tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40738239518301034072024-03-04T23:41:21.610-08:00CHANGING BODIESCelebrity Fitness Expertchangingbodieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171980452866952109noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073823951830103407.post-30685916374589960052011-04-18T17:46:00.000-07:002011-04-18T17:46:28.755-07:00Moving the Blog<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Hey, so, I'm posting this blog so you can bookmark my new address. All my future postings will appear on my website: <a href="http://www.changing-bodies.com/">www.changing-bodies.com</a>.<br />
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I hope you'll follow me over there and take a look around.<br />
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Dale</div>changingbodieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171980452866952109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073823951830103407.post-42103375224180830522011-03-02T12:02:00.000-08:002011-03-02T12:02:37.116-08:00Why EVERYONE Should Lift Weights (Particularly Women)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><!--StartFragment--> <br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> I'll get to the science in a minute, but first watch this 32 year-old woman do 7 unassisted pull-ups:<span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">She is 5’3” and 114 pounds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is not a personal trainer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nor is she a fitness competitor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She works out 5 days a week for 45-60 minutes then works full-time in the fashion industry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Full disclosure:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>she is my partner and I have her permission).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Women ask her for tips and advice every day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When asked what she does, she says she lifts weights “heavier than you think you are supposed to”.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">I wish this issue could be laid to rest, once and for all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Should women lift weights?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Will you get bulky from strength training?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The science has been out there for decades, yet the myth persists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have a theory why the myth lives on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think most people just aren’t willing to work that hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s much easier to say, “I can’t do it, because I don’t want to get bulky” than it is to actually do the hard work and achieve the results everyone is after.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">I’ve worked with some of the most beautiful women in Hollywood and I can tell you they lift weights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They lift weights that are heavy enough so they can get stronger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s important to distinguish between <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">bodybuilding </b>and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">strength training.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bodybuilding </b>is a sport where men and women do everything they possibly can to build very large, defined muscles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bodybuilders work their muscles so intensely that multiple days are required to recover.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore, they are only able to train one or two muscle groups per day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They drastically manipulate their diets depending on whether they are “bulking up” or “ripping down” right before a contest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They may even use anabolic steroids and growth hormones to increase their muscle size.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bottom line is it’s really <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">very</b> difficult to “bulk up”!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Strength training </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">is </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">a method of improving muscular strength by gradually increasing the ability to resist force through the use of free weights, machines, or the person's own body weight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Strength does not necessarily equal size!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The benefits of strength training </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">include increased </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bone"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">bone</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">, muscle, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tendon"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">tendon</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"> and </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ligament"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">ligament</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"> strength, improved </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joint"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">joint</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"> function, reduced potential for injury, increased bone density, increase in </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metabolism"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">metabolism</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">, improved </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardiac"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">cardiac</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"> function, and elevated </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_density_lipoprotein"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">HDL (good) cholesterol</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">, not to mention improved performance in all sports and physical activities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No other form of exercise provides a greater range of benefits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">That’s the science.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You don’t know my body,” I hear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’ve lifted weights before and my clothes get tighter!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here’s what happens:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Say you are a size 8 or 10 and you’ve never really worked out with resistance before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You have very little muscle tissue under a much larger layer of fat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the third, fourth and fifth week of a good strength program, you are beginning to build lean tissue (muscle) under that layer of fat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Muscle is denser than fat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You go to pull your jeans over your thighs and they feel tighter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You freak out because you think you are getting bigger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s actually happening is you now have denser tissue, which makes it more difficult to “squish” into those jeans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here’s the important part:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">YOU HAVEN’T YET GIVEN YOUR METABOLISM A CHANCE TO CHANGE.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>Once you have more muscle tissue on your body, you will burn more calories, period.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ll burn more calories asleep, awake, working out, and watching TV.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">There will naturally be a bit of overlap as you begin to re-proportion your body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is when many women jump to the conclusion they are “getting too big”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve never had a woman complain that she’s too muscular after they’ve dropped body fat on my strength program.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wouldn’t you rather be leaner and fitter and maybe have to buy a new wardrobe?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I challenge the women I work with to give it 12 weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“If you feel like you’ve gotten too big, we can always give you your old body back.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s the easy part.<o:p></o:p></span></div><!--EndFragment--> </div>changingbodieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171980452866952109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073823951830103407.post-83211982585473794832011-02-08T12:42:00.000-08:002011-02-08T12:42:38.048-08:00Guest Article - Lower Body Workout, Videos to Follow<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Hey All... Sorry for the absence. Exciting things are happening as my new and updated website is near launch. I've just begun a guest writing gig for this cool website called fitandfabliving.com. I am putting together my book proposal for an interested literary agent. I'm a writer. Who knew? <br />
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So, here's a link to my first article on this site:<br />
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<a href="http://fitandfabliving.com/index.php/fitnessmenu/workouts/4707-the-celeb">http://fitandfabliving.com/index.php/fitnessmenu/workouts/4707-the-celeb</a><br />
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</div>changingbodieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171980452866952109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073823951830103407.post-40080780810135402712011-01-31T12:46:00.000-08:002011-01-31T12:46:59.806-08:00Training vs. Exercising<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #666666; font-family: Tahoma, verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">Today, I'm paraphrasing something I read on Crossfit's website over the weekend to expand upon my post about <b>focus</b>. What's the difference between exercising and training?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #666666; font-family: Tahoma, verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #666666; font-family: Tahoma, verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">I love this topic because I think it gets to the heart of why some people succeed on a fitness program and many don't. Exercising is something people do to make themselves feel fit. We've all seen it: people on the cardio machines reading a newspaper or magazine, the person moving from machine to machine with long rest periods hardly looking like they are working out. These people are doing better than if they stayed home and watched TV, but they are also the people whose physiques never seem to change. They got their "exercise" in and have falsely convinced themselves they are doing the work. They also get to complain they aren't seeing results and that it must be their "genetics" or some other reason they can't change.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #666666; font-family: Tahoma, verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #666666; font-family: Tahoma, verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">Yes, I love it when people say to me, "Well, you just have great genetics." Yeah, sure. Maybe if you worked out hard with weights for 25 years you'd have "good genetics" too!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #666666; font-family: Tahoma, verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #666666; font-family: Tahoma, verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">Training is having a focus and a clearly defined goal. The goal can be as simple as "I'm going to squat with just my body weight 15 times so that my thighs are parallel to the ground on each repetition." Every time you step foot in the gym (or prepare for your in-home workout) you should have a clear plan on what you are going to achieve during the session. Yes, the plan can change based on a number of factors, but <b>simply having a plan is half the battle!</b> Training means challenging your body to do things you never thought possible. It requires you to be mentally alert, present and focused. A good way to measure if you are focused enough? If you are able to read or watch TV while you are working out -- you are not focused enough on the workout.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #666666; font-family: Tahoma, verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #666666; font-family: Tahoma, verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">Literally, write down what you are going to do for your workout session. Estimate how long it will take. Are you targeting all your movements and muscle groups equally? Yes, it takes a good deal of experience to get good at program design, but for most people just looking to make a change, think of lifting weights (resistance training) 3 times per week and targeting all the major muscle groups. Workouts need not be longer than 40 minutes, if planned properly. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #666666; font-family: Tahoma, verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #666666; font-family: Tahoma, verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">Then pay attention (write it down, if you have to) to how much weight you are lifting on each of the exercises and for how many repetitions. Was the form good? Were you able to control the weight for the entire set? Could you realistically go up in weight the next time you do this exercise (doing a few less reps, if necessary)? Work on improving your performance. Paying attention to all these variables and knowing your workout before the session is a great way to help you stay mentally alert and focused.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Tahoma, verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Tahoma, verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">Believe me when I tell you, <b>mental focus</b> is the single most important factor in succeeding on a fitness program.</span></span></div>changingbodieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171980452866952109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073823951830103407.post-50681574668993080922011-01-24T14:15:00.000-08:002011-01-24T14:15:38.278-08:00Psychology of Fitness - Identify Your Blocks<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Today, I feel like talking about what gets in the way of achieving our goals. Whatever the goal is. I'll focus on physical fitness goals, but we can apply this discussion to any area of our lives.<br />
