Does Drinking Alcohol Affect Athletic Performance?

April 7, 2014

   Did you know that consuming alcohol after a workout, practice or competition can cancel out any physiological gains you may have received during your session. Not only does long term alcohol use diminish protein synthesis that results in a decrease in muscle build-up, short term alcohol use prevents muscle growth, which is one of the reasons we work out so hard.

   Now, I'm not saying you should become a teetotaler. I like wine tasting and here in Cambria we live in one of the world's great wine regions. But if you're trying to make progress — whether you're a walker or an elite athlete — it's wise to be judicious about alcohol consumption. We know a lot more about its effects on athletic performance today than we did back when Tour de France riders drank wine on their bikes during a race!

In view of Alcohol Awareness Month in April, here are some effects to be aware of on athletic performance when drinking alcohol:

Human Growth Hormone — To build bigger and stronger muscles our body needs sleep to repair itself after a workout. Because of alcohol's effect on sleep the body is robbed of HGH or human growth hormone. HGH is a part of the normal muscle building and repair process and the body's way of telling itself your muscles need to grow and get stronger. It can decrease this secretion by as much as 70 percent.

Testosterone — One thing that is essential for muscle development and recovery is testosterone. But alcohol triggers the production of a substance in your liver that is toxic to testosterone. And yes, testosterone is important for women too. According to Clif Arrington, of anti-agingmd.com based in Hawaii, says it can improve memory, boost energy, revive your interest in sex, and in general increase your entire sense of well being.

Dehydration and Muscle Cramps — Alcohol slows down the body's ability to heal itself. Alcohol is a toxin — toxins travel through our bloodstream to our body's organs and tissues. By the time you become severely dehydrated your body no longer has enough fluids to get blood to your organs. In extreme situations an individual can go into shock which can be life threatening. 

Vital Nutrients — Not only is alcohol lacking any nutritional value it also inhibits the absorption of thiamin (vitamin B1), vitamin B12, folic acid and zinc. Thiamin is essential to optimal performance. It plays an important role in metabolizing carbohydrates. Vitamin B12 helps maintain healthy red blood and nerve cells. Folic acid is involved in the formation of new cells. A lack of folic acid causes megoloblastic anemia which is a lowering of oxygen carrying capacity. This will effect one's endurance. Zinc is essential to your energy metabolic process.

Energy Source — Once absorbed through your stomach, small intestines and cells, it can can disrupt the water balance in muscle cells. This disruption changes their ability to produce ATP, adenosine triphosphate, which is your muscles’ source of energy. ATP provides the fuel needed  for muscle contraction.

   So given all this information I will conclude that, yes indeed, alcohol does affect athletic performance. And let's face it whether we are running our first 5k, powerwalk, marathon, triathalon or just trying to build muscle and stay healthy it can effect our ability to reach our goals. I truly believe that we are all athletes in our own way and the more information we have to figure out the best way we can achieve our goals the easier it is to make those decisions along the way.

Muscle Mass and Aging

March 31, 2014

   Your skeletal muscles, also known as lean muscle, are the muscles that attach to your bones and are under voluntary control. As you age your skeletal muscle mass starts to deteriorate. I'm writing this post with the thought that I can give you a realistic sense of what happens to your muscles as you age, and then I'll conclude with the good news about weight bearing and aerobic exercise.


   Starting at age 40, muscle mass begins to decline. It accelerates by 50. Bone mass or density loss in women after menopause is common and our bones begin to lose calcium and other minerals. The rate of muscle loss is faster than the muscle we gain. Our bodies don't work as efficiently as they used to, which leads to a slower metabolism and fat accumulation. Muscle weakening or atrophy sets in. The reasons for atrophy are many. I will share four of them with you: age, sedentary lifestyle, medications and disease.

Age Related Changes in Muscle 

   Muscles lose their size and strength as we get older, which contributes to fatigue, weakness and less tolerance to exercise. This is due in part because the number of muscle fibers start to reduce in size and numbers. Muscle tissue is also replaced more slowly. As the nervous system changes, muscles become less toned and the ability to contract them gets more difficult. Bone structure changes result in a loss of bone tissue, calcium and other minerals making this another contributing factor. Joints lose their lubrication (synovial fluid) becoming stiffer and less flexible.

