Crystal Manjarres 

Crystal@PinkIslandFitness.com 

Now that you know that the colon is considered the sewer system of the body, it makes sense to pay even closer attention to what we eat. In part one we learned that smoking increases our risk for colorectal cancer, as does high amounts of red meat and alcohol. We learned the importance of knowing our family history, getting screened, and the benefits of colon hydrotherapy to cleanse the colon of toxic waste. Now we will go over a few simple tips that will also help to keep your colon healthy. Keep in mind that there are many more ideas and recommendations to help prevent colon cancer and these suggestions are for educational purposes only. Always seek out advice from your physician prior to embarking on a nutritional and/or fitness program.

Trim your waistline: One of the most preventable methods to decrease your colon cancer risk is to shed excess body fat. Obese men are especially at risk for colon cancer and the key may lie in the surplus of abdominal fat. Studies have shown that men with extra belly fat younger than fifty are just as likely to carry precancerous cells in the colon as thinner men over fifty. Obesity has also been linked to other diseases as well; by trimming the fat, you slash your odds of developing heart disease, fatty liver, diabetes and more. All great reasons to lose it for good!

Eat black raspberries: This is a somewhat new school of thought and studies are showing promising results. It has been said time and time again that fruits and vegetables decrease colorectal cancer risk; the American Cancer Society continues to advocate consuming at least “five or more servings of a variety of vegetables and fruits every day”. A University of Illinois at Chicago study published in Cancer Prevention Research in November 2010 found that “[b]lack raspberries are highly effective in preventing colorectal tumors in two mouse models of the disease”. The researchers discovered

…that in both mouse strains the black raspberry-supplemented diet produced a broad range of protective effects in the intestine, colon, and rectum and inhibited tumor formation. 

Don’t forget to drink green tea! Although conflicting, studies have been conducted on the effects of green tea and cancer prevention. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center:

Several population-based clinical studies have shown that both green and black teas may help protect against cancer. For example, cancer rates tend to be low in countries such as Japan where people regularly consume green tea…Early clinical studies suggest that the polyphenols in tea, especially green tea, may play an important role in the prevention of cancer. Researchers also believe that polyphenols help kill cancerous cells and stop them from growing. 

Don’t forget to exercise! Need another reason to workout? Experts across the board recommend exercise to slash your colon cancer risk. All it takes is a minimum of thirty minutes of moderate to vigorous activity on most days of the week. For added protection, increase your exercise time to forty-five to sixty minutes. For those of you who are already obese, you’ll receive a double health bonus by also decreasing the dangerous abdominal fat associated with colon cancer. If you’re looking to begin an exercise program or to change up your routine, contact an experienced personal trainer to get you started.

Consider a colon cleanse: Did you know that up to 90% of all sickness and disease begins inside an unclean colon? Toxins and waste from our foods (even healthy diets!) can build up on our colon walls and stagnate the colon much like an internal garbage bag roasting perpetually in an unrelenting hot furnace. Even if you eat the most perfect diet, if your colon is dirty, you may not be receiving all of those precious vitamins and minerals that you are working hard to consume. According to renowned health and nutrition expert Dr. Norman W. Walker:

If the feces in the colon have putrefied and fermented, any nutritional elements present in it would pass into the bloodstream as polluted products. What would otherwise be nutritional instead generates toxemia, a condition in which the blood contains poisonous products which are produced by the growth of pathogenic or disease-producing bacteria. 

Remember that colon cancer is the second leading cancer of cancer deaths in the United States (lung cancer is number one). Now is the time to be proactive and start taking care of your colon before it takes matters into its own hands. Seriously consider colon hydrotherapy treatments to help cleanse the colon; what have you got to lose except toxic waste?

For additional information on colon cleansing, visit www.IslandColonCare. com. If you have any questions, feel free to email me at Crystal@PinkIslandFitness.com.

Crystal Manjarres is the owner of One-On-One Fitness, a private personal training and Pilates studio for men and women on Marco Island. She is a Certified Personal Trainer, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Colon Hydrotherapist and Stott Pilates certified instructor. Her focus is “Empowering men and women of all shapes and sizes”. To send in a question, email Crystal@PinkIslandFitness.com. She can also be reached at www.101FIT.com or www.PinkIslandFitness.com and (239) 333-5771. 

Crystal Manjarres

Crystal@PinkIslandFitness.com

Did you know that your colon is considered the sewer system of the body? Picture a septic tank (or an actual sewage system) brimming with putrefying toxins and bacteria thriving in the moist, hot environment. Easy to see how ill health can be sure to follow, isn’t it?

In a (extremely simple) nut-shell, the colon is designed to absorb water, salts, and minerals before evacuating the remaining waste. If your diet is chock-full of the Standard American Diet (S.A.D.) of refined foods, simple carbohydrates, packaged foods, empty-calories, etc. then your colon provides the perfect breeding ground for auto-intoxication (which we will discuss in a future article). There are many ways to upset this delicate system: poor diet, drugs, dehydration, improper food combining, stress, etc.

This article is going to provide some easy, straightforward tips to help keep your colon healthy; it is for educational purposes only and of course, always check with your physician prior to embarking on any fitness or nutritional program.

Forgo Smoking: Most people don’t realize the correlation between colon cancer and cigarette smoking. According to the American Cancer Society, those who had smoked for forty years and even those who didn’t quit before they hit the age of forty, were thirty to fifty percent more likely to develop colon or rectal cancer than those who refrained from smoking.

