about an hour after finishing your workout. This will greatly help the recovery process and reduce soreness.
Stretch. After you work out. The more time you can spend doing extra stretching at the end of your workout the better you'll recover. Don't stretch your muscles when cold, as you'll risk injuring them further. An extra 10 minutes after you work out, however, can do wonders. Also, easy movements and stretches both at night before bed and first thing in the morning helps your blood circulate better and will also improve your recovery time.
Many of you have been experiencing extreme soreness/knee issues/shin splints etc. Remember that soreness is expected after a hard workout, and is even a good reminder that you are working hard and building muscle! However joint issues and other types of chronic pain following a workout should be minimized if at all possible. There are absolutely things you can do to reduce it BESIDES halting your workouts. The top 2 things we recommend that you do are:
#1: Purchase new good quality running shoes if your current pair is over 9-12 months old. We highly recommend "Runner's Revolution" in Campbell. They will watch your gait on a treadmill, look at your feet, listen to your concerns, and then recommend a shoe for you. Mention that you are with OBC and they will give you a discount as well. Shoes will be more pricey here than other places, but every pair that i have ever purchased there have been incredible on my feet. Rather than spending less on several pairs of shoes that end up giving me blisters or other issues, i spend more on a pair that lasts me longer and treats my feet kindly- it's worth it.
#2: Learn how to stretch using a foam-roller. The technique is called self-myofascial release, and works wonders on tight knotted-up muscles, which is OFTEN the cause of joint and chronic pain. Talk to one of us if you would like to get your hands on a roll, which are super cheap, and we can show you some easy stretches to start doing at home.
7 Tips on Dealing with Exercise-Induced Pain
By Steve Edwards
I often get complaints from clients about being sore. Statements like "I thought exercise was going to make me feel good, but now I feel worse than ever" are somewhat common with people who are new to exercising. And there's not too much for me to tell them. The fact is that if we have any desire on changing our body for the better, we are going to spend some time being sore. It's inevitable. Fact of life: there is some pain associated with the ultimate pleasure of being fit.
But that doesn't mean you have to take it sitting down! If you anticipate, plan, and take the proper steps, you can minimize your soreness. Whenever you do something physical that you're not used to, you get sore. What this means is that most of you reading this are going to get sore—maybe really, really sore—along your road to fitness. But I can help, because I've been through every level of soreness possible, from the "ahhh, I'm starting a new program" feeling to "@#&!, I can't walk" misery. Here are seven ways to mimic the former statement, and avoid the latter.
Embrace the pain. This idea is going to be foreign to many of you but eventually you're going to learn that a little soreness means you've embarked on something that is good for you. The first time, however, you're going to have to show a little faith. Whenever I switch up my training, I go through an initial period of soreness (like today). While it's always bothersome, say, when it hurts to take off my shoes, I know that it's only temporary and that it's an important step along the road to my goal. So I embrace it. Sure, it hurts. But it hurts in a good way. A great way even. I love the beginning of a new training cycle because I know that once I work through the pain I'm going to be fitter than before. In fact, when I haven't had a period of soreness in a while, I start to feel like a slacker.
Anticipate. Remember that I said I knew I was going to get sore? You are too! So don't go full out on your first day. It's normal to get excited on day 1. You've got a new package in the mail and visions of you walking down the beach turning heads are probably dancing in your head. This is great, but keep your wits about you. You're not going to get that way tomorrow or the next day. Hammering through your first workout could end up delaying your program two weeks while you recover from your exuberance. You'll get sore anyway. Next day, push a bit harder. Next day, a bit harder still.
Eat well. The more you exercise, the better you need to eat. Junk won't fuel your muscles properly. This is especially true if you are trying to lose weight because you are eating less than you need to sustain your body. So what you eat becomes vital. The better you eat, the less sore you'll become. Try to exercise on an empty stomach and then eat a small snack about an hour after finishing your workout. This will greatly help the recovery process and reduce soreness.
Stretch. After you work out. The more time you can spend doing extra stretching at the end of your workout the better you'll recover. Don't stretch your muscles when cold, as you'll risk injuring them further. An extra 10 minutes after you work out, however, can do wonders. Also, easy movements and stretches both at night before bed and first thing in the morning helps your blood circulate better and will also improve your recovery time.
FFF Diva Humor: Marathon Running Humor
It's been a loooong time since my last post! Unbelievable. Personal life update soon, but as a peace offering here is a humorous comic strip:
Cyanide & Happiness @ Explosm.net
Cyanide & Happiness @ Explosm.net
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
FFF Diva Advice: "Lunch Portion Control"
Portion Control - Lunch from JudyDoherty on Vimeo.
