Power of Positive Thinking

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I'm sure that you have all heard Winston Churchill's quote or something along the lines of it, "Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference." This is a very profound statement as it is so true. I'm also sure that you can all relate that when you embrace a positive attitude everything in life just seems so much better. Then when you feel down and out about things you will only hear others telling you to be positive and happy. So why not be positive more often? In relevance to the world now, specifically football, Tim Tebow is a great example of positive thinking. His positive nature is brought forth from his strong faith in God but anyone can carry the same positive attitude with them throughout the whole day. His positive and encouraging demeanor for himself has transferred over to his teammates making his whole team better. Some people like to call it the "Tebow Factor", but when it comes down to it it is the power of positive thinking that allows him and the team to continue to win.

In terms of positive thinking toward exercise if you go into a workout with a ho-hum attitude most likely you are not going to reap the great benefits of the workout. Whereas if you go into a workout all energetic with a positive attitude you will have a great workout and feel pumped up and experience greater success throughout time. Everyone can most likely relate to the fact that when you are positive going into the workout you will flat out work out with more intensity. I know that it is tough to go into every workout feeling great but if you go into the workout with a positive attitude it will help you break though the low energy levels; mind over matter!

A story that I was told many years ago that demonstrated the power of positive thinking involved a train worker that was accidently locked into a refrigerated train car. After several hours of banging on the door to have someone let him out he began to worry that he would not be let out and freeze to death. He found some paper and a pen and started to write a journal stating how he was getting colder and colder and was going to freeze to death because of the refrigerated train car. In his last entry he said that he could no longer take the pain of the bitter cold and was really going to die. A day later he was found in the train car passed away while laying in the corner all cuddled up The workers who found him found the journal entries baffling as the refrigerated train car hadn't actually worked for several months. This man's mind actually took over his whole body as he talked himself into thinking that the refrigeration unit was actually on. Some sources have stated that this is a true story. Whether this is a true story or a fable of his actual death it sums up that power of the mind.

So next time that you go into a workout go in with a positive mindset and your intensity levels will peak from the power of positiveness!

Make It A Fitness Holiday Season

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With the holiday season around the corner, I'm sure plenty of you are going crazy with what to get for your loved ones.  Well, I am going to offer a few suggestions for the health and fitness buff in your household.  Here are a few options that everyone can enjoy:

For the runner – How about a new treadmill?  There are many options when it comes to treadmills.  I would suggest a quality brand when it comes to treadmills.  And, if you are going to be logging plenty of miles on it, I would opt for a commercial quality style as well.  The extra cost upfront will payoff in the end with the extra quality components.  Also, go with a warranty. You never know when you may need service and how much it may cost.  Play it safe.

For the muscle builder – I really like the Bowflex SelectTech 552 Adjustable Dumbbells.  The nice thing about these dumbbells is you can adjust the weight from 5 – 52.5lbs with the twist of a dial.  You won't need to spend a lot on a complete set of dumbbells if you go with this option.  And with a trusted name in Bowflex, you are know you are getting a quality product.

For the family – How about a Nintendo Wii?  Yes, I am serious.  Have you seen how innovative this system has become with fitness in mind?  You are up off your butt and using the controllers and your body to play these games.  They offer fitness games, Yoga, Pilates, and all sorts of sports games for the youngsters.  For an active family, this would be a great buy especially on rainy days.

You need music right?  How about grabbing the newest mp3 player on the market?  I personally feel music can make or break a workout.  You can set up your play-list to your liking and kick the workout in the butt.  And with all the options for downloading songs, your options are endless.

GPS – Yes, GPS for running.  The new Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS Receiver is a watch you simply wear while running.  It will track your precise speed, distance, and record pace data. You can also analyze the info with Motion-based, which  provides online mapping and route sharing.

These are my top 5 suggestions for holiday fitness gifts.  I hope this helps with your fitness minded family and friends.

Interval Training Versus Running

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We all know that cardio is an important factor in our workout routine.  It helps keep the heart rate up, metabolism rocking high and makes for a great feeling afterwards (even though we mostly curse at it before and during it).  What many people do not know, is that there are different ways to get your cardio in other than getting onto the treadmill, elliptical, stair master, etc. and just run, step, or pedal for what seems like forever.  One of the most effective ways to burn calories faster, keep the heart rate up, and to challenge the body is do what is called interval training.

I know from personal experience that sometimes running on the treadmill for 30 minutes feels like it takes forever, and seems like it takes up too much of your day.  An alternative to running for long periods of time is to do intervals.  This will save time, make cardio more enjoyable, and helps challenge the body to new heights.  Now what do intervals consist of you ask, I will break it down for you.  Intervals are simply doing the cardio part for a certain amount of time, rest, and repeat.

