Mindset

How To Perform A Perfect Squat

How To Perform A Perfect Squat

Published by on January 25, 2025 | Leave a response

Proper form is vital when you’re exercising. It’s right up there with consistency. Your form should be perfect. Bad form can minimize benefits and cause injury. Squats are the gold standard of exercises, but to benefit, you must do them correctly. You’re working large muscle groups in your legs and core, so you boost nitric oxide intake that helps widen blood vessels and lower blood pressure. You’re also improving your functional fitness, which is critical for seniors. This exercise can improve your ability to get out of chairs, get in and out of cars, and rise after toileting.

Focus on your starting position.

Like following almost any set of directions, if you mess up the first step, none of the other steps will be correct. Start by holding your trunk straight with your head up, looking forward. Keep your shoulders relaxed, holding them back. Your spine should have a slight curve. Bending your head forward or backward diminishes the benefits of the exercise. Keep your spine in this neutral position throughout the exercise. When you bend to lower yourself, bend at the hips. It should remain that way throughout the exercise.

Lower your body.

The key to the perfect squat is maintaining your back’s neutral position. Find a spot on the wall and look at it to help you do that. Keep your heels on the floor as you lower your body and distribute your weight evenly between the balls of your feet and your heels. Your butt should be pushed outward as you do it. Keep your knees lined with your feet, not ahead of them, when you’re in full squat position. When your hips are lower than your knees, it’s time to push through your heels to bring your body back up.

The placement of your feet determines the muscles you work.

The distance between your feet and whether they’re pointing outward, inward, or forward changes the muscles you work. You can start working on other squat styles once you master the basics. If you do a sumo squat, start with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart. Your toes should be pointed outward at a 45-degree angle. Dip deeply until your thighs are parallel to the floor. A plié is similar, but your stance is slightly narrower. You lower your body slowly. The plié works adductors more than the sumo.

  • Weak thighs can cause your knees to move inward during a squat. That stresses the knee joint and ligaments and may cause injury. Only lower it to the point where you feel discomfort.
  • Squeeze your glutes and breathe out as you rise. Breathe in as you lower your body, tightening your core muscles. Don’t try variations or adding weights until you have your form perfected.
  • Squats are compound exercises. Compound exercises burn more calories than isolation exercises since they work more muscles, joints, and ligaments. They’re beneficial for people trying to lose weight.
  • If you can’t do a regular squat because of hip or knee problems, do a wall squat. Stand tall with your back against the wall. Slide your feet out 12 inches from the wall.

For more information, contact us today at Team-ISC

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New Year's Resolutions To Better Your Health

New Year’s Resolutions To Better Your Health

Published by on January 10, 2025 | Leave a response

It’s a good time in Sacramento, CA, to make changes that prolong your life. You can make New Year’s resolutions to do that, even if you didn’t start at the stroke of midnight. That’s because resolutions are nothing more than a goal for the coming year. Many people focus on achieving better health and building energy or losing weight. Feeling good and boosting your energy is the best place to start. That extra energy improves your physical ability to tackle other goals. You don’t have to change everything at once. You can start with one or two smaller goals.

You can resolve to lower your blood pressure, lose weight, or accomplish other health-related issues.

Identify the most important factor preventing you from becoming your healthiest and then create a goal to solve the problem. Create a plan to achieve that. If your problem is obesity, exercising regularly, healthy eating, and getting adequate sleep should be part of the plan. If you aren’t ready to tackle all those things at once, start with the one that makes the most difference. In this case, it’s making dietary changes. Opt for a diet containing more whole foods and a variety of vegetables and fruit. You can add exercise and a sleep schedule later as a healthier diet becomes a habit.

Start with smaller changes.

Not everyone is ready to tackle their biggest problems but willing to commit to smaller ones. If you want to lose weight, try mindful eating. You don’t change much, but it does make a big difference in your weight. You eat slower and focus on the taste, texture, and pleasure of each bite, chewing it thoroughly until it’s nothing but liquid. It slows food consumption, so your stomach can signal the brain it’s full sooner. You also decide with each bite whether it’s satisfying or not.