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I believe that achieving your physical fitness goals is 98% mental. It really is. If you think about what stands in your way, it rarely ever has anything to do with anything physical. My beautiful girlfriend came home from the gym this morning to tell me that, yet again, a trainer approached her to tell her how inspiring it is for him and his clients to watch her workout. <br />
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An aside -- she's the reason I began blogging and opening up my website (coming soon) to interactive online training. When we began dating, she'd pick my brain about what she should do when she went to the gym. She asked very specific questions and I gave her very specific answers on what she should do on each day and how she should do it. I took her through ONE training session where I trained her as a client. It was a daily ritual - we'd have our morning coffee and she'd ask me what to do at the gym that day. I'd tell her and she'd make notes. In 3 months time, with just ONE actual training session with me she transformed her body.<br />
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I tell this story because it made me realize that something else was going on here. I've known for years that if I had someone, ANYONE show up for me 3 hours per week, that I'd be able to transform his/her body. I just needed that commitment and willingness from the other person. I began to believe what I would hear people say casually in the form of an excuse: "well, if I could afford a trainer..."<br />
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Yes, having a (competent) trainer to show up for and be accountable to makes a big difference. But, what I learned by watching Star's body transform <b>without my physically being present with her in the gym</b>,<b> </b>is that there is something present with all those who make significant changes with or without a trainer: incredible focus.<br />
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The barriers that stand in the way of our success are almost always psychological and of our own making. The sooner we comprehend this, the sooner break through those barriers. Most fitness articles and columns focus on which is the superior training method/style to achieve the results most people are looking for. It is important to understand these things. But <b>the most important thing</b> to identify is <b>what stands in the way.</b> What is the block? Why are you not able to achieve your goals? Where can you improve?<br />
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Sounds simplistic, but the fact is that most people don't know or else they'd have already achieved it! The reason why people respond to Star's workout ethic is because there is a laser-like focus from the minute she walks in until the minute she leaves. She has a clear sense of her goals - both, in the longer term (body fat % goals, for example) and shorter term (what is the exact goal on a given exercise). <br />
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For anyone who works out 3 or more days per week and is not seeing the desired results, it's a good thing to ask: what is missing? Am I clear on the goals of each exercise? Is my intensity level high enough? Am I distracted between sets? Do I give 110% on every set? Am I periodizing my workouts?<br />
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For those who have difficulty committing to a workout program (either getting started on staying with it) it's important to ask: what stands in my way? I strongly encourage writing down every possible obstacle that you perceive stands between you and your goals. If you could paint the picture of the perfect lifestyle that would allow you to set aside 45-60 minutes a day for tending to your body's physical needs, what would it look like? Brainstorm. Write down every possible roadblock. Here's a few I hear often:<br />
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1. I don't have time.<br />
2. I can't afford a gym.<br />
3. I'm confused about what to do.<br />
4. I'm afraid to lift weights by myself.<br />
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Every obstacle has a solution. We just have to identify the obstacle first. The ones I've laid out here are pretty universal excuses: time, money, lack of knowledge, and fear. Let's take the first one, time. If you were told you would die in 3 months unless you changed your lifestyle to include six 45-minute exercise sessions per week, I guarantee you'd make the time. If you work a normal 8-hour workday, try getting up at 5:30am and getting your workout in before work. If you have kids, find someone to cover your child care during your workout times (spouse, babysitter). The excuses are endless unless you put an end to them. If you can't afford a gym, find a workout routine you can do in the home. I found a great blog of a young, single mom who found her passion for fitness in changing her life after her divorce. She does her workouts at home and is studying for her personal trainer certification, changing her career to suit her passion. There is some incredibly inspirational stuff available to us via the internet from the comfort of our own home. Think outside the box.<br />
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Ask questions. If you come up against a "block" like I've described, reach out for help! Stop doing the same thing over and over if you know it doesn't work. Got a question? Type it in google and see what comes up. See where it leads you.<br />
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The word for today is <b>focus</b>. Just how focused are you?<br />
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</div>changingbodieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171980452866952109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073823951830103407.post-66239258386613770582011-01-20T06:51:00.000-08:002011-01-20T06:51:43.678-08:00Should Post Workout Meal Vary on Cardio and Strength Days?Thanks to all who posted questions for blog topics. I was most intrigued by the question posed by my friend Michele: "What should you eat for dinner after a cardio workout? After a strength training workout?" My initial reaction and hunch was that your dinner choice shouldn't much change based on whether you did cardio or strength training. But it got me thinking. Would the TYPE of activity affect your post workout meal?<br />
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Of course, there are MANY variables that we'll have to take into account. Let's assume this question applies to someone who works out after work before going home. Let's also assume this person's primary goal is fat loss (as opposed to muscle hypertrophy). <br />
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<b>Cardio vs. strength training</b><br />
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As I wrote in earlier posts, strength training has been scientifically proven more effective in promoting fat loss and muscle gains than aerobic activity alone. But for those of us who work out 5 or 6 days a week, there are going to be non-strength days where the workout may be predominantly "cardio". The next question we need to answer: is the "cardio" workout a High Intensity Interval Training workout (this would actually be an anaerobic workout) or a more sustained, endurance cardio session at a more moderate intensity?<br />
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For simplicity's sake, let's put the High Intensity Interval workout and strength training workout in the same category (anaerobic) and the longer, more sustained aerobic workout at a more moderate intensity workout in another (aerobic). It is true that these different type workouts draw from the body's energy stores in different ways. Anaerobic activity uses energy predominantly from muscle glycogen. Without getting too scientific, muscle glycogen is your body's readily available energy stores that have been converted from the carbohydrates you've consumed in your previous couple of meals. Aerobic activity uses about 50% muscle glycogen stores. <b>(Stick with me here, because this is important and will clear up the myths surrounding "low carb diets" and "cardio burns stored body fat".) </b> Duration of exercise affects the amount of glycogen used for energy. As the duration of activity increases, available glycogen diminishes, increasing the reliance on fat stores as a fuel source.<br />
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<b>This does not mean that the best way to lose body fat is to perform low-intensity activities for a long duration!!! </b>Bottom line is, if the workout contributes to a caloric deficit, the body will draw on its fat stores at some point to make up for the deficit. Remember, that higher intensity workouts (anaerobic) lead to higher EPOC levels (Excess Post Oxygen Consumption - read earlier posts on Intensity Level and HIIT). In other words, when you work out at higher intensities, your body's metabolism remains revved up for a much longer period of time post-workout.<br />
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So, it's an intriguing question -- should your post-workout meal be different based on they type of workout, since aerobic and anaerobic workouts draw different percentages from glycogen and fat stores? My short answer is no.<br />
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Basically, when exercising aerobically at a more moderate level (as opposed to higher intensity strength and HIIT), you will be able to exercise for a longer period (while you may strength train for 45 minutes, if you subtract rest periods between sets your actual workout time is more like 15-20 minutes, albeit at a much higher intensity). Because you are working out for a longer duration, your glycogen stores run out and your body taps into its fat stores for energy. This does not mean the total calories burned is greater.<br />
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When you've finished either type of workout your body is glycogen depleted and should be fed <b>carbohydrates and protein within 30 minutes of completion of workout. </b>It is recommended that consuming 1.5 grams of carbohydrate per kg of body weight within 30 minutes of completing exercise in order to maximize glycogen replenishment. How much protein post workout? Between .25 and .50 g/kg body weight, depending on your goals (10-40g). I say this goes whether it was an aerobic or anaerobic workout.<br />
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Carbohydrates have gotten a very bad rap in recent years and much of the hype surrounding the "low-carb" craze is bullshit. The fact is that maximum fat utilization cannot occur without sufficient carbohydrates. In other words, you need carbs to burn fat. So, it all boils down to total calories in versus total calories out. The most scientifically sound breakdown of macronutrients is 50-70% carbohydrates, 15-30% protein, and 10-30% fat. The bottom line is that you want all of your meals to include this macronutrient breakdown (except for your immediate post-workout, which I will get to in a minute). As already stated, carbohydrates is the main energy source the body uses for all physical and mental tasks. That's why your body craves carbohydrates if you do not get enough. For the most part, I am talking about complex carbohydrates that are high in fiber (except post-workout). Protein is important for building and maintaining muscle tissue. Best sources of protein are from animal sources (sorry vegans) because they contain all of the essential amino acids needed to rebuild lean tissue. Chicken, fish, meat, eggs are best whole food proteins. Finally, fat. Fat is important is important because it stimulates the release of the hormone CCK in the body, which signals satiety (feeling full).<br />
