To Use or Not Use CLA... That Is The Question.

Captivating headlines such as “Scientific Proof” or “Melt Fat Away” are great attention getters.  The vast majority of use are certainly interested in melting fat way.  I do believe that is the new American dream. 

Here is a quick rundown on CLA.  Conjugated Linoleic Acid: A polyunsaturated fatty acid in which the position of the double bones has moved, so that a single bond alternates with two double bonds.  Okay perhaps to technical, let’s try this CLA is a collective term for a group of geometric and positional isomers of linoleic acid in which the double bonds are conjugated. One more try, CLA is as naturally occurring fatty acid.

It is an essential fatty acid.  This means that the body does not produce CLA.  It must be ingested through diet.   The best sources are grass feed meats and it is found in smaller quantities in dairy products. CLA is produced from linoleic acid (sunflower and safflower oils) utilizing a process that converts linoleic acid into conjugated linoleic acid… thus all the double bond chatter previously mentioned.

Moving on… the majority of the research regarding CLA on fat loss is performed on animals.  The research is supportive of a fat loss reduction in animals. However, the human studies are not as conclusive. In fact depending on the study results have been noted as 0.2 lbs per week, 4 lbs over 12 months, or no change.  One study noted that individuals using CLA which gained the weight back was more in the form of lean body mass and not fat. 

Increasing your consumption of CLA through your daily diet would improve impossible. CLA is available in such small amounts and is generally accompanied saturated fats (the bad fats).  This is where supplementation comes in.  You can increase your consumption of CLA using supplementation.  The good news with supplementation is that you don’t consume the additional calories from saturated fat.  The doses seem to vary, research conducted used a daily intake of 3.4 grams and 7 grams. The benefits associated with humans seems to be restricted to the obese with BMI (Body Mass Index) greater than 25.

Research also points to some additional benefits of CLA, such as:

• Increased metabolic rate

• Enhanced muscle growth

• Lowers cholesterol and triglycerides

• Lowers insulin resistance

• Reduces food-induced allergic reactions

• Enhances immune system

• Potent anti-oxidant (inhibits the oxidation of other molecules)

• Anticarcinogen (a substance that counteracts the effects of a carcinogen and/or inhibits the development of cancer)

• Anticatabolite (any substance that inhibits)

• Possible general abdominal distress

• May induce insulin resistance in obese men with metabolic syndrome (may cause diabetes)

• Hyperinsulinemia (excess levels of insulin, above normal)

• Hyperglycemia (high blood glucose…blood sugar)

• Decrease HDL (good cholesterol) 

It is also a:

Potent anti-oxidant (inhibits the oxidation of other molecules) Anticarcinogen (a substance that counteracts the effects of a carcinogen and/or inhibits the development of cancer) Anticatabolite (any substance that inhibits)

The downside:

In the end the research currently doesn’t support the use of CLA as means to achieve significant weight loss or loss of abdominal fat.Would I recommend the use of CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid)? 

No, given what I can interpret from the research it is not an effective weight loss or fat loss aid.  In fact the prevalence of diabetes and the over consumption of sugar it would appear that this CLA could even prove dangerous to some. The positives associated with CLA are also associated with eating healthier.   I would strongly recommend to spend your time and money on buying and prepping meals made with whole ingredients, minimally processed, and grass feed meats.  

Our Best Friend When It Comes To Fat Loss…. LEPTIN !?

When it comes to losing fat there are many gimmick diets and strategies. This plethora of options make it difficult to decipher what works and what does not.  To make the matter even more difficult is the fact we are all not built the same.  With that said, I want to take a moment to talk to about a very special hormone called ‘Leptin’.  Leptin is a hormone produced in fat cells that regulate the amount of fat stored in the body.  Leptin is also known as the ‘satiety hormone’. This is done by modifying our sensation of hunger with respect to our energy expenditures. It is worth noting the hormone Ghrelin that is produced in the stomach that stimulates feeding, ‘hunger hormone’.

Very cool, right?  Is this the magic pill?   

Not quite so fast.  Because leptin is produced in fat cells we should acknowledge the fact that if we are carrying a few extra pounds of fat and leptin is produced in fat cells we already have plenty of leptin in our bodies. 

I should warn you that there have been studies in mice whom have been giving extra doses of leptin reduces overeating and obesity. 

Well if it works for mice, why not me?

There is a phenomenon called leptin resistance.  Similar to insulin resistance the pancreas produces enough insulin however the body doesn’t make the right adjustment.  In leptin resistance, fat cells are producing enough leptin however the brain is either not receiving or interrupting the information being sent correctly.

Leptin produces or more importantly signals a sensation of being full after consuming a meal to the brain. Individuals who are leptin resistant the brain doesn’t acknowledge or receive this signal.

So, what is one to do?

The good news is there are no special pills or leptin supplements you need to take to improve your leptin sensitivity. In fact women produce 2 times more leptin than their male counter parts.  As mention earlier leptin is produced in fat cells.  So having extra fat means having plenty of the leptin hormone. Improving your eating choices and choosing foods that contribute to leptin sensitivity vs leptin resistance will put you on the right track. 

