Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Moving my blog

Hello,

Thank you to all who have enjoyed reading this blog. It will now be hosted on wordpress, and can be found at trainingandsuch.wordpress.com

Monday, June 20, 2011

Practical Application

Last week I wrote on the benefits of lifting heavy, so this week I thought I would write up an example of how to put that knowledge into practice. This workout is designed for the intermediate to advanced lifter. All exercises are done for 4-8 reps and each group of exercises should be performed in a circuit, going through each circuit twice. Remember, if you can do more than 8 reps, than the weight is too light. This workout took me 25 min to do.

1.)
DB chest press
Lat pull-down
Squats
Bent-over barbell rows
Dips
KB swings

2.)
Bosu crunches (feet off of floor)
Bosu cross pikes (one leg bent on floor, touch opposite hand to opposite toe, like a V-Up)
Burpees
MB chest pass against the wall
Bicep curls

3.)
Band woodchops
Single arm band chest press
Full sit ups
Wall slides for shoulders

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Lift Heavy

     I have previously discussed the benefits of lifting heavy weights. In short, lifting heavy builds muscle for a more cut or toned look, as well as burning more calories than light weight with high repetitions. Don't worry ladies, unless you are spending copious amounts of time in the gym, or are taking testosterone enhancers, you won't get "bulky."  What I feel like I did not cover adequately is how to lift heavy. For the most part, I assume many of the readers here are beginners in weight room, but this still serves as a good reminder for those who are more advanced.
     So lets get into the meat of this post. How does one start lifting heavy. First and foremost, warm up for ten minutes. The National Strength and Conditioning Association recommends an active warm up instead of static stretching, so something like a light jog, or some body weight exercises should do the trick. If you feel like you must stretch, do so after the warm up.
     After you warm up, determine the order of your exercises. Personally for beginners, I recommend that a person do exercises that involve the largest muscle groups first. These include, but are not limited to, squats, lunges, dead lifts, push ups, pull ups. From here, work down from large to small muscle groups. I typically put cardio at the end of a workout as it can help keep you from getting sore.
     Finally, select you weight. You are aiming for 8 repetitions, and 2-3 sets. To find the appropriate weight, select something, and start your first set. Perform the exercise until failure. If you can do more than 8 repetitions, select a heavier weight for your next set. In this case, go for 3 sets, counting the first as a warm up. If you cannot do 8 repetitions on the first set, select a lighter weight for set 2. Do 8 repetitions and move to the next exercise, as that muscle group is likely already taxed. Finally, once you have found the correct weight, only increase that weight once you can do 10 repetitions for two straight weeks.

There you have it, now go hit the gym,

J

P.S. The recommendations written are adapted from the NSCA CSCS textbook.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Thursday Quick Tip

     Since summer has rolled around, and my mornings are getting warmer, I have taken to making smooties in the morning for breakfast. Recently, I have read several posts, on various nutrition blogs, that include spinach in their recipes. Now, I know what you are thinking, spinach does not belong in a smoothie. I was thinking the samething, untill I tried it. The spinach simply blends in to the smoothie, adding no flavor. Since the initial experiment I have been adding more and more, and still no taste! If you are looking to add veggies to your diet, and you should be, this is a quick and easy way to get them in! Currently I am using a large handful, maybe 1.5 to 2 cups., and see no flavor change. Currently, this is my favorite recipe.

Berry Smoothie:
1/2 cup frozen mixed berries
1 scoop vanilla whey powder
large handful of spinach
1 tsp coconut oil
Add water to liquify
Enjoy!

Monday, June 6, 2011

Post Workout Nutrition

     One of the first things I always talk to my clients about is post workout nutrition. You have just spent an hour or so working hard, so why waste it. Post workout nutrition is a vital part of the of the total health equation. Do it right, and you can see significant gains in lean body mass, do it wrong, and you can stagnate. After telling this two my clients, I usually get two questions, "What should I eat?" and, "When?" Lets Take a look at both of these.
      "What should I eat?" This is the first and more complicated of the common post workout nutrition questions I get. The most simple answer, is milk. Milk has a great protein make-up, containing all essential amino acids your body needs to refuel. It also has a good amount of carbohydrate, the approximate ratio to protein is 2:1. 8-12 oz of milk after a workout should do the trick. Many studies have covered this topic (including this one) so I feel milk is the best option for the general public. Here's the tricky part, many people (especially females) don't like milk. For those who don't like milk, whey protein powder provides many of the same benefits (sometimes more as you have more control over the fat and carb content) however, I typically find those who don't drink milk don't like whey protein either. Nuts are another option, though they are not as complete as milk or whey. Eggs are great if your stomach can handle them. The important thing here is to get a complete source of protein along with a few carbs and some fat. Remember though that protein takes more water than other nutrients to breakdown, so continue to hydrate post workout.
     So now we come to the question of "When?" This subject is up for debate, with time frames ranging from immediately to 1 hr or more after the conclusion of resistance training. as a trainer, my stance on the subject is lax. Many of these studies discuss optimal timing. Most people looking to generally fit do not need an optimal time, but rather a general one. I tell clients to eat as soon as they can. This usually puts them in the 0-60min range which is the debated time frame. This means that while they may not get maximum benefits, they will close to it. Though I do not know the source study, I was always told in physiology that within 20 min of exercise provided the most benefits, for what it is worth.

