wellness

Weekend Workout – These Exercises We’ll Have You Looking Dynamite!

Dynamic exercises, also known as plyometrics, can really jump-start any workout. Plyometric exercises can get your heart rate up & increase your maximum force production, but did you know there are also dynamic mobility exercises.

Dynamic stretching movements can help promote blood flow and enhance joint and muscle range of motion. Which is why I incorporated two dynamic mobility exercises with two dynamic plyometric exercises for an explosive weekend workout.

Make sure you warmup and modify the exercises & intervals to match your fitness level. Let us know in the comment section if you completed this or any workout. Enjoy!

What’s on the Menu – Let’s Talk Turkey

I may be guilty of propagating a myth about one of our nation’s founding fathers, Benjamin Franklin. In the Instagram post (link) promoting this week’s menu spotlight, I suggested that the wild turkey was in a race with the bald eagle to be on our nation’s seal.

I recall hearing that historical tidbit from a reliable source and when I went to find supporting research, I found a source that seemed to confirm my statement. Upon further research, it appears the idea of Franklin championing for the wild turkey to be our nation’s symbol way back in the 18th century isn’t entirely true.

According to excerpts from a letter authored by Franklin, he did believe that the wild turkey was a “bird of courage” more likely to chase off an intruder than the bald eagle, but did NOT suggest that the turkey should be a part of our nation’s seal. It appears that Franklin was somewhat apathetic to the idea of having a bird on our nation’s seal altogether (source). Regardless of the turkey’s moral character, the fact that it provides both significant macro & micronutrients is 100% accurate.

You won’t find these types of turkeys at your grocery store

The turkey you pick up at the grocery store looks very different from the turkeys Benjamin Franklin was talking about. They may look different but their macronutrient content is very similar. Three ounces of turkey breast, without skin, contain 2 grams (g) of fat, 0 g of carbs and 26 g of protein (source). Not a great source of healthy fat or carbs, but a definite protein powerhouse. No surprise that you find turkey on a lot of meal plans for individuals looking to put on muscle.

Much like other animal-based protein sources, turkey is high in B vitamins, B3 & B6 in particular. B3, also known as niacin, is critical for the conversion of dietary macronutrients into usable energy including the production of glycogen. For those unfamiliar with glycogen, it is an animal starch stored in our muscles as fuel for future physical activity (source). This particular function of B3 is most likely why bodybuilders ingest supplemental forms of it to help them maintain their rigorous workout schedule.

Turkey also contains a significant amount of important dietary minerals. Zinc, copper, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, and iron are several minerals you’ll absorb eating turkey, but the mineral most abundant in turkey is selenium. A 4oz serving of turkey contains 62% of our DV of selenium, which is known to be a powerful antioxidant. With that said, it should come as no surprise that the consumption of turkey, and other poultry, has been shown to reduce the risk conditions/syndromes caused by oxidative stress like pancreatic cancer (source).

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Turkey doesn’t contain the amount of fat I normally prefer in my animal protein, but that’s an easy problem to fix. Shannon and I love using ground turkey (which does have added fat) to make burgers and I throw a couple slices of avocado on them to up their fat content. The combination of the protein from the turkey and the fat from the avocado makes for one satiating meal.

If you have a go-to turkey recipe that you think trumps my turkey burgers, please feel free to share it on our social media channels (Facebook, Instagram or Twitter). You can also email it to us at elementaltampa@gmail.com.

Email is the best way to find out more about Elemental Training Tampa’s online training program. Get that personal training you’ve always wanted at a price that you can afford.

Addicted to Fitness Show Notes – How Nutrition Affects Postpartum Depression

This week’s Addicted to Fitness kicks off with a brand new announcement! I encourage you all to keep emailing me to schedule a free fitness consultation and follow-up, but I also want to let you know that you can train with Elemental Training Tampa from anywhere. Contact me at elementaltampa@gmail.com to learn how you can participate in our online training program.

