I'm sitting here eating my salad as I write this week's blog. A trick I've learned years ago while training as a bodybuilder and trying to shed body fat while maintaining muscle was to eat vegetable salads... plenty of them, and combining a protein source. This isn't a breakthrough in nutrition as most people are aware of the benefits of eating vegetables such as the water soluble vitamins, fiber, etc. however, many times we aren't satisfied and find ourselves hungry shortly after. I have found by combining a good source of protein with my salad, I am able to slow the digestive process of the carbs, increase the nutrient density of the calories and feel more full.
My salads are legendary! I usually will make up around 8-9 salads in separate containers on a Sunday night so I can grab and go. I find adding good sources of protein such as chick peas, hard boiled eggs, fat free cottage cheese and grated cheese low fat cheese add flavour and make the salad more filling. If you're not a vegetarian as I am, grilled chicken breast, turkey breast or lean cuts of steak are also great sources of protein to add to a salad. The science behind combining protein with carbs.... Protein slows the digestion of carbohydrates and the production of glucose, which can help to stabilize blood sugar levels. The faster your body can digest simple carbohydrates, the faster and higher your blood sugar levels rise. Both protein and fat slow the absorption of carbohydrates; eating a combination of fat, protein and carbohydrates at every meal helps regulate glucose and insulin levels in your body. Carbohydrates and Glucose Glucose is your body's primary energy source and is easily made from simple carbohydrates. Simple carbs are those with one or two sugars; complex carbohydrates have three or more sugars. Table sugar, maple syrup and honey are simple carbs, as is fructose, which occurs naturally in fruits, and lactose, a sugar in milk products. Simple carbs digest quickly -- usually in 15 to 30 minutes -- and have an immediate impact on blood sugar levels. Complex carbs such as fiber take more time to digest and have less of an affect on glucose production. Glucose and Insulin Production Protein slows digestion; eating protein and carbohydrates at the same time slows your body's ability to produce glucose. By keeping glucose and insulin production steady, you can avoid the dangerous cycle of high and low blood sugar that can lead to overeating, weight gain and insulin resistance. Eating a diet high in simple carbs can quickly raise glucose levels. Your pancreas responds by producing insulin; the faster glucose levels rise, the more insulin your pancreas releases into your bloodstream. Too much insulin can lead to low blood sugar, and your body is fooled into believing you need to eat again. Glucose not used right away for energy is stored as fat. Digestion Digestion is both a physical and a chemical process. It starts in your mouth with the chewing and a digestive enzyme in your saliva called amylase that breaks down carbohydrates. Carbs, fats and proteins each need specific enzymes to break them down so your body can absorb their nutrients. These enzymes are located in different parts of your digestive system. One of the reasons carbs digest so quickly is that digestion starts in the mouth for sugar; but the enzymes that break down protein and fat are located further down your digestive tract. Glycemic Index The glycemic index, or GI, is a system that measures and scores carbohydrates based on how fast your body digests them and how quickly they can raise blood sugar. Carbohydrates with a high fat content have the slowest digestion times, because fat is broken down even more slowly than protein. Speed of digestion depends on the ratio of carbs, proteins and fat you eat. Foods that score low on the GI take a longer time to digest. You can slow the digestion of carbohydrates by adding protein and/or fat to your meal. So, whether you're eating a vegetable salad or sweet potato, It's a good idea to combine a lean source of protein to slow the digestion of the carbs. The two nutrients work together as well. Protein is one of the hardest nutrients for your metabolism to break down which causes your metabolism to increase its workload burning more calories. The carbs will fuel the digestive process to help efficiently break the protein down. But... that's a whole "'nother" story for another blog! *Information compiled from sparkpeople.com