Sedentary Lifestyle 

   You've heard the saying, "use it or lose it". Inactivity causes our joint cartilage to shrink and stiffen, reducing joint mobility. A sedentary lifestyle causes muscles to lose their mitochondria. The main function of the mitochondria is to produce energy for various parts of the body. It burns fat or sugar for energy. If the body does not need energy, fat gets stored. This fat increases the number of fat cells in the body making it harder to lose weight. Being sedentary increases the body's capacity for fat storage, which results in a greater chance for developing high levels of LDL or bad cholesterol. A common thought is that this inactivity causes transdifferentiation (a conversion of one differentiated cell type into another) resulting in the muscle cells changing to fat cells. The body gets signals that it no longer needs those muscle cells.

Medications

   There are a few medications prescribed for specific conditions that cause muscle weakness. One of those medications is systemic corticosteroids, often prescribed for people with asthma or inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus. Statins are used for preventing and treating atherosclerosis that causes chest pain, heart attacks, strokes, cholesterol and diabetes - muscle pain is one of the side effects.

Disease

   Many chronic diseases commonly cause muscle weakness. In some conditions this is due to reduced blood and nutrient supply to the muscles. Chronic kidney disease, anemia, lung disease, heart disease, diabetes, depression, peripheral vascular disease, chronic pain are some of these diseases. Osteoporosis is a disease directly related to the gradual loss of bone proteins and minerals resulting in fragile bones making an individual more at risk for fracture.

Exercise and Strength Training

   The good news is that strength training can address just about all of the above issues. And, you can start - with a doctor's approval - at any age.

  The beneficial effects of strength training include replacing muscle, reducing fat, increasing metabolic rate, relieving or decreasing low back and arthritic pain, lowering blood pressure, minimizing osteoporosis, enhancing glucose utilization, mitigating depression and improving blood lipid levels.

   The amount of exercise on regular basis should be reasonable and represent a doable commitment of time. Lets face it, if it becomes another chore we will discontinue it like all the rest of those disliked chores. Aerobic activity should be 5 days a week of moderate intensity for a total of at least 150 minutes according to ACSM guidelines.

   Muscles are the engine of the body. Strength training enables these muscles to get stronger, helping us to use them more effectively and with less effort. For musculoskeletal fitness the recommendations is 8 to 10 resistant exercises performed 10 to 15 times each as a set 2 to 3 days a week, according to ACSM guidelines.

   I strongly feel that exercise and strength training are essential to living a healthy and productive long life.

March Madness Comes to Cambria For 2 People I Know

March 9, 2014

   I have the "privilege" of being in a relationship with a man who lives, eats and breaths University of Kansas Jayhawk basketball. He once lived in student housing within a stone's throw from one of the nation's most historic basketball arenas. And it just so happens that John Linn, of Linn's of Cambria, is also a KU grad and has many good memories of cheering on the Jayhawks in that arena.

   To be honest, I really don't care, even though I am periodically reminded the inventor of basketball, James Naismith, was KU's first coach in the 1890s.


   Actually, there is one interesting thing to me about that: Naismith was a physical education teacher who created the game to help athletes maintain their fitness during the winter months in Massachusetts. Even though basketball exploded in popularity and became a highly competitive sport, his passion was always to teach exercise and fitness. That's music to my ears.

Playing Sports Burns Calories

   Remember the sports you played as a kid? You weren't counting calories then. It was just plain fun. No matter what it was -- basketball, tennis, volleyball, softball, etc. -- there was a fundamental joy in playing a game. For many who aren't active, the thought of lifting weights or doing the Stairmaster for an hour doesn't sound very inviting. Time to pick up a racket, glove or ball again.

   If an organized sport like softball or basketball is your thing, Morro Bay has adult softball and soccer leagues. San Luis Obispo offers 3-on-3 basketball as well as softball, soccer and ultimate frisbee. If you'd rather not drive so far to play organized games, there's no reason you can't lace 'em up and shoot baskets on the court at the Vet's Hall parking lot. According to calorielab.com just shooting baskets for an hour burns 238 calories.

