Take 2

Welcome to afitnewyou!  This week I would like to encourage you to continue with your training even if you have a set back due to an injury.  Everyone, average Joe’s, weekend warriors, and professional athletes alike all suffer from an injury at some point along their fitness life.  And while you should treat the injury appropriately and get some rest, it shouldn’t be the time and/or excuse to stop your training completely.  Its kind of like that old joke where a patient walks into a doctor’s office and says “Doc, it hurts when I do this.” And the doctor replies “So don’t do that.”  While that is a classic joke meant to be funny, it should also be a reminder to keep exercising, so you can stay on track to reach your fitness goals.  But, the key is, as the doctor says…just don’t do what causes you pain.  Instead, focus on another area or fitness component to keep you moving.

Alicia’s main fitness goal is to lose body fat, and gain overall strength and conditioning.  When she was younger she was a competitive gymnast.  The wear and tear from her former competitive career contributed to her to having a minor tear in her rotator cuff while participating in her current recreational tennis play.  Although the injury wasn’t physically debilitating, she became emotionally debilitated because the pain she felt from the injury caused her to think that she couldn’t exercise anymore.  The physical pain caused her mental anguish as she was unhappy with her body composition, the way she felt she “looked,” and the thought she could no longer be physically active.  Being that the tear was relatively minor I suggested that she could continue to train.  I suggested that she focus on exercises that would improve her “cardio” and lower and mid sections so that she could remain physically active.  I also suggested that she did upper body and shoulder exercises to improve the strength and function of her shoulder that would aid in her recovery.  Her injury was not a reason for her to stop exercising completely.  I explained that if any one exercise or movement caused her pain in her injured shoulder to simply not do that exercise; but she could still perform exercises that did not illicit any pain.  These ideas reinvigorated her to work out again.  It helped her work on her body composition. And to this day, she was able to heal her shoulder without needing any surgery.  She is even very happy to be playing tennis again.

When and injury does occur, it is considered trauma, and it should be treated appropriately.  The severity of the injury, will determine the treatment.  But most of us know that after suffering from an injury so severe that surgery is required, physical therapy will be prescribed.  And the therapy will include a series of exercises designed to target the specific muscles that were injured.  But most injuries are not so severe, and may only cause us minor pain for a relatively short period of time.  These injuries should not be used as excuses to stop working out completely.  You should continue to exercise, but choose exercises that do not cause pain, and/or do exercises that target other areas of the body.  Fitness isn’t one dimensional, so you can always focus on another area.

I am strong believer in the idea of safety first.  And when someone has an injury it should be treated properly.  Then with consideration of the injury the appropriate exercises should be chosen to both help heal the injury and make the area stronger to avoid a repeat of that injury.  It is a rare time when someone shouldn’t move at all and avoid exercise completely.  Think about it, even laying in a hospital bed will lead to sores if you don’t move.  So get up and lick your wounds if you are injured.  There are plenty of other ways to keep moving to a fit new you!

Intensity

Welcome to afitnewyou!  Today I would like to talk to you about exercising with the correct amount of intensity.  I always say that any amount of activity is better than none; however it is very important for you to exercise at the proper intensity level in order to reach your fitness goals.  Some people need to be motivated to do just any amount of activity, but if you are already regularly active, and veteran exerciser, than you need to make sure your intensity level is on par for you to reach your goals.  The intensity at which you train will have a direct impact on your results, and working at the right level is critical to fitness success.

Joy was a gym member who had a long standing routine of using the elliptical for 45 minutes each of the three times a week she came in for her workouts.  Having spoken to her a few times, I knew one of her major fitness goals was to lose body fat.  And, she believed the way she was training would ultimately allow her to reach her goals.  However, while she was on the elliptical, she would work at this slow and steady pace.  She had such a low intensity level that I would often see her talking to her “neighbor”, using her phone to text, and / or come off of the machine while barely breaking a sweat.  This is one of those times where the slow and steady tortoise will not win the race.  Her intensity level was not suitable for her to reach her goals.  After getting frustrated with feeling that she was working so hard and not seeing the results she wanted, she came to me for advice and I suggested that she bump up her intensity level.  Ever since she has been much happier with her results she has been gaining.

