Skinny Girl's Quest for Muscle

Big Ole' Boost of Energy

2010-01-26T05:00:00.000-08:00

Afraid of Cancer? Eat Your Edam.

2010-01-08T05:01:00.000-08:00

Dr. Weston Price was a dentist who became famous after writing Nutritional and Physical Degeneration, a book narrating his travels around the world to study the diversity in the dietary nutrition of remote, non-industrialized settlements ranging from locations in the Swiss Alps, to Eskimo and African villages. Dr. Price attempted to determine why these populations, who had no modern dental or medical technology available, appeared to have much better dental health, and overall health, than Westerners.

In 1945, Dr. Price published a new chapter as part of his second edition of Nutrition and Physical Degeneration. In this groundbreaking new chapter, he suggested that a substance that he labeled as "Activator X" was the tie between the diverse diets of the remote populations. He found Activator X to be a fat soluble substance that assisted vitamins A and D with their useful functions in the body. Food sources containing Activator X identified were: milk, dark yellow butters and hard cheeses made from cattle that grazed on spring grasses.

Fast forward 60 years to today. The newly formed paradigm suggests that Activator X is actually vitamin K2. Haven't heard of it? You are not alone. Although vitamin K was discovered nearly a century ago, the role of vitamin k2, a substance that is found in fractional amounts in the diet, was overlooked until just recently. Modern research has not only created a link between the benefits that Dr. Price found from Activator X in the diet and those of what we understand of vitamin k2's role in nutrition, it has taken it a step further suggesting a link between k2 and cancer prevention. In April of 2008, research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggested an inverse correlation between vitamin k2 in the diet and prostate cancer (3). K2 has also been indicated for possible prevention of liver cancer (4) and heart disease (5).

So this is all great news, but what does it means for me?

Interestingly, although Dr. Price did not find many individual macro nutrient or food-specific commonalities between the diets of the remote people that he studied, the one commonality that did tie the groups together, the mysterious "Activator X" was found to naturally occur in fatty foods such as the whole milk hard cheeses and butters products consumed by the Swiss and the miscellaneous organ meats eaten by the other groups--organ meats that are not found in a typical Western diet as they are deemed inferior to lean muscle meats, and are rather considered byproducts appropriate for use in pet feeds, but not the human diet. Activator X, or vitamin k2 as we now assume, is also found in egg yolks, goose liver, and Natto--a gummy fermented soy-based food eaten in Japan. Vitamin k2 was on its way to being displaced in the typical Western diet by other foods, leaner muscle meats, skimmed and non-fatted milks and dairy, margarine, processed cheese foods, etc.(6) Additionally, Western butter, produced from cattle fed a grain-based diet has lower k2 content than the butters found in the European markets made from cattle fed a grass-based diet(6).

It wasn't until 2006 that the USDA even began reporting vitamin k values in foods(6). Today, it's still difficult to find a separation of vitamin k1 and k2 values for various foods. Vitamin k1 occurs mainly in plant foods where vitamin k2 can be found in animal products. Beyond the occurrence of the vitamin in food sources, it's important to note that vitamin k2 is a fat soluble substance meaning it requires dietary fat to be utilized properly in the body. Putting this into practice, would suggest eating fatty dairy instead of non-fat or de-fatted dairy products to get the full benefit from vitamins A and D, and calcium.

So, why Edam?

In a recent dissertation paper, a graduate candidate found that Edam cheese contained the largest concentration of k2 out of all cheeses in the study(7).

References:
1) Dr. Weston Price, Nutrition and Physical Degeneration.
2) http://www.westonaprice.org/On-the-Trail-of-the-Elusive-X-Factor-A-Sixty-Two-Year-Old-Mystery-Finally-Solved.html#60
(3) Katharina Nimptsch, Sabine Rohrmann and Jakob Linseisen, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 87, No. 4, 985-992, April 2008
(4) Daiki Habu, MD, PhD; Susumu Shiomi, MD, PhD; Akihiro Tamori, MD, PhD; Tadashi Takeda, MD, PhD; Takashi Tanaka, MD, PhD; Shoji Kubo, MD, PhD; Shuhei Nishiguchi, MD, PhD, Role of Vitamin K₂ in the Development of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Women With Viral Cirrhosis of the Liver , JAMA. 2004;292:358-361.
(5) [insert reference]
(6) http://www.westonaprice.org/On-the-Trail-of-the-Elusive-X-Factor-A-Sixty-Two-Year-Old-Mystery-Finally-Solved.html#fig4
(7) Koivu-Tikkanen, T. 2000. Determination of phylloquinone and menaquinones in foods by HPLC (dissertation). EKT-series 1216. University of Helsinki, Department of Applied Chemistry and Microbiology, 82 pp.

Day 4, Thursday

2010-01-08T05:00:00.000-08:00

Uh oh, didn't eat enough today.

Today's Menu:

Breakfast:
1 whole milk latte (12 oz)
1 banana

Snacks:
1 Soy milk latte (12 oz)
1 cup cottage cheese (4% milkfat)
1 banana

Lunch:
Leftover Vegetable Soup:
- broth
- green beans
- zucchini
- carrots
- broccoli
- diced tomatoes
Water

Afternoon Snacks:
2 tangerines

Dinner:
white potato
winter squash
garlic
carrots
3 oz rockfish
1 tsp coconut oil
herbs/spices
1 cup spinach, raw
1 cup romaine, raw
1/3 cup walnuts
2 tsp dressing
water

Exercise:

Shoulders/Back
Core

Supplements:

FloraVital (1/2 recommended serving)
Creatine (3 grams)
HMB (1/2 recommended serving)
Beta Alanine (3-4 grams)
Triple Flex (Glucosamine Blend) (3/4 recommended serving)

Day 3, Wednesday

2010-01-07T05:00:00.000-08:00

Today was a very good day. I ended up with a good nutrition profile even with the noontime restaurant outing where someone ordered dessert, and was able to work in a great exercise routine.

