Supplements in Their Proper Context

                The topic of dietary supplements is a confusing one in the health and fitness industry, the opinions are as diverse as the people who hold them. Many people hold to one extreme or another (love them or hate them) rarely do you find somebody right in the middle who can use supplements to reach goals but not be dependent on them. But that is right where I am, smack dab in the middle. And while in the past I have held both extreme views (loved them, then I hated them) I feel that I have an argument adequate at defending my current position.

To me supplements are all about convenience, either for time purposes or ease in the kitchen. If you stopped by the gym before you way to work do you really have time to fix a meal containing 3-2-1 parts of carb, protein, and fat? Or do you trust that drive through on your right to supply you with the nutrition you need? The answer to both is an obvious no, and in this case, a meal replacement bar washed down with a sport drink (carb based) may be just what you need to recover and br energize for whatever activity is next. But maybe you do have some time to go home and get a nice meal on the table, the only problem is you realized that you haven’t been grocery shopping in the past two weeks, and nutritious choices are in short supply. Now would be a great time to use the last of that low-fat milk with a scoop of protein powder, or maybe throw both of those in a blender with some ice and fruit of your choice for a great fruit smoothie (On a side note: do not be fooled by this smoothie craze going around fast food places. Sugar and a little fruit will be the only ingredients found in those.)

Whether you are looking to prime or recover, supplements can aid you in both, but only if you are willing to pay the price. Go to your local GNC and you will not be har pressed to find tubs (yes, I said tubs) of some mystery powder going for $75-$95. If you can afford this, and are willing to pay, then supplements are a great way to go.

                If you’re like me however, and you don’t want to see your hard earned cash go to synthetically engineered nutrients you won’t necessarily lose out on gains in the weight room. There are many ways to get the nutrients you need in a quick and easy way, all you have to do is pick foods that are dense in nutrients and calories (hold off on the leafy greens for now.) If you need carbs to fuel long workouts bananas, raisins, jelly beans, and pretzels are not only portable enough, but can be eaten quickly and without weighing you down. If its proteins and healthy fats you need to recover from a grueling workout try foods like almonds, walnuts, lean deli meats like turkey and ham, and beef jerky (Make sure it’s real jerky and not those meat stick with god know what in them.) Also, eating at the right times will help ensure that your workouts won’t go to waste. Eat a high carb snack before your workout, and a high protein/healthy fat snack about a half an hour after your workout.

                But if you are still convinced that supplements are the way to go just remember this: supplements will never make up for a good diet, only enhance it. If you’re eating like crap now, adding supplements to your diet will make no difference. A sound diet is the foundation of every healthy lifestyle, supplements are the addition.

                There is a lot more to discuss as far as supplements go like, which ones should I take? Should I use creatine or not? And how much should I take? These are all great topics of discussion, but what I really wanted to do with this article was to put supplements in their proper context: helpful but not necessary. 

Sport Science: Randy Couture

Did any of you seriously think that James Tony would win yesterday? The problem is that boxing is a very one dimensional sport, and while that one dimension is grueling, it can't compare to all the different dimensions of MMA. Don't believe me? Check this video out.
http://youtu.be/EgQ4y7Fn7QI

Trainer's Lingo

If you talk to a professional in any field about their job chances are, unless you work in the same field, you wont understand most or any of what they are saying. Its because when they are learning and talking with peers about their certain field of study they tend to develop a language filled with terms and words not used in everyday English. Trainers are no exception to this we have our own set of terms that we have learned over time, and after talking with other trainers and fitness minded people we tend to forget that everyday people do not know, or even want to know what the heck these terms mean. As a trainer it is our responsibility to make sure that our clients clearly understand what we are trying communicate. So this post is my attempt to bridge the gap between the language of trainers and everyday language.

Anaerobic - Occurring without the use of oxygen, this means any workouts that rely on muscular strength and only last a few minuets. 

Aerobic - Occurring with the use of oxygen, this means any workouts that require a oxygen to give your muscles power. These exercises last anywhere from 1 min - 30 mins

Anabolic - A state of the body in which simple substances are put together to form more complex ones (i.e. amino acids into body proteins.) If your goal is to build muscle you want your body to be in a Anabolic state.

Catabolic - A state of the body in which complex substances are broken in to simple ones (i.e. stored fat into energy.) For any one looking to shed a few pounds, your body being in a catabolic state is desirable.