So in short conclusion, drink milk asap after a workout!

J

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Benefits of Walking

     One of the most asked questions I get as a personal trainer is about jogging vs. walking. More specifically, clients usually ask me, "I hate running, is there any other type of cardio I can do?" Why yes, as a matter of fact there is, it's called walking. Typically this garners a response of disbelief. can walking really count as a workout? I am a big believer in walking for cardiovascular health, however, it has to be done correctly. Walking can burn 100 calories per mile. Walk 10 miles a week and those calories start to add up. Walk for an hour each night, about 3-4 miles if your focusing, and that adds up to 2100-2800 calories a week!
     So what do I mean by walking correctly? Well first of all this needs to be exercise, not physical activity. Exercise is time set aside to workout, that is only focus. Physical activity may be the same exercise (i.e. walking) just done as part of your daily, liking walking from the car to the door. While physical activity is good for you, if you are looking to improve your health, it just will not cut it. When you walk for health it needs to be sustained, an hour or so, and at a somewhat fast pace, not just a leisurely stroll. So take advantage of the weather today, and get out there and walk around!

J

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

What Do I Eat?

     As a personal trainer, a large part of my job is working with clients on their diet. When I say diet, I don't mean a "diet" in the sense of a strict set of rules or gimmicks to be followed for a short period of time, but rather a clients entire lifestyle as it relates to food. I truly believe that 80% of a clients health (including a healthy weight) is directly related to what they put in their bodies.
     Often, clients ask weather or not I follow the same diet that they do. This is sometimes awkward because, I am a person who believes that a trainer should practice what they preach. However, I also believe that there is not one specific diet that fits all people. For instance, I am a 6'3", highly active, 23 year old man. My clients are mostly middle aged, moderately active women. Our two diets should be very different, because we are very different in terms of metabolism and energy expenditure.
     That disclaimer aside, some still want to know, "Jason, what do you eat?" Currently I am a big believer in the Paleolithic diet and lifestyle more specifically, the guidelines set out by Mark Sisson. This diet aims to revert the human diet back to what our ancestors ate before the cultivation of grains. The major change in this diet is the amount of carbohydrate a person can eat, as well as restricting certain food groups. Sisson advocates a diet that includes 150g of carbohydrate or less. I like to call this a moderate carbohydrate diet. Low carbohydrate diets, like Atkins, will tell you to keep carbohydrate to under 20g. I do not endorse this, because it can limit the amount of vegetables one eats, and I certainly believe in vegetables as a dietary necessity. The Primal way of life aims to keep carbohydrate intake low by limiting the amount of fruit we eat, (fruit, while good for you, is high in sugar and can be over consumed) and totally eliminating sugar and grains from our diets.
     Sugar we all know (or should) is the insidious culprit in western diets for weight gain. the more you eat, the heavier you'll be. Its in everything from bread to juice and beyond. Even if I don't have some of my clients follow this diet, I always advocate getting rid of bread. It can't be made without sugar, and that means you shouldn't eat it. The other part of this equation is getting rid of grains. Grains, Sisson suggests, cannot be properly digested by humans (probably why so many people have Celiacs) and contain certain toxins that are actually poisoning us. I personally believe that it is simply a mater of glycemic load. Americans eat way too many carbohydrates in a day. Carbohydrate is strictly used as fuel in you body. If you do not burn that fuel, you store it. Fat and protein, however, have many functions in the body. If they need to be burned as fuel they can be, if not, the body can put them to use else ware before deciding to store them. Cutting out grains eliminates a lot of carbohydrates from the diets, leaving a person to obtain them from fruit and vegetables, which provide other benefits as well as fuel.
     So there you have it, that is what I eat. I keep my carbohydrate intake to 150g or less. I do not (or try my best) to not eat any grains, beans, or sugar. I eat plenty of fat (see Sisson's site, marksdailyapple.com, for research) because a growing body of research suggests fat does not make you fat, but rather is your body's preferred fuel source. I sleep well, and get plenty of exercise. Hopefully I have convinced you to do the same,

J

Monday, May 23, 2011

Get Outside!

Last week I posted about running. I love running because you can just open your door and go. The other thing I love about running is that I get to be outside. Anytime I can exercise outside I will do so over being in a gym. There is something that is just more motivating about being outside. So today I wanted to address everyone else who likes being outside. Today I am writing about all the stuff you can do outside (besides running) with little to know equipment.

