Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 18 of 21)

10 Foods Tough to Digest

April 3, 2007 / Anthony Stalter

Ever feel like your stomach is about to explode even after having a healthy meal? Ever have heartburn or a mild case of irritable bowl syndrome? Well it could be the specific foods that you’re eating on a daily or bi-daily basis.

MSN.com posted a recent article containing 10 foods that are tough for your body to digest.

The 10 (not in any specific order):

– Fried chicken nuggets
– Spicy food
– Chocolate
– Citrus juices
– Mashed potatoes
– Raw onion
– Ice cream
– Broccoli and raw cabbage
– Beans
– Sugar-free gum

I definitely agree with broccoli and beans being on this list. Frequently after workouts I’ll combine chicken with broccoli and beans over rice. Afterwards my stomach blows up like a bowling ball for several hours. It’s interesting to now get confirmation on why that happens.

Click here to read the entire article with brief descriptions of why these foods are tough to digest.

Diets, Nutrition, Uncategorized, Xternal Fitness

Five common exercises you should never do

March 27, 2007 / Anthony Stalter

In a recent Best Life article posted on MSN.com, exercise physiologists listed five exercises that should be taken out of daily routines.

The five:

– Posterior (Behind-the-Neck) Pull Downs
– Behind-the-Neck Shoulder Presses
– Straight Ball Curls
– Leg Extensions
– Sit-Ups

I’ve heard sit-ups are bad for the back and some personal trainers aren’t big on posterior pull downs, but avoiding straight ball curls and leg extensions are news to me. Regardless, the article gives a brief description of why the exercise should be avoided, as well as safer alternatives.

To read the entire article, click here.

Exercise, General fitness, General training, Magazine Hype, Xternal Fitness

Is mandatory exercise in school a good idea?

March 20, 2007 / Anthony Stalter

Lawmakers in Kentucky won an approval to pass a bill requiring public elementary and middle schools to make physical activity a part of children’s daily routines.

Under the bill, schools would have to include a half hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day, or 150 minutes a week, by the 2008-09 school year.

Personally, I think this a fantastic idea. According to an About.com article, experts estimate that 15% of kids are overweight and another 15% are at risk of becoming overweight. Anything that could potentially help get these numbers down should at least be experimented with. I don’t see how teaching children about daily exercise and proper nutrition could ever be a bad thing, especially with obesity being a major problem in U.S. adults too.

Not all are thrilled about the idea, however.

Sen. Jack Westwood, R-Crescent Springs, expressed some misgivings but voted to advance the bill.
“I’m nervous about the potential that this is going to take away some time from the classroom,” he said.

Sen. Westwood has a valid concern, but I doubt 30 minutes of daily exercise is really going to take away from a child’s normal studies. Plus, daily exercise is great for keeping the mind active and alert, which should only heighten a child’s learning capabilities.

Exercise, General fitness, Magazine Hype, Uncategorized

Bringing back an old abs favorite

March 7, 2007 / Anthony Stalter

After sifting through a magazine about a month ago, I came across an abdominal exercise that I hadn’t done for awhile: the hanging leg raise.

For about three weeks now, I’ve done the hanging leg raise at the end of my workouts, every few days. It has done wonders for me, not only targeting my lower abs, but also working my entire midsection. A bonus is that it has also helped me with my grip, which is obviously used in other exercises.

While this exercise is great for strengthen your midsection, don’t forget that abs aren’t made in the gym; they’re made in the kitchen. Like Mike Furci always says: Working your abs is not the key to attaining abs.

Abs, General training, Specific workouts, Xternal Fitness, Xternal Furci

Get on your feet!

March 1, 2007 / Anthony Stalter

Think about how many weight lifting exercises we do sitting or lying down. Just to name a few, there is the flat bench press, incline bench press, military press, lateral raises, bicep curls, triceps extensions and lat pull downs.

I’ve read several publications that recommend standing up for as many exercises as you can. The more we sit down, the more likely we are to weaken our backs and abs. Also, if we don’t develop the core strength, we’re more likely to suffer an injury too. I’ve read that this especially works for hardgainers, because it forces you to work more muscle groups at one time.

Now granted, there are some exercises – like the bench press for example – that standing up is just not an option. However, the more times we get up on our feet while working out, the more likely we are to build core strength and overall balance.

Bodybuilding, General fitness, General training, Magazine Hype, Weight training