Speed of the cardio should consist of a fast jog or a sprint, depending on your ability level.  Resting part of intervals can be anywhere from a walk, jog, or simply jumping onto the sides of the treadmill for a certain amount of time.  You simply repeat that process for as many times as desired.  Best part about intervals, is that it literally cuts the amount of time one does the cardio in half, while still burning the same amount of calories, and is still challenging at the same time.

I know it does sound confusing, but below I have broken it down into ability levels, different interval routines, and the differences between running on a treadmill compared to intervals.  Now there is a progression on intervals, so make sure not to overdo it.  These can be both fun and a change of pace of what you may be used to.  I say try it out, and let me know if you have any questions about them.

Intervals: 
Level 1 – Run 10 seconds, rest 20 seconds, repeat 20 times (10 minutes).
Level 2 - Run 15 seconds, rest 15 seconds, repeat 20 times (10 minutes).
Level 3 – Run 20 seconds, rest 10 seconds, repeat 20 times (10 minutes).

Now you can adjust the amount of times you repeat it or the length of time you run, but starting off with 10 minutes is a good start.

Calorie breakdown between running and intervals for a 165 lb male:

Running at 6.0 miles per hour at 30 minutes at an incline of 0 = 450 calories.

Interval running at 7.5 mph for 15 seconds, jog  4.5 mph for 15 seconds, repeat for 20 minutes at an incline of 0 = 450 calories.

Breakdown: Same amount of calories burned in less time while performing intervals.  Nice little change to your usual cardio routine.

Healthy Appetizers for Football Season

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With football season now in full force home parties are being held to cheer on their team with friends and family members.  While these parties are a good time they are also usually a huge hindrance to continuing on with healthy eating.  So the next time that you are throwing a party or going over to someone else's place to watch the big game try making some of the following appetizers to help keep you on the healthy eating trail.  Some of the easiest things to fix up for everyone to have would be some sweet potato fries, ants on a log, or

shrimp with cocktail sauce.  In addition to those simple appetizer fixings another healthy option would be to make a vegetable pizza.

Sweet Potato Fries

In order to make the sweet potato fries just cut up a sweet potato into fry strips and place it on a baking sheet with approximately 1 TBSP of extra virgin olive oil.  Place into an oven preheated to 450 degrees and bake for 20 minutes or until the fries are crisp.

Ants on a Log

Ants on a Log are simply raisins, peanut butter, and celery.  Spread some natural peanut butter on a stick of celery and place some raisins on top of the peanut butter to give it the look of ants on a log.

Vegetable Pizza

The vegetable pizza will take a bit longer preparation time but it will be well worth it in order to stay on track with healthy eating and please all of the other game watchers.  Ingredients consist of  2 8oz cans of whole wheat crescent rolls, 8oz of fat free cream cheese, 1 tsp of dried dill weed, 1/8 tsp garlic powder 1/2 cup of small broccoli florets, 1/2 cup of cauliflower florets, 1/4 cup of sliced cucumbers,  and 1 chopped Roma tomato.  You can add any other of your favorite vegetables to this as well.  Preheat an oven to 375 degrees
and open both cans of dough.  Separate the dough into 4 long rectangles and place dough into an ungreased 15x10x1-inch pan forming a crust.  Bake for 13 to 17 minutes or until golden brown and then let it completely cool.  In a small bowl, mix the cream cheese, sour cream, dill and garlic powder until smooth and spread it over the crust. Top it all with the vegetables and then place in the fridge to continue to cool.

So now that you have a few healthier options to prepare for the next house party you don't have to worry about falling off track with your nutrition.

Game Day and Game Time Workouts

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It is that time of the year again, where the weather gets cooler, and football is the main focal point for everyone, or for at least most everyone.  When this miraculous season comes around, that also means hours upon hours of traveling, all day tailgating, or football parties at a friend’s house.  Which all this can only mean a couple of things: Not exercising as much as you should on game day, over eating, and regretting the next morning of how much you did over eat.

This has happened to everyone, and the temptation seems to become harder and harder at this time of year.  Don’t you worry though, there are a few things that you can do to make sure you can get through a game day with no regret (unless your team loses) and still have a good time.

Everyone loves to travel with their team to different and interesting locations and experience new environments around the country.  Which you still can, and just because you travel, does not mean your workout stays home with your pets or that jacket that you forgot to bring with.  All around the country, about 80% of all hotels will have some sort of fitness facility.  As long as they have a few dumbbells and a cardio machine or two, you are set to go.

