The Importance of Sleep

This month we will look at another necessity, which is sleep. Very regularly, people underestimate the importance of sleep and do not sleep enough. When you understand how significant sleep is to your body composition, strength, health and overall well being, it becomes obvious that the better we are able to sleep, the better we are able to live. You produce most of your growth hormone when you sleep, so actually to achieve your goals it is essential to be resting properly so that your mind and body fully recovers overnight.

Like nutrition, sleep needs are unique to the individual. For males between the ages of 17-35, the national sleep foundation recommends 7-9 hours. Lifestyle and activity levels play a huge factor. The harder you live, the more sleep you need. A lot of people also use the excuse that there is not enough time to get a good night’s sleep as they are very busy during the day and struggle to fit their duties throughout the day. In order for you to change your sleep habits, you need to change this perspective. Sleep is just as vital as eating the right foods and exercising for a certain amount of time during the day. No excuses!

Numerous studies have found that insufficient sleep increases a person's risk of developing serious medical conditions, including obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. One study found that sleep-deprived workers are costing the UK economy £40bn a year and face a higher risk of death. The effects from a lack of sleep are massive. Sleep deprivation not only influences an individual's health and wellbeing but has a significant impact on a nation's economy," said Marco Hafner, a research leader at Rand Europe and the study’s main leader.

Let us look at the health issues, which deprived sleep could cause. First up is obesity. Several studies have linked insufficient sleep and weight gain. For example, one study found that people who slept fewer than six hours per night on a regular basis were much more likely to have excess body weight, while people who slept an average of eight hours per night had the lowest relative body fat of the study group. If your goal is to lose weight, it is essential to be getting the right amount of sleep each night.

Next up is diabetes. Studies have shown that people who reported sleeping fewer than five hours per night had a greatly increased risk of having or developing type 2 diabetes. Moreover, further studies have concluded that getting the right amount of sleep can positively influence blood sugar control and reduce the effects of type 2 diabetes.

Finally, a study also found that people who averaged less than seven hours of sleep a night were about three times more likely to develop cold symptoms than study volunteers who got eight or more hours of sleep when exposed to the cold-causing virus.

As a result, a good rule of thumb is to receive between seven and nine hours of sleep per night, and to make sure that one poor night of sleep is not followed up with a few more. It might not seem like much, but it could make all the difference and mean more than any other health decision you make. 

Does Nutrient Timing Really Matter ?

‘18-year-old powerlifter Joseph Pena, from Texas managed to back squat a huge 1,025 pounds! (465kg) In the same competition he managed to bench press 515 pounds (233kg) and deadlift another 605 (274kg), taking his record breaking tally to 2,145 lbs (973kg) for the tournament. Imagine if this continues to improve?!’

Nutrient Timing – Does it really matter?

What is ‘Nutrient timing’?

Nutrient timing is the planned alteration of macronutrient (carbohydrate, protein and fat) intake in order to promote health. The application of knowing when & what to eat before, during and after exercise can put you in an advantageous position for exercise performance and recovery. However, it is important to understand why. It all begins with how your body reacts to exercise and the importance of hormones.

Your body contains a number of catabolic (breaking down) and anabolic (building up) hormones that are stimulated by exercise. Catabolic hormones aid the disassembly of nutrients for energy production, whilst the anabolic hormones support muscle hypertrophy (growth), tissue repair, inflammation control (the feelings that you fear after a leg workout) and also facilitate the regulation of carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism.

Catabolic Hormones

During your workout catabolic hormones are largely responsible for the breakdown of glycogen (converting it to glucose for fuel/energy) in the liver and muscles. These hormones are also increase heart rate, blood pressure, heart contractility, blood distribution to muscle and respiration rate to meet the physiological needs of continuous exercise.

Hormones; Epinephrine, norepinephrine, cortisol.

Anabolic Hormones

Two important hormones for the anabolic phase are insulin and testosterone. Insulin sensitivity is increased during exercise meaning there is more of a demand of glucose for muscle contractions. It also accelerates the transportation of amino acids into muscle and stimulates protein synthesis (removal or repairing of damaged protein and replacing it with replicas that are stronger and more dense) in muscles. Testosterone is also a powerful hormone which promotes protein synthesis and muscle hypertrophy. The amount of testosterone increases with exercise.

