You ARE what you eat

     I went to church today.  I watched every person as they walked by me.  The church was full of people in need of healing.  I could feel it.  There were so many with weight issues, limps, canes, walkers and weariness.  At the end of mass there was talk of a big breakfast downstairs.  Sausage, pancakes and everything that makes your mouth water. Oh no!  Doughnuts after church would be put on hold until after the holidays.  Please forgive me if you don't agree but let's connect the dots!  Unhealthy food leads to unhealthy people!!!
    I went to Planet Fitness yesterday and the day before.  Every person I talked to had a health issue.  It was extremely perplexing that a fitness center would give away candy at the counter, and have a pizza day and bagel day!  If you are reading this blog please realize, you ARE what you eat.  If you eat bad carbohydrates and bad fat every day (sausage, doughnuts, pizza, cake, beer, fast food, etc.) you will have stomach fat unless you are a marathon runner. If you don't eat healthy you will not be healthy.  You will feel like the food you eat because you are the food you eat.  Everything you put into your mouth is processed and used by your miracle body to make you.  Yes, your body is a miracle.  Every cell in your body is working to keep you healthy with every beat of your heart.
     I learned something else from church today.  We were all given the gift of love.  We shouldn't bury it in fear of losing it.  We are all on this Earth to learn and to love one another.  My prayer for you is to eat healthy.  Eat low fat meat and whole grains, greens and fruits, good fats such as almonds and avocados.  Cut out the diet drinks and energy drinks and take your vitamins.  Diet and energy drinks will only cause your body to crave those bad sugars.  Drink water!  Drink lots of water!  your body should be 70% water.  Give it what it needs. Take care of your body my friend so you can spread your energy and love to those who need it.
     If you need help eating healthy you can send me a message.  Myfitnesspal is a great app for keeping track and learning about what you put into that beautiful body.  Now would be a great time to eat that apple your body has been craving instead of that doughnut! :)

Before and After - Screw that! I say Love yourself right now just the way you are!

     When I first entered a fitness center, contemplating a new me because I was unhappy with the current one, I tried to make new friends.  After an exhausting boot camp class I casually asked a buff, energetic woman how long she had been coming there.  I don't really remember her response.  I remember her showing me her picture.  I remember that look of disgust on her face and her tone of voice as she pulled her picture from the wall and handed it to me.  I wasn't impressed.  I was sad for her.  Yes, she was overweight when she started and yes, she looked fit and healthy when I was talking to her, but the way she viewed her before picture left me with a feeling I'll never forget.
     I wanted to take that fat lady out of the picture and just hug her.  I wasn't so sure about the real life after picture that stood in front of me. She was intense, angry and a little scary.  It was at this time I contemplated the value of before and after pictures.  If we are that disgusted with our fat selves, do we transfer that disgust on to others?
     Here is my belief on the value of before and after pictures:  They are great for comparing your progress and showing muscle definition but never stop loving yourself.  Love your fat self, your skinny self, your sick self, your healthy self, your strong self, your sad self, your happy self, your silly self.  Our bodies are only communication devices.  When we are healthy and strong we can communicate at a higher level. When we are happy and loving we communicate at our highest level.  It's easier to be happy and loving when we are healthy and strong.  Also, being strong is fun! 
     So, yes!  Get healthy, get strong, go out and spread that love and happiness to everyone around you but remember to love that person from your past.  It's because of them you are who you are today. <3            

Today I Quit

     I quit today.  I stood up, walked away from the weight machine and said, "I quit."  I put on my coat and walked out the door.

    I came home, took a hot shower, snuggled under a blanket on my bed and thought about why I did what I did.  I couldn't lift it, was all that was going through my mind.  Why, why, why?  It was only 20 something pounds!!  And I want to be a trainer?  What the hell am I thinking?  Every negative, nasty thought raced through my mind.  I blinked back the tears.  I'm too thin, I'm too weak, my back is deformed; my ego was kicking in strong by this time and sending me spiraling down into my own little Hell.  But for some reason I was feeling peaceful as well.  For once, I allowed myself to quit.  I drifted off for a few minutes and woke up to the smell of turkey I had in the oven.  Protein!  I forced myself out of bed knowing I needed to eat more protein and my quitting wasn't an actual quit.
     Trying to gain muscle and maintain body weight while eating clean IS NOT EASY!  Trying to gain body weight while eating clean is almost impossible.  In the past 24 hours I interviewed four different trainers/bodybuilders for my final exam essay.  I consider them all friends and very knowledgeable when it comes to building muscle.  But, they all had different advice for me.  Eat dirty, No, eat clean but take supplements, Don't run, No, run but not that much, lift more, train harder!  They all had advice but no one actually asked me how I felt or what I thought.
   So, these are my thoughts:  The GNC Mass gainer I was taking was upsetting my stomach.  Yes, I gained 5 lbs in the past year while I was taking it, but I believe it was only water weight because I always felt bloated.  Creatine was one of the main ingredients which after extended research, I discovered is really good for you.  It helps to repair muscle fibers and is needed for the ATP process. Our bodies produce creatine naturally and we also get creatine from red meats and fish.  So what happens when we ingest more creatine?  Will our bodies stop producing it naturally?  I couldn't find the answer to this.  I decided it wasn't worth the money (very expensive!).  I wanted to see how my body would feel and respond without it.  According to my trainer today, not so well.
    I WANT TO RUN AND BUILD MUSCLE!  My body is not allowing me to do that at this time.  Some books and trainers say this is impossible.  I'm feeling at this time it is impossible.  I need to back off on the running until my weight and strength increase.  Heavy sigh because this really makes me sad.  I know I have to bite the bullet and lift more to maintain my upper body strength.  To defend myself more accurately, my quitting was at the end of my training when my muscles were fatigued from heavy weights and multiple sets.  This is the conclusion to my egotistical brooding.                 

