Month: October 2017

Addicted to Fitness Show Notes – Coping With A Miscarriage

We have a bit of a more serious topic today for the podcast episode, but one that both Nick and I wanted to share.

Before we get into the main topic, we check-in on our current training and diets. Nick has been training three times a week at Title Boxing Club in South Tampa where his current and past clients are starting to attend, including Spanish and Carmin from 102.5 The Bone.

He is also choosing to focus more on nutrition and diet. The latest challenge? Currently he’s doing a 14-hour daily fast, mostly during the night. His efforts have been the result of a ton of research he’s collected from individuals like Dr. Jason Fung and Dr. Rhonda Patrick which states that intermittent fasting can help you lose weight and allow your body to clean up damaged cells which may cause detrimental health conditions like cancer. Click here to watch a video from Dr. Rhonda Patrick explaining the benefits of intermittent fasting in more detail.

Meanwhile, while I have not been participating in the fasting, I have been more aware of my food and am working on looking at food more as fuel for my body versus just something to consume. I also got back on the Peloton bike this week, despite not having yet completed the recommended 6-week waiting period after Ella’s birth. Don’t worry, I’m taking it easy so that I can get some regular, low-impact activity into my routine. I performed a 20-minute session and I’m happy to report that it was a success!

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Now, we move on to the main point of our episode today. As October is Miscarriage & Infant Loss Awareness Month, it felt like the appropriate time to share an experience that we’ve kept to ourselves for over a year.

It may seem surprising, but miscarriages happen to 10%-20% of known pregnancies (depending on the study you read). You would definitely be surprised if every person who has experienced one came out and shared the info, but few actually do. There’s not a great deal of information about miscarriages out there beyond the info about them mostly being caused by an incompatibility issue with the chromosomes during development at some point during the first 20 weeks.

When you’re looking for how to cope with one though, there’s very little info. Furthermore, there is even less info about what a person or couple goes through.

I recently blogged about our experience with a miscarriage that we experienced last year on A Dash of Sparkle.

Daddy & Ella

In the podcast though, we discussed a bit more about how both Nick and I felt during and after the miscarriage.

As personal of an experience it is to go through, the lack of conversation about it has led to women/people going through this tragedy in silence in many instances. Only recently have more public figures (celebrities and such) come forth and admitted to having gone through one (or more).

I was lucky enough to follow some bloggers/vloggers who shared their experience and thoughts on the their personal situations, which provided me with information. It was still a very difficult time in our lives, however, no matter what we read.

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We hope us sharing our story and feelings connect with those in need in a positive way.

Don’t forget to please support the sponsor of the ATF podcast, The Hemp & Coffee Exchange by visiting their site, hempcoffeeexchange.com, and get 20% off your purchase by using the code ATF at checkout.

We always encourage you to reach out to us via email (elementaltampa@gmail.com) or on social media (Facebook, Instagram or Twitter). Whatever your health questions or comment may be, we’d love to hear it. Thanks for listening and stay healthy this week peeps!

Links to this week’s episode

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/addicted-to-fitness-podcast/id1121420986?mt=2#episodeGuid=82d09804b5168ddd1e91882bdb6cb393

Android: http://addictedtofitness.libsyn.com/leaky-gut-the-benefits-of-probiotics

Website: http://addictedtofitness.libsyn.com/coping-with-miscarriage

Weekend Workout – Push It, Push It Real Good

Compound exercises are multi-joint movements that require the use of various muscle groups. That means performing a workout filled with compound exercises will give you more “bang for your buck” which is why I decided to fill this weekend workout with one of the best compound exercises around: the push-up.

This bodyweight workout includes a variety of push-up variations that will strengthen numerous muscle groups in your body.  I recommend performing 10 reps of each push-up variation followed by at least 30 seconds of rest for three to five circuits. Don’t forget to warmup and modify the workout to match your fitness level.

Connect with us on social media and share pics/videos of you performing this or any weekend workout (Facebook, Instagram or Twitter). ENJOY!

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What’s On The Menu – How To Make A Sustainable Cup of Joe

Besides nutrition and exercise, coffee has to be the most popular subject matter on elementaltampa.com. I took a quick look and I’ve written 3 blog posts and recorded 3 Addicted to Fitness podcasts that discuss the benefits of my favorite beverage. This week’s menu spotlight will be yet another ode to one of my beloved coffee beverages.