Avoid Red Meat: There I said it—now don’t start sending me hate mail. The experts have proven over and over again that red meat consumption significantly ups your risk for colon maladies—especially cancer. This is especially true for meats that are cured and heavily processed, and yes I’m talking about bacon, lunch meats, and sausages (just to pick out a few). If you absolutely must have red meat, try to limit it to two (or even better one) time per week (or month!) and make it no bigger than a three to four ounce serving. And make sure that it is a lean choice or trim the fat, and avoid char-grilling it (this ups the cancer ante).

Kick the (Alcohol) Habit: If you’re like the average person, chances are you indulge in the occasional drink. If so, you can probably skip this section. If, however, you consume two plus drinks per day, then you up your odds of colorectal cancer by 21%-52% according to a 2011 analysis. It also appears that one type of alcohol is not superior to another. In other words, it doesn’t matter if it’s beer or wine (for example), every form of alcohol has detrimental effects on the colon. In addition, studies have shown that binge drinkers have lower levels of folic acid in their system, which increases their risk for colorectal cancer. If you cannot say no to the booze, then at least limit your consumption to no more than one drink a day if you are a woman, or two drinks per day if you are a man.

Get Screened: One of the most obvious (albeit effective) ways to prevent colon cancer is to get screened. Mark Welton, M.D., a Men’s Health advisor and chief of colorectal surgery at the Stanford Cancer Center acknowledges that “the damage that is going to cause colon cancer, even when you’re 50, may be happening right now.” The five most common tests are colonoscopy, virtual colonoscopy, double contrast barium enema, sigmoidoscopy, and fecal occult blood test. Due to space constraint, I won’t go into detail on each of these tests, but you are more than welcome to inquire information from your primary care physician. These tests are usually recommended at age fifty, but those with a past colon cancer history and/or a family history may be encouraged to start sooner. If you opt for a complete colonoscopy or a sigmoidoscopy, chances are you will have to have the colon (whether partial or completely) cleansed prior to the screening. One of the most effective and comfortable ways to do this is through colon hydrotherapy. According to Hebei Medical Journal in December of 2004:

Colon hydrotherapy is a simple and effective way to prepare the colon for colonoscopy as well as other colon procedures, especially in the elderly, frail and constipated. It is also useful in diabetics and patients unable to undergo fasting as well as those who are unable to tolerate an episode of diarrhea.

Colon hydrotherapy actively promotes peristalsis, enhancing the tone of the colon musculature and supports the elimination of physical as well as toxic waste from the colon. This is of advantage to patients suffering from constipation and those with poor bowel habits.

 So not only is colon hydrotherapy a great preparatory cleansing method prior to colonoscopies (and sigmoidoscopies), it is also great for tonicity, elimination of toxic stools, and beneficial to those who suffer from bowel troubles! Contact a certified colon hydrotherapist for any questions you might have.

This is part one of two of preventing colon cancer; for additional information on colon hydrotherapy feel free to visit www.IslandColonCare.com or email me at Crystal@PinkIslandFitness.com.

Crystal Manjarres is the owner of One-On-One Fitness, a private personal training and Pilates studio for men and women on Marco Island. She is a Certified Personal Trainer, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Colon Hydrotherapist and Stott Pilates certified instructor. Her focus is “Empowering men and women of all shapes and sizes”. To send in a question, email Crystal@PinkIslandFitness.com. She can also be reached at www.101FIT.com or www.PinkIslandFitness.com and 239-333-5771.

Crystal Manjarres

Crystal@PinkIslandFitness.com

When you think of core, is the first thing that pops into your mind a six-pack set of abs? If so, you are not alone. Many people want washboard abs and are convinced that to have them means cranking out the crunches and will do whatever it takes to try to attain them.

What most people don’t realize is that our core serves a more important function aside from esthetic appearance. Like the trunk of a tree or the center of an apple, it is essential to the strength and structure of our body. Can you imagine how pitiful a tree would look without its solid trunk? Would it even resemble a tree? We also look and feel “off” whenever our core muscles are not utilized properly.

We require our core muscles in every activity we do, from vacuuming the floor to swinging a golf club. Our movements either stem from the core itself, or flow through it. Weak and inflexible core muscles inhibit our power from the legs and upper body. When you increase the strength from the center, you increase allover power in the rest of the muscles in the body.

Don’t simply hit the floor for countless sit ups; you not only need adequate (and properly executed) abdominal exercises like the ones I have mentioned in previous articles, you also need to strengthen the muscles of the lower back (also recognized as core muscles by some), the hips, and the hamstrings.

Another overlooked (albeit important) factor is stretching. Exercise is great for strengthening muscles, but in order to increase strength (and some believe power as well), you must stretch the muscles surrounding the core. Some stretches to try are those that stretch the hip flexors, hamstrings, lower back, piriformis, as well as lateral flexion stretches.

By strengthening the muscles that support the core (as well as the core muscles themselves), you make the entire body stronger. Exercise and flexibility will make daily tasks more manageable and help prevent injury. A strong core enables you to partake in mundane tasks such as bending down to tie your shoelaces to gardening with ease, as well as helping to counteract lower back stiffness from prolonged sitting at a desk job. If your day-to-day activities include lifting, bending, and twisting, a strong and flexible core is a must.

Some other activities that are optimized by a healthy midsection are any sports or exercise activities, daily housework, balance and stability exercises, and postural alignment.

While ripped abs are a nice reward for hard effort, the more important thing to keep in mind is a balanced body—starting with all of those stabilizing muscles surrounding (and making up) the core. So to recap, train not only the abdominal muscles, but also the muscles of the back and the hips and include stretching for flexibility. If a chiseled midsection is your goal, make sure to trim body fat through clean eating, some cardiovascular exercise, and of course weight training. This is a very basic outline for the benefits of core strengthening. For additional information or guidance please feel free to email me at Crystal@PinkIslandFitness.com.