Get adequate sleep.

When you burn the candle at both ends, you’re not doing yourself any favors. Not everyone needs eight hours of sleep. Some people need more, while others need less. You need more sleep if you feel tired and dragged out the next day. Adequate sleep is good for your heart. It also helps maintain the balance of the hunger/satiety hormones. Lack of sleep causes you to produce more ghrelin, the hunger hormone.

  • Frequent hydration keeps you healthy and boosts your energy. In seniors, slight dehydration can cause symptoms resembling dementia.
  • Switch out soft drinks for water. If you drink two non-diet colas a day, you could lose 1.7 pounds a month or 20 pounds a year. Don’t switch to diet colas. Studies show it may increase waist circumference.
  • Focusing on walking faster can also improve your fitness without much effort. You can also increase activity by parking further from the store and walking or taking the stairs instead of the elevator.
  • If regular exercise is your goal, schedule it at the same time each day as you would an appointment. It helps it become a habit, which is harder to change. Always check with your healthcare professional before starting a diet or exercise program.

For more information, contact us today at Team-ISC

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Stress Hormones In Health

Stress Hormones In Health

Published by on December 25, 2024 | Leave a response

It might be a traffic jam in Sacramento, CA, that triggered the flow of stress hormones or your boss screaming or baby crying. It might seem insignificant, but each stressful situation triggers hormones that negatively affect your health. It’s part of the fight-or-flight response that prepares you for battle or to run. If you don’t do either, it can cause your blood pressure to rise, your body to accumulate abdominal fat or a plethora of other health issues that lead to far more serious conditions.

Stress hormones could save your life.

If you’re attacked by a wild animal or fight off a mugger, your flight-or-fight response is triggered. In those cases, it can help you survive. Unfortunately, other stressful situations trigger your flight-or-fight response, like an angry spouse or people cutting in line ahead of you. Those situations build up and can lead to serious health issues. The hormones released increase your blood pressure and heart rate. It increases the blood flow to the extremities. It causes the airways to widen in the lungs and increases oxygen consumption. Blood glucose levels rise, digestion slows or ceases, and you’re more alert.

If you don’t burn off stress hormones, it can lead to serious conditions.

Stress hormones like cortisol make the changes that affect most of the body. If you don’t burn them off and there are chronically high levels, it can lead to conditions like digestive issues, high blood pressure, weight gain, heart disease, headaches, heart attack, muscle pain, stroke, and impaired immune functioning. It can lead to mental issues like sleep problems, depression, anxiety, and problems with concentration and memory.

Exercise mimics running or fighting.

Pushing your body by exercising can burn off stress hormones and return your body to normal. It also enables the body to get stronger and handle stress better. If you’ve had digestive issues and started an exercise program, you may find those problems disappear. Cortisol is one stress hormone. People with high cortisol levels may have issues with a slower metabolism and where the body stores fat. The hormone causes visceral fat to be stored in the abdomen. Visceral fat is the most difficult type to lose and the most dangerous. It crowds vital organs like the heart or lungs.

  • One study estimated that over three-fourths of doctor visits come from illnesses caused by stress. It explains why exercise helps lower blood pressure, improve digestion, reduce depression, and improve cognitive functioning.
  • Besides exercising, learning mental stress control techniques can also help. Meditation and deep breathing techniques are two of those ways. Practicing those techniques can prevent stress from building.
  • Exercise helps you sleep better. Part of the reason is that it burns off stress hormones that cause sleep-related issues. When you sleep, your body repairs itself, and your brain reorganizes. It improves your immunity.
  • Stress can cause premature aging and lead to periodontal disease and tooth grinding. It can affect your vision and skin and lead to DNA damage. Stress shortens telomeres that protect the cell’s chromosomes.

For more information, contact us today at Team-ISC

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The Best And Worst Low-Carb Foods

The Best And Worst Low-Carb Foods

Published by on December 10, 2024 | Leave a response

Low-carb diets are popular. However, it takes more than just counting carbs to eat healthy. Not all low-carb foods are healthy. If you utilize that type of diet, you need to include the best low-carb foods and avoid the worst ones. Your body needs carbohydrates for energy so they should be part of everyone’s diet. It’s all about making the smartest choices that provide the most nutrition yet help you maintain or lose weight.

