If you can’t think of what to get your friends or family for the holidays, then why not get them a fitness gift. Matter of fact, you could even put some fitness gifts on your own holiday wish list. After all, who doesn’t want to look or perform better? Here is official my top 10 list of the best last minute fitness gifts for 2008:
1) Resistance Bands
Resistance bands are by far the most simple, convenient, and affordable equipment option in the fitness industry. They supply total portability for killer workouts that can be done anywhere. If you are a busy professional who does a lot of traveling, bands are the perfect lightweight training tool to take your workouts with you on the road as they can fit in the smallest of bags without a problem. If you are a busy Mom looking to workout in the comfort of your own home, bands can make this happen too. Bands provide the perfect compliment to your body weight circuit training workouts for added variety, allow for multiple levels of resistance with practically zero transition and set-up time, are easy on the joints, and are fun to use!
2) Foam Roller
If you’re like most people, you spend a lot of your day nailed to a desk. And when you actually do have time to workout, all you usually can fit in is the workout itself. Really, who has time for daily stretching?
Well that’s where a foam roller comes in. It’s a phenomenal corrective self-massage tool that will dramatically bolster injury prevention and improve performance. It’s ideal to use for at least five minutes post-workout to promote healing of the small micro-tears in your muscles that result from high-intensity training to jumpstart the recovery process. Plus, a foam roller both kneads out and lengthens your muscle and connective tissues thus alleviating, if not eliminating, nagging aches and pains in your back, knees, hips, shoulders, and elbows.
If you’re going to get a foam roller, get a good one. The cheaper options tend to wear down into a limp noodle for larger individuals after a couple of months. You can find long-lasting foam rollers anywhere from $30-$50. It’s a great investment, and an even better gift!
3) A Gift Card to a Sporting Goods Store For Fitness Equipment and Apparel
Any reputable sporting goods store will provide the best fitness equipment and apparel on the market today. I always recommend going with a gift card here because everybody has their own preferences, particularly when it comes to clothing sizes and styles.
4) A Gift Card to Whole Foods or Other Premium Grocery Stores
Rather then waste money on an overpriced restaurant, why not give a week’s worth of groceries to a 100% organic grocer like Whole Foods to a friend or loved one. After all, everybody’s got to eat, but how many of us actually eat the right stuff to support our fitness goals?
I must admit, several years ago I thought Whole Foods was just for rich people or hippies, but boy was I wrong. I shop there almost exclusively these days, particularly when buying produce to avoid foods that are typically loaded with hormones and pesticides at other regular run of the mill grocery stores. The key is to go in with a budget in mind (e.g. spend $50 bucks on protein, $20 on fruits and veggies, and $10 on miscellaneous items) only buying what you need.
5) A Gift Card to a Registered Massage Therapist
Most of us are crazy busy and super stressed out during the holiday season and nothing eases the tension like a good massage. This is about as can’t miss of a gift as it gets, unless you know someone who doesn’t like to be touched. It’s nice to be pampered on occasion, and though the foam roller I mentioned above can do wonders for the majority of your body, nothing can alleviate tension in your upper back, neck, and head like a good massage therapist!
6) Nutritional Supplements that Work: Protein Powders, Fish Oil, Multi-Vitamin
I have helped hundreds of people lose thousands of pounds of fat. In my journey, I have found only three supplements to be a mandatory part of the optimal fat loss program: protein powders, fish oil, and multi-vitamin supplements.
Protein powders provide great liquid workout nutrition and a convenient meat alternative for on-the-go snacking. For a protein powder, look for a brand low in sugar and carbohydrates and with a mix of both whey and casein (fast and slow absorbing proteins).
Fish oil, or more appropriately entitled an essential fatty acid (EFA) supplement, is critical to providing key omega 3’s to maximize overall health, performance, and body composition. Studies show that krill oil provides the most effective dosing of EFA’s.