Crystal Manjarres is the owner of One-On-One Fitness, a private personal training and Pilates studio for men and women on Marco Island. She is a Certified Personal Trainer, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Colon Hydrotherapist and Stott Pilates certified instructor. Her focus is “Empowering men and women of all shapes and sizes.” To send in a question, email Crystal@PinkIslandFitness.com, go to www.101FIT.com or www.PinkIslandFitness.com and 239-333-5771.

Crystal Manjarres

Crystal@PinkIslandFitness.com

Most of us have the memories of a parent or teacher reminding us to sit up straight—some of us didn’t. Either way, your mother may have been onto something. For one, whenever we sit, we place a lot of pressure on the spine. Short-term this may cause us to shift into ergonomically-incorrect positions, altering the delicate balance of our natural curves of the spine. Muscles shift, imbalances occur, and a host of uncomfortable situations arise (ex. tight lower back, shortened hip flexors, medially rotated shoulders, etc.). Long term, these effects can become more “permanent” so to speak—as in, you may no longer be able to sit up straight because your body has conformed to the years of slouching.

Even though you may be severely hunchbacked, there is still time to get to work—on those posterior muscles that is. There are many options available to those with mild issues and for those with more restrictions, a qualified trainer will be able to assist you with a customizable workout plan. There are also a couple of options as to which route you will take with strengthening these muscles; for instance, will you be working with weights or Pilates?

Some excellent weight-lifting options are: standing/seated back rowing with a cable pulley or machine, standing/lying posterior delt. flyes with dumbbells or cable machine, seated wide grip/narrow grip lat pulldowns with machine, back extensions on the floor/stability ball/machine, and one arm dumbbell rows to name a few.

With Pilates, any of the breast stroke preps or full exercise are great, as well as: swan dive, chest expansion, back rowing preps, back rowing full exercise, arms pulling straps, double leg kick, etc.

Just make sure that you have excellent form, or are being supervised by a knowledgeable trainer when in doubt. Make sure to give your muscles adequate rest and recovery time for optimal results and to avoid injury. If you have any questions, feel free to email me at Crystal@PinkIslandFitness.com.

Crystal Manjarres is the owner of One-On-One Fitness, a private personal training and Pilates studio for men and women on Marco Island. She is a Certified Personal Trainer, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Colon Hydrotherapist and Stott Pilates certified instructor. Her focus is “Empowering men and women of all shapes and sizes.” To send in a question, email Crystal@PinkIslandFitness.com, go to www.101FIT.com or www.PinkIslandFitness.com and (239) 333-5771.

Q&A WITH THE FITNESS DIVA

Want to get fit, but can’t leave your desk? No problem! You know you need to exercise. No time for morning exercise between work, kids, and dog? Does evening exercise leave you too hyper to sleep? Then the office workout is for you!

If you have 5-10 minutes…Go stair climbing—seriously! Go up and down for five minutes straight without rest. Too easy? Climb them two at a time and add jumping jacks for thirty seconds after going up/down each flight. Take a one minute break and repeat.

If you have 20-30 minutes…Warm up with “imaginary” jump rope. All you do is pretend that you have a rope and jump for one to two minutes straight. Then head to the floor and crank out as many push ups as you can safely muster, whether on the knees or the full-man version. Grab a (non-rolling) chair or (better) a bench for triceps dips. If you have some water bottles, paperweights, or even some 3-5lb dumbbells go to town with lateral raises, frontal raises, posterior deltoid flyes, and overhead presses. If you feel pain or are unsure about how to properly execute an exercise, stop. If time permits, include bicep curls and triceps kickback extensions as well. You can even toast your legs with some stationary lunges.

If you have an hour…head to the gym for a full-body workout and still have time to munch! Gym-shy? Go for a brisk walk for fifteen minutes (or a fast run if more advanced) and grab a park bench for some incline push ups (beginner) or decline push ups (advanced). Top it off with some straight-legged dips (intermediate to advanced), or do the bent knee version if you have rotator cuff issues or are just starting out. Use the kiddie jungle gym for pull ups or just try to carry your body across the high ladder/rings without stopping. Take the scenic route with some walking lunges around the playground or empty soccer field and make sure to include some sprints for more fat-burning power. Grab some teenagers and challenge them to a game of basketball, soccer, or if you crave something milder—try your hand at some bocce ball.

These are just a few of the many ideas that you could do to workout either at work, or on your lunch break. For additional motivation grab a workout buddy (or two).

Crystal Manjarres is the owner of One-On-One Fitness, a private personal training and Pilates studio for men and women on Marco Island. She is a certified personal trainer and Stott Pilates certified instructor. Her focus is “Empowering men and women of all shapes and sizes”. To send in a question, email Crystal@PinkIslandFitness.com. She can also be reached at www.PinkIslandFitness.com or www.101FIT.com and (239) 333-5771.

Q&A

Crystal Manjarres 

Crystal@PinkIslandFitness.com

We’ve all seen the commercials— smiling moms baking “sugar” cookies with Splenda, surrounded by giddy kids waiting to dig in. I’m sure you or a friend gives sugar the cold shoulder in favor of this calorie-free sweetener for your morning cup of joe. The advertisers market it as “natural” and “made from sugar so it tastes like sugar,” but the reality couldn’t be further from the truth.