Foods that contribute to leptin resistance: starchy vegetables, white flour, breads, cereals, and grains (and yes this include whole grains and wheat). Most of these items will also fall under the category of processed foods.  Lastly eliminate high fructose corn syrup.  

Food that increase leptin sensitivity: nuts (almond, Brazil, cashews and pecans), Fruits (avocados and olives), Oils (almond and olive), fish (cod, halibut, bass, sardines, catfish, tune) and fibrous vegetables (leafy greens).

Prep the body for leptin sensitivity and start your morning off with healthy breakfast containing protein and some leafy green veggies.  Your waist line will thank you for it!!!

Finding the Right Fitness Program for YOU!

Looking to get on track with a fitness routine to improve your health and/or appearance?  It is important that you choose a program that fits your needs.  With a never ending stream of ads for workout programs and gym making the right choice can be both confusing and frustrating.  I don’t want that to stop you.  Below are a few tips that I recommend to help you decide on the right fitness program for you. But first lets chat briefly about what a great fitness program should include:

• A well structured exercise routine
• A sound nutritional plan
• Motivation
• Adaptability
• Time Consideration

A well structured exercise routine.  The routine should be progressive and take into account your current fitness level and needs.  If you start out with something to aggressive you are likely to end up very sore from the workout.  If you start with something to easy you may feel like the program isn’t going to work for you.

A sound nutritional plan.  Don’t get caught up with all the supplements and specialty food nutritional plans.  Depending upon your specific needs that may play a part later in the program, but to begin the nutritional strategies should be simple.  For example I tell my clients each meal should consist of a lean protein, fibrous carbohydrate, starchy carbohydrate and minimize the consumption of simple sugars and processed foods.

Motivation.  To find motivation look past the typical ‘why’s’ people use to start a fitness program.  You need to finds something that you have a strong emotional connection to.  So, to say, “I want to loose weight” isn’t going to be a strong enough motivator to get you through the tough times.  Instead dig deeper as to why you want to lose the weight.  Something like, “I want to lose weight because my mother died at the age of 45 because of disease directly related to being overweight. I want to reduce my chances of getting diabetes…etc”.  There needs to be a strong emotional connections.  A good program is going to walk you through the process of discovering your ‘why’/

Adaptability.  Life throws curveballs, so the program needs to be adaptable to fit your circumstances during these moments.  Whether the program needs to adapt because of an injury or time conflict.   

Time considerations.  It is only the rare few that can and are willing to commit to 1-2 hour long workouts.  If this is you, great!  But if it is not then find a program that’s time commitments are doable for you.  Research is pretty supportive of shorter higher intensity workouts.  That is workouts that are 20-30 minutes in duration and repeating them 3 times per week.

Now that we know what a great fitness program should include, let’s look at what you need to consider when choosing a program:

• Budget
• Time
• Simplicity
• Nutrition
• Equipment

Budget. How much are you willing to spend? With so many programs to choose from budget would be the first place I would start.  However, don’t always pick the lowest price option.  If you spend to little it is easy to blow off the program which of course defeats the purpose.  It should pinch the pocket book a little bit, this contributes to the motivation aspect ;-)

Time.  How much time are you willing to commit to the program?  If you are only willing to commit to three thirty minute workouts, then it makes no sense to purchase a program that has you working out six days a week.

Simplicity.  Can you easily follow the program?  Pick a program that you can follow.  The more experience you have or get using fitness programs the more you will be able to handle.  Just start simple and advance from there.

Nutrition.  Keep it simple.  Don’t get to complicated.  I have found through the years that a simple eating strategy will go along away.  Having a lot of available recipes is nice, but I rarely find clients that use many of the available healthy recipes.  The better strategy seems to apply sound nutritional concepts to improve what is currently being consumed.  For example instead of having the typical hamburger at the summer bbq (75% lean ground beef, 200 calorie enriched white bread bun, topping of your choice) opt for a leaner hamburger patty, skip the bun or make a lettuce wrap, add your choice of toppings.  This dramatically cuts the calories.

Equipment.  You don’t need any equipment at all to achieve your desire fat loss goals.  So, anything you choose to add is icing on the cake.  If your new to fitness get the most bang for you buck by investing in a stability ball and a set of resistance cords.  From there you can add dumbbells I like to recommend a set ranging from 5-25lbs.

Ultimately when in comes to choosing a fitness program, it comes down to using the old K.I.S.S. method, Keep It Simple Sexy.  Pick a program that you can incorporate into your lifestyle.

Fitness Success Tips for 2014

Can you believe 2013 has passed us by?  Funny the older I get the fast the years pass by. That said, did you make good on your goals for 2013?  If not, what happened?  From my past experiences I have realized that when I failed to reach a goal it came down to only a few consistent points:

1)     I didn't make the goal a high enough priority

2)     I failed to be consistent in my actions or choices

3)     I procrastinated

When it comes to improving your fitness level and changing your physic there are a few things that you must do:

1)     Make improving your fitness or changing you physic a top priority

2)     Be consistent in your actions and choices

3)     Don’t procrastinate

If you are willing to do the above three items then here is how you can change you physic for the better… lose the fat:

1)     Quit looking for the easy route.  There is no magic pill.  There is no short cut. There can be no excuses.