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The ultimate goal for the layman (or woman) with each meal is to find the appropriate breakdown of carbs, protein, and fats so that you are able to eat a reasonable amount of food without feeling the need to go overboard. When the optimal breakdown of the macronutrients is attained, you'll be full without consuming too many calories. I know this is a very simplistic explanation, but I find that people are all over the place with the information that's out there and most people are just confused. Ultimately, you have to listen to your body, knowing the physical demands you place on it (amount of exercise), and feed accordingly. I'm not getting too in-depth with what foods are "good" and "bad" because I'm pretty certain most of you reading this know what's good and bad.<br />
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Oh, back to the post workout meal! Even if you are working out after work and before dinner, you do yourself (and your metabolism) a huge favor by taking a post-workout drink that includes carbohydrates and protein within 30 minutes of finishing your workout. The sooner the better. When you are glycogen depleted (as you are post-exercise) your body does whatever it can to refuel. In the absence of immediate post-workout carbohydrates, the body will use amino acids (found in your muscles) and convert it to energy. This is bad. Essentially, this is the body breaking down muscle tissue (for which you've been working hard, by the way) to use for energy because there's no more glycogen (carbohydrates).<br />
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I know this can get complicated. But the bottom line is this: no matter when you workout, you should immediately replenish your body with a post-workout drink/shake that includes simple carbohydrates and a fast-acting protein (since timing is important here, a powdered protein supplement is recommended because it will be absorbed much more quickly than whole food protein). I use apple juice to mix vanilla whey protein (whey protein is found to be the most complete, that is, contains most of the essential amino acids needed to build muscle). You do not need to have the usual breakdown of fat in this post workout drink or shake. Fat is absorbed and digested quite slowly. This is good for your other meals, but not so good for your immediately post-workout meal (drink) since you want your body to absorb nutrients very quickly.<br />
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To take it a step further, I recommend listening to your body on the different days you work out. If you are doing a lower intensity day, you'll burn fewer calories with your workout, and therefore require fewer calories hit the "break even point". If you've had a very intense workout, you'll require more calories. On days before I know I'll be having an intense workout, I know it's okay to eat a bit more heartily than I would if I know I'll be having a light or no workout. My body tells me so. I've learned through the years that I can modulate my caloric intake on a daily basis according to the demands I've placed on my body.<br />
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So, my advice is to be sure you get a post-workout drink that includes carbohydrates and protein (ideally, whey) as you leave the gym. If you are worried about those drinks having too many calories (as many of my women clients are) then simply cut back the 200 or 300 calories from the dinner you'll have an hour or two later. What's for dinner? 50-70% carbs, 15-30% protein, and 10-30% fat. An ideal dinner could be a boneless, skinless chicken breast (grilled or baked) with a boiled sweet potato and broccoli (lightly sauteed in olive oil for "good fat") with a side of avocado (also good fat). As for those ranges (50-70% carbs, for example), again, listen to your body. If you find yourself sluggish all day leading into your workout, try upping your carbohydrate intake. If you find yourself hungry within an hour or two of eating, try upping your fat intake (mono- and poly-unsaturated, not saturated).<br />
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I know the diet posts can be wonky and boring, but I think it's important that people get a handle on the basics of nutrition amidst the misinformation out there. Thanks for the spark, Michele!changingbodieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171980452866952109noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073823951830103407.post-52110770648344892032011-01-10T11:25:00.000-08:002011-01-10T11:25:00.358-08:00Tragedy in TucsonThis is a fitness blog dedicated to matters of fitness and wellness. Every so often, an event occurs that captures our collective attention: 9/11, the Columbine massacre, Oklahoma City bombing, and now the tragic shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and 19 others at a Safeway in Tucson, Arizona. I'm finding it difficult to come up with a relevant fitness topic in the face of such a horrific event, so I'm just going to speak my mind on this one. In my experience, the gym has become the "town square" of today's society -- the place where people of different backgrounds, opinions, and mindsets come together and, therefore, current events like this one are relevant to a health and wellness blog. Or, "It's MY damn blog and I'll talk about what I want to talk about!"<br />
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As a personal trainer for 14 years, I've had the great pleasure and privilege to work very closely with an incredibly diverse bunch of people: older, younger, men, women, black, white, brown, American, foreigners, Democrats, and Republicans. While our main focus is always fitness and working out, inevitably, current events and politics come up for discussion. Some trainers I've known along the way have advised me to steer clear of two topics: politics and religion. Since I believe our psychology and thought processes are SO integrally connected to our fitness and well being, I think it can be a good thing to (within reason) discuss current events and controversial issues. Oftentimes, the "heat" generated from a person's firmly held belief or opinion provides excellent motivation to perform physically challenging tasks.<br />
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Anyway, I am personally sickened and saddened by the tragic shooting rampage at the supermarket in Tucson. I believe that this is one of those moments has the ability to define an era. It is a moment that presents our society with a choice, a fork in the road, if you like. I am sickened and saddened, but I am not surprised.<br />
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The truth is, this event has been brewing for some time now. The hateful, vitriolic rhetoric in our politics has been out of control for some time now. People say it began with the proliferation of cable news outlets and the radio shock jocks in the past 10 years. I'd say it goes back a bit further to the Clinton years (remember the Vince Foster suicide was really a "murder and coverup" by the Clinton White House?) and has been exponentially magnified with today's 24 hour echo chamber of a media cycle.<br />
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By all accounts, Gabby Giffords is a lovely woman, well-liked by her colleagues, Democrat and Republican alike. It's what makes it all the more sad -- she's clearly not a blatantly partisan politician. She's a centrist Democrat from a Republican-leaning district who voted for the Health Care Bill, pushed for immigration reform and campaigned against the anti-immigration policies adopted by her state. At the same time, she's favored traditional Republican policies such as tightening border security with Mexico and, ironically enough, loosening of gun control laws. So, when the leader of the Tea Party in Arizona puts out a statement saying, in effect, that even though she's "a liberal" no one deserves violence, blah, blah... To say she is "a liberal" is factually incorrect and needs to be called out. <br />
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So, too, does the violent imagery embraced by the Republican right in the last election where phrases like, "don't retreat, instead RELOAD!" were cast about by the likes of Congresswoman Michelle Bachman and former VP candidate Sarah Palin. Sarah Palin putting up a map on her website "targeting" hot districts with the crosshairs of a gun was irresponsible, at best. Sharron Angle talked about using "Second Amendment remedies" if she and her supporters weren't successful at the ballot box. Huh?! Where's the outrage, my friends? Agree or disagree with their policies, these are supposed to be leaders. This is simply unacceptable in the civil Democracy we purport to be.<br />
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The folks on the right are criticizing the Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik for expressing his exasperation at the vitriolic rhetoric and the fearful and racist policies his state has embraced. I think the man is entitled to express his opinion on the matter. In fact, there may be NO ONE more qualified to state his opinion on this matter. He is, after all, a law enforcement officer on the ground and NOT an elected politician with a political agenda. He is seeing the fallout from all the hate and anger. We ought to pay closer attention rather than dismiss his views as partisan rhetoric.<br />
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My big issue comes down to the distortion of facts by the folks on the right, namely Fox News and its subordinates. To compare President Obama to Hitler for advancing his health care plan is simply outrageous and out of touch with reality. As it is to say that the federal government wants to take away your personal freedoms. Yet, when mainstream politicians and media personalities carelessly perpetuate these lies over and over it is only a matter of time before a deranged individual with absurdly easy access to high powered firearms takes matters into his own hands. "Taking back his country."<br />
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Which brings me to the issue of gun control. The Second Amendment of the Constitution guarantees the rights of its citizens to bear arms. This does not mean that right should go completely unregulated so that a deranged individual with a history of mental illness can purchase a Glock 9-mm handgun, with a chamber able to hold 30 bullets in a clip with the sole purpose to kill as many people as quickly as possible. We need common sense regulation as it pertains to guns in today's society. The founders could never have foreseen the technology we have today. If people's backgrounds can be checked with the purchase of an airline ticket then certainly the same can be done with the attempt to purchase a firearm. The truth is that Congress is held hostage, literally, by the NRA gun lobby whose sole purpose is protect the right of the gun industry to sell as many of their products as possible. It's not about the sacred right to bear arms. It's about profit, pure and simple. Guess where all the weaponry used by the Mexican drug gangs comes from? Yup. The US of A. We get their drugs and they get our weapons. <br />
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This could be a turning point. But it's going to call for some brave, moderate Republicans to take a stand and say "no more" to the likes of Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck. It's time to take responsibility. I've been saying for some time now that the Republican party is headed for a split between the intolerant ultra-right wing and its more moderate, fiscal conservative/social moderate types. The time has come. The opening is there for anyone brave enough to take it. It is going to have to be someone with the courage to stand up to a powerful gun lobby and the hateful rhetoric we've heard coming from the right for the past decade. I'm an unabashed liberal, but I am rooting for a charismatic, unifying figure to emerge from the Republican party who is willing to call out the fear-mongerers and say, "NO MORE". <br />
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As Gabby Giffords herself said so prophetically, "words have consequences."changingbodieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171980452866952109noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073823951830103407.post-75835112074282317872011-01-06T08:34:00.000-08:002011-01-06T08:34:00.577-08:00New Year, New Goals. Goal Setting Tips and Success Strategies.Aaaaahhhhhh! That's the sound of my relief that the holidays are over! Don't get me wrong. I love the holidays, love to see my family and travel. But I also love my normal, everyday life and am happy to get back to it.<br />