I start off this week’s training recap discussing the fitness contract I drew up for myself and my clients. Staying accountable to the goals you set for yourself is one of the many steps to achieving them. I believe signing a physical contract that you can see on a regular basis can help you be more accountable. My personal fitness contract stated that I will take at least one jiu-jitsu class a week. If you’re interested in using the fitness contract to reach your own goals, click here to download a .pdf version.

Free fitness contract; download by clicking link above

Shannon is closing in on the big day, which means the type & amount of exercise she’s capable of doing is becoming more limited. Instead of morning rides on the Peloton cycle, she’s made it a goal to walk approximately 30 mins every morning. This benefits both her, the baby and our a 4 legged child Jaz.

She also discusses her recent experience assisting in prenatal yoga classes in her training recap. Shannon is coming to the end of her yoga teacher training program, and has noticed that most fitness professionals are over-cautious when working with pregnant women. In her current state, she knows that pregnant women love and appreciate a little extra hands on attention.

We stay on the subject of pregnancy for our main discussion on this episode. Shannon bravely admits that she’s worried about the anxiety symptoms associated with the postpartum period. We did a little research to find out why the baby blues occur and discovered that a large contributing factor is a massive shift in hormones.

After her yoga teacher training program, we’ll technically have 2 yogis in our household

From what we read, postpartum symptoms are at their highest 5 days after childbirth and are significantly influenced by a lack of estrogen and the presence of the enzyme monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A). This enzyme can prevent the brain’s utilization of “feel good” hormones like dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin.

A recent clinical trial demonstrated that a supplement containing blueberry extract and the amino acids tryptophan & tyrosine had prevented “any depressed mood” in a group of women during their postpartum period (study link). Shannon’s already a fan of blueberries, so we researched the top 10 foods that contain tryptophan and tyrosine. You’ll have to listen to the episode to hear the entirety of both lists, but below is a couple of Shannon’s favorites.

Foods High in Tryptophan – egg white powder, spinach, soy protein isolate & spirulina (link to entire list).

Foods High in Tyrosine – cottage cheese, salmon, turkey & spirulina (link to entire list).

We hope that this episode helps people understand a little more about what happens to women after childbirth. I also want to reiterate that we BARELY scratched the surface of a very complex issue. If you want or need more information about postpartum depression, PLEASE consult a medical professional.

If you’re looking for feedback about your current fitness plan, you can reach out to me via email and/or social media (Facebook, Instagram or Twitter). We’d also really appreciate it if you left us a rating & review in iTunes.

I say it at the end of each episode, and I’ll say it now, you’re feedback help us get better. Thanks for listening and stay healthy this week peeps!

Links to this week’s episode

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/how-nutrition-affects-postpartum-depression/id1121420986?i=1000391275086&mt=2

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/nick-burch-702220833/how-nutrition-affects

Website: http://addictedtofitness.libsyn.com/how-nutrition-affects-postpartum-depression

Weekend Workout – You’ll Be Next In Line For Mayweather After This One

With approximately one week left before the biggest combat sport event of the century, Mayweather vs. McGregor, I felt it appropriate to share a weekend workout that features boxing & kickboxing techniques. I combined a couple hands & feet combinations with a pair of body weight exercises that are guaranteed to make you sweat!

Head to the ETT YouTube channel (link) if you need further instruction on the power cross + lead hook and/or squat to front kick exercises. 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!

Weekend Workout

What’s On The Menu – Let’s Ketchup on this Micronutrient Superfruit

I apologize for the brevity of this post. I had a full blog written, with funny anecdotes and informative nutrition details about this week’s menu spotlight. Bbbbbbbuttttt, when I woke up yesterday morning to do the final edit, I discovered that I didn’t save it.

My reaction when I realize I didn’t save this week’s blog

I don’t want to leave you all hanging this week, so the following is a short summary of why you need to start incorporating more tomatoes & tomato products, besides ketchup, into your diet.

