Best Time to Train

By John Paul Catanzaro

What is the best time to train? First and foremost, when you can! However, research on circadian rhythms (your body's internal clock) indicate that the summation of several important (anabolic) hormones peak at 3 and 11 hours upon awakening. What does that mean in plain english? Well, according to science, if you wake up at 6:00 am, you are at your strongest at 9:00 am and 5:00 pm. And, according to Olympic Strength Coach Charles Poliquin*, your joints (specifically, the synovial fluid that lubricates your joints) require about 3 hours to reach an optimal level of warmth which will help improve performance while decreasing the likelihood of injury. Also, some people require a meal before training (remember to allow at least 1 hour for digestion) to maintain adequate energy levels throughout their workout particularly in the morning; others don't. However, there is a difference between ideal conditions and reality!

Reality dictates that we train when we can regardless of what time it is. The important part is to get your workout in. Today's lifestyle is quite busy and hectic. Many people have a tendency to jeopardize their workouts later in the day because other priorities get in the way. For these individuals, I suggest working out first thing in the morning and getting it out of the way. Actually, some authorities believe that training first thing in the morning on an empty stomach will facilitate weight loss. Greg Landry is an Exercise Physiologist who highly recommends exercise in the morning for the following reasons (for more information send a blank email to Morning@Landry.comor visit http://www.Landry.com):

* 90% of people exercise consistently in the morning

* elevates metabolism and makes you feel energized all day long

* helps to regulate appetite

* makes it easier to wake up; hormones and metabolism elevate while you sleep to prepare your body for exercise

* mental acuity is increased for 4-10 hours after exercise

While others believe that you should train at night because your strength will be higher since you have eaten during the day and energy levels should be elevated. Although, I would caution late night workouts as they may adversely affect sleep.

According to the opinion of Dr. Ann de Wees Allen, a Board Certified Doctor of Naturopathy, the above question should be rephrased: Are you a morning or night person? It's really that simple. She believes that we respond better during certain periods of the day and those are the times that we should train.

As stated above, this reflects our circadian rhythm - something that we are born with and cannot change. Subsequently, there will be times during the day that we are the strongest. This does not happen by chance. You must recognize those times and use them to your advantage. So, the answer, in her opinion, will have a big impact on your performance. Does it mean that you can't workout at other times? No! But, it is a good idea to train at the same time each workout if possible - your body will naturally adjust to that time and prepare itself. If you are forced to change your workout time ,though, to accommodate your schedule, then allow 3 weeks for your body to get used to the new time (especially if you are unaccustomed to training first thing in the morning.) It usually takes about 3 weeks to form a habit. Whatever you decide ... just make sure to train!

*Poliquin, C. "Question Of Strength." Golden, CO: Muscle Media 2000, Inc. December, 1996. (pg. 58)

John Paul Catanzaro is a certified kinesiologist and professional fitness and lifestyle consultant with a specialized honours Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology and Health Science. He owns and operates a private gym in Toronto, Ontario providing training and nutritional consulting services. For additional information, visit his website at http://www.BodyEssence.ca or call 416-292-4356.

Check out John Paul's new DVD, Warm-Up to Strength Training, for some powerful techniques to increase strength and improve performance! Discover some unique, cutting-edge methods like how to increase arm strength by up to 10% instantly! It has been recommended by many experts including Drs. Eric Serrano, Mark Lindsay, and Ken Kinakin as well as Olympic strength coach, Charles Poliquin. Visit http://www.StrengthWarmup.com for more information.

John Paul is a certified kinesiologist and certified exercise physiologist with a specialized honours Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology and Health Science. He owns and operates a private studio in Richmond Hill, Ontario. For additional information, visit http://www.bodyessence.ca or call 905-780-9908.

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Running The Marathon? - Diet And Exercise Do's And Don't's.

By Katalyn Louis Parks

Dieting and exercise are exactly the same as giving up smoking or alcohol: you have to want to do it. Because if you don’t want it to happen, it won’t, and it’s as simple as that. The very thought that your mind could condition your life in this way gives you the opportunity to make anything happen. So, if you want something to happen, it will. But then, here’s the problem: I want to be thin and healthy, but I don’t want to stop eating or start moving! So I find the best way to get into shape, for lazy bastards like myself, is to gradually get there, step by step.

I find that by making a few small changes, this makes the change from lazy to active less noticeable. Instead of vowing to run a mile each day, just vow to get up earlier than usual and walk to work instead of driving or taking the bus, because let’s face it, this isn’t only an advantage to your waistline, but to the environment too. Another small change you can make is drinking more water, and I know you’re tired of hearing this, but it’s true. But for those of you who are a little more daring, go for fruit juices or even vegetable juices. As long as the drink doesn’t have caffeine or alcohol it’s fine -- because caffeine and alcohol dehydrate you and slow down your system, meaning anything that goes in your mouth isn’t processed properly. Another advantage to drinking more water is that a lot of people sometimes misinterpret thirst for hunger and eat more and more, when all they really need is a glass of water.

Portion sizes are very important, and unlucky for big eaters, a new craze that’s come about in the world of dieting is the portion diet. You can eat whatever you want, just less of it in a day. The idea behind this diet is that because your stomach is merely the size of your fist (smaller than you thought?) you should therefore only eat handfuls of food every time you eat. Having more than a handful of food is too much for your stomach and therefore it will take longer to digest. You don’t need to eat more than this in one meal time, so don’t overestimate your limit!