If you listen to this week’s ATF podcast (episode link) you would have heard that we’ve been fortunate enough to partner with an awesome company called The Hemp & Coffee Exchange. THC_exchange produces a

Super coffee blend of intelligently sourced hemp seeds, hearts, and green coffee beans.

If that product description sounds familiar to our longtime followers, it’s because we interviewed the creators of The Hemp & Coffee Exchange earlier this year for an episode of ATF, which I encourage you all to go back and listen to (episode link). I learned from that interview that their hemp-coffee blend is not only delicious but offers more nutritional & environmental benefits than the coffee you can buy at the grocery store.

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Jeremy & Brett, creators of The Hemp & Coffee Exchange

The health benefits of coffee have been mentioned numerous times on this blog, but I think they always deserve repeating. Several of the positive health benefits associated with coffee consumption include:

  • Two or more cups of coffee could prevent alcohol induced cirrhosis by up to 66% (source)
  • Studies have shown that drinking coffee can result in a significant reduction in prostate cancer (source)
  • Studies have shown that the caffeine in coffee can improve performance in endurance events (source) FUN FACT: caffeine was considered a performance enhancing drug by the Olympic drug testing agency until 2004
  • Studies have linked coffee consumption to the reduction in the development of both Alzheimer’s disease and dementia (source)

THC_exchange uses high quality coffee beans, which they roast themselves, to produce their product, but the health benefits of this “sustainable super coffee blend” don’t stop there. The incorporation of hemp provides numerous important water-soluble nutrients like omega 3 & 6 fatty acids (specifically gamma-linolenic acid), amino acids and several important vitamins and minerals (source). The use of hemp is also important to another tenet held by the creators of THC_exchange, sustainability.

During our interview, THC_exchange creators told us that they believed that hemp could revitalize the United States agricultural industry. Not only is it a phenomenal cover crop, but it also re-introduces nutrients to the soil, takes minimal water & resources to maintain and has numerous industrial uses (e.g. livestock feed, textiles, building materials, etc.). Unfortunately mass production of non-psychoactive hemp is currently illegal in the United States, but products like THC_exchange coffee demonstrate its benefits and importance.

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All these nutritional & environmental benefits aren’t even the main reason why I love this hemp-coffee blend so much. I can say without hesitation that it is one of the most flavorful ground coffees I’ve ever had. You all know how much I love coffee. I post a coffee pic on social media almost every day!

If THC_exchange’s coffee tasted crappy, no amount of health or environmental benefits could make me drink it, let along recommend it to others. Both varieties of their hemp-coffee blends have unique flavor profiles and they even offer a no hemp, whole bean option for those who aren’t ready to add a little hemp to their morning coffee.

I encourage you to head to THC_exchange’s website (link) to learn more about their values and products. If this post has compelled you to try one of their hemp-coffee blends, please use the code “ATF” at checkout to get a 20% discount. Let me know what you think and please feel free to share a pic of your cup of THC_exchange coffee with us on social media (Facebook, Instagram or Twitter).

Addicted To Fitness Show Notes – Leaky Gut & The Benefits of Probiotics

Welcome back! This week’s show notes are brought to you by Shannon…

Both Nick and I had training updates for the first time in a bit (I have been a bit lighter on the training as of late).

I am slowly getting back into adding some activity, but am holding off on real training since my doctor mandated I not do any strenuous exercise for at least six weeks after childbirth. So I’ve been settling for daily walks with our dog and the baby, as well as some “slow flow” yoga, both of which are still making me sweat.

I’ve been super excited to get back to a prior-to-childbirth workout routine, especially since I’m getting back to regular clothes (no more maternity clothes!).

Meanwhile, Nick has been spending more time at home with the baby, which means he’s doing more at-home workouts. He puts them on his Instagram Stories, so be sure to follow @ETTampa and check them out! He’s also been getting some training leading the classes at Title Boxing, since he has to demonstrate the whole workout versus simply coaching like he does for personal training. He now teaches three classes a week (at noon, Monday-Wednesday).

