How do you know your supplements are making a difference? Before you or I answer that, let’s get a better understanding what happens to us daily at the cellular level. Each day we are exposed to free radicals – unstable molecules that steal or ’scavenge’ electrons from other molecules. Many of the physical effects we call aging are a result of free radical damage. And no matter how healthy you try to be, you receive free radical damage every single day.

Exposure to free radical activity is a natural part of life, but in today’s highly stressful and hectic world, it’s possible to become overexposed and experience greater consequences of free radical damage. Environmental pollution, unbalanced diets, preservatives and additives in food, excessive body fat due to inactivity, mental stress, and even breathing create free radicals in your body. When left unchecked, free radical damage to your cells accumulates and can lead to serious health concerns later in life. In fact, free radical damage can cause premature aging and is a large factor in the deterioration of health over time.

Natures solution – Antioxidants are your first defense against free radicals – they freely share their electrons and stop the degenerative chain reaction of free radicals. Our bodies naturally generate some antioxidants, and certain foods also contain antioxidants. However, new research shows additional sources of antioxidants may provide added protection against a growing onslaught of free radical invaders.

Carotenoids are an important category of antioxidants, they are primarily responsible for the reds, oranges, and yellows we see in fruits and vegetables. In our bodies non-carotenoid antioxidants rely on carotenoids to defend and replenish themselves, so that they can continue their cell-protective work. Therefore, a high level of carotenoids in the antioxidant defense network suggests that there are also high levels of other antioxidants. Research suggests that skin carotenoid levels measured with the Pharmanex BioPhotonic Scanner correlates with, and are a good indication of, the body’s overall antioxidant defense system.

If you would like to know your skin carotenoid score using this high-tech scanner, contact us for local scanning appointments or for a scan operator near you. Flex-Fit Training and Healthy Numbers are currently sponsoring a 10 week ‘Eating Healthy – Antioxidant Contest’ at Flex-Fit Training Studio here in Raleigh where 51 of our clients are eating more fruits / vegetables daily and having repeat skin carotenoid scans to see their progress in fighting illness, infection, disease, and slowing the aging process. For more information contact us at duane@flexfittraining.com.

All information in this blog post is accredited to Pharmanex, a division of NuSkin

Based on my last blog entry, you know that no matter what your New Year’s fitness resolution(s) are, it all boils down to…increasing your lean body mass and decreasing fat pounds.  You also gathered from my last blog entry that to accomplish this feat…one must use a three pronged attack paying attention equally to resistance training, cardio training and nutrition. But to digress, your first action step is to get your body fat tested to know where you are starting from. Basically, breaking down your scale weight into lean body mass pounds and fat pounds. I would only recommend hydrostatic weighing in a fitness lab or using quality skinfold calipers and a quality tester. DO NOT use BMI!

Now your goal is to bypass stupidity and start on your three pronged attack.

1) Resistance training- resistance training is the one activity that directly leads to lean body mass increase. Most people understand that, but to further explain the how, remember that every cell has a powerhouse called the mitochondria and mitochondria are directly tied to your metabolism. When you strength train, you add more lean body mass, thus adding more cells and more mitochondria. The more mitochondria you have the better off you will be burning calories at rest.

2) Cardio training- Cardio training is your calorie burning, fat oxidation activity. It does nothing for your metabolism like possessing high lean body mass. So your goal is to use cardio workouts specifically for calories out in the old Calories in vs. Calories out equation. Look at frequency, intensity and duration to keep your body guessing and also to keep you interested. Explore true Interval Training if you would like to speed up the process. This advanced type of cardio training actually stimulates your mitochondria to use oxygen more efficiently and burns more body fat stores as energy.

3) Nutrition – nutrition plays a much bigger role in accomplishing fitness results than most people think. In terms of getting measurable fitness results, use clean-eating as your basis of nutrition. Think of quality foods, natural foods, organic foods but ingest them as fuel for your workouts. Keep the size of the meal smaller than normal, but add more meals – up to 6 per day eating every 2.5 to 3 hours and always have some lean protein with each meal. Then plan a cheat night or even cheat day to throw your body off and then go back on the clean eating again. Concentrate on fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, beans, nuts and seeds, and organic dairy choices as your core foods

Resistance training frequency – 2-4 times per week / Cardio training frequency – 3-5 times per week / Nutrition meals – 5-6 per day 200-500 kcals above your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate)

For further explanation of this blog content, contact Duane Seybold at duane@flexfittraining.com