Eliminate the worst low-carbohydrate foods first.

You’ve probably already found the new low-carb snacks that mimic their high-carbohydrate counterparts. They sound pretty enticing. Who wouldn’t love the taste of forbidden sweets without the high carbohydrate count? Step away from the low-carb treats. They shouldn’t be in your diet. The sugar is replaced with sugar alcohol that doesn’t contain carbs but causes digestive issues and inflammation. New studies show they may increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. They contain vegetable oils that cause inflammation, and most contain little nutritional benefit. Processed meat is another unhealthy, yet low-carbohydrate option.

The best low-carbohydrate foods provide a wealth of nutrients.

You may already know the answer to the best options. It’s most whole foods. Chicken, beef, and fish are high in protein and contain no carbohydrates. They’re healthy and should be part of your diet. Cucumbers, celery, and peppers are lower in carbs and also high in fiber and other nutrients. They’re another good addition to a low-carbohydrate diet. You’ll find a wealth of low-carb vegetables in the produce section of the grocery. If it’s grown above the ground, like broccoli, cauliflower, and kale, it’s a healthy low-carb addition. You have to be more careful when choosing root vegetables. Potatoes, for instance, are not a low-carb vegetable.

Don’t be fooled by “healthy” food.

Food options like protein bars aren’t necessarily healthy. Some are little more than candy bars with maybe a small addition of protein and a fancy wrapper. Check the wrapper for ingredients and nutritional information. If you want a protein bar for a post-workout snack, choose one with collagen, almond butter, or coconut oil. Avoid ones with additives you can’t pronounce. They can trigger inflammation.

  • Beware of processed meals you heat and eat. Many of these prepackaged meals contain saturated fat or trans fat. You can plan meals for the week, cook them all one day, and just heat and serve them at mealtime.
  • Just say no to diet soft drinks, even if they are low-carb. New studies show sugar substitutes in diet drinks can cause inflammation and lead to a larger waistline due to visceral fat.
  • If you want a snack that is easy to transport, pack individual-serving-size bags of nuts. Brazil nuts, pecans, and macadamia nuts are lower in carbs. Cashews and pistachios are higher.
  • Eat dark chocolate if you want a sweet treat that will feel decadent. It should be at least 70% cacao and sweetened with a natural sweetener like stevia. Dark chocolate is lower in carbs but not carb-free, so eat it sparingly.

For more information, contact us today at Team-ISC

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Mobility And Flexibility In Fitness

Mobility And Flexibility In Fitness

Published by on November 25, 2024 | Leave a response

At first, you may imagine that seniors in Sacramento, CA, are only affected by lack of flexibility and impaired mobility. That’s not true. Mobility is how easily the joints function. Flexibility is about the muscles. Flexibility is vital to everyone’s fitness, especially athletes. Lack of flexibility can cause injuries that diminish mobility. Diminished mobility can also reduce flexibility. As with most things regarding your physical health and well-being, it’s all interrelated.

Whether you’re mobile or have limitations, flexibility is vital.

What is flexibility? Flexibility is having muscles capable of moving joints in different directions with ease. You can bend, reach, or stretch with ease. That ability improves your range of motion, reduces injury risks, and benefits your posture. Flexibility training helps elongate the muscles and can improve the movements of people with mobility issues. If your range of motion is enhanced, you’re less likely to pull a muscle and can improve movement, so it’s less limited.

Mobility issues may limit your flexibility training, but they shouldn’t.

One reason people go to physical therapy after an injury is to build strength and flexibility. If a joint has been immobile, the muscles are weak, and the range of motion is limited. That doesn’t mean mobility issues should stop flexibility exercises. There are workouts to improve flexibility available for people with limited mobility. Some may require the help of others. Stretching every morning when you first awaken is a start.

That groan you make getting out of a chair may be due to lack of either.