Today's Menu:

Breakfast:
1 cup whole milk
1 scoop whey protein powder

Snacks:
2 cups tea
1 cup plain, low fat, organic yogurt
1 cup blueberries
1 medium banana
water

Lunch:
caesar salad with:
- romaine lettuce
- dressing
- asiago cheese
- about 8 ounces of perfectly cooked salmon (it was delicious!)
a ton of ice water
1 bite of spice cake with rum sauce (someone else ordered dessert)

Afternoon Snacks:
whole milk mocha (8 ounce size)
3 macadamia nuts
water

Dinner:
mostly homemade vegetable soup with:
- broccoli
- green beans
- zucchini
- carrots
- diced tomatoes
- organic vegetable broth (boxed)
water

Exercise:

Cross Fit:
18 minute routine (4 sets/15 reps)
- squats with dumbbell press-up
- single-leg hamstring curls
- push-ups
- bench dips

Sprint Intervals:
warm-up (3 minutes of jogging)
x7 intervals (sprinting/running)

Supplements:

FloraVital (recommended serving)
Creatine (3 grams)
HMB (1/2 recommended serving)
Beta Alanine (3-4 grams)
Triple Flex (Glucosamine Blend) (3/4 recommended serving)

Day 2, Tuesday

2010-01-05T05:00:00.000-08:00

Did not get my workout in today. Am very disappointed about that. However, I did pretty good with my menu except that I did get in some refined sugar (see the Ben & Jerry's). It was leftover from the holidays and needed to be eaten :)

Today's Menu:

Breakfast:
12 ounces skim milk
1 scoop whey protein powder

Snacks:
1/2 cup cottage cheese, 4% milkfat
1 medium banana
3 small clementines
20 ounces water

Lunch:
(leftovers from last night)
3 ounces salmon
about 1/2 white potato, baked with olive oil, salt, homemade paprika
about 1/2 sweet potato, baked with olive oil, salt, homemade paprika
1/2 cup green beans (fresh, boiled lightly in salted water)
1/2 cucumber with skin
water

Afternoon Snacks:
1 scoop egg white protein powder
8 ounces milk
1 small apple
1.5 ounces walnuts
1 small piece chocolate
water

Dinner:
mostly homemade vegetable soup with:
- broccoli
- celery
- zucchini
- carrots
- shrimp
- mirin
- habanero
- organic vegetable broth (boxed)

Dessert (in place of pre-bedtime protein):
1 cup Ben & Jerry's low fat frozen yogurt

Supplements:

FloraVital (recommended serving)
Creatine (3 grams)
HMB (1/2 recommended serving)
Beta Alanine (3-4 grams)
Triple Flex (Glucosamine Blend) (3/4 recommended serving)

Day 1, Monday: the food, the exercise

2010-01-04T05:00:00.001-08:00

Kick off day!

Today's Menu:

Breakfast:
12 ounce latte with 2% (because whole milk* was not available)
1 medium banana

Snack:
1 cup yogurt (nonfat, 9 grams protein)
1 cup blueberries

Lunch:
Cucumber & Tuna Salad with Balsamic Dressing
1 tangerine
1 apple
1 glass of water

Afternoon Snacks:
1 scoop protein powder
16 ounces water
0.8 ounce cheese stick
2 tangerines
7 walnut halves

Dinner:
4 ounces Salmon
1 medium sweet potato with skin
1/3 medium white potato with skin
1/2 cup broccoli, chopped
olive oil, salt, herbs and spices
water

Bedtime:
1 scoop Jay Robb egg white protein powder (Strawberry) in water

Supplements:

FloraVital (recommended serving)
Creatine (3 grams)
HMB (1/2 recommended serving)
Beta Alanine (3-4 grams)
Triple Flex (Glucosamine Blend) (3/4 recommended serving)

Exercises:

HIIT Sprints:
5 minutes warm up (jogging)
15 minutes HIIT (sprints and walking)
5 minutes cool down (jogging)

Core:
20 minutes core strengthening**

Walk:
20-40 minutes walking the dogs

*why whole milk? upcoming post planned to discuss
**core strengthening routine to be detailed in upcoming post

The New Year, New Plan (2010)

2010-01-04T05:00:00.000-08:00

I let myself take a break for the holidays. From about Mid-October through December, I allowed any food I wanted into my diet and did not follow a regular, scheduled exercise routine. So, it was a nice break. Guess what? Break's over--time to get back to it. The unfortunate part is that this is also the same time of year that everyone starts back up with the newly formed goal of "Oh hey, I'm going to get fit this year. yeah, that's it. It'll be my resolution for [insert year]". The gym will be crowded for certain.

Another unfortunate incident of the New Year's timing is the lack of farmer's market produce. All of the produce that I purchase will have to come from the supermarket. At least the options in the organic product section are growing and prices are coming down and are more in-line with non-organic offerings.

Finally, the limited availability of daylight, and the cold outdoor temps will make exercise lackluster. No wonder all those New Year's resolutions fall short. Who wants to try to build a diet around dismal produce availability and exercise in the cold and the dark?

Even though I took a break physically (and nutrition-wise) over the last couple of months, I did not take a break from reading the latest books, journal articles, and trends in nutrition and fitness. My goals for the beginning of 2010 include some of the ideas and theories that I was most attracted to in my readings and research. One major theme is 'sources of carbohydrates'. In the coming weeks, I'll be getting the carbohydrates in my diet from vegetable and fruit sources, and not from grains, rice, and processed sugars.

Another idea that I'll implement is that of less activity, but more efficient activity. This will include regular sessions of hiit (high intensity interval training), Tabata, and short weight lifting routines (in place of typical 60 minute lifting routines).

The outcome of both reducing the dense carbs from my diet at the same time as working at only highly efficient exercise will hopefully *crossing fingers* bring about changes of 1) reduced body fat and 2) increased lean mass. Gee, that sounds familiar: less fat, more muscle.