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) - The minimum energy required to maintain the body's life function at rest, usually expressed in calories per hour. This means if you lay in bed all day and burn 2,000 calories your BMR would be 83.3

BMI (Body Mass Index) - A formula (body weight in kilos/hight in meters) designed to show you if your overweight, average, or obese. This formula does not work with people high in muscle mass.

Calisthenics - a system of exercise movements, without equipment, for the building of strength, flexibility, and physical grace. Comes from the Greek meaning "beautiful strength"

Macronutrients - Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.

Max VO2 Uptake - The maximum usable portion of oxygen uptake. This will differ from person to person depending on the condition of their lungs.

Maximal Heart Rate - The highest heart rate of which and individual is capable.

Mesomorph - A body type that is naturally muscular.

Ectomorph - A body type that is naturally Lean. 

Endomorph - A body type that is naturally heavy set.

Watt - A measure of power equal to 6.12 kilogram-meters per minute. This unit of measurement is usually found programmed into cardio machines 

Supinated Grip - A grip where your palms are up.

Pronated Grtip - A grip where your palms are down.

Neutral Grip - A grip where your palms in between the pronated at supinated grip (looks like a handshake.)

Alternated Grip - one hand is Pronated the other is Supinated.

Hook Grip - Similar to a pronated grip, but the thumb is located on the same side as the middle and index finger.

Planes of motion - There are three different planes of motion the sagittal (anteroposterior), frontal (coronal), and transverse (horizontal) Rather than trying to explain these three planes of motion refer to the illustration.

I know there is a lot of information to process in this one post, and believe me I am still trying to remember it all (the planes of motion still confuse me), but the next time you hear some of these terms being thrown around the gym like its everyday language just refer back to this post! Additionally if there is any other terms I have forgotten about, or anything you have heard recently that isn't included hear just let me know and I will be happy to explain!

  

6 Painless Ways to Upgrade Your Lifestyle

                Lets face it achieving and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is hard work, there is a lot of sweat involved usually coupled with some muscle soreness, not to mention the good chunk of time that you have to devote to working out and selecting the right food choices every day. There are no two ways about it, if you want to achieve something great you have to put in the work. For many this is the reason they never reach their goals, simply because they do not want to put in the work. Whether it is because they work hard elsewhere and do not think they have the time or energy, or simply because they are lazy.

                In this article I will share six painless ways to upgrade your health today; quick and easy. These are not some secrets know only to personal trainers and a few of the select public, these are simply principles that our bodies are based on. One way or another they have gotten lost in our fast-paced society, I’m here to bring them back

1.       Eat Breakfast. I don’t care what your excuse is to not eat breakfast, “I don’t have time” (wake up earlier or prepare something the night before), “I’m not hungry in the morning” (chances are you’re eating too much at night), “I don’t like breakfast foods” (enjoy your favorite lunch or dinner foods then) Not only does eating breakfast get your metabolism off to a running start, it also gives your body the fuel it needs to stay energized through a long day at work or school.

2.       Drink water. This just might be the most important aspect of a healthy lifestyle, and yet it is all too often overlooked. Staying hydrated not only keeps your metabolism up and gets you through tough workouts, it also fights off hunger and reduces you intake of high calorie drinks (i.e. pop, beer, sugary coffee drinks, etc.)

3.       Sleep. Instead of watching T.V. late into the night, making yourself susceptible to food ads, give your body a break and call it a day. Getting the proper amounts of sleep gives you energy and alertness for the next day, maybe you will find that going to the gym isn’t so daunting since you have all this extra energy.

4.       Eat slowly. Eating slowly is a lost art in today’s world, maybe it died with disco, whatever the case it needs to be brought back. When you scarf down your food Joey Chestnut style you don’t give your body the proper time to decide when enough is enough, and you end up overeating.

5.       Eat with purpose. This is closely related to number 4, and it may not fall under the “easy” category for some, but eating with purpose can save many unwanted pounds and even premature deaths. When I say “eat with purpose” I mean to look at food in its proper context. Food is not entertainment, it is not comfort (it is nourishing though, these two aspects seem to get confused all the time), it is simply fuel. You should eat when your body needs the fuel to complete an activity or just make it through the day, you shouldn’t eat out of boredom or loneliness.

6.       Be Realistic. If your already giving and effort to live a healthy lifestyle, and your frustrated because you not seeing the results you may have your standards set to high. Sad to say it, but living a healthy life style doesn’t always mean you will have a body like that movie star or model you saw recently. Chances are you are already have a healthy life style, and you should be proud of that because it is so rare these days.