Here is a fun video about portion control for lunch. Most people think “sandwich.” But if you don’t pack it yourself, you can get in a lot of trouble. Portion distortion for lunch is practiced in almost every restaurant and deli every day. If you skipped breakfast and make the wrong decision for lunch it can result in a lot of calories, sodium and fat consumed.
The next time you think you have a great sandwich – perform a dissection – what do you have? Usually a whole plate of bread that is probably 4-8 servings, a pile of fatty deli meat that is laced with sodium, some cheese and a tiny pile of lettuce that probably doesn’t count all that much toward your daily vegetable intake that is recommended by the good folks at MyPyramid and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
The video above shows a better recipe for lunch for far fewer calories and the same volume of food.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
FFF Diva Operation Boot Camp Advice: "Food for Thought: Apples"
Did You Know......
Over 2500 varieties grown nationally. Only 100 varieties for commercial sale
Common US states for apples include: Washington, Oregon, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Arkansas
Selection - Choose firm, fragrant, shiny, blemish-free skinned fruits. Avoid broken skin, internal browning or shriveled fruits
Storage - the best place to store apples in in the refrigerator crisper. Apples continue to ripen after harvest. Apples ripen 5-6 times faster at room temperature than they do in the refrigerator.
Health Benefits - Good source of fiber (4 - 5 grams per apple with skin). they are one of the best food sources of pectin, a soluble fiber which can help lower cholesterol. 22 grams of carbohydrate per 1 medium apple (80 calories). Provides 12% of your daily potassium needs. Fat, cholesterol, and sodium free. An excellent source of quercetin, a disease-fighting phytochemical.
Peak Season - August - November
Fun Facts - The average consumer eats 45.5 pounds of apples a year. Half of the apple crop in the U.S. is procesed into apple products such as apple sauce, apple pie filling, jams, jellies and juice.
Think of apples as your new "Fast Food". No campers an appletini is not the same thing!!!
Have a Wonderful Day,
Lisa Daniels, RD
Over 2500 varieties grown nationally. Only 100 varieties for commercial sale
Common US states for apples include: Washington, Oregon, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Arkansas
Selection - Choose firm, fragrant, shiny, blemish-free skinned fruits. Avoid broken skin, internal browning or shriveled fruits
Storage - the best place to store apples in in the refrigerator crisper. Apples continue to ripen after harvest. Apples ripen 5-6 times faster at room temperature than they do in the refrigerator.
Health Benefits - Good source of fiber (4 - 5 grams per apple with skin). they are one of the best food sources of pectin, a soluble fiber which can help lower cholesterol. 22 grams of carbohydrate per 1 medium apple (80 calories). Provides 12% of your daily potassium needs. Fat, cholesterol, and sodium free. An excellent source of quercetin, a disease-fighting phytochemical.
Peak Season - August - November
Fun Facts - The average consumer eats 45.5 pounds of apples a year. Half of the apple crop in the U.S. is procesed into apple products such as apple sauce, apple pie filling, jams, jellies and juice.
Think of apples as your new "Fast Food". No campers an appletini is not the same thing!!!
Have a Wonderful Day,
Lisa Daniels, RD
FFF Diva Operation Boot Camp Advice:"Bootcamp - Increasing Your Metabolism"
Excellent job on writing out your goals! Goal setting is proven to be incredibly beneficial. If we don't have clear things we are working towards, it's easy to wake up weeks and months later and be frustrated that nothing much is happening. Now that you have set your fitness goals for June, keep your eyes on them! Re-read every few days and ask yourself "what did I do yesterday to work towards those goals?" and "what can I do TODAY to reach those goals?" There is no better time than today to work towards what you want.
Today’s Mission: Remove the temptations from your home and/or office. Get rid of alcohol, ice cream, cookie, chips, etc. If the temptations are accessible to us, it increases the chances of us eating them! Replace those items with fresh fruits, veggies and whole grain snacks. (Make sure you give the items away or take them to the office, but do not eat them to get rid of them!)
Assignments:
1) get some insect repellant! the mosquitos are out right now and can be quite annoying. keep it in your car so you can give yourself a quick spray on the way to camp.
2) Invite a friend or family member to join you for the preview workout this Saturday at 8:15
What is the Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) or more commonly referred to as Resting Energy Expenditure (REE)?
Metabolic rate is the overall rate at which chemical reactions use energy in our bodies. Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) or Resting Energy Expenditure (REE) is measured under standard conditions when the body is quiet, resting and fasting. A 'calorie' is a measurement of heat that tells us the amount of oxygen that is used by the cells of the body. The normal every day oxidation of carbohydrates, fats and proteins takes between 800 and 1200 calories. This means that for normal cell growth, repair, blood circulation and some everyday movement we use approximately 800 to 1200 calories. Depending on our height, weight, gender, body composition and activity level REE varies from person to person. In addition to the 800-1200 calories we expend for basic cell functions, we require approximately 500 additional calories to carry out digestion, walking and other daily routine activities.