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The other day I met with a woman at the gym who told me she wanted to lose 40-50 lbs and tone up her body. She was in her mid 50's I'd say. I asked what she was currently doing for her fitness routine. She went on to describe her cardiovascular workout and how she was disappointed by the slow progress. We talked about nutrition for a little bit then I mentioned strength training. Her response was a typical one I've heard time and time again, "I want to do the cardio to burn the fat and then maybe lift weights to build a little bit of muscle." There are a few misconceptions when it comes to women and strength training. In recent years, many women have come to discover that strength training is not just beneficial for men. In my 20+ years as a personal trainer I've heard a few consistent misconceptions I would like to put to rest. 1. I don't want to look like "Helga the Russian weightlifter". Sorry if your name is Helga and you're a Russian weightlifter... I mean no offense! Most women do not produce enough testosterone in their body to build the amount of muscle most female bodybuilders have. The female bodybuilders you often see in magazines and TV have spent literally years strength training using methods designed to build muscles, have used supplements whether natural or pharmaceutical, and usually do not look as muscular during the "off season". It takes an extreme diet and dedication to achieve that vascular muscular look. Most women will benefit from a moderate strength training program. Strength training will help shape your body. I have literally been able to build up and shape specific areas of the female body such as lift and shape the gluteal area, tone and bring out definition in the hamstrings and thighs by using various exercises to give bulky areas a lean look. It's good to be thin... even better to be lean and shapely! "A hard woman is good to find" 2. I want to burn off the body fat first then shape my body. Research has shown that our metabolism slows an average of 2-3% for every decade that we don't engage in weight bearing activity. You may weigh the same you did 10 or 15 years ago but your body composition may be different. It may sound logical to burn the body fat first then build, shape and tone the muscle that is not obscured by subcutaneous body fat. However, muscle tissue is a living organism that requires nutrients to exist. This means, the more muscle you have on your body, the higher your resting metabolism! You will literally burn more calories at rest. Burn calories... lose body fat.... simple! While performing cardiovascular exercise such as walking, jogging, elliptical trainer, Kickfit (shameless promotion) etc. you will burn a lot of calories. When the workout has been completed, your metabolism will return back to it's resting rate shortly after. While performing a strength training workout, you usually won't burn as many calories during the actual workout but your metabolism will remain elevated longer after the workout has been completed. This not only means you will still be burning calories after your strength training workout has been completed but you will be increasing muscle tissue which raises your resting metabolism, shapes and lifts the sagging body parts. 3. My lower back (knees, or any other body part you'd like to substitute) hurt so I can't lift weights. Many times our aches and pains can be attributed to muscle weakness and/or imbalances. Lower back pain can be attributed to weak abdominal muscles, tight hamstrings, improper body alignment etc. By participating in a strength training program designed to create muscular symmetry, you can strengthen lagging body parts and improve postural alignment. By training the muscles that support the joints of the body, you can increase the strength of connective tissue such as tendons and ligaments while creating a stable muscular environment for the joint to track properly. Women who combine a sound nutrition program with cardiovascular and strength training exercise have found they were able to not only shed a greater percent of body fat but increase lean tissue, bone density, as well as shape and tone their body more effectively. I have seen it time and time again with the women I have trained throughout my 20+ years as a personal trainer. By combining cardiovascular and strength training exercise into your workouts, you will cut down the time it takes to lose body fat and tone your body. Feel free to contact myself or a CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINER to have an evaluation and discuss how you can develop a strength training program to increase your body fat loss and increase muscle strength and tone. If I had a dime for every time someone has asked me what they should eat before exercise.... well you know the rest of the saying! The size, timing, and content of your pre- and post-exercise meals and snacks can play an important role in your energy levels during your workout, how well your body recovers and rebuilds after your workout, and whether the calories you eat will be used as fuel or stored as fat. Here’s what you need to eat and drink to get the results you want! Your Pre-Exercise Fluid Needs Being well-hydrated will make your exercise easier and more effective. Try to drink 16-20 ounces of water during the 1-2 hours before starting your workout. Being well hydrated during the day will provide a good foundation for hydration. Your Pre-Exercise