After you implement these six easy principles I hope that you realize the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, and the hard work it takes, is worth it after all. You only get one life, live it to your fullest.

Brown Bagging It

This week school has started for most states across the country, this means that kids are not only a lot less active than they were in the summer but that greasy fried foods are being served to them daily at lunch. I remember sitting in the cafeteria during my high school days eating pizza, burgers, fries, and washing it all down with sugary drinks, then being yelled at by teachers to stay awake during class. This food that is being served to kids on a daily basis is not only harmful to their health but is counterproductive to their education, and while a slice of pizza or a cheeseburger every once and a while will be the death of no one, it is better to be the exception rather then the rule. A great alternative to buying the food served at cafeteria is to bring your own, this allows you to control what goes into your and your kids body. You can select natural foods, made from wholesome ingredients, and customize each lunch to everyones personal taste. I found this article at Web MD  that gives some great tips and tricks on the subject. Try it out for your self, and see what works and what doesn't You may find that you don't miss that greasy fried cafeteria food all that much!

Losing 10 Pounds

                As a personal trainer my body is an example of my knowledge and expertise, whether it is fair or not, most of my success will be based on how I utilize my own knowledge and the visual example that my body displays. In short, trainers better be fit! Or else they will have no credibility.

            After of summer of cookouts, parties, and eating out I could stand to lose a few. Now I would consider myself overweight but my ability to perform and demonstrate high intense workouts for some more advanced clientele is hindered by the few pounds I’ve put on over the last few months. Therefore, I have decided to make it personal goal to lose around 10 pounds in the next month, without losing any lean muscle mass that is.

            The game plan is simple; I will have five weight loss days a week, and two maintaining days. My body requires 3,000 calories on days that I work out, so I will eat about 2,500 spread out over three small meals, and two snacks.

            As for workouts, I am going to get my butt moving: running wind sprints on the basketball court, supersets in the weight room, and intervals on the treadmill and stationary bicycle, in addition I will bike to work at least three times a week. My goal will be five times a week at the gym but if I only get there four times I will do a workout at home with dumb bells and resistance bands.

            My starting weight is 185 (some of that may be water weight, because I was just recently on a creatine regimen) and my goal weight is 175, but because the body is unpredictable 175 is just a number to shoot for. Losing storage body fat is the key here. If I lose any muscle mass I will just be wasting my time.

            As for supplements, I will take protein powders only if I cannot get my needed protein from natural resources (in other words if I am too busy to cook a meal.) I will not use any thermogenic aids, green tea pills, or anything else that you see on the shelves on GNC most of that stuff doesn’t work, and is terribly expensive.

            I will check in weekly to let you all know how my progress is going, and I will put up some before and after pictures at the end of all of it.

            If you have similar goals for this next month, share them! I would love hear about your program and give any advice you may need, plus once you goal public with a desire to lose weight it’s that much harder to just give up!

Food Addiction

In this age of information the secret is out on junk food. We all know it is terrible for us, and the numbers of death associated with obesity rivals those of tobacco and alcoholism. Even so there is a line out the door of McDonalds three times a day, why is this? Could it be that we are actually addicted to this stuff? Has it become such a part of our daily life that we cannot function without a kick of sugar and simple carbs, washed down by a hefty dose of saturated fats? Here is an article I found at precisionnutrition.com on exactly this topic: http://www.precisionnutrition.com/is-food-addiction-real

Read it and tell me what you think, did the finding surprise you? Do you look at your junk food differently now? 

Hopefully with more studies like this one we can educate the generally public on what their food is actually doing to them. So spread the word!

Mental Toughness

Mental Toughness

            Have you ever ended your workout a little earlier than you knew you should? Have you ever given up on a wind-sprint 10 yards before the finish line? Have you ever stressed out over a mid-term paper, or some big deadline at work? Chances are what you lacked was mental toughness. Mental toughness is defined by David Yukelson, Ph.D., of Pen State as the natural or developed psychological edge that enables you to generally cope better than your opponents with the many demands (e.g., competition, training, lifestyle) that are placed on you as a performer (Jones et al, 2002) Mental toughness is hardly found outside the world of competitive sports, many people tend to think that there is no place for mental toughness off the court or field. This is simply not the case, there are many life situations that require mental toughness, ask any CEO of any company and they will tell you that they would not be able to do their job well without being mentally tough. Tackling that 15 page psychology paper that’s been in your assignment book for the past four weeks will not seem so daunting with a good amount of mental toughness.