A multi-vitamin provides keys vitamins and minerals that are tough to obtain unless your diet is near picture perfect. I don’t know about you, but I like to cover my bases when it comes to my health. Be sure to choose a multi-vitamin supplement that is made from whole foods rather than synthetic materials, in addition to being made specifically for your gender.
7) Sport-Specific Gift
This one’s pretty basic: if you want to give a great gift to an athlete then get them something unique that compliments their sport, whether it be fitness equipment, apparel, or both.
8) Fitness Book or Fitness Magazine Subscription
Everybody need bedtime or bathroom reading! If you have just read a good fitness book that you know a friend or family member would benefit from, hook them up with their own copy. Better yet, people love magazine subscriptions. Personally, I am a big fan of Men’s Health and Women’s Health. These magazines are filled with tons of workout, nutrition, and lifestyle tips catered to each sex and I never miss an issue. I know it sounds funny that I read Women’s Health being a dude, but I work with a lot of women so I need to keep up with the lingo like skinny jeans and muffin-tops, LOL!
9) Wireless MP3 Headset
This could get a little pricey, but it is worth the unparalleled listening pleasure and convenience. It’s this simple: drag and drop your workout MP3’s onto the headset using a USB cable and then press play and rock out while you workout. There are no annoying wires to deal with and the headphones are comfortably, yet firmly locked on your head so they never fall off and you never miss a beat.
10) A Gift Card to a Fitness Boot Camp
Boot camps provide a fun and exciting team environment that guarantee better results than one-on-one personal training for only a third of the cost… it’s a total no-brainer.
Look for a local fitness boot camp with tons of social proof (client testimonials, especially in the form of pictures and video) to make sure they have a solid reputation and a bunch of raving fans of people just like you. Plus, any good boot camp worth its weight offers free trials and money-back guarantees to all newcomers because they are so confident their program works that you’ll more than likely continue after a test-drive, This way there is typically no risk on your part… besides getting you butt kicked, in a good way ;)
So join a fitness boot camp with at least one other friend or family member or buy a boot camp gift card to give to your loved ones. As a boot camp instructor myself, I know firsthand that clients always get better results when they embark on a fitness journey with others.
And if you live in the Greater Toronto Area, come work with us for the best personal training in the city by visiting www.investinfitness.ca or www.byebyebabyfat.ca. We’ll change your life and have you looking better his New Year, guaranteed!
Have a healthy holidays and have a very safe and happy New Year! 2009 here we come!
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Healthy Holiday Fit Tips: 4 Easy Ways To Keep A Fat-Free Body For The Holidays
We all know how busy the holidays can be. However, do not let yourself get caught in the trap of not working out to make more time for holiday errands or events. It is a big mistake to risk losing the lean muscle mass and strength that you have worked so hard to build and maintain. Why you ask? Losses in lean muscle mass will lower your resting metabolic rate, which accounts for the vast majority (about 60-75%) of your total daily calorie burning. This means that everyday you will be burning less and less calories which will put you at a much greater risk of putting on ugly, unwanted body fat during the holidays. Plus, losing strength will mean that the next time you start to work out your performance will be sub par and you’ll get smacked in the face with that ugly word that no one ever wants to encounter when it comes to their training: regression! Furthermore, there are many clever ways to maintain or increase the number of calories you burn per day, both from exercise and from your normal daily activities, to stay fat-free this holiday season. Use the strategies below to maintain and/or increase your current amount of lean muscle mass and maximize your daily calorie burn to best protect yourself against the deadly holiday bloat!
1) Perform at least one high-intensity resistance training session per week
Studies show that only a single strength training workout per week during times when you cannot train as frequently as you normally do is an effective way to maintain your current levels of strength and lean muscle mass. So, to best maintain your strength and lean muscle mass, shoot for at least one good strength training workout per week to stay buff during the holidays and to prevent unwanted regressions in fitness. To best prevent weight gain, aim for three total body strength workouts per week. To maximize fat burning, perform three total body strength workouts per week and also perform three cardio interval workouts per week on non strength-training days.