  I find it has been fun to discover a new sport. For me that's cycling. I ride with a Sunday morning women's group that goes informally by the name Bella Rollers. I've also ridden with the Slabtown Rollers of Cambria. They're a great group of people. Some other cycling groups are Team Medicare and The Old Farts Club. I don't have a website or Facebook page for you but if you want to find out more just drop by the Cambria Coffee Roasting Company after 10 am and start chatting with someone in a bike outfit. Hey, that's how it works in Cambria!


   Another growing sport in Cambria is pickleball. Great name -- it got me to look it up when I first heard of it. I can see it's appeal. Pickleball is like playing ping pong on a tennis court. It's gentler on the knees and body yet gets you moving. Check out the group Cambria Pickleball By The Sea. They play Tuesdays, Thursday and Sundays at the Coast Union High School tennis courts. They say once you start playing it gets addictive.

   Speaking of tennis, the Cambria Tennis Club is a private group that accepts new members. They maintain and use the courts at the high school. The great thing about tennis is how the racket technology has made the game easier and more fun. And the Joslyn Recreation Center has sports groups, too, like the Table Tennis and Lawn Bowls clubs.

   Oh, and there's golf. It's a game I have envisioned taking up. With lessons most people can play well enough to want to come back again and again to improve their game. I love the idea of walking the course, burning calories, enjoying being outside and engaging in friendly competition. We're blessed with some beautiful courses in Morro Bay and SLO that aren't too expensive and perfect for beginners.

   If James Naismith were alive today I'll bet he'd tell you to just get out there and play... and have fun, whether it's basketball or pickleball.

Getting More Out of Your Gym Routine

February 24, 2014

   When I planned to write this post back in December, I had envisioned it would be raining in Cambria this week. Envisioning. Hoping. Praying. And I'll bet everyone in SLO county has been, too. Well, it worked!  We have a 50 percent chance for rain on Wednesday, 80 percent on Friday, and 50 percent on Saturday. Let's keep our fingers crossed the weather forecast is wrong and it will rain all week. So here is how I had planned to start this post:

   The rainy season means plenty of time in the gym. I find myself sometimes getting into a routine and going through the motions. All the exercises are good, don't get me wrong, but am I getting the optimum benefit from them?


   I talked to a couple of fellow instructors to find out what they do to walk out of the gym feeling renewed.

   Terri Harrington, personal trainer and yoga instructor at GymOne, says it's not about the specific routine or weights but your awareness and mind-body connection to yourself. "Connect breath to movement," she points out.  "Be there, in your body whether you're spinning, lifting weights or stretching. Connect to your body's intuition for health and well being."

   I love the perspective Terri brings because I wasn't even seeing it that way. It reminds me of what Wayne Dyer says about being thankful for your body and even the parts, like your liver or your feet.

   At Cambria Community Fitness, personal trainer Scott Barrett warns that we need to do our own exercises and not something "off the rack." In other words, a routine needs adjustments for each individual. "If there is any pain or discomfort with any exercise," he cautions, "then you are not doing it correctly or it is not right for you."


Some Exercises

   I do have a few favorites when I'm at the gym and here are four of them you might want to add to your routine. Don't feel intimidated by all the names of the muscles. We all have them! Information is power.

Helicopter Squat
   Squats are a total lower body workout, working out most of the major muscle groups of the butt, hips and thighs. Arm movements get the glutes working more during the squat.

   With your arms pointed to the left, drop into a squat. As you drop down, bring your arms in front of you and to the right side of your body when you are finally down in the squatted position. Then, rise up bringing your arms back to the right side of your body. Switch sides. Start in the standing position with your arms pointed right and squat while bringing your arms to the left side, and back again to the right as you rise. Repeat this several times alternating your arm direction.

Incline Bench Press
   This is a great exercise for the chest and shoulders. The incline bench press uses the pectoralis major and anterior deltoid muscles.

   Lie on your back, weights at your chest with palms facing up. Inhale. Press the weights up to the ceiling, exhaling as you press up and inhaling as you come down.

Overhead Pulldown, Wide Grip
   The pulldown exercises the latissimus dorsi in the back. It also involves the biceps brachii, brachialis and brachioradialis muscles as well as muscles connected to the scapulae: the lower trapezius and the pectoralis minor muscles.

