Lynbrook | New Hyde Park | NY

stretching

Dealing With Stress During the Holidays

The most common issue gym-goers have is that it’s hard to fit workouts in during the holidays.  On top of that, this is known to be the most stressful time of the year because of all the shopping and deciding the perfect gift for your loved ones, hosting and attending family parties, home decorating, and other events during this time of year.  Moreover, the cold weather and snow seem to add to people’s stress levels and make it even harder to make it to the gym.  Unfortunately we can not avoid the extra responsibility we must take on along with work and other life events during this time, therefore we must attack this stress head-on in order to remain calm and actually enjoy the holidays while still taking care of ourselves and our wellness.`

One of the first and most important aspects to dealing with stress is to write your tasks and goals down on a piece of paper (or in your phone) in order ease the mind knowing that your thoughts and responsibilities are organized and physically present for you to remember.  You have to head to the mall for Christmas shopping, pick up your kids at school and then have a holiday party in the evening, but you still want to fit in an exercise somewhere?  Map out your day the night before so that you can fit in enough time to exercise.

If you are like most people, the mental and physical benefits of exercise are important to you; missing your routine workouts can make you angry and feel unaccomplished.  According to a study done at the University of Liverpool, aerobic exercise training has antidepressant and anxiolytic effects which helps protect against harmful consequences of stress (Effects of Physical Activity and Exercise Training).  These findings can be credited to improved blood circulation throughout the body including the brain, lowered blood pressure, and improved production of endorphins (neurotransmitters that act as chemical messengers).  Exercise can regulate and improve the release of serotonin and dopamine, which are two hormones that play a heavy role in our mood, as well as, lower the production of adrenaline (fight or flight sympathetic response)—which at too high of levels can negatively effect our stress levels.  Therefore, skipping your workouts will only add to your stress levels, so make sure to prioritize your cardio training!

Another effective way to deal with holiday stress is to practice yoga (take a class, have your physiologist teach you, or watch an instructional video online).  In reality, yoga is mostly a combination of different stretches, postural corrections and functional movements to ease tension and relax the muscles of the body—so basically a good 10-20 minute session of stretching and deep breathing will do the trick.  The most effective way to use yoga/stretching to ease stress would be to either start your day or end your day by stretching—but stretching at any point in the day is much better than nothing.  Muscle tension, especially along the neck, can play a big role in effecting your mood and making you irritable.  If you have any specific injuries along the neck or spine you should check with your doctor to see if you’re eligible for physical therapy or need to see a specialist, but if you are just tense or tight, try some of these stretches at home in a very slow manner to see if they help. Remember to always listen to your body! Muscle tension anywhere in the body may increase your stress, so find out where your muscles are the most tight, and ask a physiologist at Peak how to stretch out those muscles!

Follow this link for some helpful stretches to help relieve neck pain!

—By Anthony Locast

 

Salmon, Peter. “Effects of physical exercise on anxiety, depression, and sensitivity to stress: a unifying theory.” Clinical psychology review 21.1 (2001): 33-61.

“The Effects of Physical Activity and Exercise Training on Psychological Stress and Well-Being in an Adolescent Population.” Journal of Psychosomatic Research, Elsevier, 29 May 2002, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/002239999290114H.

 

Honey Roasted Butternut Squash with Cranberries and Feta

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 35 mins
Total: 40 mins

Ingredients:

  • 1 large butternut squash, peeled + chopped
  • a hearty drizzle of olive oil (1-2 TBSP)
  • salt, pepper, and garlic powder, to taste
  • 1-2 cups fresh cranberries
  • 2-3 TBSP honey (or extra, to taste)
  • 1/4 cup finely crumbled feta
  • ground cinnamon, to taste
  • fresh or dried parsley, to garnish, optional

Instructions:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Lightly spray a baking sheet with olive oil.
  3. Add cubed squash to the sheet along with another drizzle of olive oil.
  4. Sprinkle with a light layer of salt, pepper, and garlic powder, based on taste preference.
  5. Roast at 400 F for 25 minutes on the center rack.
  6. At the 25 minute mark, pull out the oven rack, and add your fresh cranberries to the roasting pan.
  7. Return to the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the cranberries have started to soften and burst a bit, resembling juicy craisins v fresh firm cranberries.
  8. Remove from oven and add a sprinkle of cinnamon (approx. 1/8-1/4 tsp depending on preference) along with feta and honey, sweeten to taste.
  9. Garnish with parsley and enjoy!

 

Original recipe from Peas & Crayons can be found here!

Halloween Tricks for Treats

Happy Halloween!!!

It’s a spooky time of year to try and eat healthy. It is so easy to be a goblin or a ghoul and steal a piece of candy or two. If you’re only eating one or two pieces of candy then you won’t have any issues; it’s finding the will power to only have a piece or two of candy which is very important for this time of year. Focus on these three simple tips to set yourself up for success as we head into the holiday season!