2)     Eat a high protein, high fiber diet filled with lots of fresh fruits, veggies, and healthy fats and cut out all the added sugar from your diet.  Yes cut out all he ADDED SUGAR!

3)     Higher me as your trainer and work your butt off!!!   All kidding aside you need to get on a workout program that kicks your butt.

4)     Drink Water.  8-12 cups per day.

5)     Avoid liquid calories.  Sodas, juices and smoothies will add unwanted calories and sugar to your diet.  Limit you liquids to Green Tea, Greens, or protein shake (limit 1-2 per day).

6)     Stay motivated!!!

7)     Get social support and accountability

8)     Plan, shop and prepare your foods each week. 

9)     Make a goal and set a deadline.  

Holiday Eating Pointers

Maintaining a healthy weight during the holidays has proved to be quite the challenge for many over the years.  Those who have been successful in either maintaining or losing weight during the holidays don’t do so by accident. There is often a plan or if we must say it, a conscious effort to not give up or give in.  This by no means implies you have to eliminate the savory treats of the holidays. It means that you need to practice moderation and consistency.

I like the treats of the holidays.  Truth be told I can eat my share of toffee and peppermint bark chocolate.  The key is to enjoy the treats in moderation.  But, I’m guessing you have already heard this before, right?  So, how do you put moderation into practice?  That starts with a plan.  Before starting any plan we need to determine faults.  Once the faults are determine a plan can be developed. 

Here are some examples.

Fault #1 – “I over eat at holiday parties”

Plan #1- Eat healthy through out the day.  Don’t fall into the trap of eating less before the party in order to save calories.  Saving calories can work against us at the party and push us to over indulge at the party.  By eating healthy though out the course of the day you will be satiated and not feel the urge to over indulge.  This will allow you to make better choices at the party while still enjoying the goodies in moderation.

Fault #2 –“I just don’t have enough time to get in my workout”

Plan #2 -Consistency is a key component in any fitness program.  Staying committed during the holidays has to be a priority.  By staying committed you will continue to make progress, keep your metabolism cranked up and all you to enjoy the holiday’s guilt free.  However, feel free to mix up the routine.  Try interval style workouts.  Interval workouts will reduce your workout duration and help you maximize fat loss.  Email me for a sample routine, DBJFitness@gmail.com in the subject line write “Sample Interval Workout”

Fault #3 – “The holidays are an emotional time for me”

Plan #3 – There are a variety of reasons why the holidays are such an emotional roller coaster for so many.  The loss of love ones, a break up, custody issues, and loneliness just to name a few.  I am not a counselor so I can’t prescribe anything specific but here is what I can say.  More than likely this emotional time is something you knew was coming; it is not something that just happened.  So take a moment and do your best to put yourself in the best position to be happy.  Take a moment and remember better times.  Take joy in helping someone else.  Do something that will put a smile on someone else’s face.

The key to success is to plan ahead and develop personal strategies that will help you overcome your personal challenges.  We all have them.  We all have our faults.  If you are struggling with a fault and would like some help feel free to comment below or email me personally @ DBJFitness@gmail.com .  Or share a fault and a success strategy that you have applied. 

Hurt or Injured, which one are you?

As an athlete this was a question I often heard during practice and on the playing field from coaches and fellow athletes.  Are you hurt or are you injured?  The difference was a simple explanation: if you where hurt you could still play, if you were injured you could not.

For a practical example it comes down to this: a sprained ankle or broken leg. Now we could argue the particulars. But that would for another article.  Today I pose the question as it relates to whether you should workout while you are hurt or injured?

When I train clients whom have suffered an injury I work under the following guidelines:

• Pain
• Posture
• Range of Motion
• Function

Pain- Using pain as a guideline I can select exercises that do not cause my client any additional pain.  There may be some discomfort, but the point is to work pain free.

Posture- During the injury phase the body will begin to compensate mechanically to accomplish day to day tasks. In the short term this is how the body adapts.  The trouble is as the body heals it doesn't naturally go back to proper mechanics.  It will continue to use the compensated pathway established.  The goal when training an injured area is to maintain the best posture permitted by the injured area.

Range of Motion- Goal is to maintain and improve on the range of motion of the injured and often times the surrounding area.  The body will compensate by restricting the range of motion of a joint when injured.  If left unattended the range of motion will stay restricted even after the injury has healed.  Focusing on maintain and increasing the range of motion as the injured area heals will lead to less pain and complications later.

Function- The idea here is to be able to return to pre-injury function.  That is to be able to do all the things to a similar degree following the injury.  In some cases we do have to establish a new normal, but we want to as close as possible to the pre-injury function.

In the end keep things simple.  Don't settle for being hurt or injured work to get better.  In the long run you will have a more productive and active life.  

One last point, if you are injured and are referred to see a physical therapist... Go!!! Do what is asked, take an active role in your recovery.  

Change your Focus from Weight Loss to Fat Loss

It seems like everyone want to lose weight when the goal should be fat loss.  Losing fat isn't complicated.  All it takes is a commitment to make better choices, a technology that works, and a belief that you can do it. Learn the basic of fat loss with fitness professional Darrell Morris.

