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Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Workout Mistakes You're Probably Making #1
Part of me is surprised when people make certain exercise mistakes. After all, with the internet, you can get so much excellent information. Of course, on the other hand, there's still plenty of misinformation there, too and your regular Joe or Joanne doesn't know the knowledgeable expert from the media savvy scam artist.
With that in mind, I'm going to do a series on common exercise mistakes that can derail or slow your progress.
You spend too much time doing isolation exercises.
If your typical routine involves sitting on a bunch of machines, you're not getting the most from your time.
The majority of your workout should consist of compound exercises. Compound exercises are multi-joint movements which work more than one muscle at a time. They are more similar to real-life activities and burn more calories.
Which exercise do you think will get you the most bang for your buck? Pushups, which work your chest, shoulders, triceps, and core or a Tricep Extension machine where you're sitting on your butt and using just the triceps?
A well designed program concentrating on exercises like Squats, Pushups, Deadlifts, Rows, Lunges, Presses, etc. will be more efficient and effective in helping you reach your fitness goals.
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With that in mind, I'm going to do a series on common exercise mistakes that can derail or slow your progress.
You spend too much time doing isolation exercises.
If your typical routine involves sitting on a bunch of machines, you're not getting the most from your time.
The majority of your workout should consist of compound exercises. Compound exercises are multi-joint movements which work more than one muscle at a time. They are more similar to real-life activities and burn more calories.
Which exercise do you think will get you the most bang for your buck? Pushups, which work your chest, shoulders, triceps, and core or a Tricep Extension machine where you're sitting on your butt and using just the triceps?
A well designed program concentrating on exercises like Squats, Pushups, Deadlifts, Rows, Lunges, Presses, etc. will be more efficient and effective in helping you reach your fitness goals.
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Monday, June 18, 2012
Stop Pretending Obesity Is Not A Problem
I feel compelled to repost something I wrote in August of last year. Recently, there's been a LinkedIn thread with local people where a woman has been adamant that the obesity crisis in this country is a "false belief". She's been reading the type of blogs I describe below and she states that there is only "a relatively modest rightward skewing of average weight" (among other things).
I won't engage her in discussion because her mind is clearly made up. However, it scares me that intelligent people can be so easily persuaded into believing that excess fat has no affect on health and disease.
My
goal is to help members get strong, healthy and fit, not to mold them
into some cookie cutter ideal. I hate the fact that women are made to
feel bad about themselves if they don't look like reed thin celebrities.
Please keep that in mind as you continue reading.
While researching statistics for my recent newsletter, I came across some websites that try to minimize the obesity problem.
The basic premise of these pages is that the issue has been manufactured (or at least severely overblown) by those with the most to gain (the pharmaceutical industry, diet companies, doctors and hospitals involved in weight loss surgery, etc.).
I am not a fan of bariatric surgery, weight loss drugs, or pre-packaged food weight loss systems.
Do those industries prey on people's insecurities? Absolutely but that doesn't decrease the number of people who are overweight and obese. Those businesses aren't booming because a few Americans have a spare tire. Yet these fat rationalization (they call it "fat acceptance") websites are maintained by those who promote the idea that obesity is not a real problem.
One website author was upset because researchers who estimate the medical costs of obesity included expenses associated with treating a variety of conditions including hypertension, cancer, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
I'm not sure researchers assume that someone got cancer because they were fat but it IS a risk factor for many diseases.
Is it just a coincidence that as the number of overweight kids has increased so has the number of kids with type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure? These conditions were previously found almost exclusively in adults.
Does anyone logically believe that being overweight or obese does not exacerbate health problems? Isn't it obvious that having to lug around an extra hundred pounds all day long is tough on your body? Doesn't it seem rational that bodily organs not strangled by fat would function better?
Yes, I agree that there are much better ways than BMI to measure a healthy body. I also believe that someone can be overweight and still be healthy. In fact, if you're overweight but exercise and eat a healthy diet, your risk of many diseases is lower than a thin, sedentary person who does not eat as nutritiously.
That said, I'm at a loss as to how anyone can think this is a fabricated problem. Have they looked around lately? There have never been so many people who are 100, 200 or more pounds overweight.
One website claimed...
So where were all their 300 and 400 pound ancestors hiding?
I don't think people nowadays just stuff themselves more than people in the past.
Of course, with all our labor saving devices we are far less active. As I remind people, we don't even have to walk across the room to change the channel on the TV anymore. (Yes, kids, in the olden days there were no remotes.)
Our
use of low or no-calorie sweeteners has also blown up in our faces. It
appears that the sweet taste signals our brain to expect calories and
when our body doesn't get any, our brains make us hungry and we eat
more.
However, none of that absolves us from taking responsibility for our health and wellness. No one puts a gun to our head and forces us to eat a Tastykake instead of an apple. We don't have to regularly stop at McDonald's for a burger and fries instead of packing a healthy lunch.