Tomatoes’ macronutrient content isn’t anything spectacular – 1 medium size tomato contains no fat, 1 gram (g) of protein and 5 g of carbs; its carbs consist of mainly simple sugars & insoluble fiber (source).
Tomatoes’ micronutrient content is what really sets them apart – they contain a significant amount of vitamins (C, K & B-complex), minerals (molybdenum, potassium & copper) and antioxidants (lycopene, rutin, beta cartoene & many more – source).
The consumption of the micronutrients contained in tomatoes has been shown to mitigate certain health conditions – The vitamins, minerals and antioxidants contained in tomatoes have been shown to help with the treatment of high blood pressure, heart disease, degenerative vision conditions, depression and more (source). Lycopene, which tomatoes contain a significant amount of, has been shown in epidemiological & animal studies to lower the risk of certain types of cancer (source).
Shannon makes the best tomato dish EVA! – Some may say this is an opinion, but if you’ve had Shannon’s Saucy Tomato Eggs, you would know it’s a fact. Do yourself a favor and click here to check out the recipe.

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Hopefully the wizards at WordPress can work some magic and recover the previous blog. If they do, I’ll update this one with any additional info.

In the meantime, please feel free to send us your favorite tomato recipes. Doesn’t matter if you like’em raw, stewed or smashed into a paste, send those recipes to us at elementaltampa@gmail.com. You can also send us pics of your go-to tomato dishes on social media (Facebook, Instagram or Twitter). Shannon and I will pick the most tasty looking one and repost it on all our channels.

Addicted to Fitness Show Notes – An Interview with the Founder & Head Instructor of Amir Academy of Martial Arts, Amir Ardebily

This Addicted to Fitness has been a long time coming, but before we get into the juicy part of this week’s episode, we’ve got a couple important announcements to share with you all.

I know Shannon and I are starting to sound like broken records, but we want to make sure you all take advantage of the free fitness consultations I’m currently offering and vote for Addicted to Fitness as “best local podcast” in Creative Loafing’s Best of the Bay contest before it’s too late. Send an email to elementaltampa@gmail.com to schedule your consultation and follow the directions in the caption below to help ATF bring home the gold.

Visit cltampa.com, click on the Best of the Bay tab and you’ll find Addicted to Fitness in the “People, Places and Politics” category under the best local podcast.

As previously mentioned, this episode of the podcast is long overdue. When I first conceptualized Addicted to Fitness, I knew I wanted to have an interview component. Before I even recorded my first episode, I made a list of individuals that I wanted to speak to and at the top of that list was the person I was fortunate enough to interview on this week’s show.

I’ve mentioned him several times before on the podcast as the man primarily responsible for my current obsession with all things health and fitness. He taught me how to literally & figuratively fight for the fitness that I desired. This week’s Addicted to Fitness features an interview with life long martial artist and founder of Amir Academy of Martial Arts (link) in Saint Petersburg, Florida, Master Amir Ardebily.

Master Amir looks on moments before I tap to tight armbar (photo courtesy of Jeff Morris)

Amir’s father started teaching him martial arts at the age of 6. By the time he was 16, he had opened his own martial arts studio in his native Iran. Unfortunately, war erupted between Iran and Iraq while Amir was in high school and he was drafted into the army upon graduation. He spent 2 years in Iranian special forces before seizing the opportunity to immigrate to the United States.

Amir visited the U.S. while he was a teenager but was forced to go back to Iran once the war began. He had always wanted to go back to the United States and had his chance in 1984. There are a several great moments in this interview but Amir’s immigration story is reason enough to listen to this episode.

We also discuss how Amir started his first martial arts school in the U.S. without knowing how to speak the language, the affect Bruce Lee had on his teaching philosophy and why the UFC plays an important part in introducing martial arts to the masses.

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If you live in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area, I strongly encourage you to visit Amir Academy of Martial Arts. Call 727-821-4097 for more details.

Also, Amir is organizing another one of his great amateur kickboxing events for November 11th in St. Petersburg. I’ve had the honor to both compete and attend these events and I can say with all sincerity that they are top-notch. Put it on your calendars now!

Thanks again for all the support you give us. We love producing these episodes for you and if you love hearing them, please let us know. You can drop us a line at elementaltampa@gmail.com, on social media (Facebook, Instagram or Twitter) or leave us a rating and review in iTunes (link). Thanks in advance and stay healthy this week’s peeps!