Now of course, this wouldn't work for everyone. Not everyone is a hardgainer like I am. For those that find adding muscle easy, certainly eating grains would probably not be a bad idea. For those needing to lose a large amount of body fat, more aggressive routines at the gym may be in order. However, in my case, I can only eat so much so why not make it foods geared towards getting the correct amount of calories with a big dose of vitamins, minerals and fiber, to pair with a exercise routine geared toward limiting calories burned at the same time as building muscle. Certainly highly dense carbs don't build muscle--why eat em?

So there you have it, the two part plan for 2010.

But wait, I still have a blog to take care of. No worries, there's a plan for this blog as well. As I eat, exercise, and record measurements, I'll be noting them here to track and share my progress.

That's it for now. Until next time, go do something athletic!

Intervals, Cardio, Aerobic, Long Slow Distance, Oh My

2009-11-23T05:00:00.000-08:00

Skinny Girl's Quest for Muscle
Intervals, Cardio, Aerobic, Long Slow Distance, Oh My

When building muscle, how does one burn the fat and boost endurance, performance, and aerobic capacity without burning off muscle in the process? Is it just a myth that Long Slow Distance training [think: training to run a marathon] eats muscle? If so, why are all marathon runners stick thin? Have you ever seen a muscular marathoner? Yet sprinters have massive leg muscles and some even have strong upper bodies to boot. Even if it is a myth about marathons eating muscle, what about the amount of time involved--who has a few free hours available to tackle a 10 mile run? Who wants to run for a few hours anyway?

In a past blog post, I mentioned what a painfully slow runner I am. And, I'm not just slow, but I'm a reluctant runner. I do not like running. Well, at least I didn't before tackling some HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training aka HIIE High Intensity Interval Exercise). Prior to the HIIT routines, getting out there and pounding the pavement was painful, monotonously dull, and I felt slow--embarrassingly slow--small blind children, riding tricycles, one handed, backwards while simultaneously texting in Braille, to all their pals were passing me as I plowed along with ungraceful, short, choppy strides. Plunk, plunk, plunk.

Aerobic exercise has been studied at length in the past and just this year (2009), a study(1) compared the effects of aerobic training on body composition. The study subjects who performed Long Slow Distance (LSD) training had similar results to those performing Interval Training. This study suggests that either type of training results in improved body composition--therefore one could surmise that long slow distance training does not necessarily burn away muscle mass making the assumption that this type of training eats muscle a myth. Yet, taking it one step further, is it the most efficient use of training time? And, with the added time training, would you also be able to get in an effective strength workout at the gym?

In 2006, researchers studied the effect of HIIT training on body fat oxidation, demonstrating in their results that by performing about an hour of HIIT training every other day, fat oxidation in women is significantly increased(2). "Each session consisted of ten 4-min cycling bouts at 90% VO2 peak separated by 2 min of rest. Heart rate (HR) was recorded throughout training and was held constant at ~90% of maximal by increases in the power output as training progressed." From this, we can infer that to get fat burning benefits from exercise, only three and a half hours of exercise per week is necessary. In contrast, a sample half-marathon training program consists of about five and a half hours per week(3).

So, I've already decided that I'm not going to run a marathon (not right now anyway) so why should I train for one? In fact, why should I even train _like_ a marathon trainer with long, steady bouts of cardio if I'm not interested in marathon running? What I want is big leg muscles, big arm muscles, yet without shunning VO2 Max or endurance. Shouldn't I train like a sprinter if I want a sprinters body and speed? Yes, realistically, I know I'm not a sprinter--but certainly any gain in speed is going to be an improvement. One day, I may need to outrun one of those little tricycle-riding, cell phone wielding blind kids in a dark alley--ya never know.

Now that I've ruled out regular sessions of long, moderately paced, monotonous, aerobic activity (thank goodness!), it's time to narrow in on what I should be doing instead. Yes, I could jump into the HIIT sessions performed every other day by the study group noted above. But, does continual performance of the same activity lead to gains in the long terms? What about adaption--when does it come into play?

If you think about it, all training does is cause the body to adapt to a physical activity. If you want to run a marathon, do something that will cause your body to adapt to a 26 mile run--like gradually working up to being able to run 26 miles. Easy right? If you want to lift 100 lbs on the bench press, adapt first to 25 lbs, next to 30, next to 40 lbs, until you reach 100. So, if this is the case, why are people who want to change their bodies doing the same exercise day in, day out? After a month of doing the same 45 minutes on the treadmill, haven't you pretty much adapted to it? Will your body actually make any progress at this point without a change in activity? Would you have to add duration ad nausium? And, consider that we always have aging working against us so in effect, that 45 minutes that you've adapted to may not even maintain your fitness gains--you may be in a decline! Not only do you have to work against plateaus (adapting to your exercises) you have to work against the detrimental impacts of aging such as a decline in the body's natural production of hormones such as growth hormones, testosterone, etc.

How does one overcome adaptation? Next time, we'll review periodized training programs in attempt to prevent adaptation from gobbling up hard earned gains in fitness and muscle mass.

- - - -
1. Crawford, Amanda M.; Foster, Cliffa; Poole, Chris; Bushey, Brandon; and Wilborn, Colin (2009) "Comparison of Aerobic Training Methods on V02 Max, Body Composition and Anaerobic Power.," International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Abstract Submissions: Vol. 2: Iss. 1, Article 16. Available at: http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijesab/vol2/iss1/16

2. Jason L. Talanian, Stuart D. R. Galloway, George J. F. Heigenhauser, Arend Bonen, and Lawrence L. Spriet, "Two weeks of high-intensity aerobic interval training increases the capacity for fat oxidation during exercise in women", Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, Department of Sport Studies, University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland; and Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, Submitted 26 September 2006 ; accepted in final form 7 December 2006

3. http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/aerobic-endurance-training.html

New Evidence Suggests Low Intensity, Slow Resistance Training as Effective as High Intensity Training

2009-11-18T18:00:00.000-08:00

Skinny Girl's Quest for Muscle
New Evidence Suggests Low Intensity, Slow Resistance Training as Effective as High Intensity Training

Famous exercise researcher Dr. Izumi Tabata studied the effects of training with heavy weights vs. lighter weights, and the speed the lifts were performed. He found that individual's using lighter weights (55-60% of 1 rep. max) and lifted very slowly with 3 seconds for eccentric and concentric phases of the lift with no resting period were able to gain just as much muscle mass as the study group lifting heavier weights, more quickly with a 3 second rest period.

