CoreFit » personal training chicago

Multipurpose Stem Cells

Shayna Robinson, MSPT, PhD — Thu, 30 Jan 2014 14:27:05 +0000

Groundbreaking work in #stemcell development; Japanese researchers have discovered an easy way to turn ordinary cells into multipurpose stem cells that can be used to create any living mammalian cell. They’re calling them STAP cells for Stimulus triggered acquisition of pluripotency. Great news for research since harvesting stem cells is a difficult and costly procedure. With the ability to easily change ordinary cells to a pluripotent stem cell state, research can proceed at a much faster rate and we could see advances in research and human development and care much faster.

It’s a simple procedure–bath cells in a low ph of 5.7. Drop cells in citric acid. Normally this would completely erase everything in the cell, but extraordinarily instead of killing itself, the cell self organizes and is able to be pluripotent–create embryonic cells AND extra embryonic stem cells for placenta. Most stem cells are unable to make both–but these pluripotent cells can.

Is Thoracic Spine Mobility Important?

Shayna Robinson, MSPT, PhD — Wed, 29 Jan 2014 15:55:51 +0000

Shayna Robinson, MSPT, PhD | January 25th, 2014

Can Shoulder Stand Save You Too?

Shayna Robinson, MSPT, PhD — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 16:09:17 +0000

January 22, 2014 | Shayna Robinson, MSPT, PhD

Fit Your Feet

Shayna Robinson, MSPT, PhD — Fri, 26 Jul 2013 17:46:33 +0000

The correct shoe can mean the greatest training and competitive season you’ve ever had and a poorly fit shoe can derail your progress and sideline you. As we age, without the correct anatomical support, the bones in your foot can collapse under the weight of gravity from all the added high impact exercise we sustain to stay healthy. Fortunately for all us runners, there’s a simple way to analyze your gait and you don’t even have to rely on the “experts” at Fleet Feet. Personally, every time I purchase a pair of shoes at Fleet Feet, I get a different diagnosis. One of my all time favorite running shoe companies, Mizuno, provides a precision online fit assessment and then recommends a specific model to try out. You can opt to buy their brand or search elsewhere with the info you attain from the fit assessment. I personally love Mizuno. The lightweight feel of their shoes coupled with the quality and ability to keep up with my training is why I go back to them again and again.

Here are the different elements of the test:

‘Caution’ Warranted if Consuming Artificial Sweeteners

Shayna Robinson, MSPT, PhD — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 16:15:12 +0000

Artificial sweeteners may seem like a god send, but they cause havoc within your body if you’re not careful. In fact, the evidence is adding up that consumption of noncaloric, artificially sweetened beverages (ASBs) is associated with an increased risk for a variety of chronic diseases including obesity, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes.

In an article

Statins Linked to Muscle Pain, But Evidence Is Minimal

Shayna Robinson, MSPT, PhD — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 19:20:58 +0000

My favorite thing about living in America is the choices we get to make everyday. We can choose to get Starbucks or Dunkin. We can choose to ride our bike or take the car. We can choose what type of job we want to work at everyday. These choices also come with responsibility to educate yourself about potential side effects in making the choices we do everyday.

Here’s a great example: “STATINS LINKED TO MUSCLE PAIN, SPRAINS” (read the headline of Reuters Health this morning)

The BREAKDOWN:

I read the article which cites the Journal of American Medical Association–a hefty and well established journal. It represents diagnosis and studies done in the past as well as peer reviews and editorials of today’s medical research.

Today Reuter’s reports that JAMA claims in a recent study that statins are linked to MUSCLE PAIN and SPRAINS/STRAINS.

Unfortunately the evidence is shaky:

For all of us not on Statins (drugs used for high cholesterol levels), 85% reported problems with muscles or joints.

For those of us on Statins, 87% reported problems.

That pretty much sums up this study: nearly everyone has muscular and/or joint pain.

This girl is now Laughing out loud. Cheers.

Apps Are So Out

Shayna Robinson, MSPT, PhD — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 14:44:19 +0000

I know, I know… Apps are the next “It” thing if you are in business. But I am proposing that you NOT carry your cell phone everywhere you go. And hey, especially when you are exercising. Because, if anything, exercise is your hour to yourself everyday. And it should be peaceful and quiet and you shouldn’t have emails buzzing and text messages being sent and you shouldn’t be looking at yet another florescent screen just to follow an exercise routine. No, I’m thinking all you need is your eyes, your ears, your heart, your arms and legs to carry out the most physical part of your day. Forget technology, get in touch with something even more intelligent and complex–your body.