First things first, if you have to equipment, swimming and biking are both great forms of cardio and can be done outside. We covered running, but maybe your not a distance person, or you are looking to add mass and not lose weight. For those people, sprint work can be a great alternative to long distance runs. The basic sprint:rest ratio is 1:1. With a stop watch, this is easy to do, just sprint for a given amount of time, then walk for that same amount of time. If you don't have a watch handy, you can sprint for a given distance, then walk half that distance back and repeat. The 1:1 ration is optimal to build VO2, and accomplishes a lot of calorie burning in a small amount of time (typically this workout last from 10-20 minutes including warm up and cool down), but ratios like 1:2 and 3:2 spring:rest can be used to build up to 1:1.

Maybe you are the person who hates running in all forms. Why not try Hiking? Hiking is a great workout as the climbs and descents add difficulty to a basic walk, and the constant change in the trail relieves some of the boredom on long bouts of cardio. 

Of course, all your basic body weight resistance training exercises can simply be done outside (squats, push ups, pull ups, etc.). Climbing is a fantastic outdoor activity that provides a full body workout, and depending on how daring you are (or crazy some might say) can use very little or quite a bit of equipment. Rowing is another option, and most state parks with lakes have a place you can rent something you can row (sometimes this can be a great workout as the boats you rent may not be the most high tech, forcing you to work harder to row!).

Finally, my personal favorite is what I call free running or trekking. It involves just moving through a forest or patch of trees in the fastest way possible. No trails or marked paths, just run (or walk) and take obstacles in stride. Be careful with this one though, as it can be easy to twist an ankle, so you have to watch where you are going. That's it for today, go outside!

J

Thursday, May 19, 2011

What I've been doing

       So lately, my shoulder has been bothering me a ton (suspected partial labrum tear). I have been relegated to running, yoga, and ab exercises. I however, has been continuing to lose weight. I am a firm believer in keep the body guessing (cue Dodgeball reference). The human body has an amazing ability to adapt. That ability in part, is what causes a plateau. So by changing your workout every few months, you are forcing your body to constantly change and adapt to the new stimulus. If your stuck, try something new. admittedly, I have been into running lately after reading a book on running, but I don't believe that is a bad thing. There is no one workout that fits everyone and you should do the rest if your life. Variety is the spice of life! So get out there, and just do whatever!

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

The Easiest Exercise Ever!

Its called Running. Now before you stop reading my blog altogether, hear me out on this one.

This weekend I spent in Mass. (hence this post is a day late), with some family. For the trip I bought the book Born To Run. The book is amazingly well written and a great read altogether. It rekindled my passion for running. I have been running barefoot for three years now and I only grow to like it more each time I step outside.

Now, I am not saying you go out with no shoes and start running. While I believe in this method, I don't believe it is for everyone, so if you decide to do it, put in your research before. For the rest of you, as well as all my clients I do recommend running. Why? You burn serious calories doing it for one. Running burns 100 calories per mile. IF you are in any shape at all you can go1-2 miles easy, adding 100-200 calorie deficit to a workout in only 15-30 min. Then there is the benefit to your heart, and since Cardiovascular diseases are so rampant in the U.S., that should be reason enough alone.

What makes it the easiest exercise ever though? You need very little equipment. Just shoes, and those are debate-able. Since you don't need much equipment, you have no excuses for not working out. For those of you that think running is terribly hard or just plain terrible, I would challenge you this. Try it for two weeks. The more you run the better you get at it, the easier it gets, the farther you go. To get started try this routine. Jog as far as you can go, than walk double that amount of time. For instance, if you can only jog for 10 minutes, follow that up with a 20 min walk. You'll find yourself increasing your time each day.

Good luck, and get outside. Summer doesn't last long, so take advantage!

J

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Tuesday's Quick Tip

I have written here about the power of vegetables (But lets be honest, is there anyone out there who doesn't know that veggies are good for them?). However, what kind of blog would this be if I didn't offer up some recipes to make them better?

Sauteed salad:
2 finely diced beets
2 cups chopped kale
2 cups spinach
Saute beets in olive oil until tender, add kale for 3 min, then add spinach for last minute. Season with salt and pepper. If everything goes according to plan everything will be roughly the same texture, tender but still with a little fresh snap to it.

Healthier Cole Slaw
Cole Slaw mix (Cabbage, Red Cabbage, Shaved carrots, what have you)
Strawberries
Red and Yellow Bell peppers
Prep: Mix everything with some olive oil salt and pepper. Add vinegar if your into that (I'm not a fan). The strawberries replace the sugar in slaw dressing, they are best if diced and mixed throughout the salad. Add a couple dashes of Tabasco instead of the vinegar if you like things hot!

There you have it, eat up and reap the benefits!

