Leaving for the Holidays? No gym? No problem

Ah’ Christmas and Thanksgiving. What better time to lay off your workouts, eat like you haven’t in weeks, and gain 20 extra pounds. How terrible is that? And yet this is exactly what many people do. Winter hits, hard, and the once so motivated fitness enthusiast finds themselves in a hopeless spiral of food and laying on the couch. But do not fear. I am going to be doing a mini-series of blogs to help you avoid this holiday rut. The first excuse I want you to get rid of is a “lack of a gym”. Just because you are on vacation doesn’t mean you can’t workout. In the article “The Workout That Travels With You”, David Zinczenko gives a fail-proof workout that can be done almost anywhere. So dust off those tennis shoes, say no to that fruitcake, and try it out!

Fat Into Muscle

       You may have heard marketing ploys for exercise supplements like “Replace fat with muscle!”.  But does lifting weights literally turn fat into muscle?  Not so much.  Adipose (fat) and muscle are two completely different types of tissue and are no more capable of turning into one another than say, nervous or bone.  You can however, burn fat and build muscle.  In an article on Yahoo! Health, Joy Bauer walks through what goes on behind the scenes of fat burning.

The scale: Frind or Foe?

       One of the main tools we use in our healthy lifestyle is the scale.  It helps us know how much progress we are making with our fat loss or musclebuilding goals.  But should hopping on the scale be a daily activity?  Debbie Rocker doesn’t think so.  Obsessing day after day over whether or not you have lost a pound or two may be doing more harm than good.  In her article Stay Off the Scale Rocker goes in depth on the proper use of the scale.

Abb-olicious

       I am going to address a subject many people want to know about, and yet much of the information out there on this subject is misleading…  Ab’s.  Here a six-pack there a six-pack, everyone wants a six-pack.  And what are we told to do to get those washboard ab’s?  Exercises. 

       Go ahead, pick up almost any fitness magazine that offers information on ab’s and you will most likely find doing ab exercises as their road to a shredded midsection.  But just as simply doing countless sets on the bench press won’t make your chest look like it was chisled out of marble, neither will fancy ab work alone give you a washboard stomach.

        Diet is the key here readers.  Doing exercises alone is not going to cause you to lose weight (or MUCH weight).  If your diet isn’t up to par, all the situps and crunches in the world are futile.  Sure you will be building muscle, you may even be sculpting your ab’s to perfection if you get creative with your exercises.  But it will all be hidden away under a layer of fat.

        Do you see what I am getting at?  Resistance training WILL strengthen and/or enlarge/ sculpt wichever muscle is being trained.  The real package comes when you combine your exercise routine with a healthy diet.  Only then will you see muscle definition.  

       I am NOT suggesting that you cut out abdominal exercises.  Indeed they play a vital role in your fitness world.  Not only is it nice to have a strong looking midsection, but it will also help keep you away from common ailments.  Like lower back pain and injuries. 

       My point is this. Train your ab’s hard for they need to grow and strengthen.  But if you want to see them, you have to watch your diet.

Fat Is Contagious

       In a manner of speaking, fat or being fat is contagious.  Not in the literal sense, obviously.  You can’t brush up against somebody and “catch” fat.  Instead, I am referring to the age old principle that you tend to be like the people you are around.  Let’s face it, living a healthy lifestyle is hard enough.  You can’t afford any negative reinforcement.  If your friends don’t make working out or eating healthy a high priority, it’s going to be that much more difficult for you to do so.

       The best way to make difficult decisions is to not give yourself a choice.  For instance, if you only buy all natural and organic foods to keep in your pantry, you won’t have to stand there in front of it trying to decide between a healthy granola bar or potato chips.  Sure you could get in your car and go to the store just to buy a box of doughnuts, but if you are like most you will not take the time to do so.  Don’t give yourself a choice. 

       Everybody has a breaking point.  If you hang out with unhealthy eating people on a consistent basis, you will be much more tempted to eat unhealthy yourself.  If none of your friends work out,  it’s going to be very difficult for you to go.  A recent study showed that you are 50% more likely to suffer from obesity if you are around obese people the majority of the time. 

       I am not suggesting you go out tomorrow and ditch all your friends because they dont want to go work out with you.  These are just some thoughts to keep in mind.  Just remember that whether you like it or not, your friends influence you. 

Truths About Weight Loss

       I really need to lose weight, how do I do it?  That is a much more loaded question then people realize.  First off, its FAT that you need to lose not just weight.  Now you may be thinking that is obvious,  but I am here to tell you a lot of people do not understand this concept.  I cannot tell you how many clients come in to the gym for a fitness assessment and say (for example) “I need to lose 40 pounds”.  But after doing a body fat percentage analysis, they do not even have 40 pounds of bodyfat on them!  And yet they persist to tell me that they need to lose that exact amount of weight. 

       The problem arises from a culture that dictates bodily standards.  People would like to think that a master scale could be developed to determine what a person needs to weigh based on height, sex and age.  This is utter absurdity.  The sad thing is, such scales do exist but they are all bogus.  These scales do not take into account muscle mass or bone structure (YES there a larger boned people). 