Here is the research abstract:

J Strength Cond Res. 2008 Nov;22(6):1926-38.

Effects of whole-body low-intensity resistance training with slow movement and tonic force generation on muscular size and strength in young men.

Tanimoto M, Sanada K, Yamamoto K, Kawano H, Gando Y, Tabata I, Ishii N, Miyachi M.

Division of Health Promotion and Exercise, National Institute of Health and Nutrition, Tokyo, Japan. tanimoto@nih.go.jp

Our previous study showed that relatively low-intensity (approximately 50% one-repetition maximum [1RM]) resistance training (knee extension) with slow movement and tonic force generation (LST) caused as significant an increase in muscular size and strength as high-intensity (approximately 80% 1RM) resistance training with normal speed (HN). However, that study examined only local effects of one type of exercise (knee extension) on knee extensor muscles. The present study was performed to examine whether a whole-body LST resistance training regimen is as effective on muscular hypertrophy and strength gain as HN resistance training. Thirty-six healthy young men without experience of regular resistance training were assigned into three groups (each n = 12) and performed whole-body resistance training regimens comprising five types of exercise (vertical squat, chest press, latissimus dorsi pull-down, abdominal bend, and back extension: three sets each) with LST (approximately 55-60% 1RM, 3 seconds for eccentric and concentric actions, and no relaxing phase); HN (approximately 80-90% 1RM, 1 second for concentric and eccentric actions, 1 second for relaxing); and a sedentary control group (CON). The mean repetition maximum was eight-repetition maximum in LST and HN. The training session was performed twice a week for 13 weeks. The LST training caused significant (p <>

Meal Plan - Take Four: The Farmer's Market Diet

2009-09-24T10:02:00.000-07:00

Skinny Girl's Quest for Muscle
Meal Plan - Take Four: The Farmer's Market Diet

After working off of a meal plan for a month, I've allowed myself to 'graduate' into the world of spontaneous eating again--based on the framework that I adopted in my planned meals. No, I'm not completely falling off the horse. After eating perfectly clean, well-timed, properly portioned meals for an entire month, it's now much easier to stick to the good habits that I built into the plan such as eating five to six small meals per day, filling up on vegetables and keeping an eye on protein levels (making sure I'm getting enough with each meal), eating good fats, and not skipping snacks or pre or post-workout meals.

Getting off the plan has some benefits as well. Since I'm a firm believer in variety, now I can throw in all kinds of new foods and am not stuck in a never-ending rut of sameness. While under the same framework, I'm just swapping foods: proteins for proteins, vegetables for vegetables, fats for fats, etc.

There is no better way to really take advantage of variety than with local farmers' markets. Each week local growers and producers bring their in-season vegetables, fruits, eggs, etc., to the market. The vegetables change with the weather, starting with cabbages and green onions in the spring to tomatoes and summer squashes, and finally the root vegetables of fall. While I'm there, I can pick up a dozen farm fresh eggs (with either brown, white or even green and blue shells), a locally made salsa, freshly baked breads from bakers who don't use ingredients other than your traditional flours, water, yeast, etc. Sometimes I can even find rarities such as local walnuts or popcorn.

The market strategy that I've used for the last two weeks includes bringing a twenty-dollar bill to the market and picking up a week's worth of food. Except for a few items: fresh fish from the fish market, canned or pouch tuna, Greek yogurt, bananas and avocados (can not be grown locally) and a few staples like rice wine vinegar from the grocery store. I have a large bag of rice and another of whole wheat berries, and some miscellaneous baking ingredients such as buckwheat flour, etc. From these, I can create rice dishes, pastas, etc. (note: homemade pasta is far superior to store bought.)

So far so good. Not only have I enjoyed new found variety in my meals, my meal costs continue to shrink along with the little inch of fat around my belly--maybe it's even less than an inch now.

Until next time, go do something athletic!

Thermic Effect of Food -- Like Boxes in Storage

2009-09-21T18:57:00.000-07:00

Skinny Girl's Quest for Muscle
Thermic Effect of Food -- Like Boxes in Storage

I recently wrote up this response to a message board -- I liked my analogy so much that I've posted it here as well:

Different macro nutrients (macro nutrients are: fats, proteins, and carbohydrates) are all processed differently in the body. This is a relatively new concept that suggests that a calories, is not a calorie, is not a calorie.

Some foods require much more energy to process than others. For example, fats you eat can be converted to body fat quickly and easily by the body. However, protein takes much more energy (therefore, you burn more calories when you eat protein than when you eat fat--because you burn more to convert the protein to fat storage.)

Think of it like this:

You have 3 boxes, they are all exactly the same size. One is "Fat" and it weighs nearly nothing (it's empty), the second is "Carb" and it's about 5 pounds, and finally the last box is "Protein". The "Protein" box weights 20 pounds. Even though each box is exactly the same size, it takes much more work to put the "Protein" box in the closet for storage than the "Fat" box.

For more reading on TEF, check out these articles/sites:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermic_effect_of_food

http://www.tmuscle.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance_nutrition/harness_the_power_of_tef

http://www.nature.com/ijo/journal/v27/n5/abs/0802270a.html

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9356527?dopt=Abstract

How Many Pounds Can You Lose in a Week? Probably More Than You Think.

2009-09-20T18:01:00.000-07:00

Skinny Girl's Quest for Muscle
How Many Pounds Can You Lose in a Week? Probably More Than You Think.

Everyone wants to lose weight these days, and they all want to lose it right now, right away, or at least within just a few weeks. Traditional views of diets suggest that this isn't possible. Although, I'm not interested in weight loss--I have to ask why? Why only 1 to 2 pounds per week? Has no one watched recent episodes of The Biggest Loser (NBC), where one individual lost 28 pounds in one week? 28 pounds! in a week! The winner of Dance your Ass Off (Oxygen) lost 74 pounds in ten weeks. That's an average of 7.4 pounds per week for ten weeks.