J

Monday, May 9, 2011

Switch It Up

You've probably heard before that the human body is amazingly adaptable right?. Well that is true. In fact it is so adaptable that often times you become used to a certain type of workout (cardio, heavy lifting, endurance lifting, etc.). This is what we call a plateau.

Now in standard training methodology, the principle of overload should prevent the dreaded plateau. The overload principle simply states the the body most continually be challenged to promote further adaptation. For the common person this is generally interpreted as run farther or lift heavier. Often though, this does not provide enough stimulus to warrant change. So what is a person to do?

Change your workout style. Been lifting for hypertrophy (2-4 sets, 8-12 reps)? Try switch it up and lifting for power, typically 1-3 sets for 1-5 reps with heavy weight moving fast. Maybe you have been running long distance for years? Try adding some High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) 1 or 2 times a week to break up the monotony. The key here is to force your body to re-adapt.

So am I saying here that you should do a completely different workout style every time you workout? Yes and no. If you do that, your body will become adapted to general fitness and be ready for anything. The downside of this is you won't be truly great at anything. This is fine for the average joe, but if say your training for a marathon, or looking for lots of hypertrophy, it would be better to give your body 4-8 weeks to adapt to the new workout, then switch back or move on to another style.

In doing this, you will "keep your body guessing," or forcing adaptation, which will yield greater results over time.

J

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Bio

Per Request, I have decided to throw up my bio on here (probably should have done this from the start, but you live and learn I guess). My name is Jason Vogel. I am a personal trainer at Infinity Fitness in Westerville Ohio. I graduated from THE Ohio State University with a Degree in Exercise Science. I am ACT Certified, and working towards my CSCS from the NSCA.

My fitness background mostly includes high school sports, football and lacrosse, and 1 season of college football. I coached middle school and high school lacrosse for three years before getting into training. I worked for 8 months at the Urban Active in Powell, but did not enjoy the corporate atmosphere. I really enjoy were I work now, and feel the more private atmosphere has made a dramatic improvement on my training, and my clients are seeing the benefits of better workouts.

When I workout, I like to do lots of different stuff. I run barefoot most of the year in addition to many different workouts from crossfit to traditional bodybuilding. I like to be outside and my hobbies include hiking and mountain biking, along with being barefoot, whether running or otherwise.

I think what sets me apart from other trainers is how much I care about my clients. It is really hard for me to just give a client what they want and leave it at that. I feel like its my job to give them every piece of info that I think can help better their health. I love my job for that reason, because I get to make a difference in people's daily. Thanks for the support and reading my blog. Hopefully it helps you reach your goals and just be healthier!

J

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Burn Calories More Effectively

Good morning, and I hope this blog post finds you active and well! Today we are going to discuss how you can maximize the effectiveness of you workouts. As a trainer I often hear clients say they want to work on this body part or that due to accumulated weight. Unfortunately weight loss doesn't exactly work that way. You generally lose weight from all over at once with the greatest proportion coming from belly fat. Ladies, I'm sorry, but the weight comes off of you legs and hips last. So what is a burgeoning exercise enthusiast to do? You want to maximize burned calories through a combination of resistance training and cardio. Cardio burns lots of calories, but that burn stops shortly after you stop doing cardio. Weight lifting burns somewhat fewer calories, but because you are doing damage to your muscle fibers, calories continue to be burned long after you stop lifting as you body heals itself. So the ideal workout combines weight training followed by cardiovascular exercise (as your type 1 fibers can use the lactic acid produced from anaerobic activity as energy, as well as you don't want to be fatigued before lifting heavy for safety reasons). So you going to go throw down some curls and jog lightly and expect to lose weight? No! For Best results you need to lift heavy and breakdown your muscle tissue as much as possible because, the more you damage, the more repairs you have to do, the more calories it takes for those repairs. Take it one step further, and lift heavy for full body exercise. Big exercises like jump squats, burppees, power cleans, all burn tons of calories and use most muscles you have. Of course the disclaimer here is to be safe, ask a professional to coach you on form because these movements are multi-joint, and thus have lots of room for injury. Start with very light weight and progress as your form improves. Again when in doubt ASK A PROFESSIONAL. Too many health magazines will tell you to do this stuff and show you pictures, but if you form is bad you can and will get hurt. 'm not saying this to discourage you from trying this stuff, but sitting on the coach with a torn muscle isn't a great workout and all you had to do was ask. So, in summery, lift big, with big movements, then do cardio. The weight will melt off of you.

J

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

ramblings

Today I finally got a break from the rain ans was able to get out to Hoff Woods park and do some barefoot running. Running barefoot is one of my favorite activities, and I am a big advocate of not wearing shoes to exercise, be it weights, running, or anything else! Training without shoes improves your proprioception, and furthermore, your balance. Since the number one lawsuit against personal training studios is slip and fall, trainers would do well to train improve their clients balance, and barefoot training is a great way to do it! "But, Jason," so say, "what if I drop weights on my toe? Aren't I more protected with shoes on?" Maybe, if you are wearing steel toe boots to train in. More often than not, people are wearing mesh top tennis shoes to train in,and if you think that 1mm of mesh is going to protect you from 45lbs falling 4 ft, you are sorely mistaken. Barefoot running is not everyone, but training barefoot should make up at least some part of every one's training.
For more info visit marksdailyapple.com or therunningbarefoot.com. These guys both know their stuff.

