WELLNESS WEDNESDAY: Health Benefits Of Massage

The Health Benefits of Massages

There’s nothing that says relaxation and indulgence more than getting a massage. Getting a soothing massage can help you unwind and forget your stresses for a bit, but that’s not all it can do for you.

The term “massage” is a general description for pressing, rubbing and manipulating your skin, muscles, tendons and ligaments. During a massage, a massage therapist will typically use their hands and fingers, but they may also use their forearms and elbows to apply a range of light stroking to deep pressure.

These varying levels of pressure depend on the type of massage. A Swedish massage is a more gentle form, including long strokes, kneading, deep circular movements and tapping with the focus on relaxing and energizing you. Contrastingly, a deep massage includes slower, more forceful strokes that target the deeper layers of your muscles and connective tissues. Deep massages commonly help those dealing with muscle damage from injuries. When someone suffers a sports injury, they can take advantage of a sports massage, which is similar to a Swedish massage, to treat and prevent future injuries. Similarly, a trigger point massage focuses on tight muscle fibers that can form after injuries or overuse.

Studies have backed up the benefit of massages for pain. Massages can help people struggling with back pain feel and function better. In fact, one study shows that massages reduced the need for painkillers by 36 percent for those suffering from persistent low back pain.

Other research found massage helps with osteoarthritis of the knee pain, fibromyalgia and nerve pain.

Massages can address another kind of pain too – headaches. Regular massages can help reduce the number of migraines a person has, and it can also reduce how painful each migraine is. One study found that a 30-minute massage decreased the pain of tension headaches and even curbed some of the stress and anger associated with a bad headache.

Massages can also soothe your anxiety and depression – they reduce your levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. Reducing cortisol not only makes you feel better emotionally, but it can also contribute to lowering blood pressure. Massages can also trigger the release of serotonin and dopamine, which can help ease depression.

When people are going through traditional treatments for cancer, massage may be used to complement it. Massage has been used to not only promote relaxation in cancer patients, but also to reduce the symptoms and side effects of the treatment. It can help reduce pain, swelling, fatigue, nausea and feelings of depression.

Some studies have shown that massages may even keep you healthy. Massages may give your immune system a boost by increasing the activity levels of your T cells, which ward off viruses.

With all of the health benefits, both mental and physical, you no longer have to feel like massages are an overindulgent luxury – they’re actually improving your overall wellbeing.

FITNESS FEATURE: Strength Training At Home

Strength Training at Home

Strength training improves muscle strength, power, endurance, and size. It also reduces your body fat, increases your body metabolism so you burn more calories each day, enhances your balance and stability, and keeps your bones strong. It also can reduce the symptoms associated with chronic conditions, such as arthritis, diabetes, or osteoporosis.  

Getting to the gym for a weight workout isn't always easy, however. That's why it pays to have weights at home as a backup, or even as a substitute.

The basics

Strength training, also known as resistance training, is different from weightlifting or power lifting. These are sports in which people compete to lift the heaviest weights.

In resistance or strength training, you use weights or resistance bands to force your muscles to work against gravity. Over time, this builds and strengthens muscle mass by increasing the size of your muscle cells. During the first four weeks of a strength-training program, the increase in your strength is primarily from changes in the neurologic system that controls your muscle contraction. The nervous system increases the number of muscle fibers used for training and coordinates their activity, but muscle fibers remain the same size. After about four weeks, changes take place in the structure of your muscle fibers, so they enlarge and your muscles become larger.

Talk with your health care provider before starting a strength-training program. Once you have your provider's okay, talk with a qualified personal trainer to set up a program. If your goal is to increase your strength, then you should use progressively heavier weights in your training sessions. If your goal is to improve your muscle endurance, then you should use lighter weights with more repetitions in your training sessions.

Why it's important

Strength training is an important part of a fitness routine, because your muscles must be strong enough for daily activities, such as carrying groceries or gardening, as well as for recreational and sports activities, such as walking or carrying golf clubs. As you age, you lose muscle mass and strength. Strength training helps delay and reduce this loss of muscle.