Join Darrell Morris live on the following dates:

Saturday August 17, 2013
3-4pm Eloise May Library
1471 S. Parker Road
Denver, Colorado 80231
Click here for registration

Tuesday August 27, 2013
6:30-7:30pm Smokey Hill Library
5430 S. Biscay Circle
Centennial, Colorado 80015
Click here for registration

A Lunch fit for Fat Loss

Eating any meal on the go is a challenge.  There are a lot of ways to help accomplish this task and for our purposes today I am going to share an easy lunch time meal that can be prepared at the office.

I must admit a little prep time is needed so here is what you need to have ready to before you head out to work: 

• Pick two veggies
• Pick a protein source
• Take a Zip’n Steam bag

Off to work you go!

When it is time for lunch simply combine the ingredients in the Zip’n Steam bag.  I use:

• Asparagus
• Broccoli
• Chicken Breast
• w/a pinch of Sea Salt

Place bag in microware for 5 minutes and presto.   A healthy nutritional lunch that will help you lose fat and satiate your appetite

 

Breakfast In A Pinch

A common trait among those who are successful losing fat is eating breakfast.  Yes, I have heard the excuses; I don’t have time, it makes me feel yucky, I’m not hungry in the morning. Those are simply excuses. 

 

 

Breakfast is important and an absolute must for anyone seeking to lose fat.  Breakfast should include lean proteins and fibrous carbohydrates.  Two of my favorite breakfast meals can be prepared in 15-20 minutes and can squeezed in during your current morning routine.
 

Here are my two favorite breakfast meals:

·       Scrambled eggs with spinach (1 Tbsp of olive oil,  ½-1 cup fresh spinach, 3-4 whole eggs*)

·       Scrambled eggs with a Green Pepper ( 1 Tbsp of olive oil, 3-4 whole eggs*, 1 green pepper)

*If you prefer you can use egg whites only, just some an additional egg white.

 

 

By nature I am a morning person: I know I am in the minority but I have to be true to who I am. I am up and ready to go when the alarm goes off.  Being ready so quickly has its up’s and down’s.  The up is I am ready to go after a quick brush of the teeth, wash of the face and hands, insertion of contacts, brush of the hair and dressed. The downside, I will strive to get every minute of sleep I can.  So in order to squeeze in breakfast I have to do some multi-tasking.

 

 

Let me walk you through a typical morning and how I squeeze in a cooked breakfast.  I will wake up put the skillet on the stove (set to medium) with one tablespoon of olive oil.  Go brush my teeth.  After brushing my teeth I will add 1 cup of spinach to sauté while I wash my hands and face and insert contacts.  I add the eggs.  While the eggs are cooking I will prepare a cup of black or green tea and get dressed.  Check on the eggs; scramble as needed.  Put on my shoes and prep my bag for work (on colder mornings I will start the car to allow it to warm up).  Presto, breakfast is done.  Breakfast takes 5-10 minutes to eat and I am on my way.  

 

 

For mornings that I am on a tighter schedule, I scramble the eggs and eat the green pepper whole.

 

 

Ideally I would encourage you to have your meals prepped and ready to go, but that is not always the case.  Sometimes you have to make the most of the time you have.  When it comes to losing fat just as in life, it is about finding a reason to be successful; not an excuse to fail.

Energy Drinks Good or Bad?

 

The energy drink industry is booming.  The demand for these products is driven by superior marketing efforts focused on students and professionals that require sustained alertness.  Certainly the key to any marketing campaign is to highlight the benefits of the product.  Caffeine is the main player and the benefits of caffeine use are improved performance, concentration and endurance.  It is easy to see the allure of using caffeinated products.  So perhaps the question isn’t whether energy drinks are good or bad, but rather when and if we should use energy drinks?

 

Use as an Ergogenic Aide

 

The research on caffeine as an ergogenic aide is generally related to athletic performance.  The results show improvement in athletic performance comes from the consumption of caffeine in capsule form and specific to endurance performance, such as distance runners.  As it relates to weight lifting maximum or low intensity efforts there doesn’t appear to be any measurable difference. It is important to note that because caffeine is a know ergogenic aide for endurance sports athletes need to be concerned with the amount of caffeine that can be consumed (International Olympic Committee banned amounts exceeding 12mg/ml in a urine sample, NCAA limit is 15mg/ml)

 

For athletes that require maximum intensity efforts and are using creatine supplementation, caffeine consumption may blunt the desired results from creatine supplementation.

 

Mixing Energy Drinks with Alcohol

 

Mixing a know stimulant (caffeine) with a know depressant (alcohol) is not a smart idea.  Consuming these drinks can halt the feeling of intoxication, lead to heavier drinking and increase the risks for alcohol related injuries.

 

Consumption for the average person

 

The occasional consumption of energy drinks appear to be harmless.  But the general recommendations are to limit the consumption to about 16 ounces (500 ml) per day. For adolescents the recommendation is no more than 100 ml and for younger children I would simply avoid caffeine.

 

Consuming caffeine above the recommended level can lead to a variety of side effects: insomnia, nervousness, restlessness, irritability, upset stomach, fast heartbeat and muscle tremors.  Important to note that some people are more sensitive than others so it is possible to experience the side effects in much smaller doses.