Yes, these reality show stars were very heavy to start weighing more than 250 pounds. Certainly a large amount of weight (like 28 pounds) is a much smaller percentage of total weight, less than ten percent--for a large person than a small person where 28 pounds may be twice as much when calculating it as a percentage. And, an individual of 250 pounds or more holds a larger amount of water which is the main component in our bodies, and by far the heaviest in total. However, the individuals on these reality shows lost weight week after week, even when they thinned their bodies down to what we would consider weights within normal ranges (see chart from Wikipedia.) Week after week weight loss can not be attributed to "water weight".

So, why are we locked into the thinking that we can only lose one to two pounds per week when this may only be a small fraction of a percentage of total starting weight? Perhaps this starts with healthier individuals with lower weights and lower body fat percentages advising less healthy individuals--doesn't bias of personal experience rules in many thought processes. Or is it just solely based on a traditional idea that became "fact" over time and repetition?

Robert Huizenga, M.D., a leading obesity researcher and the medical mind behind The Biggest Loser has suggested that the 1 to 2 pound rule came from popular belief and the new rule is 1 to 2 PERCENT of body weight, not pounds.

Even at 125 pounds, two percent of my body weight is 2.5 pounds. I could lose two and a half pounds a week (if I were completely insane) and still fall within the proper percentage. With this in mind, couldn't someone of 180 pounds lose 3.6 per week? And, someone at 250 pounds shed 5 pounds per week and remain perfectly healthy?

Dr. Huizenga has also suggested that there IS a magic pill to weight loss. You've got to be kidding right? A magic pill for weight loss? And, coming from the health nut's blog? Yes, that's right. There is a magic pill. For everyone seeking the magic pill, here it is: two hours of exercise per day plus moderate caloric reduction. That's it, just get some exercise and eat right--no need to do any extreme dieting, take any funky chemicals, or starve oneself. Just get some exercise. You two could see the same absolutely stunning gains (well, losses really) seen on television each week. Think you can't do it? Think you're not healthy enough? Well, here's the kicker, Dr. Huizenga also states that even the morbidly obese can exercise at the same intensity of professional athletes.

Until next time, go do something athletic!

- - - - -
references:
Where Did All The Fat Go, Robert Huizenga, M.D.

High Intensity Interval Training

2009-09-18T14:20:00.000-07:00

Skinny Girl's Quest for Muscle
High Intensity Interval Training

I recently picked up a copy of Muscle & Fitness Hers while on a Sunday shopping trip to the grocery store. It appeared to contain more in-depth articles than a lot of the other fitness magazine choices geared toward the female reader. One of the articles focused on something they called "Super Intervals"--training sessions comprised of high intensity 30 second intervals followed by 90 second lower intensity intervals--repeated several times. They suggested that this type of workout really skyrocketed (a word that they use plentifully throughout their articles) fat burning and human growth hormone production (this is a good thing.)

Upon further research, I stumbled across a few journal articles with similar findings:

Two weeks of high-intensity aerobic interval training increases the capacity for fat oxidation during exercise in women. (see abstract, link below, for list of authors)
In summary, seven sessions of HIIT over 2 wk induced marked increases in whole body and skeletal muscle capacity for fatty acid oxidation during exercise in moderately active women.
abstract url: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17170203?dopt=Abstract

A Comparison of the Effects of Interval Training vs. Continuous Training on Weight Loss and Body Composition in Obese Pre-Menopausal Women. King, Jeffrey Warren.
These findings show that high intensity interval exercise produces improvements in body composition, fitness, and acute RMR compared to low intensity steady state training.
abstract url: http://etd-submit.etsu.edu/etd/theses/available/etd-0412101-214442/

GENDER GOVERNS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EXERCISE INTENSITY AND GROWTH HORMONE (GH) RELEASE IN YOUNG ADULTS Cathy J Pritzlaff-Roy, Laurie Widemen, Judy Y Weltman, Rob Abbott, Margaret Gutgesell,
Mark L Hartman, Johannes D Veldhuis, Arthur Weltman.
In summary, the present study delineates that young women maintain a linear relationship between the magnitude of GH release and increasing exercise intensity. The inferred dose-response relationship is robust to standardization against either the lactate threshold or VO2 max. Moreover, gender comparisons establish that exercise-induced GH release is greater in women than men.
pdf url: http://www.scirus.com/srsapp/sciruslink?src=web&url=http%3A%2F%2Fjap.physiology.org%2Fcgi%2Freprint%2F01018.2001v1.pdf

Sounds promising right?

Over the last few weeks I've given it a spin, adapting the program designed by Muscle & Fitness Hers to fit. I'm using running as my high intensity activity. Other suggested activities are: bicycling, cross country skiing, swimming, stair climbing, etc. So far, I've made it through about 5 workouts--working out either on weekend mornings or afternoons, and as a quick lunchtime workout during weekdays. Fortunately, I can burn through all of the exercises within a half hour so it fits my noon-hour lunch break from work.

The results have been promising. It's easier for me to make the entire 8 repeats and I'm seeing progress--my tummy is looking more like 6-pack abs than like single frosted doughnut.

So far, I'm hooked--getting a killer workout in only 30 minutes is a fabulous way to get a little exercise in during the workday or on a weekend when you'd rather do anything but work.

Until next time, go do something athletic!

Meal Plan -- Version: Week 3

2009-08-28T10:24:00.000-07:00

Skinny Girl's Quest for Muscle
Meal Plan -- Version: Week 3

For my third version of the meal plan, I've created a granola recipe with very high protein and very low sugar. In fact more of the carbohydrates in the recipe come from fiber than from sugar. This was to replace the super sugary granola's that are offered in my grocer's bulk food section. I also searched online for a high protein granola recipe. Unfortunately, the recipes claiming to have high protein came up short when I analyzed the nutrition information. Many called for cups of sugar (a cup of white sugar, a cup of honey, a cup of brown sugar, etc., all in the same recipe.)

