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Advice on Perimenopause

February 21, 2010

WHAT IS PERIMENOPAUSE?

  • A change in hormonal function leading up to menopause
  • Symptoms can begin years before menopause occurs
  • A process similar to puberty gradual change over time
  • Can last up to 5 to 15 years
  • Typically begins around age 40, but can begin in the 30′s as well

WHAT IS MENOPAUSE?

  • Officially defined as that point in time when menstrual cycles end permanently
  • Not done menstruating until one full year has passed from last menstrual period
  • Average age 52

WHAT IS HAPPENING TO MY BODY?

  • My old eating habits and diets aren’t working
  • I have gained inches around my mid section that I cant get rid of
  • I am craving sugar like never before
  • Just not feeling good about myself
  • Feel like it doesn’t matter nothing works any way
  • Depression sets in
  • The down ward cycle begins

3 MAJOR ISSUES OF MENOPAUSE

  • Immediate hormonal symptoms and developing ways to cope
  • A need to re examine your life for a deeper sense of meaning
  • Taking an active role in managing long term health issues like heart disease and bone loss

TAKE CHARGE

  • Understand Menopause learn the facts about physical changes
  • Manage it, find solutions and ways of coping with symptoms and issue
  • Own it accept and embrace menopause as an opportunity to make vital changes in your life

THE FOCUS OF A MENOPAUSITIVE PLAN…

  • Exercise for physical conditioning and symptom relief
  • Good sound nutrition for energy,weight loss and long term health Relaxation(yoga meditation) to lower stress

MEN HAVE

  • 30 billion fat cells
  • Smaller fat cells
  • More fat releasing enzymes
  • Ability to loss weight quickly
  • Greater success with dieting
  • Greater success with exercise
  • 40 pounds more muscle mass
  • 30% faster metabolism
  • Less muscle loss with age
  • Testosterone and a shorter life span

WOMEN HAVE

  • 30 billion stubborn fat cells
  • 5 times larger fat cells
  • More fat storing enzyme
  • Ability to gain weight
  • Resistance to diet and exercise
  • More fat mass
  • Slower metabolism
  • More weight gain with age
  • Estrogen, the ability to have children and a longer life span

SYMPTOMS OF PERIMENOPAUSE AND MENOPAUSE

  • Heart palpitations
  • Migraine headaches
  • Night sweats
  • Insomnia
  • Hot flashes
  • Weight gain
  • Aching and sore joints
  • Dizziness
  • Fatigue
  • Itchy skin
  • Irregular periods
  • Urinary symptoms
  • Bone loss
  • Depression

PERIMENOPAUSAL WOMEN DEALING WITH WEIGHT GAIN

  • Fat cells respond to lower hormone levels
  • Drop in metabolism to maintain physical and emotional health during menopausal transition
  • Fat cells begin to produce estrogen a valuable hormone for the transition

FAT CELL LIFE CYCLE

  • Childhood puberty (waiting for puberty)
  • 4 fat storing enzymes and 2 fat releasing enzymes
  • Puberty
  • 9 fat storing enzymes and 2 fat releasing enzymes
  • Pregnancy 9 months of fat storage
  • Approx age 35-6 fat storing enzymes
  • 2 fat releasing enzymes
  • Age 45-8 fat storing enzymes and 1 fat releasing enzyme
  • Age 55-6 fat storing enzymes and 4 fat releasing enzymes

ESTROGEN AND FAT CELLS

  • What is estrogen? It’s a group of 3 hormones that regulate women’s reproductive functions
  • Estrogen performs 300 different functions in the body
  • As women age estrogen from the ovaries and glands start to dwindle
  • As estrogen levels drop the womens body has some clever way of dealing with this that’s right estrogen can be produced in fat cells so the fat cells start making their new home usually first around the mid section
  • Women’s fat cells can also divide and make more fat cells

LOCATION OF FAT

  • The womens body chooses the tummy for fat storage this is the area most conductive to the production of estrogen
  • Fat cells located in the mid section insulate the liver and adrenal glands it’s the aid of these two that produces the estrogen

Weight & Thermo Genesis

February 21, 2010

Woman eating a salad

Regulate your bodies weight around the so-called set point

The body’s thermogenic capability is a very important factor in long-term weight management. The body has a natural ability, if it’s thermogenic machinery is working well to increase the amount of food calories that are burned off. This allows the body to regulate its weight around the so-called set point, the point around which the weight fluctuates. Unfortunately, as the thermogenic machinery becomes less able to convert nutrients to heat, the set point tends to creep up to a higher weight. Over the course of years an individual’s natural weight can increase by three to five pounds a year. Over the course of ten years this translates into thirty to fifty pounds of weight gain. In an attempt to alter this, crash diets are resorted to and unfortunately have an adverse influence to the thermogenic machinery and may in the long term increase the set point. So choosing your quality of food choices should be high on your list.