     This was the first time in three years of intense training that this has ever happened.  For some reason at this moment, I feel empowered.  Maybe there is something positive about giving yourself that power to say "I quit." 

     You see, I know it wasn't a true quit.  I know tomorrow or the next day I will take on that same challenge that kicked my ass today, but next time I will be more prepared.  Maybe it's about giving yourself a break once in a while.

Abdominal Muscles

   

I feel like this is my first real blog!  One of six, of my final exam questions completed.  I hope this is complete enough for ISSA.  If you want to know more about abdominal muscles, read on!  

ISSA Final Exam Question 2

List and describe the function of each of the muscles that compose the abdominal wall. How would you train each of these muscles in order to optimize function?

 

     The muscles that compose the abdominal wall are the rectus and transversus  abdominis , and the external and internal oblique muscles.

     The rectus abdominis, meaning straight and of the abdomen, is the muscle that runs down the anterior of the abdomen and is divided into segments by the linea alba and the horizontal tendinous.  This division creates the look of a “6 pack” when the rectus abdominis is developed.  The function of the rectus abdominis is to depress the ribs and flex the vertebral column or when the pelvis is fixed, it draws the thorax downward and bends the spine forward.  When the thorax is fixed, it elevates the pelvis.

     According to thttp://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/abdominalcorestrength1/qt/Bicycle_Crunch.htm “The Bicycle Crunch is the best ab exercised according to research done to uncover the best exercises you can do to activate the rectus abdominus.”   Other exercises to activate the rectus abdominis are standard crunch, reverse crunch, bent knees situps, inclined bench situps, leg raises, captain’s chair leg raises, machine crunches, dumbbell side bends, low pulley side bends and roman chair side bends.   

     The transversus abdominis  is the deepest abdominal muscle.  It runs horizontal to the rectus abdominis and supports the internal structures and organs of the abdomen.  This muscle does not help to move the spine or pelvis but it helps to stabilize and used for breathing, urination, defecation and childbirth.  The best exercises to develop this muscle according to Paul Rogers in his article, “How to Train the Abdominal Muscles”, is to hollow out or suck in the stomach. 

     The external oblique and internal oblique muscles run along the sides of the abdomen.  Their action is to compresses the abdomen, depress the ribs, flex, bend to the side or rotate the spine.  It was interesting to note that the external oblique muscles are activated by every exercise that activates the rectus abdominis.  The internal oblique muscles are activated by the standard crunch, reverse crunch, bicycle maneuver, and side bends.  The oblique muscles are activated using any exercise that requires stabilization.  According to Paul Roger’s article, “How to Train the Abdominal Muscles”, “the obliques get a good workout as they automatically try to stabilize your position.”

 According to the Hyperstrike Exercise Videos, “The most efficient method for getting great looking abs is to keep a low-fat diet, exercise regularly and maintain a low body fat percentage.”

Works Cited

http://weighttraining.about.com/od/techniquesandstrategies/a/abs_exercises.htm

http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/abdominalcorestrength1/qt/Bicycle_Crunch.htm

Fitness: The Complete Guide, Official Text for ISSA’s Certified Fitness Trainer Program

Peck, Stephen Rogers.  Atlas of Human Anatomy for the Artist.  Oxford Publishing Press, New York 1979.

Hello World

Hi!

This is Christine Zittel.  I'm a 50 year old mother, wife, trainer, teacher . . .   I could go on forever using other people and jobs to define who I am, but I wont.  I am someone who is passionate about making this world a better place. It begins by learning how to take care of myself so I can empower others to be their best and take care of themselves.  And then it spreads!

Welcome to my blog.  I'll be posting as I learn and hopefully you, the reader, will benefit from me trying to simplify the surplus of information we are bombarded with regarding our health.

Remember:  Breathe, Smile, Go Slow, Think with Love instead of Hate <3.  We are all connected.