The Egg Nutriton - Deconstructed

I found this article from LIVESTRONG.com.  It helped clear up some confusion about the nutritional value of egg yolks versus egg whites.

Eggs are often referred to as super-foods, and with good reason. They provide an inexpensive source of protein and other nutrients. Separately, the yolk and white of an egg each have their own benefits.

White & Yolk Combined

Though some recipes call for eggs that have had their yolks and whites separated, most dishes contain the entire egg. Nutritionally, a whole, raw, fresh egg has more nutrients than either of its individual components. However, you also get the "bad" with the "good" when using both yolk and whites.


The yellow yolks of eggs are the real powerhouse of nutrition. The yolk contains all of the nutrients listed by the American Egg Board using the USDA's National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference and by the Egg Nutrition Center. Those nutrients range from vitamins A, D, E, several B vitamins and choline to minerals such as calcium, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc and selenium. Additionally, egg yolks are high in protein and carbohydrates, making them an ideal food for energy needs. Carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, which help maintain eye health, are found only in the egg yolk.

Yolk Disadvantages

The yolk of an egg contains more than half of the entire egg's calories and all of the fats, including the beneficial -- monounsaturated and polyunsaturated -- and harmful types -- saturated and trans fats, according to the Mayo Clinic. Also, all of the cholesterol in an egg is in the yolk.


Egg Whites

When word spread about cholesterol in egg yolks, a flurry of recipes using only egg whites were promoted, in addition to egg-substitute products. Egg whites do contain most of an egg's protein, as well as fewer calories and none of the fat of egg yolk. Whites are also higher in potassium and magnesium than yolks.


Egg White Disadvantages

Of all of the vitamins in an egg, only B12, folate and riboflavin are in the egg white. They are also considerably higher in sodium, according to USDA charts available online. Egg whites contain no lutein or zeaxanthin.


Nutritionally Enhanced Eggs

Eggs from chickens that are fed special diets have additional nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids and increased amounts of some nutrients like vitamin E and lutein, according to the Egg Nutrition Center.

Crunching the Numbers



The white of a large egg, or about 1-1/4 ounces, has 16 calories, 3 g of protein, 2 mg of calcium, 4 mg of phosphorus, 55 mg of sodium, 45 mg of potassium, the weensiest little bit of riboflavin, and no fat, cholesterol, or carbohydrates.

The yolk of that egg weighs about 2/3 of an ounce, and has 59 calories, 3 g of protein, 5 g of fat (2 of which are saturated), 212 mg of cholesterol, 23 mg of calcium, 81 mg of phosphorus, 7 mg of sodium, 16 mg of potassium, very small amounts of iron, thiamin, and riboflavin, and no carbohydrates

Learn Proper Warm Up from your Dog

Have youever seen a dog jump right up from a nap without stretching? With the exception of the doorbell or a not-so-sneaky bunny or squirrel all 3 of my dogs go through their stretches after being lazy for any period of time.

What can we as two-legged, sit-in-front-of-the-computer-too-much humans learn from this?  That if you have been stationary for a length of time it goes a long way towards proper posture and movement to stretch a bit before transitioning to walking, bending or exercising.

Stretching promotes circulation which begins to warm up the muscles.  Active stretching, where you are flexing some muscles as you stretch others (as demonstrated so perfectly in these dog photos), is best before activity or exercise.  Active stretching not only increases circulation but it unifomrly fires the motor neurons that control your muscles and is similar to starting up an airplane where so many switches need to be flipped.

A simple standing stretch reaching to the ceiling helps counter act stagnant desk posture just as a lunge stretch with your foot on your car's bumper helps to counter act tight hips after a long drive.  When awaking in the morning before I even leave the bed I do a long full body stretch along with a few ankle rolls and then sit up to reach up and stretch my sides and chest.

Take a few moments to enjoy how good this feels and know that you are doing good for your body!

Shoulder Range of Motion and Flexibility

Check your shoulder range of motion and flexibility with these tips.

Got questions?  Feel free to ask!

How to Get Stronger Legs (Home Workout)

Leg workout you can do at home to get rockin' legs.  Single leg dead lift, hamstring ball curl, rolling lunges, rolling side lunges and side skaters.

You will need:
5-15 lb wieght (med ball, dumbell or small pet or infant LOL)
Physio-ball
roll cart/plastic plate

enjoy this workout 2-3 times per week. 
Comments are always appreciated and I am happy to answer questions as well!

Iliotibial Band or IT Band

MUSCLE OF THE MONDAY: Iliotibial Band or IT Band*

*Yes, I realize the IT Band is NOT a muscle. It does not contract like a muscle, it is made up of a connective tissue called fascia. But it is a booger of a problem child (very technical term) with it's surrounding muscles.

PRIMARY ACTIONS: There are not any actions per se since the ITB is not a muscle however it is good to know the surroundin...g muscles to assess which one might be creating the pain. The lateral quadriceps, lateral hamstrings, the gluteus maximus, and the tensor fascia lata (TFL) all have a facial connection to the IT Band.

CHRONIC PAIN CONNECTIONS: Unfortunately there are many. Outer knee pain is the primary complaint but hip pain is also a symptom of adhesion problems with the IT Band. By “adhesion problems” I mean that this band of fascia acts like FLY PAPER adhering to the muscles alongside it when there are strength imbalances or flexibility problems with said muscles. These adhesions affect the muscle function.
Majority opinion states that this causes tightening of the IT Band which creates friction at the lateral femoral epicondyle (outer boney part of the thigh bone) however it is now debated if that is the SOURCE of the problem.