Monday, April 25, 2011

Veggies!

This next month, my training studio is holding a contest to see who can eat the most vegetables. You might be thinking to yourself, "Wait a tick, doesn't J always preach moderation?" You would be correct in everything except for veggies. Eat all you possibly can. Veggies are low cal, nutrient packed, fiber rich, and keep you full and on track with your diet. That said, not all veggies are created equal. Corn is a grain, not a vegetable as commonly thought. As such it is full of starchy carbohydrate and sugar. Potatoes are great if you're an athlete looking for potassium or complex carbs, but they can't be covered in butter and sour cream. If your goal is to lose weight, stay away from white potatoes. Lastly, believe it or not, peas are very starchy, and not a great vegetable option. I know they're green, but that's they're only redeeming quality. Some great options are peppers (packed with vitamin C), carrots, kale, and spinach. So eat you veggies this month and get a jump start on a healthier you!

P.S. if you have a good kale recipe, let me know! Its very nutrient dense, but has a bitter taste I can't get past.

J

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Another quick tip!

Another quick tip today. You've read on this blog to eat your grains and starchy carbs before lunch in an effort to have time during the day to burn them off. Still Stuck in a plateau? Try doing the same with fruit. Fruit is good for you but remember that it is mostly sugar and fiber. The earlier you eat the more time during the day you have to burn those nutrients. this leaves meat and veggies after lunch, with meal size tapering towards dinner time. Good Luck!!


J

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Quick Tip

Just a quick tip today: Intersperse quick, intense cardio bouts throughout your work out. I.e. 1 min standing bike sprint. This will keep your heart rate fluctuating, and help burn more calories.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Diets and the multitude of opinions on them

I recently had a conversation with a client about someone they knew on a diet. The person in question was seeing good results, but excluding a certain fructose laden food group (fruit if you didn't catch on). This is a situation that as a trainer I have come across several times. Someone knows someone else who is seeing great results on one fad diet or another, and sometimes (not so in this case) they want to know if I think they should go on this diet. As a trainer, my feelings on this are mixed. On the one hand obesity is a gateway to all kinds of terminal and horrible diseases (cancer, diabetes, etc.), so getting people to lose weight, no matter how they come about it can increase their health (being devils advocate here, I don't believe this!). On the other hand, using dangerous techniques to lose weight at all costs can cause other problems, and hinder people from losing weight which was the goal in the first place. I am inclined to believe in the latter statement. Weight that comes off due to a complete lifestyle and dietary change has a greater chance of staying off. Why is this though? Why do weight loss systems or fad diets still flood our commercials? It's because they are easy. They take no effort on our part. All you need to do is what the product tells you to and you will lose weight. Honestly, you probably will lose weight if you follow their system. Here's the kicker though, it's not a sustainable practice. Lets take a so called "system of nutrients" (you know what I'm talking about). You have meals delivered to your door, and you eat them (along with some fresh fruits and veggies as I understand it) and you lose weight. Awesome! Now what happens when you run out of prepackaged health food? What happens when you can't afford to use the system any long? What happens when the company stops making that product? Odds are you're going to gain the weight back. Why? Because you never learned to cook nutritious food for yourself. You never learned to be disciplined and measure out food portions. You never learned what a proper portion of food really is. Now I know some will say, "Its a great jump start or starting point." To them I say why not do it right, right from the start? You'll feel healthier and benefit sooner and will win the war long term. Fad diets come and go, some work, some work at the expense of your health, but a healthy, well-rounded diet will work and will only improve your health.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Setting Goals

Ok, so if your reading this, you have some goal you are trying to obtain fitness wise, whether it is to run faster, jump higher, or lose weight. To reach these bigger goals, you'll want to set smaller goals each day, week, and month. However, the type of goals you set can make or break your training program and determine whether or not you reach your goals. Goals like losing weight or jumping higher are more results than goals. They may be your final objective, but you actually have very little control over the results (hang with me). What you do have control over is the effort you put into task that can help you reach or maximize said result. These are termed Process Goals. Process goals are tasks that you have control over and you will succeed in given you put in the effort. For example, wanting to lose 20 lbs is a outcome, or result and you have little control over this. However, process goals for this outcome include jogging 30 min each day. Can you see the difference? You can jog 30 min every day. The only thing keeping you from jogging is your motivation. You can't will yourself to lose 20 lbs, it takes exercise and proper nutrition. Basically to reach the goal you have to focus not on the goal but on the things that get you there. Think of a set of stairs. If your goal is to reach the top, but you focus only on getting there you won't. You have to focus on HOW to get there, so you take one step after another until you reach the top. By setting Process Goals, you can achieve success every day, theoretically increasing your motivation. If you focus only on the result, and not how to get there you will stall and lose motivation.