Another small change to your diet could be eating four meals rather than three (I like this one). Now that we’ve changed the portion size, you’re probably going to get very hungry between meals for at least the next two weeks after starting to diet, just as your body gets used to it. This means that eating more frequently will help the hunger pangs. Three hours after eating, your body goes into ‘starvation mode’. The food has been processed and emptied out of the stomach and into your intestines where it will be further processed for a good while yet, however while nothing’s in your stomach, it suddenly starts to sing. The growling of your stomach is a sign to eat, and I don’t think you should eat otherwise because this probably means you’re not hungry and therefore eating for comfort or boredom! Eating every three hours keeps your metabolism up and your tummy nice and satisfied, so you’ll feel less need for food and generally, more active.

And let’s not forget exercise! Remember, you only really need to get 30 minutes of exercise a day, so don’t kill yourself trying to run a marathon because you just don’t need to. Half an hour a day will keep your fitness at a healthy level, and once you’re used to this, you could even try and push the boat out a little. Exercise could be anything like climbing stairs, walking the dog, jogging, swimming, yoga, or even sex!

So, making these small changes to your life will vastly improve your fitness and not only will you look great, but you’ll feel great too. It’s such a cliché, but it’s also very true. Remember to speak to a doctor before making any changes to your lifestyle or diet, and remember to allow your body at least two weeks to adjust to each change made in your diet or exercise regime. Good luck!

Katalyn Louis Parks is a part time journalist and screenwriter.

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Choosing the Right Exercise for You

By Ricky Hussey

Finding the right exercise for you isn't all that difficult when you simply stop to think about what you enjoy doing. It will also depend on whether or not you want to join a health club or gym and pay a monthly membership fee. Or if you want to go out and buy exercise equipment for your home.

Not choosing an exercise program that you really want to do will only lead to you quitting in a short amount of time. This is why this area is the most critical. Once you determine what you enjoy, getting started will be easy. Give it some thought.

Do you like jogging? If not, then don't even consider it. But, do you enjoy going on long walks? Then turn this enjoyment into an exercise routine that will give you the ability to lose some weight and improve your health.

Walking is great exercise, and it doesn't even cost money to do. All it takes is a good pair of walking shoes. It's an activity for anyone of any level of fitness. It allows you to gradually build up strength and endurance over time. Walking is also a great social exercise. Find a partner to talk with while you exercise and you'll both enjoy yourselves even more. It also makes time fly.

Regardless of the exercise you choose, be sure to start out at a low level of intensity. You can build it up as you continue over the next several weeks. There is no need to overdo it. You'll only decide to quit when you can no longer maintain the pace you set for yourself. In addition, if you start off too hard, you could end up with an injury.

A great way to get started is begin walking for 15 minutes a day. After a week, go another 5-10 minutes, and then continue raising it by 5 minutes every two weeks. Another key to making your routine more interesting is to walk a different route off and on. Another idea is to have a few different friends you can walk with to change things around.

Other than walking you may want to join a health club, or your local YMCA. There you can access to a trainer who can set you up on a personal fitness program and help answer questions you might have. Check around and talk to a few different clubs before joining. Be sure the equipment is in good condition and that the place is clean. Is the staff friendly and helpful? If not, move on to a different facility.

Strength training

The best option to start may be to hire a certified personal trainer for three or four sessions to develop a plan for you and show you how to properly use the equipment. You can use weight machines, free weights, or resistance equipment like specially made rubber bands, and you can strength train at a health club or at home.

Strength training videos that show you how to use common household items such as food cans and water bottles can help save expenditures on weights or other fancy equipment.

Some other ideas for exercise include golf or tennis. These are not only fun activities, but they provide wonderful exercise for people of all ages. They also allow you to meet new friends.

So, make a decision to get out and start exercising today. Your body will be happy you did.

Read more on Bodybuilding workouts. Check out for exercises workouts and biceps workouts.

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Reduce Stress Through Exercise

By Lee E. Balcom

Stress built up from frustrating or dangerous situations can cause serious problems to your health. There are a great number of stress relievers to include meditation, hypnosis, deep breathing, eating more properly, laughing, playing games, listening to soothing music, reducing caffeine & alcohol, eliminating nicotine, and performing moderate exercise. The list goes on but it would take a large book to list all of the stress reducers and how best to implement them.

If you picked exercise as a choice for your personal stress reducer, here are some tips on how to do it effectively.

First of all, pick an exercise that is moderate and that you would enjoy doing on a daily basis. If the exercise is too intense or too long in duration, chances are that you'll give up on it and your stress problem will not be resolved. Your goal should be an exercise that will stimulate your body to create a level of calmness and happiness in a relatively short period of time - meaning a few weeks or a couple of months at the most.

To be on the safe side, confide with your doctor on your planned exercise program to insure that it will be helpful to you based on your physical condition, and any health problems that you have.

Once cleared by your physician, you should begin your program in a calm, collective way for 15-30 minutes per day. If you can do the exercise in your home or office, that would be much more convenient, more time saving (eliminates travel to and from the exercise location), and probably a lot easier on your wallet or purse.

The main thing to do with your chosen exercise is to be consistent in its use, moderate in nature, and fun to do. When you start seeing results, don't stop your exercise regimen - make it a daily habit for life!

Whatever choice you make, I wish you the very best.

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