Aspire, Perspire, Nourish Yourself

Muscle of the Month: Amazing Abdominals

Amazing looking, sculpted six-pack abdominals are beautiful. Some people can attain that look easily but for some of us it’s a real challenge. Besides the issue with my apple-shaped body type, I just don’t have the disciplined dedication to the workout nor the nutrition needed to get that six-pack look.

As we’ve mentioned before, there is no such thing as ‘spot’ reduction so doing endless crunches will not reduce the fat around your waist but working out your abs will help tone the muscles and make you stronger for everyday functioning. As well, keep in mind that fat reduction can be complicated by factors other than nutrition, such as hormonal imbalances.

Even if you’re not aiming for a six-pack, is there a good reason to work on your abdominals? Most definitely. The abdominals are part of the core muscles that are important for posture, provide stability, and allow movement in your trunk.

The Anatomy of Abdominals

photo credit: www.getbodysmart.com; accessed Oct. 26, 2014

photo credit: http://www.getbodysmart.com;
accessed Oct. 26, 2014

The primary muscle groups that form the abdominals are the:

Transverse abdominis – Deepest muscle of the abdominal group that runs in a transverse direction, hence the name. This muscle is immediately beneath the internal oblique muscles, helps with breathing and provides stability to the pelvis and thoracic area.

Rectus abdominis – Long, thin muscle that runs vertically down the body to the pubis area. Its function is to flex the trunk, moving the rib cage and pelvis closer together.

External obliques – Run diagonally from the ribs to the front of the pelvis, providing support and stability for the gut. Their major action is to rotate the torso and help bend sideways.

Internal obliques – Deeper muscles that lie beneath external obliques and run diagonally in the opposite direction of externals. These muscles provide stability and work together with external obliques to rotate the torso.

Remember that strong abdominals are supported by the Erector Spinae muscles, which are part of your lower back muscles. These are antagonist to the abdominals so incorporate some back strengthening exercises to ensure your core is well supported front and back.

Exercises for Abdominals

When working abdominal muscles, be sure to challenge the transverse abdominis muscles since these are responsible for pulling in your abdomen. They are often referred to as the ‘corset’ muscles that give you the flatter look, keeping your belly from sticking out.

Incorporate some of the following abdominal exercises into your weekly strength routine to tone your muscles. Also remember that nutrition is important for reducing body fat to allow those muscles to ‘pop’. Limit your intake of sugar and other foods that may cause you particular challenges with storing body fat.

High Medicine Ball Crunch

Knee Plank

Hanging Knee Raise

Exercise Ball Tuck

If you’d like to try one of our favorite abdominal routines, check out the blog we wrote for ethicalDeal at 20 Minute Ab Workout.

Recipe of the Week: Sunflower Seed Nut Butter Chicken

References:

http://www.humankinetics.com/excerpts/excerpts/learn-the-anatomy-of-abs
http://www.innerbody.com/anatomy/muscular/lower-torso#full-description
http://www.getbodysmart.com/ap/muscularsystem/abdominalmuscles/menu/menu.html
Hatfield, Frederick C., Fitness: The Complete Guide, Official Text for ISSA’s Certified Fitness Trainer Course, Edition 8.6.6, ISSA, Carpinteria, CA: 2013

Monthly Food Feature: Cranberries

“Cranberries20101210” by Cjboffoli – Own work. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

We are well into fall now and fresh cranberries are showing up in the produce section of grocery stores. It is the time of year to invent new recipes with this high powered, anti-oxidant fruit that goes well with both sweet and savory dishes. Let the tangy, plump taste of these berries come through in your dishes and get the greatest health benefits by eating them fresh. The skin of cranberries contains many of the nutrients, and these nutrients are sensitive to baking temperatures at 350º F and higher. Fresh cranberries can be frozen and will keep for many years so they are a great fruit to have in the freezer for special recipes or for times when you want to add a little tartiness to sweets.

Interesting Facts

“Vaccinium” by Original uploader was Kazvorpal at en.wikipedia – Transferred from en.wikipedia. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Cranberries are related to blueberries since they belong to the same family, known as Ericaceae or heath or heather family. Although cranberries may grow wild in the mountains, they are typically commercially cultivated in North America in sandy bogs where the berries float to the top of the bog. American Indians were known to have eaten cranberries or used them for medicinal purposes before the 18th Century. Cranberries were exported to Europe by colonists after being introduced to them by American Indians. Interestingly, after a shipwreck containing crates of cranberries sank along the Dutch coast, cranberries floated to shore and some of them took root and started growing in that area. They are still being cultivated there today.

Nutritional Profile and Health Benefits

Cranberries are a very good source of fiber, manganese, and vitamin C. They also are a good source of vitamin E, copper, pantothenic acid, and vitamin K. These berries are low in calories, containing 46 per 1 cup, and are considered a low GI food. The health power of cranberries is generated by the berry’s abundance and variety of phytonutrients, which in particular include:

phenolic acids
proanthocyanidins
anthocyanins
flavonoids
triterpenoids

The combination of these phytonutrients gives the cranberry its powerful anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Besides providing protection against urinary tract infections (UTI), which has been a long recognized benefit, cranberries may also be beneficial for the digestive tract, including the mouth, gums, stomach, and colon. Through its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties, cranberries may also aid the cardiovascular system by controlling our cholesterol levels, lowering the LDL and increasing the HDL. These properties may also be responsible for cranberry’s anti-cancer benefits.

Sensitivities & Concerns

Please beware that if you are at risk of forming ‘calcium oxalate’ kidney stones, cranberries could increase the concentration of calcium oxalate. Cranberries may however have a beneficial effect for other types of kidney stones. In addition, if you are taking Warfarin, which is a prescribed anti-coagulant, check with your healthcare practitioner before consuming cranberries. A small number of studies have reported serious problems with cranberry juice and people taking Warfarin. (Ref)

Easy Recipes

Incorporating fresh cranberries into your meals can be easy! Just toss them into your oatmeal, mix with other sweeter fruits and serve as a side dish, blend them into a smoothie, or blend them into a fruity salad dressing. Here are a couple of easy recipes that we hope inspire you to try cranberries tonight!