In conclusion, set day by day, even meal by meal or session by session goals that require only effort for success. In doing this, you need only to put forth the effort and you will experience success daily.

J

Monday, April 11, 2011

Meal Arrangement

Are your weight loss goals stalled even though you've been eating a strict diet? Have you considered the order of your meals as the culprit? I was once told that in a slump, look at when you ate what to help break out of it. Think of when you eat your big meals, chances are they are probably toward dinner time. However this is opposite of what we should be doing. Bigger meals should be at breakfast. Why? Well think about it logically, your morning meal is the first meal you have eaten after a long (hopefully 8 hrs) fast, aka break-fast. Furthermore, you have a whole day of calorie burning ahead of you. In contrast, dinner should be light. You've already done most of your calorie burning by this point in the day and will in all likelihood be sedentary until bed time.
Arranging your meals in this fashion could alone be enough to knock you out of your slump, however I like to add another facet to this for improved weight loss. That is I tell my clients to eat all starchy and grain based carbohydrates prior to 2 pm. So eat all rice, bread, and potatoes before 2pm. Why? Because these are higher to medium glycemic foods that break down relatively easily in our bodies. This means they are a quick source of energy. If they energy is not burned off, it gets stored either as glycogen, or fat. And if your glycogen stores are already full, guess where it goes? Keep these tips in mind and you'll be well on your way to the body you want. Happy Eating

J

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Protein or no Protein

So today, I want to talk about protein supplements. Protein supplements come in all kinds of forms, but the most common is the whey powder. This supplement is made from the whey protein in milk. It is a fast digesting protein and as such enters you system quickly. This makes it the post workout drink of choice for many athletes. However, are they necessary for the general fit person? The answer is not really black and white. The quick answer is no, and you should meet all your daily protein needs through whole real foods. The real answer is maybe. Protein shakes are great for quick on the go nutrition as the powder can be stored anywhere. Throw a protein shake, some berries and a few veggies and you got your self a meal with no time. They also make great smoothies. These supplements are generally safe for general population, but keep a few considerations in mind. These supplements are almost pure protein, so they do not constitute a meal on there own. They also are not meal replacements (some are, but are labeled as such), and using them to replace x amount of meals is not healthy or safe. They also can be expensive and taste bad, but again this cost is what you pay for convenience. So, in summary, whether you take them or not doesn't matter as long as you meet your daily protein needs. People, (mostly athletes) with elevated protein needs will find them usful to help meet those needs, and the general population may turn to them for convenience.

J

Monday, April 4, 2011

What do you guys want to see?

So before I continue writing down anything and everything I have an opinion about fitness wise, (and maybe some other stuff worms its way in too), I want to ask you guys what you think. I am not sure who all, or if anybody, reads this. That said I definitely want to cater to my target demographic, so tell me what you want to see on this blog. Post questions and interests to Facebook, or in the comments section and I will answer them! I'll do the research, and you benefit!

Hope to hear from ya,

J

Thursday, March 31, 2011

HIIT

So if you guys follow the fitness world at all you have probably heard of HIIT, or High Intesity Interval Training. For those of you who havn't heard of it, i'm going to break it down for you. HIIT is great for shredding fat, and for those who are limited on time. The basics of HIIT are basically sprint, walk, repeat. the most basic regimen is a 2:1 work to rest ratio. This, however, can only be sustained for a short period of time if you are truly sprinting, say like 4 minutes. This option is great to throw at the end of a workout as a "finisher." For cardio days, jogging or otherwise, a 1:1 ratio or a 1:2 ratio can make a workout more challenging, and puts you more in the 30 min range. (The reason I mention putting 2:1 at the end of the workout is that the ACSM recommends exercise be divided into a min of 10 minutes, so the 2:1 ratio may not count as a workout on its own). Adding any sprints to an endurance session can break up the time and boost your heart rate. In any event, HIIT is a good option for those looking to burn fat, but may not have time for an endurance session, or are not looking to stress the aerobic (endurance) metabolic system. Some suggest that HIIT burns more fat in half the time of a traditional endurance run as when during a steady-state cardio session, the body starts relying in fat 30 minutes into the session. I am skeptical about this as an endurance run is more likely to burn overall calories. Whichever is the case, HIIT is very popular, because it is a great workout that will yield results and can be done in a time crunch. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Good Luck!

J

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Are you eating enough?