If you are new to exercise, the gym, and / or training, I still believe that any exercise is better than none.  However, once you get going, and / or are no longer so “green” in the gym, you need to train at the right intensity level to improve your fitness and reach your goals.  The American Heart Association even recommends that physical activity be “moderate” to “vigorous”.  There are many ways to determine what the correct intensity level for you is, and it really depends on what your fitness goals are, as well as what your current state of fitness/health is.  You can use the Karvonen formula to help you find your target heart rate range with consideration of your current aerobic health.  If your fitness goals include improving muscular strength and/or endurance, there are repetition tests to help you “dial-in” the weights you select.  Personal trainers will also subjectively assess your intensity level while you exercise using a Rate of Perceived Exertion.  If you feel that you have been exercising and not getting the results that you want, it could be that you are not working out at the correct intensity level.

In this day and age where a 40 hour work week is a “light” week for us, nobody has time to waste.  And, if you are honestly putting in a good effort at improving your fitness, you do deserve to reach the goals you seek.  But to reach your goals, you need to make sure that you are exercising at the correct intensity level.  “Working out” should be just that, work; it shouldn’t be so easy.  But while I believe you don’t always need “pain” to “gain”, exercising at the correct intensity level will allow you to better reach your fitness goals and achieve a fit new you!

Make today the day!

Welcome to afitnewyou!  This week I would like to help you stop putting off healthy behaviors like starting a new exercise routine and/or dietary guidelines.  Many people commonly start one or more of these behaviors around a particular upcoming date, for example as a resolution for the New Year, or to “look good” at an event such as a wedding or school reunion.  Then there are others who plan their “start date” at other, more common, future dates, like at the start of the next month or next paycheck.  I sometimes hear “Next month, I am going to…” or “When I get my next paycheck I am going to…” and “After my next physical…”  But I would ask people with those eventual plans “Why not start today?”  And in fact, that is what I am suggesting to you now; make today your start date!  Within reason, there is no reason to not start today.  More importantly, starting today will immediately put you on the path to reaching your fitness goals!

Trevor is an acquaintance of mine that I often have discussions with about how he can reach his fitness goals.  He wants to lose body fat in order to both look and “feel” better, but also to improve his blood work.  He knows I am a personal trainer, so when I run into him, he will ask me what he needs to do to lose his belly fat and gain some muscle mass.  And then, when I make some obvious suggestions such as joining a gym, working out, and eating better, he will rebut me with not only excuses but the acknowledgement that he knew I would give him those answers.  When he tries to end the conversation by telling me he will do what I suggest, but next month when he gets paid again, I respond by telling him not to wait, but to start today.  I know he isn’t ready to take my advice by the number of times we have had this same conversation and the fact that he hasn’t had a body change.  But I also know if he took my advice, he would start to see results sooner than later.

It isn’t just a lack of motivation that keeps people from starting a healthier lifestyle today, sometimes people just find it too hard to start, and therefore easier to put it off to another time.  However, I can tell you that the longer you wait, the more excuses can potentially get in the way.  So, start today!  It is obvious the sooner you start maintaining healthier behaviors, the sooner you will actually be healthier and feeling good!

It also shouldn’t be too hard to start today (or at the latest tomorrow), as long as you make it simple.  For example, when it comes to eating healthier, you may have to wait until your next trip to the supermarket to stock up on healthier food choices, but you can make small changes today that will add up to a big difference.  For example, simply looking at what you are going to have to eat today, ask yourself, can you cut down on the portion size?  Or, can you eliminate or substitute a healthier alternative for what you are about to consume?  For example, swap out the can of soda for a tall glass of water.  Or eat half of your sandwich for lunch and save the other half for dinner or tomorrow’s lunch in order to control the portion size.  You could also make a quick trip to the market today to pick up a few healthier choices to hold you over until that next planned shopping event.

Even with exercise, you don’t have to put of starting a training regiment until a time when you have the money to join a gym.  Most fitness facilities these days offer some sort of free trial…some as short as a day, and others for longer durations.  But, you could go to almost any gym today and be allowed to workout today for a trial.  And even more simple than that is to do something on your own at home.  Go for a quick walk, run or jog around the block.  Do a set of push-ups when you wake up and again when you go to bed.  Perform a set of jumping jacks during the commercial breaks while watching television.  It is simpler than you think to start on your fitness quest TODAY!

There is no better time than the present to improve upon your health and fitness.  Whether you are determined to exercise more, and/or eat healthier, starting those positive behaviors will only improve your life as soon as you begin them.  Even simple changes today will make profound changes in your future.  Don’t delay, start today!  Embarking on a healthier life today is the quickest path with least resistance to a fit new you!