Traveling Workout

30-40 minutes is all you need, you can still get as good of a workout as you would back home.  If you do not travel, then there should not be an excuse to get out and get a workout in before kickoff.  A circuit workout (doing  5-10 different exercises one right after the other with little to no rest in between) completed 4-5 times will get your heart rate up, sweat rolling down your face, also make the rest of the day more enjoyable (as long as your team wins). Add in 5-15 minutes of cardio, you will easily burn 400-500 calories in a short amount of time. Make sure to hit every part of the body on your workout.

Game Time Workout

Now whoever said that once the game starts, you are done with your workout?  I know I did not.  This is where it can get fun yet very competitive.  You are watching the game on TV, and a commercial comes on, instead of jumping up to get more food, pop down and hit those pushups.  Another commercial comes on, jump up and do body weight squats.  Another commercial, burpees, so on and so forth.  You will burn at least an extra 15 calories per commercial break.  Think of that, 15 calories/commercial break, an average of 16 commercial breaks per game (not counting halftime).  Equaling out to be 240 calories on average burned just during the commercials.

Game Time Competition

Now this is where competitive side comes out of everyone.  The Oregon Ducks mascot has a routine of doing pushups every time his team scores.  Not just the amount of points they just scored their total amount at that time. Example: winning 24-7, Oregon scores a touchdown, up 31-7, he does 31 pushups, as when their score hit 24, and he did 24 of them.  You can definitely bring his into your routine as well (substituting in different exercises per score).  So strap on that ipod, get motivated, and get that body moving on game day as much as you can, you will not be disappointed when you do.

The Ultimate Tailgating Tool!

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Nobody loves tailgating more than myself, heck, it is a blast isn't it?  The problem is, the food choices are not always in our favor.  Well folks, I came across a fantastic device that will deliver some amazing tailgating food and in a healthy way.

Head on over to www.cancooker.com.  Yes, that is my shameless plug, but honestly, it is amazing.  Here is a little run down on cooker and how you can make it work in YOUR favor.  Think of it as a healthier option to a crock pot.

The Can Cooker cooks all of your food with steam.  No more deep frying your turkey for the game, you can steam it.  This goes without saying is a huge step up in the healthy department.  All you do is prepare which type of food you are going to cook with, and set it in the cooker.  You will need a heat source, but that is all.

Place all of your healthy vegetables on the bottom of the Cooker and simply place the meat on top.  Attach the lid, fire up your heat source, and wait for steam.

Easy right?

It generally takes anywhere from 10-20 minutes to see steam, but it also depends how much food you have loaded in the Cooker.  Once the steam starts, start timing your food and sit back and relax with your friends.  Once your food is finished, let it sit for a bit to settle, and remove the lid carefully.

Simple huh?  There you have it, your healthy tailgating food is finished.

I don't know of an easier way to cook your food with your friends in such an easy, healthy manner.

The recipes are endless, use your head here folks and cook healthy.  If you are interested in some recipes that you can use with the Cooker, just check out their website as there are numerous recipes in which you could use and could turn them into healthier options.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy your healthy meal!

Peter's Top Foods for Refueling the Body

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I would definitely say that I am in the majority of the population when I say that I love to eat. With working out 6 days a week I need to continue to refuel my body from each workout and prepare it with the proper nutrients to be able to workout the next day.

My top 7 choices to help refuel my body are consuming a protein drink or bar, chicken breast, brown rice, sweet potatoes,bananas, fruit smoothies, and almonds.

I'm not too picky when it comes to selecting a protein to drink. However, my preference is usually Myoplex. Most protein supplements are very good for you, it usually just comes down to what tastes best while keeping the carbohydrates low. Chicken is another of my top picks because of its high protein content.

Brown rice and sweet potatoes serve as great sources to get in healthy carbohydrates to help refuel. Brown rice contains a high daily value of manganese which helps produce energy from protein and carbohydrates and is involved in the synthesis of fatty acids, which are important for a healthy nervous system. Sweet potatoes contain antioxidant nutrients in addition to having anti-inflammatory benefits.

Bananas are a great source for potassium, which helps lower blood pressure and in turn helps with muscle contractions. I'm not a huge fruit eater to be honest so in order to get in my fruit I make a strawberry and blueberry smoothie. Both of these fruits are very high in Vitamin C. They also both contain a high percentage of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory benefits to the body.

Lastly, almonds serve as a great source of healthy fat. Almonds are great for your heart and are great for reducing LDL levels. Not that I just live off of these foods but a good ratio of these 7 choices serve as a great basis for a good solid healthy eating plan. So next time that you head to the grocery store try to get these items added into your cart.

www.whfoods.org

E Insulan and it's Relationship to Blood Sugar

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Many of us hear about insulin spiking in our body when we eat certain foods, yet we don't fully understand what this is and what it means. Hopefully this will help debunk the questions and give a better understanding.