It's not that I don't realize how difficult losing weight is or that I'm unsympathetic.
No one should be stared at, ostracized or made fun of.
But I take issue with those who want everyone to pretend that obesity is not a serious health issue. The FA crowd wants to pretend that if nobody talks about it, there won't be a problem. As if, super sized movie seats and coffins would make all the obese people happy with their lives.
They want us to ignore that our overweight children are headed for shorter lifespans than their parents (or maybe similar lifespans filled with drugs for diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, etc.) . They want us to ignore the effect of obesity related health care costs on the country. They want us to pretend that obese people don't care that they can't play with their kids or that their knees or back constantly ache.
Basically, if we just stopped talking about obesity, there wouldn't be a problem.
They're wrong.
And what's worse is that they're trying to convince people that they are trapped and have no way out.
That's just B.S. If these bloggers want to give away their personal power and rationalize away the effects of obesity for themselves, that's fine. However, except in rare cases, people always have the power of choice in their lives and no one should try to convince them otherwise.
I won't engage her in discussion because her mind is clearly made up. However, it scares me that intelligent people can be so easily persuaded into believing that excess fat has no affect on health and disease.
August 14, 2011
It's Just A Big Fat Lie. It's Not OK To Ignore Obesity
Let me start out by saying that my primary objective at Body
& Soul Fitness Studio is to improve the quality of women's
lives. There is a very long list of physical, mental, and emotional
benefits that come from regular physical activity. Although dropping
excess fat is usually a byproduct of good nutrition and the right
exercise, that is not the most important reason to exercise.
My
goal is to help members get strong, healthy and fit, not to mold them
into some cookie cutter ideal. I hate the fact that women are made to
feel bad about themselves if they don't look like reed thin celebrities.
Please keep that in mind as you continue reading. While researching statistics for my recent newsletter, I came across some websites that try to minimize the obesity problem.
The basic premise of these pages is that the issue has been manufactured (or at least severely overblown) by those with the most to gain (the pharmaceutical industry, diet companies, doctors and hospitals involved in weight loss surgery, etc.).
I am not a fan of bariatric surgery, weight loss drugs, or pre-packaged food weight loss systems.
Do those industries prey on people's insecurities? Absolutely but that doesn't decrease the number of people who are overweight and obese. Those businesses aren't booming because a few Americans have a spare tire. Yet these fat rationalization (they call it "fat acceptance") websites are maintained by those who promote the idea that obesity is not a real problem.
One website author was upset because researchers who estimate the medical costs of obesity included expenses associated with treating a variety of conditions including hypertension, cancer, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
They ASSUME that if we get heart disease or breast cancer, it is because we're fat.
I'm not sure researchers assume that someone got cancer because they were fat but it IS a risk factor for many diseases.
Is it just a coincidence that as the number of overweight kids has increased so has the number of kids with type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure? These conditions were previously found almost exclusively in adults.
Does anyone logically believe that being overweight or obese does not exacerbate health problems? Isn't it obvious that having to lug around an extra hundred pounds all day long is tough on your body? Doesn't it seem rational that bodily organs not strangled by fat would function better?
Yes, I agree that there are much better ways than BMI to measure a healthy body. I also believe that someone can be overweight and still be healthy. In fact, if you're overweight but exercise and eat a healthy diet, your risk of many diseases is lower than a thin, sedentary person who does not eat as nutritiously.
That said, I'm at a loss as to how anyone can think this is a fabricated problem. Have they looked around lately? There have never been so many people who are 100, 200 or more pounds overweight.
One website claimed...
The obesity epidemic was fictional. Fat is genetic.
So where were all their 300 and 400 pound ancestors hiding?
I don't think people nowadays just stuff themselves more than people in the past.
Of course, with all our labor saving devices we are far less active. As I remind people, we don't even have to walk across the room to change the channel on the TV anymore. (Yes, kids, in the olden days there were no remotes.)
I
also believe that processed foods are a definite factor in the obesity
crisis. The food is cheap and, according to David Kessler, M.D. (former
FDA commissioner), manufacturers have made it a priority to create
high-calorie foods with the most addictive possible combination of
intense flavor and "mouthfeel."
Our
use of low or no-calorie sweeteners has also blown up in our faces. It
appears that the sweet taste signals our brain to expect calories and
when our body doesn't get any, our brains make us hungry and we eat
more.However, none of that absolves us from taking responsibility for our health and wellness. No one puts a gun to our head and forces us to eat a Tastykake instead of an apple. We don't have to regularly stop at McDonald's for a burger and fries instead of packing a healthy lunch.
It's not that I don't realize how difficult losing weight is or that I'm unsympathetic.
No one should be stared at, ostracized or made fun of.