The gift of health

Welcome to afitnewyou!  This week I would like to help you with your holiday shopping.  With all of the sales on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, you can often be tempted to make an impulsive purchase.  This could be either something for you, or as a gift to someone else.  But ask yourself; is it something that you or they really need?  Is it a gift that will last?  I have a suggestion for a holiday gift that you can either put on your own list, get for someone else, and even is a great idea for those who are hard to shop for.  Give the gift of health!  Who wouldn’t be happy receiving something that will make them both feel better and be healthier?  With the gift of health, you don’t have to worry about whether you picked out the right color or size.  On the other hand, you will help someone reach the size that they want to get to.

One idea on how you can give the gift of health is by getting someone a gym membership or a personal training session.  Some fitness facilities try to take advantage of the Black Friday sales gimmick and offer discounted memberships or personal training sessions this time of year.  But even if they don’t have a sale, you can still find a number of healthy gifts to get at a gym.  For example, most gyms will offer an introductory membership that range from one to a few months.  Even if you give someone an initial month in a gym, you might be providing them with the motivation needed to start exercising.  They will even have extra motivation to go at least once knowing that you had given it to them as a gift.  And, if they are already a member somewhere, you can either purchase additional time onto their membership, or purchase them a personal training session.

Personal training sessions are a great gift for anyone to receive.  Whether it is someone who isn’t currently working out, or someone who exercises regularly, a training session or package would be a great gift of health.  Someone who hasn’t started working out yet might be using the excuse they don’t know what to do.  Having a personal training session scheduled will give that person the extra motivation they need.  And, for people who are already exercising, a personal training session can help them either “mix it up”, learn something new, or simply add to what they are already doing.

Even though a gift to the gym will help someone be healthier by giving them some motivation, the gift of health doesn’t have to involve the gym.  You can find another area of health and fitness to gift from.  For example, spas and massage therapists usually sell gift certificates for body work services.  When someone gets to feel good, they can be encouraged to keep feeling good, and want to keep themselves feeling that way.  You may also find acupuncturists, nutritional counselors, and others who would sell similar gift certificates.

And if you are still stuck on wanting to give a gift that fits better in a box that can be wrapped, you can always give someone a product that will help them on their fitness quest.  New clothing such as sneakers or gym wear, small equipment such as a jump rope or training gloves, and even fitness related DVD’s are all examples of a healthy gift.

If you’re going to give someone a gift this year, why not make it one that can have a profound impact on their lives?  Give that special someone a gift that can really make them feel better.  Even if it’s for you, let others know that you would prefer something that can help you reach your fitness goals.  Avoiding the gifts that have become cliché and giving a healthier alternative gift is a joyous way for you or that special someone to reach a fit new you.

Be Grateful - revisited for Thanksgiving

Welcome to afitnewyou!  This week I would like to inspire you to keep up with your fitness goals with a reminder...to be grateful for what you have.  While I can tell you many things that one should be grateful for, which often get overlooked or taken for granted, in my little space here, I will remind you to be grateful for your health.  If you are doing something today to point your diet and/or exercise routine towards healthy goals, even if its simply thinking about those goals, than you are in a place that you should be grateful for.  In life, it is often said that "everything is relative."  And, that saying can pertain to so many things.  If you are ever discouraged about anything, you can usually find a silver lining if you look hard enough, or some reason to be grateful.  The same is true for your health.  Although you have a fitness goal that you haven't reached yet, maybe it is a body weight you want to be at, a dress size you want to fit in, or an amount of weight you want to make your new personal best, you have to still be grateful for the health that you have today.  This is because you never know when your health may take a turn for the worse.  I have seen many people and clients who had only started to live a more healthy lifestyle after a health scare.  Lets avoid the tragedy needed to sometimes learn a lesson.  Lets be grateful for the health we have today!