The truth is the FDA has no definition for “natural” whatsoever; that being said, Splenda is a man-made chemical— you can’t go out in nature and pluck a Splenda granule from a blade of grass or tree. In fact, you can’t find it anywhere in nature—in Mans’ laboratory, absolutely. According to the company website, “It [Splenda] is made through a patented, multi-step process that starts with sugar and converts it to a no calorie, non-carbohydrate sweetener. The process selectively replaces three hydrogen-oxygen groups on the sugar molecule with three chlorine atoms.” It is the addition of these three chlorine atoms that has experts concerned; according to Marcelle Pick, OB/ GYN NP:

While some industry experts claim the molecule is similar to table salt or sugar, other independent researchers say it has more in common with pesticides. That’s because the bonds holding the carbon and chlorine atoms together are more characteristic of a chlorocarbon than a salt — and most pesticides are chlorocarbons. The premise offered next is that just because something contains chlorine doesn’t guarantee that it’s toxic. And that is also true, but you and your family may prefer not to serve as test subjects for the latest post-market artificial sweetener experiment — however “unique.” 

It is interesting to note that there have also been no long-term studies done on the effects of Splenda; the average control groups are only three to six months long and are small groups at that. And the testing done was only on the effects of sucralose—not on dextrose or maltodextrin the other components of Splenda. So what happens a year down the line? Five? Ten? Keep consuming it if you want to find out—we (the public) are the official long-term test subjects now.

Marcelle Pick also notes that:

The manufacturer’s own short-term studies showed that very high doses of sucralose (far beyond what would be expected in an ordinary diet) caused shrunken thymus glands, enlarged livers, and kidney disorders in rodents. (A more recent study also shows that Splenda significantly decreases beneficial gut flora.) But in this case, the FDA decided that because these studies weren’t based on human test animals, they were not conclusive. Of course, rats had been chosen for the testing specifically because they metabolize sucralose more like humans than any other animal used for testing. In other words, the FDA has tried to have it both ways. They accepted the manufacturer’s studies on rats because the manufacturer had shown that rats and humans metabolize the sweetener in similar ways, but shrugged off the safety concerns on the grounds that rats and humans are different. 

There can be many more pages of information on Splenda’s short history, side-effects, and potential long-term effects, but space does not permit. I will tell you that it is your personal choice of whether or not you wish to continue consuming it. Just know that some ill-effects you may be suffering from now (such as headaches) could be caused by Splenda.

A safer alternative (if you are diabetic or want to avoid any type of natural sugars from honey and agave) is Stevia. It is a sweet herb that has been used for over 400 hundred years without any negative health issues. Unlike Splenda, Stevia can be found in nature. It is safe for universally everyone, has no impact on glucose levels, and can be added to anything you wish to sweeten from teas to baked goods.

If you have any questions or would like additional information about Splenda, I encourage you to do your own research and consume with caution (or trade it in for Stevia). I’m just an email away!

Crystal Manjarres is the owner of One- On-One Fitness, a private personal training and Pilates studio for men and women on Marco Island. She is a certified personal trainer and Stott Pilates certified instructor. Her focus is “Empowering men and women of all shapes and sizes”. To send in a question, email Crystal@PinkIslandFitness.com. She can also be reached at www. PinkIslandFitness.com or www.101FIT.com and (239) 333-5771. 

Crystal Manjarres 

Crystal@PinkIslandFitness.com

This is Part II of how to turn your keg into a six pack. Enjoy! 

Tip #3: Cut your carbs. We as a society are crazy about carbs—either we avoid them like the plague or consume them in excess. If you are overweight (or even obese), chances are, you enjoy a high-carb diet. If you were to simply cut down on your carbohydrate consumption, you’d be surprised at how quickly the pounds would fall off (and reveal that washboard hidden beneath). Try eliminating the heaviest carbs first: pasta, bread (including bagels), white rice, refined carbs, etc. Some healthier choices are nuts, seeds, veggies, and even some low sugar fruits like strawberries. This small act alone will jump-start your fat loss journey.

Tip #4: Feed your muscle. If you work out hard and don’t consume enough protein, your muscles won’t adequately recover. If you eat only protein and no carbohydrates then you face a similar issue. Your nutrition needs to be balanced. You only need a small portion of protein and healthy carbs every few hours to keep your metabolism humming and your blood sugar stabilized. Each person differs on the amount of grams of protein and carbs, as well as how frequently they need to eat. You should never feel full (from overeating), nor should you ever feel dizzy, lightheaded, or nauseous from lack of food/calories. You should feel satisfied. In the beginning you may feel hungry because your stomach is used to larger quantities of food, but eventually it will adjust to the smaller portions.

Tip #5: Incorporate some cardio. I know the first thing people think of when they think of slashing fat—cardio! And lots of it. I’m here to tell you no—and that is why it is last on my list. Cardio is for exactly that—cardiovascular health. It strengthens your heart (as well as a slew of other health benefits). It does play a small role in weight loss, but that doesn’t mean that it is strictly burning body fat the entire time that you are doing it. Most of the time we are burning off “sugar” first—meaning carbohydrates. After we burn through that, our body can either attack the fat or eat away at the muscle—it depends on the duration and exertion of the effort. Sometimes the weight we lose is from muscle loss—not body fat. I like to incorporate cardio for strengthening the heart, bolstering the immune system, increasing oxygen and nutrients to the tissues, etc. and leave the diet and weight training to being the responsible parents of fat dissolution. This is my personal view, however. You can do cardio ‘till the cows come home and still just be a smaller, flabby form of your former self, or you can eat right, lift weights, and incorporate modest amounts of cardio to help shed unwanted body fat, build leaner muscle, and create a strong body to be proud of.

These are just some tips that will help you jump start your weight-loss program and help to reveal that hidden six-pack underneath. Remember to always check with your physician first if you have any health issues, contraindications, are taking medications, etc. before embarking on a fitness and nutritional program. .