By creating my own recipe, I've boosted protein levels and decreased morning sugars in this version of my menu.

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday & Sunday

Noticeable Results!

2009-08-27T18:03:00.001-07:00

Skinny Girl's Quest for Muscle
Noticeable Results!

My muscle-building venture started in late June (today is August 27th). Prior to that I was training twice a week with an intense focus on core strengthening and conditioning to correct lower back problems, in addition to doing loads of cardio. The core strengthening did work my back, but I did not pay attention to building actual muscle, the goal was much more about strengthening and stabilization of weakened back muscles. Today, I had an acupuncture appointment with my Chinese physician Dr. Liu. She's been treating me for back problems for several years now. She probably knows my back and it's history over the last several years better than anyone. I was absolutely delighted when she, unprompted, told me that my back has a tremendous gain in muscle since my last appointment just three weeks ago. Only three weeks for noticeable results! She went on to ask about my diet (I talked about the meal plan--see previous blog posts) and then mentioned that I'm supplementing as well. It's quite possible that my pre-June efforts built the base, July allowed my body to transition, and now with that base in place, and intense lifting, proper diet and a few supplements, I can really ramp up the gains.

Until next time, go do something athletic!

Unexpected Benefits of Eating Right and Adding Supplements

2009-08-27T16:19:00.000-07:00

Skinny Girl's Quest for Muscle
Unexpected Benefits of Eating Right and Adding Supplements

Color! Millions of nail polish colors. Colors ranging from the deepest black to bright cherry reds--pinks to greens and blues. It's like a candy store for your fingers. Did you guess yet? An unexpected and most welcome benefit from eating right and adding supplements is strong, long fingernails. I've never been a fingernail girl--they've always been pitifully weak and short. If I ever wanted nails to paint in the past, I had to purchase a "full set" because I could just not grow them on my own.

When I was about 14 years old, my Mom told me that if I could grow all of my nails long enough to be seen from the opposite side of my hand, she'd give me $20. I tried and tried without any luck. For the first time in my life I have nails that can be seen peeking over my finger tips on the opposite side of my hand. Well guess what, it's now time for Mom to pay up!

What else?

This week I've been strolling into work without foundation makeup. I'm happier with the appearance of my skin. It's so nice to just pop on a few strokes of mascara and run out the door.

When they tell you to eat right, get all of your vitamins and drink lots of water to improve beauty, well, they (who every they might be) are pretty much right!

Until next time, go do something athletic!

Checking In On My Meal Plan Progress

2009-08-27T11:26:00.001-07:00

Skinny Girl's Quest for Muscle
Checking In On My Meal Plan Progress

So -- it's been almost two weeks since I embarked upon my weekly menu planning. How did it all work out? All in all, pretty darn good. First, with a plan up front, it was very easy to stay within my guideline foods and nutritional values. I didn't have to think about my meals at all during the day. The full plan development and shopping did consume a coupe of hours on Sunday. And, each evening, I spent another half hour at most putting together the next day's breakfast, snack, and lunch into my lunch sack (and popped it in the fridge). On the negative side, I found it hard to eat all of the foods in the menu. As a result, I cut down the calories slightly for the following week.

To test the plan, I tracked 4 days of eating (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) and came up with the following 4-day, daily averages:

Calories: 2047.3 kcal, 102%
Protein: 109.3 grams, 95%
Carbs: 279.4 grams, 96%
Fiber: 39.2 grams, 112%
Starch: 22.3 grams
Sugars: 98.5 grams
Fat: 56.4 grams, 97%
Saturated Fat: 15.3 grams, 102%
Monounsaturated Fat: 20.4 grams, 127%
Polyunsaturated Fat: 21.4 grams, 134%
Omega-3: 3.2 grams, 214%
Omega-6: 17.9 grams, 596%
Trans-Fats: 0.0 grams, 2%
Cholesterol: 220.6 mg, 110%
Vitamins: all above 100%
Minerals: all above 100%

All of the above are very close to target levels. My vitamins and mineral intake was well over target for most, but I'm not too concerned about those nutrients being on the high side. What I would like to tweak is the Omega 3 to Omega 6 ratio. Omega 6 is too high for the Omega 3 levels--creating an imbalance.

Approximate Cost of Groceries (Eating Healthy)

2009-08-19T12:19:00.000-07:00

Skinny Girl's Quest for Muscle
Approximate Cost of Groceries (Eating Healthy)

In my last two blog posts, I included my week's menu plan and a shopping list. This post will estimate the cost of the week's worth of healthy food (not including the "free day"), and include some suggestions about substitutions and where to find groceries.

First, to set up a cost-comparison target, I pulled information from the USDA's Economic Research Service (ERS). This is the annual, per-capita cost of food, including groceries and restaurants:

$3,832 (2008 per capita home and away from home food expense(1))
$319 per month
$74 per week

On average, we spend about $74 per week on food. When I purchased the groceries on my shopping list for my own personal use last weekend, I didn't spend $74, I didn't even spend $50--I only spent $35. This is because I had a few of the items already (coconut oil, olive oil, wheat flour--most of the staples), and because, except for bananas, I grow a lot of the produce listed on the menu. However, using my actual prices for the foods that I did buy (from a high-end grocer), and looking up prices from online grocers (such as Alberstons.com), I was able to estimate that it would cost $80-90 per week by purchasing from a non-bargain grocery source.

Now, not everyone wants to spend high-end prices. In that case, I've estimated that one could save up to $20 by bargain shopping, coupon shopping, and/or purchasing produce from farmer's markets. As a result of smart shopping and finding a few sale items, the menu's for a week, as written, would cost just about the same as what the average consumer spends for food:

$60 to $90 estimated price range for 1 week of healthy food from plan

Another consideration is that my menu is pescetarian (vegetarian + fish). However, if one were to swap in chicken for the fish on the menu, and turkey breast slices for the tuna, one could cut the price even further while enjoying a more typical diet. Additionally, if your focus was not necessarily to gain muscle (and you did not plan workouts), you could also skip the post-workout or high calorie snacks/meals (skip the chocolate milk, peanut butter, and protein powder). Another exchange would be brown rice in the place of the wheat and soba noodles and to exchange oatmeal for the higher-calorie, and more expensive granola.