     Jason is someone who comes into the gym on a regular basis...these days.  He is in his sixties now, and after he suffered a heart attack when he was 45 years old.  Before the heart attack he didn't exercise regularly, and just as bad, he smoked cigarettes and drank hard liquor regularly.  It wasn't until this life threatening event that he decided he needed to make some major changes in his lifestyle.  Immediately after leaving the hospital, and being thankful to be alive, he gave up tobacco products, cut down his alcohol consumption, and started exercising everyday.  He knew he was lucky to be alive, and grateful for that second chance at maintaining his health.

has been on an exercise routine for the last twenty years.  Unfortunately, he wasn't very active prior to that, and even more unfortunate than that was that he only started taking care of his health
     JT is a client of mine who had a similar lesson of taking his health for granted.  JT is in his seventies, and is pretty active for his age, regularly playing golf and tennis in the warmer months, and hitting the gym in the colder months.  JT was always very active and a self proclaimed "jock" from a very early age.  Its this continued active lifestyle that many people need to follow.  But JT had a freak accident where one of his retinas partially tore.  Unlike Jason, JT's mishap was completely unavoidable.  But, along the same lines, it wasn't until his vision was severely diminished that he fully appreciated how healthy he was before this accident...even if he had the regular aches and pains of someone his age, or any weekend warrior for that matter.  And as his vision improved, his spirits picked up more and more because he was able to play tennis again, where immediately after the injury he was told there was a chance he never would.

     As I said earlier, don't wait for a tragedy to happen for you to appreciate the level of health you have today.  Yes, we are all striving to achieve a better state of health; and yes, we all have fitness goals that we want to achieve.  That's fantastic, and I am sure a good part of that is what got you to your current state of health that you are in now.  And even though you can and should work towards your goals, and an even healthier state of living, its important to acknowledge and appreciate that health you have today.  And when you do, this value of your own health should fuel you to keep moving towards your health goals.  Its a positive cycle.

     We are often to busy, too concerned with what we haven't achieved, what we still need to do, and the flaws that make us all human.  But we all have some level of health that shouldn't be taken for granted.  We all should be very grateful for the level of health we currently have.  As we age, we all now that its harder and harder to stay healthy.  So by being grateful of the health you have today, no matter how much further you want to take it, let that value of your health motivate you to do everything you can to stay that healthy and more importantly reach your health and fitness goals.  Reflecting on the goodness of your current state of health is an introspective way to reach a fit new you!

Stretch like a dog

Welcome to afitnewyou!  Today I would like to talk to you about the importance of stretching all of the time.  One aspect of fitness that is often overlooked is flexibility.  Even the most avid gym goers are quick to admit that they often neglect stretching enough.  It is a shame, because having good flexibility will decrease the amount of aches and pains one feels, as well as increase athletic performance.  If its common knowledge that we should stretch regularly, then why don’t more people do it?  One reason may be that people don’t know how to properly stretch, which is a discussion in itself.  But, many people do not stretch simply because they don’t make the time for it.  As with many recommendations I make, I suggest any amount of stretching is better than none.  And, on top of that, it would be best if you added small amounts of stretching throughout the day, even if it is for a few seconds at a time.

Roger stretches in small amounts throughout the day.  Every single time Roger gets up to start moving, whether he was sitting or lying down, he performs a few quick stretches.  Roger even stretches just before he is about to rest.  As much as I see Roger stretch, not once do I ever here him complain about any aches or pains.  Well, that could be in part that Roger is a dog.  Don’t roll your eyes; I wasn’t trying to trick you with this one.  Rather, roll your shoulders and stretch!  If you ever had a dog or cat as a pet you know first hand that every time an animal gets up from a resting position they stretch.  It isn’t a full yoga-inspired routine, but a simple stretch or two.  But the key is that they do it practically every time they get up.  This should be inspiring to you, because it is very simple to add one stretch every time you get up from your desk, couch or bed.  True these animals cannot speak, so they can’t complain about back or joint pain.  But, if you’ve owned one of these pets, you probably would know if they were concerned with joint pain.  Is it a coincidence that an animal who stretches all of the time doesn’t complain about joint pain?  I think not.  And in the very least, it should be simple enough for you to add one simple stretch every time you get up.

Acting like a dog or cat that stretch every time they get up should be a simple way to improve your flexibility and decrease joint aches and pains.  Animals don’t have to learn to stretch, and they also don’t take Advil or Tylenol regularly.  Although it is obvious that it can be a bit of a stretch (pun intended) to compare ourselves to animals, the simplicity of adding a stretch here and there as they do should be a no-brainer.  We all know we should stretch, and most know we should stretch more.  So make like these animals and stretch for a second or two every time you get up.  Adding a second or two of stretching every time you get up is a simple way to increase your flexibility, decrease your aches and pains and lead to a fit new you!

