Strength Training: Beautiful Glutes, Thighs and Calves!

To build a balanced physique, your strength training efforts need to focus on both the frontal and the rear physique. So far, we have examined exercises for the entire frontal physique. Now, we will be completing the rear physique with exercises targeting the glutes, the rear thighs and the calves. We left off our discussion with the triceps.

In Know Your Muscles, I explained the whole concept of understanding your anatomy so that you are able to build full-body strength training routines that target every important muscle group. The result is a beautiful, sculpted physique and a fat-burning engine (even at rest)! So, let's go.

Exercises that target the gluteus medius include:

1. Seated machine abduction, and
   
2. Cable single-leg abduction

Those targeting the gluteus maximus include:

1. Barbell and dumbbell squats
2. 45-degree leg press and horizontal leg press
3. Cable single-leg kickbacks, and
4. Butt blaster machine

Building your rear thighs (hamstrings) should involve exercises such as the following:

1. Prone machine leg curls and seated leg curls
2. Single-leg machine curls
3. Dumbbell prone leg curls
4. Stiff-leg deadlifts, and
   
5. Goodmornings

Now, to complete the rear body, let's look at the calves. For the gastrocnemius muscle do any of the following exercises:

1. Standing machine and standing dumbbell calf raises
2. Standing bodyweight and standing single-leg calf raises, and
   
3. Leg press machine calf raises

Finishing off the calves with these exercises that target the soleus muscle:

1. Seated machine calf raises, and
   
2. Seated barbell calf raises

That's it. We are done with your body. You've now got a plethora of exercises to choose from to target your entire body, yielding a fat-burning engine and resulting in a gorgeous, lean physique. Again, if you want any of these exercises explained to you in more detail, just comment to this post.

Some of our future strength-training posts will involve building some great routines for you to show you just how easy it can be!

Have a fantastic weekend!

Healthy. Fit. Living Fully. for life

Sandy Huard, President, Women's Health Supply International

Strength Training: Work Your Triceps

Continuing with our series Know Your Muscles, we will now look at another group of muscles of the rear physique, the triceps. We left off our examination of the rear body muscles with exercises that focused on Building a Beautiful and Sculpted Back.

There are several strength-training exercises that target this muscle group, including:

1. Close-grip bench presses
2. Lying curl bar extensions
3. Seated overhead barbell extensions
4. Single-arm dumbbell extensions
5. Dumbbell kickbacks
6. Cable pushdowns
7. Reverse-grip cable pushdowns, and
8. Machine triceps extensions
   

Completing the back of the arm, let's look next at exercises that target the forearm extensors:

1. Reverse wrist curls
2. Reverse barbell curls, and
3. Rope wrist roller
   

And finally, the infraspinatus (the only visible muscle that is part of the critical rotator cuff). Key strength-training exercises include:

1. External dumbbell shoulder rotation
2. External cable shoulder rotation
   

For a good triceps workout, checkout out the article Working Those Triceps for Beautiful Arms.

Want help with any of these exercises? Then respond to this post with a comment. I'll be happy to explain any of the exercises to you, including giving you tips on proper form and technique.

That's it for now. Tomorrow we will look at Vitamin E, the recent research and the implications for Vitamin E supplementation.

Have a great night!

Sandy Huard, President, Women's Health Supply International

Supplements: The Facts About Folic Acid

Most of you probably are aware that folic acid supplements are highly recommended for pregnant women, but did you know that folic acid is also recommended for people who suffer from depression and hormonal imbalances too? Sounds great, but what are some of the other recommendations regarding folic acid supplementation? Read on to find out.

Folate is a B vitamin (the synthetic form is folic acid) that has been found to protect against birth defects, in particular spina bifida. It is advised that women who are trying to get pregnant and those who are pregnant or breastfeeding consume a folic acid supplement. Interestingly enough, folic acid supplementation has also been found to help prevent pregnancy amnesia.

People who are at risk of stroke can see their risk drop by an estimated 18% by taking a folic acid supplement. Further, when taken at higher doses, folic acid has been shown to help reduce symptoms of depression and regulate hormonal imbalances, acting as a natural alternative to estrogen supplementation.

Finally, folic acid supplementation can help prevent memory loss in seniors who have sufficient quantities of vitamin B12 in their bodies.

All this sounds great, but is there a potential downside? Yes there is. For individuals with leukemia, arthritis or blocked arteries, consumption of foods fortified with folic acid can lead to certain amounts of folic acid remaining in the blood stream. This unmetabolized folic acid can cause complications for sufferers of these diseases/ailments.

Another word of caution. Research has shown that folic acid supplementation may help to ward off cancer in healthy individuals (which is great), but the opposite effect is believed to occur in people who already have cancer. In the latter case, folic acid may actually accelerate the growth of cancerous cells.

So, if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to get pregnant, take your folic acid supplement as directed by your physician. At risk of a stroke? Looking for a natural estrogen replacement therapy? Depressed? Experiencing some memory difficulties, but otherwise a healthy senior? Talk to your doctor about supplementation with folic acid.