But I take issue with those who want everyone to pretend that obesity is not a serious health issue. The FA crowd wants to pretend that if nobody talks about it, there won't be a problem. As if, super sized movie seats and coffins would make all the obese people happy with their lives.
They want us to ignore that our overweight children are headed for shorter lifespans than their parents (or maybe similar lifespans filled with drugs for diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, etc.) . They want us to ignore the effect of obesity related health care costs on the country. They want us to pretend that obese people don't care that they can't play with their kids or that their knees or back constantly ache.
Basically, if we just stopped talking about obesity, there wouldn't be a problem.
They're wrong.
And what's worse is that they're trying to convince people that they are trapped and have no way out.
The truth is that health, weight, and fitness are somewhat influenced by lifestyle, but it is far more influenced by factors outside of our control.
That's just B.S. If these bloggers want to give away their personal power and rationalize away the effects of obesity for themselves, that's fine. However, except in rare cases, people always have the power of choice in their lives and no one should try to convince them otherwise.
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Sunday, June 17, 2012
Friday, June 15, 2012
The Scale Is A Liar
So why was she upset? Her blood pressure is up (one reason she resumed exercising) and the doctor isn't happy that her weight hasn't dropped.
This is very frustrating for me. The client is healthier, feels better, is less stressed, has greatly increased her stamina, is much stronger (she mentioned carrying her luggage through the airport with no problem), and has clearly reduced her body fat. However, instead of celebrating her accomplishments, she is focused on the one area that hasn't changed yet.
Don't get hung up on one aspect of health. As this client continues with good nutrition and exercising, her weight will go down but she already made great progress.
How can she have lost inches but no weight on the scale? A pound of muscle is denser and takes up less space than a pound of fat. So, you can lose fat, gain muscle, and stay the same weight but get smaller.
Don't get hung up on the scale. Go by how you feel, inches dropped, and how your clothes fit.
UPDATE: I got a call from the client yesterday. She just found out that her cholesterol is down 31 points! She will also be reducing her blood pressure medication by half- all in 3 months!
UPDATE #2 (6-22-12): Email from client reports that she is now totally off blood pressure medication.
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Monday, June 11, 2012
Collected Fitness Wisdom #49
New times have rolled in and we have tons of research studies proving that weight lifting is far more superior for fat loss and body compositional changes. But, even though we have these new findings, people still don’t get it and people still want to sit on the bikes reading magazines about Kim Kardashian’s divorce for hours and hours. Do as you please, but I know I’m one of those types of people that want to get the most bang for their buck when it comes to training.
~ Chris and Eric Martinez
Many diet and fitness strategies work. Anyone who tells you otherwise is just trying to fight for a particular viewpoint. Yes, some diets are good and have a basis. Other diets are genuinely bad. But most diets depend on an unpredictable variable--YOU. You need to find a plan that you can sustain. One that keeps you happy, works in your schedule and life, and is sustainable.
~ Adam Bornstein
If you don’t know what to do, you do what you know, which for most women is walk on a tread for an hour at 2.5 miles per hour holding on to the rails or if you are a guy you bench and curl and then walk on the tread at the end. Failure is guaranteed and after six weeks or so of getting nowhere we lose one more person who might have been saved if he or she could have spent even one hour with a fit pro who could have guided the person into a safe and effective program that might have gotten results.
~ Thomas Plummer
It’s very easy to smoke somebody, it really doesn’t take a big brain. Just go out and do 1,000 pushups, 1,000 squats and whatever. Later on, they think, "I’m so sore. I’m so tired. I had a great workout." But what is the criteria of success here? Is performance improving? Is the athlete getting closer to their goals?
~ Pavel Tsatsouline
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~ Chris and Eric Martinez
Many diet and fitness strategies work. Anyone who tells you otherwise is just trying to fight for a particular viewpoint. Yes, some diets are good and have a basis. Other diets are genuinely bad. But most diets depend on an unpredictable variable--YOU. You need to find a plan that you can sustain. One that keeps you happy, works in your schedule and life, and is sustainable.
~ Adam Bornstein
If you don’t know what to do, you do what you know, which for most women is walk on a tread for an hour at 2.5 miles per hour holding on to the rails or if you are a guy you bench and curl and then walk on the tread at the end. Failure is guaranteed and after six weeks or so of getting nowhere we lose one more person who might have been saved if he or she could have spent even one hour with a fit pro who could have guided the person into a safe and effective program that might have gotten results.
~ Thomas Plummer
It’s very easy to smoke somebody, it really doesn’t take a big brain. Just go out and do 1,000 pushups, 1,000 squats and whatever. Later on, they think, "I’m so sore. I’m so tired. I had a great workout." But what is the criteria of success here? Is performance improving? Is the athlete getting closer to their goals?
~ Pavel Tsatsouline
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Thursday, June 7, 2012
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