Women's Supplements

So you have started your healthy meal plan and are working out regularly but you feel you are still missing something. Some days you are tired or sluggish and some days you feel weak or sore. Your diet may look great on paper but your brand new fitness app for your iPhone 4 tells you you are missing some vitamins and nutrients in your diet. It is hard to meet those daily requirements and those could very well be affecting your results. What is the next step?

Supplements can provide you with that extra boost to keep you energetic, motivated and help you lose those next few pounds. Most women shy away from supplements with the thought that they are either unhealthy, taste like medicine, the pills are too big or they are afraid that taking them will make them pack on muscle mass and end up looking like a nuclear experiment. That is not the case and I am going to try and answer the question I get often about what vitamins and supplements you should be taking.

Calcium and D:
Females need at least 1,000 mg’s of calcium per day. Once you have past your teen years, women stop naturally absorbing enough through food nutrition. The best absorbed form is Calcium Citrate however calcium needs help reaching your bones. The best combination is Calcium Citrate with Vitamin D and Magnesium. Vitamin D helps the body use calcium and phosphorous to build and maintain strong bones and teeth. Not enough vitamin D can cause calcium and phosphorus levels in the blood to decrease, leading to calcium being drawn out of the bones to help maintain stable blood levels. Progressive Complete Calcium for Adult Women provides the calcium busy women need to stay healthy in today’s high stress environment.

EFA's:
Essential fatty acids are exactly that. They are essential to women’s health, and should be included in your daily nutrition. EFA’s are “good” fats called Omega’s 3-6-9. Omegas are found in foods such as salmon, tuna, mackerel and swordfish, nuts like almonds and sunflower seeds, avocados, flax, and olive oils. Our bodies manufacture and synthesize some, but supplemental EFA’s can help and prevent women with:
Eczema/dermatitis, rashes, early aging signs on facial skin
Dry, irritated eyes and itchy skin around eyes (“blephritis”)
Joint aches, inflammations, allergies, low immunities
Fatigue, mood swings, irritability (even ADD/ADHD)
Intense menstrual cramps
Symptoms of menopause like hot flashes and vaginal dryness
EFA’s are also important to our heart, circulatory and essential for proper brain functions. Try PVL Essentials 100% Natual EFS 1000.

Protein Powders:
First things first stop thinking protein powders are just for men.
Protein is one of the body's main building blocks for muscle, bone, skin, and other tissues. Protein powders can prevent infections, lessen heat exhaustion, and decrease muscle soreness. Protein shakes may help with weight management, as well. One of my favourite protein powders on the market is 100% Natual Whey Gold Standard.

Cinnamon:
Cinnamon helps boosts energy. Women can benefit from 1-4 g daily. Cinnamon can help regulate blood sugar levels, which can keep your energy up through the day. The University of Birmingham in England found that 500-milligram of cinnamon around midday helps steady your levels before the afternoon slump.

Grape Seed Extract:
The extract can help prevent wrinkles and skin cancer. A recommended intake is 150-300 mg daily. Grape seed extract is rich in proanthocyanidins, a class of antioxidants 50 times as potent as vitamin E. Preliminary studies have shown that it may reverse wrinkles, skin cancer, and other damage from UV rays. In pill form, it also helps maintain collagen and elastin, two ­building blocks of smooth skin. You can try 100mg Now Grape Seed Extract.

Coenzyme Q-10:
Women are three times more likely to suffer from headaches than men. A lack of coenzyme Q-10, a compound made by the body that helps prevent migraines. Studies found that when patients with low Q-10 levels supplemented with 100-300mg a day their headaches were less severe and less frequent.

CLA:
Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) helps reduce fat and preserves muscle tissue. Approximately 3.4 grams of CLA per day is the level needed to obtain the beneficial effects of CLA on body fat. CLA has many benefits which include, increased metabolic rate, decreased abdominal fat, enhanced muscle growth, lowers cholesterol and triglycerides, lowers insulin resistance, reduced food-induced allergic reactions and enhanced immune system. Allmax Nutrition makes a great CLA Womens Formula.

Folic Acid:
Folic acid is not just for pregnant women or women trying to get pregnant. Folic acid is found in various foods, including spinach, orange juice and yeast. Adequate levels of folic acid are essential for brain function, and folate deficiency can lead to neurological disorders such as depression and cognitive impairment. Folate supplementation, either by itself or in conjunction with other B vitamins, has been shown to be effective in preventing cognitive decline and dementia during aging and enhancing the effects of antidepressants. Nu-Life Folic Acid provides 1 mg of this essential vitamin, which is required to maintain a healthy heart.

