Dark chocolate for better health

Eating dark chocolate boosts the blood’s antioxidant power by 20%, according to research published in Nature magazine. The antioxidant in chocolate is called epicatechin. Milk chocolate is much less effective.

A study of older men in the Netherlands found eating the equivalent of a third of a dark chocolate bar (about 40g) a day may lower blood pressure and the risk of death.

Dark chocolate (but not milk chocolate or white chocolate) also appears to inhibit the aggregation of platelets, an early step in the formation of blood clots  that can cause heart attack or stroke.

However, chocolate also contains sugar and fat, so while a little chocolate may be a good thing, a lot of chocolate may be too much of a good thing.

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Age is just a number

 I’ve been reading about some amazing athletic performances of people in older age recently.

Here is one:

The Ukrainian Tatyana Pozdnyakova won the 2003 City of Los Angeles Marathon in 2:29:40 at age 48 .

The Los Angeles Marathon is not some small-time affair. It attracts elite runners from around the world. Pozdniakova finished more than three minutes ahead of the second female finisher in the highly competitive field. Pozdniakova won the Los Angeles Marathon again the next year, at 49.

“I don’t think about age,” she told a newspaper reporter. “My age is very high for top marathon runner, but my head is strong. It is not about your body. It is about discipline in preparation.”

Hm, I hardly know anyone in their twenties who can run 1 mile as fast as Pozdniakova runs a whole marathon.

She averages a mile in about 5 min and 43 seconds on her whole marathon. That’s really fast. I can run a single mile in about 6:15 if I try really hard and I consider myself as an athlete in early thirties.

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Office workout guidelines

You can develop strength, flexibility and, to some extend, aerobic capacity by exercising at your desk following the routines of these office workout.

Office workout is most useful for those times when your usual exercise schedule is disrupted, when putting in extra hours at work. But even if you have time after work to exercise, you should do office workout to keep your days more active, and use the afternoon for your aerobic exercises or different gym workouts.

When should you do your office workout? 

Do your office workout on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays or any nonconsecutive days. Alternate workouts: For example if you are beginner do beginner workout # 1. on Monday, than do beginner workout # 2. on Wednesday and again workout #1. on Friday and # 2 on Monday. These gives you more variety.

What workout level should you do?

Always strive to improve your level, if you are beginner and you’ve been doing beginner workouts for a while, try intermediate workout. If you can complete it, fallow with intermediate workouts, if not, go back to beginners level.  Once you are able to move to advanced workout, your fitness level will explode.

What should you do, if you get interrupted between your exercises? 

This is to be expected. Do what you need to do and resume your workout where you finished. Stretch a little again before you resume workout.

What should you do when your boss tells you that, you can’t exercise in the office?

Tell that control freak, that there are a lot of studies on increased productivity and performance at work and less sick days for people, who exercise regularly and who have regular active work breaks.

What other things should you know?

• Perform all exercises steadily and with control. This will subject your muscles to constant stress during both the lifting and the lowering phase.

• Avoid quick, explosive movements

• No matter what type of exercise you perform, always work both sides of the body equally.

• Do few stretches before you start. When stretching, avoid bouncing. Stretch a muscle only about 10% beyond its normal length, which is the point where you feel tension but not pain.

• If you have time, warm up before you do your office workout, but if you don’t, just stretch. For example you can walk faster  around the office or climb few flights of stairs.

• Breathe slowly and steadily as you perform the exercises.

• These office workouts are not intended to replace longer, more intensive aerobic exercise, which you should do on your own during work break or after work. You need to do your vigorous aerobic exercise such as running, walking, cycling, rowing, swimming on your own outside of the office – 3 – 5 times per week 30 – 45 minutes. If your time is severely restricted, you should devote all or most of your workouts outside of the office to aerobic exercise.

What exercise equipment will you need?

1. Swiss  ball – any exercise becomes more interesting when you try it on a ball or with a ball instead on the floor, chair or bench.

2. Dumbbells -you can get a couple of handles and load them with the plates. Fixed dumbbells – if you choose these kind of dumbbells, you will need to have at least 2 pairs – heavier and lighter. You should not be able to complete comfortably 15 repetitions, that’s how heavy they should be for different kind of exercises.

3. Band with handles

4. Jump rope

5. Heavy ball (at least 5Lb)

6. Exercise floor mat 

And if you are able to do advanced office workout you will need:

7. Chin up bar – you can mount it to the doorway or get one of those mount free chin up bars.

Office workouts:

Office workout – beginner # 1

Office workout – beginner # 2

Office workout – intermediate # 1

Office workout – intermediate # 2

Office workout – advanced # 1

Office workout – advanced # 2

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