There is plenty of research available reporting the beneficial effects of exercise on mental performance. Rarely do we find a study that examines the opposite. How does mental stress affect our workouts, does mental stress have a negative effect on our workouts?

The answer is YES! A study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology (2009; 106,857-64). Participants were asked to ride a stationary bicycle to fatigue after completing two tasks: a 90 minute computer task and viewing train and automobile documentaries. During the exercise bouts the researchers measured oxygen consumption, heart rate, cardiac output, blood pressure, ventilation and blood lactate levels. Perceived exertion and motivation level were also measured.

The study found that subjects stopped exercising 15% earlier when mentally stressed. The participants stopped exercising at the same point of perceived exertion. When mentally fatigued a greater level of exertion was perceived and exercise was discontinued. Nonfatigued exercisers achieved a higher heart rate and blood lactate levels, most likely do to a longer exercise session.

This study does provide us with proof that stress negatively affects our exercise performance through a higher perception of effort.

Take home message- get your workout in before the stress of the day starts!

Back pain accounts for over 139 million doctor visits in the United States and costs over $17.6 billion. With this prevalence of back pain fitness professionals will come across more people who seek relief.

What is the best method to help clients relieve their disabling pain? A recent study published in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research set out to determine the best method.

The 27 participants were divided into three groups, resistance training, cardiovascular training, and a non-exercise control group. During the sixteen week study the resistance training group performed exercises using dumbbells, barbells, and other equipment. The cardiovascular group used either a treadmill or an elliptical trainer. At the end of the study the resistance training group decreased body fat, improved muscular fitness, pain and disability. The cardiovascular group made improvements in body composition and flexibility. The non- exercise group made no progress.

The bottom line is that resistance training program is successful in improving fitness and decreasing pain and disability for a higher and much more enjoyable quality of life.

I love to cycle; I also do a lot of walking for pleasure and my outdoor personal training.. I could tell you first hand that cycling feels better, if you do not get hit by a car it is the best endurance sport out there. Cycling gets your heart, lungs and major muscle groups working to full capacity. The problem with cycling is that it is not weight bearing.

In a recent study published in Medicine & Science in Sports Exercise male competitive cyclists are more likely to have low bone densities in their spines than men who are moderately active. Thirty-two male competitive road cyclists and 30 physically active men were recruited in this study. Bone mineral density and dietary calcium intake were measured Resting serum and total testosterone was also measured. There were no differences between the cyclists and the active men in body mass or testosterone, cyclists did have lower bone mineral density in their spines, and were more likely have osteopenia and osteoporosis compared to the control group.

Take home message- Bone loading exercise is important even in competitive athletes.

When you think about ice cream, do you ever think about the healthiest way to eat it? I have, I can be a loser like that. For years I would order my infrequent ice cream treat in a cup thinking that would be the healthiest way to eat it. I hate to admit it, I was wrong.

Licking ice cream is more satisfying than eating it with a spoon, says Kay McMath, a food technologist for New Zealand’s Massey University.” Flavor in ice cream is released when the fat- which carries the flavor- is warmed by body temperature. Licking warms ice cream, a spoon insulates it.

Take home message- Go for the cone, it takes five minutes for our brain to register our level of satiety.

In this Heart Health Alert, cardiologist Dr. Roger S. Blumenthal answers questions on heart health and exercise from two readers who exercise regularly, but still have concerns. These questions come from a recent issue of The Johns Hopkins Heart Bulletin.

Q. Is it a dangerous to exercise if I am having angina pains? I am a 55-year old longtime runner, and I recently “ran through” the pain during a 5K-road race. Is it unwise to continue a workout when I’m having chest pain? Shaker Heights, OH

Dr. Blumenthal: Angina — chest pain or discomfort that occurs when an area of the heart muscle doesn’t get enough oxygen-rich blood — is a symptom of an underlying heart problem. That said, anginal pain itself is not a contraindication for exercise. In fact, a certain amount of regular exercise may help develop new blood vessels to the area of the heart where arteries are blocked. However, you should discuss with a physician your level of exertion and target heart rate. This is especially important if the degree of blockage is significant.

Like all muscle, the heart needs more oxygen during exercise, and strenuous exercise can cause an imbalance between oxygen demand and supply in the diseased portion of the heart; this can lead to serious consequences in some cases. If you are truly having anginal pains, you need to make sure that you are on an optimal medical regimen — to repeat, you need to consult your doctor.

Q. I had a scare while lifting weights two days ago. I was bench-pressing 300 pounds, and my heart rate was close to maximum for me when I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my left side. I stopped my workout immediately but my heart rate remained elevated; I was wearing a heart-rate monitor and it showed that my pulse remained at 135 beats per minute for the next 15 minutes before dropping down to my usual resting heart rate of 60. I am a 49-year-old man and I have been weight lifting three times a week since my Marine Corps days, 25 years ago. My cholesterol level is under 200, I am a vegetarian, and I have no heart problems that I am aware of. However, I am now afraid to lift weights. Should I see a cardiologist? What tests should be performed? NYC, NY

Dr. Blumenthal: You certainly should see a doctor to try to determine the origin of your sudden pain, which may or may not be heart-related. Unfortunately, a middle-aged man, even with cholesterol relatively under control, may still be at risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Your optimal cholesterol level will depend on your overall cardiac risk, and your doctor will need to consider other factors, such as the details of your lipid profile (HDL, LDL, triglycerides), your blood pressure, and the possible presence of diabetes. The doctor should of course take a detailed family history, making note of any cardiac disease in your immediate and extended family. Based on your physician’s assessment, other tests may be warranted. These may include further blood tests for C-reactive protein and a noncontrast CT scan to look for calcium deposits in the blood vessels supplying your heart.