$40 to $60 estimated price with substitutions

So there you have it, you can eat healthy without paying more than the 'Jones'.

Until next time, go do something athletic!

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references:

(1) http://www.ers.usda.gov/Briefing/CPIFoodAndExpenditures/Data/Expenditures_tables/table13.htm

Shopping List for One Week's Worth of Meals (updated 8/20/2009)

2009-08-18T14:18:00.000-07:00

Skinny Girl's Quest for Muscle
Shopping List for One Week's Worth of Meals (updated 8/20/2009)

One Week Worth of Healthy Meals (updated 8/17/2009)

2009-08-16T13:41:00.000-07:00

Skinny Girl's Quest for Muscle
One Week Worth of Healthy Meals

Updated: 8/20/2009

In my last post, I challenged myself to create a menu plan for 1 full week. Good news--challenge met.

I tried to stick with non-processed foods but threw in an easy meal (canned vegetarian chili) on Sunday evening that I can swap for another day during the week if I run into a time constraint--well, and I really like vegetarian chili. It tastes like bad food, without being so bad. Perhaps if I make it through the week without needing to swap in the easy meal, I'll be motivated enough on Sunday to make homemade chili instead.

My rules were to include a pre and post workout on lifting days (Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday). I also tried to pack in half the day's calories in the first half of the day in attempt to fuel my day, not my sleep. I also targeted about 113 grams of protein per day (see previous post about protein.)

Here are the menus:

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

(click on images to open source if the right sides are cut off by page width)

Now, with my shopping list in hand, I'm off to the gym for my Sunday workout followed by a quick trip to the grocery store on my way home.

Until Next time, go do something athletic!

old Thursday, Friday and Saturday/Sunday (before changing to Friday Workouts)--matches the shopping list:

Thursday (old)

Friday (old)

Saturday/Sunday (old)

Why is Nutrition so Difficult?

2009-08-16T09:08:00.001-07:00

Skinny Girl's Quest for Muscle
Why is Nutrition so Difficult?

With all of the great information so easily accessible about proper nutrition, why is putting a balanced diet (ack, I hate saying "diet") so hard to put into place. Now, when I say "diet" I do not by any means suggest that I'm trying to lose weight, reduce calories or go join one of those cultish grapefruit-only clubs; I mean eating the proper amount of a balanced variety of foods that will allow me to gain muscle and lose body fat, while keeping my body as healthy as possible.

Here's my theory about what's causing the disconnect between understanding and actually "doing" (or in my case "eating"). Even though I know exactly what I'm supposed to eat for each meal, I haven't spent the time planning meals over the course of my week. My meals are typically the result of a last minute thought that: oh my gosh, I'm hungry, I need to eat right now. This is a problem for two reasons. First, by the time I'm already hungry, it's tough to build a balanced meal that includes all of the proper nutrients, in proper amounts. Second, I've completely thrown timing out the door--and timing is more vital than most people realize.

Balanced Meals

To build muscle, it's important to get balanced meals. Sure you need a certain amount of fat, protein and carbohydrate, but eating all fats a breakfast, all carbs and lunch and all proteins at dinner is not the right way to go about it. When I find myself seeking out last minute meals, they tend to be higher in one ingredient (or macro nutrient) than another, and lack balance: oh my gosh, I'm hungry. I'll just grab a PB&J sandwich (lots of fat and carbs, only a little protein). A better choice may have been a tuna and avocado sandwich with a side dish of cabbage slaw.

Timing Meals

The key to proper nutrition is in timing. Everyone has heard the old theory that eating anything after dinner goes straight to your rear end as fat. Or, that you should fuel your workouts and get a proper recovery meal after workouts (one of the more popular recovery foods right now is chocolate milk post workout.) These are a couple of timing constraints that we can easily work with. However, the notion of eating every few hours to boost metabolism is becoming a more mainstream idea. Also, the notion of eating a balance meal (carbs, proteins and a very small amount of good fats) with a slow burning carb source before workouts, and then a meal of a fast burning carb (a sugar type carb) and protein after a workout is another theory coming into fashion for properly fueling muscles and gaining the most benefit possible from a workout.

Putting it all Together

So, how do I actually get from the point of understanding how to eat, to doing it, and doing it consistently?

Planning, Planning, Planning. This is my challenge for this week. I am challenging myself to plan a week's worth of meals today. The plan must include a shopping list (based on missing items from my fridge and pantry), a schedule for preparing meals (especially breakfasts and lunches that will be consumed away from home, and post-workout recovery meals that I'll eat on my trip home from the gym). Other technical considerations will be transporting meals since I ride my bicycle to work a few days per week--what ever I bring to work on those days will need to survive a ride in my bike pack.

Finally, the most important aspect of the plan is the nutrition component. Each meal should be properly balanced to either fuel a workout, or just maintain nutrition in general.

(to be continued)

Proteins, Proteins, Proteins (updated: 8/17/09)

2009-08-13T08:19:00.000-07:00

Skinny Girl's Quest for Muscle
Evaluating Protein Sources

Looking for lean sources of protein? Worried about rising grocery bills? The table below includes calorie, fat, and cost information for different sources of protein. Each item is based on a serving that would provide 25 grams of protein. The total calories from that serving size, the percentage of fat, and the cost of that serving size are calculated. The cost is based on the price of the package size listed in the description.

For example, a 3.8 ounce portion of Ahi Tuna Steak would provide 25 grams of protein, includes 112 total calories (calories from fat, protein, and carbohydrates) and would cost $3.01. 8% of the calories in Ahi Tuna come from fat. If you are looking for high protein foods, look near the top of the list.