Meal or Snack Most of the fuel you use during exercise doesn’t come from the food you’ve recently eaten! It actually comes from the carbohydrates (called glycogen) and fat that’s stored in your muscles, liver, and fat cells and glucose stored in the blood. That’s enough to fuel 1-2 hours of very intense exercise or 3-4 hours of moderate intensity exercise. So, it is possible to workout before eating anything for the day. In fact there's a theory some prescribe to that working out on an empty stomach will burn bodyfat for fuel... but that's a whole 'nother story for a different blog! Some people do have a hard time exercising without eating first, especially if it’s been a long time since their last meal or snack. These individuals often are more sensitive to changes in their blood sugar levels, which fall during the first 15-20 minutes of workout. That drop in blood sugar can cause tiredness, mild dizziness, or even faintness—especially if your blood sugar was already low, but eating something beforehand can help prevent this. If you have health issues like diabetes or hypoglycemia that can cause low blood sugar, you’ll probably want to eat before your workout. If you get very hungry during a workout (and it interferes with your energy levels or focus), or become so ravenous after an exercise session that you end up overeating, try eating before you hit the gym to avoid these problems. If you are a moderate exerciser who tends to perform better with a pre-exercise snack, there are two ways to handle your needs: 1. Eat a small (100- to 200-calorie) snack about 30 minutes before you work out. This snack should include fast-digesting (high glycemic index) carbohydrates and very little fat (which digests slowly), so that you digest the meal quickly and the fuel is available during your exercise session. Here are some ideas: •Fruit juice •Fruit smoothie •High-glycemic fruits like pineapple, apricots, banana, mango, and watermelon •Sports drinks •Pretzels or bagels (but not whole grain varieties, which digest slowly) •Energy bars (look for 3-5 grams of protein, at least 15 grams of carbs, and very little fat) 2. Eat a nutritionally balanced meal 1-2 hours before your exercise. This is the best option for many people. The larger the meal, and the more fat and protein it contains, the longer you may need to wait before exercising. Ideally, try to eat enough calories to equal about half the calories you expect to burn during your upcoming workout. So if you burn about 600 calories during your workout, aim for at least 300 calories during this meal — or a little more if your exercise is “high intensity” (over 75% of your maximum heart rate). At least 50-60% of these calories should come from carbohydrates, which should keep your blood sugar and energy levels fairly stable during your exercise session. Include some protein to help prevent the breakdown of muscle for fuel and give your muscles a headstart on recovery after exercise. Some good food choices and combinations for this kind of meal include: •Fruit and yogurt •Nuts •Oatmeal •Cereals (with more than 3 grams of fiber) and milk •Trail mix with nuts and dried fruit •Hummus and raw veggies •Hard boiled eggs (or egg whites) •Cottage cheese and fruit •Half a peanut butter or turkey/chicken sandwich on whole grain bread •Whole grain crackers with nut butter or cheese •Whole grain fig (or fruit) Newton cookies •Milk (especially chocolate milk) •Tomato or vegetable juice •Yogurt smoothie (with added protein powder, if desired) •Most protein/energy bars As a moderate exerciser, you have a lot of flexibility when it comes to timing your meals and choosing your foods. The most important things are getting to know your body and how it responds to exercise, so that you can give it what it needs to perform at its best. Eating the right foods at the right times before you work out is essential to keeping your energy up, your workout performance high, and your body in fat-burning mode. *information compiled from sparkpeople.com Here's a simple mechanical technique which will not only revolutionize your workout but will stimulate muscle growth. This technique is great for adding variety to your workout and should be used sparingly. It's based on biomechanics of exercise. There is a simple principle that was taught to me during my many years of martial arts. It simply states, the wider the base, the more leverage and mechanical advantage. This is true for strength training as well. When performing a squat or leg press, the wider apart you place your feet the more leverage and strength you will be able to generate. If performing a bench press, the wider your hands are apart, the more leverage and muscle fiber recruitment will be involved. This simple tactic will allow you to recruit more motor units within the muscles while providing a mechanical advantage allowing you to progress with more muscular strength and hypertrophy. Motor Unit Recruitment Research has shown that motor unit