In addition to the training, Nick has also made the decision to clean up his diet by focusing on nutrition. Diet has been a challenge for both of us since childcare has really minimized the amount of time we have to prepare food.

Whether we have time or not, we’re always fascinated with nutrition. One topic we wanted to get more in-depth on was one we have mentioned previously – leaky gut.

So what is it? Leaky gut is simply defined as increased gastrointestinal permeability. It’s commonly a symptom of conditions like Celiac and Crohn’s disease.  Interestingly enough, though it’s a term that is used more often these days, many medical sites and professionals reporting on this “condition” also call out that it is not one that can be diagnosed accurately.

Even medical celebrities like Dr. Oz are somewhat skeptical of the cause/origin of leaky gut, mostly since it’s not yet been determined whether it is the cause of other conditions/illnesses, or simply a side effect/symptom of something more serious.

Some research states that inflammatory foods (e.g. refined sugar & carbs, fast food, etc) may damage the function of the small intestine and thereby allow undesirable substances such as bacteria, viruses, un-digested food particles, and waste products to leak into blood stream. Nick mentioned a podcast episode by past ATF guest, Vinnie Tortorich, which discussed a recent study on the damaging effects fast food specifically can have on an individual’s gut health.

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Symptoms often associated with leaky gut include: bloating, cramps, fatigue, food sensitivity, achy joints, rashes – which are also symptoms for many other conditions.

The book, Practical Paleo claims that grains and seeds are the primary inflammatory foods, calling them anti-nutrients. Since many of our feel-good hormones and antibodies ( e.g. serotonin) are produced in our gut, it’s critical to focus on gut health. The best course of treatment for leaky gut is eliminating inflammatory foods from your diet for 30, 60, 90 days or longer. Practical Paleo offered up details on how to repair leaky gut, summarized nicely in one page (see above).

One of the ways to repair, the book calls out, is by taking probiotics. And this leads us to our discussion on the power of probiotics.

One of the few supplements we both take on daily basis are probiotics daily. Probiotics are the good bacteria that help keep the bad bacteria in check and maintain gut health.

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Recently Nick saw a study by ATF favorite, Dr. Rhonda Patrick (find her on YouTube, Twitter and Instagram @foundmyfitness), who also just had a baby, about the effect probiotics have on breast milk. The study found that mothers who take probiotics during the time they’re breastfeeding produce milk that seems to improve gastrointestinal functional symptoms and decrease incidence of infantile colic and regurgitation in their infants.

So we looked further into what the best probiotic foods are, as supplements are not the only place to find this gut-health-helpers. Healthline.com highlights the “Top 11 Probiotic Foods,” which includes some of our favorites like pickles, kimchi, sauerkraut and yogurt. Check the full list here.

We finish our chat with a friendly reminder; don’t forget that antibiotics can kill beneficial probiotics in your gut in addition to the bad ones, so be sure you take a medicinal dose of probiotics after you finish your antibiotics to restore your supply.

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That’s it for this week’s episode!

Don’t forget to like & follow the Addicted to Fitness podcast page on Facebook, give us a rating & review in iTunes and please take advantage of your 20% off discount on coffee from our new sponsors, The Hemp & Coffee Exchange, at hempcoffeeexchange.com.

Learn more about our sponsors in our previous ATF episode where we interview the founders and taste test this delicious coffee here.

Links to this week’s episode

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/leaky-gut-the-benefits-of-probiotics/id1121420986?i=1000393875009&mt=2

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/nick-burch-702220833/leaky-gut-the-benefits-of

Website: http://addictedtofitness.libsyn.com/leaky-gut-the-benefits-of-probiotics

Weekend Workout – This Workout Focuses on Your Core Concern

Several potential benefits of core training according to Men’s Fitness include: improved sports performance, reduction in lower-back pain, better posture, development of stronger breathing muscles and a slimmer waistline (source). Plus, you’ll absorb more beneficial Vitamin D during those times showing off your core muscles at the beach, or supermarket. Wherever you prefer.

You’re gonna want a workout mat to perform the core exercises in this weekend workout. I recommend performing five 10 rep supersets of these exercises with at least 60 seconds of rest in between sets. Don’t forget to warmup and modify the workout to match your fitness level.