 

Please note if you have any underlying health conditions such as: heart disease, high blood pressure, pregnant or breast feeding, just avoid energy drinks altogether.

 

A Healthier Option

 

If the purpose for consuming energy drinks is to boost energy levels there is a better option that has more desirable side effects.  Improving eating behaviors, exercising and getting adequate amounts of sleep will leave you feeling well rested, focused, clear minded, and provide the increases in energy level.   The side effects will be fat loss, clothes fitting better, healthier looking skin, increase self confidence, and a better outlook on life.

 

In the end as a trainer and parent I would recommend steering clear of the energy drinks.  Enjoy the occasional cup of ‘Joe’, (I am a tea drinker myself).  Make better nutritional choices, exercise and get plenty of rest.

Eat More, Burn More; The Physique Athlete's Method To Maximze Fat Loss

by Tom Venuto www.BurnTheFatblog.com

Physique athletes (bodybuilding, fitness, fitness model, figure and bikini competitors) eat and train differently than most people. In fact, a lot of what they do to develop the leanest, most muscular, most aesthetically pleasing bodies in the world is the exact opposite of how most people do it. For more than 20 years (more than 10 years online), I’ve been teaching men and women the physique athlete (bodybuilder’s) method to fat loss. I often sum it up as “eat more, burn more.” In today’s post, I take a reader question that clears up the misconceptions about what this philosophy really means and how it’s possible that you can eat more and get leaner and more muscular doing it… continue reading 

P.S. I enjoyed reading this article and would recommend reading the entire article.

The Truth about Fat, Sugar, and Food Labels

Enough literature has been published teaching Americans about the nutritional havoc excessive dietary fat can play. Unfortunately, too much of a good thing has led to so much misinformation that while Americans attempt to eat in a manner that they perceive to be healthy, few rarely have a sense of the role fat plays and where fats are. Ordering the chicken mixed salad in a restaurant might often have you ingesting more dietary fat than you would if you ordered the cheeseburger! Often the chicken breast is “marinating” which means “soaking up oil” for hours or days before it makes it to your plate. Add croutons, dressing, bacon bits, and you are stacking up fat calories in the “healthy” salad.

Since so many attempts to eat “low fat” or “fat free,” marketers have learned that if they can plaster those words all over their label, people will buy!  Loopholes in the FDA labeling laws have allowed food companies to mislead on their labels by promoting high fat foods as “low fat” and pure fat in some cases as “fat free.”  

Skip the big print and read the label. 

        

If any ingredient contains fat or oil, the food cannot possibly be “fat free.” 

      

While some “fat free” labeled snacks may really be pretty close to fat free, the most abundant ingredient in most cookies, cakes and ice cream is sugar. When you ingest simple sugar, it causes a rush of insulin which leads firstly to a compromise in fat release, and secondly, to the possible storage of body fat.  Too often, those attempting to avoid fat wind up having their dietary attempts fail due to excessive intake of simple sugars!

 

Supplements:  Magic in a bottle?

 

There are some supplements that are valid. They are, however, “supplements,” and by definition mean, “in addition to.” A supplement cannot and will not be a solution.  Most supplements are single micronutrients (vitamins and/or minerals) or combinations of micronutrient compounds. The processing of food in itself is synergistic and all of the nutrients work together.  For the most part, the micronutrients act upon the macronutrients for metabolic processes to take place. A concern for single vitamins and minerals without concern for intake of proteins, carbohydrates, and essential fatty acids can only leave you frustrated and short of achieving your health and fitness goals. Once you get the Synergy between exercise and supportive nutrition through food right, you can “fill in the gaps” or seek to optimize performance using supplemental aids. The most vital “supplement” in quest of supportive nutrition would be one that provides all of the nutrients you’d obtain in a meal in the event that a supportive meal is not accessible or convenient.  These are often called “meal replacements” or “nutrition formulas” Don’t get fooled by ads and labels that promise “magic.”  Look for a formula using a high quality protein and complex carbs, free from saturated or hydrogenated fat, and low in simple sugars. Also seek out a formula that maintains a high and complete profile of vitamins and minerals.

Successful Cardio

Did you know that doing aerobic exercise is making people fatter?

If you have ever been a health club you’ve seen em’ people who run for hours on end or climb until you are pretty sure they should have made the top of the mountain by now. Yet day after day month after month, they are showing no signs of physical change. Some may even look like they are in good shape have a nice physic, but get them our of their clothes and they are just a self-conscious as you might be. Let us refer to them as the fat-skinny-yes it is possible to be skinny and yet have enough fat on your body to be classified as obese.

Do I have your attention? Good!

You probably already know that aerobic exercise burns fat, so it seems logical if we want to lose fat, we should do aerobic exercise. So what’s the answer?

The answer is complex so I am going to simplify things a little. The body does not exclusively burn fat during aerobic exercise, its direct fuel source is ATP. ATP can be created from fat and glucose. In addition, the fat you have accumulated is not the exclusive fat supplier to meet your body’s energy needs. The dietary fats in your digestive tract can be broken down into fatty acids that travel as triglycerides in your blood stream; therefore, there is no guarantee that your stored body fat will be the preferred source.

