October Newsletter

5 Tips for Halloween

Buy candy that you don't like to eat and donate your leftover candy to your local church, school, and senior center
Handout water to parents.
Give kids fake tattoos, vampire teeth, bouncy balls, or foam airplanes.
Freeze your candy and allow your family to pick out a designated amount each week for 1 month.
Only eat the candy on weekends and try to plan an activity to help off-set the increase in calories.

-Noah Alldredge, RD

BigTime Results in Action!

Congratulations to Rick Morsovillo!

Rick began training with us in May of this year and has already lost 11lbs of fat and gained 4lbs of muscle. Recovering from a concussion he sustained while playing hockey, we started him slowly but he steadily built his way up to training 4x per week! When Rick started he utilized the DEXA scan to more accurately measure his body composition. During his most recent reassessment he went back to Noah's Body Composition Lab at MSU and learned the results of his hard work.

Logan's Wellness Workshop

The Lactic Acid Myth

We've all heard it, in fact, we've all probably said it ourselves. We feel the burn of intense exercise and immediately we point the blame at poor old lactic acid. Statements such as, "All that lactic acid buildup in my muscles really got me sore today," frame lactic acid as an evil molecule. The old theory states that your body can create energy without all the nasty by-products (like lactic acid) when using the aerobic (with oxygen) metabolic pathway. Aerobic exercise includes activities such as walking and jogging. Lactic acid only enters the scene when your anaerobic (without oxygen) pathway kicks in. Anaerobic exercise would include resistance training and sprinting. So the thought was, when you fatigue and your aerobic pathway isn't producing enough energy, anaerobic pathways kick in and the buildup of lactic acid begins.

The truth is, your body doesn't even produce lactic acid! The evil that creates that burning sensation is the buildup of hydrogen ions (also known as acid, H+). What's more, lactate (the molecule confused for lactic acid) is a by product created to slow down the build up of those hydrogen ions! So, not only is lactate not the culprit, it's the hero! Pyruvate binds to the hydrogen ion to create lactate. Lactate can then be used in another metabolic pathway to produce even more energy for your body to use.

Another aspect of the myth that proved to be incorrect is that your aerobic metabolic pathway only kicks in when you are "out-working" your aerobic system. In fact, both systems work simultaneously at all times. During different intensities of exercise however, your body may rely on one system more than the other (walking/jogging = more aerobic, lifting/sprinting = more anerobic).

So, what does this mean in a practical sense? This reinforces the stance that training at the "lactate threshold" improves performance for both aerobic and anaerobic activity. If we understand that the lactate threshold is the point in our metabolic pathway where the body is forced to produce lactate to slow down the buildup of hydrogen ions (acid) in our muscles, then we can use that in a number of ways. Training at or beyond this point will force the body to adapt and become more efficient at buffering the acid and reducing muscle fatigue. Sprinting and lifting weights then becomes important for everyone trying to increase their performance, not just explosive athletes. Runners can train their bodies to "push back" the lactate threshold by incorporating this type of training, thus increasing the time to fatigue.

-Logan Wendt, Director of Corporate Wellness

Total WHALEness Minute

High Five For Fall

So we all hate work, right? We drag ourselves out of bed each morning only to go do a job that we only keep to pay the bills. We wonder if the grass is maybe greener on the other side. Could something else be out there that would be more fulfilling and satisfying--- that will make a better use of our talents and God-given abilities and where we will be more appreciated. Something's gotta give, right?! But constantly thinking this way can take a toll on our daily outlook- affecting our productivity and overall happiness.

One of the 7 areas of Wellness I focus on with my clients is Life Satisfaction. Whether you're in a job that you love or hate, I am a firm believer in continually searching for improvement and making the most out of any situation you're in. This helps improve overall enjoyment of life, and thus wellness. How can we live each day in a more fulfilled way? (That rhymes, I know!) I truly think it comes down to having an attitude of gratitude! (There I go again!) If we can appreciate the little things throughout our day, it can really impact our life satisfaction.

Let's keep things simple- why do we work anyway? Well I already mentioned- to pay the bills! But what really motivates us to get up each day? Our kids? Or desire to succeed? I've decided to make a list of the 5 things I want to focus on this Fall that I am most grateful for- the 5 areas that I will place the highest priority on (High 5!). And by setting goals in each of these areas, I will be moving closer to what really motivates me and what I value most.

High Five For Fall!

1-Faith

Grow closer to God through daily devotion, prayer and time spent reading the Bible. We will also finish our membership class at church.

Thankful for: God's grace and being able to worship freely

2-Family
Have a weekly (or more) date night with the hubs (Mr. BigTime) and spend time with my family by planning new activities for us (like our family photo shoot in a few weeks!)
Thankful for: My Dad

3-Friends
What a blessing these ladies are to me! Continue to lean on them an gain their insight and support. Plan monthly gatherings for us.
Thankful for: Group texting with friends during the day (and trying not to laugh out loud too hard)

4-Fitness/Food
Daily! Workout and eat whole foods! Push myself in boot camp.
Thankful for: MaMa Jeans

5-Finances
Make a budget and stick to it!
Thankful for: A good job with benefits

Ok so that was 6 F's for Fall.... But you get the point. I challenge you to make a list of your High Five For Fall. Make goals in each area, then DAILY write down one thing/person you are grateful for in each area as well. I promise you will be pleased to see how this can improve your Life Satisfaction.

Stay Well Friends!
-Alyea Alldredge

Fall in Love With

APPLES

Spread on the peanut butter, add them to oatmeal, dip them in caramel, or eat them raw. Apples are the perfect food for fall. Besides being delicious, apples also have great health benefits.

For one, they take more time to eat than a lot of other foods. This makes you eat slower and gives you time to register that you're full. Apples are also loaded with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants; all of which are vital for maintaining optimal health. As an added bonus, apples are a great source of fiber; one medium apple contains about 4.4 grams of fiber. Apples contain both insoluble fiber, which is found mostly in the skin, and soluble fiber, which is found in the flesh. Each type of fiber has its own set of health benefits.

Soluble fiber dissolves in water and creates a gel with the other food contents in your stomach. This slows down the rate of digestion leading you to feel fuller, longer. This effect is extremely helpful in weight maintenance. In addition, soluble fiber may help control diabetes because it modulates blood sugar levels and may increase insulin sensitivity. Soluble fiber is also involved in lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol by blocking the absorption of the cholesterol that you eat.

Insoluble fiber, on the other hand, promotes gut health. This type does not dissolve in water; instead it travels along the GI tract mostly intact adding bulk to the diet and creating a laxative effect. They also can be fermented in your gut; leading to the growth of healthy bacteria and improved digestion. Some studies have suggested that having a healthy and varied amount of bacteria in your gut is protective against obesity.

If you're looking for a new way to enjoy apples and all their associated health benefits, consider grilling!

Grilled Apples

Ingredients:

2 apples, cored and sliced into 1/4 inch thickness
½ cup water
¼ cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Preparation steps:

1. Bring the grill to medium heat.

2. Mix the water and lemon juice together and add apples

3. In a separate bowl, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon

4. Coat the apples in the sugar mixture

5. Grill each side for 6-8 minutes

These stand alone as a great treat or you can top them with whipped cream and chopped nuts. If you are feeling really adventurous; pair them with something savory. These grilled apples go great with meats like pork, ham, or chicken and they can turn a simple salad into something exciting.

-Brenna Moran (Dietetic Intern)