recruitment is changed depending on changes in movement like grip or stance. Simply moving your hands out a finger width on the bar during a pressing movement will recruit different muscle fibers during the exercise. This creates a neurological stimulus causing increased muscle fiber contraction. A simple change in grip or stance will leave you feeling the exact same exercise in a different portion of the muscle due to more muscle fibers contracting. Mechanical Advantage When performing an exercise, start your first set with a more narrow stance or grip. This will prove to make the exercise more challenging and incorporate other muscle recruitment not used in a wider stance or grip. As you progress through your sets and the muscles involved become fatigued, gradually widen your stance or grip slightly. This will compensate for the muscular fatigue by increasing the mechanical advantage and incorporate a neurological and muscular stimulus that will shock the muscles and provide a stimulus for growth. Execution of Movement It is important to remember, I am talking about slight modifications in the stance or grip on each exercise. The intention is increase the mechanical advantage without changing the form of the exercise. I am talking a modification of inches while performing an exercise such as bench press or barbell curl. The intention is not to change the foot placement on a squat or leg press to change the exercise from a narrow, to a hip width and finally sumo or plie squat or press. This type of adjustment changes the exercise and original muscle recruitment. Instead, slightly move the position of your hands or feet slightly so as to work the same muscles without incorporating other muscle as stabilizers. This technique works with most any exercise. I prefer to use them on basic compound exercises tho. I have spoken about basic compound exercises in a previous blog. As a quick reference... A basic compound exercise is an exercise that incorporates multiple joints and larger muscles to perform the lift and is generally a power movement as apposed to an isolation movement. Exercises I have found this principle most effective with are; Legs Barbell Squat Leg Press Plie Squat Dead Lifts Chest Barbell Bench Press (decline, flat, incline) Push Ups Back Lat Pulldown Barbell Row Pull Ups Barbell Shrugs Shoulders Barbell Military Press Smith Machine Overhead Press Upright Rows Triceps Narrow Bench Press French Press or Skull Crushers Straight or V Bar Pressdowns Biceps Barbell Curl EZ Bar Preacher Curl Machine Biceps Curl Next time you hit a plateau or are frustrated with your progress, try this principle and see if you won't feel a difference in strength and reps. The bottom line here is, just a slight change in grip or stance will change the feel of the exercise and add a new dynamic which will create a change in muscular and nervous system recruitment. *As always... consult with your physician and a CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINER before beginning this or any other fitness program. Feel free to contact me to receive a demonstration on this and/or any other principle I've discussed. This past Friday I received the TRAINER OF THE YEAR AWARD again for a THIRD YEAR IN A ROW! This award is given from among 18 different Healthtrax centers and all their trainers. To receive trainer of the year three consecutive years is quite an honor and maybe a record! This award is only possible because of you, my clients and friends! You have made me look good, have shown up for your appointments, renewed sessions with me and are the only reason I have received the award. So thank you for making me look good to my superiors and the corporate office! You guys are the best! During the past few years in my career as a trainer I have had people come to me saying everything in their body hurts. They complain of joint pain, muscle stiffness, lack of a solid night sleep, not losing weight and just basic lethargy toward working out and sometimes life in general. Upon further questioning, they discover they have been OVER TRAINING! The American mentality is "more is better". If working out is causing me to lose bodyfat and reshape my body, more will allow it to happen faster and produce greater results! Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth! This week I will discuss how to increase muscle strength and size, while losing body fat for the intermediate and experienced fitness enthusiast. As a beginner, anything you do will almost always produce results because it shocks and stimulates the body causing a response. As you advance in your training, many find themselves increasing the duration of their workouts. I have seen some people in the gym for 2-3 hours each day and working out 5-7 days each week! No wonder their bodies are beat up and they are making no further progress!!! Strength training, yoga and spin class back to back, Zumba, strength class, and crossfit all in one day will leave a trail of soreness and injury. Nothing must be more frustrating than investing all that time and energy only to look the same or make minimal progress but end up with sore joints, muscles, weakened immune systems and feeling tired! I have been heard saying over and over again... "TRAIN SMART NOT HARD!" It's not hit and miss. There is a lot of scientific data to guide us in reaching Optimum Fitness (See what I did there... shameless promo ha ha). In order to make progress, we need to slowly increase the magnitude of stress placed on the muscular, cardiovascular and nervous systems of the body. The mentality of more is better is false. Many people hit a plateau and they increase their workout duration. They will add another day or another 30-60 minutes to their session. Increasing the volume won't always work and isn't practical. This may increase endurance but will set the joints, tendons, ligaments and muscular system up for overuse injuries such as tendonitus etc. STIMULATE, DON'T ANNIHILATE THE MUSCLE In order to make progress in muscle strength, endurance as well and shed bodyfat, you need stimulus increase. This increase can be in the form of increased weight or workload, increased repetitions or decrease in the amount of rest between sets. Muscular strength and hypertrophy (growth) is increased by the INTENSITY OF THE STIMULUS . Research has shown most bodies respond to strength training 60 minutes or less. Anything more and your testosterone/cortisol levels will not be in an anabolic state but rather catabolic! The muscle tissue will no longer be stimulated but rather broken down for use of the proteins etc for fuel. "SEEK PERFORMANCE NOT FATIGUE." By over training, you not only halt progress but actually set yourself back! If you burn out your nervous system, you will have difficulty with recuperation. This will lead to sleeplessness, fatigue, injury, sore joints, sore muscles and so on. Is that the goal? Is that why we workout? A fitness program designed for your specific goals will allow you reach your optimum fitness levels, lose the bodyfat and work toward the best body you can achieve! This includes a sensible strength training program, cardiovascular program and sound nutrition. So next time you show up for a training session and are complaining you are tired, have braces on all your joints, muscles haven't recuperated from your last workout, and lack motivation to make it through your session, perhaps you should evaluate your workout schedule and volume. If you are anything like me, you spend more than half your life at work. While that may seem frustrating and depressing, it can actually be a good thing as far as your nutrient intake and timing. Our time at work usually allows for structure and routine which is great for planning meals and snacks. With proper planing we can avoid sabotaging our diets at the vending machine and co worker's candy dish! Here are half a dozen suggestions to help use your work day to structure sound nutrient intake. 1. Use the workday structure to work with your diet--not against it. The great thing about being at work on a regular schedule is that you have built-in structure for your day. While you may not know exactly what stress is coming your way, you probably know when regular meetings are held and when deadlines are approaching. So, just like you would for any other important assignment at work, get organized! Set aside time to eat a healthy snack or make time for a work free lunch, if possible. (Eating while you work is one sure-fire way to mindlessly eat out of stress!) View your planned snacks and lunchtime as any other important to-do on your list! 2. Involve your coworkers in your fitness and nutrition quest. Many companies have fitness facilities, help offset the cost of a gym membership and offer things like walking clubs etc. If they don't, why not gather a friend... or 10 and start a weight loss club, walking club etc. Have lunch with a coworker who is trying to lose bodyfat and share nutrition ideas and recipes. 3. Plan your work day meals and snacks ahead of time. I recommend getting a dry erase board and sit down Sunday night to plan your week's meals. Divide the board into columns to represent each day of the week. Then proceed to write out breakfast, mid morning snack, lunch, mid afternoon snack and dinner foods. Prepare as much as possible Sunday night and store in the fridge in containers. The morning of each day, grab your food and put it in a small cooler and take it to work. All your nutritional needs will be all laid out for you for the day! 4. Keep an emergency stash. For days when you forget your cooler, or find that your snack didn't fill you and give the energy to get through the day after that early-morning workout, it's a good idea to have a drawer in your desk full of non-perishable, healthy snacks. Easy go-to options are protein bars, snack portions of trail mix or nuts, beef jerky, and even instant or canned soup. It's best to pick items that are healthy, but not so tasty that you keep thinking about them all day long. So choose foods you like, but don't consider a treat. Remember, this is about preparation--not feeding your sweet/salty tooth (more on that later!). 