If you exercise aerobically beyond your body’s ability and/or willingness to supply fat and stored sugar (glycogen) as fuel, your body can do a little trick. It will convert amino acids (protein) into sugar and use the newly created sugar as a source of ATP. Those amino acids are coming from muscle tissue and muscle is huge in improving your ability to burn fat. (More on this in a later article)

Far too often aerobic exercisers cut back on their caloric intake and exercise more trying to burn more fat, cannibalizing muscle.

While they are losing weight, doing to much aerobic exercise and lacking concern for muscle, you will lose muscle. If you lose weight and a predominance of that weight is muscle you not only increase your body’s percentage of fat, but you have decreased your body’s ability to burn fat.

I hope you are still with me. Aerobic exercise is part of the secret just not all of it.

Recommendation

For fat burning do some sort of aerobic exercise at least 5 days a week for a minimum of 20mins and no more than 45mins. (If you are just starting our work your way up to 20mins and then go from there) Work with in your Targeted Heart Rate Range:

220-Age= Max Heart Rate (MHR)

MHR x 60%= Lower end of Range

MHR x 80%= Upper end of Range

Any activity will work!

Is Resistance Training Important?

By now you know that aerobic exercise burns fat, but doing to much aerobice activity breaks down amino acids and that those amion acids are coming from muscle tissue, which can cause the loss of muscle!

There is another term we need to become familiar with and that is anaerobic exercise.  Anaerobic means without oxygen.  Aerobic you might have guessed means with oxygen. Anaerobic exercise are activityes in which you become exhausted very quickly (ie sprinting or weight training).  Anaerobic activities build muscle.  What you should know anerobic exercise develops muscle and aerobic exercise burns fat.  Fat is burned inside the muscles.  As you develop more muscle you have the ability to burn more fat when you do the appropriate amount of cardio (aerobic) activity.  Good  news right?  Well for most yes, but for others the image of getting big muscular body is not something they want to visualize.  Let us examine the commonly used phrase, "I don't want to get big I just want to get toned."  Take a deep breath, "toned" means to grow or gain muscle.  What happens here is as the muscles grow they utilized more fat in the body.  As the muscles demand the use of fat stored in the body the muscles grow the fat disappears and you begin to see muscle definition- muscle tone!

So how do you build muscle?  In order to build muscle you must ask the muscles to do more work than they are accustomed.  Then provide supportive nutrition to supply the muscles with the right nutritients to grow.

To sum it up.  Anerobic exercise builds muscle.  Fat is burned inside muscles.  Aerobic exericse is the primary system in which to burn fat.  More muscle means faster utilization of fat.


 

Motivation For Fat Loss

 

Finding the motivation to lose fat should be easy.  Nearly 2/3 of Americans are considered overweight or obese.  The side effects of carrying extra fat have been well documented: side effects such as heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, etc.  Let us not forget about the psychological effects that can be associated with being overweight or obese. Such as low self esteem, decrease sex appeal and decreased libido. So how does one find the motivation to lose fat?  It starts with two choices.  1. A choice to commit to making healthier choices.  2. A choice to be consistent. 

 

Let me be more specific.  It starts with YOU making the two choices.  Understand nobody else can make the choice for YOU. 

 

Here are 5 tips to help you find motivation:

 

1. Action is Power

 

The idea behind losing fat isn’t complicated.  In fact I am sure if I asked, you could easily name 5 or more methods of losing fat. So it is not a lack of knowledge that is holding anyone back.  So, what is holding them back?  Fear!  I believe most people are afraid to take control and make changes in their personal lives.  They have become accustomed to how things are.  When it comes to making changes goals must be set.  The goals need to be realistic.  Start the journey towards losing fat by setting up realistic goals.  And take action.  Take that first step.  Start with the easiest goal and proceed.

 

2. Reward the Day to Day Successes

 

Eating healthy should be one of the goals. But what is eating healthy?  Sure, there is a ton of information about eating organic foods, cutting out processed foods, avoiding sugar and increasing intake of lean proteins, but what are your current eating habits?  Current eating habits will dictate how successful you will be in changing future eating behaviors.  Here is what I mean: if you food eat 3 jelly glazed donuts for breakfast, a candy bar for a mid morning snack, a hamburger, fries and coke for lunch, another candy bar for a mid afternoon snack, then fried chicken, mashed potatoes and corn on cob for dinner, followed by 4 brownies before bedtime, the likelihood of you switching over to organic foods, cutting out process foods, avoiding sugar and increasing you intake of leans proteins at a moments notice is unlikely.  Sadly, this is how many try to change their eating behaviors.  But it is not realistic and leads to failure.   The goal should be to make small changes.  Using the above example if you cut down to one jelly glazed donut and one brownie you will have eliminated over a 1,000 calories from the diet. This is something worth celebrating!  That change is the equivalent of a 2 pound weight loss after one week.  Okay so you didn’t eat any vegetables (and NO I’m not counting fries as a vegetable).  Once able to sustain the reduction in donuts and brownies a new norm will be established.  Next, make another healthy change perhaps instead of the jelly glazed donut for breakfast you switch to oat meal. Recognize the small changes as a series of successes.

