Can caffeine increase the use of fat for fuel in the muscles?

Prior to athletic events that require long term energy some(not all)cyclist and endurance athletes will consume caffeine to help with fat burning for fuel. This practice may not be safe but is done to increase the use of fat used for fuel in the muscles. In order for this to occur, it will depend on the amount of fatty acids released from adipose stores into the blood supply. Athletes will attempt to increase the release of fatty acids into the blood by consuming caffeinated beverages. This practice does work successfully by increasing fatty acid release from adipose depots thus allowing the athlete to more efficiently use fat for energy in the muscles. Keep in mind that when competing this practice is considered illegal under the National Colligate Athletic Association if the amount of caffeine in the blood exceeds the equivalent of 6-8 cups (8oz.per cup) of coffee. Other risk that are involved with this type of practice are high amounts of caffeine can affect the heart negatively by increasing blood pressure, heart arrhythmia and cause blood glucose levels to drop. People who are sensitive to caffeine should avoid this practice.

In my opinion, I don’t recommend this. In fact, good old fashion hard work will not only suffice but also give you a sense of accomplishment and self-efficacy.

What are you afraid of ??

I just returned from being on vacation so I thought I would use this week’s blog to highlight some interesting parts of my trip and it’s not what you may think. In fact, I thought I would talk about fears. We all have fears whether it’s the fear of the unknown, being in small dark places, getting lost, you fill in the blanks…During my trip, I managed to face a few of my personal fears and the good news is, I actually survived it;-). My plan was not to become a dare devil while on vacation nor was I remotely thinking about overcoming any of my fears. In fact, it just happened. On several instances I faced my fear of heights, wild animals and the fear of the unknown all in 2 weeks. When it comes to heights, I’ve always had this mental image of standing on the edge and falling off. But so far that has never happened. But the thought makes me go into a minor panic attack. I have learned that one of the ways to face your fears is to confront it. This is known as “flooding,” in psychological terms. One morning my family and I decided to go on a “easy” hike up to Rancheria Falls in the Sierra’s. The hike would have been fine if it were not for the snow that covered most of the trail making it difficult to find. The snow was so bad in some areas, that the trail became less of a hike and more like climbing through snow on the edge of a cliff. This quickly brought my mental image of standing on the edge and falling off into play, except this was not a mental image but reality. Thinking back, if I had known this, I may not have had the courage to go on the hike. In the end, the reward was great and the 150 ft falls was beautiful and I was proud of myself. Strangely enough, part of me enjoyed the intertwined emotions of being fearful (adrenaline) and euphoric from the grueling hike but yet accomplished.

The next day my family and I planned another hike around lake Florence. While driving through Kaiser Pass, I was blown away by the beautiful granite rock. So I decided then and there that I wanted to stop the car and start climbing, so I did. My spur of the moment adventurous endeavor sent me scaling 75 ft up a roughly 100 ft climb. I was doing great up until I decided to look down, that’s when my fear of heights froze me in place. And to be honest, I thought to myself, “what the hell was I thinking, there’s no way I can get down.” My son and husband looked up at me and said, “Are you coming down?” My response was, “I can’t…I can’t move!” I felt my heart beat 100 miles a minute and I felt like I could not get any air into my lungs fast enough. After several minutes, I regained my composure and took several deep breaths and thought to myself, “if I’m going to die, at least I’m doing something I enjoy.” After I entertained that thought, it was like I faced the worse thing that could happen. As strange as that may sound, it was a sense of relief for me and I was able to be more level headed and I worked my way down the rock. When I made it to the bottom, I found myself again somewhat enjoying those emotions of fear, euphoria and the sense of accomplishment when I was done.

