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Start the New Year with Healthy Choices

South Platte Sentinel 12/24/08

Misinformation…  It seems as though our society is plagued by it.  Pick a topic that is close to our hearts and you will find that it has most likely been twisted and complicated to the point where we are so frustrated and confused that we either  give up searching for the truth or settle with the side that seems most right.  Your health and fitness are prime examples. 

As I drove past our recently re-opened fast food restaurant at lunch time a few days ago, I realized that more people would visit that establishment, than would work out at home or the local gym that day.  My disappointment was evident.  I was saddened by the notion that the majority of our society is overweight or obese, and yet, still chooses to partake in unhealthy eating habits.  The only explanation I can come up with is that many of these people have become overwhelmed at the thought of getting or staying healthy in terms of body composition and cardiovascular fitness.

This scenario brings up a valid question: When it comes to health and exercise advice, who should you believe?  Maybe you feel that a doctor is the best route;   however, the average life span for an MD in this country is 57 years, according to Dr. Wallach, author of Dead Doctors Don't Lie.  I think we can agree that we shouldn’t trust the television; yet, how many convincing infomercials have you seen, advertising a miracle supplement or exercise gimmick?  But print… if it’s in print, it must be true; right?  At some point, the patrons of our aforementioned fast food chain must have become overwhelmed with misinformation, deciding that healthy eating was out of their reach.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.  With 2009 right around the corner, I would like to encourage you with fitness hope.  Throughout the next year, I will be providing you with health and fitness information that is up to date, realistic, and proven.  While I am not a doctor, a dietician, or a therapist, and the information I provide is not intended to cure or treat any condition, I do promise to help you sort through the jungle of nutrition and exercise misconceptions, and help inspire you to make better eating and exercise choices. 

The choice to make yourself better is always there, and it is always yours. 

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Most of my clients have come to see me when they have overcome the excuses of not getting started with a nutrition and exercise program.  They have pushed their fear aside and verbalized that they are ready to change their lives for the better.  One of the first steps we take is to find out why they want to make these necessary lifestyle changes.  The next step is to determine the goals my clients have in regards to their fitness habits.  To some, this may seem to be a complete beginning.  We have a desire to start and goals to mark our target.  But what is the driving force that is going to keep my clients going when the going gets tough? 

You see- countless speakers and writers would have you believe that staying “motivated” is the key to finding success.  I disagree.  We can go to bed fired up and “motivated” but the alarm clock rings at 4 am and where has it gone?  We are “motivated” to cut our calories, but the food is around and we eat it.   We are “motivated” to get to the gym, but we go home after work and stay there.  No, motivation comes and goes.  So, how do some find a way to get it done?  The real key is inspiration.

As a professional endurance athlete, I faced many battles each day of my career.  My days consisted of three workouts per day, nutritional limitations, and intense efforts requiring constant mental toughness.  If I counted on motivation to get me through, I wouldn’t have made it very far.  However, like most driven people who successfully reach their goals, I knew what I wanted and I wanted it badly.  It was my inspiration that drove me.  Once I turned that inspiration into my passion, nothing would get in my way.  Early mornings, food, and temporary discomfort became an afterthought because all that mattered was accomplishing my task. 

As you make your resolutions for the coming year, figure out what inspires you and how that inspiration can help drive you to reach your health and fitness goals.  It has to be yours, but I believe that once you find your inspiration, success will be within your grasp.

Remember, the choice to make yourself better is always there, and it is always yours. 

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Calories are the key to healthy weight loss.
South Platte Sentinel 1/7/09

So you watched John Smith lose 13 pounds on television last night and you want to do that too.  When I hear this demand, I usually ask my clients several questions:

1) What is your starting body fat percentage in comparison with John Smith…Do you have 100 or more pounds to lose? 

2) Are you on a television show designed to make money by ensuring people lose huge amounts of weight? 

3) Would you like to hire me to follow you around 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to monitor everything you put in your mouth, and exercise you to a guaranteed caloric deficit?

The participants in this show are monitored closely by physicians, trainers, & dieticians in order to manipulate their bodies to the point where they are eating the bare minimum and exercising the maximum.  Everything they do is controlled and limited.

Dropping extreme amounts of weight over a short period of time can be dangerous.  Moreover, if the way in which you lose weight isn’t healthy and balanced, the changes are not likely to stick.  Keep your goals realistic within your specific situation. 

But what is healthy weight loss?

When stripped of emotion, the fat loss game is really a simple equation.  Eat fewer calories than your body needs and it will pull those calories from the energy stores in your body.  Now, many people will say, “but I heard if you don’t eat enough calories, your body will go into starvation mode and store fat.