Let's do the math on that:
1700 (1200(BMR)+ 500 burned per day through daily functions
400 (Burned at a boot camp workout) this can vary from day to day
Total: 2100
Let's say I am eating 1800 calories per day, that would be a net loss of 300 calories for me. (2100-1800 = -300)
If I kept the same calorie burn and caloric intake everyday for a week, that would be a net loss of 2100 calories for the week. (-300 cal/day x 7 days = -2100)
In order to lose 1 pound, I have to have a net loss of 3500 calories - so I may not even lose a pound until the second week and even then I could have also gained muscle mass, which could produce a net gain instead of a loss. Do you see how this is a slow process, but it works over time if you stick with it! This is also why we advocate that you measure success by how your clothes fit and not what the scale says! Muscle needs more calories to expend energy than fat. The more muscle we have the more calories we burn! Muscle also needs and attracts more water so we can retain more water, which can also cause us to appear to have gained.
What controls your REE?
There are a few factors that control the BMR, but the main regulator is thyroid hormones. REE increases as the thyroid levels in the blood rise. The response to changing levels of thyroid hormone is slow to take effect and make take several days to become present. Thyroid hormone stimulates aerobic cellular respiration and thus we give off more heat and the core body temperature rises. This is why it takes several days to weeks to start to feel the changes in your stamina, speed and strength.
How does Exercise affect REE?
During strenuous exercise, our REE can rise nearly 15 times the basal rate. Boot camp workouts will actually boost your metabolism and energy expenditure because they raise the core body temperature and burn additional calories and possibly call on our fat stores for energy. The more consistent we exercise the greater our resting BMR becomes and we will actually burn more calories more efficiently when we exercise because our body becomes more conditioned!
How does core body temperature affect REE?
As the core body temperature increases, the biochemical reactions in your body increase. For every degree our body temperature increase, the metabolic reactions increase by 10%. So heart rate, stroke volume of blood, circulation of oxygen and muscle contractions, just to name a few, will be increased by 10% the normal resting rate with each degree we raise our core temperature. When we exercise, one of the biggest things we are trying to do is raise our core body temperature to stimulate aerobic respiration, energy expenditure and ultimately fat loss. Heat is a sign that our metabolic reactions are increasing and our body uses calories to feed the system and cool us down!
How does food affect REE?
The ingestion of food raises the REE by 10-20% because of the energy cost for absorption and digestion. So if you are eating consistently 5-6 times per day, you are raising the REE through the digestion of the food consistently instead of waiting for long periods of time between meals. In the long run, this will get your body to digest, absorb and utilize food more effectively.
What else affects the REE?
There are other factors that can increase or decrease your REE. Females tend to have a lower BMR unless they are pregnant. People who live in tropical climates, who are malnourished or sleep a lot will also have lower REE's. Active people tend to have a higher REE and as you increase your activity level you can increase your REE over time. This will allow you to burn more calories during daily activity, as well as in your workouts.
How do I find my REE?
This question is a little more complicated and may entail a body fat assessment via hydrostatic weighing or Dexa scan if you are looking for an exact measure. Your REE will depend on many things including height, weight, gender, age, body composition (lean mass vs. fat mass), as well as your goals and your current activity level.
If you would like to get your body composition tested, (which we HIGHLY recommend!) you have the opportunity on Saturday June 19th. We will be having Aaron Dietz from Bodywave coming to Golds Gym for our clients on this day. If you are interested, speak to Melody or Ronny. This is a great thing to do as you embark on your exercise program.
If you are looking for a quick calculation that only takes into account body weight, try this little formula. (But please be warned is just a quick measure of REE and could be off - meaning you might need more calories or you may need less)
Take your weight in pounds and convert to kilograms by dividing your weight by 2.2.
Take you weight in kilograms and multiply by 0.9 to get the REE for 1 hour.
Take your REE for one hour and multiply by 24 hours to get your REE for one day.
Remember that your REE operates on a 24 hour cycle and does not stop when we sleep; we still need calories to pump blood, breath and dream!
-Melody Miser and the Bootcamp Staff
Today’s Mission: Remove the temptations from your home and/or office. Get rid of alcohol, ice cream, cookie, chips, etc. If the temptations are accessible to us, it increases the chances of us eating them! Replace those items with fresh fruits, veggies and whole grain snacks. (Make sure you give the items away or take them to the office, but do not eat them to get rid of them!)
Assignments:
1) get some insect repellant! the mosquitos are out right now and can be quite annoying. keep it in your car so you can give yourself a quick spray on the way to camp.
2) Invite a friend or family member to join you for the preview workout this Saturday at 8:15
What is the Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) or more commonly referred to as Resting Energy Expenditure (REE)?
