I  have decided that each week, most likely Mondays, I will post the exercise of the week. This will be an exercise that you can add into your workout routine.

Today's exercise is the Standing row. This works your latissimus dorsi. teres major and minor and the deltoids.

1. You should use a heavyier weight. Be sure to keep the curve in your spine; so not try to make a straight line.
2.  
With feet about hip-distance apart and hands a bit wider than shoulders on the bar, bend forward at the waist until you're at about a 45-degree angle. Keep the shoulders back, the knees slightly bent and the abs tight and look straight forward.
 
3. Begin the movement by taking the weight out in front of the knees.
4. Bend the elbows and contract the back to pull the weight in towards the bellybutton, following the line of the legs.
5. Bring the elbows just past the torso and squeeze the back.
6. Lower down and repeat for 1-3 sets of 8-16 reps

Let me dispell some crazy myth that perhaps you have heard. A protein diet will not help you maintain weight loss. Your body's primary energy source is Carbs.  50 - 65% of your daily food intake (depending on how active you are) needs to be carbohydrates. Some are better than others of course but we will discuss this another time. So, what about protein. Why do you need it and how much should you eat??

Proteins are the primary component of numerous body tissues. They are the main component of muscle tissue. Protein helps muscle development, increases strength, and improves athletic performance.The most important function of protein is to build up, keep up, and replace the tissues in your body. Your muscles, your organs, and some of your hormones are made up mostly of protein.Proteins are made up of sequences of amino acids. There are 20 different amino acids. Our body is able to produce 14 of the 20 amino acids. We have to get the remaining amino acids from the foods we eat.

The truth is, if you eat too much protein, this can actually cause weight gain. The body can't store protein the way it stores energy in fat tissues. Sometimes when someone eats too much protein over a long time, the body will either break down the protein and use it as an energy source or deposit it as fat. If you cut out carbs, the body will 'panic' and begin storing the protein you are eating as fat for a potential future energy source. The moral is, eat a balanced diet!

So how much do you really need? Here is how you can figure that out:

Weight in lbs_____ / 2.2 = ______ weight in kilograms

Weight in Kilograms x 0.8 = ______ protein requirement per day.

so a 140 lb person: 140/2.2 = 63.63kilograms

63.63x 0.8= 50.90grams of protein required per day.

Here's a link of some examples of how much protein is in certain foods:

http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/whattoeat/a/highproteinfood.htm

Foods high in protein:Eggs, milk, meat, apricots, avocados, bananas, cherries, dates, figs, nuts, beans, and grapes. Ex. 8 grams in 1 cup of milk

Cheers!

No I am not trying to name the seven dwarfs...its everyone around me. Sneezing and coughing and stuffed up-miserable! And you know what I am going to say.. exercise. Yes, I am serious.Exercise not only helps your immune system fight off simple bacterial and viral infections, but it may actually decrease the incidence of illnesses such as heart disease, osteoporosis, and cancer.

There are a few theories on how this happens.

1)may help by flushing bacteria out from the lungs

2) exercise is responsible for sending antibodies and white blood cells (the body's defense cells) through the body at a quicker rate.

3)the temporary elevation of body temperature may inhibit bacterial growth, allowing the body to fight the infection more effectively.

And so on.

Just try it. I have felt better every night after a fitness class. I bet you will too.