Manufacture Muscle

Welcome to afitnewyou!  Today I would like to discuss the importance of maintaining your focus while trying to achieve your fitness goals…especially for those of you whose goals are to increase your lean muscle mass.  Of course many people have different fitness goals, but usually they revolve around, one way or another, the same concept, gaining more muscle mass.  Increasing your muscle mass is the ultimate goal for those who are trying to get leaner, trying to get stronger, trying to improve athletic performance and even those trying to “lose weight”.  Unfortunately, increasing muscle mass isn’t easy to do.  However, with a proper diet, hard work, and a focused training regiment, it can be obtained.

Colleen was a gym client who had an athletic build and had come to the gym to meet her primary goal of getting leaner.  Her regular training routines consisted of cardio work with some weight training when she worked in a small group with a personal trainer.  Occasionally I would fill in for her trainer, and she would freak out when I tried to have her do either assisted pull-ups or lat pull-downs.  She claimed that when she did these exercises she would immediately get too much muscle in her upper back causing here to then not fit into her close and would be unhappy with the way she would look.  While I found the suddenness to be slightly ridiculous, I would have her to continue to exercise by doing some other exercises since I wasn’t her regular trainer.  But I would try to explain to her, and many other female clients who were against weight training because they were afraid that they would look too muscular, that building muscle wasn’t that easy, and she shouldn’t be afraid to lift weights.

Much to the dismay of most people in the gym, it takes a tremendous amount of effort to manufacture muscle.  Take a look at the people in the gym who have noticeable muscle mass and notice how hard they are working.  Also, think about all of the stores that sell supplements in order to help people gain muscle.  It’s difficult, and doesn’t take one or two workouts.  In order to manufacture muscle, you need to train specifically for it, as well as adhere to a strict diet specifically designed for those changes as well. 

With some clients I use the analogy of the Empire State Building.  I explain that in order for And don’t forget you need the material as well.  The Empire State Building couldn’t be built with a deck of cards, or toothpicks.  It took steel, iron, and stone.  Similarly, when you are trying to build muscle, you need to diet appropriately.  Building muscle requires you to consume the correct number of calories, and from the proper food sources.  Often times you will even need to supplement your normal diet with things like protein shakes.  Because again, building muscle doesn’t happen easily.

one of the worlds, most famous skyscrapers to be built, it needed exact blue prints and lots of material.  When training to improve muscle mass, you need to follow a specific training protocol.  This means you need to exercise the proper number of times a week, with the appropriate exercises, using adequate sets, weights and repetitions.  Using a knowledgeable personal trainer can help you with a plan for this.  Furthermore with each single rep, you have to focus your intention on building muscle.  With every movement, there are a number of muscles working, including supportive muscles.  So when you are working on building a specific muscle, you need to focus on that muscle growing during that specific exercise, each individual rep.

Muscle can be manufactured if you focus your training and diet.  Increasing muscle mass will help you become leaner, stronger, and perform better athletically.  Weight training shouldn’t be feared by anyone, and isn’t just for those people looking to get “bigger”.  Athletes will certainly benefit from the strength gains that come along with weight training.  And, even people who are trying to “lose” weight will do so by weight training, as the muscle mass gained will actually slim you down as muscle tissue is denser than fat.  But it takes a plan and focus.  Using a training program as your blue print, the proper diet for the material, and the focus on each rep and meal will get to that stronger, leaner fit new you!

A Healthy Habit

Welcome to afitnewyou!  Today I would like to talk to you about making exercise a healthy habit in your life.  Throughout the day, we find and/or make time for healthy habits.  These healthy habits include things like brushing your teeth, flossing, washing your hands, or washing your face.  They are habits that take only a minute or two to do, but provide us with important health benefits.  We would possibly be repulsed to learn someone wasn’t doing one of these habits.  Exercise can and should be looked at as one of these healthy habits as well.  While I do understand that it takes much longer to get to the gym and get a workout in than it does to wash your hands in the bathroom, you can still benefit from adding in a few minute or two exercises into your day as part of a healthy habit.

Anthony, a member of the gym, was getting ready to take a fitness test for a local police department.  He was nervous about being able to complete the qualifying number of push-ups, so he asked me how he should train in order to pass that portion of the test.  Anthony had less than two months to prepare for the test, and he knew his upper body strength wasn’t the greatest as he didn’t get to the gym regularly.  He needed an easy to adhere to routine so I told him simply to do push-ups every day.  I told him to do one set of push-ups everyday before he took his shower.  This routine wouldn’t take more than a minute or two to complete.  He wouldn’t need to worry about getting to the gym; he would simply do the push-ups as a healthy habit before his shower.  I also advised him to try and complete one more push-up every other day, so if he got 20 the first day, to get 21 on the third day, and 22 on the fifth day.  By doing push-ups everyday, he was able to add 16 repetitions to what he was originally able to do, and was able to pass the test.  But what he also did was he adopted this healthy habit into his daily routine, and maintained it even after he took the test.  He still does a set of push-ups every morning.