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I was away for 2 weeks. I worked out a grand total of 4 times (5 if you count the 10 minute resistance band/push up/lunge workout I did in the hotel room on one of our travel days). Thanks to my fitness-focused lady, or I may not have worked out once. I'm being honest here. I'm just like everybody else - when it comes to working out when traveling, I find it VERY difficult to do. <br />
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I'm also like most everybody else in that I indulge at the holidays. I ate my mom's famous rice pudding, my Gramma's awesome Christmas cookies, and my dad's fantastic (NOT low calorie) cooking. I also consumed more calories from alcohol during those 2 weeks than I probably do during the rest of the year combined! It's time to recommit and refocus. It's time to set new goals.<br />
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People often say to me things like, "Well, you can eat whatever you want. You're lucky." I'm going to let you in on a secret: I'm getting older. Like it or not, my metabolism is slowing down. If I want to look and feel my absolute best, I have to focus and practice what I preach.<br />
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I'm kind of "ranting" today. I wanted to talk about goal setting and share some of my process. I actually LOVE the New Year. I love the process of reflecting on the year passed and setting goals for the year ahead. To me, life is a game to be played full-tilt. I truly believe the sky's the limit and you can create your destiny.<br />
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I know there's a lot of talk in wellness circles that resolutions are a recipe for failure. Year in and year out, people resolve to do vague and general things like "lose weight", "go to the gym more", and "quit smoking". While I agree with this, I also think it's important not to censor yourself when writing your goals. So, first things first: get a notebook! I have a shelf full of old, black composition notebooks that I use for journals. If you don't write, get into the habit. It is a very powerful tool in manifesting your dreams and desires. I can say from experience that I have, many, many times, written down specific things I've wanted and they have come to fruition. I can't explain how it works, but it does.<br />
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Of course, many of the things I write down do not happen in the time or manner I imagine them. That's cool, too. That's the game of life. It's important not to confine yourself to your vision. Sometimes, the Universe gives you opportunities in ways you could not have thought. Be open to that possibility.<br />
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Okay, so back to me and my goals. I took pics. I should post but I'll wait until I have 'after' pics with appreciable changes :-) I have gained a layer of fat, for sure. I weighed in at 178 lbs. My goal weight in 4 weeks is 172. 6 lbs in 4 weeks. I'm going to get strict with the diet. I actually find that letting myself go a little bit motivates me even more.<br />
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So, here are some goal setting techniques:<br />
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<ul><li>Brainstorm! Be creative and don't limit yourself. If you are making financial goals, add 20% to the income you made last year. If you think it's impossible, that's part of the fun! In just writing down the goal you are creating the possibility, the spark that may push you to ask, "hmm, what can I do this year to increase my revenue?" The act of writing it down creates the incentive.</li>
<li>Get specific. After you've free associated some goals and how you'd like your life to look like in the coming year, see where you can take specific actions toward a vague goal. For example, if your goal is to quit smoking, write down the concrete actions you can take toward this goal. Making an appointment with your doctor to discuss using "the patch" is a concrete action toward the general goal of quitting smoking. If your goal is to lose 50 pounds, it's great that you've set the "big vision", but now let's break it down into smaller, more measurable increments infused with concrete actions. For example, you can set a preliminary goal of 10 pounds in 6-8 weeks and setting an appointment with a good personal trainer to ask for help. Including a time frame is important in order to keep the goal from "wandering away".</li>
<li>Set goals in ALL areas of your life, not just the physical or the financial. How can you improve your social life and love relationships? Again, specificity is key. I'll give a personal example: A few years ago I wrote down that I wanted a "sexual relationship with a beautiful, sexy woman". I didn't specify that I wanted a relationship with someone who was <b>available</b> for a committed relationship. Well, the universe delivered exactly what I asked for. I had an intense fling with someone who was ultimately not available for a committed relationship. I learned from that experience and the next year I asked for a "healthy, loving, nurturing relationship with a beautiful, sexy woman". The universe gave me exactly that in my lady, Star. I know it sounds hokey, but there is tremendous power in writing down your goals, wants and desires. The more specific, the better chance it'll be realized.</li>
</ul><div>So, here are a few of my goals for the year in addition to my physical goals. I'm listing them here so I can be accountable to them. Just because I write them down doesn't mean they will happen. But it's a huge first step.</div><div><br />
</div><div><b><u>2011</u></b></div><div><ul><li>Add 5 new clients to my business (I can ask myself what <b>specific</b> actions can I take to bring in 5 new people)</li>
<li>Get book published / get literary agent for my fitness book (specific actions are to solicit 25 literary agents with an interest in health and fitness)</li>
<li>Work as guest star on TV show (I can add to my reel, attend CD workshops, and foster relationships I already have with Casting Directors)</li>
<li>Travel someplace I've never been (I'm feeling Costa Rica)</li>
<li>Perform 2 original songs at an open mic night</li>
<li>Perform a stand-up routine (specific action here is to research and sign up for a stand-up comedy class)</li>
<li>Generate $xx revenue from website (new website in works)</li>
<li>Hit 10 HR in summer league</li>
<li>Cultivate online training clientele</li>
<li>Put $xx away in non-retirement savings</li>
<li>See my movie "The Pretty Boys" on a big screen at a Film Festival</li>
<li>Get a new flat screen TV with wi-fi capability</li>
<li>Get a platform bed for bedroom</li>
</ul><div>See how I'm kind of all over the place here? To me, that's great: put it all out there. I want to make improvements in all areas of my life. I've included things that scare me to death, but that I know I will help me grow (stand-up comedy, perform songs live). And, of course, I've included material and financial goals. Some of these goals, I have NO control over (I have zero control over whether any film festival will screen my movie) but I really want to see it happen so I write it down and picture it happening. Can't hurt.</div></div><div><br />
</div><div>So, there. I just wanted to share some of the goal setting that I do. This turned into a philosophical post, but that's where I'm at. I love the new year and the resolutions that come with it. It is a time of renewal. It's a time to reflect on what you were able to achieve and what has still eluded you in the past year (this is the 3rd year in a row I've written about performing open mic). Have fun with it. Truly, like a work of art, you <b>can</b> shape and create your life. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Happy New Year!</div><div><br />
</div>changingbodieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171980452866952109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073823951830103407.post-54195729605534501182010-12-20T12:06:00.000-08:002010-12-20T12:06:44.364-08:00IT'S THE INTENSITY LEVEL, STUPID!I was speaking with a client this morning and she told me that she never really understood what "high intensity" meant until she started working out with me. She'd read all the fitness magazines and knew she had to lift weights, and also knew about High Intensity Interval Training. It's just that what she THOUGHT was high intensity and what was ACTUALLY high intensity were two different things. She would spend and an hour+ per day at the gym almost every day yet could never quite get the results she wanted (she wanted to get a bit leaner, be able to do a real, unassisted pull up and be able to see her abs). I promised her she could cut her workout time (almost) in half, be able to eat more, AND see the results she wanted. Huh?<br />
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Oh, and those pull ups? She can now do 8 unassisted pull ups in a single set. Okay, I didn't promise her that (I said she'd be able to do 1 within a month) -- she actually surprised the hell out of me with that! And, guess what? She doesn't look "bulky" or "too muscular". She's a beautiful, sexy woman who enjoys being strong and fit. How did we do it? I told her she'd have to change ONE thing. Intensity level.<br />
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<b>It's the intensity level, stupid</b>. It really is that simple. Lift heavier? Well, yes, but also lift faster and move quickly between sets. Get that heart rate up and get used to working there. Don't rest. Get the most amount of work done in the shortest possible time. That's the secret in a nutshell. You have to go to that place that is not comfortable. You might not look cool, at first. You might even feel embarrassed. But, eventually, you'll love it. You'll get hooked on that high of pushing yourself to the edge. And THAT'S when the big changes come.<br />
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Use the <b>RPE</b> scale (<b>Rate of Perceived Exertion</b>) to determine how hard you are working out. On a scale of 1-10 (1 being so easy you could do it for hours and 10 being so difficult you couldn't do it for more than 10 seconds) measure your intensity level. Be honest. You only have to answer to yourself on this one. Simply put, you need to be working closer to 10 than to 1. Most people I see in the gym are working out at a 3 or a 4. I recommend people be working at a 7 or 8. (As always, I'm talking to otherwise healthy individuals with no heart conditions fully cleared by a doctor to work out).<br />
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The thing I hate the MOST in the gym? The little charts on the treadmill that show your "fat burning zone". What an incredible crock of shit. Makes me NUTS. It encourages people to continue working out at easier intensities and, of course, not see the results they want. So incredibly misleading. Yes, after 20 minutes in your "fat burning zone" a GREATER PERCENTAGE of the calories you are burning come from fat, not necessarily the greater TOTAL calories! Let's do some simple math. Say you walk at a 3 on the RPE scale (in the "fat burning zone") for 20 minutes and let's generously assume you burned 250 calories. Yes, a greater PERCENTAGE of the calories came from fat (let's say 80%). .80 x 250 = 200 fat cal (remember, too, you have to have been walking 20 minutes already to reach the "fat burning zone" so that's 40 total minutes). So, 40 minutes for 200 fat calories.<br />
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Contrast that with the HIIT sprint workout I outlined a few posts earlier. After a 5 minute warmup, you perform 6 ALL OUT sprints with a minute rest between each sprint (maybe 2 minutes at the last 2 sprints) for a total workout time of 20 minutes. Let's conservatively estimate that you've burned 400 calories in those 20 minutes. You're body is working so hard during those high intensity intervals where your RPE is at 8, 9, or 10, that it is pulling energy from ANYWHERE it can: glycogen stores, carbohydrates, fat. All of it. And let's say it only burns 50% of calories from fat. .5 x 400 = 200 fat calories. Huh.<br />
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SAME NUMBER OF FAT CALORIES, HALF THE TIME SPENT! <br />
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Not to mention you've burned more TOTAL calories at the higher intensity. See my earlier post on HIIT training for the explanation of Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC). In simple terms, this just means the body burns a greater number of calories throughout the day after exercising at a higher intensity.<br />
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Bottom line -- it's about calories IN vs. calories OUT. Knock it off with the "fat burning zone" and simply get your heart rate as high as you can and hold it for as long as you can. (pre-contest bodybuilders are the exception. They also have the luxury of being able to spend 2-3 hours per day working out).<br />