            It is possible to train for mental toughness in the gym, and using unconventional methods, a great workout video I found on mental toughness is this one by Martin Roonie at Training for Warriors.com (This guy is insane!) 100 reps in 100 seconds - United States, Training for Warriors Video

            A great read on the subject is The New Toughness Training for Sports: Mental Emotional Physical Conditioning By James E. Loehr (you can find it here at amazon The New Toughness Training for Sports: Mental Emotional Physical Conditioning from One of the World's Premier Sports Psychologists)  This book is great because it gives you a systematical approach to mental toughness that you can do at anytime and anywhere

            A good quick read on the subjet would be this PDF from Pen State University. http://www.mascsa.psu.edu/dave/Mental-Toughness.pdf

           So the next time you think about quitting your workout early, or walking the last stage of your sprint, remember that mental toughness is key to achieving the goal that you have set, both in the gym and in everyday life.

Circuit Training

Circuit Training: Increase intensity, decrease time, dramatic results

            Walk through your local health club or gym and observe the type of people you find, no doubt there will be a wide array of people coming from all walks of life, all with the same desire as you to improve their body and quality life. But if you look more closely you will probably realize that most everybody can be categorized into one of two categories: those who spend their time on the treadmills, elliptical, and stationary bikes sweating out mile after mile. And those who hang out in the weight room pumping the iron and watching themselves in the mirror. Both of these “clubs” have their strong points and weak points. Strength conditioning is a great way to lose body fat, have more energy, and increase sports performance, cardiovascular training on the other hand is great for strengthening the heart, increasing the efficiency of the lungs, and psychological well-being. The only problem is that you hardly have a person who is a member of both clubs, most people tend to be very biased to their preferred workout, what they don’t realize is that an effective workout plan incorporates both of these two types of training. Another reason why people have a one dimensional program is because of time constraints.

            For some people the answer lies in circuit training. Essentially, circuit training is a series of workouts done over a period time (not repetitions) with no rest in between workouts. Also circuit training is usually used to work the entire body, but it can be used for specific muscle groups if the right exercises are assigned. By doing these workouts with no rest in between you get your heart rate up and stress your lungs, just as you would with a treadmill or a Stairmaster.

            My personal experience with circuit training comes from a workout designed by Men’s Health Magazine.com (I usually do not endorse anything from Men’s Health, but this workout is pretty straight forward.) When I first started the workout, I was amazed at how intense these simple movements were when done for one minute and getting my heart rate up was certainly not a problem.

Here is what an example of a circuit program looks like:

Exercise

Bent over row

Side Plank with reach

Push Press

Squats

Single arm DB Swing

T-Pushups

Side Lunges

Crunches

Split Jump

Lunge with Twist

Pushup Position Row

            Each exercise should last for one minute with no rest in between, after you completed all ten exercises rest two minutes that is one set. Do one or two more sets depending on your current physical condition. (Make sure you select weights that you can use for a minute at a time, you will more than likely have to use lighter weights than you initially thought.)

Sound Nutrition vs. Fad Dieting

Sound Nutrition vs. Fad Dieting

            We hear about it all the time, some new product or plan that will finally shed those unwanted pounds for good. We go to GNC and shell out seventy bucks on horrible tasting powders that promise to get us ripped in two weeks. We seek that quick fix, or a magic pill that will make it all better. We have this mindset because of the society in which we live, everyone is a product of their environment and ours is a fast-paced, no-time-to-waste environment. Our banking works this way, our shopping works this way, our entertainment works this way, and our work even works this way, but unfortunately healthy living doesn’t work this way.

            For this post, Fad Diet will be defined as a diet that promotes fast weight loss by adhering to a set of guidelines. These guidelines usually ban one of the three macronutrients (carbohydrate, fat, or protein) or greatly restrict them. Probably the most notable fad diet of the last ten years would be the Atkins diet; this diet restricts the dieter’s carbohydrate intake to only 30 grams or less a day. When carbohydrates are restricted in such a drastic way your body enter a metabolic state called ketosis. Essentially ketosis means that your body is using fat stores as its primary source of energy instead of glycogen (derived from carbs). The problem with this is that your body was made to convert carbs into its primary source of fuel; therefore it is not as efficient at converting fat into fuel. This means that your energy output will not be as great, and if you’re an active person or a competitive athlete your performance will suffer. The fact is the body was meant to process carbohydrates, fats (ideally polyunsaturated and monounsaturated), and protein. If you restrict anyone of these nutrients, you may lose a bit of weight, but you will also experience negative side effects.