Lack of flexibility is obvious if you feel sharp back pains bending over to tie your shoes. Lack of mobility is equally obvious when attempting to do a deep squat. Some mobility issues can be avoided with flexibility training. If you keep your muscles looser, they don’t restrict the movements of the joints. Flexibility exercises prevent injury during strength training. You need strength training to build muscles and tendons to reduce joint pressure. They move more easily, preventing mobility problems.

  • Before you start any workout, do warm-up exercises. They’re usually dynamic stretches that lengthen the muscles and increase circulation. After exercising, do static stretches. The muscle is warm and loose, so it’s a good time to improve its range of motion.
  • The older you are, the more important flexibility training becomes. It helps improve balance and reduces the risk of falls. Flexibility training improves posture, which affects all areas of your health.
  • Strength training can also improve flexibility and mobility. Any time you elongate your muscles, you’re improving flexibility. Doing a squat is one example, as long as you perform it in the full range of motion.
  • Stretch therapy is painless and can improve both mobility and flexibility. It focuses on the muscles that need extra attention to help you move easier, reduce pain, and increase the range of motion.

For more information, contact us today at Team-ISC

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Aging Gracefully And Staying Active

Aging Gracefully And Staying Active

Published by on November 10, 2024 | Leave a response

Aging gracefully is always better than alternatives. You look your best and face the future with optimism and joy. It’s about staying active and fit, enjoying the company of others, and exuding a spirit of happiness for all that life has to offer. Instead of being the cranky old man or woman who yells, “Get off my lawn.” You enjoy the company of others and welcome people into your life. Many things affect how well you age. You can’t control all those variables, but you can control some. When you gracefully grow old, you focus on the things you can control.

What you eat makes a big difference.

If your primary sustenance is junk food, you may not age gracefully. You might know someone who doesn’t eat healthy but still looks fantastic and robust. Life isn’t always fair. Those people may have exceptional genes, eat healthier in private, or have other factors that maintain their youth. For most people, focusing on good nutrition can help you stay fitter. It provides the necessary nutrients for good health and improved immunity. A healthy diet helps prevent obesity, which leads to serious conditions and makes you look and feel older.

Staying active plays a major role in mental and physical fitness.

Staying mentally and physically active is necessary for graceful aging. Mental activity keeps you sharp and interesting. It helps promote a healthy social life. Studies show that people who have a good social life live longer. Staying active physically keeps your body and mind stronger. It helps lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of diabetes, and improve heart health. Staying active helps you mentally, too. It keeps oxygenated and nutrient-laden blood flowing to the brain, reducing the risk of neurological disorders.

Get adequate quality sleep.

If you fall asleep watching TV and sleep in the chair with the TV blaring for hours, you aren’t necessarily getting quality sleep. Your brain requires that you go through four stages of sleep several times throughout the night. There are non-rapid eye-movement stages. One is a rapid eye movement stage. Quality sleep allows your body to heal and your brain to recuperate and reorganize. Adequate, quality sleep helps protect your heart, boosts your energy, improves your mood, and aids in weight management. Exercising regularly, sleeping in a cool, dark room, and maintaining a sleep schedule helps you sleep better.

  • Exercising helps improve digestion and the quality of your microbiome. A healthy diet also helps the microbiome. Scientists call the microbiome our second immune system. It also affects your mental health.
  • Exercise also lengthens the telomeres, which prevent the chromosomes from unraveling. The longer the telomere, the better it is. Once the telomere is gone, damage to the cell or cell death can occur. That can cause illness, aging, and death.
  • Smile more. Laughter is the best medicine. Studies show that people who smile more live longer, healthier lives. An attitude of gratitude for all the blessings you have also improves your life.
  • Enjoy the outdoors and do safe sunning. Studies show most Americans have a vitamin D deficiency, especially seniors. Spending time in the sun can help.

For more information, contact us today at Team-ISC

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Surprising Sources Of Protein

Surprising Sources Of Protein

Published by on October 10, 2024 | Leave a response

Finding healthy and inexpensive protein sources has become the goal in many households in Sacramento, CA. Some people look for alternatives for other reasons. They may be bored with traditional sources like beans, beef, or chicken. They also may want protein sources that contain a host of other nutrients. Some of the surprising sources of protein provide both macro and micro micronutrients.

