Optimize Your Movement to Maximize Your Benefit!

Whether you typically race through your workouts at max intensity, or take your sweet time, research suggests that a little bit of both, interchanging short bursts of high-intensity exercise with an easy, slow pace, might be just the ticket. While this method is hardly new to sport and fitness, a workout with steep peaks and valleys of intensity has come back into vogue for its ability to improve cardiovascular fitness and raise the body’s ability to burn fat.

Past studies have shown that interval workouts can be just as effective, regardless of a person's level of fitness or physical condition. To have the most efficient interval workout, the high-intensity segment should be strenuous enough that a person should be out of breath, while the following slow paced portion should not exceed the time it takes for a person’s pulse to reach its resting rate.

For example, a 30 minute treadmill workout could involve 5-10 minutes of low-moderate intensity warm-up followed by 4-5 interval cycles composed of 3 minutes of low-moderate intensity followed by 2 minutes of moderate-high intensity running, following by a 5 minute cool-down at low intensity. Activity levels during each segment should be personalized based on an individual's fitness level and physical ability. High intensity or vigorous activity is not safe for everyone, check with your doctor first.

Why is interval training so useful?

One advantage is that it enables exercisers to perform more high-intensity activity overall than they could in a single sustained effort. In addition, interval workouts can also add significant variety to a workout routine, decreasing boredom and helping to keep you going back for more!
So whether you commonly exercise short and fast, or longer at a moderate intensity, try to incorporate at least 1 interval type workout into your routine each week. You never know… you just might like it!

Special thanks to contributing authors: nutrition interns Elizabeth Dunwiddie and Meagan O’Brian.

Based on a New York Times article by Peter Jaret, May 2007.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/03/fashion/03Fitness.html?pagewanted=1&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1306426018-+Yf44PjqZ/Ijr8wjHrMEMQ

Be Social and Stay Sharp As You Age

As the Baby Boomers generation enters retirement and we approach a novel time in our nation’s existence when there will be more people over the age of 65 than any other age group, just about everyone is searching for the magic method to prolong quality of life as we age. Diet and exercise are always at the forefront of the conversation, but new research is suggesting that social and emotional factors may play a pretty significant part as well.

Scientists have known for some time that social interaction (or lack thereof) may be linked in some way with dementia, chronic disease and risk of early death as we age. But without a clear mechanism or evidence of a causal relationship, the question has always been which one comes first. Does social isolation perpetuate cognitive decline, or does development of dementia hinder sociability?

A recent study in the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society brings new light to this debate, showing that the rate of cognitive decline in the most socially active older adults was 70% lower than that of their least social peers. The study followed more than 1100 individuals without dementia at onset, average age 79.6, for up to 12 years. By continually measuring social activity and global cognitive function, the results actually conveyed a dose-response relationship between social activity and cognitive decline. Basically, a little social interaction made a little difference, and a lot of social activity made an even larger difference!

So what can we learn from this? While diet and exercise will always be large players in the game of aging well, the more recently revealed mind-body power of emotional and social vitality might have an equal stake. So no matter how busy our lives get and how much our social circles shrink as we age, we all must take the time to be the social individuals we evolved to be: go out with friends, join a local group or club, convene with family and never let go of those that you love and love you.

James B., Wilson RS., Barnes LL. And Bennett DA. Late-Life Social Activity and Cognitive Decline in Old Age. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society. 2011, 17:1-8.

For more tips on nutrition, exercise, and healthy living, contact your personal health coach at mygpns.com.

Link to article sited above (http://journals.cambridge.org/abstract_S1355617711000531)

The myGPNS Angel

A Recipe To Rev You Up!

While there may be virtually hundreds of energy bar products on the market designed for consumption before or after exercise, sometimes the best and healthiest way to get just what you want is to create your own. The recipe this week is an energy bar specifically designed to fuel your workout. When preparing for an activity involving 30+ minutes of vigorous exercise or 60+ minutes of moderate intensity exercise, the right pre-workout snack can mean the difference between your personal best and a mid-run bonk (hitting the proverbial wall)!

A single calorie-dense square of this bar packs a punch of readily usable carbohydrates from whole grains and natural sweeteners, along with a moderate dose of healthy fat, fiber and protein from flax seeds and sesame tahini. Best of all, they’re small so you won’t feel too full while you’re running. Try one about 60 minutes before your workout and then go burn it up!!

Nutty Carrot Energy Bars

Total Prep/Cook Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 16 bars

Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 cups rolled oats
1 tablespoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 cup real maple syrup
½ cup safflower or canola oil
½ cup sesame tahini
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
1 cup grated carrots
¼ cup whole flax seeds
½ cup raisins

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the flour, oats cinnamon, allspice and salt in a large bowl. Then combine the maple syrup, oil, tahini and ginger in a separate bowl and mix well. Then add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly to remove any lumps of flour. Then fold in the carrots, flax, walnuts and raisins until mixed evenly throughout.

Oil an 8”x8” baking dish and pour batter into dish, being sure to distribute it evenly in all areas. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Verify doneness by sticking with a toothpick – it should come out clean. Cool completely in the pan (about 1 hour) before cutting into squares.

Are your work and life in balance?

If you’re feeling overworked and are finding it more challenging than ever to juggle the demands of your job and the rest of your life, you’re not alone! Enjoy these simple tips below for maintaining a balance in your life.

Create routines. A schedule keeps you on track and allows time to complete all the essentials in a day.

Build downtime into your schedule. When planning your week, make it a point to schedule time with your family and friends and other activities that help you recharge.

Learn to say “no.” Understand your limits and learn to say no when you are overwhelmed.

For more tips on work-life balance, nutrition, and exercise, contact your coach at http://www.mygpns.com/ today!

Debbie Fife, MS