Confused about Carbs?  What is with the low carb rage?

 

In last months newsletter we made the point that there is no such thing as an essential carbohydrate. The amount we need on a daily basis is virtually zero.  Dr. Sears, of course would never suggest that we eliminate carbohydrates from our diet totally because they are great sources of vitamins, minerals, fiber and water which are essential. It is the sugar component that is not essential. Our bodies have pathways to create glucose (which is the primary fuel for the brain) from proteins and the glycerol component of fat.  One reason we need to take in some carbohydrate is so that we don't break down too much lean mass (muscle etc) to just keep our blood glucose levels up.  It has a protein sparing effect in other words. In addition, SuperSlow workouts will deplete our glucose (glycogen) stores in our muscles so we need some carbohydrates to replenish these stores.  The workouts give our carbohydrates someplace to go otherwise the carbohydrates would be converted to fat and stored as fat.

 

Ever go out to eat Chinese food and end up hungry 2 hours later?  Ever try to eat rabbit food for a week  only to end up losing energy and not those pounds for that favorite outfit?  Ever go on a certain fad diet and your blood work end up worse than when you started out?

 

The answer may lie in the area of a misunderstood food category called the carbohydrate.  In last months article; we discussed the definition of a carbohydrate.  In short, a carbohydrate is a fruit, vegetable, or a grain, something that contains sugar in one of its many forms.  They all come from the ground. Protein comes from things that move around (animals)  Ground=carb.  Protein=move around.

 

Carbohydrates and their contained sugars are converted into blood glucose more readily than proteins and fats.  So blood glucose is more immediately affected by carbohydrates than proteins and fats.  High carbohydrate diets make you hungry by increasing insulin levels too much. The insulin then lowers the glucose to fast and the brain does not like this = hypoglycemia.   That is why after a white rice Chinese dinner you feel hungry a few hours later. Cortisol and other stress hormones like epinephrine are released when the blood glucose is too low.  Cortisol is one of those hormones that tends to make us accumulate more fat and can impair formation of lean mass (muscle and bone density).  Epinephrine makes you jittery, nervous and elevates the heart and blood pressure.

  

So the brain is self-protecting enough, so that when we make poor dietary decisions, it responds by increasing the hormone cortisol and epinephrine, “bad stress” hormones.  How do you like that?! You get stupider, and more stressed!  Then the body begins to tear down existing muscle mass for the brain priority.  Now we get weak too.  Eeegads does it ever end!  So say no to low. 

 

So now I have your attention in order to make intelligent decisions about carbohydrates, so we do not end up fatter, stupider, weaker, or compromise our health.  The answer is two parts.  First we need to make fruits and vegetables a priority, grains minimal and balance the fruits and veggies out with protein and good fats, so that we feed the brain, muscles, hormones, as well as our stomach.  One person once told me to feed my cells not my stomach.  That is what adequate nutrition is all about.

 

One more victory for the Zone.  It is neither a high nor a low-carbohydrate eating lifestyle   It is considered adequate/moderate carbohydrate. The author of the Zone, Dr. Barry Sears comments,”The only diets that will work on a long term basis never use the work high or low to describe themselves.”

 

 The poet Edwin Markham said that "Choices are the hinges of destiny".  So, say yes to adequate. Moderation is a key word used quite often but is abused in terms of license.  Turn the hinges of your doors of destiny with good food choices.  When it comes to carbohydrates, high or low will end up back firing for us.  Fruits and vegetables are carbohydrates that we can trust. Grains can mess with our glucose, and fat cells. Grandma always said that an apple a day keeps the doctor away.  What she forgot to say was that an avocado a day keeps the endocrinologist away.   

 

Dawn Blem

Certified Nutritional Consultant  

Contact Dawn Blem

Amanda's Corner:  "Announcing the SuperSlow® Honor Roll"

Who is going to be the first?  Still working on the Criteria!

 

Over the past few months we have been recognizing a SuperSlow® Star of the month. Dr. Christian and the staff have selected these Stars because of their hard work and success and to some extent because each of them came to us for different reasons and with different goals.  We consider all our members to be Stars and we will continue to have a Star each month.  Not all of the Stars are going to have really spectacular results in terms of body composition and strength but, nonetheless, we want to recognize special situations which benefit from our program and the reasons that they chose to work with us.