The National Institute on Aging offers these tips for strength training:

• Your strength-training program should work all the major muscle groups at least twice a week.
• Warm up your muscles for five to 10 minutes before beginning your weight workout, with gentle exercises. Follow your workout with a cool down of five to 10 minutes and gentle stretching. There should be at least one day of rest between your sessions to allow your muscles to grow and heal.
• Use a minimum of weight the first week. Starting out with weights that are too heavy can cause injuries. You can determine how heavy a weight to use by your ability to lift it eight to 12 times before your muscle becomes fatigued, or you are unable to lift the weight. Many women beginners start with 5-pound dumbbells; men with 10 to 15 pounds, but you may need to start out using as few as 1 or 2 pounds.
• When doing a strength exercise, do eight to 15 repetitions in a row. Wait a minute, then do another set of eight to 15 repetitions in a row of the same exercise.
• Gradually add a challenging amount of weight in order to benefit from strength exercises. If you don’t challenge your muscles, you won’t benefit from strength exercises.
• If you have had joint repair or replacement surgery, check with your surgeon before doing lower-body exercises.
• Avoid jerking or thrusting weights into position. That can cause injuries. Use smooth, steady movements.
• Avoid "locking" the joints in your arms and legs in a tightly straightened position.
• Breathe out as you lift or push, and breathe in as you relax. For example, if you are doing leg lifts, breathe out as you lift your leg, and breathe in as you lower it. This may not feel natural at first, and you probably will have to think about it as you are doing it for awhile.
• Muscle soreness lasting up to a few days and slight fatigue are normal after muscle-building exercises, but exhaustion, sore joints, and unpleasant muscle pulling aren't. The latter symptoms mean you are overdoing it.
• None of the exercises you do should cause pain. The range within which you move your arms and legs should never hurt. 

The following exercises are a 30-minute home weight-training workout. Do two sets of eight repetitions of each exercise before repeating on the other side, where applicable.

Immediately stop any exercise with the dumbbells that causes you pain, especially in the shoulder or back. Check with your health care provider if this happens.

Dumbbell chest press

Lie on an exercise ball, with dumbbells resting on each thigh. Lift dumbbells to your shoulders with your palms facing forward. With your elbows to the sides, press dumbbells up until your arms are fully extended. Lower dumbbells and repeat.

Dumbbell rows

Lying face down on the ball, with dumbbell in hand, straighten your arm. Then pull the dumbbell toward your upper chest, with your elbow leading.

Dumbbell squats

Place the ball between the wall and the lower part of your back. In each hand, hold a dumbbell with your arms by your sides. Feet shoulder-width apart, slowly squat like you're about to sit in a chair, allowing your back to follow the roll of the ball. Stop when your thighs become parallel to the floor. Then push up to return to a standing position.

Hip lifts

Lie on the floor face up; place your calves on the ball, about 8 inches apart. Keep your arms on the floor, away from your body. Tilting your pelvis forward, raise your hips as high as possible and contract your buttocks when you reach the top. Lower your buttocks and relax.

Dumbbell shoulder/overhead press

Sit on the ball, or stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and dumbbells at shoulder height. Grasp dumbbells with your palms facing forward. Slowly push them toward the ceiling, stopping before your elbows lock. Then slowly lower them to shoulder height.

Dumbbell arm curls

Stand with your back straight, dumbbells hanging by your sides. With your palms facing upward, curl both dumbbells simultaneously toward your shoulders. Then slowly lower the weight, rotating your palms so they're facing each other at the bottom of the exercise.

Progressing

• Gradually increasing the amount of weight you use is crucial for building strength.
• When you are able to lift a weight between eight to 15 times, you can increase the amount of weight you use at your next session.
• Here is an example of how to progress gradually: Start out with a weight that you can lift only 8 times. Keep using that weight until you become strong enough to lift it 12 to 15 times. Add more weight so that, again, you can lift it only 8 times. Use this weight until you can lift it 12 to 15 times, then add more weight. Keep repeating.

How To Maximize Your Workout

Method 1 of 2: Working Out With a Healthy Routine

1

Recognize that your body needs to rest. Many people are confused about how quickly the body recovers and how often it needs to rest. Remember, when you do any sort of exercise, your muscles tear apart at the molecular level. When they heal, they grow back stronger. However, if you never rest your muscles, they can never heal. Always rest each group of muscles at least two days a week. On the other hand, you do not need to wait several days between working out two different muscle groups.

• Studies have shown that working out a single muscle group every 48 hours is healthy and effective, as long as the muscles are not overly stressed

2

Warm up. When you're ready to roll, it can be hard walking and stretching for ten minutes before you start your run. While you may think your muscles are trained or healthy enough to skip warming up, this is a very important part of exercising. Attempt to spend at least five minutes warming up for light workouts, or ten minutes for intense exercise.