First off, insulin release is mainly a body response produced by the foods we eat. Now, we can control this to a certain degree by consuming certain types of foods and when to eat and when to not eat these foods. I will get into this here is a bit.

The culprit = Carbohydrates. Carbs are basically sugar, and sugar is the culprit in insulin spiking. Now, like I mentioned before, you can control this to a certain degree. When we consume too many fast carbs, (fast carbs being basically sugar oriented foods), or going long periods of not eating, our bodies tend to up-regulate the blood sugar extremely fast. When we consume slow carbs or “complex” carbs, our bodies take longer to digest and the release of blood sugar is much slower causing a much less spike in blood sugar.

Now, how does this relate to insulin you ask?

Well, any sudden changes to your body in terms of blood sugar is bad. Insulin acts upon rapidly stomping down the blood sugar. Sounds good right? Well, not so fast. Insulin acts too fast and sometimes too good. It usually acts too good and will return the body back down to a level well below where your body's blood sugar was at before this. So think to yourself, if you were to eat a higher fast carbohydrate oriented meal, your blood sugar would spike and your friend insulin would come to the rescue to help regulate this rapid release of blood sugar in your body, only to moments later dropping your blood sugar to moderately lower levels. Make sense?

Here is how this works:

Insulin, for a lack of better words, feeds the muscles with the excess sugar from these meals. The amount of sugar being let into the muscles depends on the level of insulin released, which in turn is determined by the insulin receptors in the muscles. However, the bad news is, once this happens, it automatically shuts down your fat burning capabilities and starts your fat storing capabilities.

The logic is pretty simple. Think, with the massive amount of sugar going out into your blood stream, your body makes the assumption you are getting a massive amount of food. Since the load of food is obviously so significant that you need to store the excess energy.

So, to summarize and recap:

When you get a sudden blast of sugar in your system, insulin is released to protect you from it. The insulin tries to grab all the sugar and transport it into the muscles, shuts off your fat burning switch, and turns your body into a fat storing machine.

So your body thought it was getting a load of food from that meal I was talking about it early, remember? Well, since it was a fast carbohydrate meal, your body returns back to the blood sugar levels lower than where it was at before. So what happens now, it taps into protein as an emergency fuel source, more importantly, muscle protein. Muscle protein can be used as an energy source, and in this situation, it will. Do not get to this point people!!

In short, to stop this process from happening, eat small, frequent meals spaced out evenly throughout the day with complex carbohydrates paired with lean protein and fresh fruits and vegetables. This will keep your body functioning with adequate blood sugar levels throughout the day.

Sources:
www.bodybuilding.com
www.T-Nation.com
www.livestrong.com

Speed Training

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Any person involved with sports will admit that the person who is fastest will generally have a great edge over any slower participant no matter what the sport.

However, speed training is highly overlooked for the general public when they are prepping for a distance race or just getting in shape to participate in a city league playing softball, basketball, or any other sport.  They will typically just go for a long run to attempt to get in shape for their run or games; not allowing themselves the chance to compete at a higher level that they are capable of performing.  Speed training is needed to help initiate the type II muscle fibers, otherwise known as the fast twitch muscle fibers.  There are many drills that can be done to initiate more fast twitch muscle fiber recruitment. Any type of plyometric training (jumping), sprint drills (high knees, butt kicks, power skips), and resistance training will help improve speed performance.

The most basic principle to increase speed is by doing sprint intervals. An example of a sprint interval workout would be to sprint for 20 seconds followed by a rest time before sprinting again.  Integrating these drills into your training program will help you increase your speed to help you compete at a higher level.  So from now on out don't forget to incorporate speed training into your workouts!

The Pittman Journey

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It all started, August 30th, 2009, team Trevor and Toni joined forces to tackle a goal which seemed so far away.  After 2 years, and many sweat and tears, the 100lbs goal has become reality.

To say it was an easy transformation is too far fetched.  There were days when it seemed so far off, yet Toni kept pushing.  There were days when the workouts seemed too hard to obtain, yet Toni kept pushing.  There were days where the scale wasn't moving, yet you guessed it, Toni kept pushing.  And today, after the 100lbs mark has been reached and over 60 total inches dropped, Toni keeps pushing.

The journey has had many hills and valleys, which many face in losing weight.  Yet, keeping a positive attitude and always reaching to obtain her goals is what lea us to the promise land.  I can remember a few instances where it seemed like the end of the world on Toni's part.   

For instance, one morning Toni slipped on the Power Plate and rolled her ankle.  I can remember the look in her eyes and the sound of her shaking voice as she says to me in tears, “how am I going to lose 100lbs pounds when I hurt my ankle”?  It seemed like the end of the world, yet Toni got up and finished the workout, and continued to push through the coming week with a slight set back.