Crystal Manjarres is the owner of One- On-One Fitness, a private personal training and Pilates studio for men and women on Marco Island. She is a certified personal trainer and Stott Pilates certified instructor. Her focus is “Empowering men and women of all shapes and sizes”. To send in a question, email Crystal@PinkIslandFit ness.com. She can also be reached at www. PinkIslandFitness.com or www.101FIT.com and (239) 333-5771. 

Q&A

Crystal Manjarres 

Crystal@PinkIslandFitness.com

I’m constantly asked what is the best way to get abs? The truth is, there is no “best” way or “only” way to go when it comes to getting a toned midsection. Everyone is different and make take a different approach when it comes to leaning down; that being said, I have a few suggestions that tend to work for most people. Here are my top five tips to chiseling your own six pack:

Tip #1: Watch what you eat. This may seem like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised at how many people workout like crazy and eat garbage, still expecting results. There are also those who eat “healthy” junk foods and count calories that still do not have chiseled abs. What gives? Our bodies were made for pure, wholesome foods straight from Mother Nature’s kitchen. When we eat 100 calorie snack packs, processed foods (i.e. Lean Cuisine, cereals, breads, granola, etc.) and man-made juices, colas, fast foods, and such, our body doesn’t know what to do with all the unnatural “stuff.” So it stores the junk that it doesn’t know how to process (into cellulite, acne, and dandruff to name a few), and tries to use the rest as “low-grade” food for our “premium” fueled bodies. I could go on and on from here about what this does to our bodies, but I’ll stop and just reinforce the basic truth—whole, natural, unprocessed foods fuel our bodies and give us energy, glowing skin, clear eyes, shiny hair, and bingo—less body fat.

Tip #2: Train your core—but not too much. I know it seems common sense, right? Believe it or not, there can be a difference in training your abs and training your core. How so? Look at the muscles you are activating. If your idea of working out your abs is doing crunches, sits ups, and the like, then you are training your abs (more specifically your rectus abdominis, the superficial abdominals responsible for flexion). If, however, you do oblique work, planks, and functional stability exercises (either alone or in conjunction with other abdominal work), then you are working your core. Why the emphasis on the difference? By limiting yourself to only flexion-type exercises, you are actually setting yourself up for potential injury. Why? Our bodies were not made to constantly bend forward (especially with added weight) over and over and over. Just like with anything in life, balance is key. You need to balance the rest of the abdominal muscles (internal and external obliques and transversus abdominis) to help support the spine, provide a strong “trunk,” help the body to move with ease, prevent injury, and to show off a sculpted midsection. We need to train more than just the superficial abs (rectus abdominis)— we need to also train the remaining core muscles. Technically, the rectus abdominis and the aforementioned abdominals are all “abs” and “core” muscles, but I’m trying to give you a visual.

Make sure not to over train your abs; they are just like every other muscle group and need to be treated as such—meaning there is no need to train your abs every single day. There is also no need to do 1,000 sit ups/crunches—it is overkill and doesn’t make any sense. Start off training your core one time per week if you are new at this. If you are more advanced, do two times per week. Some people go up to three times per week, but again, I feel that this is unnecessary. If you over train your muscles, they will constantly be “broken down” (if done correctly), which means that they will never have the opportunity to rebuild and repair. This, at a minimum will not deliver the desired results and worse-case-scenario will result in injury. Make sure to have adequate rest and recovery time between workouts (48-72 hours) and never train a sore muscle.

This is part one of two on how to turn your keg into a six pack. Check out next edition’s tips #3-5 to find out more.

Crystal Manjarres is the owner of One- On-One Fitness, a private personal training and Pilates studio for men and women on Marco Island. She is a certified personal trainer and Stott Pilates certified instructor. Her focus is “Empowering men and women of all shapes and sizes”. To send in a question, email Crystal@PinkIslandFitness.com. She can also be reached at www. PinkIslandFitness.com or www.101FIT.com and (239) 333-5771. 

Q&A

Crystal Manjarres 

Crystal@PinkIslandFitness.com

I keep hearing conflicting information about coffee—is it good for me or not?

It is definitely confusing—one minute the news is touting the benefits of coffee, and the next, it is calling it a poison. The opinion can literally change day-to-day, depending on the angle of the story. I will provide the facts from both sides and you can decide if you want to continue consuming it or not.

Fact: coffee contains antioxidants. In order to benefit from a high intake of those antioxidants, you would have to drink more coffee—more coffee equals more jitters, not to mention increasing the chance of headaches, as well as a slew of other uncomfortable side effects. Did you know that you can easily obtain double the antioxidants of coffee (minus the side-effects) simply by eating fruits and veggies instead? Fruits and vegetables are antioxidant superstars and will also provide essential vitamins and nutrients that are lacking in coffee.

Fact: coffee does possess anti-depressant properties.

Fact: coffee can worsen depression. Seem contradicting? Let me explain; coffee is an addicting substance– period. Why? Caffeine, for one reason and manipulation of our neurotransmitters for another. Coffee elicits a feel-good response when we consume it, due to activation of dopamine. Once this feel-great “high” wears off, our dopamine levels drop and we dip into the valley of depression. You need not partake in a dangerous merry-go-round experience to keep your dopamine levels up, though. There are other ways to increase dopamine naturally, without the dreaded depression “crash.” For one, try phenylalanine, an amino acid supplement that is a precursor to L-tyrosine. Of course, speak with your physician before taking any supplements, especially if you are on medication. If you don’t feel comfortable poking around in the unknown world of supplements, try eating products that contain it naturally, such as meat and/or milk products. If you are vegetarian or vegan, try alternative sources; oats and wheat germ contain lower levels, but every little bit helps. Phenylalanine works best with vitamin B6, niacin (B3), iron, copper, and vitamin C.

