Fighting Fatigue without Daily Caffeine

As you go through your daily activities, there comes a point in the day where you start feeling sluggish and start to develop this feeling of discomfort or fatigue. So what do you do? You reach over for that pot of coffee and fill your mug up to get that boost of caffeine. Or you grab a piece of chocolate or a bottle of soda for that boost. But as we know having too much of something can be a bad thing. Having too much caffeine can increase the risks for depression, nervousness, irritability, headaches, heart palpitations, insomnia and digestive upset. (Fitness Republic)

We consume caffeine to give us energy. Caffeine triggers a stress response to our adrenal hormones. But the more caffeine you consume, the more adrenal hormones are released. Consequently from this process, the more exhausted you can become. Here are ten tips we suggest helping boost your energy in a healthy manner and cut back on the caffeine:

1. Drink Water with Lemon- This combination is full of minerals and can help detoxify the harmful effects of caffeine.
2. Vitamin B12- This B vitamin plays a role in brain functions, nervous system function and blood formation.
3. Adrenal Support- Herbal adaptogens can take place of the caffeine with helping your body cope with stress.
4. Mood Support- Reducing the amount of caffeine you consume can make us irritable or moody. So consuming natural mood elevators while trying to reduce your caffeine levels can help.
5. Eat a Protein Packed Breakfast- Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day! Consuming good quality protein can help with long sustaining energy source to get you through your day!
6. Don’t go cold Turkey- Giving up caffeine all together is very difficult so its much better to wean yourself off of it! Try these two techniques to help wean yourself off!
i. Reduce the Size of your mug
ii. Replace your second cup of coffee for the day with a herbal tea, hot soup of anything that’s non-caffeinated.
7. Herbal Tea- Peppermint is very stimulating and rosemary can help with alertness.
8. Coffee Substitutes- Coffee substitutes are a great way to help kick your caffeine habits.
9. Water- Water is not a stimulant. But when consuming caffeine your body becomes dehydrated. Water can help flush out the toxins of the caffeine and keep you hydrated.
10. Explore other reasons for fatigue- Observe if there are any factors in your daily life that is an onset of the fatigue. For example if you are getting an adequate amount of sleep or if your having a balanced diet.

Mixing Weight Training and Aerobics

Is it good to mix these two components in your daily work out session????

 

For years people have wondered if is it okay to be mixing weight training and aerobics into your work out session for that day. A question has been presented to many individuals is; does mixing cardiovascular activity into your routine with muscular strength/endurance reduce the ability for hypertrophy or the ability for muscles to build and grow? This idea is known as muscular interference or exercise antagonism. Two groups of scientists, one from Canada and one from Sweden, performed a study to test this question. From this study they concluded, it is OKAY to mix the two components of exercise into your exercise routine in the same day BUT aerobic activity must PRECEDE after weight training so none of the benefits are compromised! (Mixing Weight Training and Aerobics, New York Times)

 

When performing your daily work out session the order of training we suggest is:

1. Skill Training
2. Explosive Power, plyometric training
3. Muscular Strength
4. Muscular Endurance
5. Aerobic Endurance
6. Flexibility 

 

Focusing On Nutrition And Exercise

We should all know how important our daily diet is. Food is our body’s source of energy, it is what we work off of every minute of every day. So with that being said,you should NEVER be working out on an empty stomach. Exercising without having anything in your stomach is an absolutely terrible idea for a few reasons:

• More prone to become dizzy or lightheaded while exercising on an empty stomach.
• Your body will start to hack into your excess fat for energy, as opposed to the food that you should have eaten.

(this may sound like a good thing for those of you trying to lose weight… but its not!! If your body gets into this habit of attaining energy from your fat storage… then it will start to store extra fat every time you eat to compensate for this terrible habit.)

• Your muscle’s use carbohydrates as fuel…so without them, you will become fatigued much quicker, and the quality of your workout will be compromised.
• For every calorie you burn, you need to be eating at least equal or a little bit greater calories in return for your body. Try and keep track!

Here are a few quick tips to help you improve your routine when it comes to nutrition & exercise:

1. Eat a light meal, consisting of mostly carbohydrates and a little bit of protein 30-60 minutes prior to exercising. This should give you the fuel you need to tackle that workout and feel good while doing it!
2. After your workout is completed, eat a heavier meal consisting of mostly protein, with a little bit of carbohydrates within 30-45 minutes of finishing your workout.
3. For optimum results, chose your protein and carbohydrates wisely. For example, proteins with a full amino acid profile are the ideal proteins (i.e. eggs, chicken breast, whey protein powder, etc.) Additionally, complex carbohydrates are the healthiest, and much better for your digestive system. (i.e. whole wheat bread, oatmeal, brown rice, whole grains,  etc.)

 

How Injuries Affect Adolescent Athletes’ Quality Of Life

It’s estimated that more than 30 million children and adolescents (ages 5-22) participate in organized sports in the U.S., with about 12 million of those suffering sports-related injuries annually. Despite these facts, the amount of evidence on the short- and longterm effects of injury on young athletes’ lives is lacking, and the medical community is beginning to take notice and increase research. Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) measures the effectiveness of treatment on injured athletes and takes into consideration not just physical components, but mental, social and emotional ones as well. Though it’s an important measurement, HRQOL is poorly studied in athletes, a fact that spurred a study to further examine the complete role injuries have on adolescent athletes’ lives. The study group, which consisted of 160 uninjured and 45 injured high school athletes, was administered a health status questionnaire and two HRQOL measurement tests. The questionnaire addressed basic demographic facts and also asked if the subject had endured an injury in the past week, and if so to describe it. The Short Form-36 (SF-36) evaluated social and emotional complications that can be caused by injury, while the Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument (PODCI) focused on musculoskeletal conditions and self-perceived health status.