5. Bring your water bottle to work. I bring a gallon of water to work with me every day. My goal is to drink a gallon a day. I leave the bottle on the desk or in a place where I can constantly see it. This way I will sip from it through out the day. When the gallon of water is gone, I will know I have reached my goal. If your goal is to drink eight 8 oz glasses of water each day, find a 64 oz container or pack five or six 12 oz bottles of water in your cooler. Many times we mistake thirst or boredom for hunger. drinking enough water will keep our stomachs full and flush out a lot of contaminants in our body. I can go on for hours about the benefits of water. 6. Keep a list of healthy restaurants. Let's be realistic, sometimes what we pack in our cooler just isn't gonna cut it. Or we may have to do a lunch meeting. Do some research and find restaurants that offer nutritious meals Plan ahead which entree you will choose as well so you won't walk into the restaurant and blindly choose off the menu Preparation and accountability are the two main ingredients for success in any area of life! Whether it be for a project at work, a business proposal, a sport or fitness program. By allowing yourself to have a game plan and then someone or something to keep you accountable for you actions and keep you on the right track, you are almost guaranteed success. "Fail to plan... plan to fail!" This week I will continue discussing advanced techniques designed to push your muscles into an anabolic state. I've discussed the forced reps and cheat principles in the past. Today we will look at the Drop Set also known as a Strip Set. The Theory behind the drop set is the same as the forced reps and cheat reps. It's designed to work the muscle for a few more reps past the point of temporary muscle fatigue. Execution While performing an exercise such as a chest press. Select a weight that will challenge you to perform 8-12 reps with good form. When the muscles have reached the point of fatigue, strip some weight off and complete a few more reps to allow the muscles to work with a lighter weight for a few more reps. You can strip the weight continually until you have reached the point of just using the bar. However I recommend stripping the weight no more than once or twice each set to allow the muscles to use a weight heavy enough to challenge the muscle to become stronger rather than for muscular endurance. I generally recommend doing drop sets with machines as it allows you to strip the weight faster allowing for less rest time and more of a challenge placed on the muscles involved in the particular exercise Example While performing a biceps curl, the person lifting the weight would start with a 25 pound dumbbell and do as many repetitions as possible without significantly compromising form. Then a 20 pound weight would be used until exhaustion is reached. As I have already mentioned, you can keep dropping the weight down to the 1 lb dumbbells but I usually recommend dropping the weight to the 20lb and possibly the 15lb dumbbells. This will allow you to focus on muscular hypertrophy. Variations There are many variations to this principle. One way to mix up the intensity of the exercise to do a prescribed amount of reps at each weight even if muscular failure hasn't been reached. This is commonly referred to as "down the rack" and is very effective for exercises such as dumbbell biceps curls, dumbbell flys etc. The weight which each succeeding drop set is stripped is another way to adjust the intensity and vary the exercise. A "wide drop set" is one with a larger percentage of weight stripped (usually 30% or more) while a "tight drop set" the weight reduction would typically be from 10-20%. Cautions As it is very easy to "over train" with drop sets, it is highly recommended that no more than one to two drop sets be done per muscle group on any given workout. This technique is also not recommended as a long term regimen. The primary focus on drop setting is to "shock" the muscles by adding stress, thus increasing additional hypertrophy A Rose By Any Other Name... Drop sets and the technique also go by the names breakdowns, descending sets, triple-drops (when a total of three different weights are used), down the rack or running the rack (when using dumbbells), up the stack (because with a weight machine, the pin is moved up the stack of plates with each drop in weight), strip sets (when you "strip" weights off the ends of a bar), or the stripping technique (so called because of "stripping" weight plates off with each drop in weight. No matter how you slice it, dissect it or call it, this advanced training principle will help you break thru any plateau, challenge you to reach new progress and leave you feeling like you had a