AAT: Ep. 38 – How Can I Maintain My Muscle?
On this episode of ‘Ask A Trainer’ we speak with LA Fitness Pro Results® trainer Morgan C., and get her expert advice on how to properly maintain muscle mass.
LA Fitness Pro Results® Master Trainer, Stone T., gives his expert advice on increasing stamina and improving leg and hip strength – it’s a double question, bringing double the amount of advice.
**Selected submissions will be featured on the LA Fitness blog and possibly other LA Fitness digital media entities & websites. By making a submission, you hereby grant LA Fitness a non-exclusive, perpetual, worldwide, irrevocable license to use and make copies of the contents of such submission for any purpose and in any medium whatsoever, and you hereby waive and relinquish any copyright or other intellectual property right you may have in the contents of such submission and your right to pursue any claim for LA Fitness’s violation of those intellectual property rights.
On this episode of ‘Ask A Trainer’ we speak with LA Fitness Pro Results® trainer Morgan C., and get her expert advice on how to properly maintain muscle mass.
On this episode of ‘Ask A Trainer’ we speak with LA Fitness Pro Results® trainer Morgan C., and get her expert advice on which machines offer a full body workout.
On this episode of ‘Ask A Trainer’ we speak with LA Fitness Pro Results® trainer Morgan C., and get her expert advice on whether or not strength training or cardio should come first when it comes to weight loss.
Nighttime approaches, but the Sandman does not. You lay in bed, eyes focused on the ceiling, or perhaps your phone. You set the phone down. Close your eyes. One sheep, two sheep, three sheep, four… no luck.
You’ve been feeling drained, stressed, and unhealthy – maybe your poor sleep habits are to blame.
We reached out to Babak Saedi, MD, and Director of Sleep Medicine at Kaiser Permanente in West Los Angeles, to help us better understand the connection between sleep and weight.
This is what he shared:
Sleep plays a critical role for our physical and emotional health. Without it, we lack the energy necessary to get through the day. Sleep deprivation impacts our immune system, making us more susceptible to illness; it affects our mood and stress levels; it also increases our risk for heart disease. Plus, not getting enough sleep is linked with a number of chronic diseases and conditions, including diabetes, obesity, and depression. While almost everyone feels sleepy in the daytime now and then, sleep debt can affect our concentration and reaction time, becoming the cause of serious problems like car crashes and work-related accidents. Poor sleep is also linked to increased pain perception and a degraded quality of life.
Adults need seven to eight hours of sleep and kids – depending on their age – need between eight to eleven hours.
In order for us to achieve any health or fitness goal, we must make sleep a priority. Whether we want to maintain or lose weight, gain muscle mass, perform better or simply feel better, getting enough high-quality sleep is key to reaching our weight and fitness goals.
If you’re tired, you have less energy. Even if you can get yourself to workout, the intensity of that workout isn’t the same as when you’re well rested, and as a result, you burn less calories.
You’re more likely to eat more and consume extra calories from high fat and high sugar foods to cover the energy cost of staying awake.
Lack of sleep impacts our hunger (ghrelin) and satiety (leptin) hormones. It also causes a spike in our cortisol levels, signaling our body to conserve energy to fuel our waking hours.
It affects our body’s ability to properly respond to insulin signals. Excess insulin increases the storage of fat in fat cells and prevents fat cells from releasing fat for energy.
Lack of sleep slows the production of growth hormone, which can make it more difficult for your body to build muscle mass.
1. Take a hot shower 1-2 hours before bedtime.
2. Make your sleeping environment comfortable. The temperature, along with light and noise should be controlled to make the bedroom conducive to sleeping. It’s also important to choose a comfortable and supportive mattress and pillow.
3. Go to bed only when sleepy. Once in bed, if you cannot fall asleep after 20 minutes, leave the bedroom for another room. After getting up, it’s important to remain calm, which means avoiding bright-lights or engaging in activities that will lead to more alertness (including chores or games on the computer, phone or tablet). Return to bed once you feel sleepy. Until then, stay out of the bedroom.
4. Limit bedroom activities to only sleeping and intimacy. Avoid watching television, using electronics, playing games or studying while in bed. Also, avoid clock watching. All of these activities increase alertness and make it difficult to fall asleep.
5. Avoid eating or drinking right before going to bed. Eating a late dinner or snacking before going to bed can activate the digestive system and keep you awake. Eating before bedtime can also worsen acid reflux or heartburn symptoms. Avoid drinking too much before bedtime because it can cause the need to urinate frequently throughout the night.
6. Avoid smoking, caffeinated beverages, alcohol and other stimulants. The effects of caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine can last several hours after use, which cuts into sleep time. Caffeine can cause difficulty falling asleep and frequent awakenings, while alcohol is known to create a non-restful night’s sleep and frequent urination.