Links to this week’s episode

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/interview-founder-head-instructor-amir-academy-martial/id1121420986?i=1000391008396&mt=2

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/nick-burch-702220833/an-interview-with-the-founder

Website: http://addictedtofitness.libsyn.com/an-interview-with-the-founder-head-instructor-of-amir-academy-of-martial-arts-amir-ardebily

Weekend Workout – Your Training Camp Starts TODAY

NFL training camps are in full swing, which is why I thought it be appropriate to share a few exercises that the pros are probably doing in this weekend workout. This workout will increase your cardiorespiratory fitness, improve lower body mobility and help you run a better 40 yard dash at next year’s combine.

Ok, so the last thing may not be true for everyone.

I recommend performing three to five sets of these speed exercises. It’s especially important that you warmup and modify this workout to match your fitness level. Let us know in the comment section below if you completed this or any weekend workout. READY BREAK!

Weekend Workout (8)

What’s On The Menu – Pasture Raised Chicken: Is It Worth It?

I, like many of you, am faced with a variety of chicken choices when I go to the grocery store each week. Do I buy organic, free-range, pasture raised or conventionally raised? The choices seem to be growing by the year, but is one superior to the other?

Much like beef, I believe that chickens raised in a way that closely resembles the lives their wild ancestors live (e.g. 24/7 access to open pastures & ability to forge for insects and other food sources) provides a better animal welfare situation than that of birds caged in confined quarters.

When looking into potential environmental impacts of pasture raised chickens, the research is mixed. Some individuals contend that pasture raised chickens take more resources to produce (source) while other cite the facts that these chickens eliminate the need for fertilizer and their food sources don’t require any herbicides to produce (source).

Those aspects are important to consider when purchasing your chicken, but the main goal of this week’s menu spotlight is to determine if pasture raised chicken is nutritionally superiority to its conventional counterpart.

pexels-photo-58902

Let’s take a quick look at the macronutrients contained in both pasture & conventionally raised chicken. One cup of a roasted chicken breast contains 231 calories, 43 grams (g) of protein, 5 g of fat and 0 g of carbs. It should be noted that different parts of the chicken, skin-on or skin-off, contain different nutritional values. No matter what part of the chicken you prefer, they all contain a substantial amount of protein.

To determine which one is nutritional superior, were going to have to look at their respective micronutrients. Luckily, the American Pastured Poultry Producers Association (APPPA) performed a study in 2013 comparing the micronutritional difference between pasture raised and non-pasture raised chickens. The results of their study showed that pasture raised chickens were higher in vitamin D3 and E, both of which are important to mitigating auto immune diseases.

The APPPA study also discovered that the pasture raised chicken contained an omega 6 to omega 3 fatty acid ratio of 5:1 while the standard 6:3 ratio for conventionally raised chicken is 15:1 (source). This is important because recent research suggest that foods containing large amounts of omega 6’s (e.g. vegetable oils & fast food) could lead to inflammatory disease like cardiovascular disease, obesity, cancer, and more (source).

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After looking at the preliminary evidence, I have reached a verdict: pasture raised chicken is nutritional superior. Yes, a pasture raised chicken from the store or a local farmer could cost 2-3 times more than a conventionally raised chicken, but like the old saying goes “You get what you pay for.” If chicken is one of your primary protein sources, and you are interested in optimizing your nutrition, you may want to think about forking over the extra dough.

If you’re a regular consumer of pasture raised chicken, I’d love to hear some of your go to recipes. One of my favorite recipes that uses chicken, pasture raised or not, is chicken pot pie soup (recipe link). I skip the pie crust and do my best to use gluten-free ingredients, but I highly recommed you do yourself a favor and make it tonight! Feel free to send a pic of your delicious chicken recipe to us on social media (Facebook, Instagram or Twitter) or you can email it to elementaltampa@gmail.com.

You can also take advantage of the complimentary fitness consultations we’re currently offering by emailing us. Whether you need advice on nutrition or just want workout tips, I’d be happy to set up an appointment with you to discuss how you can improve your fitness.

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