 

We feel it is necessary however, to create a very special category of achievement which we will call the "SuperSlow® Honor Roll". The requirements for membership on the Honor Roll will be much more stringent and will require a lot more work.  It will be something everyone can strive for and there is no time limit to getting on the Honor Roll.  A few may achieve it in a 4 month program, others may take a year or years. 

 

The Requirements Being Considered Include:

1.  Be a SuperSlow® Zone Inside Outside Client and declare that you have set a goal to become a member of the Honor Roll.

2.  Have Pre and Post Digital Pictures taken or provide us with a Pre Picture representative of you before our program.

3.  Achieve Certain Levels of Strength Increases in our 5 basic machines.

4.  Achieve a certain level of body composition based on goals set at the initial consultation.

 

Members who achieve the Honor Roll will be recognized in the Newsletter, receive extra sessions added to their program and a T-Shirt.

 

We would appreciate Members Feedback on the requirements for this Award.   Final requirements are to be announced in December.

 

Amanda Antonini

Contact Amanda Antonini

 

 

Nancy's Marketing Update:  Community Service, Seminars and Radio!

 

 

 

 

 

On 28 Oct as part of the Inside Outside Community Outreach program, Nancy, Dawn, Ashley and Amanda went to the Ronald McDonald house and prepared a Spaghetti dinner for the residents. There are 2 San Antonio locations. Dr. Christian is scheduled to speak to their staff in Jan 2005. Visit their website.     Ronald McDonald House of San Antonio Web Site.

The SouthSide 4H Club Director Sharon Martin brought the Group to Inside Outside on 4 November for a Tour. Dr. Christian Talked to them about the "Power of Food" and Dawn followed up with a discussion of food choices!!  More Pictures Here.    

 

Dr. Christian's Interview with Karen Clauss recorded on 4 Oct will be broadcast beginning on 28 Nov.  We will get out an announcement about which stations and times. The 30min interview focused on the importance of combining a Reduced Calorie diet like the Zone and Concurrent Strength Training like SuperSlow® .   Check out Karen's Custom Cake Design Service. lecake.com  Karen Clauss Bio Link

 

Dr. Christian spoke to over 100 Aggie Mom's on 2 Nov at Aggie Park.  His Topic was "The 6 Components of Optimal Health and Aging" with emphasis on combining Zone Nutrtion and SuperSlow Strength Training.  This Aggie Mom's Club has been around since 1926. Dr. Christian's Father was in the Class of 41 and he showed the ladies pictures of his dad.  The Aggie Mom's WebSite   

 

Check out "Working Out Part II"  by Bert Gallagher, Editor of City Pages Magazine. The November Edition of the City Pages Magazine featured the second of several first person articles written by Bert Gallagher, the editor of the magazine and his Creative Director Doug Jacobson.  Their November article  is on their web site   Here._

 

Banner Ads

 

 

Inside Outside Wellness Center and Medical Spa sponsored MySA.com Health Page 15 Oct -20 Nov 2004. A total of about 40,000 impressions of the banner ad were delivered and we had 167 clickthrus to our site!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amanda's SuperSlow® Technique Corner: The SuperSlow® Leg Curl    

 It's the Holiday Season:  A'Curling we will go!!

 

The SuperSlow® Seated Leg Curl Machine designed by Ken Hutchins the founder of SuperSlow® Strength training is a very elegant piece of equipment.  It will really workout the hamstrings and guarantees a burn. Features include a Floating Seat which keeps you in perfect contact with the lever arm during the positive and negative and avoids knee irritation.  There is also an adjustable Cam which allows us to customize the place that the cam kicks in and drops the resistance of the machine. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some important rules to remember when performing this compound movement:

1. The Toes are always dorsiflexed “Heels to Butt, Toes to Ceiling” as Ken says.
2. The hands are kept folded on the abdomen.
3. We will squeeze at the top.
4. It is a long range of motion so even though it is still 10seconds up and 10 down the movement seems a little faster.  

 

Now let's go A'Curling!!

 

Amanda Antonini, SuperSlow® Instructor

Contact Amanda Antonini

  

                                                          

 

We Welcome Trish Huckeba, Medical Aesthetician and our New Spa Manager!

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