7. Avoid daytime naps. It is important to establish and maintain a regular sleep and wake-up pattern. Napping during the day, especially after 2 p.m., makes it difficult to fall asleep at bedtime. If one must take a nap during the day, it should be early, around midday, and should only last about 20 minutes.
8. Exercise regularly. Regular exercise can improve sleep quality and duration. However, avoid exercising close to bedtime because it can have a stimulating effect on the body. Try to finish exercising at least three hours before it’s time to sleep.
9. Wake up the same time each day. Waking up the same time every day regardless of how much sleep you’ve had helps to regulate your internal clock (circadian rhythm) and predict your bedtime. Try to keep the same sleep and wake-up time on work/school and non-working/school days, especially if you are a shift-worker.
10. Set aside time to plan. If you find that you lay in bed thinking about tomorrow, consider setting aside a time at night to review the day and make plans for the next day. The goal is to avoid doing these things while trying to fall asleep. It may also be helpful to make a to-do list.
11. Reduce Stress. Aim for two hours of relaxation time before bedtime. There are a number of relaxation therapies and stress reduction methods to relax the mind and body before going to bed. You may want to take a warm bath, do some light reading, listen to white noise or relaxing audio tapes, do some deep breathing exercises or practice meditation.
Responses and tips above provided by Babak Saedi, MD, and Director of Sleep Medicine at Kaiser Permanente in West Los Angeles. Questions provided by Mayra Suarez, Senior Media Relations Representative at Kaiser Permanente Southern California.
ACSM recommends to cancer patients to aim for 150 minutes per week of moderate aerobic exercise with an additional two to three sessions of strength training.
Interested in a little friendly competition? Then it’s time to sign up for LA Fitness Group Leagues. Invite a friend to compete in basketball, racquetball, or volleyball today!
Achieve 6-pack abs this summer by following these 30 simple-to-follow ideas that will have you ready for the beach in no time!
“Rich in vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, fiber & antioxidants, plant-based foods lower cholesterol and decrease the risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, kidney disease & obesity. Plant protein is more varied than meat protein and offers a much wider variety of options for creating innovative, healthful menus. Sophisticated vegan cuisine is the new frontier. There is so much undiscovered potential in this arena. The focus at Elizabeth’s Gone Raw is to create monthly a seven-course tasting dinner comprised of organic plant-based ingredients. It is our intention to offer the public an indulgent healthy dining experience, visually exciting, sensual and provocative.”
Photography by: Greg Powers
Photo credit: Belathee Photography
Elizabeth’s Gone Raw is located at the following location:
Distance to closest LA Fitness: 0.8 miles to Connecticut Ave. LA Fitness
Elizabeth’s Gone Raw is located at 1341 L St NW, Washington, DC 20005. Open Friday from 5pm to 12am. For reservations, menu, and additional details, please visit elizabethsgoneraw.com.
Photography by: Greg Powers
For the Strawberry Gazpacho
For the Fermented Carrot Quenelle
Optional
This soup is topped with olive tapenade which is optional.
Step 1: Blend together the ingredients for the Fermented Carrot Quenelle, then cover with parchment paper and let ferment at room temperature for two days. Form in the shape of a quenelle using two teaspoons and place in the bottom of the bowl.
Step 2: Blend together in a Vitamix (or blender) all the ingredients for the Green Strawberry Gazpacho.
Step 3: This soup is topped with olive tapenade which is optional.
Step 4: Enjoy!
Featured Recipes
Award-winning Chef, Danny Grant of Chicago’s etta, shares a light and healthy recipe you can easily whip up just in time for your next summer potluck!
Chef Ryan Toll, of The Wild Cow, shares his vegan-friendly recipe with us for Sweet Potato and Black Beans Tacos. Whip this up quickly for tonight!
Chef Brian Okada of Water Grill shares his recipe for Tomato Avocado Salad with a light Poppy Seed Dressing. It's quick, it's easy, healthy and tasty!
LA Fitness Pro Results® Master Trainer, Stone T., gives his expert advice on which exercises are best recommended for those with knee issues.
**Selected submissions will be featured on the LA Fitness blog and possibly other LA Fitness digital media entities & websites. By making a submission, you hereby grant LA Fitness a non-exclusive, perpetual, worldwide, irrevocable license to use and make copies of the contents of such submission for any purpose and in any medium whatsoever, and you hereby waive and relinquish any copyright or other intellectual property right you may have in the contents of such submission and your right to pursue any claim for LA Fitness’s violation of those intellectual property rights.
On this episode of ‘Ask A Trainer’ we speak with LA Fitness Pro Results® trainer Morgan C., and get her expert advice on how to properly maintain muscle mass.