       Here is an example for you.  Assuming they are not using artificial performance enhancers,  some of the most fit people on the planet are professional athletes.  If you plugged in there bodyweight and height into one of these scales, a lot of them would hit overweight or obese on the charts.  Crazy huh?  The reason for this is that most of there weight is muscle mass, not fat.  If they weighed the same and most of it was fat, ya they probably would be overweight. 

      Try to think of your body as a ratio between lean (anything except fat), and fat.  Yes, you may indeed need to lose a few pounds, but make sure it is a calculated number.  Dont just choose a random amount.  You may not have that much to lose. 

       This is a HUGE topic people.  I am merely scratching the surface in these few short paragraphs.  There will be more information on this subject in future blogs.  But for now tune in tomorrow on my podcast to hear more on this subject as we will go in depth.  If you have not subscribed to my podcast, it can be found on iTunes under “Fitness Renaissance”.  Or go to podomatic.com and search “Precision Fitness”.

      

Water: Natures Cure

       Ok to be fair water isn’t so much a cure as it is prevention.  It becomes a cure by preventing future problems.  Problems you may already be experiencing.  Do headaches or chronic afternoon drowsiness ring a bell?  If you are like most, one or the other probably do.   Your body is composed of OVER 60% water.  Plain good old fashioned, regular water.  This means that we should be constantly drinking water to replace all the liquid we lose through sweat, urinating, tears and other methods. 

       Well thank goodness most Americans drink enough water!  Ha, not the case.  Outside of the occasional impulsive health nut drinking bottled water,  how often do you see people drinking it, really?  When we go out to eat you can bet most people will order some form of soda, sweat tea, lemonade, beer…anything but water.  Why is this?  Well quite obviously these other drinks are more tasty than water.  But is the trade-off of taste really worth it? I think not.

       Consider the aforementioned statement of bodily water composition.  If your body is over 60% water and we are replacing lost water with…ANYTHING but water.  This causes a mass of problems.  In laymens terms, think of water as a lubricant.  It keeps the brain “flowing” freely.  When a water deficiancy is present,  the brain slows down, often leading to the classic afternoon drowsiness. 

       Ever had a kidney stone?  I hope for your sake you have not.  But if you have you know the unbelievable pain that is involved.  Want to avoid another one, or avoid getting one for the first time?  Me too, so guess what we need to do.  Correct! Drink more water.  Water is the natural cleanser/flusher of the kidneys.  When we drink soda, beer or other sugar laden drinks, our kidneys have to work over-time to remove all the deposits.  When we overload the kidneys, they cease to function at maximum efficiency and kidney stones can often result.

       There are far more benefits to water than I have even begun to dicuss.  But I hope this has painted a picture into the importance of drinking water.  I am NOT saying you should never enjoy drinking your favorite beverage.  But rather, water should be your main drink.  As often as you can, grab a glass and head for the faucet (well hopefully you have some form of water purifier).  And try and save that soda or glass of sweat tea for those special occasions.

Jogging=Bad?

       We hear it all the time.  We see it all the time.  And many of you who work out or have ever worked out have probably done this exercise.  Its hailed by most as the juggernaut of cardio.  And yet few realize the damage this activity does to the body…Jogging.  Yes readers, what most people call jogging is very unhealthy in regards to your joints.  Jogging does have benefits in relevance to cardiac fitness.  Most activities that heighten the heart rate will prove beneficial to the lasting performance of your heart.  But these benefits are far outweighed by the looming effects that jogging has on the joints.

       I am sure that some readers will disagree highly with the statements I have just made so let me clarify a little bit.  There is a big difference between running and jogging.  When I say running, try to think about about the fluidity of someone in the middle of a fast run.  It is very similar to walking.  The steps originate from the heal, then rock forward to the balls of the feet and then the toes.  The shock of your body weight crashing down to the ground is evenly dispersed. 

        Now think of someone out for a jog.  As the jog wears on typically the jogger will slow down.  This person will be in the mode or style of running, but with the speed of a brisk walk.  This will ultimately produce the typical pounding, thumping , continual slamming of each footonto the ground, every step.  That is what corrodes the joints.  From the foot, to the knee, to the hip it will wear away at the cartilage, ligiments, and fat pads.

       So if running is a high priority for you.  I would suggest interval training.  Most people are not in good enough shape to maintain a fast pace for very long.  So run as long as you can and when you cant run any longer, slow down to a brisk walk.  Then when you think you can go again,  GO!  Not only is this much easier on the joints but also saves time.  You will burn more calories quicker with this style of training even with the walking “breaks”.  Just be sure not to take to long walking during interval training.  It should be just long enough to catch your breath. 

    

      

Yogurt! Just Another Tasty Snack…Or Is It?

       As you are walking through your local grocery store do you ever wonder why yogurt is pushing other dairy products aside more and more?  Is it because people are finding more uses for yogurt than say, cottage cheese or sour cream? Maybe,  but these products have been around for years and I highly doubt people are changing there opinion about usage or taste all of a sudden.  The answer lies in the fact that consumers are slowly waking up to the health benefits of this dairy delight.