3

Cool down. The easiest thing to do after a workout is to plop down and rest. However the healthiest thing to do is to massage stressed muscles with ice, take a hot-and-cold shower (with bursts of each - as hot and cold as you can stand for about 6 repetitions), and stretch.

4

Change your routine. Most casual exercisers know that the body is very adaptive and will quickly build up a 'tolerance' to a workout routine. Therefore, changing up your regimen every four weeks is an important part in staying fit. Easy ways to change your routine are to look up new activities that accomplish the goals you want. For example, if you jog for twenty minutes and do thirty crunches, you could instead do short sprints and jumping jacks for twenty minutes followed by five minutes of planks.

5

Remember that diet is key. People might think that exercise 'cancels out' the unhealthy food they eat, but this is untrue. In fact, after a workout, your body responds even more to what you put in it. While being a health nut isn't necessary, opting for healthier foods in general will put a big boost in your health

6

Don't train until you drop. Training to failure is unnecessary. Training to failure is when you keep pushing your muscles until they fail, like running until you collapse. Many casual exercisers think that this is a good idea, because it pushes their muscles to the 'max'. However, there is no conclusive proof that training to failure boosts muscle growth. In fact, because it damages muscles so heavily, it may hurt your progress.

7

Keep track of your work. The first time you realize you can run a mile without stopping is a big milestone, but keeping track of your daily progress (and not just big milestones) is important. Keeping track of your improvement helps keep you motivated and knowledgeable about your body and will remind you to keep pushing yourself. Try keeping a notebook (or even a piece of paper) with your workout equipment (or clothes) keeping track of how long you can jog, how many repetitions you can do, etc., along with the date.

8 Eat. Your body needs energy to function. Some people, especially those trying to lose weight, think that keeping their meals to a minimum + exercise = improved weight loss. Just remember that your body doesn't want to lose weight, and as soon as it isn't getting enough food, it will kick into survival mode and hold onto every ounce of fat it can. Because of this, a drastic approach can actually give diminishing returns.

9

Build muscles or lose weight, not both. Your body only has the resources to do so much. You can easily create a balanced 50/50 routine that builds muscles and sheds fat, but, for intense regimes, both won't work at once. If your goal is to build pure muscle, avoid cardio as much as possible (doing cardio once or twice a week), while you should do the reverse if you want to lose weight and build cardiovascular health.

10

Never jump in to a routine you are not physically prepared for. While the point of exercise is to grow stronger, it is dangerous to expect your body to perform at a level far beyond your current capabilities right away. Most people who start an exercise regime are very motivated and want to work out every single day. However, for the untrained body, three days a week is plenty, while most people should never exceed five.

• Also avoid doing intense workouts without a few weeks of preparation. It may seem like a long time, but spending two weeks jogging before doing an intense run can save you from serious physical injury.

Method 2 of 2: Having a Positive, Productive Attitude

1

Strive for consistency. No matter what you're told on late-night infomercials, healthy bodies can't be built in days or weeks. Understand that you must be consistent with your routine over the long term to see results. As a generally rule, give a workout routine at least a month before you decide it's not working.

• Some fitness instructors swear by the adage, "First comes form, then comes strength, then comes results." In other words, if you follow your routine, demonstrating proper form, you'll eventually get stronger, and only after this will you begin to see visible changes. Don't be discouraged if you don't look like an Adonis right away - stick with your routine.

2

Care for your body beyond exercise. Never forget that exercise is only one of the needs your body has. For a truly healthy life, you'll need to work to balance these many needs. Besides exercise, you'll need to eat a proper, healthy diet, drink plenty of water, and get 7-9 hours of sleep each night. Don't try to over-simplify things - the work you do to maintain your health and fitness doesn't begin and end in the gym.

3

Set realistic goals. While it's healthy to have ambitious goals in mind for the long term, it's important to set achievable goals for the short-term. For instance, don't start working out with the assumption that, if you push hard enough, you can be a competitive bodybuilder by the end of the year. It's important to understand the reality that certain goals take years to achieve. Don't over-reach at the start of your fitness journey. Overtraining is a sure-fire way to injure yourself or worse.