Fact: coffee has been noted to improve cognitive function and performance. And it also depletes your storage of B vitamins. Would you rather have sharp wits or a heart attack? You can have both if you love coffee! In all seriousness though, when your B vitamins are diminished, homocysteine (an amino acid) ultimately accumulates in your bloodstream, creating the perfect environment for a heart attack. So, to “B” on the safe side (ha ha), at least take your B vitamins and folic acid if you want to continue drinking coffee.

Fact: coffee causes insomnia. Wow—bet you never heard of that one! Did you know that even consuming ONE cup of coffee takes 24 hours to exit the body? Coffee is acidic in nature and lends its hand to lots of nasty gastrointestinal issues, like ulcers. Coffee alone wreaks havoc on your system, but pair it with sugar, sweeteners, cream, and whatnot, and you’ve got a cesspool of toxins swimming around before you even start your day!

Fact: coffee makes you tired. And fat. Think about it; when you are tired, you reach for a cup of joe—or to prevent becoming tired, we drink it ahead of time. This messes with your adrenal glands, which are responsible for releasing cortisol when we need it for times of stress—AKA “fight or flight.” Instead, the body pumps out unnecessary cortisol because of the coffee, which circulates throughout our bloodstream making us more tired, more fat, insulin resistant, and not to mention, decreases muscle tone. Ugh!

For all you smarty pants out there smugly saying “Well, I’ll just have decaf”—think again. Decaf is merely marketing; it has been shown to contain even MORE toxins than regular, while still harboring caffeine—less than regular, but there nonetheless.

There it is, all the facts. The choice is yours to do with as you wish. I personally enjoy hot teas, which are rich in antioxidants, lower in caffeine (if you choose, green, black, and white) or even caffeine-free if you choose herbal. Green tea has been touted for its antioxidant effects and fat oxidation. I promise–you won’t even miss your coffee jitters.

Crystal Manjarres is the owner of One-On-One Fitness, a private personal training and Pilates studio for men and women on Marco Island. She is a certified personal trainer and Stott Pilates certified instructor. Her focus is “Empowering men and women of all shapes and sizes”. To send in a question, email Crystal@PinkIslandFitness.com. She can also be reached at www.PinkIslandFitness.com or www.101FIT.com and (239) 333-5771.

IVA 

Crystal Manjarres 

Crystal@PinkIslandFitness.com

When should I eat- before or after exercise? 

When and what you eat prior to and after exercise depends largely upon what type of exercise you are doing, as well as your medical history. For instance, if you are a seventy-five year old woman with diabetes and want to take a morning walk, your food intake would differ than that of a thirty-five year old male with no known medical issues, who wants to play racquetball after work. That being said, there are some safe guidelines that everyone can benefit from—just keep in mind that these are suggestions and that each person is designed differently, so listen to your body.

Generally, you would want to eat a light meal one hour to two hours before your physical activity. If you are an athlete, once again, the rules would differ depending on your sport of choice (cycling or running for example), time of day (first thing in the morning or evenings), and overall physical exertion required (i.e. training for a 5K or a triathlon). I am going to narrow it down to the average person, or weekend warrior for this particular article.

If you are planning a long walk (or even a fast-paced, calorie torching walk), make sure that you eat something light enough that won’t overburden your performance, but with enough calories that you don’t run out of energy halfway through, either. Remember, you have been fasting throughout the night and need energy whenever you start your day—so don’t skip breakfast!

Some people have faster metabolisms than others and may require different food intakes; for instance, most people would be fine with eating some yogurt and fruit an hour to two hours before a walk. If you have a faster metabolism, however, then you may want to begin your walk thirty minutes to forty-five minutes after eating versus the hour or two mark, or simply add a little bit more calories to sustain you.

Now we know that we should definitely eat before a workout—this applies to morning, afternoon, and evening workouts as well. You have to give your body the proper fuel to complete the workout. We also need to replenish our lost glycogen storages after a workout as well. If you have an amazing workout and neglect to refuel afterwards, your workout might as well have been in vain. The recovery phase is equally as important, for that is where the body rebuilds and repairs.

If, for example, you had a workout with weights, you would want a combination of protein and carbohydrates for replenishment; this is essential for the growth (of the muscle) process. Just make sure that you are hydrated before, during, and after your workout, that you eat enough energy before your workout, and that you replenish your storages afterwards. If you have questions about how much of what macronutrients you need or simply seek additional guidance, feel free to email me at Crystal@PinkIslandFitness.com

Crystal Manjarres is the owner of One- On-One Fitness, a private personal training and Pilates studio for men and women on Marco Island. She is a certified personal trainer and Stott Pilates certified instructor. Her focus is “Empowering men and women of all shapes and sizes”. To send in a question, email Crystal@PinkIslandFitness.com. She can also be reached at www. PinkIslandFitness.com or www.101FIT. com and (239) 333-5771. 

Crystal Manjarres 

Crystal@PinkIslandFitness.com

How much should I be exercising? 

This is a multi-faceted answer; most experts recommend anywhere from thirty to sixty minutes of exercise per day. There is a lot of “conflicting” information out and about that has many people confused: some say ten minutes is all you need, while others tout twenty minutes or an hour; it all boils down to your goals. Are you looking to gain weight? Lose weight? Build muscle? Increase cardiovascular endurance? Enhance athletic performance? Maybe you just want to enjoy swimsuit shopping for once, or simply keep up with the grandkids. Your goal(s) dictate the amount of exercise you need.

