Getting out of shape is not something that occurs overnight. Nobody goes to bed, waking up 8 hours later having gained 40 pounds. Gaining weight to the point of being displeased, even disgusted with how you look and feel, and lacking the self-confidence and energy to do anything about it, takes months or years of poor lifestyle habits. It is when we are feeling this depressed and desperate that we fall prey to any and all get-fit-quick workouts and pills out there. Sadly, there is NO magic workout or infomercial diet when it comes to getting into shape.
When you reach the point that you are truly ready to change how you look and feel, it has to start within you. You have to pull up the reason from deep down inside--the reason that is so intense and personal that it makes your eyes tear up. For me, it was being fed up with getting picked on and laughed at for how I looked. Once you have your "why", you now have the real magic. Armed with your emotional why, you can make anything happen.
Next, you must take action. And you must do it NOW, while you are fired up. For many people, this means joining a gym. And frequently the determining factor is price. For just $19 a month, you get access to 10,000 square feet of equipment. Plus you get everything else that comes with it: little, if any, professional assistance, screaming meatheads dropping 300 pound barbells, and figure-it-out-for-yourself exercises on machines that were probably invented before you were born. Take a look at the design of those machines--95% of them have you sitting or lying down, which is probably what got you out-of-shape in the first place!
Your intentions are good. You're at the gym. You have a plan: forty-five minutes a day, four times a week on the treadmill. And although you may feel better for a week or two, rarely will you see changes that last. And so the frustration creeps in...again. You're looking at yourself in the mirror ready to throw in the towel. Don't do it!!
Do whatever it takes to keep moving forward. Getting back in shape, just like getting out of it, takes months and years. There are going to be difficult days, lots of them, especially in the beginning. But you don't have to do it alone. I had someone guide me early on. I owe a lot to Ron C. His pushing me in the gym allowed me to succeed in all areas of my life...physically, mentally, emotionally and even financially. Fitness literally changed my life.
If you are serious about finally wanting to change your body and your life, get professional guidance. Don't walk on the treadmill. Walk out your door and find a fitness center, a community of like-minded people who are doing what you want to do. Find a place with highly credentialed fitness professionals who are dedicating their lives and careers to continually learning how to help you, not just someone who adjusts your seat height and puts the pin into the weight stack.
There are no magical workouts or pills. But there is a place dedicated to make you look, feel, and move so much better, it will seem like magic.
Saturday, September 27, 2014
Saturday, September 20, 2014
BEING AHEAD OF THE PACK
A couple weeks ago I was sent an email from our nutrition mentor, Dr. John Berardi, PhD, founder of Precision Nutrition. The email included a video presentation he did several weeks prior titled The Future of Fitness and Nutrition. In that video, JB noted several paradigm shifts that will affect the manner in which fitness professionals train their clients. I want to share a few of them with you.
> "Personal Trainers" will have to move from simply instructing exercises to helping their clients manage their lifestyles. This means helping people move better before they move more, make better food choices AND help with their eating behaviors. It also entails helping their clients manage their lives and caring for themselves in a more holistic way.
This sounds a lot like what we are already doing. Success Health & Fitness does not employ
personal trainers--we are Professional Health & Fitness Coaches. In other words, we have the
credentialed knowledge and experience to do more than just carry a clipboard and watch you
exercise. We are movement, exercise, and nutrition certified to help you manage your health
and fitness lifestyle.
> Trainers will need to move from studying solely exercise science to understanding how to help their clients make lasting changes. Many trainers don't realize that their methods of training may actually hinder their clients' progress. Most adults won't respond well to the in-your-face, Biggest Loser trainer.
The fitness professional of the future will need to meet their clients where they are physically,
emotionally, socially, and financially. The present "one-workout-fits-all" (ie: Crossfit or big-box
gym) mentality will not fly as people become more demanding for professionals that will tailor
health and fitness programs that work for them specifically.
