TheFinalSprint.com - Track & Field, Marathons, Racing News, Training Advice, Elite Athlete Blogs, Interviews, Podcasts, Videos and More! - TheFinalSprint.com is the Premier Destination for Track & Field, Marathon, Cross Country, Olympic and Road Racing Enthusiasts.

Lead Stories: Monday, October 13, 2008

Tips for Healthy Eating on Thanksgiving

Posted November 21st, 2007 at 4:36 PM by Megan Hueter

Section: Nutrition, Healthy Eating

Do you know that the average Thanksgiving dinner has over 2000 calories?

If you’re not careful, Thanksgiving could be the beginning of a downhill roller coaster of weight gain from Thanksgiving all the way through the Christmas season. If you’re trying to watch your weight gain this Thursday . . .

Read the rest of this entry at our partner site: HesFit.com

2 comments, add yours | Permalink

Consistent Exercise Through the Years is Key to Stability

Posted November 12th, 2007 at 3:20 PM by Megan Hueter

Section: Health & Fitness, Exercise, Weight Loss

Slacking off can have devastating effects on your weight. Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine stated last week that maintaining a high level of activity from young adulthood to middle age can help people maintain a stable weight and accumulate less weight over time.

Northwestern conducted an analysis about weight gain and found that people who report doing 30 minutes of vigorous activity a day were twice as likely to have a healthy Body Mass Index (BMI) over a period of 20 years.

Read the rest of this entry at our partner site: HesFit.com

3 comments, add yours | Permalink

Why marathon training might mean weight gain

Posted August 29th, 2007 at 12:00 PM by Shannon Clark

Section: Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Race Prep & Recov

One goal that many women set for themselves at some point in their lives is to complete a half or full marathon. It is definitely a challenging endeavour, and can offer a lot of personal satisfaction once accomplished.

More than a race along, a marathon has a whole spirit to itself, from a pre-marathon meet and greet, to the pre-race carb-up meal, followed by the massages offered to participants after the race and the post-run celebration feast. It’s easy to make a complete weekend out of a marathon event and really enjoy yourself in the process.

One issue that many women face when starting to train for a marathon is a noticeable weight gain. You would think that with the ever increasing amount of running, they would be dropping pounds without any real effort, but often it’s the exact opposite. What gives?

The main factor that contributes to weight gain is that with all this extra running comes an extreme appetite that often cannot seem to be satisfied.

Read the rest of this entry at our partner site: HerActiveLife.com

3 comments, add yours | Permalink

Q&A: Is it normal to gain weight and be puffy after long, intense exercise?

Posted August 9th, 2007 at 12:30 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: Health & Fitness, Injury & Rehab, Exercise

It is not normal to be puffy after a long ride or any other form of exercise. Your doctor should check for kidney problems, hormone abnormalities or diabetes. If these tests are normal, you drank way too much during your ride and are lucky that you only suffered from excess fluid retention. You could have developed hyponatremia, a serious condition that can kill you.

Normal healthy kidneys have a limit to how rapidly they can rid your body of excess fluid. If you take in more fluid than your kidneys can clear, fluid accumulates in your blood and dilutes the salt level. Since fluid moves from an area of low salt to high salt, and your brain has far more salt than your blood does; the fluid will move into your brain to causes swelling, seizures and even death.
Read the rest of this entry »

One comment, add yours | Permalink

Exercise makes cells more efficient; increases overall health & life expectancy

Posted March 23rd, 2007 at 9:15 AM by Jeanie Rebb

Section: Health & Fitness, Exercise

Why does risk for heart attacks, strokes or diabetes increase with age? A team from Yale University showed that as you age, you lose your ability to make AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) (Cell Metabolism, February 2007). This enzyme functions to increase mitochondria in muscles.

Anything that reduces the number or efficiency of mitochondria interferes with your body’s ability to burn fat and sugar for energy. As a result, blood sugar, fat and cholesterol levels rise.
Read the rest of this entry »

2 comments, add yours | Permalink

Does creatine build larger muscles and/or delay fatigue?

Posted December 6th, 2006 at 11:00 AM by Jeanie Rebb

Section: Nutrition, Supplements, Health & Fitness

Creatine can help to strengthen muscles, but athletes who take these supplements need to know how much they can take safely before they harm themselves. When you exercise and your muscles get as much oxygen as they need, they burn carbohydrates, fats and protein for energy. When you exercise so intensely that you cannot get all the oxygen you need, your muscles use creatine and ATP. So when you exercise so intensely that you can’t get enough oxygen, you can delay fatigue by taking creatine and it allows you to do more work, which makes you stronger.

The body of a 160 pound man contains 120 grams of creatine and he takes in and uses about two grams a day. No good studies have been done to show what amounts are safe to take beyond what your own body makes, so let the buyer beware. Creatine may allow you to lift more weights and make you stronger, but it may also harm you.
Read the rest of this entry »

One comment, add yours | Permalink