I recall when Toni was first introduced to our 40lbs weight vest when doing our cardio sessions.  I cannot write the words that she said to me, but you get the idea.  And you know what, Toni wore it and pushed through the grueling cardio bouts.

Then came the strenuous cardio sessions, 15 miles jogging and 3 hours of the dreaded StairMaster to be done in a weeks time.  Yes it was hard, but Toni pushed through.  And to this day, when she is asked to do 20 plus miles a week on the treadmill, plus HIIT sprints, and StairMaster work in a weeks time, she pushes through.

Look folks, what Toni did is something special I have only shared with one other client, (still proud of you Nikki), yet it is something that is achievable with a positive mind set, solid nutrition, and great goal setting numbers.  It is strenuous, it sometimes seems like the end of the tunnel will never come, but it will if the mind set is there.  I cannot express how proud I am of Toni, and folks, Toni is not finished, we are on track to turn that 100lbs mark into 150lbs in the coming months.  And have no doubt about it, it will happen.

Congrats Toni, we are all very, very proud of you and your hard work and determination!

Congrats to Our Very Own BIGGEST LOSER – Lost 100 pounds!

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Hey guys, meet Toni – our very first 100-pound loser who is a MAJOR winner and a true inspiration! We’re so proud of her that we wanted to treat her to a special time in a stretch limo, out on the town with celebrity status for the day. She ROCKS and we want to congratulate her on her weight loss success. Check out her journey on this week’s video blog. You can do it too! Come on in and get started TODAY.

Resistence Training on the Road

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With summer now officially here and lots of people taking their vacation time to travel it is tougher for most people to make it into the gym or sometimes even find a gym to get in resistance training while on their trips. There are numerous exercises that you can do in your motel room or even while out camping. In otherwords there shouldn't be any excuses to not get in any resistance training no matter where you may be. The basics that can be done without any equipment at all are the standard push-ups, squats, and crunches. However, doing just these 3 exercises may be boring after awhile if you are on a longer trip.

 Every motel and camping park will have a chair, bench or picnic table to utilize to mix in a few other exercises. You can perform step-ups, dips, decline push-ups, bench jumps and many other exercises. An inexpensive and light piece of equipment to carry with your during your travels is a simple tubing band. With this you can then target all of your muscle groups while doing bicep curls, shoulder presses, squats, rows, and tricep extensions.

 If you are simply wanting to escapse from the confines of the gym during a nice summer day even if you aren't on vacation run or bike over to the nearest park and get in your workout there while performing some or all of the exercises listed above. Enjoy your summer and make no excuses to not get in your resistance training.

Healthy 4th of July Recipes

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TD's Summer Grilling Specials

Everyone loves to fire up that grill and toss on a special something for dinner.  And with the July 4th weekend less than 2 weeks away, here are 2 of my favorite healthier grilling options:

Blackened Salmon Sandwich

Ingredients:
1 pound fresh salmon; this will make 4 servings
2 teaspoons blackened or Cajun seasoning
1 small pitted avocado
1 tablespoon low-fat mayonnaise
4 whole-wheat buns, toast them, it makes a difference!
1 cup arugula
2 tomatoes, slice thin
½ cup thinly sliced red onion

Directions:
Oil grill rack, preheat grill to high.
Rub salmon on both side with seasoning, grill until cooked through, generally 3-4 minutes a side.
Mash avocado and mayonnaise in small bowl.
Spread some of the avocado mayonnaise mixture on each roll and top with salmon, arugula, tomato, and onion.
ENJOY!

Lime and Pepper Flank Steak Strips

Ingredients:
1 pound flank steak
1 large lime
Ground pepper or peppercorn

Directions:
Slice flank steak into thin, beef jerky type strips.  I generally go against the grain and slice shorter strips versus going with the grain and cutting larger strips.
Place strips in a bowl and squeeze the lime juice on top of the strips.  Followed by then adding the pepper or peppercorn.
Let sit for 45 minutes.
Oil grill rack, preheat grill to high.
Grill to liking, I generally cook only 3 minutes a side.  This may change depending on how well done you like your meat.
ENJOY!

Atrophy

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In the exercise community it seems that most people have the goal of losing fat and if they are losing fat they are succeeding. However, in the terms of muscle if they are losing, their muscles are undergoing atrophy and in turn they are not succeeding.  Atrophy is simply defined as the wasting away and losing of muscle in the body.  There are two separate ways for the body to undergo atrophy. One way is because of a neurogenic disease and the other is because of disuse (UMMC).  


People with sedentary jobs and senior citizens with decreased activity can lose muscle tone and develop significant atrophy.  For individuals in the disuse category they can gain muscle (hypertrophy) by beginning a weight lifting program and stop extra onset of atrophy.  