4

Listen to your body. Although it's a great idea to periodically push oneself to the physical limit, understand that pushing too hard or too often can lead to serious consequences. Always listen to your body - be observant of how it responds to any diets and workouts you introduce into your life. Avoid the temptation that some athletes fall prey to - don't "push through" an exercise or diet that is clearly, demonstratively hurting you. Any gains you make are likely to be offset by lasting injury or ill health.

• Remember that there is no universally perfect workout or diet - what works for a friend may not work for you. Everyone is different and has different genetics and body types. Some people are able to build massive shoulder muscles, while others are natural runners. Still others will get amazing results from dieting. Find your "thing" and enjoy doing what makes you unique.

5

Don't fall into miracle-cure traps. Unfortunately, there are are many products and services in the world being peddled for the precise purpose of swindling people who just want to be healthy. Thoroughly research any fitness product before you buy it to ensure that its claims are supported by concrete evidence. Above all, be guarded and skeptical until you have reason to be otherwise. This attitude may seem cynical, but it can save your valuable time and money.

• "Supplements" are, at best, just that - things that supplement your "already-great diet and workout routine". They will not boost your testosterone, make you look like Arnold Schwarzenegger, make you the fastest runner ever, or make you lose 10lbs in a week. The only nutrients you really need to build a healthy body are vitamins, minerals, healthy carbs and fats, and, of course, lean protein - anything else should be seen as an "extra" rather than an "essential".

6

Give yourself reasons to stay motivated. Working out or dieting can be tough, especially if it's new to your routine. It's easier to keep a positive attitude about a new fitness routine if you focus on your goal, rather than the daunting process of getting there. As you work out, visualize what it will be like when you've reached the level of fitness you want - you may be surprised how easy this makes it to give "just one more". If this doesn't work, sweeten the deal - plan rewards for yourself as you make progress toward your goal.

• Don't worry, you don't need to be a peppy girl or a bro to be serious about working out. Just keep your eye on the prize and take pride in each success along the way - this genuine positive attitude will do more to motivate you than any phony persona any day.

• CUTT Fitness Atlanta
  Tonyia Short, LMT, NCTM, C.W.C., CPT
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Feeling Blah? 8 Fabulous Ways To Instantly Boost Your Mood

We all have those days when we could use an instant pick me up to help improve our mood. Whether you are feeling down about something specific, or you are just in a funk for some unknown reason, it’s always good to try to brighten up your spirits. After all, no one sets out to be grumpy and in a bad mood all day long, do they? Of course not! People want to be happy!

The next time you need an instant mood boost, try out some of these things:

1. Be your biggest fan.

Brag on yourself a little bit. Notice something about yourself that you really like, whether it’s your shiny hair, your pretty smile, or your newly manicured nails.

2. Compliments.

Learn to accept them. When someone takes time to notice something about you, make sure to thank them and really hear what they had to say. We can be our biggest critics, so when a total stranger compliments you, you must be doing something right!

3. Appearance.

Ever heard of “fake it til you make it”? It’s kind of the same thing here. Put some effort into your appearance and you will notice how your mood improves. Notice how people treat you when you have put some effort into yourself, whether it’s your outfit, hair, or makeup.

4. Do what makes you feel good.

Do you like to go running? Volunteer at the local animal shelter? Think about what you like and DO IT. You will be happy and that will radiate to how you act and feel about yourself.

5. Friends.

Schedule a date with some friends that make you feel good about yourself. It’s really great to have a strong support circle so that you can bounce ideas off of your friends and know that they won’t judge you or your ideas. Pick your fun friends that are positive and great to be around and you will be on your way to a great mood! If you are constantly hanging out with negative Nelly, pick another friend because she isn’t going to make you feel good about yourself. Misery loves company, so she’s not going to make you feel better about yourself.

6. Do something new.

It’s amazing how we feel when we try something new and different for the first time. It not only gives our self-confidence a boost for trying something new, but it makes us feel good. Step outside of your comfort zone and see how you feel. Or you could go zip lining. It doesn’t matter if the new thing is big or little, you will get the same results.

7. Exercise.

Find something you like and do it, whether it’s playing tennis or walking. It doesn’t matter what the activity is, just make sure it’s something you enjoy. When your blood gets flowing, you will just feel happier!

8. Volunteer.

Doing something selfless can really make us put things into perspective and help our moods. Volunteering is a great way to help people, animals, and the environment. Find something close to your heart and start spending some of your time there helping out. You won’t regret it!