Metabolic rate is the overall rate at which chemical reactions use energy in our bodies. Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) or Resting Energy Expenditure (REE) is measured under standard conditions when the body is quiet, resting and fasting. A 'calorie' is a measurement of heat that tells us the amount of oxygen that is used by the cells of the body. The normal every day oxidation of carbohydrates, fats and proteins takes between 800 and 1200 calories. This means that for normal cell growth, repair, blood circulation and some everyday movement we use approximately 800 to 1200 calories. Depending on our height, weight, gender, body composition and activity level REE varies from person to person. In addition to the 800-1200 calories we expend for basic cell functions, we require approximately 500 additional calories to carry out digestion, walking and other daily routine activities.
Let's do the math on that:
1700 (1200(BMR)+ 500 burned per day through daily functions
400 (Burned at a boot camp workout) this can vary from day to day
Total: 2100
Let's say I am eating 1800 calories per day, that would be a net loss of 300 calories for me. (2100-1800 = -300)
If I kept the same calorie burn and caloric intake everyday for a week, that would be a net loss of 2100 calories for the week. (-300 cal/day x 7 days = -2100)
In order to lose 1 pound, I have to have a net loss of 3500 calories - so I may not even lose a pound until the second week and even then I could have also gained muscle mass, which could produce a net gain instead of a loss. Do you see how this is a slow process, but it works over time if you stick with it! This is also why we advocate that you measure success by how your clothes fit and not what the scale says! Muscle needs more calories to expend energy than fat. The more muscle we have the more calories we burn! Muscle also needs and attracts more water so we can retain more water, which can also cause us to appear to have gained.
What controls your REE?
There are a few factors that control the BMR, but the main regulator is thyroid hormones. REE increases as the thyroid levels in the blood rise. The response to changing levels of thyroid hormone is slow to take effect and make take several days to become present. Thyroid hormone stimulates aerobic cellular respiration and thus we give off more heat and the core body temperature rises. This is why it takes several days to weeks to start to feel the changes in your stamina, speed and strength.
How does Exercise affect REE?
During strenuous exercise, our REE can rise nearly 15 times the basal rate. Boot camp workouts will actually boost your metabolism and energy expenditure because they raise the core body temperature and burn additional calories and possibly call on our fat stores for energy. The more consistent we exercise the greater our resting BMR becomes and we will actually burn more calories more efficiently when we exercise because our body becomes more conditioned!
How does core body temperature affect REE?
As the core body temperature increases, the biochemical reactions in your body increase. For every degree our body temperature increase, the metabolic reactions increase by 10%. So heart rate, stroke volume of blood, circulation of oxygen and muscle contractions, just to name a few, will be increased by 10% the normal resting rate with each degree we raise our core temperature. When we exercise, one of the biggest things we are trying to do is raise our core body temperature to stimulate aerobic respiration, energy expenditure and ultimately fat loss. Heat is a sign that our metabolic reactions are increasing and our body uses calories to feed the system and cool us down!
How does food affect REE?
The ingestion of food raises the REE by 10-20% because of the energy cost for absorption and digestion. So if you are eating consistently 5-6 times per day, you are raising the REE through the digestion of the food consistently instead of waiting for long periods of time between meals. In the long run, this will get your body to digest, absorb and utilize food more effectively.
What else affects the REE?
There are other factors that can increase or decrease your REE. Females tend to have a lower BMR unless they are pregnant. People who live in tropical climates, who are malnourished or sleep a lot will also have lower REE's. Active people tend to have a higher REE and as you increase your activity level you can increase your REE over time. This will allow you to burn more calories during daily activity, as well as in your workouts.
How do I find my REE?
This question is a little more complicated and may entail a body fat assessment via hydrostatic weighing or Dexa scan if you are looking for an exact measure. Your REE will depend on many things including height, weight, gender, age, body composition (lean mass vs. fat mass), as well as your goals and your current activity level.
If you would like to get your body composition tested, (which we HIGHLY recommend!) you have the opportunity on Saturday June 19th. We will be having Aaron Dietz from Bodywave coming to Golds Gym for our clients on this day. If you are interested, speak to Melody or Ronny. This is a great thing to do as you embark on your exercise program.
If you are looking for a quick calculation that only takes into account body weight, try this little formula. (But please be warned is just a quick measure of REE and could be off - meaning you might need more calories or you may need less)
Take your weight in pounds and convert to kilograms by dividing your weight by 2.2.
Take you weight in kilograms and multiply by 0.9 to get the REE for 1 hour.
Take your REE for one hour and multiply by 24 hours to get your REE for one day.
Remember that your REE operates on a 24 hour cycle and does not stop when we sleep; we still need calories to pump blood, breath and dream!
-Melody Miser and the Bootcamp Staff
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