Even if you aren’t looking to pass a fitness test, you can still add a simple, healthy habit to your daily routine for no other reason but because it’s the healthy thing to do…just as brushing your teeth, or washing your hands is a simple, healthy habit.  You can add a set of push-ups, burpees, or jumping jacks before you take a shower if you are looking to add something that doesn’t take a lot of time, or, if you have a little more time, you can add something that takes a little bit longer such as taking a walk around the block after dinner.  Your goal should be to add something that takes a relatively short amount of time, minimal effort, and is simple to do, which can be maintained as a healthy habit.  You need to incorporate it into your daily routine as matter-of-factly as washing your face at the end of the day is.  Over time, this small little habit will have big results.

Most of us know the importance of making regular exercise a priority in our lives.  Unfortunately, when you think exercise has to be a whole process that requires significant energy and time for, you might not be able to find the ability to do it as regularly as you would like.  However, if we make exercise a simple and routine habit, it becomes a part of our lifestyle that we do with minimal effort.  It becomes a priority that we value.  And once that value is instilled in us, it becomes much easier to find the time for getting to the gym for the longer routines.  Making exercise a healthy habit is an easy way to put you on the path to find a fit new you!

I work out so I can...

Welcome to afitnewyou!  Today I would like to talk to you about finding your personal inspiration to reach your fitness goals, particularly in the gym.  There have been many commercials and marketing campaigns asking “what drives you?” or “what fuels you?” They are asking you what motivates you to put in the time and sweat in the gym.  Some people are already driven, and some need that extra push.  So, if you are one of those self-motivated people to “hit the gym”, I ask what has you acting on your motivation?  If you’re someone who needs that extra push, what will drive you to reach your fitness goals?

As a personal trainer, I always took to heart the word “personal” in that moniker.  As I meet clients, the first conversation I have with them revolves around what is their fitness history, and what are their goals.  The training regimen is personalized to meet their needs and goals.  The training principles might stay the same, but how these individuals get to their individual goals may be different.  I’ve trained athletes from the professional to junior high level; people recovering from surgeries; and regular Joes and Janes who are just trying to look and feel better.  Everyone one of these people have their own goals.  Even over the course of my active life, my fitness goals have changed.  And as we know muscle has an incredible ability to adapt to stress and exercise so “routines” need to be changed appropriately, therefore our drive must change and adapt to meet your new goals.

To help motivate you, rather than asking you what your fitness goals are, I instead ask you to finish this sentence “I work out so I can…”

Here are some of the answers I have had from my own clients that are reflective of their personal goals:

I work out so I can look fabulous on my wedding day

I work out so I can make the varsity soccer team

I work out so I can dance at my daughter’s sweet 16

I work out so I can pass the police department’s physical fitness exam

I work out so I can lower my blood pressure and get off my mediation

I work out so I can play golf without any pain

I work out so I can feel good about myself

I work out so I can lose the last 10 pounds

I work out so I can lower my health insurance premium

I work out so I can keep up with my wife

I work out so I can look good in my vacation pictures

I work out so I can be a good example to my kids

           

            Whatever the reason you have to exercise, as long as it gets you being physically active, it’s a great reason.  The key to finding a reason that keeps you motivated and inspired, and not succumb to all of the excuses that would keep you from being healthy, is to find a reason that works for you.  I know sometimes it’s hard to follow good sound advice from health professionals…getting enough sleep, flossing everyday, avoiding stress, drinking enough water, eating exactly as we should.  Life can get in the way, and the excuses tend to mount.  And while it is recommended to be physically active everyday, it becomes hard to find the time, energy and often the motivation to do just that.  However, you can inspire yourself to get and remain active simply by finding your own personal goal.  You can stay motivated to reach your goals by completing the sentence:  I work out so I can…  Identifying your goals is a great first step to reaching these goals.  Knowing them is also a way to stay driven to reach a fit new you!