As common sense would say an individual with muscle atrophy finds it more difficult to carry on daily activities because of their decreased amount of muscle than a stronger individual.  


Atrophy can occur after only a few days of disuse.  It is best to always keep resistance training in an individuals exercise program to prevent muscle atrophy.  So those with sedentary jobs and those who are decreasing their activity make sure to add in a resistance training program to prevent your muscles from wasting away.  

Muscle Hypertrophy

Muscle Hypertrophy, you have heard the word tossed around before, but what is it?  Muscle Hypertrophy is described as “the increase in size of muscle cells.”

Here is a scientific approach to Muscular Hypertrophy.

First off, there are also two different types of muscular hypertrophy, sacroplasmic and myofibrillar.  Now, during sacroplasmic hypertrophy, the volume of sacroplasmic fluid in the muscle cell increases with zero accompanying increase in muscular strength.  During myofibrillar hypertrophy, actin and myosin contractile proteins increase in number and add to muscular strength as well as a small increase in the size of the muscle.

Sacroplasmic hypertrophy is characteristic of the muscles of certain bodybuilders while myofibrillar hypertrophy is characteristic of Olympic weightlifters.

Now, the best way to obtain these two types of muscular hypertrophy is resistance training.  The first measurable effect is an increase in the neural drive stimulating muscle contraction.  Within only a few days, beginning individuals can achieve measurable strength gains resulting from repetitive use of the muscle.  Now, as the muscle continues to receive increased demands, the synthetic machinery is up-regulated.

There are some factors that affect hypertrophy.  Several biological factors such as age and nutrition can effect this.  Hypertrophy occurs at in increased rate during puberty in males.  Natural hypertrophy normally stops at full growth in the late teens.  Muscular hypertrophy can be increased through strength training and other short duration, high intensity interval training, although those kind of exercises have little effect strengthening the muscles involved in respiration. Lower intensity, longer duration of anaerobic exercise generally does not result in very effective tissue hypertrophy; instead, endurance athletes enhance storage of fats and carbohydrates within the muscles.  An adequate supply of amino acids are essential to produce muscle hypertrophy.

Sources:
Wikipedia
T-Nation.com
Livestrong.com

Spot Reduction Myth

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Probably the biggest misconception about exercise is the notion of being able to spot reduce fat. A lot of the credit to why some believe that spot reduction is possible is based upon those infomericals you hear on television about the so-called new revolutionary device that will give you 6 pack abs.

While the equipment may strengthen your abdominal muscles, the fat that surrounds your abs is not 'owned; by those particular muscles. Simply based upon that general anatomy fact spot reduction of fat is by no means possible. Fat is lost in the body mainly dependent on their genetic makeup. When an individual exercises and begins to burn fat it turns into free fatty acids, FFA; which is then sent into and through the bloodstream to the working muscles. Because the fat is not 'owned' by a particular muscle group that is being used the body burns fat from throughout the whole body.

 So if you are wanting have your 6 pack abs show through don't just rely on doing 1000's of crunches but in turn focus on doing full body work and cardio exercises to burn fat.

Weight Training Myths

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“Won't I get big muscles from lifting weights”? In all my years of personal training, this is the most common question, remark, comment, etc., I tend to get from females. The short answer, NO! It is often viewed, that when lifting heavy weights, you will build big muscles. This may be the case for men, but not for females.

Let me explain.

This all has to do with testosterone. You see, men produce this at a rate where they can build muscle by lifting weights. Women on the other hand, cannot and do not produce enough testosterone naturally to do so. In fact, it is impossible for a woman to build huge amounts of muscle by simply touching weights.

You see the woman whom perform in bodybuilding competitions, and this is the generally consensus that all women will look this way if they touch weights. This couldn't be further from the truth. Many of these women are using a synthetic source of testosterone to produce this muscle mass. It is just not possible for the average women to look like this.

“Women who conduct weight training without the use of synthetic testosterone get the firm and fit cellulite-free looking body that you see in most fitness/figure shows these days.”

For more on this and more fitness myths, check out the link below:

http://bodybuilding.about.com/od/womensfitnesstopics/a/womenmyths.htm

TRX Suspension Training System

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With us now in spring and summer coming up right around the corner do you have that beach body that you are ready to show off to others? With the winter blues hopefully behind everyone and on the verge of summer fun it's time to really trim the body fat down and tone up.

 A great piece of equipment that can get everyone in shape is the TRX Suspension Training System; which we have at Black Clover Fitness and use for many of our workouts. Without lifiting a single dumbbell you can tone up your muscles and lose bodyfat while doing exercises that will target every muscle group in the body. It's as simple as using your own bodyweight as your resistance.