> The move from telling clients what to do and eat to helping clients understand what's presently holding them back and working with them to find solutions. Trainers, especially those new to the business, are more concerned about telling and showing their clients what they know, and what they think the client should do rather than taking the time to listen to their clients' needs and reasons.
> Stop giving your clients too many things to work on at once. If you've ever had a personal trainer, this scenario may sound familiar: "I want you to eat breakfast every day within 1 hour of waking up, followed by 5 more 300 calorie meals. And drink 96 ounces of water today. And come to the gym at 5PM to blast your chest and back. And take 10 grams of creatine. And..."
Fitness trainers will need to give their clients the one strategic, clear practice that will make the
biggest difference for them at that time. As we tell our members here, it's baby steps...We have to
move better before we move more; we have to eat clean before we think about counting calories; we
need to do some soft tissue work before we stretch.
Thanks again to JB for putting out more good information, and affirming that we are in the top 10% of fitness professionals who are leading health and fitness into the future. Thanks also to all of you reading this post. We truly appreciate you taking the time to follow us.
> "Personal Trainers" will have to move from simply instructing exercises to helping their clients manage their lifestyles. This means helping people move better before they move more, make better food choices AND help with their eating behaviors. It also entails helping their clients manage their lives and caring for themselves in a more holistic way.
This sounds a lot like what we are already doing. Success Health & Fitness does not employ
personal trainers--we are Professional Health & Fitness Coaches. In other words, we have the
credentialed knowledge and experience to do more than just carry a clipboard and watch you
exercise. We are movement, exercise, and nutrition certified to help you manage your health
and fitness lifestyle.
> Trainers will need to move from studying solely exercise science to understanding how to help their clients make lasting changes. Many trainers don't realize that their methods of training may actually hinder their clients' progress. Most adults won't respond well to the in-your-face, Biggest Loser trainer.
The fitness professional of the future will need to meet their clients where they are physically,
emotionally, socially, and financially. The present "one-workout-fits-all" (ie: Crossfit or big-box
gym) mentality will not fly as people become more demanding for professionals that will tailor
health and fitness programs that work for them specifically.
> The move from telling clients what to do and eat to helping clients understand what's presently holding them back and working with them to find solutions. Trainers, especially those new to the business, are more concerned about telling and showing their clients what they know, and what they think the client should do rather than taking the time to listen to their clients' needs and reasons.
> Stop giving your clients too many things to work on at once. If you've ever had a personal trainer, this scenario may sound familiar: "I want you to eat breakfast every day within 1 hour of waking up, followed by 5 more 300 calorie meals. And drink 96 ounces of water today. And come to the gym at 5PM to blast your chest and back. And take 10 grams of creatine. And..."
Fitness trainers will need to give their clients the one strategic, clear practice that will make the
biggest difference for them at that time. As we tell our members here, it's baby steps...We have to
move better before we move more; we have to eat clean before we think about counting calories; we
need to do some soft tissue work before we stretch.
Thanks again to JB for putting out more good information, and affirming that we are in the top 10% of fitness professionals who are leading health and fitness into the future. Thanks also to all of you reading this post. We truly appreciate you taking the time to follow us.
Saturday, September 13, 2014
STAYING WITHIN YOUR PLAN WHEN DINING OUT
WOO-HOOOOO! It's Friday! Just 8 more hours left in the work week and then it's 60 hours of getting outdoors, watching the Reno Air Races or the NFL games of the week, and...dining out with friends and family. Over the next 2 1/2 days Americans will typically about 150% more calories than they do during the average weekday. Much of that effort spent on the treadmill or in those spinning classes will be in vain as we gorge at our favorite large chain or fast food restaurants 2-5 times between Friday and Sunday evenings. But there are things you can do to make the experience a little healthier.
1. Plan. Have an active say in where you want to go. There are better choices out there such as a locally-owned restaurant where they serve, or better yet grow their own, organic vegetables and offer local lean meats. And while you may not get your way every time, any opportunity to eat at Great Full Gardens instead of the Cheesecake Factory is a step toward better health.