The main goals behind Nutrient Timing;

§  Decrease muscle protein breakdown

§  Increase muscle protein synthesis

§  Replenish glycogen (stored carbohydrate)

§  Switch from catabolic to anabolic hormone phase (usually via insulin)

To enforce nutrient timing, academic studies have recommended that you should eat during these three phases;

§  Energy Phase – just before and during workout

§  Anabolic Phase – up to 45 minutes, post workout

§  Growth Phase – remainder of the day

     Energy Phase

Muscle glycogen is the primary fuel (followed by fat) used by the body during exercise. Low muscle glycogen stores result in muscle fatigue and the body's inability to complete high intensity exercise.

The goals with the energy phase are to increase nutrient (primarily carbohydrate and some protein) delivery to muscles, spare glycogen and protein loss, limit immune system suppression, minimize muscle damage and prepare nutritionally for a faster recovery. Carbohydrate intake prior to resistance training can increase the body's capacity to perform more sets, repetitions and prolong a resistance training workout.

Anabolic Phase

‘Protein in an hour, strengthen thy power. Protein delayed, no gains are made’

No, William Shakespeare did not come up with this phrase.

This expression is a ritual to many gym-users and should be carved in stone at every fitness center. Once the workout is in history books, there seems to be a rush to gulp down a protein shake. This is why you see many leave the gym in a rush, holding a product marketing protein shaker filled with the latest post workout supplements.

Many studies insist that ingesting the right nutrients (carbohydrates, and protein) post exercise can increase muscle endurance and strength. The optimal window for nutrient consumption is up to 45 minutes after a workout. If no nutrient consumption has taken place for up to 4 hours post exercise, then the positive effects will not be the same. 

Immediate ingestion of carbohydrate is important the insulin sensitivity post exercise causes the muscle membranes to be more permeable to glucose. This results in faster rates of glucose storage and provides the body with enough strength to initiate the recovery process.

Growth Phase

The growth phase consists of the 18 - 20 hours post-exercise when muscle repair, growth and strength occur. The goals of this phase are to maintain insulin sensitivity in order to continue to replenish glycogen stores and to maintain the anabolic state. Consuming a protein and carbohydrate meal within 1 - 3 hours after resistance training has a positive stimulating effect on protein synthesis. Carbohydrate meals with moderate to high glycaemic indexes (brown rice, oats, whole wheat bread etc.) are more favourable to enhance post-exercise fueling. 

Change The Way You Think About Cardio Vascular Exercises

Change The Way You Think About Cardio Vascular

You are drowning in a sea of cardiovascular machines and intimidated by the idea of the right cardio exercise for you. I have worked in the fitness industry for a long time and I recognize the look.

You need to forget, as with all training regimes, the counterproductive notion that within this sea of cardiovascular machines is just the one for you.

 You’ll be delighted to know that there is no such need for such CV monogamy.              

                             

 In fact settling in to the same old ways will stop you enjoying all the diverse benefits that high and low intensity cardio can bring you.

Cardio Vascular exercise is defined by the National Physical Activity guidelines as ‘the ability of the heart and lungs to supply oxygen-rich blood to working muscle tissues with the ability of the muscles to use oxygen to produce energy for movement’ or in layman’s terms any exercise that forces your heart rate to beat faster. Cardio exercise, when optimized, can do the following for you.

• Reduce  your stress
• Give you  better quality sleep
• Give you confidence about how you feel and look
• Make you lose weight faster

·         Improve your brain. Including an increase in concentration and prevention of memory loss. A study conducted by the Centre for BrainHealth at The University of Texas saw 57-75 yr olds show a higher metabolic rate and increased neuronal activity in the anterior cingulate after just 3 hours a week of exercise on a stationary bike and treadmill. The anterior cingulate is the primary link between superior cognition in late life.

To give your body a break from excessive pounding, and to reduce the risk of injury use Low impact exercises. The Cross-trainer, Recumbent bike, and the Adaptive motion trainers (AMT’s) will minimize the compressive forces on your bones and joints. Or why not slip into a SportsDock Yoga or Pilate’s class. Improving your flexibility, balance, and inner strength. 

CV machines such as the Treadmill, Versa climber, and steppers have more compressive force thus making your blood work much harder.

The right amount of High Impact cardio exercise can increase bone density, performance and torch calories à la SportsDocks Train Insane and Body Blast classes.

Have your favorite C.V machines but try to alternate high and low impact cardio workouts working them together. After all diversity is always better. A bit of spice in life to contrast your rather sedentary work lifestyle. 

Remember to ignore any apathetic sighs you may hear from friends and beware of the growing trend to judge C.V workouts based in contrast to its rather outgoing flashy brother- the resistance trainer.

Ultimately adopting the habit of regular, varied, C.V exercise is much more important than fretting over which suits me better.