   Position the thigh support in a snug position with feet on the ground. Choose your weight and take a grip equal to twice your shoulder length with the long bar at its highest position. Lean back slightly from the hips while contracting the abdominal muscles. As you pull down, stick your chest out while keeping your elbows wide. Pull the bar down to your collarbone maintaining posture alignment. Do not rest until all your repetitions are completed for the set.

Captain's Chair Knee Raise
   The knee raise works the lower abdominals.

   Support yourself by your forearms on a captain's chair. Inhale. Then lift your knees towards your midsection. Exhale on the way up. Use your abs to pull your legs up. Rotate your pelvis forward to really crunch your abs. Inhale as you bring your legs back down. You can also perform this exercise with your legs straight out which will make it a more challenging movement.

The HF Connection to Heart Health

February 17, 2014

   During this American Heart Month it's been good even for me to take a moment and consider my own health as I write these blogs and post to Facebook. I love finding a new recipe or a new angle on fitness to promote heart health. But there does come a time to be reminded of the reason for lifestyle changes and that is to avoid heart failure, the number one cause of death in the United States.



   I like Wikipedia's entry on heart failure and I quote the definition in the first paragraph which defines it pretty well:
"Heart failure or HF (often called congestive heart failure, CHF, or congestive cardiac failure, CCF) occurs when the heart is unable to provide sufficient pump action to maintain blood flow to meet the needs of the body. Heart failure can cause a number of symptoms including shortness of breath, leg swelling, and exercise intolerance. The condition is diagnosed with a physical examination by your physician and confirmed with an echocardiogram."
There are a number of causes of heart failure and here are the most common ones:

  • Coronary artery disease, a narrowing of the small blood vessels that supply blood and oxygen to the heart weakening the heart over time or suddenly

  • High blood pressure leading to problems with stiffness or eventually leading to the heart weakening

  • Heart valves that are leaky or narrowed
  • Infection that weakens the heart muscle

  • Congenital Heart Disease, the most common kind of heart birth defect

Here are a number of lifestyle changes that can make a difference to avoid heart failure:
  • Exercise. Heart healthy exercises include things like handcycling, rowing, walking, hiking, swimming, spinning, aerobics, Zumba, basketball, jump rope, stair or elliptical training, cross country skiing, Nordic walking, inline skating, cycling, etc. See your doctor and begin a program of exercising within your target heart rate.
  • Eat heart healthy foods. Vegetables and fruits are powerful allies in keeping your heart healthy.
  • Lower your salt intake. It can make a significant difference and I think it's the easiest change to make. Sodium helps the body to  hold excess fluid creating an added burden on the heart. The recommended daily allowance is 1500 mg daily. Purchasing fruits and vegetables at your local farmers market and cooking things yourself helps you control sodium intake.
  • Lower your sugar intake. There's a high degree of connection between too much sugar consumption and cardiovascular diseases. Careful choices about the processed foods you eat, sodas and desserts can make a big difference.
  • Stop smoking. Smoking increases blood pressure, decreases HDL (good cholesterol), decreases exercise tolerance and increases the tendency for blood to clot. Smoking also increases the risk of recurrent coronary heart disease after bypass surgery.

  • Cut down on alcohol. Heavy alcohol consumption has detrimental effects on blood pressure.

  • Lose weight. If you're overweight then weight loss can make it easier on your heart. Your heart pumps blood through your veins and arteries. Your lungs take in oxygen and send it to your blood. The stronger your heart is, the more easily it pumps more blood throughout your body. If your heart is weak it has to work harder to provide you with fresh blood and oxygen.

  • Lower your cholesterol. Like small tumors, plaques of cholesterol and other substances form in the artery walls and eventually the passageway for blood becomes clogged. Less blood flow means less oxygen for the heart muscle. Chest pain (angina) occurs, usually following exercise or excitement. When the blood supply is completely cut off, a part of the heart muscle dies—this is a heart attack.
  • Get plenty of rest. Our lives have become so busy and full that we forget to take time out to sit quietly and rest. And we often don't get enough sleep. Our hearts need time for rejuvenation. If we want it to last it needs to rest.