If you are an outdoor person you can even use the TRX outside by simply attaching it around a tree, pole, or other sturdy object. A core set of exercises that you can do on the TRX are push-ups, squats, bicep curls, triceps extensions, squats, leg curls, chest flyes, shoulder presses and rows.

 In addition to those there are a plethora of abdominal exercises and many other large muscle group exercises that can be performed. The TRX is widely used for improving an individuals golf games and other sporting abilities. So if you are looking to get in that great summer shape adding the TRX into your workout regime may be the answer.

Tone Up for Summer in Omaha, NE

With summer right around the corner, many people are searching for the right workout and diet to get them in summer shape in the shortest amount of time. After all, we all want to look our best in the sun right?

Below, I am going to show you some moves that can help tone up your body while using the Power Plate device. “Power Plate machines use the principle of accelerated training to stimulate the body's natural response to vibration. The vibrations transmit waves of energy throughout the body, activating muscle contractions between 25 and 50 times per second.”

Follow these simple ten moves to help get that body tone in no time:

1.Squat – Nothing compares to the basic squat. Plus, when incorporating the Power Plate, you are constantly contracting different muscles.
2.Push-Ups – Want more of a challenge? Place your feet on a Swiss Ball for more core work.
3.Static Squat Shoulder Presses – FYI, Static Squat is holding your squat position.
4.Static Squat Dumbbell Curls
5.Lunges – Alternate steps onto the Power Plate and incorporate a lunge.
6.Close Grip Push-Ups
7.Medicine Ball Oblique Twist – Perform while sitting on the Power Plate
8.Side Lunges – Place one foot on the Power Plate and perform the Lunge. Switch legs after time has finished.
9.Planks
10.Standing Calf Raises. Perform by holding onto the handles.

The Power Plate offers multiple settings such as vibrations and times. I suggest starting on a low vibration until you feel comfortable with the movements, same with the time.

Run through this sample workout as a circuit. Once ran through once, increase the vibration and time and go for a 2nd round. Perform 3 circuits, 3 times a week, and be on your way to a more tone body in no time.

Go get em!

Running in Omaha, NE

With the warmer weather months right ahead of us I am sure that runners are ready to get outside to train for a race this coming year. Have you set a goal to run in a 5K or longer this year? If not lets make this the year that you set that goal and accomplish a run. Not only would it be a great goal to achieve but it will obviously improve your overall fitness levels. As is with most individuals who exercise their goal is to burn body fat and improve the overall health of their body.

 Running is a great component to any fitness plan as it is a great fat burning exercise. In addition to the physical benefits that running gives an individual it is also a great stress reliever. Several studies have shown that runners are happier and in turn more energetic than non-runners. Another key benefit of running is that it will help increase bone density which will fend off osteoporosis. Getting back to fat burning, the main reason the general population runs.

 According to a research group at Syracuse University an individual on average will burn roughly 120 calories while running a mile; which is 40 more calories burned while walking the same distance. Adding an incline to the treadmill or hills into your running route will increase your caloric burn during your run and help you build more endurance. So are you ready to pick up your caloric burn and get signed up for a race this year? 

Omaha and surrounding cities have several 5K and longer races throughout the whole year. Go to Omaharun.org for a short list of possible runs that you can partake in. Get signed up for the Run for Justin 5K for a good cause or go for the Omaha Marathon if you're really ready to tackle a longer run.

Complex Carbs vs Simple Sugars

It seems lately, all we hear when talking diets are carbohydrates and how bad they are for you. Well is this really the case? In fact, certain types of carbohydrates may help you lose weight. But choosing the proper types of carbohydrates will determine this. Let's break down the two types of carbohydrates which you will find in your local grocery store.

Let's start off with the “good carbs”. These carbs are known as “complex carbs”, because foods containing complex carbohydrates maintain their natural water content, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. A big plus is they help you maintain your fullness after consuming them. Carbohydrates that fall into this category are fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains.

The “bad carbs”, are known as simple sugars or simple carbs. These are usual processed foods. Foods containing these simple carbohydrates have had the nutrition removed from them, leaving you unsatisfied after eating and trigger overeating. This is all due to the increased insulin levels needs to balance out blood sugar levels. Our bodies can only handle so much sugar, any extra sugar is then turned into fat, leading to those extra pounds.

So let's review:

Complex Carbs: Vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts and seeds, whole grains, etc.

Simple Sugars: Most baked goods such as pies, cakes, cookies etc, white bread, soda, candy, pastas, and fruit juices which contain corn syrup.

So make sure you check your carbohydrates before eating them. This will not only help keep you full throughout the day, it will also help you keep those extra pounds off the waste line.