2) Make sure to hit your totals
Your body is a moron. In other words, it cannot differentiate between 100 push-ups performed in a row versus 100 total push-ups performed in a day. When you honestly cannot find a five to 20-minute time slot to complete an effective total body workout, look for hidden chunks of time during the day to get in a certain number of daily repetitions for a certain number of exercises that work your entire body. Got a free moment from now until you need to take the turkey out of the oven? Then, bang out 10 push-ups, 10 rows, and 20 squats. Using this method throughout the day will lead to big numbers by the end of the day that will burn the same amount of calories in addition to creating similar muscle building effects as if you did all of the exercises at once during a single workout.
It is important to note that this “Hit Your Totals” routine is merely a back-up option to the ideal 20-minute interval training workouts which are scientifically proven to burn nine times more fat than ordinary exercise (see my article How to Build 5-Minute Total Body Fat Burning Workouts for the Holidays for more info). Short rest periods between exercises create the optimal hormonal environment for rapid fat loss and lean muscle gain, where as the long rest periods (full recovery) between movements do not. However, it comes down to effective (“Hit Your Totals”) versus optimal (50-10 Total Body Circuit Interval Training Workouts), so be sure to at least be effective this holiday season!
Make sure to pick multi-joint, compound movements that hit as much of your body’s major muscle groups in the shortest amount of time possible (e.g. squats, deadlifts, lunges, push-ups, rows, etc.). Use the plan below as guide to build your own “Hit Your Totals” workout. Adjust the repetition ranges accordingly based on your current strength levels. The only thing you need is your body weight and adjustable dumbbells and/or resistance bands. Perform this plan up to three times per week, resting a day between workouts. Make sure to alternate between Plan A and Plan B for more variety. You can either hit your total by doing one exercise first (e.g. perform push-ups rest-pausing as needed until you get 100 total), or by simply employ circuit style training (e.g. 20 squats, 10 push-ups, 10 rows, repeat 10x throughout the day to hit your totals).
The Hit Your Total Workout For The Holidays
Plan A-
Body weight Squats or Hip Extensions: 100-200 total
Push-ups: 50-100 total
DB/Band Rows: 50-100 total
Plan B-
Body weight Lunges or Single-Leg Hip Extensions: 50-100/total per leg
Off Chair/Couch Dips: 50-100 total
DB/Band Curls: 50-100 total (feel free to swap pull-ups or pull-downs here if you have access to the equipment)
3) Technology makes our lives easier, but doesn’t always make our lives “FIT”
Machines have made us an incredibly out of shape and overweight society. This holiday season make it a point to not use them! Now I don’t mean to say that you cannot drive to the mall during the holidays. However, when you get to the mall, try to park further away so you can do more walking to get inside. Avoid using elevators and escalators and opt for the stairs; all those steps truly do add up. Instead of having your naughty kids carry the bags, burn more calories by carrying the bags yourself (sorry, that was the former naughty kid in me raging, ha ha). Stay on your feet as much as possible and resist the temptation to let a robot or machine do the work for you.
4) Enjoy more outdoor activities
I have been in some pretty incredible snowball fights in my day. Though I was always having a blast while pelting my friends behind cleverly built igloos, I was never aware of how exhausting a good snowball fight can truly be until I came indoors afterwards. My snowsuit was soaked with sweat and I had spent the last 30 minutes or so in total fight or flight mode. Talk about an awesome way to burn calories without even thinking about it! Get outdoors this holidays season and throw around the pigskin or have your very own “Ice Bowl.” Once again, all these calories here and there truly do add up and could make a difference between you fitting in your pants or ripping your pants by the time the clock strikes midnight this New Year!