2. Research. Ok, you lost. It's The Cheesecake Factory tonight. Most national chain restaurants post their menu online, so take 10-15 minutes to do a little investigating. You're in the mood for some pasta? TCF's Shrimp and Angel Hair Pasta has 850 calories, whereas the Bistro Shrimp Pasta dish is a whopping 2290 calories. Apparently Bistro is the French word for butt-load of fat! And then there's the cheesecake for dessert, with an average calorie count of 927. Not too surprisingly, there are NO fat calories listed online for any of their menu items. My guess is the calculators couldn't add that high.
3. Remember Your Protein and Veggies. Make sure you start with your lean protein--chicken or fish are usually available and are generally a healthier alternative to beef. Then add your vegetables. If you want an appetizer, order a salad with oil and vinegar dressing on the side. Pass on the ranch, which has become the country's 2nd leading condiment after ketchup. A 1-ounce serving is 145 calories (and almost nobody uses only 1 ounce of ranch dressing). Avoid everything that's deep-fried.
4. Have It Your Way. It's your meal, so don't be afraid to order the food the way you want it. This means having your chicken grilled or your salmon steamed, without any butter or extra oils. Same goes for the veggies--steamed without anything added. Your food server works for tips, so he or she should do whatever it takes to ensure you are satisfied. Don't be afraid to ask.
5. Get a To-Go Box. Over-sized portions are way too common these days. Before your food is brought out, ask your server for a to-go box. When your meal arrives, place any amounts that are above your recommended portions in the box and ask your server to keep it for you until you're ready to leave. This way you won't be tempted to overeat.
6. Go Easy on the Spirits. Alcohol has about 7 calories per gram. And while that glass of house wine is only about 12% alcohol, it can easily add 225 calories onto your meal. And one 6-ounce margarita is about 300 calories. Ay Carumba!
7. Stick to Your Habits. Lastly, you're with family or friends, so slow down and take time to talk. Remember that it takes roughly 20 minutes for your brain to get the signals from the stomach that you're getting full. Maybe longer if you're drinking. So take at least that long to eat your meal, and stop eating when you're 80% full or are no longer hungry.
Have a great weekend! Move Better. EAT BETTER. Live Better!
1. Plan. Have an active say in where you want to go. There are better choices out there such as a locally-owned restaurant where they serve, or better yet grow their own, organic vegetables and offer local lean meats. And while you may not get your way every time, any opportunity to eat at Great Full Gardens instead of the Cheesecake Factory is a step toward better health.
2. Research. Ok, you lost. It's The Cheesecake Factory tonight. Most national chain restaurants post their menu online, so take 10-15 minutes to do a little investigating. You're in the mood for some pasta? TCF's Shrimp and Angel Hair Pasta has 850 calories, whereas the Bistro Shrimp Pasta dish is a whopping 2290 calories. Apparently Bistro is the French word for butt-load of fat! And then there's the cheesecake for dessert, with an average calorie count of 927. Not too surprisingly, there are NO fat calories listed online for any of their menu items. My guess is the calculators couldn't add that high.
3. Remember Your Protein and Veggies. Make sure you start with your lean protein--chicken or fish are usually available and are generally a healthier alternative to beef. Then add your vegetables. If you want an appetizer, order a salad with oil and vinegar dressing on the side. Pass on the ranch, which has become the country's 2nd leading condiment after ketchup. A 1-ounce serving is 145 calories (and almost nobody uses only 1 ounce of ranch dressing). Avoid everything that's deep-fried.
4. Have It Your Way. It's your meal, so don't be afraid to order the food the way you want it. This means having your chicken grilled or your salmon steamed, without any butter or extra oils. Same goes for the veggies--steamed without anything added. Your food server works for tips, so he or she should do whatever it takes to ensure you are satisfied. Don't be afraid to ask.