1) Nutrition tips:

Starting your morning off healthy is the way to go. Make sure you set yourself up for success by having a healthy breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Something very simple you can do is drink lots of water all day long. (If not a great day to start is today!) Drinking more water will fill you up a little more to curb your apatite and it will help flush out any sugar you do intake. We tend to eat unhealthy if we wait till we are hungry. If you plan to eat healthy and don’t wait till your starving to eat you make healthier choices.

2) Exercise tips:

Halloween isn’t bad- it’s a great time to make sure you get your 10,000 steps in or more. Take this time to walk around your neighborhood and see the decorations and costumes. Use trick-or-treating as an opportunity to squeeze in a training walk for that Turkey Trot!

3) Set Boundaries:

If there is candy in the house sort it out in small portions to help limit yourself and avoid the sugar rush. If you know you can’t just have one or two pieces then you should probably get the candy out of your house. Here at Peak Performance we have Operation Gratitude, where we donate your left over candy to the troops. All you have to do is bring the candy into us and we will deliver it!

If you can focus on your goals and taking care of yourself during the next two months, then that New Year’s Resolution will be much easier. Why wait until the New Year to focus on your health? Trick- don’t treat- your way through Halloween, sign up for a 5k Turkey Trot for Thanksgiving and you’ll be set up for success through the December holidays!

 

By Corynne Duprey

The Benefits of the Squat

A squat is a compound movement which involves strengthening the lower body. The squat has often been geared towards athletes to better improve their athletic performance due to the amount of muscle recruitment involved.  The squat has many neuromuscular benefits making this a good addition to a sport specific exercise prescription. Athletes can benefit from front squats and back squats, but that is not the only benefit of this exercise.
According to Brad J, Schoenfeld, “it is estimated that over 200 muscles are activated during squat performance.”  Over time, the squat has developed a reputation of superiority for not only athletes, but any individual who wants to improve their functional movements such as lifting packages or picking up a baby.  Functional movements like this are required for daily activity and in order to be done correctly without strain, several muscle groups must be recruited together. The squat has now become an exercise of functionality that does not always have to be done with heavy weights.  This translates well into clinical settings where individuals who suffer from chronic knee pain, chondromalacia, patellofemoral dysfunctions, total joint replacements and ankle instability can benefit from strength training.
In a paper by A. Braidot on the “Biomechanics of Front and Back Squat Exercises,” Braidot discusses the closed kinetic chain where the distal end remains fixed compared to an open kinetic chain where the distal end of the segment that moves is free. When using a machine such as the leg extension, muscle recruitment is isolated to the quadriceps group, whereas in a squat, there are over 200 muscles being recruited. This exercise engages more muscles as a result of the instability during the execution of the squat. This makes your abdominal and postural muscles work together to help your balance, too.  So the next time you are working with your Exercise Physiologist, ask if the squat is right for you!
By Brandon Ayala

Recipe of the Week: Shrimp Burrito Bowl

Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients

For the cilantro black beans and rice

  • 3/4 cup (135 grams) uncooked long-grain brown rice
  • 1 1/2 cups (355 grams) water
  • 1 (15.5-ounce or 420 grams) can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/4 teaspoon grated lime zest
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1/4 cup (5 grams) chopped fresh cilantro

For the burrito bowl

  • 1 teaspoon canola oil
  • 1 medium (55 grams) onion, sliced
  • 2 medium (240 grams) bell peppers, sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 pound (455 grams) medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 2 cups (95 grams) loosely packed chopped romaine lettuce
  • 1 medium (125 grams) tomato, seeded and chopped
  • 1 medium (150 grams) ripe avocado, diced

Directions

  1. Prepare cilantro black beans and rice. Combine rice and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 35–40 minutes, or until tender. Stir in black beans; cook 2–3 minutes until heated through. Stir in lime zest, lime juice and cilantro. Set aside and keep warm.
  2. While rice cooks, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, swirling to coat. Add onion, bell peppers, garlic, cumin and salt. Cook 3 minutes, covered and stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender. Stir in shrimp; cook 2–3 minutes, stirring often.
  3. Place 1 cup rice and bean mixture in each of 4 bowls. Top each with 1 1/4 cups shrimp and vegetable mixture. Top each serving evenly with romaine, tomato and avocado.

Nutrition Information

Serving Size: 1 cup beans and rice + 1 1/4 cups shrimp and vegetables + 1/2 cup lettuce + 1/3 cup chopped tomato + 1/4 cup avocado

Per serving: Calories: 450; Total Fat: 9g; Carbohydrate: 56g; Dietary Fiber: 13g; Sugar: 4g; Protein: 34g

 

Original recipe from MyFitnessPal can be found here!

Exercise and the Aging Population

The best and most important time to exercise is in our later years.  Although you may not have the same amount of energy as you did when you were 25, beginning a regular exercise program can have you feeling younger, healthier, and happier.

Unfortunately, we undergo many physiological changes as a result of aging.  These changes include increases in fat mass, decreases in muscle mass, weaker cardiac output (reduced blood flow, stiffening of blood vessels, slower heart rate), lower bone density, and slower reflexes.  Although these occurrences are inevitable, a combination of cardiovascular, balance, flexibility and resistance training can slow down these adverse processes.