good workout the next day! *Always refer to your physician and a CERTIFIED Personal Trainer for correct recommendations and proper instruction. Cellulite. We all know what it looks like, but misconceptions prevail. The first thing you should know is that, in the true medical sense, cellulite is simply plain old fat. Yet it does have one defining characteristic—a dimpled, cottage-cheese, orange-peel look. Here’s why: Everybody has connective tissue that separates fat cells into compartments. While men tend to have horizontal or crisscross patterns to those compartments, women’s compartments have a honeycomb appearance, giving fat a greater chance to protrude or bulge, hence the cottage-cheese effect. As a result, women are more likely to develop cellulite than men, mainly around the hips and thighs. However, men can develop the condition, too. Although cellulite becomes more noticeable with age, largely because the skin gets thinner over time, it generally strikes individuals in their 30s. Of course, not everybody will develop cellulite in their lifetime. That’s because genetics determines where your fat cells are and how many fat cells you have. Activity level is another crucial factor associated with cellulite. If you exercise regularly, you’ll decrease your odds of developing cellulite, or if you do, the dimpled look won’t be quite as pronounced. Beware of the Quick Fix Unfortunately, too many people still hang on to the idea of quick and easy fixes. Beware of cellulite creams, medical procedures like liposuction and cosmetic treatments like body wraps. They don’t work. No cream applied to the skin can penetrate the skin and rearrange the fat cells beneath the surface. Liposuction is designed to remove excess deposits of fat, but it won’t change the appearance of fat. As for body wraps, the effect is only temporary. Fat is compressible, so when you do the wrap, it will smooth your skin, but your skin will be back to normal by the next day. Another misconception is that dieting alone can zap fat. Although there are diets that make you lose weight, at least one-quarter of the weight lost is muscle, which lowers your metabolism. If you return to your usual eating habits, you’ll likely regain more weight than you lost because your metabolism is slower. The Cellulite Solution So what can you do to diminish the appearance of cellulite? Experts recommend daily cardio exercise combined with two to three strength-training sessions a week and a healthy diet. The good news is that there’s actual proof that this approach works. Wayne Westcott, Ph.D., fitness research director at the South Shore YMCA in Quincy, Mass., and co-author of No More Cellulite, designed a cellulite-reduction program that includes 20 minutes of strength training, with five exercises for the upper body and five for the lower body, and 20 minutes of treadmill walking or jogging, staying at about 70 to 80% of maximal heart rate. This program is followed three days per week, although participants can always do more cardio. Participants in an eight-week study of Westcott’s program lost about 1 pound per week, or about 10 pounds after two months. When participants combined the exercise program with good eating habits (a Food Pyramid–based diet consisting of 1600, 2220 or 2800 calories), they doubled the fat loss, losing 9.1 pounds of fat (compared to 4.5 pounds without the nutritional component alone). In another study led by Westcott, 72 men and women did three 30-minute workouts for eight weeks. The group that did only aerobic exercise, cycling for 30 minutes at a time, lost 4 pounds of fat but gained no muscle, which only slightly improved body composition. Yet when subjects did aerobic exercise (15 minutes of cycling) and strength training, they dropped 10 pounds of fat and added 2 pounds of muscle, which resulted in a greater improvement in body composition. How to Get Started An exercise program doesn’t have to be complicated to be effective. For strength-training exercises, any tool is fine, including dumbbells, elastic bands, body weight and machines. If you prefer machines, leg presses, seated leg curls, hip adduction and abduction, and overhead presses are recommended. And effective free-weight exercises include the dumbbell squat, band hip adduction and abduction, bodyweight trunk extension and trunk curl. Still not sure where to start? A session or two with a certified personal trainer can help get you started on the right track. And while results won’t happen overnight, a consistent program of regular exercise combined with a sensible diet can go a long way toward not only improving your appearance, but your overall health as well. *information compiled from ace.org. |
Josh McCabeAs a Personal Trainer, I am here to help you live the healthiest life style possible! This includes eating habits, workouts and just living well! Ask questions, share ideas and cheer one another on! Categories |
Photo used under Creative Commons from Mr. Vincent Freeman