MACRONUTRIENTS

Nutrients that the body needs in fairly large quantities and that contain calories the body can burn for energy to do its metabolic and physical work are called macronutrients. Macronutrients include protein, carbohydrates and fats.

PROTEINS

All food, as it naturally occurs,contains some amount of protein. Various foods contain different percentages of protein and are made of unique combinations of the possible 32 different amino acids. The body uses these amino acids in its own combinations to build its protein structure substance.

CARBOHYDRATES

Carbs make up two-thirds of human food intake. This category of nutrients is divide into 3 subcategories; simple carbohydrates or simple sugars, complex carbohydrates often called starches, and fiber. All carbs are sugars or more complicated structures made from sugars.

FATS

Fats belong to a category of nutrients technically referred to as lipids. This category of nutrients includes fat from animal sources as well as from plants sources. Oils are fats. Fats are often classified in terms of their saturation. Saturated fats come from animals although some plants are higher in saturated fats such as palm and coconut oil these are higher in saturated fat than the animal. Unsaturated fats are found in plant foods, including nuts, seeds, beans, vegetables, and even some fruits.

HER FAT

  • A women’s body is designed to store fat. More than a mans. Here are
    the facts;
  • Women’s fat cells are up to five times larger than a mans
  • Women’s fat cells can contain up to twice the fat-storing enzymes
  • Women’s fat cells can contain half the fat-releasing enzymes

This means it’s easy for women to put on fat and harder to take it off. Women have at least 8%more fat than men, which allows for an extra 120,000 calories for use in needy times. On average men carry 40 more pounds of muscle than women do. Men also carry 10 times more testosterone than women. Testosterone is a muscle building fat burning hormone. Men manufacture up to twice the amount of fat releasing enzymes that women do. On an average men burn 30% more calories during exercise than women do.

ESTROGEN

Estrogen is a group of three hormones that regulate women’s reproductive functions. As women age, estrogen production from the ovaries and glands starts to dwindle. As estrogen levels drop women’s bodies make plans for future estrogen manufacturing sites, and the best location seems to be in the fat cells. Yes estrogen can be produced in the fat cells. These facts give women all the more reason to want to put more muscle on your frame. Muscle helps burn more fat and helps turn your fat burning furnace up. The more thermogenically active your muscles are the more fat you will burn at rest. One pound of active muscle burns 50 more calories a day.

SUMMARY

In order to achieve your fitness goals a carefully thought out program is of the essence. The right amount of intense weight training to produce active muscle, enough cardio to burn extra calories and body fat and last but not least careful choices of macronutrients to help your muscles stay active and thermogenic. Living a lean and healthy lifestyle includes making the right chooses . Discover how you may learn how to make the right choices and stay lean and healthy all the time not just for an occasion or a short duration. Muscle Lines will educate and challenge your current lifestyle to a healthier way. We can always do better. With Muscle Lines lifestyle program you will learn how to turn your body into a fat burning machine.

Weight Management

February 21, 2010

feet on a scale

In controlling ones weight, resting metabolic energy not the energy of the activity

Basic concept of weight management says that the number of calories taken in must equal the calories you expend in both metabolic and physical activity to maintain a stable weight. Metabolic activity or metabolic rate is determined by the body’s basic energy metabolism. On an average 75% of the energy expended each day is used to support the basic metabolic processes of the body. Only 25% of the energy we expend is the result of activity, such as exercise or work. This suggests that the largest factor in controlling ones weight is resting metabolic energy not the energy of the activity. Fitness level and resting metabolic rate is directly correlated. Which means a person, who is more active and also has more muscle on their frame will have a higher resting metabolic rate, therefore will have an easier time maintaining a balance between dietary calories in and total calories expended.

