DID YOU KNOW?

By Sydney Burch

Did you know there are three different types of muscles – skeletal, cardiac and smooth?

Skeletal muscles attach directly to the skeleton, and are responsible for posture and movement of the

bone. They fatigue faster than smooth or cardiac and have the ability to stretch and go back to their

original shape. Cardiac muscles are found only in the heart, move involuntarily and do not fatigue.

Smooth muscles also move involuntarily and are found in the stomach, intestines, blood vessels and

other places. All of these muscles function together to keep your body moving.

MACROS AND YOUR MUSCLES

By Laura Hestbeck & Jacqueline Bosquez

Protein, carbohydrates and fats are macronutrients that provide the

energy you need to exercise and move throughout the day. Your

body can’t create macronutrients, also called macros, so you must

get them from the food you eat. Feed your muscles the right amount

of each macro for maximum muscle health.

Protein: Four calories per gram

The number one macro that most people think of for muscle health

is protein. Protein contains the building blocks for your muscles,

as well as your skin, hair and bones. General recommendation:

10 to 35 percent of the calories in your diet should come from

protein sources.

Carbohydrates: Four calories per gram

Many people drastically reduce carbohydrates, also called carbs,

when trying to lose weight, however this can be counterproductive

for muscle health. When you work out and do not have enough

carbs, your metabolism changes into a state called ketosis. This can

cause headaches, dizziness and can hinder athletic performance.

Read more about why your muscles need carbs in the Food For

Thought article in this issue. General recommendation: 45 to 65

percent of the calories in your diet should come from carbohydrate

sources.

Fats: Nine calories per gram

Fat is the third and most calorie dense macronutrient with nine

calories per gram. You need fat in your diet to support muscle

growth and absorb nutrients, but too many unused calories will

increase your body fat and decrease muscle definition. General

recommendation: 20 to 30 percent of the calor ies in your diet

should come from fat sources.

The bottom line: Find a balance

The consumption of protein, carbohydrates and fats are equally

important in your diet. Remember to include these nutrients

in your meals throughout the day for a balanced diet and optimal

muscle health.

IN THIS ISSUE

Take care of your muscles and they will take care of you. The following articles are all about

muscle health. Learn about balancing your macros to fuel your muscle growth and maintenance.

In order to overcome a plateau in your workouts, you need to keep things changing. Are you

confusing your muscles? Try a new strength training technique to see better results from your

time spent in the gym. Let your muscles rest and breath by practicing progressive muscle

relaxation techniques and integrating more stretching in your day. Your muscles will thank you!

AUGUST 2016

WHAT’S INSIDE

QUESTION & ANSWER

How to Avoid a Workout Plateau

TARGET TRAINING

Bent-over Fly

LIFE BALANCE

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

CHALLENGE OF THE MONTH

Stretch More

FOOD FOR THOUGHT/RECIPE

Carbs for Energy

Other than containing the basic

buildings blocks of tissues, protein also:

Increases immunity. Antibodies, which are made of proteins,

attack harmful substances that invade the body.

Transports nutrients. Hemoglobin, which is made of proteins,

brings oxygen out of the lungs and into the cells.

Maintains electrolyte levels. Protein car r ies potassium and

sodium in and out of cells to maintain electrolyte balance.

Stay away from a workout plateau for your body and mind by adding variety to your routine. Your

body is efficient, and if you do the same workout week after week you may stop seeing results or

just get bored. Try a new strength training technique to keep your muscles challenged.

Drop Sets

After completing your regular set of repetitions for the exercise of your choice, decrease the weight and complete

as many reps as you can until failure. You can complete one or more drop sets to reach maximum muscle fatigue.

Pyramid Sets

Start with high reps and low weight. As you complete each set, start increasing the weight and decreasing the

reps until you reach the end of your pyramid. Not only will this method increase your strength and promote

muscle growth, but it will keep your body away from adaptation because of the constant change.

Negative Sets

Utilize heavy weights and control with negative sets. Find some way to assist your lifting movement also known

as the concentric movement, then work against gravity to release the lift also known as the eccentric movement.

To assist the lifting portion a partner can help you, or you can use both arms to lift and one to release the

movement. If there is no way to assist the lift, slow down the release to three to six seconds.

HOW CAN I OVERCOME A WORKOUT PLATEAU?

Targeted Muscles: Posterior Deltoids and Rhomboids

START

Start with your feet hip width apart, knees bent.

Hinge forward at your hips, tilting your pelvis slightly forward.

Holding a dumbbell in each hand, allow your arms to hang directly beneath your

shoulders, palms facing in toward each other.

Keep your core engaged by drawing the navel in toward the spine to maintain neutral

back alignment.

MOVEMENT

1. Slowly raise your arms to the side to shoulder level by squeezing your shoulder blades

together maintaining a slight bend in your elbows.

2. Slowly return to starting position.

VARIATIONS

Beginner: In the star t position, step one leg back and hold only one dumbbell to

perform a single arm fly

By Jacqueline Bosquez

BENT-OVER FLY

Are you looking for a simple way to release tension? How about a

tension buster you can do in a short amount of time and pretty much

anywhere? Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) is easy to learn and

very effective at releasing muscle tension and calming your mind.