So the next time you’re looking to put a little pep in your step, try one of the above eight things. You will definitely start feeling better about everything in your life and you just might realize that you are a pretty amazing person! It’s no fun to walk around feeling down about yourself or the world, so do what you can to make everyday count and help you to live the most fab life you can!

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How To Make The Perfect Summertime Salad

There’s just something about summertime, heat, and salads that goes perfect together! (And BBQ, beer, burgers, hot dogs, pasta salad, and on and on, but these things aren’t going to help trim your waistline for your bathing suit, ha, ha!) The thought of eating a hot meal while it’s 95 degrees out just doesn’t appeal to me right now. I want something cold, crisp, fresh, and yummy to fill my belly, which is why I think salads are the perfect meal in summertime!

There are so many different things you can put on a salad to change it up so that it never gets boring. You can do a chopped salad with tons of veggies. A Waldorf salad with some delicious sweetness from the apples. A strawberry and walnut salad. And the list goes on and on. A salad can be as creative as you want. And of course, you can change up the flavor with your choice of dressing.

The perfect salad has a mix of greens, protein, fiber, and a little added sweetness to it. I’ve listed a lot of choices below for each category. Pick a few from each one and make your perfect summer salad that’s both delicious and super filling!

1. Greens.

If you’re like me, crunchy salads are the absolute best! I love me some spinach in my salad, especially since it’s packed with vitamins, but it is not crunchy. A plain spinach salad just doesn’t do it for me. I like to add chopped romaine lettuce to my spinach so that I’m getting the perfect crunch with all the goodies found in spinach. You can even add iceberg lettuce to the mix for even more crunch. Just be sure that the bulk of your salad isn’t iceberg, as it doesn’t pack too much nutrition in it. 

2. Veggies.

Here’s where you can really bulk up your salad for very few calories and lots of fiber! You can add: Broccoli slaw, celery, carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, broccoli, yellow squash, cucumber, asparagus, cauliflower, bell peppers, tomatoes (a fruit, I know), onions, green beans, sprouts, and green cabbage. I like to chop my veggies up so that I don’t have to take huge bites and just about every bite I take has different veggies in it!

3. Protein.

You can add chicken breast, turkey breast, tuna, shrimp, or salmon to your salad to really keep you full. You can add them plain, or play around with seasonings to give your salad a great flavor!

4. Extras.

Black beans, kidney beans, and chickpeas help to bulk up your salad with extra fiber, which will keep you full longer.

You can also add green olives, black olives, sunflower seeds, flaxseed, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, feta cheese, chopped egg, avocado, cottage cheese, and/or jalapenos to your salad. Just make sure that you don’t add a ton of extra calories to your salad. A small amount of the above really goes a long way!

5. Fruit.

Adding some berries to your salad is a great way to give it a sweeter flavor. You can add: Strawberries, blueberries, grapes, oranges, cranberries, pineapple, apples, and pears.

6. Dressing.

Make sure not to go overboard on the dressing! I like just plain old oil and vinegar as my dressing. Another favorite is Bragg Healthy Vinaigrette, which is their apple cider vinegar with olive oil. Bragg has a good selection on healthy salad dressings, so try one the next time you’re at the grocery store!

If I’m in the mood for something different, I always go for a full-fat dressing so that I’m not adding a lot of extra sugar and other chemicals (found in fat-free dressings) in my body. I’ll admit that I’m a sucker for bleu cheese dressing at times. It’s just SO good!

The above has been my dinner lately and I don’t see it changing anytime soon. If you eat lots of salads, is there an ingredient that I forgot to mention that you really like? If so, please share in the comments.

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Best Things to Eat Before Working Out!

Does this sound typical for you? You’re all dressed in your workout gear and ready to go sweat some calories away, but first you need to eat to give your body fuel.

If you are like me, it can be confusing to know what foods you should eat before working out. Some people really like waking up in the morning and getting right to their work out on an empty stomach, while others like to focus on carbohydrates and protein. What’s the right thing to do?

You are the only one that knows your body, so you know best. If you are one of the ones that enjoy working out on an empty stomach and feel great doing so, keep it up. It’s obviously working for you. For me, it’s a different story.

When I tried running on an empty stomach, I felt dizzy and knew that I needed food in my body before. It’s like my mom always told me, food is to your body like gas is to a car. We all need food for energy and this is true when working out. Without food I feel slow in everything I do whether it’s running or yoga. I feel like something is blocking me from giving the exercise my all. I’m tired and cannot wait to finish.