If you are young and spry, you may benefit from high-intensity training. If you have been a committed couch potato for years, start slow and build up your endurance carefully and go as far as you aspire to (as you advance). What matters most is that you get up and move! Don’t fixate on numbers if that is going to deter your motivations. According to Jonathan L Gelfand, MD., thirty minutes “is considered enough to lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure.”

Another thing to consider is the type of exercise you are going to be participating in; not to sound redundant, but it is pertinent that your exercise(s) match your fitness level and goals. For instance, sweeping the porch and walking a mile would not be sufficient ways to build muscle, but would be a great start for someone who has been sedentary.

Lastly, you can’t out-train a poor diet. If you are consuming more calories than you are burning, you will never see the effects of your hard work because they will be hidden by excess body fat.

If you would like to get started, but could use some guidance, feel free to contact me anytime at Crystal@PinkIslandFitness.com.

Crystal Manjarres is the owner of One-On-One Fitness, a private personal training and Pilates studio for men and women on Marco Island. She is a certified personal trainer and Stott Pilates certified instructor. Her focus is “Empowering men and women of all shapes and sizes”. To send in a question, email Crystal@ PinkIslandFitness.com. She can also be reached at www.PinkIslandFitness.com or www.101FIT.com and (239) 333-5771. 

Crystal Manjarres 

Crystal@PinkIslandFitness.com

Are you stuck in an exercise rut? Try cross training! 

Do you ever find that eating makes you happy? Do you ever notice that certain foods make you feel super happy? Women usually reach for comfort foods like chocolate, cookies, cake, (basically anything sweet) or salty. Men usually opt for salty and crunchy.

Is your exercise mojo waning? Have you hit a plateau with your weight loss? Are you bored with your current workout? If you answered yes to any of the above, then you should incorporate cross training into your current regime. Cross training isn’t just limited to the elite athlete anymore—weekend warriors and exercise enthusiasts alike can also benefit from the effects of cross training. So what is cross training exactly? According to fitness journalist Brenda Jones, “Cross training is the practice of changing both your cardiovascular and anaerobic exercise routines on a regular basis, to keep your body from becoming accustomed to one type of exercise.” It can be whatever exercise you choose to participate in—whether cycling, tennis, swimming, running, etc. The point is to incorporate a new physical activity into your current exercise program or change it up completely. Some people cross train to prevent boredom, while others do it to prevent overtraining (i.e. using the elliptical instead of running outside to ease shin splints).

Going back to the second question… have you hit a plateau with your weight loss? Incorporating a variety of new exercises is sure to help bust through that rut. Try plyometrics, sprints, mountain climbers, heavier weights, or higher repetitions just to name a few. Whatever your choice, make sure that you do it safely to optimize effectiveness (and to prevent injury) and make sure that you have fun! If you dread the change then you won’t stick with it and the negative thinking will quash your motivation (and hence your results).

Referring to the third question… are you bored with your current workout? Try changing up your monotonous trudge on the treadmill for some cardio tennis, or integrate intervals onto the elliptical, or better yet- combine cardio with weights! The possibilities are endless!

If you consistently do the same tiresome routine, change it up—trade machines for dumbbells, or better yet, use only your body weight. Your muscles will be confused and will be forced to fire differently—great news for you!

The benefits to cross training are infinite! What do you have to lose, except those last pesky pounds? If you need guidance, feel free to email me at Crystal@PinkIslandFitness.com

Crystal Manjarres is the owner of One-On-One Fitness, a private personal training and Pilates studio for men and women on Marco Island. She can also be reached at www.PinkIslandFitness.com or www.101FIT.com and (239) 333-5771. 

Crystal Manjarres 

Crystal@PinkIslandFitness.com

Q. Are you addicted to sugar?

A. Do you ever find that eating makes you happy? Do you ever notice that certain foods make you feel super happy? Women usually reach for comfort foods like chocolate, cookies, cake, (basically anything sweet) or salty. Men usually opt for salty and crunchy.

Whatever your preference, consumption of carbohydrates is usually the food of choice; and the effects are real—thanks to your body pumping out serotonin. Serotonin is the hormone responsible for making you “feel good”. So, sad, happy, anxious, stressed, hungry, or bored, we grab our drug of choice (in this case processed carbohydrates) and voila! Instant mood boost. So it’s somewhat natural for this vicious cycle to continue to replicate itself and lead to a slew of other problems, like weight gain and—get this—depression. Yep, you read that right. Researchers (who have collectively found similar results in six countries) aren’t exactly sure why, but overconsumption of carbohydrates overrides the temporary serotonin boost and leads instead to depression. In a nutshell, they hypothesize that insulin resistance involving stress hormones may be to blame.

Do you or someone you know suffer from yeast infections? Sugar is a huge contributor to this problem. The body naturally houses appropriate levels of yeast in the system, until sugar comes along. Yeast feeds on sugar like kids eating Halloween candy—you get the picture. The more sugar you dump into your body, the quicker the yeast grows, until you get yeast infections—or worse—Candida, the bacteria responsible for an overproduction of yeast, leading to other issues like oral thrush.

Lastly, did you know that sugar could lead to cancer? New research is showing compelling evidence that a strong link occurs between sugar fueling cancer cell growth. Although it hasn’t been proven that sugar specifically causes cancer in the body, it is known that obesity (usually as a result from eating excess sugars) causes several types of cancers and that sugar and insulin feed cancer cell growth.

