Birth Control

Sex is a big issue, so it's better to talk about it rather than pretend it doesn't play an important role in our lives. Inside the whole bubble called "sex", birth control is one of the topics every woman and man should be aware of. However, because of different policies that exist in some countries (education, politics, economy) and different beliefs and traditions, birth control is not an easy topic to manage.

I believe that the key to manage the birth control issue is to focus in one thing, which is the person's well-being.

Which is the best birth control method for a woman? What are the side effects of each birth control method? In case the woman gets pregnant, will the baby be healthy despite the birth control method the woman used? What about the "no-bleed" pills? What are the side effects of the "Plan B"?

These are some of the questions that need to be asked by us, the non-experts, and answered by responsible and meticulous doctors. It's a shared responsability.

I know little about birth control methods but the article "Weighing the Health Benefits of Birth Control" has opened my eyes and encouraged me to keep asking questions and looking for answers.

Emily.

My Siesta Culture

Since my last year of high school, my mom and I have been used to take naps whenever we can. We usually lunch, watch TV and then sleep for about one hour. Once in UF (after almost 4 years that my siesta culture started), my habit has not changed at all. I still take my lovely, relaxing and refreshing mid-day naps. They help me to be more productive during the afternoon and the evening, stay alert and feel more relaxed.

According to the service organization Talk About Sleep, a mid-day nap helps "mood, energy, and subjective alertness improve beyond baseline." Also, in an article posted on the about.com web page, it says that "mid-day sleep, or a ‘power nap’, means more patience, less stress, better reaction time, increased learning, more efficiency and better health."

However, there are two tips we should remember before taking a nap. The first one is not to sleep after 4p.m. because otherwise, we might affect our biological clock and thus, our night sleep. Also, a nap should not last more than 1 hour, because this might, as well, affect our night sleep, make us feel groggier and interfere our daily activities.

Oh! I almost forgot. If you are encouraged to join the siesta culture, but feel bad because your silly friends call you lazy, just show them this quote by Winston Churchill:

"You must sleep sometime between lunch and dinner, and no halfway measures. Take off your clothes and get into bed. That's what I always do. Don't think you will be doing less work because you sleep during the day. That's a foolish notion held by people who have no imaginations. You will be able to accomplish more. You get two days in one -- well, at least one and a half."

The best quote I have ever read.

May I Go To The Bathroom, Please?

At my school, teachers didn't understand I had to go to the bathroom at least twice before lunch. The reason? I had fruit for breakfast. Every morning, at 7 a.m., my mom made a smoothie with orange juice, papaya, pineapple, yogurt, etc. So obviously, I had to pee, A LOT.

But I learned to hold it, because my old christian school's rules wouldn't let students go to the bathroom during classes. I was thinking about that this morning, while I was struggling to get up and go to the bathroom.

My mom has always said to me that I shouldn't hold it and she is right.

"What will eventually happen," says Cleveland Clinic urologist Dr. James Ulchaker, "is that you may leak some urine to lessen the bladder pressure. But you're not going to burst your bladder."

There are, as always, exceptions.

After you go to the bathroom, read this article "When you gotta go, you should: Holding it and holding it can lead to health consequences," posted in the webpage http://www.cleveland.com/.

Turbokick

Yesterday, around 9 a.m., I was REALLY frustrated. I asked a couple of friends if they wanted to go to swim around one or two pm. with me, and guess what? Yes, you are right, nobody wanted to. "I have a meeting," one said, "I really don't have time," "I'm too tired, I want to sleep" and blah blah blah. So I said to myself: "You know what? I don't care. I'm going to excercise ALONE!"

But the thing is that... I did care. I'm in a foreign country, away from my family, friends and boyfriend, speaking a second language and trying to fit in, so it's not that fun when you are alone and nobody wants to go with you to some activity.

I didn't want to swim anymore. I wanted to sweat, sweat, sweat and feel happier (endorphins make you happy, remember?). What else can I do? Something fun and different -I thought-, and the answer was: Turbokick.

At 11:45 a.m., the class started. Jab, uppercut, cross and hook punches. Kicks. Music. Hip hop movements. Sweat. Beautiful feeling.

Turbokick is a cardiovascular activity created in 1997. It's the most popular kickboxing program in the US. It's a combination of martial arts, kickboxing, hiphop dance movements and more. According to some webpages, you can burn between 800 and 1000 calories per hour. Want to know more about Turbokick? Go to http://www.infinityma.com/programs/turbo-kick

I loved the class even though I had to take a nap in the afternoon because I was VERY tired. When I was trying to sleep, a good friend of mine called me. I told her I went to the Turbokick class at the Rec Center. "Oh, Turbokick is the best class!," she said. "Do you want to go with me this Sunday?," I asked.

"Sounds great," she said.

Topic 1 - Post 3: Move your body!

I'm gaining weight or at least that's what I feel, and it's great! What I have been doing is keep going to my dance classes, swim for about 45 minutes - 3 times a week and work-out for about 30 minutes - twice a week (this last activity during the weekend). I can feel the difference; whenever I stop doing exercise, I start to lose weight and whenever I go back to my routine, I feel healthier, stronger, happier.