Table (UPDATED: 8/17/2009)

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references:
Nutrition Information from Calorie King
Cost Information from Albertsons Online Shopping

Extreme Dieting and Fat Cell Production

2009-08-12T19:30:00.000-07:00

Skinny Girl's Quest for Muscle
Extreme Dieting and Fat Cell Production

I sometimes frequent the diet forums on various websites and have been disappointed with the number of questions about super low calorie dieting (less than 1,200 calories per day). I eat more than 2,000 calories per day and am able to both 1) gain muscle and 2) lose fat. However, the dieters seem so blinded by a need for a fast weight loss that they ignore health issues. Additionally, there is another, much greater concern (especially for individuals fixated on losing weight)--here's my most recent answer to a question from one of the extreme dieters asking how much she'd lose with a 500 calorie per day diet. I liked my balloon analogy so much that I've decided to share it here as well:

Stressing your body with a super low calorie diet may in fact increase fat cell production, fat cell production that isn't likely to occur under normal conditions. Your existing fat cells may shrink in size, but you'll end up with more fat cells in your body in the long run.

To get an idea of what happens imagine putting 3 water balloons in a bowl; This is you prior to your super low calorie diet. The water balloons can grow as they get fed and shrink if you starve or "exercise" them, but there are only 3 of them.

Under extremely low calorie diet stress, your body will make more balloons. Instead of 3, you may have 10. The 10 balloons individually will only get as big as a regular water balloon in size, but now you have 10 balloons instead of 3, making you more than 3 times as big when you rebound off of the diet, and making it more than 3 times as hard to lose the weight next time.

Your total number of fat cells are predetermined before you are born. However, now that you've stressed your body, that number increases. The fat cells don't ever go away--your new fats cells stay with you for life, you'll always have 10 from now on instead of 3--and what ever weight those new 10 fat cells will naturally pack on your body. In effect, if you have a natural weight of about 125 lbs today, with additional fat cells, your new natural weight will be more than 125 lbs. It will be harder to lose weight in the future and you will be naturally heavier.

- - - - -
references:
The Straight Scoop About Dieting, By Sharon Greene Patton

Article Review: The Perfect Squat

2009-08-11T08:30:00.000-07:00

Skinny Girl's Quest for Muscle
Article Review: The Perfect Squat

The May issue of Outside Magazine featured a great article on how to do The Perfect Squat. As it happened, I was reading the article one evening as bedtime reading. But, the suggestion that I should stand three inches away from a wall, facing the wall, to do a squat was so outlandish that I had to try it. I hopped up out of bed and stood barefoot, in my pajamas, 3 inches from the wall and attempted a squat. It took a minute for me to decide how to "squat" in that position without landing a nose plant into my freshly painted bedroom walls. On the first try, instead of nose plant, I almost fell over backwards. On the second try, I got it right! What a great technique! Since then, I've been using what I learned at the gym perfectly balancing my squats on the backs of my legs and staying off of my toes.

Outside Magazine's article is definitely a highly recommended read for perfecting technique:

Outside Magazine The Perfect Squat
http://outside.away.com/outside/bodywork/200905/perfect-squat-1.html

Until next time, go do something athletic!

The New Fat: Normal Weight Obese

2009-08-10T17:48:00.000-07:00

Skinny Girl's Quest for Muscle
The New Fat: Normal Weight Obese

Think that just because you can fit into those size 6 jeans you aren't fat? Sorry ladies, think again. There's a new kind of fat in town, it's called Normal Weight Obese. Yes, you can be obese even if your weight falls within the recommended level on a government weight chart and your body mass index (BMI) falls within healthy ranges.

Normal Weight Obese (NWO) women are women who have a high percentage of body fat despite being within normal ranges for both weight and BMI. NWO has been defined as women with a body fat percentage of 30% or greater and a BMI of less than 25 (1). One could weigh only 110 lbs with a body fat percentage of 30% and still be considered obese. And, if you do the math, it makes sense. With 30% body fat at 110 lbs, that's 33 lbs of fat leaving only 77 lbs left for muscles and skeleton. Compare that to a healthy 125 lb woman with 20% body fat, the 125 lb woman has 30% more muscle and 8 fewer pounds of fat.

To get an idea of what this may look like, a single pound of fat is about the same size as a 12 ounce coffee mug (not the contents of the mug, but the actual mug itself). Now certainly the healthy 125 lb woman isn't going to have 8 less coffee mugs worth of body, but rather she'll have almost 8 extra coffee mugs of firm, non-jiggly, non-saggy, muscle in place of fat--it's important to note that muscle takes up slightly less space than fat. Plus, all of that muscle is going to be distributed in places that make a more attractive appearance than that of a person with 8 lbs of fat that tend to cling to thighs, belly, hips, and as bat wings, etc.

A recent study(2) found the following averages for its female NWO participants:

Age: 35 years
Weight: 131 lbs
Height: 5 ft 3 1/2 inches
BMI: 23
Fat: 47.2 lbs
Lean Mass: 77.8 lbs
Lean Left Leg: 13.4 lbs
Lean Both Legs: 27 lbs
Body Fat: 39%
Waist Circumference: 28 inches
Hip Circumference: 38 inches
Waist/Hip Ratio: 0.75

A lot of women would consider 131 lbs as thin, possibly even skinny without realizing that 131 lbs can also be unhealthy. So, what does all of this mean? First, I guess it's time to toss out the bathroom scale. Under this scenario, scales are a poor tool when it comes to measuring health. Better units of measure are: body fat percentages (and lean mass weight which can be calculated from body fat percentage and weight), inches (waist, hips, thighs, arms, etc), cardiovascular fitness (how far can you walk? run? bike? how many stairs can you climb?), and finally, strength (how much weight can you curl? bench? squat?).

Great, another label to make women feel bad about themselves you say? Well, yes, but don't worry, it applies to men as well, and now that you know, you can start working toward a goal of more muscle--oh hey, that's what this blog is for right?

Until next time, go do something athletic!

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references:
(1) http://www.healthandage.org/professional/health-center/9/article-home/3193/The-Normal-Weight-Obese-Syndrome.html
(2) http://www.europeanreview.org/pdf/390.pdf