5. Get a To-Go Box. Over-sized portions are way too common these days. Before your food is brought out, ask your server for a to-go box. When your meal arrives, place any amounts that are above your recommended portions in the box and ask your server to keep it for you until you're ready to leave. This way you won't be tempted to overeat.
6. Go Easy on the Spirits. Alcohol has about 7 calories per gram. And while that glass of house wine is only about 12% alcohol, it can easily add 225 calories onto your meal. And one 6-ounce margarita is about 300 calories. Ay Carumba!
7. Stick to Your Habits. Lastly, you're with family or friends, so slow down and take time to talk. Remember that it takes roughly 20 minutes for your brain to get the signals from the stomach that you're getting full. Maybe longer if you're drinking. So take at least that long to eat your meal, and stop eating when you're 80% full or are no longer hungry.
Have a great weekend! Move Better. EAT BETTER. Live Better!
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
EMBRACE CHANGE: VALIDATION FOR SUCCESS HEALTH & FITNESS PRACTICES
About 2 weeks ago I received an email from Jessica (if you don't know Jessica yet, click on our TEAM tab here: www.successfitnessreno.com . It was an interview with Dr. Doug McGuff, a long-time exerciser and present emergency room physician in South Carolina. During this interview, Dr. McGuff discussed the benefits of high intensity training, a method of exercise he believes is practiced by fewer than 2% of the people working out in gyms. And in my 3-4 decades of experience, I think his estimate is spot on.
You see, most people exercising today fall into 1 of 2 categories. The first are those people doing a traditional bodybuilder-format workout, focusing on isolating individual muscles. I call this a "body for show" workout--it's all about the outward appearance. And that's a great way to train if looking fit is your goal. Unfortunately, there are way too many sports coaches and personal trainers still using this approach to train team sports athletes, as well as those people who simply want to improve their overall health. These people, which honestly is everybody, need a "body for go".
The second category is the cardio crowd. This includes those exercisers who are just taking classes like Zumba or spinning, as well as the masses of people jogging on the treadmill or going nowhere fast on the elliptical machine. Dr. McGuff notes in his interview that the majority of people focusing on cardio are in pretty poor shape, and are not getting any better.
Dr. McGuff also makes a comparison between doing High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), and what he terms High Intensity Strength Training (HIST), which he strongly advocates (hey, a pun!). HIIT is a form of cardiovascular exercise where a person alternates between short bursts of hard work, like all-out sprinting for 20 seconds, followed by a recovery period. He lists the following benefits of HIIT:
With HIIT, a person's heart rate (beats per minute) will usually be somewhat higher compared to a MART session, but the utilization will be lower. This is because, with HIIT, the heart is beating too fast to take in maximum amounts of blood with each beat, and therefore releases a lower amount into the arteries for circulation throughout the body.
So if you are presently your gym's cardio king or queen, or you're still using traditional pumping iron methods from the 70's and 80's to improve your overall health and fitness, don't you think it's time to embrace change? And stop thinking that all you have to do to get healthier and fitter is walk around the Marina 2-3 times a week. It's not going to happen!! And in another 7 weeks or so, it's going to be dark before and after work, so what are you going to do then? Wait, I know...elliptical machines: get ready!
If you want to read the full article or watch the interview, just go to this link:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/08/10/high-intensity-strength-training.aspx
Move better. Eat better. Live better!
You see, most people exercising today fall into 1 of 2 categories. The first are those people doing a traditional bodybuilder-format workout, focusing on isolating individual muscles. I call this a "body for show" workout--it's all about the outward appearance. And that's a great way to train if looking fit is your goal. Unfortunately, there are way too many sports coaches and personal trainers still using this approach to train team sports athletes, as well as those people who simply want to improve their overall health. These people, which honestly is everybody, need a "body for go".
The second category is the cardio crowd. This includes those exercisers who are just taking classes like Zumba or spinning, as well as the masses of people jogging on the treadmill or going nowhere fast on the elliptical machine. Dr. McGuff notes in his interview that the majority of people focusing on cardio are in pretty poor shape, and are not getting any better.