However, it appears that there is more to weight management than just calories in, and activity expended. EFFICIENCY is a huge factor in weight management. Some people may have metabolisms which burn off extra calories as heat, while others may have metabolisms which take extra calories and store them as fat. The balance between heat production and fat formation is related to a process called THERMOGENIC RESPONSIVENESS. An interesting fact a person who is greatly over weight (represents in their body shape extra energy stored as fat) will show symptoms of not having enough energy and being very tired. For these individuals energy in food is not being effectively transformed into the energy of physiological activity. Instead the energy is being stored as fat. So the two factors in weight management are, the balance one strikes between the number of calories consumed and the calories expended in the energy of activity and resting metabolism. The ability of the body to automatically increase its amount of heat production(thermo genesis)as a consequence of increased calorie intake.

The principal approach to appropriate weight management is to regulate both the density and type of calories in the diet by decreasing the amount of fat and increasing protein and carbohydrates.

Personal Training: Nutrition

February 21, 2010

Working out on the elliptical machine

Low impact exercises that promote fat burning; power walking, cycling, and aerobics

The food you eat each day is made up of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats we need some of each for our body and brain to function. Protein is our source for building muscle and tissue. protein, carbohydrate, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. The food you ingest satisfies 3 fundamental needs for energy, tissue repair, and growth. There are minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, and fats we need some of each for our body and brain to function. Protein is our source for building muscle and tissue. Carbohydrates are our body’s main source of immediate energy. The minerals and nutrients that we get from our food are what allow all the systems to work together. Fat is very important to our diet for many functions. Fat is important to our eyes, ears, adrenal glands, and sex organs. About 3% of your total body fat is what insulates and cushions your vital organs.

Don’t Neglect Water

Water is one of the most important nutritional aids for sports performance. Yet is frequently over looked, water lubricates and cushions the joints, provides fluid for the blood and body cells, and helps keep the body cool. Water is the bodys’ “radiator fluid”, conducting heat from deeper body tissues to the skin for dissipation. If your fluid in take is low, water is then taken from the bloodstream in order to supply the perspiration necessary for cooling. The consequence for this movement out of the bloodstream creates a thicker, more viscous blood flow and elevates the heart rate also increasing the turbulence in the small blood vessels. This process can bring up the issue of heart disease. A person who is exercising needs to drink at least 8 glasses a day and always avoiding thirst. Once you have hit the thirsty zone you are very dehydrated. The need for water consumption is particularly important for the older athlete since the ability to sense thirst declines with age. It’s the decline in the taste bud function and other mechanisms appear related to aging.

Personal Training: Stretching

February 20, 2010

Woman doing tricep pull-downs

Working with weights can be fun and a weekly routine for your lifestyle

It is important to know the difference between the term flexibility and stretching. Flexibility is the range of motion around a joint and can be static or dynamic in nature. Stretching is the process of improving one’s flexibility by performing specific movements. A lack of stretching can cause the sacomeres at the end of the muscle fiber to disappear. (A sarcomere is the smallest functional unit of a muscle fiber). The safest and recommended approach to stretching is a slow and gentle static in nature and held for 15-30 seconds. As flexibility improves the stretch may be held for up to 1 minute. Strength training, in conjunction with a regular flexibility program can help prevent injuries and improve posture. The two activities together help to strengthen weak muscles and lengthen short ones, and ensure a proper balance between strength and flexibility. Strong muscles will aid in stabilizing joints and flexible muscles can exert their force through a wide range of motion.

  • Can prevent injury
  • Readies muscles, bones and joints for more strenuous activities
  • Adds new sacomeres to muscle fibers preparing for new challenges
  • Increases the extensibility of muscle and connective tissue putting the muscle back to or beyond their resting length
  • Helps to rid stored lactic acid
  • Helps maintain posture
  • Helps in everyday activities
  • Promotes increases circulation
  • Increases a the range of motion
  • Helps decrease risk of adult onset diabetes
  • May increase force development
  • Reduces muscle tension
  • Improves coordination
  • It feels good

Personal Training: Cardio

February 20, 2010

Woman doing situps with feet elevated

Our goal is creating momentum in your fitness quest and inspire you to be your best

Cardio helps to stimulate your body to burn more calories as energy there for if your looking to change your body composition a balance of cardio will be important to achieving your goals. There are many factors to consider when choosing a cardio plan such as type of cardio in the gym or outside jogging ECT. Intensity of your cardio learning about your target heart range for each goal. Duration of each cardio session. The larger muscle groups you use during cardio the more calories you will burn an example would be cross country skiing you use a lot of major muscle groups so your calorie expenditure will be high. There are many low impact exercises which promote fat burning benefits such as power walking, cycling, and low impact aerobics. Muscle Lines knows the importance of choosing activities you are going to enjoy and teaching you how to work in your most effective heart range zones. For a more advanced or competitive athlete, Muscle Lines will help you achieve a balance of increasing your endurance and planning for just enough recovery time. Weather you are just embarking on a fitness quest or advanced a customized routine is the most effective and direct way to promote results.