            Another problem with fad diets is that the total weight loss doesn’t come exclusively from fat, but also from lean muscle mass. This can cause further problems down the road because the less muscle you have the fewer calories you burn throughout the day, making it easier for you to put on the weight you lost and even harder to take it off for a second time.

            Because fad diets do not work we must rely on sound nutrition to meet our health and fitness goals (note: sound nutrition is as much, or more, of a discipline as it is a science. In order to eat and be healthy it takes hard work and discipline just as anything else worth pursuing in life is, but that is a different post.) But what is sound nutrition and what does it look like?

            Sound Nutrition will vary from person to person, depending on their dietary needs. Obviously a gymnast will have different needs then a NFL linebacker, and a stay-at-home mom will have different needs than a construction worker. How many calories you need each day will vary each day as well, but the basis for sound nutrition lie in the 1-2-3 rule, as in one part fat, two parts protein, and three parts carbohydrates (ideally fats should come from nuts and oils, proteins from lean meats and beans, and carbs from whole grains.) So if you need 2000 calories in a day 1000 of those should be from carbs, about calories 666 should be from protein, and about 333 calories should be from fats. With this rule in mind, and the correct amount of calories, you will not only have the energy your body needs to make it through the day but also to limit and control fat stores on your body.

            As discussed earlier, there is no quick fix to a lifetime of bad nutritional needs, but with these sounds principles, that are based on giving your body the nutrients it was designed to process, and staying active you will be able to achieve and maintain any fitness goal you set your mind to.

To estimate your calorie needs check out this Ehow article, (keep in mind that this is only an estimate) http://www.ehow.com/how_5138_calculate-total-daily.html

This Week in Workouts

This spotlight of this post is my personal workouts from Monday-Friday, I will discuss what worked for me and what didn't. Also I will discuss what I hope to do in the weeks to come.

Monday/Thursday
Strength Training (upper body):

Workout	Reps	Weight	Sets
Bench Press	6	185	3
Lateral DB Raise	10	20	3
Wrist Curl	10 each arm	20	3
Bent Over DB raise	10	20	3
Pull-ups	5	N/A	3
Upright Row	10	70	3
Cable Extension	10	100	3
Shrugs	10	85	3
Standing Preacher Curl	10	65	3

Cardio:

Exercise	Duration	Pace/Intensity	Sets
Jog	1 mile	8 mins	1
Sprint	45 seconds	85% of VO2 max	4
Walk	1 min	Recovery from sprints	4

Cool Down: Ten minutes Dynamic Stretching

Tuesday/Friday

Strength Training(Lower Body):

Workout	Reps	Weight	Sets
Squats	10	135	3
Good Mornings	10	135	3
Standing Calf Raises	10	135	3
Dead Lifts	10	155	3
Lunges	10 each leg	60	3
Seated Calf Raise	10	90	3
Leg Curl	10 each leg	N/A	3
Step-Ups	10 each leg	40	3

Cardio:

Exercise	Duration	Pace/Intensity	Sets
Stationary Bike	20 minute	65%-85% of VO2 max	1

Cool Down:

10 minute dynamic Stretching

Wednesday

Strength Training(Core):

Workout	Reps	Weight	Sets
Plank	30 seconds	N/A	3
Ball Crunch w/Plate	25	25	3
Russian Twist	15	25	3
Hanging Leg Raised	10	N/A	3
Side Plank w/Reach	10 each side	N/A	3
Back Extensions	15	25	3
Supermans	10	N/A	3
Bosu Ball Bridge	15	N/A	3

Supplement notes: On days of workouts 5 grams of creatine before workouts. After workouts consume a high protein (either protein powder or by natural sources) meal.

Obviously this week was a strong emphasis on strength training. I try to incorporate as many multi-joint movements into my training as possible some of my favorites are the bent over rows and dead lifts. For added intensity I would pair these workouts off into supersets, with thirty seconds rest in between sets. Next week I hope to be a little more balanced with cardio and strength, not so one sided. And if you were wondering about a warm up, I shoot around on the basketball court for about 15 mins, or at least until I work up a light sweat. 

Approximate time for each workout is 1hr and a half, except for Wednesday which is 45 minutes.

Photos of the workouts to come in later posts.