If you complete this or any weekend workout, please let us know in the comment section below OR you can send us a pic/video of you doing the workout on social media (Facebook, Instagram or Twitter). ENJOY!

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What’s on the Menu – How Fat Can Be Your Friend

When celebrity fitness trainer Vinnie Tortorich came on the Addicted to Fitness podcast (click here to listen to entire episode) last year, he made a statement that really resonated with me. He said

The worse thing about dietary fat is that it’s called FAT!

That one statement inspired me to look into the low-carb, high-fat (LCHF) lifestyle to determine if it suited me better than the not so low carb lifestyle I was participating in at the time. After subtracting certain items that contain refined carbs from my diet and adding more items that were high in healthy fats, I started feeling fuller, longer and was no longer hangry two hours after a meal.

There is one particular “fatty” food item that has been a part of my diet well before my shift to LCHF. I’ve been hearing about its health benefits for well over a decade and its versatility has made it a staple in Shannon and I’s kitchen. It can be used as a cooking oil, salad dressing, finishing sauce and even a skin care product. The multi-talented food item I’m referring to is olive oil and it’s this week’s menu spotlight.

Olive oil is a broad category of oil made from pressed olives. I realize that isn’t “breaking news,” but I wanted to mention that because the different types of olive oils at the supermarket can be quite overwhelming. If you’re looking for the variety that provides the most health benefits, you’ll want to stick with extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). Any other variety may use solvents to extract the oil or partially consist of cheaper, inflammatory oils.

Even though EVOO, purchased from a reputable producer, doesn’t contain any protein or carbs, it’s still highly nutritious. One hundred grams, which is about 7 tablespoons, of EVOO contains 72% of our recommended daily allowance (RDA) for Vitamin E and 75% of our RDA for Vitamin K (source), both of which can contribute to preventing cardiovascular disease. The micronutrients contained in olive oil are impressive but it’s the type of fat it contains that really sets it apart from other cooking oils.

EVOO consists primarily of monounsaturated fat. This type of fat is more heat-resistant, which means it is less likely to oxidize when used in cooking applications. This is one aspect of EVOO that makes it superior to other cooking oils like canola or even flax-seed, which consist primarily of polyunsaturated fat. Less oxidation means less free radical production, which can cause inflammation that may researchers believe is responsible for chronic health conditions like atherosclerosis, Alzheimer’s and cancer. Oh, and EVOO contains a ton of anti-inflammatory phenols and polyphenols to further combat those previously mention conditions (source).

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As you can imagine, I frequently use EVOO to saute veggies and as my go-to salad dressing (2 parts EVOO + 1 part vinegar). I also use it to make my baked sweet potatoes fries nice & crispy, add extra flavor to my fried eggs and add even more monounsaturated fat to my daily avocado snack.

I mentioned it quickly earlier in this post, but it is very important that you purchase your EVOO from a reputable producer to get the optimum amount of health benefits. There are two great books, Extra Virginity & Real Food / Fake Food, that describe some of the deception associated with olive oil.

A couple quite tips I’ll give you in regards to purchasing EVOO are buy imported and make sure the container it comes in is NOT clear (light can cause oxidation over time). If you have a brand of EVOO that you swear by, I’d love to hear about it. Feel free to share it with us via email (elementaltampa@gmail.com) or snap a pic of the bottle and share it on our social channels (Facebook, Instagram or Twitter) and don’t forget FAT DOESN’T MAKE YOU FAT!

Addicted to Fitness Show Notes – How Having A Baby Changes Everything

Hi all! Shannon here.

This week, we’re talking about our own “labor day” recap and how having our baby girl (whom we are madly in love with) has changed everything, including our sleep habits.

We know there are a number of listeners who have been following our pregnancy journey closely, watching when we posted to social media for any sign that we “popped.”

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Without getting into graphic details, here’s a quick recap of our labor story:

Our last doctor appointment was on a Friday and the doctor basically informed us that we were no closer to labor than the previous week’s appointment, but since we were overdue at that point (by three days) it really could happen at any time.