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So, work out harder. Sweat. Breathe more heavily. Think of doing more TOTAL WORK in a shorter period of time. That's what it means <b>"push yourself"</b>.changingbodieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171980452866952109noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073823951830103407.post-51935313180155197692010-12-18T15:29:00.000-08:002010-12-18T15:29:21.136-08:00Rep Speed - Lift FASTER (on Concentric) and Get Leaner!Today I want to talk about rep speed or, as it's often referred to in strength training circles, tempo. I am aiming this post to the casual exerciser -- if you work out with weights 2-3 times per week and pretty much do the same 3 sets of 12-15 reps, then I'm talking to you.<br />
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Tempo refers to the speed of the reps. They are often written in training journals as 3 numbers in succession, as in: 311. The first number (3) refers to the eccentric phase of the movement. This is the lengthening of the movement. The eccentric phase on the bench press would be the lowering of the bar to the chest. On the squat, it's the lowering of the body's center of gravity to the floor. On the lat pull down or seated row, it's when the bar or handle moves AWAY from the body.<br />
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The second number (1) refers to the end of the eccentric and beginning of the concentric. I call this the "bottom of the movement". This would be the bar's lowest point (either directly on the chest or just short of it, depending on shoulder flexibility). The third number is the concentric, or shortening/contracting of the muscle. This would be when the bar is pushed away on the bench press, "the way up" on the squat, and the way toward the body on the lat pull / seated row. <br />
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Changing of tempos and time under load (TUL) in the pro athlete arena is well documented and widely written about. The bottom line is, you want to vary tempos and TULs at different phases of the training program in order to avert adaptation and continue to progress in the form of strength and speed gains. <br />
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While I have trained athletes, my main focus is the average, everyday person (male and female) who want to get in the best shape of his/her life. Many of these high profile studies don't translate well to the population of people that are lucky to get 3 workouts in a week. So, I "borrow" and "steal" a few tricks here and there when it's appropriate to do so. <br />
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Here goes: I want you to lift FASTER. That's right. THROW the weights ON THE CONCENTRIC phase of the movement. The eccentric is to be slower and more controlled. You may need to lighten the weights a bit to get comfortable with this. Check this out: I GUARANTEE YOU WILL SEE RESULTS IF YOU FOCUS ON GOING AS FAST AS YOU CAN ON THE CONCENTRIC PHASE OF THE MOVEMENT! Accelerate up. Let's hear the weights rattle on the bar because you are generating that much force.<br />
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Obviously, you won't be doing this if you've never lifted weights before. But if you are not a complete beginner, try it. Try the 3-1-1 tempo. 3 seconds down (controlled eccentric), pause, then EXPLODE on the concentric (it's written as 1 second, but just go as fast as you can from the bottom to the top of the movement). Push the weights faster. It totally works.<br />
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I've heard people say this explosive training utilizes the fast-twitch fibers (explosive strength) more than the slow-twitch (endurance) fibers but this is not exactly true. There really is no fine, dividing line between fast and slow twitch fibers. Basically, your muscles take on the percentage of slow to fast twitch fibers according to how you train. If you train for fast reps, you are forcing a greater percentage of your muscle fibers to behave as fast twitch fibers. If all you do is jog at 5.0 on the treadmill for 45 minutes, then a greater percentage of your fibers will be slow twitch. Would you rather look like a marathon runner or a sprinter? I'll take the sprinter any day. <br />
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If you are a more advanced lifter and athlete, we'd be talking about periodizing, changing your tempos and reps schemes periodically. But, as I said, I'm talking to the average exerciser who just wants to lose a few pounds of body fat and look and feel better in those favorite jeans. You may not be an athlete, but train like one!<br />
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I also find training faster on the concentric phase to be more "functional" (a very popular word in the fitness lexicon these days. Functional is good:). If you are playing football and you are trying to push the defender away from you, you are not going to perform this action in a "slow and controlled" manner. No! You are going to push the guy away from you with as much force and velocity as you can generate. Okay, maybe you're not playing weekend warrior football on Sundays, but you get the idea. You want to train your body as you'd use it. You want your body to be able to perform faster and more efficiently. <br />
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I know there are schools of thought out there that have you lifting in super slow tempos. I just don't buy it for the average exerciser. As I said, there may be a time in a period of an athlete's program when that'd be appropriate, but not for my 3 time a weekers. It is WAY more taxing to generate greater velocities and you will burn more calories than by training the traditional slower rep speed. It'll also stimulate the release of growth hormone and testosterone in the body (have no fear ladies, testosterone is the magic hormone that will help you lose fat).<br />
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So, go ahead! Lift faster (on the concentric phase). It's the single best thing you can do in the short term to "tone up". Try it. Let me know how it goes.changingbodieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171980452866952109noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073823951830103407.post-66040893799463105092010-12-14T17:13:00.000-08:002010-12-14T17:13:31.069-08:003 Reasons Why the Smith Machine SucksA few years back, I attended a seminar of renowned strength coach Charles Polequin. At one point someone asked a question about the Smith Machine, and how it might be useful in a strength training program. Coach Polequin's answer: "Whoever invented this thing (indicating Smith Machine) should be put in jail."<br />
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Charles Polequin is not known for his subtlety. He went on to explain how using the Smith Machine puts you at greater risk for injury. Wait, isn't the Smith Machine supposed to <u>prevent</u> injuries? For those who don't know, this is the smith machine:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8YZm1JhJuOSqhxGGxaDZy58ulwsjbLh6zArI1Y3s1qlDfsdzPlUP4x_k5amEeKY9J5PveMtcanabimDkxVMgihZyM7lGJ8jmUEgk_i5FYv3x42mx-C-nM8xnMOCffn8E6vNl6fV8nSAGY/s1600/Smith_Machine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8YZm1JhJuOSqhxGGxaDZy58ulwsjbLh6zArI1Y3s1qlDfsdzPlUP4x_k5amEeKY9J5PveMtcanabimDkxVMgihZyM7lGJ8jmUEgk_i5FYv3x42mx-C-nM8xnMOCffn8E6vNl6fV8nSAGY/s320/Smith_Machine.jpg" width="273" /></a>People like the Smith Machine because it allows you to feel safe squatting and bench pressing heavier weight without a spot. The bar is fixed to slide along vertical poles at each end of the bar. Heck, I used to use this machine before I learned how bad it is for you.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8YZm1JhJuOSqhxGGxaDZy58ulwsjbLh6zArI1Y3s1qlDfsdzPlUP4x_k5amEeKY9J5PveMtcanabimDkxVMgihZyM7lGJ8jmUEgk_i5FYv3x42mx-C-nM8xnMOCffn8E6vNl6fV8nSAGY/s1600/Smith_Machine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
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<div>The main reason using this machine is so ill-advised is because it does not allow for the body's proper range of motion. It has you pushing the weight on a fixed plane of motion. Well, sorry, the body doesn't move that way. Sit up and down from a chair -- your torso/upper body naturally leans forward a bit as you lower your body mass toward the chair.<br />
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The body naturally wants to disperse any force you are carrying (be it your own body weight, bags of groceries, or a loaded bar across your shoulders) over as many joints as possible. In the case of the squat, you are using your hip, knee, and ankle joints (as well as your lumbar-pelvic complex) to lower and raise your center of gravity toward and away from the earth. I'll post a video showing a proper squat and you'll see that you can't perform this same movement on a machine that is fixed along a vertical slide.<br />
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Remember high school physics? Remember the pulley system? The more pulleys you used the "lighter" the weight would feel. Using the Smith Machine puts almost all of the force at the knee joint. Because the plane of motion is fixed vertically, there is very little help from the hip and ankle joints. A proper squat would have the hip, knee, and ankle joints flexing and extending simultaneously, working to disperse the force, making it easier to perform the lift. The reason I most often hear as to why one uses the Smith Machine: "I got bad knees." Hmm. Maybe your knees hurt because your using a machine that forces you to move in a way that your body wasn't designed to move, placing unnecessary extra strain at the knee joint. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1cPXqyshiN9aHCmfksY8Om9qLd3IL2KA-HTqEKWqjTguGRgegLN8RnVOqL5OExDfTvy4SCbwIB-VeNZ4fTb5rL9NQ0D1gbFglHH1t6HSNr7jHvjyNRWink23n5Y5UZG8m1Hny_yIT3FO9/s1600/200px-Pulley2a.svg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1cPXqyshiN9aHCmfksY8Om9qLd3IL2KA-HTqEKWqjTguGRgegLN8RnVOqL5OExDfTvy4SCbwIB-VeNZ4fTb5rL9NQ0D1gbFglHH1t6HSNr7jHvjyNRWink23n5Y5UZG8m1Hny_yIT3FO9/s1600/200px-Pulley2a.svg.png" /></a></div><br />
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Another reason the Smith Machine sucks is because it does nothing to strengthen smaller, stabilizing muscles. So, keep using the machine to get your large muscles bigger and stronger without strengthening the stabilizers and eventually you will injure yourself. You are only as strong as your weakest link. You may not injure yourself on the machine but you just may injure yourself playing wiffle ball in the backyard or some weekend sport or activity you enjoy doing. <br />
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The last reason reason the Smith Machine sucks is because you'll simply burn less calories. Because there is very little challenge to your balance, core, and smaller stabilizing muscle groups, you are simply involving less of your overall musculature and, therefore, burning less calories.<br />
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So, get off the damn Smith Machine before you hurt yourself.<br />
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</div>changingbodieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171980452866952109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073823951830103407.post-60698807127367416812010-12-13T11:05:00.000-08:002010-12-13T11:05:30.517-08:00Why Good Form is so Important. To a Point...I saw this guy at the gym doing the most ridiculous excuse for a push up I'd ever seen. My client and I wondered, "what the hell does he think he's accomplishing?" He banged out his second set of about 50 of these "push ups" and then strolled out of the gym. I wonder if he went home to his boyfriend/girlfriend and bragged about doing 100 push ups. Oh, and the guy was carrying about 30-40 extra pounds.<br />
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Ok, I don't want to be TOO hard on the guy, at least he was at the gym, and what he was doing sure beats lying and the couch and eating potato chips. But it was the perfect case in point of what drives me absolutely nuts every day at the gym: people wasting their time because they have no idea what they are trying to accomplish with a given exercise. I'm going to try and post videos of bad vs. good form on a push up.<br />
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If you are a beginner, or if you've been doing machines and cardio for a long time and are ready to start doing more free weight exercises, your stabilizing muscles are going to be weak. These are the smaller muscles that stabilize your joints: shoulders, hips, knees, in particular. You will have to start with lighter weight and REALLY understand what the goal is on each exercise.<br />
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For the push up, your hands are going to be just outside your shoulders, palms face down on the floor. Your feet are together, toes touching the floor. Your back is flat, naval is drawn in, and your head, shoulders, hips, and ankles form a straight line. Lower your chest to the floor by bending your elbows, pause with your chest a few inches off the floor, then extend your elbows and push your body as far away from the floor as you can. Place a tennis ball on the floor in front of your chest to mark where to touch the chest on the way down each time.<br />