This is a dramatic overstatement.  Ok, maybe for 24 hrs or so, your body may store fat as your metabolism slows, but if your body needs energy, it finds a way to get it.  I have never seen a photograph of a person held against their will, i.e. prison camp, for an extended period of time that stored fat from starvation.  Instead, they slowly burn any excess.

Keeping your calories at a deficit that is consistently realistic, is the only way to get rid of your unwanted fat.

Mathematically speaking, calories in, minus calories out = fat loss or fat gain. 

1 pound of body fat = 3,500 calories.  Burn 500 more calories a day, than you consume (eat/drink), for 7 days, and you will have burned 3,500 calories and 1 pound of body fat.  A 500 calorie deficit per day is a healthy amount that can be maintained without the feeling of starvation kicking in.  This makes 1 pound of fat loss per week a perfect goal. 

While more weight loss can happen, this is my recommendation.  I will never push for more weight loss than is healthy, intelligent, and conducive to life-long change.  Yes, this means that you have to keep a log of your food intake and count calories for a while, but the fat loss game is not easy, so lend yourself a hand by taking out as much of the guess work as possible.

Set yourself up for success by keeping your goals safe and realistic.

Remember, the choice to make yourself better is always there, and it is always yours. 

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Walking is a Waste of Time for Weight Loss
South Platte Sentinel 1/21/09

Several weeks ago, in the first “Truth In Fitness” article, I promised that I would help you sort through the overwhelming amount of misinformation you receive in regards to exercise and nutrition.  An article in last week’s edition of the Sentinel has prompted me to address another false exercise claim.

Over the past 15 years as a Certified Personal Trainer, professional athlete, teacher, and coach, I have read and studied as much current exercise and nutritional research as possible.  However, it would be reckless and invalid to pass this information along to others without having first tried it to see if it really worked for most people.

It is risky to put your name and reputation on the line if you aren’t certain that you are dispensing the right advice.  Selling yourself as an expert requires great responsibility to ensure that people’s trust is not misplaced.

I feel that I am able to take this risk because I live the advice I render.  I experiment, adapt, and modify training and eating principles on a daily basis.  My clients and I keep what works and discard the rest. 

“According to government statistics, more than half of all adult Americans are overweight, as defined by body mass index,” said Jack A. Yanovski, M.D., Ph.D., principal investigator and head of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and head of the Unit on Growth and Obesity.  Body mass index is a mathematical formula used to correct body weight to account for a person's height.  According to Dr. Yanovski, “the latest national surveys show that 54.9 percent of Americans have a body mass index of 25 or more and are overweight, while 22.3 percent are considered obese, with a body mass index of 30 or more.”  The results of this study appear in the March 23 New England Journal of Medicine.

"The prevalence of obesity in the U.S. has increased dramatically over the past decade," Dr. Yanovski said. “After the age of 20, the Average American gains between .4 and 1.9 pounds per year.  Weight gain during adulthood may contribute to heart disease, diabetes, and other serious health problems."

The number of Americans who are overweight and/or obese is on a rise.  The increasing cost of health care continues to hammer this country.  It’s time to stop sugar-coating the issue of the “American Figure” and change the way we look at exercise and nutrition.

In last week’s Sentinel, you were told, “Just 20 to 30 minutes of brisk walking at least four to five times a week is sufficient.”  I can personally recommend several hundred local people who would disagree.  20 -30 minutes of brisk walking may help to slightly improve cardiovascular health, but does little in terms of weight loss because the caloric output is so low.  In order to maintain motivation and to make the time spent worthwhile, the vast majority of people need to add much more commitment, structure, and variety to their workouts.

All healthy adults, ages 18 to 65 years, need moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity for at least 30 minutes on five days each week or vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity for at least 20 minutes on three days each week, according to updated physical activity guidelines released today by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the American Heart Association (AHA).

Further, the (ACSM) and (AHA) suggest that adults will benefit from performing activities that maintain or increase muscular strength and endurance for at least two days each week.  It is recommended that 8-10 exercises using the major muscle groups be performed on two non-consecutive days. To maximize strength development, a resistance (weight) should be used for 8-12 repetitions of each exercise resulting in willful fatigue. 

Based on numerous client results, I feel that these guidelines are the bare minimum.  I know, but your friend says, “….”  Let’s face it, what kind of shape is your friend in?  What hands on experience do they have?  With over half the population struggling with their weight, I encourage you to look for proven advice.

Exercise is definitely not about trying to make everyone fit into the same mold.  It is about you.  It’s about your choices.  It’s about how you feel and how you feel about yourself. It’s about making lifestyle changes.  If you do the same things, in the same ways, you can expect the same results.  However, if you stick your neck out, you may find what you’re looking for.