Amaranth and other pseudocereals are rich sources of protein.

Pseudocereals are also called ancient grains. They are rich in nutrients and higher in protein. These grains have remained relatively unchanged for thousands of years and are staples for people across the globe. They’re not highly processed like most of today’s grains and have far more nutrients than wheat, corn, or rice. Amaranth, kamut, teff, and freekeh are higher in protein, containing 8 to 13 grams per cup. All are higher in fiber and loaded with nutrition. One of the best-known pseudocereals is quinoa. It’s high in fiber, folate, vitamins B6 and E, iron, magnesium, manganese, iron, copper, potassium, zinc, and protein.

Eggs aren’t just for breakfast.

One more traditional protein source is the often-ignored egg. It’s a great addition to noodle dishes like pad thai as the protein source or with a mix of vegetables in an omelet. Eggs contain 7 grams of protein for a large egg. It has high amounts of leucine that boosts protein synthesis to build muscles. The protein in eggs is easy for the body to digest and use. Eggs contain high amounts of choline to improve brain functioning and zeaxanthin to improve eye health.

Green peas are both colorful and a source of protein.

Many vegetables provide protein. Peas are among them. Vegetarian bodybuilders often use pea protein as their go-to when making protein smoothies. Green peas contain approximately 9 grams of protein per cup. Peas are high in fiber, vitamins A, C, and K, thiamine, folate, manganese, iron, zinc, and more. Leafy greens are also good sources. They contain most of the same vitamins and minerals and are higher in some, but only half the amount of protein as peas.

  • Trail mix containing nuts and seeds are loaded with protein. Sprinkle almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and other nuts and seeds on salads for extra protein.
  • Bone broth is a good source of collagen. Collagen is a protein beneficial for joints, hair, nails, muscles, bones, and skin. A cup of bone broth has 9 grams of protein. Add your favorite vegetables for a complete meal.
  • Most people consume vegetables for their vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, but many are protein sources, too. A few examples are edamame from soy, broccoli, kale, and sweet potatoes.
  • When choosing eggs for protein, opt for pastured eggs if possible. The hens eat a more natural diet and get sun exposure. It’s more humane, and their eggs have more omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins A, D, and E.

For more information, contact us today at Team-ISC

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Why You Should Prioritize Sleep And Recovery

Why You Should Prioritize Sleep And Recovery

Published by on September 25, 2024 | Leave a response

Do you stay up late to stream your favorite movies or catch up on social media? You might be jeopardizing your physical recovery. You should prioritize sleep, especially if you’re maximizing your workouts. It’s a time for the body to heal and renew. If you’re trying to shed extra pounds, sleep also helps. When you lack sleep, your body produces more ghrelin, the hunger hormone, and less leptin, which makes you feel full. You’ll need to eat more calories to feel the same satiety level.

Exercise breaks down muscle tissue.

When you exercise, particularly if it’s intense, it causes microscopic tears in the muscle tissue. Those tears heal when you sleep. Recovery is when you build muscles. It’s the scar tissue that forms when they heal that increases bulk. HGH—human growth hormone—increases when you sleep. HGH boosts muscle building, improves bone density, and helps maintain muscle mass. Lack of sleep reduces testosterone levels, which also boosts muscle formation. The real magic of building muscles takes place during recovery and sleep.

You need more than sleep. It should be quality sleep.

You go through approximately four to six sleep cycles each night. The length of each cycle varies. Each cycle has four stages: three non-rapid eye movement stages—NREM—and one rapid eye movement stage—REM. During the NREM stages, the body heals. Breathing slows, blood pressure drops, and blood to the muscles increases. That’s when the repair and growth take place. The REM stage is when you dream. A lot of brain activity occurs. It’s vital for memory and organizing the brain. Poor quality sleep disrupts the process and slows recovery. If you don’t enter a deep sleep phase, it could diminish HGH and your efforts to build.

Improve the quality and quantity of sleep.