Have a great weekend!

Healthy. Fit. Living Fully.
Sandy Huard, President, Women's Health Supply International

Strength-Training: A Beautiful Sculpted Back is Possible!

Building your rear physique is the next stage in our strength-training series entitled: Know Your Muscles. Up until now, we've completed the frontal physique. For today, let's talk about exercises that will assist us in building a beautiful and sculpted back - great for summer tank tops!

Let's look at the lats (latissimus dorsi) and the traps (trapezius) first, followed by the rear shoulders (deltoids) and the lower back (erectors). We will also include the supporting muscles of the lats, the teres major.

Working first the lats and the supporting muscles (the teres major), some key strength-training exercises that target this region include:

1. Chin-ups and pull-ups
2. Wide-grip, closed-grip and curl-grip pulldowns
3. Seated cable rows and seated machine rows
4. Dumbbell and barbell bent-over rows
5. Straight-arm pullovers

Next are the traps. Some of the best strength-training exercises for the traps are:

1. Barbell, dumbbell and machine shrugs
2. Upright rows
3. Straight bar pulldowns.

Targeting the rear deltoids (shoulders) is possible with the following exercises:

1. Bent-over lateral raises
2. Cable rear lateral raises
3. Pec deck machine rear laterals

And finally, there is the lower back (erectors). Here, you want to target with these exercises:

1. Weighted hyperextensions and hyperextension machine
2. Good Mornings
3. Prone floor and ball back extensions
4. Barbell and stiff-leg deadlifts

So that's it. The final posts will look at the triceps, the visible muscles of the rotator cuff (infraspinatus), the forearm extensors, the buttocks (gluteus), the rear thighs (hamstrings) and the calves (gastrocnemius and soleus).

After that, you will be able to build any number of workouts from the many exercises I've provided in my various strength-training posts. Reply to this post if you need information about any of the exercises mentioned above.

Take care,

Healthy. Fit. Living Fully.
Sandy Huard, President, Women's Health Supply International

Supplements for Women: Iron, Potassium and Calcium

Supplements like iron, potassium and calcium are often a necessity for women whose diet may be deficient in any one or more of these minerals. Although it is always best to consume a diet rich in all of the essential vitamins and minerals, this is often not possible.

Let's talk about natural sources of iron, potassium and calcium and some of the do's and dont's associated with consumption, followed by some recommendations regarding supplements.

First up is iron. Iron carries oxygen to the body, aids in immune function and cognitive development, metabolizes energy and regulates body temperature.

Iron is mostly conserved and used daily. Women have a more difficult time storing iron than men and menstruating women lose some iron each month.

Heme iron (in animal products) is better absorbed by the body than non-heme iron (in plant products). The best heme iron sources are red meat (beware the high saturated fat content), poultry and fish. Some non-heme iron sources include dates, artichokes, beans, spinach, broccoli and lima beans.

Here is an iron don't: do not eat iron-rich foods with caffeinated beverages (cola, coffee, tea), red wine, bran or calcium-rich foods because they all inhibit the absorption of iron. So, no beef chili with cheese on top folks.

What about potassium? Potassium helps reduce the risk of hypertension, is involved in sending nerve impulses and releasing energy from food.

Sources of potassium include baked potatoes with the skin, bananas, avocados, cooked artichokes, raisins, orange/prune/tomato juices, dried prunes, lima beans and acorn squash.

Here is a potassium don't: do not eat a potassium-rich meal with green or black tea as they partially inhibit the absorption. Also, if you take aspirin (low-dose ASA) for a heart condition, or you take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for arthritis, don't take these drugs with your potassium-rich meal either.

Now for calcium. Calcium is critical for the maintenance of healthy bones and teeth, especially important for post-menopausal women.

Dairy products are rich in calcium as are sardines or salmon (canned with the bones), fortified orange juice, almonds, broccoli, molasses and sesame seeds.

A calcium don't: don't expect a great calcium boost from foods containing both calcium and oxalic acid because when found together in the same food, they inhibit absorption. Spinach and rhubarb are examples. By all means eat these two great foods, just get your calcium from yogurt or milk or some similar food.

Here is a "do" for minerals in general: do consume them with vitamin C (foods like tomatoes, red peppers, oranges, etc.) as it aids absorption.

Now for some recommendations regarding taking iron, potassium or calcium supplements.

Do not take an iron supplement if you are post-menopausal as too much iron is not a good thing. Do take supplements for any of these minerals if you just don't eat much if any of the foods mentioned above. Also, many vegetarians do not absorb enough iron because they eat non-heme sources from plants. As mentioned previously, calcium is an important mineral for post-menopausal women who are at risk of osteoporosis.

Finally, a multi-vitamin is always a great idea, especially for women who are trying to lose weight and are limiting calories as a result.

I am off to a conference in Atlanta and I will be back on Monday. Until then, have a great weekend!