I recommend that you start by throwing out the excuses and unfounded training practices.  Age is just a number.  My average client age is 53, ranging from 13 to 78.  Genetics may pre-dispose you to a slower metabolism, bigger bone structure, or carrying your excess fat in your gut or other areas, but it does not mean that you were meant to have an unhealthy body composition.  Time?  Time is something you make.  Most people ARE capable of achieving relative leanness. 

Be prepared. As easy as it was for you to over-eat and under-exercise, it will be exactly the opposite when it comes to the difficulty you will face in regaining a lean, healthy body.  Accept that it will be a challenge and commit to overcome it. 

Remember, the choice to make yourself better is always there, and it is always yours. 

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The Super Model Crisis
South Platte Sentinel 1/28/09

Super Models:  we see them everywhere.  They are unavoidable.  They set the bar so high, most people quit their exercise and nutrition plan almost before they begin.  After all, if looking bone thin is the cultural ideal, why bother?  Right? 

Most models, especially those in the glamour industry, have an unhealthy and unrealistic physique.  A person’s bone structure can greatly affect their potential appearance.  The focus should be on relative leanness, which everyone can achieve. 

It really boils down to your goals.  For a few people, the model figure may be attainable.  But for most folks, it is outlandish and unnecessary.  Ours goals must be realistic and fall into a category that allows us to make healthy and life-long changes.

As you meet your short term goals and get closer to your long term achievement, you may need to adjust and raise the bar.  For now, let’s lower your body fat percentage, heart rate, blood pressure, and cholesterol and increase your muscle mass, confidence, metabolism, and fitness level.

“But where do I begin?”

Set yourself up to succeed by choosing small, attainable goals.  This will ensure you are healthy, motivated, and on the right track.  Once you reach your first goal, re-evaluate and set new goals.  A great first goal may be to make it to the gym for a week or begin a food journal.

Without clear goals, you will be embarking on a journey without a map.  Without a map, you could easily get lost, side tracked, or end up taking much longer to reach your destination.  We know that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line.  Keep your weight loss in line by monitoring and adjusting your goals.

Put your goals into writing.  Then put them where you can see them often.  Great places are on the bathroom mirror, on the refrigerator or snack cupboard, or on the dash board of your car. 

Share your goals with people you can trust.  Don’t ask them for their advice.  Instead, make it clear that you are sharing something that is important to you and you need their support.

The more you see and hear it, the more likely you will believe it.  When you believe it, you can become it.  In the words of Rich Devos, "The only thing that stands between a person and what they want from life is often the will to try it and the faith to believe it's possible."

Remember, the choice to make yourself better is always there, and it is always yours. 

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The Written Word
South Platte Sentinel 2/11/09

A recent Johns Hopkins study shows the prevalence of overweight and obesity was at 57% in the year 2000.  By the year 2010, this number is estimated to be over 70%.  In addition, health care costs attributed to the obesity epidemic will reach $194 billion by next year. 

Do you still believe in the 2,000-calorie diet?  What about the dietitians who “never” recommend the consumption of fewer than 1,200 calories per day?

I have not had a single client, out of hundreds, over the age of 40 and post child bearing, who can consume more than 1,200 calories per day and lose a pound of weight per week.

How do we track this information?  We write down our food and exercise.

While training clients at the event center the past week, I made a commitment to observe how many people, other than my clients, who used some sort of training log.  Between 5 am and 8 pm, Monday thru Friday, I saw 3 people use an exercise journal.

I cannot over-state the importance of keeping a written log or journal of your exercise and your diet.  The exercise portion can be invaluable for tracking what you have done, what’s working or not, and areas for improvement. 

A log of your food intake is instrumental in tracking errors in eating often enough, nutrient imbalances, caloric intake, water consumption, and helps to limit your cheating.

After all, when you think about the time, effort, energy, and money invested in changing your lifestyle, a sound training log goes hand in hand with ensuring you a profitable return on your investment.

If you were to go thru my files and look at the records of my clients and their weight loss progress, you would find a glaring correlation between weight loss and the use of a training log.  The people who use a log consistently and honestly to track both their food and exercise, are the ones who meet their weight loss goals with the greatest efficiency.  The clients who struggle with using the log have a greater struggle with losing weight.  It is common for a client to struggle with keeping a log, not seeing much weight loss, and then begin using a log and have the inches start to melt away.

The number one key to weight loss is to understand the importance of calories.  Calorie counting became taboo over the years because of the number of companies trying to sell their gimmick.  However, tracking your calories thru a log is the only way to guarantee long-term success.  If you don’t track your calories you have no way of knowing what number triggers your weight loss or what number you will need to hit once you’ve reached your goal.