This information is meant to inform you, not scare you into never enjoying sugar again. It is my hope that it opens your eyes to the addiction of sugar and to watch how much you are currently consuming. It lurks in everything from cookies, soft drinks, smoothies, and sweets, to less obvious places such as ketchup, breads, and protein bars.

Crystal Manjarres is the owner of One-On-One Fitness, a private personal training and Pilates studio for men and women on Marco Island. She is a certified personal trainer and Stott Pilates certified instructor. Her focus is “Empowering men and women of all shapes and sizes”. To send in a question, email Crystal@PinkIslandFitness.com. She can also be reached at www.PinkIslandFitness.com or www.101FIT.com and (239) 333-5771.

Crystal Manjarres 

Crystal@PinkIslandFitness.com

Q. Are you addicted to sugar? – Part One. 

A. If you’re conscious about your health, you’ve more than likely taken up exercise and watch what you eat. If you’re like most Americans, you’ve shunned fat, carbs, and salt; but what you may not know is that sugar is the one you should be focusing on. When people think of consuming too much sugar, the first thing they think of (aside from the pleasure derived from eating it) is diabetes. The second thought that crosses people’s minds is that they cannot get diabetes because _____ (you fill in the blank).

Common examples are: “I’m too young”, “I exercise”, “no one in my family has diabetes”, and so on. None of these are logical reasons to consume excess amounts of sugar. Even moderate amounts may be too much for some people. Paula Deen’s high consumption of sweet tea contributed to her developing Type 2 diabetes; in fact, consuming sweetened beverages like sweet tea, smoothies, fruit juices, Gatorades, etc. is one of the easiest ways to increase sugar consumption (and is also one of the easiest ways to cut your risk by eliminating or minimizing them from your diet). Drinking too much sugary drinks leads to weight gain, which increases your risk for diabetes; sweetened beverages lead to a rush of sugar into the body which overworks the pancreas, leading to insulin resistance and inflammation over time.

Did you know that sugar can also lead to acne? Studies have shown that ingesting highly refined sugars (i.e. processed) causes huge spikes in blood sugar levels; this leads to inflammation, which in turn increases sebum (oil) production and voila! Acne. Foods low on the glycemic index, however, decrease a sugar spike and keep inflammation levels down.

Sugar is also noted to increase your risk for heart disease; the Journal of the American Medical Association noted that those who ingested 17.5 percent of their calories from sugar increased their triglycerides (a type of fat in the blood), which became stored in fat cells. In this same study those with high triglycerides were three times as likely to also have low HDL cholesterol (the healthy kind). Both of these factors lead to arteriosclerosis—AKA hardening of the arteries. This increases your risk of heart attack, stroke, and heart disease.

The effects of sugar are so detrimental, that the American Heart Association put limits on how much of the sweet stuff we should eat; according to the AHA, men should consume no more than nine teaspoons a day, and women, no more than six. There is so much more to be said about sugar that I am extending this article to the following edition. If you have any questions in the meantime, email me at Crystal@PinkIslandFitness.com

Crystal Manjarres is the owner of One-On-One Fitness, a private personal training and Pilates studio for men and women on Marco Island. She is a certified personal trainer and Stott Pilates certified instructor. Her focus is “Empowering men and women of all shapes and sizes”. To send in a question, email Crystal@ PinkIslandFitness.com. She can also be reached at www.PinkIslandFitness.com or www.101FIT.com and (239) 333-5771. 

Crystal Manjarres 

Crystal@PinkIslandFitness.com

Q. February is American Heart Month! What are you doing to prevent heart disease?

A. What is heart disease? Simply put, heart disease (also known as coronary heart disease) is “a disorder of the blood vessels of the heart that can lead to heart attack” according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. When an artery becomes obstructed, oxygen and other nutrients are unable to reach the heart, and this subsequently leads to a heart attack. It is important to remember that heart disease is merely one of many cardiovascular diseases, including high blood pressure, rheumatic heart disease, angina, and stroke. What makes the disease so dangerous is that it is the number one killer of women. Most women don’t think that heart disease can happen to them, and if they were to get it, that it can be fixed with medication or surgery—this couldn’t be further from the truth. True, certain procedures can help, but once the arteries are damaged, they remain that way, which ups your risk of having a heart attack—especially if you don’t change your diet and lifestyle.

So, make today the day that you start taking care of your heart. Some simple ways to get started would be to find out your personal heart history. If you smoke, stop as soon as possible (we all know the reasons to quit); next, get a checkup with your physician to find out if you have any risk factors, (like high blood pressure or high cholesterol) and ask for tips on how to lower your risk for heart disease. If you are already being treated for heart disease, brush up on your treatment options; find out if what you have been doing is still working for you or if there are any better options available. Be as honest as possible with your doctor—he/she is there to help and guide you. Some risk factors associated with coronary heart disease are: age (being 55 or older for women), smoking, physical inactivity, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, having a family history of heart disease, and diabetes. Some of these risk factors are outside of a person’s control (like family history or age), but some aren’t, such as physical inactivity. It’s never too late to start investing in your health! Start today with exercise, such as weight-lifting or Pilates, running, swimming, or riding your bike (just to name a few). Get your body moving, your heart pumping, and start eating clean! If you need guidance or have any questions, feel free to email me at Crystal@PinkIslandFitness.com

Crystal Manjarres is the owner of One-On-One Fitness, a private personal training and Pilates studio for men and women on Marco Island. She is a certified personal trainer and Stott Pilates certified instructor. Her focus is “Empowering men and women of all shapes and sizes”. To send in a question, email Crystal@PinkIslandFitness.com. She can also be reached at www.PinkIslandFitness.com or www.101FIT.com and (239) 333-5771.