So I’m developing a CoreFit Deck that you can take with you. Get the first of these workouts here and print out so you can just grab them and go to the gym. In fact, why not just take a few in your gym back so all you have to do is follow the pictures and do the routine. Simple. And it won’t even show up on your data usage.

Core Values

Shayna Robinson, MSPT, PhD — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 13:39:58 +0000

You probably already know that a strong core is key to riding better. And with the weather warming up, this is the best time to prep for your long rides. You may be surprised, but there’s more to your core than just abs and doing crunches won’t do the trick. Too many cyclists forget muscles that riding neglects–glutes, back, hips and obliques.

The workout below, targets those muscles to create a stable platform for your legs to generate real power.

Snowy Exercise

Shayna Robinson, MSPT, PhD — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 12:46:17 +0000

Think the snow will slow down your exercise? You could be right–but only in the best way possible! Snowshoeing burns about 45 percent more calories than walking or running when done at the same pace and on the same type of terrain.

Don’t have snow shoes? No worries–just walking or running in your regular shoes with clips or without will produce about a 30 percent higher calorie burn. Plus the cold weather challenges your body to maintain an internal homeostasis, further burning calories.

Don’t use a snowy day as an exercise to skip your workout. Use it as a training tool and best yourself next time the street is clear

The Individualist Diet

Shayna Robinson, MSPT, PhD — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 15:57:15 +0000

For most of your life, you’ve probably had an image of what your body should look and how you should achieve that image. Everyday our interactions with the world breed a certain notion about “normalcy” and beauty. The more airbrushed images we see, for instance, the more we begin to believe that’s how a “normal” person should look.

But the truth is, you should examine your body based on your own individualistic set of factors. You are not your neighbor, and your neighbor is not you. We all have different shapes, sizes, body types, metabolisms, diets, etc., that all influence how we look.

Body image is an important topic to discuss in personal coaching because the psychological aspect of how we see ourselves can often influence our health. If you see yourself as imperfect and struggle to achieve a facade of reality, you may never attain that goal and that can decrease your confidence in achieving other life goals. It also can inhibit your enjoyment of food and healthy relationships with others. Food, exercise and how you look should never be a stressful endeavor. It should feel right. You should feel right.

I’ve created some guidelines to review in your own personal quest for the individualistic diet. These are encompassing rules that shed light on how you should really feel that create a healthy self image. Choose reality based solutions based on how you want to feel. Unhealthy runway models, steroid induced professional athletes, airbrushed magazine covers and celebrities (who, quite frankly, have an advanced team of practitioners taking care of them) shouldn’t dictate your personal health.

The Individualist Diet:

1. Eat Six Meals A Day

Researchers at Georgia State University found that if you keep your hourly surplus or deficit within 300 calories at all times, you’ll regulate your blood sugar levels and regulate insulin better. Insulin is the hormone that stores fat. When your blood sugar drops in your body for a long period of time (as in very heavy exercise or lack of food for extended periods), the next meal you take in spikes your insulin which works to enhance storage of glucose and suppress the breakdown of adipose tissue, or fat, into free fatty acids.

2. Eat Foods That Swap Fat For Muscle

Donald Layman, Ph.D.⁶, from the University of Illinois, published research on protein consumption for fat loss. Results show that a high protein, leucine rich diet, in combination with lower carbohydrates (150 grams or 600 calories per day) is effective to support weight loss, blood sugar metabolism, and a variety of factors that have an impact on cardiovascular health. Leucine has a direct signaling effect on muscle that prevents muscle loss during weight loss. This means that on a high protein diet, the weight that is lost is mostly fat, not muscle. Whereas on a high carbohydrate weight loss diet, much more muscle is lost.

Choose 2-3 of these foods in each of your 3 major meals and at least one of the foods in each of your 3 snacks

Greek yogurt (Fage 0%), berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries), leafy greens (spinach, sprouts), lean meats and fish (chicken breast, salmon), nuts (almonds, walnuts), colorful vegetables (red peppers, broccoli, sweet potatoes), oatmeal (steel cut preferred).