Lets look at a typical dieter.  They lose a bunch of weight thru any number of fad diets… lets use the Atkins for example.  The typical story I hear is that when the person was only eating protein they lost the weight, but when they began to eat carbohydrates again, all the weight came back. 

This is the most important information I can correct for you:  All the fat weight comes back for these dieters because they begin to eat more than their basic calorie need.  If you never log your calories and find your number, you will never be doing anything more than guessing.

A change is required in the way we approach fat loss.  It has been proven- the old way doesn’t work.  The old numbers don’t add up.

Try a new approach: Take a couple of minutes to log it, and reap the benefits.

Remember, the choice to make yourself better is always there, and it is always yours. 

For the beginning exerciser and gym veteran alike, a couple of the biggest challenges lie in either deciding what to do for the workout or changing up the old routine. 

We have all heard stories of a few people who reached their weight loss goals by doing the same thing over and over.  However, while consistency is an important piece of the fitness puzzle, most people fail to meet their goals for the lack of a plan that involves consistent change.

Whether we are talking about the athlete trying to gain strength and mass or the average person trying to get to their ideal weight range, workout variety is a key ingredient in reaching the goal.  Bodies forced to work in a different way, adapt to grow stronger and leaner. 

In working with hundreds of clients over the past couple of years, I have never had a client do the same workout twice.  We constantly change and adapt.  Following the change guideline helps my clients to eliminate the plateau effect and continue to progress in their fitness level.  My clients stay more motivated by variety, and constantly add new exercise tools to their toolbox of workouts.

The best thing about jumping on the change band wagon is the freedom you have to vary your workout based on how you feel or scheduling changes.  In addition, variety allows you to search out new ways to shift your routine.  There really are thousands of exercises that can be combined in creative ways to spark your motivation and maximize exercise effectiveness. 

The healthiest individuals from a social and psychological view point are those who are most well rounded.  Their lives are balanced.  Thus, it makes sense that exercise should be balanced too.  Placing too much emphasis in one area of fitness can leave you lacking in other areas, whether it be flexibility, strength, cardio, or endurance.

So, mix it up.  Talk to fit people at the gym, scour the internet, or talk to the local fitness professionals.  A few minutes spent adding variety to your workouts will be your best companion in the quest for the body you want.

Remember, the choice to make yourself better is always there, and it is always yours. 

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What Makes a Habit?
South Platte Sentinel 3/4/09

I often have clients tell me that they just haven’t been able to stick with an exercise program.  Usually, I find that they only gave it a week or two.  Yet, researchers tell us it takes at least 21 days (or approximately 3 weeks) for an activity to become habit.  This is not necessarily 21 days from when you started, but rather the 21 days that you actually performed the activity.

In my twenty plus years as an athlete, there have been injuries and time off.  As I have grown older and become more involved with family and work, there have been times when I just fell out of my exercise routine altogether.  What I can tell you is this: even with decent genetics and many athletic years under my belt, beginning again is always tough.  It is tough mentally to stay motivated.  It is, without a doubt, a physical challenge to fight thru the soreness and weakness of starting from scratch.  However, thru many trials, I know that somewhere around three weeks after starting, I will be back in the exercise habit.  Yes, I have to continue to claw my way back to where I left off, but every day I make it to the gym, it feels more and more like the place I’m supposed to be.

My advice is to commit to change and give yourself time to succeed.

As always, it is easier said than done.  The exercise commitment is a lonely road, but here are a few steps you can take to make your quest a bit easier.

Very few people in this world would have reached success at anything without the help of others along the way.  If you are able, find a partner willing to commit to change, and then hold each other accountable.  Be honest with each other about diet and exercise. 

Another option is to consult with a health and fitness expert.  You don’t have to become a client for life, but their initial planning and instruction can be invaluable to your success.  A qualified professional can help to keep you safe and give you real life knowledge.

Let’s say, for whatever reason, you are unable to find a training partner or utilize the services of a trainer.  I encourage you to do as much research as possible.  Plan, plan, and plan some more. 

We have discussed goals before, but they must be an integral part of your plan.  Start slowly with small realistic goals that you can reach in a short period of time.  It is important to have larger, long-term goals as part of your development plan, but these should not be the emphasis during your initial 3 week habit forming period. 

It can also help to have a reward system for achieving your goals.  A brief warning as to rewards: if your goal is weight loss, try to avoid a food reward.  Instead, choose something unrelated to your struggle.  For instance, “If I make it to the gym five days this week, I’m going to get a massage.”