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IF THIS IS TOO HARD (as it was for the man I saw in the gym), modify the push up by placing your knees on the ground and lifting your feet off the floor. Be sure that your head, shoulders, hips and knees form a straight line. Another way to modify this move is to place your hands on the side of a bench and use the same push up movement as first described (with feet on the floor).<br />
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RANGE OF MOTION IS KEY. By range of motion, we can simply call say it's the distance traveled each repetition from the "bottom" of the movement to the "top" of the movement. It makes me so crazy when I see people cheating on the range of motion on many exercises. Remember the old physics equation: W(work) = F(force) x D(distance)? Work is measured in Kilocalories. We talk all the time about burning calories in our workouts. <b>If you only go 1/2 the range of motion, you are only doing 1/2 the work. Multiply that through a full workout and it's the difference between burning 400 and 800 calories! </b>That's not to mention you are recruiting more muscle fibers, setting your body up to build more lean tissue which will speed up your metabolism overall.<br />
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Squats and lunges are another exercise that people cheat themselves on. It's even more crucial with these leg exercises since 60% of your body's mass is below the waist. I'll get more in-depth with leg exercises in a later post. Anyone who has worked with me knows how strongly I believe in strength training the legs as a crucial component to a lean, fit body that most people overlook.<br />
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So, good form is important. To a point. Once you have a solid foundation and are strong enough to control the appropriate weight through the full range of motion, then I give you permission to break some of the form rules. For example, you are trying to break through a strength plateau on your bench press and you are going a bit heavier than you are used to. It is okay if a few of your reps toward the end of the set aren't perfect (maybe you give the bar a little 'bump' with your chest at the bottom). You are trying to break through a strength plateau so you need to work with a weight outside of your comfort zone. It stands to reason that you won't be able to perform all the reps of the set goal with perfect form. Your muscles will begin to fatigue before you reach the goal and you will recruit other muscle groups and other body parts just to help you finish the movement. This is okay when you are working outside your comfort zone.<br />
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I talk a lot about balance. The balance to achieve when strength training is between proper form and heavier weight. You can't increase the weight until you achieve a full set with proper form. But you have to increase the weight once you've achieved proper form to avoid adaptation. Once your body adapts (and the exercise becomes 'easy') your body stagnates and will not change. What I see a lot of is people being afraid to venture outside of their comfort zone (ie. heavier weight) and stick to doing the same weight/sets/reps over and over and not changing.<br />
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But you have to understand the goal of a given exercise before you can know what the proper form is. It's like the old saying, "You have to understand the rules before you can break them." So, good for is very important. To a point. Then you want to push the boundaries of what's comfortable and be okay if a few of the reps in a set being less the perfect.<br />
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Push yourself. Safely. With balance as your guide.changingbodieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171980452866952109noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073823951830103407.post-43208281953139135202010-12-10T08:36:00.000-08:002010-12-10T08:40:38.188-08:00Sexy Booty Home Workout Video!Here's a video I did with Jessica Sutta for <b><i>Self</i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> demonstrating THE MOST IMPORTANT lower body exercises that can easily be done at home. Please leave comments, repost, retweet, send links to friends. I appreciate the traffic :-) Happy Friday!</span></b><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here's link to original article:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.self.com/magazine/blogs/selfystars/2010/10/get-a-pussycat-doll-booty.html">http://www.self.com/magazine/blogs/selfystars/2010/10/get-a-pussycat-doll-booty.html</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>changingbodieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171980452866952109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073823951830103407.post-40232279530185100212010-12-09T08:55:00.000-08:002010-12-09T08:55:10.769-08:00HIIT Cardio - Cut Workout Time in Half and Get 3x the BenefitDoing cardio today? What if I told you you can spend 1/2 the time and double the benefit? You would <b>absolutely </b>do it, wouldn't you? <b>Activate</b> your cardio workouts.<br />
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If you've read my earlier posts, you know know how strongly I feel about strength training being the foundation for your fitness routine because a) you'll burn more calories per workout with strength training as opposed to cardio-only activity, and b) you'll set your body up to build lean (muscle) tissue, the magic bullet for boosting your metabolism and burning stored body fat while you sleep.<br />
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So, this post is for those still unwilling or unable to strength train at this point, and for those who are doing cardio on their day off between strength training workouts. This is also great for those who have plateaued in their fat loss and are looking for another trick to kickstart the metabolism.<br />
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It's true. You can workout less and achieve more. It's called High Intensity Interval Training. Let's say you jog on the treadmill for 45 minutes at a moderately easy pace. Today, I'd like you to spend no more than 20 minutes on the treadmill. The first 5 minutes, you'll warm up at an easy pace, gradually increasing the intensity to moderate after each minute (ie. 1st minute - walk at 3.5, 2nd minute - jog 4.5, 3rd minue - jog 5.5, etc. Please note, I'm just giving a rough outline here. Obviously, I don't know every reader's fitness level, age, and injuries, etc.)<br />
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After 5 minutes of warming up, jack up the intensity (my intensity level is between 10.0 and 11.0<s> </s> at 3.0 incline. I'm 38 and in excellent condition) to a sprint. It may take the treadmill 15-20 seconds to reach the desired speed. Then sprint for a minute at that high intensity. At the end of a minute, grab the side rails beside you and step your feet off the belt and onto the sides of the treadmill so you are straddling the belt which is now running between your legs. Turn the speed down to a walk (3.5) for the next minute. With about 10-15 seconds before the walk interval elapses, jack up the intensity again to a sprint. If you were able to last the entire minute last time without falling off the treadmill, then run a few mph's faster this time. At the end of the minute of sprinting, grab the side rails again and step off the side of the treadmill while the belt slows down to a walk and walk the remainder of the interval.<br />
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Here's what my interval session looks like:<br />
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min 0-5 - walk to a moderate jog (3.5 - 7.0)<br />
min 5-6 -- sprint at 10.0 (3.0 incline)<br />
min 6-7 -- walk at 3.5<br />
min 7-8 -- sprint at 10.0 (3.0 incline)<br />
min 8-9 -- walk at 3.5<br />
min 9-10 -- sprint at 10.5 (3.0 incline)<br />
min 10-11 -- walk at 3.5<br />
min 11-12 -- sprint at 10.5 (3.0 incline)<br />
min 12-13 -- walk at 3.5<br />
min 13-14 -- sprint at 11.0 (3.0 incline)<br />
min 14-15 -- walk at 3.5<br />
min 15-16 -- walk at 3.5 (at this point, I've pushed myself so hard I may need 2 minutes to recover)<br />
min 16-17 sprint 11.0 (3.0 incline)<br />
min 17-20 walk at 3.5 (cool down)<br />
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Note - the same interval philosophy can be applied to any cardio machine: stepmill, stationary bike, elliptical trainer (though I hate this machine and only advise you use it if you have an injury and have told by a doctor to only use this machine).<br />
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Play games with yourself. Check your heart rate at the end of your sprint (most treadmills have a heart rate monitor on the handles of the console). I want to get my heart rate up over 170 bpm at the end of my sprint interval. REMEMBER, I'M ONLY GIVING YOU MY WORKOUT. Assuming you don't have any kind of heart condition and you've been cleared by a doctor to exercise to exercise, push yourself. Try to get your heart rate up as high as you can at the end of your 1 minute sprint interval. It may only take you 6.5 or 7.0 mph for 1 minute to get your heart rate up to near max. The incline is another tool that makes it a little harder, so if you are not comfortable running at an all out sprint but you are comfortable running at, say, 6.0, then jack up the incline to make the run interval harder. It's all about heart rate. Try to get your heart rate as high as you can at the end of your sprint interval. If you are not about to fall off the back of the treadmill at the end of your interval, go faster (and/or increase the incline next time).<br />
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Here's what happens when you train this way:<br />
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1. You create a greater caloric deficit. Very simply, you burn more calories at 20 minutes with these high intensity intervals than you do at a sustained pace for 45 minutes.<br />
2. Your body will be burning three, four, up to NINE TIMES AS MUCH FAT later in the day just in recovering from the beating you just gave it. This is called "exess post-oxygen consumption". In other words, your metabolism will be revved up for a much longer period of time because of the higher intensity of the workout.<br />
3. HIIT has an anabolic effect on the body. Steady-state cardio training actually breaks down muscle tissue while these high intensity bursts of output actually help to stimulate muscle growth.<br />
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Go ahead, get more bang for your buck. Activate your cardio. Workout for half the time and get twice the benefit. Let me know how it goes.changingbodieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171980452866952109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073823951830103407.post-73078899036866170082010-12-08T10:22:00.000-08:002010-12-08T10:22:23.649-08:00If You Could Change ONE Thing About Your Diet....I find that there is so much contradictory information and fad diets out there that people just get overwhelmed and paralyzed, and end up making no changes. So, if I could get you to change one thing, just ONE thing about the way you eat, it'd be this: <b>Breakfast = oatmeal mixed with protein powder and almond milk</b> (or lowfat milk) within an hour upon waking. <br />
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Here's what I've found -- most people put off eating breakfast (or skip it altogether) until they are so hungry they have to eat. Then they are playing "catch-up" for the rest of the day. We've all heard breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Nonsense. They are all important. But breakfast sets the tone for the entire day. It is also the only time you are eating after 8 hours of fasting. <br />
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It's not only <b>what</b> you eat, but <b>when</b> you eat that matters. Eating every 3 to 4 hours is SO important, if only to keep your metabolism revved up. When you fast or go very long periods between eating, your metabolism actually slows down. The body is very smart. If you are eating consistently, it knows it will be getting fed and burns calories at higher rate. If you are inconsistent, or go very long periods between eating, your body feels as if it is starving and actually holds onto its energy (for fear it won't be getting more anytime soon). So, eating more frequently actually speeds up your metabolism.<br />
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For me it's simple: lean proteins + complex, high fiber carbohydrates + mono- and poly-unsaturated fats pretty evenly distributed (trying for a 50/30/20 breakdown works well for me: 50% carbs, 30% protein, 20% fat) at each meal and throughout the day, eating every 3 - 3 1/2 hours. No processed foods (unless I'm cheating). Yes, sometimes I cheat. Ice cream here, slice of pizza there. But the staples of my diet are intact along with my workout schedule, which makes it possible to have decadent foods here and there.<br />