1) Perform at least one high-intensity resistance training session per week
Studies show that only a single strength training workout per week during times when you cannot train as frequently as you normally do is an effective way to maintain your current levels of strength and lean muscle mass. So, to best maintain your strength and lean muscle mass, shoot for at least one good strength training workout per week to stay buff during the holidays and to prevent unwanted regressions in fitness. To best prevent weight gain, aim for three total body strength workouts per week. To maximize fat burning, perform three total body strength workouts per week and also perform three cardio interval workouts per week on non strength-training days.
2) Make sure to hit your totals
Your body is a moron. In other words, it cannot differentiate between 100 push-ups performed in a row versus 100 total push-ups performed in a day. When you honestly cannot find a five to 20-minute time slot to complete an effective total body workout, look for hidden chunks of time during the day to get in a certain number of daily repetitions for a certain number of exercises that work your entire body. Got a free moment from now until you need to take the turkey out of the oven? Then, bang out 10 push-ups, 10 rows, and 20 squats. Using this method throughout the day will lead to big numbers by the end of the day that will burn the same amount of calories in addition to creating similar muscle building effects as if you did all of the exercises at once during a single workout.
It is important to note that this “Hit Your Totals” routine is merely a back-up option to the ideal 20-minute interval training workouts which are scientifically proven to burn nine times more fat than ordinary exercise (see my article How to Build 5-Minute Total Body Fat Burning Workouts for the Holidays for more info). Short rest periods between exercises create the optimal hormonal environment for rapid fat loss and lean muscle gain, where as the long rest periods (full recovery) between movements do not. However, it comes down to effective (“Hit Your Totals”) versus optimal (50-10 Total Body Circuit Interval Training Workouts), so be sure to at least be effective this holiday season!
Make sure to pick multi-joint, compound movements that hit as much of your body’s major muscle groups in the shortest amount of time possible (e.g. squats, deadlifts, lunges, push-ups, rows, etc.). Use the plan below as guide to build your own “Hit Your Totals” workout. Adjust the repetition ranges accordingly based on your current strength levels. The only thing you need is your body weight and adjustable dumbbells and/or resistance bands. Perform this plan up to three times per week, resting a day between workouts. Make sure to alternate between Plan A and Plan B for more variety. You can either hit your total by doing one exercise first (e.g. perform push-ups rest-pausing as needed until you get 100 total), or by simply employ circuit style training (e.g. 20 squats, 10 push-ups, 10 rows, repeat 10x throughout the day to hit your totals).
The Hit Your Total Workout For The Holidays
Plan A-
Body weight Squats or Hip Extensions: 100-200 total
Push-ups: 50-100 total
DB/Band Rows: 50-100 total
Plan B-
Body weight Lunges or Single-Leg Hip Extensions: 50-100/total per leg
Off Chair/Couch Dips: 50-100 total
DB/Band Curls: 50-100 total (feel free to swap pull-ups or pull-downs here if you have access to the equipment)
3) Technology makes our lives easier, but doesn’t always make our lives “FIT”
Machines have made us an incredibly out of shape and overweight society. This holiday season make it a point to not use them! Now I don’t mean to say that you cannot drive to the mall during the holidays. However, when you get to the mall, try to park further away so you can do more walking to get inside. Avoid using elevators and escalators and opt for the stairs; all those steps truly do add up. Instead of having your naughty kids carry the bags, burn more calories by carrying the bags yourself (sorry, that was the former naughty kid in me raging, ha ha). Stay on your feet as much as possible and resist the temptation to let a robot or machine do the work for you.
4) Enjoy more outdoor activities
I have been in some pretty incredible snowball fights in my day. Though I was always having a blast while pelting my friends behind cleverly built igloos, I was never aware of how exhausting a good snowball fight can truly be until I came indoors afterwards. My snowsuit was soaked with sweat and I had spent the last 30 minutes or so in total fight or flight mode. Talk about an awesome way to burn calories without even thinking about it! Get outdoors this holidays season and throw around the pigskin or have your very own “Ice Bowl.” Once again, all these calories here and there truly do add up and could make a difference between you fitting in your pants or ripping your pants by the time the clock strikes midnight this New Year!