After a few days we planned another hike but this time it was Kings Canyon. Again I had no plans of facing any fears but half way into our hike we encounter part of the trail being a foot under water, which does not seem so bad. But my problem was how long does this go on and how cold is the water? Without too much more thought, I took my shoes off and keep going. After a few seconds that water became excruciatingly painful, I almost turned around but my drive to see Roaring Falls and thinking to myself that the water was warm and not cold, kept me focused. And in the end, the fear of the unknown did not result in anything bad happening, it was just a fear that I overcame. I also found myself romancing the feelings of fear and accomplishment once again.

As we drove along deeper into Kings Canyon, I felt compelled to stop the car to get a closer look at Kings River. I was lost for words and mesmerized by the raging river. With all the rain we’ve had this past season, the river was practically overflowing. My imagination began to wonder, how could anyone ever survive after falling into the river? It would be impossible, which is all the reason why this river should be feared and respected. Kings River is beautifully violent and is nature at its rawest and it has my utmost respect.

Once again I faced my fear of heights head on by taking a ¼ of a mile hike up Moro Rock. Moro Rock entails a climb up 400 steps that ends at 6725 feet. I was fine making my way to the top of the stairs up until I looked over the edge. After that I started to feel my body freeze up, I couldn’t catch my breath and the thought of going over the side made me want to curl up into fetal position. After few seconds of entertaining my worse thoughts, I regained myself and made it to the top. This was my biggest challenge and I told myself when I get to the top I will raise my hands in victory. Long story short, I did raise my hands for .2 seconds and they quickly came down. I also felt relieved to talk to a woman from France who suffered from acrophobia as well and she too was facing her fear. Again I faced my fears and made it out alive and I enjoyed the feeling of accomplishment.

On the last Friday of our trip we meet up with some family members to enjoy the rest of the sights together. And I remember my brother-in-law saying that he hoped to see a bear along the way so he could get some photographs. And I responded and said, “I don’t think that will happened since there are so many people sight seeing.” Needless to say, we encountered not only a bear but also a mama bear and her cubs several feet away. My first thought was, I couldn’t believe my eyes! I’ve never seen a bear and what are the chances of seeing the cubs as well. My second thought was, perhaps my brother-in-law could do some wishful thinking regarding the lottery? All joking a side, the bears were amazing but with all the spectators viewing the mama bear and her cubs, she was not happy. And to top it off there were people doing stupid things to get the bears attention. Clearly the bear began to feel threatened and acted out in away that showed it. All the time, I keep my distance and took some pictures but I knew it was time to let nature alone, so we left. Oh before I forget, I also encountered a few snakes along the hikes and that is another fear of mine. But in the end, I survived that as well.

So, what are your fears… and do you intend to face them? If your worst fear or fears crossed your path, what would you do? Speaking for myself, I plan to face my fears head on and not run away. I can also say from each fearful experience, I’ve discovered a different part of me. I know what it feels like to feel completely helpless and out of control and for me those are not good feelings since I’m a control freak. I’ve also learned what it’s like to be broken and made stronger and because of that, I would do it all over again;-).

Facts About Coconut Water.

I’m sure you've heard all the hype regarding coconut water but does coconut water really leave up to all the hype? I personally am a fan of anything that has coconut in it including coconut water. Coconut water has been touted as being able to boost your immune system and help with digestion. It’s also been said that its hydration benefits compared to water are superior because of it natural content of electrolytes. Here’s what I do know about coconut water. Coconut water is a great hydrating beverage during and after physical activity. Some athletes may prefer other electrolyte beverages that contain a higher amount of sodium for sweat loss or coconut water that has been fortified. Coconut water without additional fortification will lack it some electrolytes. Coconut water naturally does contain a good amount of potassium and is low in calories but it also can vary in ingredients. Some brands add additional herbs, vitamins and minerals for added benefits. In closing, coconut water overall is a good hydrating beverage but if you plan on doing extended physical activity (over an hour) you might want to consider drinking a performance drink that will provide a better balance of electrolytes for sweat loss or fortified coconut water.