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Starting your day with my oatmeal concoction will fill you up, give you energy to start your day and will only run you 300-400 calories. Most people make the mistake of cutting calories at breakfast, perhaps grabbing a 100 cal yogurt or a banana on the way out the door. Let's follow this hypothetical eating plan throughout the day: 100 cal yogurt or banana for breakfast, 10 or 10:30 rolls around and you're starving so order an egg and cheese on toast for "2nd breakfast". You feel like that was enough to get you through the afternoon so you skip lunch, getting very hungry again around 4. But you don't want to ruin your dinner so you just snack on fruit and cookies until dinner at 6 or 6:30 when you're completely starving and you give in to the burger and french fries. Sound familiar? That pattern can be easily changed by eating a heartier breakfast. I believe we crave high fat, high carb foods when we are depriving ourselves. So, nip it in the bud. Fill yourself up first thing in the morning to set yourself up for a nutritious mid-morning snack, then a healthy lunch followed by a late afternoon snack. By the time dinner rolls around, you've stabilized your insulin throughout the day and you'll feel satisfied with a moderately portioned, healthy dinner.<br />
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So here it is:<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">1/2 cup oatmeal with enough water to soak the oats, microwave on high for 1 min 30 seconds. Add 1/2 scoop to 1 full scoop (depending on your size, workout intensity and goals) and mix with 1/4 almond milk (or lowfat milk). Stir. Optional: add 1/2 cup of your favorite high fiber cereal. I'm a big fan of Kashi Go Lean Crunch.</span><br />
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That's been my breakfast just about every morning for 15 years. If you could make just ONE change right now, that'd be it. Give it a shot. What have you got to lose?changingbodieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171980452866952109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073823951830103407.post-85903363310595747082010-12-07T08:18:00.000-08:002010-12-07T08:18:55.701-08:00Yoga as PART of Your Workout Program"What do you think about yoga?" people ask me all the time. It gives me a chuckle. It's like asking, "What about hiking? Is that good for you?"<br />
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My sole purpose for this blog and for teaching fitness is to help people get the results they want as efficiently as possible. Yoga has many benefits including increase of circulation and increase of muscle flexibility. Yoga's focus on breathing and meditation have a great effect on calming the mind.<br />
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I went through a "yoga phase", practicing an intense form of Ashtanga Yoga for a year and a half. I got really flexible and much thinner than I'm used to being (my "heroin chic" phase). It was cool for awhile, but I definitely lost some strength. Then I noticed my left knee was very unstable and painful at times. An MRI revealed I had a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL). <br />
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Did the intense stretching in yoga class tear my ACL? I'll never know for sure. My suspicion is that I had a partially torn ACL from my years of playing football and baseball and the ligament finally tore completely during my yoga phase. How's that for irony? After years of bone crushing hits in football, my ACL tears in yoga class. Let me be clear, I am not blaming yoga for tearing my ACL. I believe the injury was already there and the intense stretching exacerbated it. It happens.<br />
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I am not one of those gym rats who hates yoga. However, I do believe that <u>some</u> yoga poses place heavy strain on the joints and that <u>most</u> people should not be attempting some of those poses. Yoga can be an excellent compliment to a 3-day per week strength training routine. But it should only be a part of a balanced fitness routine, not the main activity.<br />
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People tell me all the time that they "just want to tone up". In scientific terms that means adding lean muscle tissue and losing fat tissue. Yoga is simply not as effective as strength training when it comes to changing body composition. Yoga emphasizes the <b>elongation</b> of the muscle. Elongated muscles = loose muscles = weak while contracted muscles = tight muscles = strong. I am all about functionality. What's the point of being able to wrap your legs around your head if it makes you run slower? (fast runners have a very fast rate of contraction of their muscle fibers. That is, they are able to elongate and contract their muscles very quickly. If you only train your muscles to be flexible then they won't be able to contract quickly.)<br />
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Do you ever notice that most women who practice a lot of yoga have a kind of saggy butt? (I call it "yoga butt"). I believe it is because so much emphasis is placed on lengthening the hamstrings and glutes (downward dog). Remember, loose muscles = weak muscles.<br />
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I'm also against doing all muscle contraction work and looking like a muscle-bound buffoon. What's the point of being so tight that you can't create the stride length to cover more ground, hence slowing you down? It's about balance. You want to be strong <b>and</b> flexible. Most people mention gymnasts as having the ideal body type. Gymnasts very effectively balance strength, flexibility, and agility. They are amazingly functional athletes. Think there might be a connection?<br />
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Strength training, when done properly, can also <b>enhance</b> muscle flexibility. I take special care to emphasize the eccentric phase (elongation of muscle) on all exercises. So, from an efficiency standpoint, you get more bang for your buck (based on results most people say they want) strength training.<br />
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So, let me clarify. I am not anti-yoga. But the <b>FOUNDATION</b> of your workout should be strength training, with yoga (and other activities) as a supplement on the days in between. Yoga can be a great compliment to a workout program, but should not, in my opinion, be the mainstay.changingbodieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171980452866952109noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073823951830103407.post-35237162433021593792010-12-05T19:51:00.000-08:002010-12-06T12:29:21.454-08:00Spirituality of FitnessDo you ever ask yourself <u>why</u> you workout? Do you find yourself feeling like you <u>have</u> to workout or you'll feel guilty? Why do we torture ourselves? I'm asking you to find your "reason for doing". Not what your specific goals are (ie. bodyfat % or weight loss) but actually <b>why </b>you do it.<br />
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My reasons have changed over they years. I first started working out because I felt insecure as a kid and I wanted to be strong and sexy to attract girls. Then, as I dreamed of a career in collegiate and professional sports, I worked out to improve my performance.<br />
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After my sports career ended, I continued to workout hard. But my reason had changed. In fact, I lost my reason altogether through most of my twenties. I worked out <b>hard</b>, but it was almost abusive. I was not kind to myself. My reason had become very ego-driven. I wanted to look great and feel sexy.<br />
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Now, that's not a bad reason. It's just that you can't sustain it. Anything ego-driven is ultimately unsustainable, particularly where happiness is concerned. So what if you look great but you're miserable inside? That's not healthy.<br />
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I'm bringing this up because I believe it's very important we have a <b>healthy</b>, positive reason for doing. When we have a healthy relationship with exercise, we are more likely to stick with it and then derive the health and physical benefits. The relationship to exercise has to come first.<br />
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Which brings me to my topic today: <b>fitness as a spiritual act</b>. Ok, let me get on the record right away as not espousing any kind of ideological point of view as it pertains to God or religion. I consider myself among the many millions who identify themselves as "spiritual but not religious". I use the word "God" loosely. Define it as you will. Sometimes I call it the Universe. Whatever you want to call it, I'm talking about accessing a deep and powerful love, the source of all creative energy. I'm talking about exercise as a form of creative expression, the chance to be one with God.<br />
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I'm not trying to get all deep or pretend to be some kind of spiritual guru, I'm trying to get to the heart of what makes an all-around healthy person. Just because someone is ripped and super, physically fit does not make him or her healthy. (Steroids, anyone?) But, if you understood your workout time to be the time to express yourself physically, the time to exert yourself so that your body is better able to utilize oxygen -- the magic element, the element of life -- you might have a healthier relationship to exercise.<br />
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</div>I define fitness as the balance of mind, body, and spirit. A lean, fit body is merely the by-product of a commitment to personal excellence. I've had some of my most inspired moments while working out (ideas for songs and stories). There is something about exerting ourselves physically that brings us closer to God, or if that's too new-agey, closer to that profound feeling of peace and calm. It's a feeling I felt after climbing for what seemed like an hour to a Hindu temple at the top of a mountain in the lower Himalayas in India. Profound peace and oneness. Call it what you want.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiE8NH416ThyiEfNhMQdSrpNLHrbS37cKGwh2q6JAh_jCckH8-mgYSSo4vEitBmK1svXRJ2xi9fXUjHB8ODAxHIU73qSI_FOTj4eamiwJgu4FxT1pm_E25T99WAvuyKr9gMx6gh8WqMEip/s1600/DSC00566.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiE8NH416ThyiEfNhMQdSrpNLHrbS37cKGwh2q6JAh_jCckH8-mgYSSo4vEitBmK1svXRJ2xi9fXUjHB8ODAxHIU73qSI_FOTj4eamiwJgu4FxT1pm_E25T99WAvuyKr9gMx6gh8WqMEip/s320/DSC00566.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a><br />
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So, push yourself because you CAN. Be as strong as you can because you CAN. It doesn't matter where you are on the fitness spectrum or if you've put it off for most of your life. It is never too late to change. Commit to giving yourself 1 hour a day, 6 days a week to tend to the needs of your physical body. If that's too much at first, then give yourself 30 minutes. Or 20. Isn't the purpose of life to have the most enriching, fulfilling experience possible? It all starts with a commitment to self.<br />
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I'd like to end with a quote from Don Miguel Ruiz, author of the "The Four Agreements":<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">"Respect your body, enjoy your body, love your body, feed, clean, and heal your body. Exercise and do what makes your body feel good. This is "puja" to your body, and that is a communion between you and God... Your body is the manifestation of God, and if you honor your body, everything will change for you."</span></span><br />