Healthy Holiday Diet Tips: 13 Great Diet Strategies To Stay Fit This Holiday Season
There are a lot of great damage control diet strategies that you should employ to best prevent yourself from overdoing it at the dinner table this holiday season. Use the following tips too allow yourself to stay social and to be able to indulge in moderation without splitting your pants before the New Year:
1) Be Active at a High-Intensity Before and/or After a Big Meal or Holiday Feast
I know, I know. I promised diet strategies, but I simply cannot go without recommending some activity. Your body is most receptive to higher calorie and/or carbohydrate meals within 30 minutes before and within three hours following high-intensity activity. Ideally you would want to workout out before AND after a big meal, but if you can only do one, that will suffice. It is less important when you do it and more important that you do it. Your best options will be 20 minutes of circuit resistance training or cardio interval training. Even a 20-30 plus minute walk a few hours afterwards can serve as a bit of damage control.
2) Fasting can be Fattening! Do NOT Fast in Preparation for a a Big Meal or Holiday Feast
Fasting in preparation for a free meal will not only lead to overeating, but worse: overeating foods that are extremely high in sugar, fat, or both! Your body is a survival mechanism. If it hasn’t had food in a while it anticipates a famine state. This means that the next time that you eat your body will use as much of the incoming food as possible to store as body fat (survival energy) in anticipation that it won’t see food again for another long period of time. Do yourself and your body a favor by eating every two to four hours as you normally should to prevent yourself from becoming a ravenous, fat-storing beast this holiday season!
3) Do NOT Overeat!
Eat until the point of satisfaction, not discomfort. Remember this: binge eating is not the habit of lean individuals. It is imperative to understand that that holiday meals are not a ticket to eat as much as you can in as little time as possible. However, listen to your body and make sure to enjoy the foods you are craving in moderation and only eat when you are hungry.
4) Eat a High-Fiber, Protein-Rich Meal An Hour Before a Holiday Event
A meal high in fiber and protein before a big holiday meal will help prevent overeating by making you feel more full which in turn means less calories consumed during the ensuing feast. My favorite strategy is to drink a protein shake with a added fiber and healthy fats (e.g. 2-4 Tbsp. flax meal) and 1 liter of water before such a meal to help keep me nice and full upon arrival. This way you won’t lose any friends by eating their entire dinner platter and you’ll save your midsection from a fluffier existence!
5) Eat Leans Proteins and Fruits and Vegetables FIRST
Just because it’s a holiday meal doesn’t mean you can’t eat any nutritious food. Make sure to load up on healthier food choices first and try to eat as much lean meat, fish, and fruits and veggies as possible at the start of each holiday event. This will leave less room for the unhealthier, higher calorie treats. At least this way you know your body is getting in some good nutrition and you are not putting yourself at excessive risk for sickness and/or other health concerns.
6) WATER! Drink LOTS of it!
Water competes for space in your stomach and truly helps decrease appetite. For every plate you eat, try to drink at least 1-2 glasses of water. After that second plate, when you have 1 full liter of water in your stomach, I bet you might just throw in the towel!
7) Following a Large Meal, Do NOT Eat Again Until You’re Hungry
Now I know I already told you to eat every 2-4 hours, but there is one exception to this. If you eat a huge meal, it is important not to eat again until you are hungry and/or no longer full. If your body is not used to eating such a big meal, then it will take a much longer time to digest all that food and the worst thing you can do is put more food into an already full stomach, unless you goal is to do the stop, drop, and roll drill. Only when you are hungry again should you resume your normal eating plan following a big holiday meal.