As you know, exercise is good for everyone. However, you have to figure out what exercise fits you (according to your age, your meatabolism, your physical condition, goals, etc.). Since this topic is about people who find it hard to gain weight and muscle mass (hardgainers), I'm going to talk about work-out routines to accomplish this goal using some research information and personal experience.

First of all, you have to keep in mind that it's not all about the looks. As our last guest speaker Matt Herring (UF Men's Basketball Team Strength and Conditioning Coordinator) in my class of Health and Fitness Writing says, it's not about being bigger, but better. To exercise in order to gain weight and muscle mass has not only a "personal appearance" purpose (although for hardgainers, this is the priority!); it is important because it makes you healthier in different ways. For example:

Muscles provide the forces that enable the body to move and maintain its posture (Human Body, p.80). If you work-out and increase your muscle mass, you will have more force to move and have a better posture.

In addition: "By increasing muscle strength and endurance and improving flexibility and posture, regular exercise helps to prevent back pain. Exercise can also help with osteoporosis by promoting bone formation using weight-bearing exercises." (http://www.promolifenews.com/health-benefits-of-exercising/)

So, yes. If you, hardgainer, are trying to gain weight and build muscle mass in order to look more attractive and feel better with yourself, the good news is that you are also getting other and probably more important benefits for your health. Now, let me give you some information about work-out routines that will help you accomplish your goal.

1. In the gym:

Do not run to the cardio area! Or if you go, don't exercise until you burn all of your calories! The best way to gain muscle mass is to lift more weight in fewer repetions. Exercise all of your muscles; do not get stuck in one machine. Finally, make changes in your routine; this will help your muscle to work harder by "surprising him".

2. Sports:

I believe every sport is going to help you gain weight and build muscle mass as long as you remember to eat around 6 meals per day (eating more food that contains proteins and carbs) and lift weight at least twice a week.

Excercise also increases your apetite (specially when you practice the sport you like and have a good time); therefore, you will consume more calories and gain weight.

In conclusion, if you want to gain weight and build muscle mass, you have to EXCERCISE (do not focus on cardio but on lifting some weight and practice the sport you like), EAT around 6 meals per day (more calories!) & DO NOT GET DISCOURAGED. Sometimes, it's not all about exercise and food; it's also about waiting a few years.

My brother (I hope he doesn't read this!) started to gain weight and muscle mass when he was 24. Until then, he was a tall, skinny and funny-looking guy. I hope I don't have to wait until that age!

Emily.

Topic 1 - Post 2: Let's eat!

So I was looking for information in the web and I really liked the first link I found in GOOGLE. I googled “hardgainers meal plan” and it turned out to be a great site called Hardgainer’s Guide, where you can find a specific daily meal for the ones that want to gain weight. Take a look at:
http://www.hardgainersguide.com/hardgainers-diet-a-complete-meal-plan/

WHAT TO EAT: I believe that the first thing you have to know, if you want to gain weight, is to increase your daily amount of calories. These calories should not come from junk but from healthy foods. For example, you can get healthy fat from: tuna, salmon, flax & walnuts. You can get proteins from lean meats, fish, poultry, nuts, seeds and legumes. Finally, you can get carbohydrates from fruits, vegetables & whole grains.

HOW MANY TIMES: In many articles, you will find that it is better to have more than 3 meals per day. For example, I remember I read you could have 3 solid meals plus 3 snacks or so. What I’ve been doing for gaining weight is to have from 2 to 3 solid meals (because, let’s face it, sometimes college students and workers of any kind don’t have time for 3 meals per day) and have from 2 to 3 snacks, such as: a bowl of cereal with whole milk, a sandwich or even a smoothie with protein right after doing exercise.

MY OPINION: In my opinion, there is not one specific meal plan that could help everyone who wants to gain weight. Everyone is different; however, the key to success is to have a balanced diet (healthy fat, proteins and carbs) and eat many times a day in order to consume more calories (from 4 to 6 times meals a day). Enjoy while you eat, don’t force yourself to eat food you hate, but try to find food that makes your tongue and stomach happy.

Emily.

Topic 1 - Post 1: A little bit of Sheldon's Theory

The word "somatotype" refers to the body's structure of a person. According to W.H. Sheldon's theory, there are three kinds of somatotypes -endomophorm, mesophorm and ectophorm- which correlate to temperaments. Take a look at Sheldon's Theory at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somatotype_and_Constitutional_Psychology.

In this post, I'm going to explain the ectomorphic type, which is characterized by:

Ectomorphs contain very low body fat percentage
They have ultra fast metabolism
Thin, lean and very linear-type appearance and physique
Stays slim easily
They have narrow waist, hips and shoulders
Low and lean muscle weight
Lack shape(*).

Of course, this doesn't mean that people with ectomorphic body structures have all of these established characteristics. "The quick metabolism and genetics makes it extremely hard for an ectomorph to gain weight and muscle" (*).

*http://www.fitnesshealthzone.com/exercises/ectomorph-body-type/.

Another definition for this type of structure is HARDGAINER. So, if you are a HARDGAINER, I invite you to read the next 2 posts, where you will find some helpful facts & tips to gain weight and build muscle mass.

Emily.