PAIN RELIEF: While the current popular philosophy involves “steamrolling” the ITB with a foam roller, in my opinion, pain relief may be more quickly found in creating more separation between the ITB and surrounding muscles as well as increasing the strength and stability of the hip and/or lower leg muscles.

Because there are so many possibilities of where the SOURCE of the pain might be, it is important to get an educated physical assessment to ensure you don’t waste your time and money continuing to re-treat a SYMPTOM.

To book an appointment with me in the Denver area please visit www.thebalanceguru.com and click on Contact for my phone number.

Revisiting My Pure Barre Review

After my initial review of my Pure Barre experience, I realized I needed to revisit it and add a follow up after finishing out my 10 sessions done over 12 weeks. 

Again I will re-emphasize that these new classes of the ballet/pilates/yoga mix are a GREAT tool to have in your fitness tool box.  I liked the workout.  I looked forward to the insane punishment of burning up my gluteal muscles until I nearly fell down knowing the next day I would feel that special soreness that tells me I was building muscle.  And since I was finally getting in some consistent resistance exercise after falling off that wagon, my husband can attest that my butt lifted.  woot! (see proud photo below) 

Now from a personal point of view I was thrilled, and from a professional point of view I knew that Pure Barre isn't a magical bum lifting pill.  I would have gotten the same results from 12 weeks of consistent lunging and hamstring curl exercises.  Pure Barre was my vehicle to get me back on the resistance training wagon, and the few good PB instructors I "stalked" made it fun to be tortured.  Yes, the instructor made a HUGE difference in my opinion.  The good ones have a way of pushing everyone in the class to their own personal limits and make it fun and entertaining to boot.  The sign of a great instructor/trainer in any fitness field if you ask me.

Therefore, I humbly revoke my baulking at the Pure Barre claim that, "students see results in just 10 classes" because I saw, or rather my husband saw, results after my 10 classes.  And as a commenter to my first review pointed out, I should have done my review AFTER my 10 classes and not just the single class.  So I am grateful for the comments not only because I like them (keep 'em coming) but because they keep me honest.  And questioning everything is the best way to do that in my opinion.

I still stand firm to my opinion that this should not be your only workout.  I am happy that many are seeing amazing results from these barre classes and feeling more fit, but as a specialist in chronic pain and movement solutions I see many clients suffering from damage they did long ago.  For the LONG TERM HEALTH of your joints it is important to train them in three dimensions, full range of motion and a variety of resistances along with whatever new workout technique that gets you moving and more fit. 

In any way I can, I help to ensure your BODY keeps up with your MIND & SPIRIT.  Got questions?  Find me on my facebook page and I'd be happy to help you out.

Dogs Need a Workout Too

When I go out on my mountain bike with 3 large dogs attached to me I tend to get some looks that easily say, "You must be crazy!" And I know I am…a little. But I have also refined the art of exercising my dogs with a bike after a couple falls, much frustration, and lots of practice. I know there are many dogs out there who don't get nearly enough exercise (their owners as well), so I want to share my story and tips to inspire others to remember their furry friends need a workout too.

My dog exercise journey began with inspiration from The Dog Whisperer, who teaches that consistent exercise improves unwanted behavior in dogs. I started with daily walks, and then moved to a level where I could get a workout too. I now do my best through rain or shine to fit in our rides despite life with 3 small kids and all the busy they bring. It's also fabulous to have a wonderful husband who helps with everything as well. J

The dogs have gotten the hang of the routine mostly because of our set up.

1. Attach the leashes to a belt. My husband had the brilliant idea to attach the leashes to a belt after I took a spill when a bunny crossed my path. Having the leashes in your hands on the handle bars when an irresistible varmint like a bunny or squirrel shows up makes for a quick trip to the dirt. Having them attached to my waist gives me more leverage (ghetto booty benefit) to counter any sharp pulls.
   
2. Slip Collars or Choke Collars with a short leash. I use the prong collars on our two rambunctious boys and a simple slip chain for the more reserved and well-behaved husky mix. The prong collars look a bit wicked but are very effective in shortening the learning curve for the strong dog. I like to limit the leash length so that the dogs cannot cross in front or behind my bike too easily. Three dogs on one side tend to cancel out my booty leverage.
   
3. Safety Gear & Common Sense. Helmet and gloves are key in my opinion. I would recommend really gearing up if you are not especially comfortable on a bike. Begin to practice on short rides with one dog and limited distraction when possible.
   

I have learned a great deal about my dogs by taking them out with the bike. I can tell if they are feeling healthy by how well they keep up, I have learned that direct afternoon sun is like Kryptonite for them, and I can tell if they need a potty stop if they are dragging behind. The most interesting tidbit I never knew is that the sled dog breeds do their "business" while on the run. No really! I hardly know it's happening, which is embarrassing if I am on a sidewalk and the "little nuggets" get left in the way (TMI I'm sure). But my dogs LOVE their rides; the "smiles" on their faces when we get back are priceless.

This is a great way to prevent dogs from excessive barking and destructive behavior. I also get comments from veterinarians and pet hotel staff on how they can't believe how groomed the nails are on the dogs. So go out and give it a whirl!  Your dog(s) will thank you.