Do more with less

Welcome to afitnewyou!  Today I would like to let you in on how you can do more with less.  When strength training in the gym, you don’t always have to lift the heaviest amounts of weight to reach your goals.  Lifting heavy doesn’t always lead to greater gains, and can often even be unsafe or inappropriate.  You can get just as good a “burn,” and workout using something we trainers call a “drop set”.  Drop sets are when you start at a heavier weight, get as many repetitions that you can while maintaining proper form, and then drop down to a lower weight to get even more reps.  This allows you to work through and past your muscle fatigue, and can be beneficial, particularly when dealing with an injury.

Hank, a former competitive MMA fighter in his late 40’s trained with me for a number of years.  He had two distinctive traits that affected his workouts; the first was that he had suffered shoulder injuries during his fighting days, and the second was that he always wanted to know how many repetitions he had to perform prior to doing the set.  While he still had a lot of bravado, and wanted to lift heavier and heavier weights, his body couldn’t often keep up.  There was just too much wear and tear on his body from his previous injuries.  Also, due to his martial arts training being so regimented, he had the mind set that he had to perform concrete numbers of reps, as opposed to working to failure.  He would always insist on knowing the number of reps he had to complete before he started the set.  I told him that didn’t always make sense, and that he should finish a set only after he performed whatever number he could to fatigue.  I initially had a hard time convincing him to change the way he trained, to not worry about the weight so much but rather to focus on form, and to work to failure instead of a set repetition number.  He finally jumped on board when I introduced him to drop sets, where he could get an even better burn, while keeping his shoulders healthy.  He quickly fell in love with drop sets, as was evident by big bad Hank’s “fear” of when we would incorporate them into his workouts.

To properly perform a drop set, you need to start with a weight that you would normally consider being on the heavier side.  The weight should be heavy enough that it is very challenging yet light enough that it can still be done with proper form. Once the appropriate “heavy” weight is selected, perform as many repetitions you can until your reach muscle failure; meaning you cannot perform another rep with proper form.  Then without rest, “drop” the weight to a lesser amount, and repeat the exercise again.  Keep doing this until you either run out of weight to choose from or the number of reps that you can complete is more than the number you did on the initial weight.  For example, with dumbbell curls I will start with 60 lbs. and be able to manage 1 or 2 reps.  Upon completion, I would put those back on the rack and “drop” down to 50 lbs. getting what I can with proper form.  Then I drop down again to 40lbs. repeating, with further drop sets to 30lbs, 20lbs, and eventually 10lbs.  You can do similar drop sets on assisted machines, such as with pull ups and dips, but you give yourself more and more assistance as you “drop”.

Put a drop set in your workout and you will see how you can get an incredible burn, using less weight.  You do not need to use heavy weight because you perform the exercise while the muscles are already fatigued.  Making the weight lighter and lighter is a safe way to get more repetitions completed during that fatigue.  Drop sets are a great addition to any workout, whether you are coming back from an injury, or just looking for a new twist.  It’s not always about lifting more, but lifting smarter.  Drop sets are a great way to reach your fitness goals and safely reach a fit new you!

Comfort zone

Welcome to afitnewyou!  Today I would like to remind you that in order for you to reach your fitness goals you have to go beyond your comfort zone.  Muscle, and the other systems of our bodies, adjusts, and more importantly adapts, to stress and pressure.  For example, you’re most likely not going to get “sore” from moving the way you do during your regular day-to-day routine.  However, you might be “feeling it” more the day after you did some extra physical activity.  The same idea should be used every single time you are in the gym; if you want to see a change with your body, you need to push your muscles past their normal limits.  Strength gain and weight loss only come after the body has a need to adapt.  Give the body the reason it needs to change by pushing it beyond your comfort zone.

I usually spend this time telling you about a specific client who relates to the topic at hand, but the truth is that I find too many people in the gym who are not reaching their fitness goals because they are working too comfortably.  For example the client who “hits” the elliptical for 45 minutes 3 times a week but is not losing body fat because her intensity level is too low to get into the proper target heart rate during that time.  Or, the client who is in 70’s who wants to train for a more functional life but thinks exercises on the Bosu ball to be impossible so he doesn’t try progressive exercises on it.  It’s also the client who weight trains 5 days a week and hasn’t seen an increase in strength and / or muscle mass because he hasn’t progressed properly.  Truth is there are a lot of clients in the gym who become discouraged that they are not reaching their fitness goals even though they train frequently.  The one thing many of these people are missing, including the three I mentioned above with completely different fitness goals, is that they are not pushing themselves outside of their comfort zone.