PMR can also be easily incorporated into your workday as it can be

completed in three to five minutes and all you need is a quiet space.

How does PMR work? PMR involves slowly tensing and then

relaxing each muscle group one by one using a simple breathing

technique. You can do it lying on your back or in a seated position.

PMR helps decrease fatigue, reduce anger and frustration, slow heart

rate and improve both mood and concentration. Try it out!

PROGRESSIVE MUSCLE RELAXATION

By Abby Jacobs & Karin Junge

STOP, BREATHE & THINK

If you are constantly on the move, jumping

from one thing to another, you may rarely

give your muscles time to relax. Even when

‘relaxing’, your mind may relentlessly shift

focus back to work, activities, friends and

family, causing more tension. Blocking out these distractions can be

difficult. Try the 10 minute guided body scan track under the list of

meditations in the app Stop, Breathe & Think to bring relaxation to tight

muscles, or find a guide that fits your desired mood.

LENGTHEN AND STRENGTHEN

Whether you are stiff and sore from working out or from sitting too much, stretching can help you feel and function better. Stretching your

muscles will allow better blood flow to the cells and fibers. This is helpful to support muscle growth after physical activity. Stretching also

supports good posture and joint range of motion. Stretching is most effective when your muscles are warm. Stretch all major muscle groups a

minimum of two days per week, holding stretches to the point of light discomfort for 10 to 30 seconds.

By Laura Hestbeck & Karin Junge

By Karin Junge

Feet to head PMR:

1. Find a comfortable, distraction free zone to practice.

2. Close your eyes and with deep breaths, begin to slowly calm your mind.

3. Beginning with your feet, point your toes, tensing all the muscles in your feed as hard as you can, take a deep breath in through your

nose, hold the tension and breath for five to ten seconds, then exhale forcefully through your mouth.

4. Gradually work your way up your body—focusing on smaller segments rather than multiple muscle groups at a time. Follow this

progression: feet, lower legs, upper legs, buttocks, abdomen & lower back, chest & upper back, hands (fists) & arms, neck and shoul-

ders and then face (try to bring your eyes and lips towards your nose).

5. Upon completing this sequence over your full body, take notice of how you feel. Take a few breaths to let go of any residual tension.

Post-workout stretching tips:

Save your stretching for after your workout to

feel stronger during strength training and

reduce soreness in the following days.

Stretch all major muscle groups, even if you

didn’t work them, as your muscles are warm

and can better reap the benefits.

Tips to add more stretching to your week:

Immediately after getting out of bed in the morning, when your body is still warm,

do a couple of stretches for the large muscle groups like the legs and back.

Do active stretching after sitting for long periods of time, like shoulder or arm circles,

light spinal twisting and leg swings.

Plan a stretch break on your work calendar. This holds you accountable and you will

be less likely to skip it.

ARTICHOKE DIP

Food can be thought of

simply as energy for the

body. One key source

of energy in food are

carbohydrates,

commonly referred to

as carbs. Carbs are used

as a quick source of

energy for the body, but

there is not much

storage space for carbs

that are not used (a.k.a. burned). When carbs are consumed in excess,

the body will store them as fat. Carbs have gained a bad reputation for

being the cause of body fat in recent years, but your body does need

them. It is important to know the right carbs to eat and how much.

Generally, processed and refined products are going to be an

unhealthy form of carbs. Examples of unhealthy carb options are

white bread, white pasta and soda. These types of foods contain fewer

nutrients and fiber to preserve shelf life. When reading the nutrition

label, avoid products with “enriched flour,” “cracked wheat” and

“multi-grain” listed in the first few ingredients. Choose vegetables,

whole-grains, fruits and beans more often as your carb sources to

help keep your blood sugar stable and keep you feeling fuller, longer.

Calculating how many carbs your body needs is also important.

Carbs should make up 45-65% of your diet. Deciding this range

depends on your training regimen. See the example below on how to

calculate how many carbs to consume.

A person with a 2000 calorie/day goal should consume between

225-325 grams of carbohydrate per day. Carbs are an important source

of energy for your body, remember to fuel properly!

GET THE LOW-DOWN ON CARBS

By Chelsey Peterson

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all ingredients together. Put in oven-friendly

dish and bake at 350F for 30 minutes. Serve

with whole-grain bread, crackers or vegetables

for dipping.

Healthier Living is your monthly guide to creating a healthy lifestyle through physical activity, nutrition and life balance. Brought to you by HealthSource Solutions, LLC.

PREP TIME: 45 MIN SERVES: 9

Nutritional Info

Calories 94

Fat (g) 2

Carbohydrates (g) 14

Fiber (g) 6

Protein (g) 5

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups artichoke hearts

1 teaspoon black pepper

4 cups spinach, chopped

1 teaspoon thyme, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon minced parsley

1 cup white beans, prepared

2 teaspoon parmesan cheese

1/2 cup low-fat sour cream

45% of daily calories from carbohydrate in

a 2,000 calorie diet:

2000 calories x 0.45 = 900 calories

900 calories divided by 4 (4 calories/gram of carb) = 225 grams

65% of daily calories from carbohydrate in

a 2000 calorie diet:

2000 calories x 0.65 = 1300 calories

1300 calories divided by 4 grams/calorie = 325 grams