Everyone’s sleep needs differ, but the average person requires between 7 and 9 hours. Some need more. Others need less. A lot of things can prevent you from getting that sleep. Keeping a sleep schedule, even on the weekends, can help maintain your circadian rhythm. You go to sleep and arise at the same time each day. That will help you fall asleep faster. Keeping your room dark and turning off all blue screens, whether it’s the phone, computer, or TV, also helps. Keep the room cooler for the soundest sleep.

  • If you have problems sleeping, learn meditation and deep breathing exercises to help you relax and calm your mind. It can do double duty. You can use it during the day to help relieve stress.
  • Sleep is also beneficial for the heart and immune system. It slows the heart rate and lets your body rest. Sleep boosts your immune system by creating cytokines. These are messengers that help direct the immune responses.
  • When you get adequate sleep, you’re more likely to stay motivated and have more productive workouts. When you’re exhausted, going to the gym and pushing hard is far less inviting if you’re not well-rested.
  • Sleep studies show that lack of sleep interferes with athletic performance. Tennis players had decreased accuracy. Reaction time was slower in other athletes who lacked sleep. All studies showed regardless of the sport, sleep-deprived athletes had less endurance.

For more information, contact us today at Team-ISC

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Workouts To Help You Grow Your Arms

Workouts To Help You Grow Your Arms

Published by on September 10, 2024 | Leave a response

If you want workouts to grow your arms, develop a six-pack, and have the best, most impressive body possible, you need a plan. At Team ISC in Sacramento, CA, we provide a plan of action to match that goal, and the workouts and nutrition guidance to achieve it. One area that many people focus on is their arms. Adding inches to your arms involves exercises that also build the rest of the upper body. When you reach your goal, you’ll also see dramatic changes everywhere.

Before you start working out, check your nutrition.

No matter how hard you work out, if your diet isn’t healthy and geared to building muscle, you won’t get the results you want. A great body starts in the kitchen. It then moves to the gym. Your body needs the raw materials to build muscle. While the amino acids from protein are the primary requirement, you also need magnesium, iron, potassium, and carbs. A diet of leafy greens, fish, eggs, poultry, lean meat, fatty fish, fruits, healthy fat, and vegetables helps build muscles. We help you develop a plan specific to your goals and needs.

We’ll design a plan to match your fitness level, goals, and special needs.

It takes dedication to build a great body. It also takes a plan. When you have the motivation and the right program, you can achieve your goal. When you exercise, your body makes micro tears in the muscle. You also need 48 to 72 hours for those muscles to heal. If you overwork the muscles and don’t give them healing time, you’ll lose ground instead of gaining it. When you first start working out, you’ll see improvement regardless of whether you’re lifting lighter weight and more reps or lifting heavier with fewer reps. Heavier weights build strength and denser muscles. Lighter weights build stamina and definition. Both enhance muscle growth and change the shape of the muscle.

Vary your workout plan.

You can use standing barbell curls, incline dumbbell curls, or both to build biceps. The standing barbell curl is often preferred. Twisting dumbbell curls involve the forearm and biceps. Build the brachialis with dumbbell hammer curls or straight bar reverse curls. Close grip chin-ups, EZ bar preacher curls, and hammer curls benefit the biceps. A diamond push-up, bench dips, tricep kickbacks, tricep extension, and close-grip bench press also work on the arms.

  • You can modify your push-ups or pull-ups to work more muscles or work them differently by putting your hands closer together or further apart. Add weights to increase the effort.
  • Do strength-building workouts at the start of your session to maximize the benefits. Don’t eliminate all cardio. Cardio increases insulin sensitivity and allows you to eat more, consuming more muscle-building nutrients.
  • Always focus on form before increasing weight or reps. If your form isn’t precise, it can diminish the results and may even cause injury. Include flexibility, warm-up, and cool-down exercises in every session.
  • When you sleep, your body does more than heal. It increases hormones like testosterone and HGH necessary to build muscle tissue. Lack of sleep increases cortisol, which negatively affects muscle-building efforts.

For more information, contact us today at Team-ISC

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