 

3. Don’t focus on the end result

 

Don’t get me wrong the end result is important.  However, it can be quite a distance from the starting point.  This can lead to feelings of despair and hopelessness.  Make sure you have set a series of short terms goals, sometimes referred to as mile markers, and focus on the positives.  We already discussed the impact of small realistic changes to your diet, but what about exercise?  If you are a couch potato now, a short realistic goal might be to walk in a 1k walk.  This could be something you would be ready to do in just a week.  In 30 days you could be ready to do a 5k.  Focusing on the positive short term success is part of the journey towards achieving the end result.

 

4. Seek Out Supporters

 

People who share their goals and associate with like minded individuals are more successful at losing fat.  Seek out people whom you trust and share a common interest or goal.  Sharing your goals with someone you trust makes the goal real and creates a sense of accountability.  For this reason it is important to confide in someone you trust.  It is also important to understand hanging around family and friends who don’t share common goals will dramatically decrease your chances of success.  I know this can be scary but if they are true friends they will understand.  It is about putting yourself in a position to be successful.  This is an action step and often times a difficult step.

 

5. Plan for Success

 

When it comes to fat loss success planning ahead is vital.  When we fail to plan, we plan to fail.  This could not be any truer than when it comes to fat loss. If you plan what to eat on any given day you are much more likely to be successful.  If you don’t plan you will eat what ever is most convenient.  Planning ahead is a choice and takes a commitment.  It is not always easy and comes with a sacrifice.

 

Motivation will vary from day to day.  There will be days motivation is greater than others. Such is life.  However, hold to the 5 tips provided and excel on the days motivation is high and preserver through the days motivation is low.

6 Great Tips for Fat Loss

Exercise alone will not lead to fat loss.  Exercise must be accompanied by sound nutrition.  The success of any fat loss program is dependent not on the number of workouts you get per week, but the quality of food you eat.  Support your fat loss efforts by incorporation the follow 6 Great Tips for Fat Loss.

1. Eat every 2-3 waking hours

It is important to focus on fueling the body for the results you want.  In the case of fat loss you will be looking to fuel the body every 2-3 waking hours.  Use hunger as your guide. If your start the day off with a healthy breakfast you will find with in 2-3 hours you will be hungry again.  This pattern will repeat through out the day as long as you are eating healthy foods.  If you find yourself feeling hungry sooner then increase the protein intake for each meal.  Don’t confuse hunger with boredom.  Often people with nothing to do will hunt through the kitchen in search of something to eat.  Don’t fall into this trap. Two tips to prevent you from falling into the trap: 1. find something to do, 2. drink water.

2. Don’t count calories

Counting calories isn’t fun.  I do recommend food journaling as a means of keeping you accountable and knowledgeable about what you are eating, but it is not necessary to count the calories.  The key is to adjust your mindset when it comes to portion sizes.  Use visualization to help you determine portion sizes.

 

3. Don’t drink you calories

Don’t forget to account for the calories in drinks.  Juices, coffees, teas and alcohol contain additional calories.  If your goal is to lose fat; you need to be accountable for these hidden calories.  The extra calories consumed in most beverages come from sweeteners.  Sweeteners will impede the body’s ability to burn fat.

4. Start the day with breakfast

Eating a healthy breakfast to start the day will start the day off on the right track.  It gets the fat burning engine running.  Skipping breakfast to save calories is a flawed strategy.  People who skip breakfast, in an effort to save calories, are more likely to be famished by lunch time. Therefore, consuming more calories at lunch than they would have if they eaten breakfast.

5. Cheat once a week

Eating healthy is good for our bodies, but sometimes we need a mental break.  It is okay to give into a craving from time to time.  Give yourself permission to cheat on one meal per week.  This concept allows you to post pone bad eating choices through out the week.  So go ahead and choose one meal to indulge in your favorite foods.

6. Focus on single ingredient foods

Look at it this way: avoid processed foods. Nature has served man well for thousands of years.  There is no need to venture far from the life giving foods that are naturally provided for us.  Processed foods do more harm that good.  Make a concerted effort to avoid them whenever possible.

Here are two examples of processed foods (comment below if you know what they are):

Item 1: Whole grain oats, modified corn starch, sugar, salt, tripotassium phosphate, wheat starch, vitamin E (mixed tocopherols) added to preserve freshness.

Item 2: mechanically separated turkey, turkey, water, sugar, salt, potassium lactate, natural smoke flavor (canola oil, natural smoke, natural flavoring), sodium diacetate, sodium phosphate, natural flavoring, sodium erythorbate, sodium nitrite.

Integrate these six tips into your fat loss regimen and you will be well on your way to a leaner sexier you.

How to Journal for Fat Loss Success

Failing to journal leads to failure.  When it comes to fat loss; being accountable is the best determining factor of success.  If you looking to lose fat you need to be honest about the types and amounts of foods you are consuming.  Journaling has proven time and time again to be the best method for being held accountable. 

We don’t have a clue. If someone were to ask you what you ate today, you would do your best to remember everything you ate.  You would list what you had for breakfast, lunch and dinner. However, you will leave out either several items or underestimate the quantities. This could be intentional or unintentional.  In either case studiesshow normal weight people underestimate their caloric intake by 20%, whileoverweight people by 40%*.  Simply put we need to know what we are consuming.