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Tomorrow, I'll talk about yoga as part of a fitness routine.changingbodieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171980452866952109noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073823951830103407.post-42588844339670222492010-12-03T18:45:00.000-08:002010-12-03T18:45:39.135-08:00WANT TO LOSE "BELLY FAT"? STRENGTH TRAIN!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><div style="font-family: Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So, this blog thing is kinda cool. I don't say anything different than I say to people when I'm working with them in the gym one-on-one. But now I have a place to put it, where more people may access it. It's inspired me in a whole different way. I may be "all over the place" for awhile as I get comfortable in this medium and settling into specific topics. Please, bear with me and ask questions and I'll do my best to answer them.</span></div><div style="font-family: Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I'm realizing we trainers tend live inside a bubble. Kind of like how, when Washington politicians lose touch with normal, everyday Americans, they are said to have been "inside the beltway" for too long. A similar sort of thing exists in the training world. We acquire the latest knowledge and information. We workout with each other and spend our days conversing with those who can afford our services. So, I guess I'm saying that I'm grateful for the spark I'm getting from the feedback and questions I received from the last post. It allows me to go over information I may not have spoken about in awhile.</span></div><div style="font-family: Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So, let me make a few bold statements.</span></div><div style="font-family: Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>THE SINGLE BEST THING YOU CAN DO TO LOSE BODY FAT IS STRENGTH TRAIN.</b> </span></div><div style="font-family: Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="font-family: Times; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Courier; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">STRENGTH TRAINING BURNS ALMOST TWICE THE CALORIES THAN CARDIOVASCULAR ACTIVITY ALONE.</span></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Courier; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Courier; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">CARDIO IS OVERRATED. </span></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Courier; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Courier; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In addition to burning more calories per workout, <b>strength training sets your body up to add muscle tissue, which elevates your metabolism</b> (rate at which the body burns calories) over the long term. Think of it this way: if you add more lean tissue (muscle) to your body you will burn more calories while sleeping! </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Understanding this bit of information is crucial to achieving the results I know most people are looking for. Often I hear, “I’m going to do cardio for awhile and lose some weight before I bulk up with the weights.” Biggest lie out there. By the way, you think strength training doesn't have cardiovascular benefit? Check your heart rate at the end of a set of 12 deep squats.</span></div><div style="font-family: Times; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Courier; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Times; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Courier; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Look, I’m not going to say cardio is bad. People who do cardiovascular activity for 30 minutes or more 3 times per week are doing great things for their heart and lungs. But over time, by just doing the same cardiovascular </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">activity the </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">metabolism slows down for two reasons:</span></div></span><br />
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<div style="font: 12.0px Courier; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"></div><ol><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The body has gotten used to the activity. If your body expects the same level 6 elliptical trainer workout every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday it perceives the activity as normal and will burn less and less calories over time. </span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Sustained aerobic activity </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">BREAKS DOWN MUSCLE TISSUE! </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This is a scientific fact that, if people really understood how bad this is for the body’s metabolism, they’d stop doing it immediately.</span></span></li>
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<div style="font: 12.0px Courier; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">If we know that having more muscle tissue greatly increases the body’s ability to burn calories, why in hell would you continue to do the very thing that destroys muscles tissue? Understanding this concept is hugely important because if you are not strength training in addition to exercising aerobically then you are </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">working very hard and slowing your metabolism down at the same time! </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I harp on this point because I know people have heard this information before yet they continue to do the same activity anyway. It makes no sense. It’s like driving your car with the gas pedal to the floor and the emergency brake on. Engine’s working really hard but the car’s not getting very far.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Courier; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Courier; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Don’t believe me? Take a look sometime and notice who are the fattest people in your gym. It’s not the people lifting free weights. It’s the people coming out of spin and step classes or zoned out on the elliptical. You'd think people would catch on after awhile!!!</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Courier; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Courier; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">When someone says to me, “I don’t want to get too big and bulky” I ask, “Do you think I’m too big?” “No, you look great.” Well, I’ve been lifting weights for 25 years. I hear you now, “You’ve got great genetics!” Maybe that’s true. But nobody else in my family has the body composition that I do. Not fair to make that comparison because I am a fitness expert and I live fitness. That’s my point. Maybe it's <b>because</b> I have lifted moderately heavy weights for 25 years that I look the way I do. Why not give it a try and see if your body gets too big (I promise you won’t). If you're saying "I don't want to get too big", you might want to ask yourself if what you are <b>really</b> saying is "I don't want to work too hard".</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Courier; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Courier; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So let me be clear: I am not anti-cardio. If you will absolutely never resistance train, and all you are able to do are 2 or 3 cardio workouts per week then, by all </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">means, do it. Some activity is better than no activity. But resistance training </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">always </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">trumps cardiovascular training alone.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Courier; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div>changingbodieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171980452866952109noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073823951830103407.post-45463052288682130712010-12-03T06:13:00.000-08:002010-12-03T08:30:10.393-08:00"STREAMLINED" FITNESS - PRIORITIZING YOUR EXERCISESPlease, get off the Elliptical Trainer.<br />
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'Tis the season for holiday parties and being social. Inevitably, I'll meet someone at a party and it'll come up that I am a fitness trainer. The person then becomes visibly uncomfortable, as if I am calculating body fat percentage as we speak. They'll feel obligated to comment on the food they're eating ("I shouldn't be having this"). Sigh.<br />
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It doesn't take long before the questions come in rapid fire. It's like being a doctor ("Doc, I got this tickle in my throat." Except it's more like, "I've this roll on my stomach right here...") Fortunately, I enjoy dispelling the myths and giving people the truth about fitness.<br />
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Which brings me to my topic today: People I meet ALWAYS ask me what they should do when they go to the gym. That's really the bottom line. Most people are so clueless about what to do when they go to the gym that they a) end up giving up after not seeing results, or b) they stay in their "safe zone" -- cardio only, coasting on the Elliptical, never making any changes. Sound familiar?<br />
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So, assuming your desired results are a leaner, stronger, more toned body (it is for most everyone I've met), what the hell should you be doing? Especially, if you can't afford a good trainer? I'm also guessing you haven't got all day to spend at the gym...<br />
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MOST people you see at the gym are wasting their time as it relates to achieving desired results. Please note I am not disputing the health benefits from a minimal level of activity. Sure, if you're walking on the treadmill, it's helluva lot better than laying on the couch and watching TV. I'm talking about getting results.<br />
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I'm talking about STREAMLINED FITNESS. I'm talking about prioritizing your exercises according to the number of days (and amount of time) you are able to commit to working out. I'm talking about getting your ass off the Elliptical trainer and lifting weights. I'm talking about getting "the most bang for your buck" at the gym. PRIORITIZE YOUR WORKOUTS.<br />
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You only have 3 days a week to work out? Good. Then you'll be strength training with weights and not going near the cardio equipment (apart from your pre-workout 5-10 minute warmup). You have 5 or 6 days to workout? Then you may incorporate cardio-only days followed by core and abs focused work. <br />
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What baffles me is that nothing I've said is earth-shattering (or even news), yet I STILL see people doing the same thing over and over and over, wasting their time with ineffective exercises and doing exercises in the wrong sequence (It's not just WHAT you do, it's WHEN you do it).<br />
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Prioritize your exercises. Compound (multi-joint) exercises before single joint exercises (Seated rows before biceps curls, for example). You'll want to hit your major muscle groups 2-3 times per week. You can split them up over 5 or 6 days, or you can do intense full-body workouts 2-3 times per week. Oppose muscle groups with little to no rest between exercises. Most people who've worked with me know my "Legs, Push, Pull" routine (like a mantra, really). Work between 8-12 reps on every set, knowing that if you hit 12 reps easily you'll need to add weight the next set, and if it's difficult to hit 8 reps you'll stay at that weight or lighten it. Push yourself. Sweat. Breathe heavily. Strength training with weights at high intensities is the most caloric intensive exercise there is. Everyone knows this. Science has proven it. Yet, I STILL hear "I don't want to get big, that's why I don't lift weights." Sigh.<br />
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So, lift weights. Heavier and faster. You'll burn more calories AND you'll set your body up to build lean tissue - the magic bullet for boosting your metabolism and burning body fat while you sleep. Get off the damn Elliptical!changingbodieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171980452866952109noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073823951830103407.post-10705031698471352362010-12-02T13:43:00.000-08:002010-12-02T13:43:34.951-08:00Launching Fitness BlogOkay, so today's the day. December 2, 2010. I have committed to having a conversation about fitness. I am particularly interested in S<b>TREAMLINING FITNESS</b>. Most people I know want to be leaner, stronger, and more toned without spending hours a day in the gym. Most people have lives outside of the gym, after all. <br />
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I've been working out for almost 30 years, training people for a living for almost 15 years. It's not a stretch to say I've seen it all. I am going to be honest and put it right out there, my selfish reason for creating this blog: I want to publish my fitness book. A New York literary agent read my manuscript and you know what she said? She said, "You write very well and have good angle for a book in a crowded field <b>BUT I DON'T SEE THE PLATFORM." (!!!) </b>Basically, "Who the hell are you?" Well I'm going to build my platform. Blog, website, the whole thing.<br />
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My big interest right now, as the web designer builds my new website, is the nexus of the latest computer and internet technology with exercise and fitness. In particular, I'm looking to take my personal training skills to the web. I always said it couldn't be done because, unless I'm physically there and on top of you, I can't properly train you. Well, I'm changing my tune. In this day and age of fast broadband technology, easily uploadable video content, and Skype, I don't see why we can't have VERY CLOSE to the same interaction that we have in person. Very soon (if not already) we'll be able to skype chat from smartphone to smartphone. I envision a day when clients can "take me with them" to their gym in Tokyo, or Hong Kong, or London. The key, I believe, is the live interaction. What does not work over the long haul is recorded DVDs and videos. It's the interaction that counts. So, I'm looking to broaden my potential client base: the world wide web.changingbodieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171980452866952109noreply@blogger.com4