Dr. McGuff also makes a comparison between doing High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), and what he terms High Intensity Strength Training (HIST), which he strongly advocates (hey, a pun!). HIIT is a form of cardiovascular exercise where a person alternates between short bursts of hard work, like all-out sprinting for 20 seconds, followed by a recovery period. He lists the following benefits of HIIT:
- Releases the fight-or-flight hormone epinephrine, aka adrenaline
- Releases glucose from the muscles to be used as energy
- Brings fat to the muscles, where it is also used as a fuel source
- Increases insulin sensitivity that helps reverse the effects of metabolic syndrome (a combination of abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, high blood glucose, and elevated triglyceride levels)
- All the benefits of HIIT, plus
- Increased muscular fatigue, and therefore growth
- Triggers the production of more contractile tissue and all of the metabolic components to support it
- Increased glycogen storage and utilization (more fat burning)
- Triggers the release of myokines, a protein produced and released in muscle fibers that have specific positive effects on body composition, decreases systemic inflammation, and lowers the risk for chronic disease and possibly some forms of cancer
- Better cardiovascular results than HIIT
With HIIT, a person's heart rate (beats per minute) will usually be somewhat higher compared to a MART session, but the utilization will be lower. This is because, with HIIT, the heart is beating too fast to take in maximum amounts of blood with each beat, and therefore releases a lower amount into the arteries for circulation throughout the body.
So if you are presently your gym's cardio king or queen, or you're still using traditional pumping iron methods from the 70's and 80's to improve your overall health and fitness, don't you think it's time to embrace change? And stop thinking that all you have to do to get healthier and fitter is walk around the Marina 2-3 times a week. It's not going to happen!! And in another 7 weeks or so, it's going to be dark before and after work, so what are you going to do then? Wait, I know...elliptical machines: get ready!
If you want to read the full article or watch the interview, just go to this link:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/08/10/high-intensity-strength-training.aspx
Move better. Eat better. Live better!
Saturday, September 6, 2014
THE TRUTH ABOUT FAT LOSS: SLEEP AND RECOVERY
Ok, here we are at our final topic in our Truth About Fat Loss series. Let's first recap what we've covered so far.
Set realistic goals. You must know where you are and where, specifically, you want to end up. Have a strong "why" that is deeply and personally meaningful to you.
Understand that your metabolism affects your body composition. Your resting metabolic rate is the minimum number of calories you need to maintain vital functions while at rest. Movement requires additional energy.
Clean eating is 80% of your fat loss solution. Eat lean proteins, vegetables, and healthy fats. Limit starchy carbohydrates and processed foods that are calorie-dense rather than nutrient dense.
Conditioning for fat loss consists of shorter bouts of higher intensity exercise using little more than your bodyweight for maximum results.
Elasticity and flexibility keep your muscles moving through their optimum ranges of motion. Start with soft tissue work, then do some static stretching.
Strength training is the cornerstone of your workout routine. Do several sets of compound exercises (NOT on machines) with a resistance that is challenging, to create that metabolic disturbance.
Sleep and recovery. Just because we're discussing this last does not undermine its importance. When working out, we are creating a stimulus for muscle growth by breaking down muscle tissue and placing our body under stress. This new growth only occurs if we properly recover between exercise sessions. Do some activities that are relaxing and re-energizing. These can include additional foam rolling to untie any post-workout trigger points, or yoga to help improve breathing patterns. Quiet meditation, Pilates, and tai chi can enhance total-body oxygenation. Recovery can also be very simple: soaking in a hot bath, enjoying a little aromatherapy, or drinking warm tea and reading a book. Aim for 30 minutes daily.
Your nutrition also plays a role in your recovery. After an intense training session, your body needs some easily digestible protein and simple carbohydrates to feed the muscle tissue and elevate your energy levels. Your post-workout nutrition should ideally be in the form of a shake or smoothie for faster usability, and drank within 15-30 minutes after your session.
