Nathan Twining introduced Susan Dechenes, the speaker of the day. She graduated from WWU in Exercise Science, a master’s in business. She teaches at Skagit Valley College in the Phys Ed Dept. And in her spare time (?), she leads exercise classes.
Susan’s talk is titled “Top Ten Myths in Health and Fitness”
Myth #1: After the age of 50 you can’t have a god-like body. This myth is dispelled with the photo of Steve and Tim Farris in the gym showing off their “God-like” bods.
Myth #2: Once you are over 50 your metabolism is shot! Try eating spicy foods. This will make you sweat and burn more calories. The fact is that the two ways to improve your metabolism is to build muscle and increase cardiovascular endurance.
Myth #3: Strength training – biking and walking are not the same as strength training. We need to maintain and build muscle, even over 50 because this increases metabolism, bone density, strengthens joints and decreases injuries.
Myth #4: Spot reduction – crunches will decrease fat in the stomach area. Again, the fact is, fat can’t turn into muscle and muscle can’t turn into fat. Muscle acts similar to a balloon, use it and it grows bigger, without working the muscle gets smaller. There is no easy way to lose weight. Reduce caloric intake, work your muscles and increase metabolism are the surefire steps to reduce fat. Movement is the key. Ms. Dechenes emphasized that we are born with fat cells. During childhood fat cells can multiply, after puberty those fat cells do not multiply. Don’t let kids get fat.
Myth #5: Weight loss – eating lesser amounts of food several times a day leads to weight reduction. The fact is if you burn more calories than you take in you lose weight. Hydration is important. Eating throughout the day gives you energy. But be careful 500 calories five times a day equals 2,500 calories / day and you burn 2,000 a day you end up plus 500 calories / day. That’s 3,500 excess calories per week, which is one pound of fat gain in a week. Each pound of loss can be as much as one-third muscle, so be careful, don’t yo-yo (go on and off diets).
Myth #6: Carbos are evil, they make you fat. But quality carbohydrates fruit, vegetables and grains are high in vitamins, minerals and fiber all of which you need. Eat that!!!
Myth #7: Drinking alcohol will help you fall asleep faster. You may pass out faster, but the quality of sleep will deteriorate over time. Instead set up a routine at bedtime. Stay off electronics for an hour prior to bedtime. Make the space dark. Use a pillow for support and comfort. Short naps, 30 minutes or less is ok.
Myth #8: The more vitamins and minerals the better. But these products are not FDA approved so anything can be in the supplements. Look for the USP label on the bottle. A third party has tested the supplement to verify the contents.
Myth #9: Stretching is a great warmup. Our muscles (and body) are mostly water. They need blood flow to increase flexibility. Increase the heart rate for 5 – 10 minutes prior to stretching is better. Stretching after the workout is best. Stretch all major muscles 2 – 3 times a week. Susan discussed the importance of ergonomics in the workplace.
Myth #10: Coffee or sparkling water is the same as water. Not so! As we age our taste buds get a little faulty and we don’t sense thirst as well. Our caffeine consumption should be less than 300 mg / day. Adrenal fatigue, heart palpitations can result. Sparkling water is water, but the carbonatization changes the PH balance in our mouth which can lead to increased cavities and / or tooth enamel deterioration.
Final Tips for the day – move every day, eat a variety of foods (colors) the best beverage is water, every week try to stretch, lift weight, walk and be with family and friends.
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