Cardio Respiratory Fitness Benefits Include:

  • Heart size, efficiency and
    longevity increases
  • Stoke volume increases and heart rate decreases
  • Endorphins are released and individuals
    feel invigorated
  • Blood vessels increase in size and elasticity allowing for greater
    blood flow
  • Capillaries increase and new capillaries are produced in active
    muscles
  • Faster recovery rate from exertion
  • Removal of Lactic Acid
  • Controls high blood pressure
  • Reduces Stress
  • Reduces Stress
  • Promotion of restful sleep
  • Improved sense of well being
  • Helps reduce symptoms of PMS
  • Improves immune system

Personal Training: Weight Training

February 20, 2010

Weight Training

We will work one-on-one to determine the recipe for your fitness success

The more muscle you have the more calories you will burn at rest, just sitting around watching T.V. you will burn more calories. The stronger your muscles are the more they pull on the bone which helps to keep the bones strong. When your muscles become weak the bone doesn’t have to remain as strong and the issue of osteoporosis may arise. A customized program of resistance training can change your body’s looks and well being while helping to prevent injuries. Working out with weights can be fun and become part of your weekly routine while fitting in with your lifestyle. In home training can be just as effective as training at a gym. With the use of stability balls, bands, dumbbells, ECT. Which is supplied by your trainer. A fun safe and effective workout in the convenience of your home can be achieved. Just decide.

More Reasons for Weight Training:

  • Prevents Osteoporosis
  • Increases energy levels
  • Increase metabolism
  • Decrease blood pressure
  • Decrease cholesterol
  • Improves bone density
  • Improve balance, coordination
  • Helps decrease body fat
  • Burns more calories
  • Lose inches
  • Tones muscles
  • Improves muscular endurance
  • Helps rehabilitate injured muscles
  • Helps decrease risk of adult onset diabetes
  • Improves posture
  • Increases immune system
  • Lowers resting heart rate

CELLULITE – The words no women want to hear!

February 18, 2010

Ah yes the term cellulite it is a popular topic with many women today. Let me take you to the truth about cellulite. What is it? Cellulite is the term used to describe a lumpy, dimpling effect under the skin. Did you know that over 90 % post adolescent women will experience cellulite during there life time. The most common area’s are thighs, buttocks, abdomen. First we need an understanding on the life of this thing called cellulite. There are 3 layers of FAT under the dermis & epidermis. The cellulite develops in the sub-cutaneous fat layers. This layer of fat is different in structure the fatty parts are structured into specific up right chambers by strands of linked tissue around it. And yet another reason why you really don’t see cellulite easily on men well their chambers are in small slanted unit’s which wouldn’t hold enough barley to be visible. That my friends is why you see the cellulite more prevalent in women. Let’s talk about some of the reasons for cellulite, hormones play a large part in cellulite in times of puberty, pregnancy, & menopause cellulite seems to breed as well as taking the birth control.

A persons genetic make up will play a role in predicting where the cellulite resides. With age cellulite is present as there is a loss of skin thickness & tone of the connective tissue, therefor noticeable,flaccid cellulite is the result.

Certainly after these fact’s on cellulite you didn’t possibly think I would leave you with this depressing news all alone…And the question remains “can we get rid of it”? So honestly what can we do?

Well we can’t always get rid of cellulite entirely but there are some great solutions to minimize the look and effects cellulite can have. What has happened is the fat cells have dissolved into a slack network. You need to strengthen & hydrate your body’s cells & connective tissue

Here is a list of things that are proven to reduce cellulite

  1. Skin brushing in the morning can help bring nutrients and oxygen to the outer layers & stimulates blood & lymph flow.
  2. Supplement with Glucosamine can help repair the dermis and connective tissue.
  3. Seaweed bath can also help re-mineralize and increase circulation.
  4. Yes here is the big one DIET change your plans work on eating lot’s of vegetables & some fresh fruits if you can organic is best. Water you will need to flush and detoxify yoour body daily extra hydration will help move the toxins out of the cellulite.
  5. Lifestyle: Smoking and drinking alcohol is toxic to your body and helps to host cellulite so think about cleaning up your lifestyle.