There is a great deal of power that goes into putting pen to paper. When it comes to losing fat writing down what you eat will have a great impact on current and future food selections.  Once you understand what you are putting into your body you can take ownership. If you know one serving (2 cookies) of the Girl Scout Cookies Samoas’ contains 140 calories: just for the record if you consume the entire box that would be 1050 calories (15 per box).  Writing down what you eat puts you face to face with the truth. Does this mean you can’t have the cookies? No. What it means is that you should limit how many you should have in any one day.

When journaling the foods eaten you will gain an understanding of how much you are actually consuming. This will allow you to practice moderation.  Moderation doesn’t mean you have to give it up favorite foods.  It means that you need to limit their consumption. So instead of sitting down in front of the TV and eating the entire box of cookies, eat one serving and walk away.  It is the awareness of what we consume that can foster an environment of change.

Accountability begins with being honest.  Facing the truth can be very difficult.  In theory I think it is easy to realize we are not perfect, but when there is documentation to confirm the theory we are frightened. We go into denial. We hide. We joke. We justify. Let the truth set you free.  By being honest with yourself you can set goals and create change.  You can lose the fat.  You have nothing to hide from, nothing to justify.  You are ready to make a change.

Start keeping a journal today.  Here are 2 simple suggestions to start journaling food intake:

1. Use your smart phone to take a picture of everything you eat.
2. After lunch and before bed write down what you ate.  Referring to the pictures of course and reference when and where.  This can be written in a small spiral note book or logged into any digital option.

Dynamic Warm Up

If you are tired of the traditional warm up routines then take a shot at a Dynamic Warm Up.  The concept behind doing a Dynamic Warm Up is to engage as many muscles as possible and get the blood flowing to all areas of the body.  Complete a Dynamic Warm Up and cut your warm up time by 50%.

Here is the routine:

1. Standing Twist 10 per side
2. Wood Chops 10 per side
3. Extensions 10 reps
4. Push Ups 10 reps

Choose a medicine ball that is approximately 5-10% of your body weight.  You can also use DB's or resistance cords if a medicine ball is not available.

p.s. on the extensions you don't want to arch the back.  In the video I am a bit soft spoken and all you hear is arch the back.  Remember don't arch the back.

Fat Loss 101 Believe That You Can

In the third part of the fat loss series I want to address the importance of believing in you.  When you watch infomercials and see before and after pictures there is a disclaimer at the bottom that states ‘results may vary’ or ‘results not typical’.  This is because one of the three items was missing; commitment to make better choices, a technology that works, or a belief that you can.  If you commit to making better choices and find a technology that works; then all that is missing is the belief that you can.

I find the vast majority of people when looking for the best fat loss plans or best fat loss programs truly don’t believe that they can change.  Believing and wanting to change are two different things.  It is easy to want.  Saying I want to lose body fat is easy.  Believing that you can is another.  Everyone wants something very few ever get what they want. 

It is not uncommon for someone to start a fat loss program with the best of intentions.  They believe they can use will power to get them through the program.  In reality will power only buys you a couple of days.  In fact will power usually doesn’t kick in until day three or four and quickly fads away between days eight and fourteen.  Most fat loss programs target this two week window.  The marketing is designed to feed upon the individuals emotional needs and achieve a fast result.  The programs are designed to provide fast results to strengthen the belief that you can do it.  Resolve gets tested.  Excuses begin to arise. Distractions become obstacles. It is at this point that distinguishes those who can and those who won’t succeed.  It is the person who has a strong enough belief in themselves that will go on to be successful.  The person that truly doesn’t believe they will succeed will not. Think of the first two weeks on a fat loss program as a jump start to developing a habit.  On average it takes 28 days to make a habit.  It is going to be your belief that you can and your commitment to make better choices that will allow you to press on after will power is no longer the driving force.

                     

There are hundreds of books and resources discussing the power of belief so I am not going to go into all the science and research.  What I am going to tell you is that if you have doubt in yourself and you do not believe you can be successful you are selling yourself short and I truly believe you will never be happy or satisfied with who you are.  Remember this quote “whether you think you can or can not, you are right”. 

 

When starting a fat loss program make sure it meets the criteria “A Technology that Works”. If the program meets the criteria then it is up to you to bring a commitment to make better choices and a belief that you can.  If all three are present you will succeed.

IST Training v1

This program is designed to focus on both stability and strength.  Perform the exercises list below 3 times per week. For example: Monday-Wednesday-Friday.  Perform Cardio activity for 20-30 minutes 3 times per week.  The cardio activity can be performed on separate days or following the workout.

Beginners:  1 set 15-20 reps

Intermediate: 2-3 sets 12-15 reps

Advanced: 3 sets 12 reps

 

Warm Up (use a dynamic warm up)

• Medicine Ball standing twist 10 p/s
• Medicine Ball wood chops 10 p/s
• Medicine Ball extensions 10
• Repeat the warm up for 3 sets.  Progressively get faster on each set.

Workout

• Back Extension paired with SB Hamstring Curls
• Standing Chest Press paired with Push Ups
• Pull Ups or Lat Pulldowns paired with Reverse Flies
• Shoulder Press paired with Scaption
• Stability Squats paired with Jump Squats

Cool Down

• Light stretching as needed