Source: www.tryingfitness.com, www.livestrong.com

HIIT Training in Omaha, NE

Are you looking to break through that plateau to peak your fat burning in your workouts or are you wanting to increase overall cardiovascular endurance and speed? If either of those is correct performing High Intensity Interval Training, HIIT, workouts is the solution. Interval training has always been an important component to help make an individuals fitness levels excel and with more individuals knowing the benefit of HIIT more people are in the best shape of their lives.

There are several ways to perform HIIT but the general rule with this type of training is that you perform a cardiovascular activity typically at 75% or higher of your maximum heart rate for a short duration which is then followed by a short recovery phase before repeating the process again. An example would be sprinting for 20 seconds and then resting for 10 seconds before continuing on. The duration of the sprint and the recovery time can vary dependant on the individual and the exercise being performed. That cycle can be repeated as many times as needed. Tabata training is a form of HIIT in which the cycle is repeated 8 times in a row. Typically steady state running will have your around 60% of your maximum heart rate but with HIIT your heart rate is higher allowing you to burn more fat.

Anyone of any ability can perform HIIT cardiovascular workouts. Any form of cardiovascular workouts can be used such as running, biking, swimming, jump roping etc….So if you are wanting to truly get you on your way of building your best body and being in the best shape that you can be; implement some HIIT cardiovascular workouts into your workout program and you will be well on your way.

Good Fat vs. Bad Fat

If I were to tell you, you could change your body and become a healthier individual by incorporating fat into your diet, would you do it? All too often, we hear how bad fat is for us. Don't get me wrong, excess fat intake is bad for your health, we all know that. But there is a type of fat out there that can benefit your health. Below I am going to break down the types of fat listed on nutrition labels on our foods and help you make the correct decisions.

1st off, the good fats:

• Monounsaturated Fats – Also known as MUFAs. Monounsaturated Fats lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) while also increasing HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol). MUFAs help reduce your risk of heart disease, and help with insulin levels and controlling blood sugar. Some examples of foods containing higher amounts of MUFAs include olive oils, nuts, avocados, dark chocolates, and nuts.

• Polyunsaturated Fats – The fats also help lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. Items such as salmon, corn, soy, safflower, fish oil, and sunflower oils are high in polyunsaturated fats. This is the group where Omega 3 fatty acids fall under.

The bad fats:

• Saturated Fats – These fats raise total blood cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. For the most part, saturated fats are found in animal products like meat, dairy, and eggs. Saturated fats are also found in some plant foods such as coconut oils, palm oils, and palm kernel oils.

• Trans Fats – There has been lots of talk of these fats lately. These are found in most packaged foods, as well as fried foods like French fries and fried chicken. They are also found in popcorn and in some cooking additives such as shortening and hard stick margarine.

Reading food labels can be very confusing, no doubt. Hopefully, after this short read, you will be able to choose the healthier foods options. Remember, eating quality fat will not make you fat. In fact, it will help you burn fat. It is up to you to make the right choices about which fat you are putting into your body!

Sources: Livestrong.com, American Council of Exercise

Break Up the Monotony of Winter with Alternative Workouts

With the colder weather upon us this time of year everyone finds it hard to find different ways to get in cardio especially for those who are summer lovers and do not like to be out in the cold. During the warm times of the year it is easy to go outside for a long walk, run, or bike ride but with that being more difficult this time of year what can you do in order to keep up your cardiovascular endurance? So while you can do those cardio based activites inside on a treadmill or a stationary bike boredom will strike at one point or another after several months of the same routine without changing scenary other than changing the channels on the tv while inside. While the workouts here at Black Clover Fitness are always changing; what to do for cardio work on the off training days at the club here can be difficult but there are lots of fun exciting activites to do away from the club to help break those winter cardio blues.

Some simple exercises in order to raise your heart rate during the winter time while at home can always be walking or running on the treadmill at home (if you have one) but in addition to that implementing an interval circuit of jump rope, mountain climbers, jumping jacks, burpees, and boxing. Doing all of these in 1 minute intervals 5 times will give you a great high intense 25 minute workout without the monotomy of just continuously running. In addition there are always those at home workout videos for those who like them.

However, for those who are wanting to get out and about and not be tied down to the confines of their homes there is always cross country or downhill skiing options. Downhill skiing options are limited within the area but there is plenty of places to strap on some skiis for some heart beating cross country skiing or even snowshoeing. For those with kids, taking the kids out to a sledding hill can be a great hidden workout for you as a parent. Pulling the kids back up the hill or simply running around with them is a great way to get your heart rate up. For those really competitive ones with older kids how about racing them up to the top of the hill each time. Then again if you aren't a cold weather person you can either go to a local indoor swimming pool to swim laps or even find a rock climbing wall to get a little strength and cardio.

With those options and many other options available to keep your cardio going this winter you shouldn't suffer from those winter blues!