The first and most important type of training that can improve many of these aspects, as well as, lower our overall chances of mortality is cardiovascular (endurance) training.  Cardio training can be performed on various modalities, which include bike riding, rowing, walking, jogging, elliptical, arm ergometer, and other activities such as recreational sports and dancing.  Endurance training on a regular basis has been found to improve our overall cardiac output, lower our LDL cholesterol and blood-glucose levels, reduce fat mass, and improve lung function among many other aspects of our health.

Evidence backing improved cardiac output can be observed in a research study performed at the gerontological research institute.  This study was conducted to find the effects of a 4-month endurance training program on older adults.  The results of this experiment illustrate the significant benefits of exercise training on the overall cardiac output of a group of older adults. Exercisers trained three times weekly for 40 minutes on a cycle ergometer (5-minute warm up, 30 minutes at training heart rate (THR), 5-minute cool down). Target heart rate was set at 70% of peak heart rate attained on a maximal exercise test.  At the end of the experiment, the exercise group improved their aerobic capacity by 8.5% compared to the control group (no exercise) whose aerobic performance decreased (Posner).

Resistance training, otherwise known as strength training, has been found to improve bone density at any age and increase muscle mass.  Combining a strength training program with a balance training program has been found to prevent falls in the elderly.  According to a study done in New Zealand, a six month strength and balance program showed a significant change in the number of falls among two groups of senior citizens.  This is an important finding, because in many cases falls lead to long-term inactivity, which in turn increases the rate of mortality (Campbell).

By Anthony Locast

 

Sources

Campbell, A. John, et al. “Randomised controlled trial of a general practice programme of home based exercise to prevent falls in elderly women.” Bmj 315.7115 (1997): 1065-1069.

Posner, Joel D., et al. “Low to moderate intensity endurance training in healthy older adults: physiological responses after four months.” Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 40.1 (1992): 1-7.

Fall Prevention in Autumn

As the leaves begin to change, Team Peak dedicates its time and resources to Fall Prevention Awareness month. There are a number of Fall Prevention Programs available, including the ones here at Peak Fitness and Physical Therapy! Before you ask about or programs, here are some helpful tips to get you started.

  • Research shows that fall risk is increased by things such as age, weakness, confusion and unsteady movement. Luckily, that same research also shows that if we pay particular attention to these risk factors, our fall risk decreases. A consistent exercise program will not only help keep you on your feet, it will help keep you healthy and strong (Rubenstein, 2006).
  • Wear the appropriate footwear. Consider the changing weather as a cue to ditch the unstable sandals and opt for some better fitting sneakers. This is especially important if you are going to be doing activities like raking leaves, picking pumpkins, etc.
  • Get a balance assessment. Ideally, we can start an intervention before a fall incident Get your eyes, ears, strength, mobility and gait assessed by a qualified professional to help set you up for success (Moylan, Binder, 2007).

 

By Matt Rhodes

 

References:
Moylan and Binder, 2007. Falls in older adults: risk assessment, management and prevention. American Journal of Medicine 120(6).

Rubenstein, EF, 2006. Falls in older people: epidemiology, risk factors and strategies for prevention. Journal of Aging 35.

 

 

 

Cholesterol: The Good & The Bad

Increased exercise and a healthy diet can create positive changes within your body other than just losing weight. Cholesterol levels are just one of many indicators for cardiovascular disease. While those who are overweight have a higher risk for developing cardiovascular disease, those people are not the only ones at risk. Nutrition and exercise play a large part in one’s cholesterol levels. High cholesterol means that there is an imbalance of fats circulating in the blood stream. Cholesterol is a fatty substance that your body uses to make hormones and metabolize food. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is referred to as the “bad cholesterol.” A high LDL level may put you at risk for cardiovascular disease. This type of cholesterol is linked to a buildup of plaque within the arteries, which can eventually obstruct proper blood flow to the heart and other organs. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is the “good cholesterol” which carries cholesterol from other parts of your body back to your liver and it will remove the bad cholesterol from your body. Higher HDL levels have proven to protect against heart disease. Triglycerides refer to fat content in the blood. This is the kind of fat that people eat, which found mostly in vegetable oil and animal fats.

High cholesterol, however, is not always associated with your weight. Several factors play a role in your cholesterol levels including exercise, nutrition, and genetics. These factors combine to form a baseline for one’s risk of developing high cholesterol. Consuming a diet that is high in fat, such as high-fat meats, fried foods and high-fat cheeses, will increase your risk of developing both high cholesterol and obesity.

Making small changes to your nutritional habits and exercise routine may help to reduce your cholesterol. Instead of focusing on changing your caloric intake, be mindful about the types of foods you eat which will help contribute to healthier cholesterol levels. Regular exercise may also contribute to increasing your good cholesterol levels. However, if weight loss is also a concern, research studies suggest that weight loss may help reduce your LDL and triglyceride levels, while increasing HDL.

 

By Louise Mills-Strasser