Calcium is more than just a bone builder

Most people know how important calcium is for bones. But do you know what other functions calcium has in the body besides building and maintaining bone density? Calcium, with the help of phosphorus, vitamins D and weight bearing exercises work together by building and preserving bone density. Calcium also works by helping to create acetylcholine, which is a neurotransmitter. Calcium also plays a role in contracting and relaxing muscles as wells as being a catalyst in blood clotting and other cellular activity. Sources of calcium include: dairy, Salmon, sardines, clams and oysters. Calcium can also be found in vegetable sources such as greens, broccoli, cauliflower, legumes, tofu, black strap molasses and dried fruit. Other sources of calcium include, fortified orange juice as well as cereals. Adults should aim to get 1000-1200mg a day and people who are at risk for osteoporosis may need 1500mg a day.

Can Carb Loading Increase Your Endurance

During physical activity your muscles are fueled by sugar that is stored in your muscles in the form of glycogen. Many athletes like to "carbo load" several days before an athletic event that will require long term energy such as a marathon. The theory behind carbo loading is it allows your muscles to store large amounts of glycogen to fuel your muscles with the much needed energy for the prolonged event. Day one of carbo loading starts with a tough workout to drain the muscles of glycogen. The following three days are used to further deplete the muscles of glycogen. This is done by following a high protein and high fat diet. In the last three days prior to the big event the individual will increase carbohydrate intake but reduce exercise. This will allow the muscles to fill with a greater amount of glycogen than before.

Carb loading can be successful. But keep in mind the days that your following a lower carbohydrate diet you still need to make wise choices regarding your sources of protein and fat. For example, try to stick with lean sources of protein that contain low amounts of saturated fats. And your source of fat should still come from sources that are high in mono and polyunsaturated fat.

The Low Down on Cellulite

Cellulite, the pain in the butt or should I say on the butt. There are a few factors that may contribute to cellulite such as genetics, poor circulation, lack of exercise, hormones and smoking. Unfortunately this is not a big concern for men as it is for women because women have more factors that make them susceptible to cellulite. For example, cellulite begins to raise its cottage cheese head around puberty years or menopause when the hormones begin to change. Estrogen can contribute to weakening collagen in that area resulting in cellulite. Cellulite is also known to be in various grades meaning 1-3. Grade 1 having less signs and symptoms. Grade 2 has less elasticity in the surrounding tissue and changes are noted. Grade 3 is the worse and is more visible.

Here are somethings you can do to reduce the appearance of cellulite. Start by building up more muscle. If your cellulite problem is on your legs, you should exercise your legs by doing, squats, deadlifts (strengthen hamstring muscles or back of the leg) and lunges which strengthen both the front and back of legs. Also consider loosing weight. Having excessive weight can contribute to cellulite. A routine that consist of cardiovascular activity as well as weight training can help reduce weight and strengthen muscles. If you have poor circulation, consider massage. People who stand or sit long periods of time are susceptible to poor circulation, thus increasing the likelihood of cellulite.

If your wondering rather or not cellulite creams work, they may or may not, here's why. For women who apply creams, they may notice a difference because of the massaging action on the thighs (not the cream). The massage will help increase circulation thus reducing some of the appearance of cellulite. If your wanting to give the "cellulite reduction creams" a try, your better off saving your money and eating a balanced diet along with exercise and a massage;).

What is Creatine?

Creatine is a natural substance that is found in muscle tissue and is necessary in order for muscles to contract. Some research does support creatine supplements as being able to aid in short burst activity such as weight training or sprinting. However, it does not have the same benefit for endurance athletes. The doses that are used are 3-5grams a day. Although creatine may not be harmful, some products that are on the market that contain creatine maybe questionable because of added herbs and other supplements. Supplements are not regulated so people should be cautious of the supplements they purchase. And in regards to creatine, one has to question the purity of the product. Natural sources of creatine include lean red meat, wild game and some fish are good sources such as, salmon, herring and tuna.