Are you eating enough to reach your weight loss goals? Thats right, I said are you eating enough? If you're not, your body could be storing more fat and losing muscle! this may result in a smaller number on the scale, but your body will be flabby and shapeless. To figure out how many calories you need, take you're weight and add a zero. This number is roughly the amount of calories you burn just by existing. If you exercise or are active at all you need to add between 200 and 500 hundred calories to this number. Here's the kicker though, active females should not eat less than 1400 calories and males, 1800 calories. Personally i have my female clients eat no less than 1500 and my male clients 2000 for weight loss in general, but your weight and activity level influence this number. The trick to losing weight here is to make sure your getting a minimum of 4 hours or exercise between 65% and 75% of you max heart rate a week. If you can try and get five days at 1 hr each day, 1 day of 30 min at a light intesity (i.e. a moderate pace walk), and 1 day of complete rest you'll reach your goals even faster. Remember though, not all calories are equal. Eat whole natural foods that are as un-processed as possible for maximum nutritional value.

J

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Path to Success

Had an extended conversation with my boss yesterday. It's incredable how passionate he is about what he does and the good he does in peoples lives through fitness. It got me thinking about my goals, both financialy and physically, as a personal trainer. What I have come to learn about fitness is that it says a lot about your life as a whole. When I am dedicated to my fitness goals, I am better at my job, but beyond that, I am better about spending time with the LORD, better at loving my fiance, I am more productive during the day. See, being passionate about fitness isn't just about wanting to look good, those people only occasionally meet there goals. Being passionate about fitness is about living well, and that translates to all areas of your life. The people that get that, that being healthy is a lifestyle that is about being healthy in all areas of your life, those are the people that meet there goals the fastest. In the end, it was never about x amount of lbs or inches, in the end its about your life and if you want to live well, or struggle by.

J

Monday, March 28, 2011

The Bounty of Nature

Why is pre-packaged and overly processed food bad for us? shouldn't we praise the wonders of 20th century food technology? NO! prepackaged and pre-processed food means pre-digested food. Why is that bad you might ask? These foods are making us fat. They do this because foods that are processed are often done so to make them cook faster for convenience. the problem with this is that it often strips foods of vitamins, minerals and fiber. This is significant because our bodies burn more calories to digest fiber laden foods. Thus, when a food is processed, even though it may be similar in caloric value to an un-processed counterpart, we net intake more calories from it. So to put it in simple terms, if we eat 2200 calories of processed food, we might net gain 2000 calories from it whereas if we ate un-processed food, we would intake less because we would burn more calories digesting it. So lets be more efficient in what we eat and get back to nature. Try and eat foods that are as close to nature as possible (i.e. brown rice, fresh fruit and veggies)

Hopefully this helps your weight loss and healthy lifestyle goals

J

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Quick tip

Morning Meal.

Chocolate protein shake, blended with ice water and raspberries, and two pieces whole wheat toast. The raspberries provide vitamins and tons of fiber, and the toast gives you sustained energy with slowish-digesting carbohydrate. Also the shake tastes like friggin dessert!

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Get a full home gym for free!! (aka your body as a gym)

Actually, GOD already created one for you. It is you! ok so hopefully you aren't here looking for a free home gym (but if you are you might as well stay right?), but its true, body weight exercises can do great things for your body, and the nice thing about it is you always have it with you. There are several body weight exercises that you have probably heard of, i.e. squats, pushup, and the like, but today I want to give you some new stuff that you can change things up with. First we have the burpee, or squat thrust, this exercise work your core and legs. For added difficulty, throw in a pushup to engage you chest as well. The nice thing about this exercise is that has a nice cardio aspect to it as well.
Next we are going to do some back work. Now body weight stuff for you back is hard to do with out equipment, but any sort of sturdy desk or overhang will allow you to do reverse pushups, or hanging rows.
Shoulders can be worked by putting your feet on a bed or chair and then bringing your torso vertical. this allows you to do vertical pushups.
These are just a few things that can be done in an office, hotel room, or home with little to no equipment. My disclaimer with this workout is that it is by no means a full body workout, just some interesting stuff to throw into your BW routine, or a regular workout.

*make sure that desk is really sturdy!

J

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

A word on your diet

Eat a well balanced diet. Eat fruits and lots of veggies. Get enough protein (.8 grams per KILOGRAM of body weight). Severly limit sugar. Don't be afraid of fat. This is the very basics of the diet plan I give my client. After reading it, you've probably realised that you've been hearing this for years in school. Guess what, the government got this one right. The 1 thing I usually add is that you should eat as close to nature as possible. Eat real food that hasn't been processed or enriched in any way. You'll feel better and your body will burn calories more effectively resulting more weight loss and better results! Fad diets will do just that, cause a passing fad in your weight loss goals. I only recommend 3 supplements to my clients, Fish oil (to help fight inflammation and cardiovascular disease), a multi-vitamine (nobody's diet is perfect, and this helps fill in the gaps) and for athletes or vegetarians, whey protein (helps fill in amino acid defciencies, easy, for athletes who are picky eaters or need additional protein). It's that simple guys, eat good foods every two-three hours. Most of you know what is good and bad, just do it. If you have questions on your diet, come see me at Infinity Fitness and we can work with your diet and fitness level to help you reach your goals.