For your future cardiac health, I’d like to see you add some form of aerobic exercise to your workout schedule. This could include brisk walking, running, bicycling, swimming, or a workout on an aerobic machine such as an elliptical trainer, stair-climber, or rowing machine.

Sponge balls and soft weighted balls are the newest balls available .sponge balls were originally designed to be used in mind/body classes and have added a whole new training dimension to Pilates and yoga. Sponge balls enhance muscle activation and postural alignment.

Soft weighted mini balls add a strength training component to Pilates and yoga exercises. The 4-inch balls range in weight from 4-8 pounds and fit into the palm of your hand.

Managing type 2 diabetes is a challenge to even the most motivated patient. Much thought and planning goes into day to day management of type 2 diabetes. When it comes to diet it is becoming clear that not all diets are equal. Research has already shown that low-fat diets can help in the maintenance of type 2 diabetes. What about a vegan diet, how does it fit into the paradigm of diabetic maintenance?

In a recent clinical trial researchers compared the nutritional value among type 2 diabetics who followed either a low fat vegan diet or the American Diabetes Association nutritional recommendations. The participants were evaluated for nutrient intake scores and in accordance with the Alternate Healthy Index Score system. At the end of the study the vegans were the victors, calories, sodium, fat and cholesterol were reduced. The AHA diet reported decreases in carbs, and iron. The vegan diet reported increases in carbs and several other micronutrients. The results of this study were published in the Journal of the American Diabetic Association (108[10], 1636-45).

Results of this study are promising and clearly demonstrate that a vegan diet can be a healthy alternative for type 2 diabetics, however you should always consult with your physician before making any changes in diet.

Nutrition and Weight Control Special Report 7 Strategies to Rev Up Your Aging Metabolism

Wrinkles, sagging skin, and graying hair aren’t the only crosses you have to bear as you age. Your metabolism also makes the growing-older hit list. Johns Hopkins offers seven strategies on how to keep your metabolism humming as you grow older.

After age 30, metabolism slows by about 2% per decade, thanks to a loss of muscle mass — we lose as much as 50% of our muscle mass between the ages of 20 and 90, and the rate of loss is especially pronounced from ages 50-70.

Why is that important? The less muscle you have, the fewer calories you burn, and that can add up to age-related weight gain. For women, menopause can slow metabolism even more. Yes, life is unfair, especially since women have slower metabolisms than men to begin with because of their naturally higher levels of body fat. Here are some tips to help you boost your metabolism.

• Metabolism Boosting Tip #1 — Eat breakfast.
  Breakfast gets your metabolism out of its resting state and back into burning mode. Skipping breakfast and other meals may prompt your body to store calories as fat rather than to burn them, in case your body won’t be getting more food any time soon. Infrequent eating may also prompt you to overeat later as a result of excessive hunger.
• Metabolism Boosting Tip #2 — Eat frequently.
  Instead of eating three large meals a day, spread out your food consumption (for example, eating small amounts of food every three hours or so) to keep your metabolism at work, burning and processing calories all day long. An added bonus: Eating smaller, more frequent meals is more filling than eating the same amount of calories in three large meals.
• Metabolism Boosting Tip #3 — Eat more lean protein.
  A Dutch study found that consuming a third of your daily calories from protein can boost metabolism. The reason: Your body burns more calories when digesting proteins vs. carbohydrates or fats. Protein also makes you feel more satisfied, so you may end up eating fewer overall calories. Be sure to choose non-fatty protein sources, such as lean meat, poultry without the skin, beans, and nonfat dairy products.
• Metabolism Boosting Tip #4 — Exercise frequently.
  Regular aerobic activity, such as brisk walking, swimming, dancing, or biking, keeps your metabolism in high gear. The latest national guidelines recommend getting 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise on most days of the week to prevent weight gain.
• Metabolism Boosting Tip #5 — Strength train.
  Resistance training — working with machines or free weights — can help counter some of the muscle loss that normally occurs with aging. And as we said before, the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn (the body uses more energy to maintain muscle than fat tissue). Two to three weekly sessions of strength training that work the major muscle groups in the chest, arms, legs, and back should do the trick.
• Metabolism Boosting Tip #6 — Get enough sleep.
  Inadequate slumber may affect your weight — not only because you’ll be too tired to exercise but also because tiredness may lead to snacking as a “pick-me-up.” In fact, a study of over 1,000 people found that those who sleep less than the recommended eight hours a night weigh more than those who get adequate rest. In addition, researchers are investigating whether lack of sleep affects appetite-regulating hormones.
• Metabolism Boosting Tip #7 — Move as much as possible.
  Research from the Mayo Clinic shows that people who fidget and move around a lot, even if they don’t formally exercise, have more active metabolisms and burn more calories than nonfidgeters. In their study, fidgeters moved about 152 minutes longer per day than nonfidgeters — and as a result burned 350 more calories a day. The lesson: Take every opportunity to move a little more during your day, from changing the TV channel by hand to pacing while talking on the phone and standing when you could be sitting.

Bottom line: If these seven strategies aren’t helpful in your quest to maintain a healthy weight, you might want to consider seeing a doctor. It is possible that you could have a thyroid or other hormonal problem that is slowing your metabolism.

Posted in Nutrition and Weight Control on July 1, 2009