Finally there's sleep. Studies have shown that people who typically get fewer than 6 hours of sleep each night gain almost twice as much weight as those who get 7-8 hours. As with exercise, more is not always better. Research has also shown that people who consistently sleep more than 9 hours nightly have similar fat levels as those who sleep too few hours.
There you have it--7 keys for torching body fat. Throughout this series, I've received comments from readers saying they like what we're teaching them, but still don't feel comfortable implementing these strategies on their own.
I've also had people tell me, "I know you're thinking specifically of me when you're writing these articles, aren't you? The truth is: NO. But if you're thinking, even somewhat jokingly, that these articles are directed at you, maybe you realize you are not where you should be in regards to your health and fitness. Maybe you're fed up with how you look, how you feel, and how you move. If you're not taking action with this knowledge, you don't have a fat-loss goal, you have a dream. Successful people, people of significance, have goals they act on. NOW is YOUR time to act!
Starting the week of September 29th, we are offering 20 people the opportunity to put these principles into action. Members of this 8-week program will meet twice weekly at Success Health & Fitness. Each one will receive a customized exercise and nutrition plan designed specifically for him/her that will include everything we've covered in the Truth About Fat Loss series. The timing for this program is purposeful--it will end a week before Thanksgiving. Our goal is to ensure each participant torches at least 13 pounds of body fat. Picture yourself turning heads and getting compliments on the "new you" at all those parties you'll be attending. And while others are dreaming of their 2015 weight loss resolutions, you can smile knowing you're already there.
So I've done my own research and found that some places running their own weight loss programs charge over $700 for 16 training sessions. Going to a big-box gym? Expect to pay over $1100 for 15 sessions. And most places do not include any qualified nutritional guidance. But YOU get the COMPLETE program:
- Goal setting
- Nutrition
- Soft tissue and flexibility work
- Strength training
- Conditioning
- Recovery strategies
- Professional coaching
So there you have it. No more excuses. To get started, just give us a call at 775.432.1356, or shoot us an email at info@shfreno.com telling us you're ready to look, feel, and move better than you have in years. And feel free to ask a friend to sign up with you. Everything is more fun when you're doing it with someone you care about. Registration for this life-changing program ends at midnight on Saturday, September 20th. ACT SOON as we expect this program to quickly sell out.
Move Better. Eat Better. Live Better!
DON
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
THE TRUTH ABOUT FAT LOSS: STRENGTH AND RESISTANCE TRAINING
As I've mentioned before, the strength training part of our fat loss program is the most important for you after eating clean foods. It is the cornerstone of your programming. Your goal is to work every major muscle group and movement pattern frequently, and with enough intensity to add lean muscle to your body, and create a disturbance that increases your metabolism and keeps it elevated for several hours after you've finished working out.
As we did with the conditioning post last week, let's look at some research that will help drive this point home. A 1999 study compared the effects of aerobic exercise versus strength training on lean muscle mass (LMM) and resting metabolic rate (RMR). The aerobic group did (4) 1-hour sessions a week. The resistance training group did 2-4 sets of 8-15 repetitions (very light to moderately heavy weights) of 10 exercises 3 times a week. Both groups drank an 800-calorie liquid diet during the study to take any dietary variables out of the equation. The strength training group lost significantly more fat and did not lose any LMM, while increasing their metabolism. The aerobics group actually saw a decline in their metabolic rate.
Another 1999 study assigned test subjects to 3 groups: a "diet only" group, a "diet plus aerobics group", and a "diet, aerobics and weight training group." The "diet + aerobics group" exercised 3 times a week starting at 30 minutes per session and progressing to 50 minutes. At the end of 12 weeks, the results were:
> The "diet only group" lost 14.6 pounds of fat
> The "diet plus aerobics group" lost 15.6 pounds of fat (only 1 additional pound)
> The "diet, aerobics, and weight training group" lost 21.1 pounds of fat
This study alone should tell you the importance of resistance training and fat loss.