So yeah, I need food prior to working out because my body needs a kick-start of energy… but what kind of food is best? A meal or snack that’s made from carbohydrates and protein is best. It’s best to eat forty-five minutes to an hour before working out.

Here’s a list of snacks that are awesome and will give you the energy you need:

• Cottage cheese with honey, bananas, berries, and cinnamon sprinkled on the top.
• Whole-wheat bagel with almond butter: You can also use peanut butter, jam, or honey.
• Protein shake: Vanilla whey protein, spinach, unsweetened almond milk, banana, and any other fruit you want
• Whole-wheat toast with almond butter, sliced bananas, and cinnamon sprinkled on top.
• Grilled chicken with quinoa (if you work out later in the day or if you don’t mind eating this for breakfast)
• Oatmeal with fruit
• Greek yogurt with fruit or honey
• Tuna mixed with avocado
• Whole-wheat bread toasted with cheese and egg whites on top

All of the above snacks are packed with all the protein and carbohydrates you need to be fueled throughout your workout. In addition to eating smart before exercising, it’s really important to hydrate yourself. It’s a good idea to drink water a lot of water through out the day so that your body is always hydrated.

How do you know how much water your body needs during the day? It’s a good rule of thumb to drink half your weight. For example, if you weigh 150lbs, you want to aim to drink at least 75ounces of water in a 24-hour period.

If you keep your body hydrated and eat a good mix of protein and carbohydrates prior to working out, you will be prepared to have the most fab workout ever!

CUTT Fitness Atlanta

Tonyia Short, LMT, NCTM, C.W.C., CPT

770.609.9355

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Benefits Of Protein Shakes

Women who drink protein shakes may retain more muscle and lose more fat.

Women looking at protein shakes and supplements may get the impression that they’re only for bodybuilders. It’s true that high-protein shakes can help develop lean muscle mass, which is a benefit for all women, but it’s also true that shakes can encourage fat loss, increase satiety, deliver essential nutrients and even improve metabolic activity.

Muscle Gain

Rice University recommends regularly strength training and upping your daily protein intake by 0.2 to 0.4 grams per pound of body weight per day if your objective is gaining lean muscle. Retaining muscle mass and getting an adequate amount of protein is particularly important for women as they age and their risks of osteoporosis and joint problems increase. If you strength train and eat protein daily, you don't need shakes to retain or gain muscle. However, if you don't eat many protein-rich foods, drinking an occasional shake can help you get enough of the nutrient.

Fat Loss

Using a protein shake as an occasional meal replacement may help you lose more weight and fat than you would by following a reduced-calorie diet. According to the “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,” high-quality proteins are more satiating than either carbohydrates or fats, and they may have the ability to improve the body’s metabolism. Additionally, a study that appeared in the journal “Nutrition & Metabolism” in 2008 stated that obese women and men lost more fat when they drank two protein shake meal replacements per day and followed a low-calorie diet. Subjects who adhered to the diet without the shakes lost less total body fat and more lean muscle mass. The study did not take nutrient deficiencies or diet balance into account, however. Unless you have approval from your doctor, do not replace more than one meal daily with a protein shake.

Nutritional Benefits

Homemade shakes and even commercially sold shakes that are made from fresh fruits, vegetables and natural proteins deliver essential vitamins and minerals without sacrificing taste. Protein from shakes or food is classified as an essential nutrient, meaning it performs tasks that are necessary for your body's daily functioning. For example, the USDA states that proteins build and repair skin, blood, bones, muscles and cartilage.

Considerations

Protein shakes can be healthy additions to many women’s diets, but they’re not for everyone. If you get enough protein by eating whole foods, you don’t need to supplement with shakes -- especially shakes that are high in sugar or artificial ingredients. Getting too much protein can actually be dangerous, as Mayo Clinic dietitian Katherine Zeratsky notes that it may increase your risk of heart and kidney problems, diverticulitis and nutrient deficiencies. Adding protein to your diet will also add calories, which may lead to long-term weight gain. Before you include shakes in your regular diet, check with your doctor.

CUTT Fitness Atlanta

Tonyia Short, LMT, NCTM, C.W.C., CPT

770.609.9355

www.cuttfitnessatlanta.com
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