Well, our baby apparently was ease dropping and decided she didn’t want to wait for an induction, because less than two days later, contractions started. I powered through them at home for about 17 hours (they started around 4am on a Sunday) but we finally went to the hospital late that night in the hopes of being admitted (yes, they do frequently send you home if you’re not far enough along).

Thankfully, we got the thumbs up to stay and after another 11 hours of contractions, a number of which were seriously intensified due to a dose of Pitocin, I finally asked for an epidural. It had been a total of 28 hours of labor at that point – it was time. Things happened pretty quickly after that and about four hours later our doctor arrived to give us the go ahead to start pushing. Less than an hour later our little lady made her grand entrance into the world.

Story time with Ella

Some respiratory concerns resulted in a trip to NICU (neonatal intensive care unit), but thankfully, she recovered en route so that she didn’t actually have to be admitted. A couple hours of observation in the nursery later, she arrived to our recovery room healthy and hungry.

As new parents, we were terrified for those two hours, but we knew she was in the best possible hands. Finally getting to hold her and have her in our arms was the best feeling we could imagine though.

Two days at the hospital consisted of all the usual tests, check-ups, visits, baby care lessons, administrative chores, and sleepless hours, but we were still just so grateful and happy. Our baby’s nocturnal habits didn’t match up with hours though and he need to be fed every 2-3 hours was one of the more challenging aspects. We knew it was coming, had been warned in all our books, classes and by all our friends/family, but that doesn’t make it any easier to prep for. Regardless, our exact words on the whole experience were, “We are deliriously exhausted and deliriously happy.”

Sleepy with Ella

Deliriously happy & exhausted

Once we returned home with baby in tow, life continued to change. Likely because we were struggling with sleep, a recent headline on the awarding of the Nobel Prize for Medicine caught our attention, as this year’s went to three Americans for their work on Body Clock Studies.

Their study focused on the health effects that the circadian rhythm has on adult humans who are naturally diurnal (meaning we are wired to be up during daylight hours). The scientists discovered that a protein actually builds up in the body during sleep (at night) and then dissipates during the day, which is concrete evidence that explains how our sleep syncs up with our natural body clocks. The discovery of this protein could lead to future advancements in treatment for chronic conditions that cause or are caused by a misaligned circadian rhythm (that is HUGE!).

At the end of the day (literally), sleep is crucial to your health, so if you’re not getting enough (like us right now) it is really important that you try to get back to that natural sleep rhythm. Until more studies result in a way to counteract or alter the circadian rhythm, we’re all attached to that body clock!

Nick and I will be trying to encourage better sleep habits in our household as soon as we can so that everyone stays healthy. In the meantime, we’ll stumble a bit through our days, but the podcast will keep coming!

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In fact, we are making some big moves regarding the podcast, including a new sponsorship and a discount code for you listeners. Please make sure you share the podcast with a friend and give us a rating and review in iTunes and on our new Addicted to Fitness Podcast Facebook page.

Follow us on social media (Facebook, Instagram or Twitter) for loads of other updates and to see some proud parent pictures of our baby girl. We try to keep the posts balanced though, so don’t worry – they’re not all baby related.

Until next time, we hope you’re looking after your health and fitness and look forward to bringing you some new info in the next episode!

Links to this week’s episode

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/how-having-a-baby-changes-everything/id1121420986?i=1000393567380&mt=2

Android: http://subscribeonandroid.com/addictedtofitness.libsyn.com/rss

Website: http://addictedtofitness.libsyn.com/how-having-a-baby-changes-everything

Weekend Workout – I’ve Got Boxing On The Brain

My recent chat with combat sports historian, Dr. L.A. Jennings, on the ATF podcast (episode link) inspired me to share a weekend workout that features several boxing techniques. The workout below integrates a couple of hand combinations with a pair of body weight exercises that I guarantee will make you sweat!

Head to the ETT YouTube channel (link) if you need further instruction on the cross + lead hook and/or jab + power uppercut hand combinations. I recommend performing the workout in interval format (30 sec work/30 sec rest) for 12-20 minutes. Don’t forget to warmup and modify the workout to match your fitness level.

If you complete this or any weekend workout, please let us know in the comment section below OR you can send a us pic/video of you doing the workout on social media (Facebook, Instagram or Twitter). ENJOY!

TS 10-14 Weekend Workout