J

Monday, March 21, 2011

Monday's workout

Ok, so enough rants, today I'm going to give you the goods. This is a 30 min workout that should raise your heart rate and challenge both your anaerobic system Creatine phosphate system and your fast glycolysis systems.

KB Swing 2x15
Staggered pushup 2x15
Lat Raises 2x15
Weighted Situps 2x15

400 yard run

Reverse Lunge 2x15
Bent Rows 2x15
Burppee 2x15
Russian Twists 2x20

400 yard run

This workoutcan be challenging, so start the first set with easy weights and move to heavier ones when you feel comfortable. Most of these exercises can be found on the internet, or consult your trainer. Have a great Monday!

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Ahhh Sunday

Ahh Sunday, the proverbial day of rest. It the traditional day not to work out. And that's fine, you worked hard all week and today you won't. Feel Free. Don't go crazy with that so called "cheat meal" you've been looking forward to, and you won't do any harm. For me Sunday is one of my favorite times to workout. Normally you have lots of time so your not rushed. This allows you to try a few new exercises, or even a whole routine. I say take advantage of Sunday while you can. Monday, now that's a day to take off. Monday is a day for naps! Anyway, I don't have much today. If I had to leave you with a tip for today it would be not to be a coach potato. the weather in Ohio is clear and warm for the first time in months. get out and play with your dog, take a leisurely stroll, or even run. Doesn't have to be hard, just get up and get moving.

J

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Alcohol

So on day two I wanted to cover my biggest pet peeve with weight loss clients. The story is always the same. They come in, tell all about how serious they are about wanting to lose weight and be healthy until I ask the one question. "Well, how much alcohol do you drink?" The responses are always the same, one drink a night, two drinks a night. some people make it seem less bad by telling, "Oh, no more than 15-20 a week.." 15-2- a week! that's close to if not more than 1500-2000 calories a week in alcohol alone. You've essentially just added an entire day to you calorie intake. So for all reading this, I am going to say what most other diet books won't. Alcohol is not a nutrient. You do not need alcohol. If you are trying to lose weight, don't drink it. period. I am sick of reading articles on the internet that will tell would be dieters not to have any sugar, none at all, but limit yourself to 3 drinks a week or something. Or how many times have you seen the phrase, "If you must drink..." and than its followed by a list of healthy drinks. No one must drink, except alcoholics, and if that is the case with you the alcoholism needs to be taken care of first, then we will deal with the weight issue.
Now don't get me wrong, am I saying never have another drink? No, I am saying while losing weightdon't. Once your in the maintenance phase, have 1-2 a week. However, If your serious about fitness (as well as the LORD) than 1-2 drinks a week is a fine goal. Sure can you splurge every now and again and be ok, yes. However, I'll say it again. If you are trying to lose weight, just don't drink alcohol.
One of the worst things to happen to this country's diet in recent memory, is that we were told that red wine/alcohol were good for your heart. What they didn't tell you is that the 20 lbs in fat you'd rack up from drinking all the time would be worse for your heart in the long run.
That's my rant for the day. Stop drinking, lose weight, get fit and happy, have a toast! Do not repeat.

Happy Saturday!

Friday, March 18, 2011

Opening Day! (for my blog)

Ok so I am new to blogging and as such, this is my first day and first blog. I'll start with a little bit about myself. I am a 23 year old personal trainer living in Columbus, Ohio. My goals for this blog are to share my knowledge of training and track my adventures in learning the trade and becoming (hopefully) a better and more successful trainer. Its easy to be optimistic about this as it's currently 430am. I'm sure my mood will change as I gain more clients and get less sleep. For now though I am excited and Ambitious.
So now for the training stuff. I am a no non-sense kind of trainer. I am not going to get on here and recommend  all kinds of "muscle-exploding!" supplements. Frankly, I don't want my muscles to "explode." Thant sounds painful. I do want my clients to be successful in becoming fit, healthy, and happy. The two main aspects of this are nutrition, and exercise. Today we are starting off with nutrition. If you want to see results, a diet high in complex carbs, and lean protein is just the ticket. Some of my clients find it hard to get all the protein they need in a day. One way to add protein to your diet is some good ol' natural peanut butter. Now my clients all ask me what is the best natural peanut butter brand? My reply as a recently graduated college student is that (spoiler alert) the best ones use only peanuts, so buy a bag and throw them in the food processor for a few minutes. tastes great, and depending on how cheap you can get the peanuts is very cost effective.
So as it is now 5am I have to go get ready to train, but I hope you have enjoyed this blog and I look forward to writing much more in the future!

I feel like I should have a tag line here, but I can only think of meat-head slogans like "Live Hard, Train Hard," What does that even mean "Live Hard?"