On this episode of ‘Ask A Trainer’ we speak with LA Fitness Pro Results® trainer Morgan C., and get her expert advice on which machines offer a full body workout.
On this episode of ‘Ask A Trainer’ we speak with LA Fitness Pro Results® trainer Morgan C., and get her expert advice on whether or not strength training or cardio should come first when it comes to weight loss.
“Yoga takes you into the present moment, the only place where life exists.” – Anonymous
For a complete body, mind, and soul transformation, Yoga is all-inclusive. This healthy lifestyle workout both strengthens and brings relaxation to your overall body. Having originated approximately 5,000 years ago in India, this age-old practice continues strong today.
Some describe Yoga as a science, while others praise it as a way to combine the physical realm with the spiritual realm. Whichever way you choose to see it, one thing is certain: Yoga is here to stay.
But, what is Yoga exactly?
According to the Art of Living, Yoga is all about “harmonizing the body with the mind and breath through the means of various breathing exercises, yoga poses (asanas) and meditation.”1
If you’re new to this form of fitness, don’t be intimidated – the necessities needed for Yoga are pretty basic.
The health benefits of Yoga are astounding. Research has proven that Yoga can help reduce the symptoms of depression and anxiety, aid in improvement of chronic back pain, help lower blood sugar and speed nerve impulses in those suffering from diabetes, boost energy, mood, have positive effects on those battling obesity, heart disease and cancer – amongst many others.2 It’s amazing how such a gentle workout approach can be so beneficial to our bodies.
Below is a list of five different styles of Yoga that are an absolute must-try for Yoga enthusiasts.
1. Bikram Yoga – For Healing
Bikram Yoga is a form of Yoga that involves repeating the same set of 26 poses in set cycles over a 90-minute time frame. As taken from the official Bikram Yoga site, this style is meant to “work every part of the body, to give all the internal organs, all the veins, all the ligaments, and all the muscles everything they need to maintain optimum health and maximum function.”3 Bikram style yoga is often grouped together with hot yoga, due to the fact that these classes take place in a hot room, either at or above body temperature.
2. Yin Yoga – For Relaxation
Imagine Yin Yoga as a slower-paced version of basic yoga. Now before you think this sounds boring, it’s actually quite challenging, while still bringing relaxation to your body. Yin Yoga requires its students to hold postures, or asanas, for longer periods of time. This is supposed to target the deeper tissues of the body rather than the superficial tissues alone. It’s not uncommon for poses to be held 3 to 5 minutes at a time, sometimes even as long as 20 minutes. The poses for this style yoga are similar in form to one meditating.
3. Iyengar Yoga – For Strength and Stamina
Iyengar Yoga is a form of Hatha yoga that was developed by Yoga Master B.K.S. Iyengar. It corrects alignment of all parts of the body and establishes a sense of well-being. The precision of each pose assists in building strength, stamina, balance, and flexibility. If you’re a fan of varied exercise, this style may be for you, given that no routine is ever exactly the same. This method is all about developing better attention to detail.
4. Bhakti Yoga – For Love
This yoga practice may be for love, but not in the traditional romantic way we may first come to think of. Bhakti is one of the major six branches of yoga, which focuses on cultivating a love and devotion toward a personal god. Bhakti Yoga is also known as the path to self-realization. It’s a form of yoga that is recommended for those who feel they are in touch with their emotions. It’s the path of the heart and devotion. The ultimate goal of practicing Bhakti Yoga is to reach a state of pure bliss.
5. Ashtanga or Power Yoga – For Weight Loss
Astanga Yoga is a type of yoga is based on eight principles: Yama (moral codes), Niyama (self-purification and study), Asana (posture), Pranayama (breath control), Pratyahara (sense control), Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation), and Samadhi (absorption into the Universal). Power Yoga is an offshoot of Astanga Yoga, which uses the same poses, just sped up! If you’re looking for an intense workout that will leave you feeling good and full of sweat, you may want to give this style a try.
Feeling inspired to get your Yoga fitness on? LA Fitness has you covered. Find a Yoga class at a location near you by clicking, here. And for those of you seeking a different take on traditional yoga, consider trying out Yogabeat® and watch yourself dance gracefully throughout a series of varying poses while burning off those pesky calories.
In honor of National Yoga Month, invite a friend to join you to try out an LA Fitness Yoga class by sending them a guest pass here!
Sources:
ACSM recommends to cancer patients to aim for 150 minutes per week of moderate aerobic exercise with an additional two to three sessions of strength training.
Interested in a little friendly competition? Then it’s time to sign up for LA Fitness Group Leagues. Invite a friend to compete in basketball, racquetball, or volleyball today!
Achieve 6-pack abs this summer by following these 30 simple-to-follow ideas that will have you ready for the beach in no time!
Be the first to know about exclusive
content, deals and promotions