       For starters, whether you like it or not, your stomach (AND entire digestive system) are chocked full of bacteria.  Bad, right? Not hardly.  Without some of these bacterias your body would be incapable of digesting or absorbing the food you eat.  THATS whats bad.  You cant get rid of bacteria in your stomach, it will always be there.  What you CAN do is make sure the right balance of good bacteria and bad bacteria is maintained in your system.  One excellent way to do this is eating yogurt on a regular basis. 

       When choosing yogurt, look for the most natural kind.  Try to stay away from the ones that are loaded with sugar and chemicals.   Also be sure it says “Live and active cultures” on the container.  These are the good bacteria mentioned earlier.  For best results, try to consume one serving of yogurt daily. 

       Yogurt can be eatin by itself,  with fruit, on a waffle or pancake, in smoothies, topped with nuts and many other tasty creations.  ENJOY!

Diet is good…Right?

Any way you look at it weight loss is a big buisness.  Most people are willing to do anything to lose a few pounds,  except put in a little work (Usually).  Each year hundreds of new fad diets and “miracle” fat loss pills come up in the market with almost always very short market lives.  Why?  Because ultimately none of them work.  Sure you may lose a few pounds and maybe even a bunch in a few isolated instances but people seeking to lose weight are almost always overlooking the key ingrediant.  Exercise.  Without it all diets are hopeless.  All energy drinks and fat burners are pointless.  Exercise is the Yin diet the Yang.  But that doesnt mean diet doesnt play a huge part in your fitness world.  Indeed a very large one.  But just like your workouts, your diet needs to be taken in steps.  Even one good diet choice a day is beneficial.  So what are some practical tips you can take in to fit into your daily lifestyle? Here are a few myths concerning your diet.

1.  MYTH: Bananas are fattening

    TRUTH: Bananas are very good for youFALSE. One medium banana provides only 105 calories — you’d have to eat at least 6 bananas to equal one slice of pizza! Bananas are also a good source of fiber, magnesium, potassium and B6. And since foods low in sodium and rich in potassium and magnesium help manage normal blood pressure, putting bananas into an overall healthy diet can reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke. Also, this nutrient-packed, fat-free fruit is a great source of vitamin B6, which helps boost your immune system and assists in the formation of red blood cells. Enjoy them plain, sliced into cereal, mixed with nonfat yogurt or cottage cheese, tossed into a fruit salad to add a starchy consistency — or peel and freeze for a yummy low-calorie frozen dessert. Obviously, watch out for banana “chips,” which have added fat and sugar and are loaded with calories.
2. MYTH:  Certain foods can help you lose belly fat

    TRUTH:  Fat stores are genetically sectionally locatedFALSE. Contrary to what some diet books and articles preach, certain foods cannot magically melt away the fat off your belly (or any other part of your body). Where fat tends to settle is typically all in your genetics. The good news is when you eat an appropriate amount of calories for weight loss (meaning less than you burn), you’ll eventually lose weight “all over” your body, including your personal problem areas (like your belly, if that’s where you have it). And if you add regular exercise while watching what you eat, you’ll burn even more calories and tone, tighten, and strengthen the muscles underneath the fat — so when it comes off, you’ll look even leaner. 3.  MYTH: Diet foods help you drop pounds.
TRUTH: They can actually do the opposite.
You may be doing yourself more harm than good by scanning labels for the lowest calorie and fat counts. Prepackaged diet foods can have a lot of sugar and trans fat.As with carbs, it’s the quality of the fat, not the amount, that makes the difference. Monounsaturated fats (found in nuts, olive oil, and avocados) and the polyunsaturated variety (in corn, soybean, and safflower oils) help your cardiovascular system, improve weight loss, and are crucial for absorbing beta carotene from vegetables like carrots. Trans fats and saturated fats, on the other hand, have been linked with heart disease and even cancer.

A recent study found that replacing just 30 calories of carbs a day with the same amount of trans fats nearly doubled the risk of heart disease. Replacing the same ratio of carbs with monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats, on the other hand, lowered the risk of heart disease by 30 to 40 percent. So consider boosting your good fats by adding nuts to your morning cereal or avocado to your salads. Just watch your daily calories to keep them in check

4.  MYTH: Brown equals whole-grain.
TRUTH: There are lots of whole-grain poseurs out there.
Look for labels where “whole-wheat” or “whole-grain” top the list. It’s worth the extra effort: More and more research is finding that whole grains reduce your risk of many chronic ailments, from obesity and diabetes to cardiovascular disease. The extra fiber in whole grains is key: It makes you feel full, which means you eat less. It also helps level out the peaks and valleys of insulin that a meal produces. An added boost: Whole-grain foods tend to be higher in vitamins B and E than refined grains.5. Myth: Calories are bad

    Truth:  Calories are basically units of food.  They are a way to determine how much of a particular substance the body is taking in. i.e. fat calories or carb calories.  The only time a calorie is bad is when you have exceeded your predetermined limit for the day.  For instance, every body is defferent but we will use the classic scale a 2000 calorie diet.  This means if you are at 1900 for the day you shouldnt eat a 300 calorie snack, even a healthy one.