In addition, I encourage you to post your goals everywhere.  It is much harder to give in to the temptation of laziness or hunger when your goals are looking back at you.

You can get to where you want to be.  Make a plan and utilize the tools available to you.

Remember, the choice to make yourself better is always there, and it is always yours. 
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Risk of Injury Inherent to Exercise
South Platte Sentinel 3/18/09

As I watched a local doctor bench press 315 pounds last week, I found myself both surprised and intrigued.  Here was a man over the age of 40, not training for any particular goal, risking shoulder injury by using a heavy weight during his workout.  My first thought was, “Cool!  Great job Doc.” 

As I enthusiastically approached him about his press, he said, “Yeah, after shoulder surgery I never thought I would be able to do this again.”  So let me make this clear.  Here is a man, at the top of the medical profession, who had injured himself thru the course of training.  He then rehabilitated his injured body and resumed similar training. 

“Doc’s” scenario beautifully illustrates the fact that even the most experienced and knowledgeable fitness enthusiasts can injure themselves through exercise. 

Unfortunately, the human body is weak.  It is dependent upon many muscle fibers, tendons, ligaments, and bones attaching in complex ways in order to produce movement.  In the natural progression of training, the body is able to adapt to handle higher volumes of work by moving more resistance, or performing movements more efficiently, quickly, and powerfully.  Each time this happens, there is more stress placed upon the joint and muscle complexes; Thus, increasing the risk of injury.

In reality, the beginning and veteran exerciser both face the risk of injury.  I have had average age and weight clients warm up properly for their first training session, and then become injured in their first steps of a light jog.  I have had long-term, well conditioned clients pull muscles performing an exercise they have done hundreds of times in the past.  Most injuries occur without warning and many of them can’t be prevented thru prior assessment.

However, the risk of injury can be greatly reduced by taking some simple precautions.

The first and most obvious way to avoid injury as you begin to exercise is to avoid letting yourself get out-of-shape to begin with.  The more sedentary you have been before beginning exercise, the greater your chance of injury.  Your muscles and attachments will be tight and weak in the beginning.

One of the biggest mistakes I see made, both by fitness enthusiasts and fitness professionals, is too much stretching before the workout and inadequate warm-up time.  We now know that a longer warm-up is needed before any stretching takes place.  Any stretching near the beginning of the workout should be limited to dynamic movements.  For example, arm circles, hip twists, and leg swings.  Perform all static stretching where a muscle and joint complex is held with tension, at the end of training when the body is at its warmest point.

An adequate warm-up before exercise is very important.  I insist on at least 10 minutes of exercise that raises the heart rate and gets the blood pumping to the muscles.  This time allows the body to “wake up,” naturally stretches the muscles, and prepares the cardiovascular system for the work that is about to be done.

Another component of your quest to reduce injury should include the cool down.  To reduce the premature tightening of muscles and allow the heart rate and circulation of blood to return to normal, it is imperative that light walking and stretching be performed before getting in the car or sitting for extended periods.

Your fitness did not decline over night, nor will it improve that way.  When working with clients, I use the Optimum Training Continuum.  Basically, this means that we progress slowly, from simple exercises to more strenuous or complex forms of training.  Both in the beginning of a workout and the beginning of a program, you should start with easy activities and smaller durations and increase as your body warms up and adapts.

Many injuries are caused by the repetition of an incorrect exercise technique.  Performing exercises incorrectly can put excessive strain on your muscles and joints.  If you exercise at a gym or fitness class, always check with your trainer that your technique is safe and correct.  Make certain that your trainer isn’t just someone who is fit and enjoys exercising, but a quality certified professional.  When you join a gym, you should always be given an induction to make sure you know how to use all of the equipment safely and correctly.

Aside from actual training practices, make sure you have the proper footwear.  Your shoes are one of the best tools you have in preventing foot, ankle, knee, and low back injuries.  Find a shoe that is made for the shape of your foot and offers adequate support and cushioning.  Many specialty running shoe stores and qualified trainers are able to assess foot strike and recommend the right kind of shoe. 

In the case that you are injured through exercise, never ignore the pain.  Continuing to exercise thru a real injury can turn a minor strain into a complex problem.  Always seek medical advice if you think you have injured yourself.  If your injury is minor, you may only need to rest the affected area.  Always insist on seeing a regulated practitioner or therapist who is not only qualified to treat your particular problem, but also up to date with current training research and practice.  Begin your exercise routine again with caution, paying close attention to any exercises that may have triggered the injury. 

Utilize these tools to help you make exercise safer and keep you on track.

Remember, the choice to make yourself better is always there, and it is always yours.