DON’T FORGET TO LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE
After compiling responses, it turned out the most common injuries were to the lower extremity and frequently caused by overuse. Taking a look at the bigger picture, however, revealed that recent injuries to adolescents affected areas beyond the physical component of health, and likely had a negative impact on other domains of HRQOL, including social functioning. Based off these findings, it’s suggested that a more holistic approach be used for the care of injured adolescents that evaluates and treats overall well-being rather than mere physical progress. Low HRQOL scores can potentially lead to athletes dropping out of sports and future health-related complications. Therefore, by further developing the understanding of injury’s impact on youths and treating the whole individual, the intent is that young athletes will return to sports and continue to be physically active. Physical therapy is one viable
option that focuses on the overall wellbeing of patients in addition to their recovery from injury.

*source: e-rehab*

Are You As Strong As A Seven & Five Year Old?

Common knowledge would suggest that yes, most adults in average health are stronger than a seven and five year old. However, take a look at this story and you might think twice. Giuliano and Claudi Stroe are quite possibly the most impressive set of brothers we have seen in a long time. Maybe Peyton and Eli have them beat by just a little bit, but I would assume at age seven and five they were not achieving feats like these kids. If you clicked the link and watched the video, you got a little taste of what these kids can do. It is really incredible to think of how strong these children really are. While most kids that age are struggling to do one push-up with proper form, these kids are doing 90 degree vertical push-ups with ease, and balancing their body in ways that most fit adults can never dream of doing.

According to the article in the link, their father has been very instrumental in what his two sons are doing. They train with him every single morning for two hours, doing weighted exercises, balancing exercises, and flexibility training. This just goes to show that committing yourself to a daily exercise routine can bring about results regardless of your age and ability.  So with that being said, these two kids are clearly in Game Shape. You should take their lead and get in Game Shape today!!!

$20 Off: One Hour Massage!

Massage for Health and Well Being
Don’t Let Pain Slow You Down
“Massage” can help with
Stress and Muscle Tension

… Let our professional Massage Therapists
Cherie Twardus or Lia Durazzo
alleviate some of that stress.

For a limited time we will be offering
$20.00 off a one hour massage
Don’t wait, call us today..732-972-7555

 

 

**SPECIAL** 10% OFF PURCHASES

Have you checked out our online store? We have a great selection of over 2,000 items, including equipment for exercise, balance, conditioning, stretching, yoga, therapy and everywhere in between! AND… if you use our special code “GSPP”, you can receive an extra 10% off your purchase! It couldn’t be any easier, so there should be no excuse to not get the exercise equipment that you need! Don’t forget that if it weren’t for your favorite friendly faces at Game Shape, this offer wouldn’t be available for you! So do your body a favor, go to the online store… and get in game shape TODAY!

Congrats To The Super Bowl Champions…NEW YORK GIANTS!!!!

Wow! What a game! Here at Game Shape, we would like to send out a very well deserved congratulations to the world champion NEW YORK GIANTS!! They fought hard, believed in each other, and never quit even when the odds were against them. It really goes to show how much you can accomplish if you can believe in yourself and never quit. This can be related to any aspect of life, including your fitness and wellness goals. Two major themes here: BELIEVE & NEVER GIVE UP. You can accomplish anything… weight loss, muscle growth, returning from injury, etc. if only you believe and never give up on yourself!! You are in control of your own life. The Giants really displayed these themes perfectly in this magical ride that they took us on the past 7 weeks of the season. I will leave you on one last note… if you believe in anything, believe in yourself!

NYG SUPER BOWL CHAMPS!!!!

Super Bowl: Injury Update II

I know we were talking about this yesterday, but RB Ahmad Bradshaw, fractured foot and all, was a pleasant surprise at practice yesterday. Not only that, but apparently he was running well. Head Coach Tom Coughlin expressed his concerns when he said, “I just hope he’s OK tomorrow.” Bradshaw was one of five NYG players who were practicing on a ‘limited’ basis yesterday. The others were WR Hakeem Nicks (shoulder), DE Osi Umenyiora (Ankle/Knee), CB Corey Webster (Hamstring), and LB Jacquian Williams (foot). For those of you who don’t know much about football or the Giants, but just want to be involved in all the super bowl talk this week… these are all extremely important players for the Giants. As a physical therapist, I know that these can all be very sensitive body parts, and are vulnerable to re-injury. I think its probably safe to assume, however, that the coaching staff and the training staff are being very careful with these players and keeping a close eye on the injuries. Its also interesting to note, that the Giants all year had the most season ending injuries of any team in the NFL (not to mention a whole bunch of other little injuries throughout the season). With that being said, they are still playing in the biggest game of the season this coming Sunday. That says a lot about this team’s perseverance and will to win. Just goes to show that players and teams can overcome injuries and still succeed. I would assume that the Physical Therapist’s for the Giants have been working their tail off all season getting their athletes healthy. I can definitely relate to that!

GO GIANTS!!!

Have We Really Been Eating Pink Slime?

As I was surfing the internet last night, something quite alarming caught my eye. Apparently, fast food giant McDonald’s is beginning to phase out their use of ammoniated beef (commonly referred to as “pink slime”) in their hamburgers. Check out this article on Yahoo. Apparently, they were taking the fatty trimmings of the absolute cheapest and most disgusting part of the cow (normally reserved for dog food ingredients), and washing them in ammonium hydroxide, and claiming it was ground beef. I would just like to set the record straight; I’ve always known McDonald’s was gross and unhealthy… but this gross?? This unhealthy?? It iven to this fast food chain for food of this quality. I know this has nothing to do with Physical Therapy or Fitness, but I thought this would be interesting to share with our readers… what do you people think of this story?