A balanced "diet" rich in vitamins and minerals is the ultimate goal. Eating a rainbow of colours along with proteins and healthy omega fats is essential but sometimes isn't enough. These are just a few supplements to help you gain energy, lose fat, gain muscle and maintain healthy skin and bones.

Be safe, focus on nutrition and enjoy your workouts.
JJ Confalone

YouTube Workout...?

Is your trainer getting your workouts from You Tube?

After many years of educating myself, research and trail and error in my own fitness program it shocks me to know that some trainers go home and watch you tube or the biggest loser to get your workout for the next day.

What ever happened to knowing your client and helping them reach "their" goals? Just because the super angry trainer on TV does it doesn't mean it is suited for your client. Your trainer should take the time to listen to you and know what your goals are before they start throwing a bunch of exercises together. Your trainer should take the time to explain to you the process and the method of which he/she is going to get you to your goal. They should also be able to explain how each exercise is related to your program. Pushing crap across the floor, swinging heavy kettle bells or crawling across the room may not be for you at all. Now I know I can't sit in on every conversation with a trainer but I have to ask why a 60 year old woman needs to be moving furniture all over the gym. I'm all for strengthening the body for everyday activities but treating your client like an NFL player in pre season training is just ridiculous.

What should you be looking for in your trainer? I know I have written about this before but I gotta ask why some clients don't wonder what the hell is going on. I've come up with a couple of things to look out for when working with your trainer.

1.) knowledge is key.

If you take a look around the gym or even at your own trainer you will see that the very trainers with the least knowledge tend to prescribe the most complicated training plans, with stupid numbers of exercises. If you are doing much more than 4 or 5 exercises in your main program (not including warm up), your trainer more then likely does not know too much about training.

2.) I saw this last night.

If your trainer comes to you and says I saw this exercise last night on the biggest loser or they watched this video on you tube then I suggest you run. I have always been a big believer in incorporating anything new into my own routine first. I want to know how to do the exercise right, wrong, where to feel it and where not to feel it so that it can be adjusted accordingly. If I feel that doing sprints up and down the street don't apply to my client with obvious knee issues who just wants to lose 10 lbs then I won't.

3.) Pay attention to me.

You have probably seen this many of times or even asked yourself, is my trainer even paying attention? It's nauseating to see a client doing step ups on an unstable bench with 45 lbs dumbbells in each hand while their trainer is in full on conversation with someone else or watching the TV. To top it off if you have to ask yourself why do my knees hurt so much, then something is wrong here. Make sure your trainer not only pays attention to you while you work out but also pays attention to your wants and needs as well as listens when you tell them you are hurting. When you have obvious joint pain, something is wrong and your trainer should stop readjust or find you a better suited exercise NOT tell you to work through it.

4.) What about my health.

Your trainer should always ask the medical questions first before you start any training program. They should ask not only for you but for themselves. There are so many exercises that individuals with certain conditions should stay away from. Your trainer should have enough know how to deal with medical conditions or help you rebuild you torn or weak rotator. Doing bench press over and over again with a shoulder injury isn't going to get you anywhere. It seems to not only be injuries but conditions like blood pressure, heart conditions and blood sugar. If your trainer thinks its funny that you need to run to the washroom to throw up and they think everyone should be worked to the point of nausea then you have to ask yourself is this right. The load is obviously too much for your physical condition and you should slow down and increase gradually until you are fit enough to handle such workouts. Doing exercises such as wall sits when you have high blood pressure is one of the worst things you can do. The increase in muscle tension due to the hold will raise your blood pressure and make you feel sick or you could pass out.

I could continue on for days about stupid things that trainers do and don't get me wrong there are some very good trainers out there but you need to ask your trainer and yourself "is this the right program for me".

I understand that when you start with a trainer you are putting your trust in them that they know what they are doing. Unless your goals relate to your program and your trainer can give you a good explanation on why you are running around with a bungee cord strapped to your back then I suggest you take some time to evaluate your trainer.

Lastly if your trainer gets all of your workouts from you tube or the biggest loser find a new trainer. They obviously aren't taking your goals, wants and best interest into consideration. They are more then likely and trust me I see it all day doing the same "program" with every client all day long. You are an individual and that's what training is all about individual specific programs.

Be safe, and enjoy your workouts

JJ Confalone

Supplements

ICON Vitamins and Sports Supplements

If you are looking for vitamins, protein, sports supplements or even accessories make sure you check out ICON Vitamins and Sports Supplements.