Determining the most efficacious training regiment could be accomplished with elaborate physiological tests, basic tests that personal trainers can implement, and / or even much research.  But you could also push yourself to achieving your fitness goals simply by working beyond what’s comfortable for you.  You don’t have to “kill” yourself training, but pushing beyond the comfort zone should be easily recognized by anyone who has done anything in the gym.  If your fitness goals involve cardio work, turn it up another level or two, or add an incline to what you normally have been doing.  Anyone who has spent cumulative hours on the cardio machine know exactly they set the machine at to work comfortably, and they know the level where they would be pushing it…so turn it up and push it!  Those of you who are well-versed in body weight training for its functional benefits, probably know their comfortable repetition number that they hope their personal trainers request.  But you also know how “going a little deeper” in your lunge or adding a medicine ball to your squat feels…not quite as comfortable.  But that’s ok, as long as the exercises are still performed correctly; so push yourself to a level that is out of your comfort zone.  And the weight trainers, with their books and logs, undeniably know how many reps and sets of a weight can be completed comfortably.  They should think about how much quicker they would reach their personal best if they asked someone for a “spot” to push out that one extra rep each set.  I’m not saying it will be easy, but it will be beneficial.

I’ve said it time and time again, working out should be just that…work!  And work shouldn’t be comfortable.  It can be familiar, but in order for your body to physiologically change, it needs to be pushed.  You don’t really need an elaborate test to figure out how much to push; just push yourself beyond your comfort zone.  You currently are where you are because of all you’ve done already.  You will be where you want to when you push past your comfort zone.  It’s a simple but not so comfortable way to a fit new you!

F the Scale!

Welcome to afitnewyou!  This week I would like to motivate you to F the scale.  And the F is a double entendre; but mainly I want you to FORGET the scale.  I would have to say that the largest percentage of people who are either working out, or want to work out are those “trying to lose weight”.  And that goal could be for many reasons, for health and/or for appearance.  But, the truth is, simply lowering your weight, that number on the scale, isn’t always the healthiest or even the most advantageous approach.  The healthier approach is to lower your body fat percentage.

Although stepping on the scale and checking your weight is a simple, clean, and cheap way of assessing your body composition and exercise progress, it can often be discouraging, and particularly for all of the wrong reasons.  People need to understand a few things about body weight measurement.  First, your weight fluctuates throughout the month, week and even day just due to your normal activities.  You may even weigh more after a workout if you had consumed a significant amount of water during the routine.  Second, every scale is different.  You can weigh yourself at home, get a number, and then go to the gym and get a different number on the gym’s scale.  Third, some of the most effective exercise routines might actually have you gain weight as a result of putting on muscle.  It’s this last reason that needs further explaining…particularly to the large number of people who have their main exercise goal to “lose weight.”

If you were to take an equal volume of both fat and muscle, you would see that the muscle has more mass, and therefore more weight, because it is denser.  In other words, denser, more massive muscle weighs more than fat.  But, the other way of looking at this is that muscle takes up less volume then the same amount of mass of fat, so you actually become leaner.  Ask yourself this, what would you rather be, 10 pounds lighter and wearing the same dress/pant size, or weighing 5 pounds more and wearing a smaller dress/pant size?  I think many people would rather opt for the latter.  After all, no one else will be able to see the number on the scale, but everyone will be able to see your body’s figure.  It is for this reason that instead of worrying about your number on the scale, you should instead focus on your body fat percentage.

Body fat percentage is the calculated ratio of your fat mass compared to your lean body mass.  It is the most telling assessment of your body composition.  Your weight simply looks at how much total mass you have…the good, the bad and the ugly.  But your body fat percentage essentially compares your fat to everything else.  The leaner, more fit you get, the lower that number will become...even if your weight goes up because muscle, which is leaner, has a faster rate of metabolism, and is obviously more useful, is denser. 

There are many ways of calculating your body fat percentage, and some are more effective than others.  But for the general population, there are hand-held devices, and dare I say it, even scales that can measure your body fat percentage in a quick non-intrusive way.  You can either measure your body fat percentage simply at home with one of these devices, and/or most gyms should have someone there who can measure it for you.  Preferably, you would have a qualified personal trainer measure it for you as there is a correct technique.

Measuring your body fat percentage is the most effective means of assessing your body composition.  Simply worrying about that number on the scale can be discouraging even when you are becoming more fit.  So, F the scale!  Focusing on improving your body fat percentage rather than trying to “lose weight” is the healthier way to reach a fit new you!