Now that you can understand the nature of cellulite and how women are predisposed to it, you are armed and ready to begin your attack. Exercise, diet, lifestyle all these factors will help reduce the sight of cellulite and also keep you youthful and healthy.

Testimonial from Muscle Lines client of the year!!!!

February 18, 2010

My name is Desiree when I met Sandra my health & fitness had been long forgotten about & put on the back burner. I had given up on any hope of getting back on track. I had begun to try and except myself the way I was. Five years prior I was 70 pounds lighter & the passing of my Grampa had effected me on many levels.

When I first met with Sandra my expectation was “not to lose weight” as I believed that it wasn’t possible. I was only looking to tone my muscles lol…

I began training the following week in January with light cardio and weight training. Sandra also recommended I start to clean up my lifestyle with a few changes. First change was to take out the white carbohydrates then take my sugar load down eating as natural as possible.

By May I was surprised to see after my reassessment that I had lost 20 pounds and started to feel different. I couldn’t believe what minimal effort’s could do, and began to be curious with the thought of “what if I followed the program to the letter of the law? What would happen then? With a new found belief that Sandra’s programs really work I decide to recommit to surrender to all of the program with out question. I began in June to really focus on my daily & weekly goals that where set out to produce results.

At this time Sandra was getting ready to compete in Ms Physique contest and had encouraged me to come and watch. As I am sitting in the audience watching still very far away from my original health goal, never mind contest stage condition I get this feeling of strong belief, that I could possibly have a total transformation beyond believe if I chose to follow Sandra’s guidance.

So I decided to share this thought with Sandra as crazy as it seemed she seemed to believe and want the best for me. Despite the seemingly unrealistic goal of contest shape I took the idea to Sandra that day. After I shared my vision Sandra look at me and said “Let’s get started”

All the past things I had learned to be true for health and fitness where all about to change and my commitment was to be much more demanding if I was to in fact realize my new found goal. My new stage ready program was going to require every last bit of discipline physically & mentally if I was to achieve this crazy dream. As the month’s went by the impossible started to seem more obtainable. Physically my body was rapidly changing but is was evident that new type of work was needed mentally to prepare for the un veiling of my new body.

The list of things to learn out side of working ou and feeding myself properly felt like a daunting task. We began working on things like what category would be suited. Here is the list

  • suit selection – swim suit
  • costume design – sport’s wear theme
  • evening wear & glamours look
  • hair and make up for all three different looks
  • skin colour
  • posing practice & walking style on stage
  • Then working on finding the confidence to pull this off.

It’s now April and realize that if I hadn’t made this new goal of stage ready I would have reach my health & fitness goal. W I was now living in a much healthier and beautiful body .everything was about to change again. If I wanted to go from average fit girl now

Now that my goal is to get stage ready and look and feel better than average. I now realize that the rest of Sandra’s team is beginning there intense programs for the stage as well and I am right along with them. Everything was well calculated and the intensity now was all out.

The next few months had proven to be difficult as I realize my mind hadn’t caught up to my new body.
So with more mental work Sandra prepares me for my final UN veiling on stage.
She keep me focussed and supported me with confidence that I in fact deserved to be there amongest the rest. What a life changing experience !!!!!!!

Sandra’s coaching is in valuable. She believed in me & encouraged me when the fact’s seemed impossible.
“If Sandra is able to drastically transform someone that was in desperate need like me, just think what she can do for YOU”

Here are some stat’s that I still can’t believe My upper thigh when I started was 28 inches the same size that my waist is now that I am transformed!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you Sandra for the life changing experience… and helping me reach all my goals…

Desiree After

Desiree Before

FSN Photo Contest 2009

February 18, 2010

Here is the picture of the winners from the photo contest submission called, FSN Photo Contest 2009.
Fitness star network photo contest: submitted 5 photo’s over 150 competitor’s entered from around the world. They are strictly a fitness model federation out of Toronto.

FSN Photo Contest Winners 2009

Check out this link to see Sandra Froher on the last page of the online magazine for Fitness Star
http://issuu.com/fitnessstar/docs/fitness_star_magazine_winter_2010_volume_1_issue_1

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With Muscle Lines, I learned to be more efficient with my workouts. I got better results in less time.
Valerie M, Victoria BC
Sandra Froher

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