So what should your strength training consist of and how long should it take? After our clients finish their "base phase", which is usually between 3 and 6 weeks depending on the their conditioning, we focus primarily on compound movements (those exercises that target more than one muscle group such as a back row that works your back, shoulders, and biceps), and have them work the complete body every session. Do NOT use machines for the majority of your workout. Machines have been shown to promote dysfunction in the body by locking you in to possibly unnatural movement patterns. We program our strength training sessions for about 25-30 minutes. When you're training at a fairly high intensity, you can't effectively go much longer than this. Remember from our conditioning segment that intensity and time are inversely related. The longer you exercise, the lower your intensity has to be.
And to maximize our clients' use of time as well as their recovery between sets, we have them do alternating sets or supersets, where they work different muscle groups (for example their back and their front thighs) in combination with little or no rest between sets. This helps amplify that metabolic disturbance. Then, after their base phase, we have our clients work out at least 3 times a week to see jaw-dropping, head-turning results. That's less than 2% of your total weekly hours!
So now you have 6 of the 7 keys to health and fitness success. Your action item for today is to add some bodyweight or free weight compound exercises to your routine. These can include squats, push-ups, lunges, and overhead presses. Our last discussion will be about something we don't usually think of when it comes to fat loss and our overall health--recovery. See you in a few days.
Move Better. Eat Better. Live Better!
DON
As we did with the conditioning post last week, let's look at some research that will help drive this point home. A 1999 study compared the effects of aerobic exercise versus strength training on lean muscle mass (LMM) and resting metabolic rate (RMR). The aerobic group did (4) 1-hour sessions a week. The resistance training group did 2-4 sets of 8-15 repetitions (very light to moderately heavy weights) of 10 exercises 3 times a week. Both groups drank an 800-calorie liquid diet during the study to take any dietary variables out of the equation. The strength training group lost significantly more fat and did not lose any LMM, while increasing their metabolism. The aerobics group actually saw a decline in their metabolic rate.
Another 1999 study assigned test subjects to 3 groups: a "diet only" group, a "diet plus aerobics group", and a "diet, aerobics and weight training group." The "diet + aerobics group" exercised 3 times a week starting at 30 minutes per session and progressing to 50 minutes. At the end of 12 weeks, the results were:
> The "diet only group" lost 14.6 pounds of fat
> The "diet plus aerobics group" lost 15.6 pounds of fat (only 1 additional pound)
> The "diet, aerobics, and weight training group" lost 21.1 pounds of fat
This study alone should tell you the importance of resistance training and fat loss.
So what should your strength training consist of and how long should it take? After our clients finish their "base phase", which is usually between 3 and 6 weeks depending on the their conditioning, we focus primarily on compound movements (those exercises that target more than one muscle group such as a back row that works your back, shoulders, and biceps), and have them work the complete body every session. Do NOT use machines for the majority of your workout. Machines have been shown to promote dysfunction in the body by locking you in to possibly unnatural movement patterns. We program our strength training sessions for about 25-30 minutes. When you're training at a fairly high intensity, you can't effectively go much longer than this. Remember from our conditioning segment that intensity and time are inversely related. The longer you exercise, the lower your intensity has to be.
And to maximize our clients' use of time as well as their recovery between sets, we have them do alternating sets or supersets, where they work different muscle groups (for example their back and their front thighs) in combination with little or no rest between sets. This helps amplify that metabolic disturbance. Then, after their base phase, we have our clients work out at least 3 times a week to see jaw-dropping, head-turning results. That's less than 2% of your total weekly hours!
So now you have 6 of the 7 keys to health and fitness success. Your action item for today is to add some bodyweight or free weight compound exercises to your routine. These can include squats, push-ups, lunges, and overhead presses. Our last discussion will be about something we don't usually think of when it comes to fat loss and our overall health--recovery. See you in a few days.
Move Better. Eat Better. Live Better!
DON
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