Sandy Huard, President, Women's Health Supply International

A Sample 1,800 Calorie Diet to Help You Lose Weight

I thought I might design a typical and healthy 1,800 calorie daily diet plan for some of you that are dieting and having trouble with your calorie counting and your meal planning. So here we go...

Breakfast

1. Two boiled eggs = 150 calories
2. One piece of whole grain toast with 1 tbsp margarine = 62 + 68 = 130 calories
   
3. One slice of cantaloupe (1/6th of a large cantaloupe) = 65 calories
   
4. One cup of coffee = 5 calories
5. Water = 0 calories

Total (breakfast) = 350 calories

Mid-Morning Snack

1. One medium apple = 81 calories
2. One low-fat yogurt = 50 calories
3. Water = 0 calories
   

Total (mid-morning snack) = 111 calories

Lunch

1. Large leafy green salad (sliced peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots) = about 100 calories
   
2. 1 tbsp olive oil with vinegar = 119
   
3. 1/2 of a sliced chicken breast (roasted no skin) = 286/2 = 143 calories
4. Water = 0 calories
   

Total (lunch) = 362 calories

Mid-Afternoon Snack

1. Raw almonds (1/8th of a cup or about 12) = 100 calories
2. Cup of coffee = 5 calories
3. Water = 0 calories
   

Total (mid-afternoon snack) = 105 calories

Dinner

1. 4 oz broiled salmon with lemon = 349 + 22 = 371 calories
2. 1 cup of cooked wild rice = 166 calories
3. 1 cup of steamed asparagus = 31 calories
4. 1 cup of boiled or baked yams = 158 calories
5. Water = 0 calories
   

Total (dinner) = 726 calories

After Dinner Snack = 126 calories remaining

Choose from:

1. Berries with low-fat yogurt
   
2. Bowl of instant unsweetened oatmeal with Splenda
   
3. 2oz of chocolate

So, there you have it - approximately 1,800 calories. This is a nice diet for the typical woman trying to lose weight. If you knock out a snack, you'll lose weight that much faster. Don't go lower than about 1,500 calories and mix up the amount of calories that you consume daily. And remember to get your heart pumping and do your strength-training on opposite days.

Take your multivitamin religiously too! You have calcium needs and other vitamin and mineral needs that are just not met during dieting (or in the typical person's diet as a matter of fact).

Eat and enjoy your food! You deserve it.

Healthy. Fit. Living Fully.

Sandy Huard, President, Women's Health Supply International

10 Health and Nutrition Facts You Should Know!

Here are 10 important "health and nutrition" headlines from the February 2008 issue of Fitness Rx:

1. Fish Oil Cuts Stroke Risk in Women - fish oil prevents blood clots, thins the blood, lowers blood cholesterol and improves blood sugar regulation.
   
2. Green Tea Supplement Prevents Colds and Flu - a study of a product called Immune Guard, which contains compounds from green tea extract was shown to reduce the length of cold and flu symptoms by 36%.
   
3. Green Tea Prevents Bone Loss in Older Women - a recent Australian study showed that older women who drank green tea were better able to maintain bone density in the hip than were women who did not drink green tea.
   
4. Exercises That Build Bone - The best exercises at building bone are high impact or weight-bearing (involving rapid changes in direction) recreational sports, weight training and plyometrics (bounce exercises like skipping rope).
   
5. Yogurt Prevents Weight Gain - Although still a matter of debate, calcium-rich foods are thought to control appetite and yogurt is believed to impede the absorption of nutrients/calories into the bloodstream.
   
6. Probiotics Increase Good Cholesterol - German researchers found that women who consumed probiotics yogurt containing L. acidophilus had a 10% increase in good (HDL) cholesterol. HDL cholesterol protects blood vessels from disease.
   
7. Whole Grain Consumption and Body Fat - According to British researchers, there was no relationship found between consumption of whole grains and overall body fat. However, people who don't consume whole grains are twice as likely to be obese than are those who consume more than 16g per day. That's because whole grains are fiber-rich and filling and thus reduce overall daily consumption of calories.
   
8. Calories Rather Than Carbohydrates Promote Obesity - A study by a well-known fat loss guru showed that overweight people actually eat fewer carbohydrates but consume more calories than thin people. Consuming complex carbohydrates will help control your appetite and help you to lose weight.
   
9. Glycemic Index and Load Not Linked to Diabetes - British researchers over a 13 year study found no relationship between glycemic index and glycemic load and the incidence of diabetes. In fact, they found that people who consumed more carbohydrates (higher glycemic load meals - I assume complex carbohydrates here), were at a reduced risk of diabetes.
   
10. High Fructose Sweeteners Promote Heart Disease - The sweeteners found in your favorite cola are made up of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), which is also added to many breakfast cereals as well. HFCS increases LDL (bad) cholesterol that can lead to heart disease, as well as obesity.
    

If you haven't yet gotten a subscription to FitnessRx, I highly recommend it.

Have a great night!

Sandy Huard, President, Women's Health Supply International