Convenient Protein

"I can't eat protein three times a day. What can I do?" 

So that must be the deal - not being able to eat protein seems to be the big obstacle holding many of you back from seeing progress with training and dieting. I believe that a high quality Protein Powder can fix that.

They come with all the possibilities you could want.

There are powders with whey protein, rice protein, vegetarian style, etc. Just get one that fits your lifestyle and try to find a way to get it down that doesn't increase the number of calories in your meal. For example if protein at breakfast is hard for you to figure out, make a protein shake. Use the directions on the container and add water (not milk or fruit juice which will add calories) and some fruit or yogurt with fruit. Use a calorie counter either as an App or in a book and figure out approximately the number of calories you are about to consume. 

Be reasonable - 500 calories on a 1000 calorie a day diet will take up too many available calories. Try to be in the less than 1/3 of your day allotment range. This should take care of at least one meal. I have a shake in the morning because I don't want to cook at 4a.m. - what ever your reason is - try it, it works for me.

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Body Fat and Resistance Training

If you are the same weight now that you were in High School, I can bet you aren't the same body composition. Starting at about the age of 20 if you are not doing anything to promote the growth of muscle mass then you are losing about 2lbs. of muscle a year. The take away is that we all must be doing some form of resistance training to gain muscle or we will be fatter every year even if our bodyweight remains the same.

 My preferred resistance training is a combination of bodyweight exercises such as push-ups and pull-ups, with free weight and machine exercises. Find a form of resistance that gives you pleasure and keep at it or change to a different one but, you can't give up the fight. I know it's working for me!!!

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Weightless Cardio

As the population ages,  most of us will develop body parts with pain, weakness or injury.
 For me the challenge has become cardio fitness.  Admittedly I never loved cardio, so it is fitting that it has become my Achiiles Heel. I have been searching for ways to work my heart and lungs without creating pain in my ankle joints.  For others it might be hips or knees, etc.

As I discuss in another entry Aqua Jogging has been a great addition to my workouts.  However, winter is not kind to outdoor swimming.

Enter stage left - the ALTER G treadmill.
This treadmill is capable of adjusting your weight to 0% -80% of your body weight.  WOW - think about the benefits of anti gravity

• Enhance performance while minimizing the impact
• Increase training volume and minimize stress-related injuries
• Maximize fitness retention during rehabilitation

Maybe not this year but, I can imagine the use of this type of equipment gaining in popularity.  I will be trying it out and let you know what I think.

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