8) Immediately Resume Your Normal Eating Schedule at the Next Meal
What’s done is done. Now it is time to get back to your regular eating plan. Remember weekly caloric intake is far more important than daily caloric intake. For example, let’s say that you need 3,000 calories per day to maintain your current body weight. Well, all that you need to do is make sure the average daily caloric intake each week is 3,000 calories per day. This means that you can fluctuate your daily caloric intake and yield the same results as if you ate that same amount each day. So if you have one day of big eating where you eat 9,000 calories (just an example, not a recommendation), but you only eat 2,000 calories per day the rest of the week, you will still end up at the same caloric balance. Again, I am not recommending that you eat in such an extreme manner, rather I am suggesting that you do not have to obsess about being perfect. Enjoy some indulging in moderation at your various holiday festivities knowing that the week in review trumps a day in review, even when you are particularly naughty on any given day.
9) Junk Food for Breakfast or Before Bed…NEVER Do It
Eating a highly refined carbohydrate meal first thing in the morning will make your blood sugar levels go crazy for the rest of the day resulting in greater junk food cravings and uncontrollable hunger. On the other hand, eating a big meal before bed will result in a bunch of unused energy that will be stored as body fat and you very well may have trouble sleeping with all of that extra food volume in your stomach!
10) Portion Control: You’re In Control
Try to eat only half of all the servings of unhealthy food that you choose. Half of the portions equal half the calories!
11) Try To Avoid Empty Liquid Calories and Alcohol
One can easily consume over 1,000 calories per day from liquid calories alone. This means that in one week, you will gain 2 lbs of body fat from just fluids! Opt for regular solid food calories versus empty liquid calories (e.g. juices and soft drinks), for at least the food will fill you up and provide some nutrition where as liquid calories, particularly alcohol, have no such effect. Rather, sugary and/or alcoholic drinks tend to make you hungrier in general and often hungrier for junk food in particular. Furthermore, your body cannot burn fat until the alcohol is processed out of your body in addition to the fact that alcohol consumption actually lowers leptin levels thus defeating one of the main purposes of this flexible eating (decreased leptin levels increase hunger and decreases your body’s use of fat for fuel). Thus over-consumption of alcohol can prevent the fat burning process from resuming until several days later and/or even cause unwanted fat gain and thus set you back as little as a few days to as long as a full week!
12) Use Lower Calorie/Carbohydrate Substitutes Whenever Possible
Instead of using sugar, opt for zero calorie alternatives like splenda or stevia. They can deliver a similar taste without all of the extra sugar and calories. Even try replacing yeast with protein powder when you bake. The extra protein and reduced carbohydrates will result in a slimmer you while still providing some great tasting treats! Your goal should be to find the minimal amount of calories that can provide the same great taste that makes the holiday treats enjoyable rather than simply overdoing it because you can!
13) Avoid Eating High Fat and High Carbohydrate Meals
The absolute worst thing that you can do is to eat a meal that is high in both fat and carbs. The high amount of carbs will lead to a rapid increase in blood sugar levels and thus large increases in the potent fat-storing hormone Insulin. The high amount of fat will lead to a large increase in free fatty acids in your bloodstream. Since Insulin is already present in large amounts, in addition to there being a large amount of free fatty acids now available in your blood, the stage is set for all those free fatty acids to be gobbled up and stored by your fat cells. This is the equivalent of becoming the next Goodyear blimp, so it is imperative to use caution at your holiday meals when it comes to combining fat (particularly saturated and trans fats) and carbs (particularly starches and refined sugars). In general, it is best to choose one over the other. But since most people crave carbs at their free meals, it is essential to keep the fat low at this meal. Want pasta? Instead of alfredo sauce, opt for marinara sauce with whole grain pasta. Want pizza? Make your own pizza with whole grain crust and fat-free cheese. Want mashed potatoes? Well then be sure to skip the gravy and go easy on the butter. These small changes can literally save you hundreds, even thousands of calories, and more importantly will prevent your holiday feasts from creating the optimal fat-storing environment that will set you back from achieving your health and fitness goals.
1) Be Active at a High-Intensity Before and/or After a Big Meal or Holiday Feast
I know, I know. I promised diet strategies, but I simply cannot go without recommending some activity. Your body is most receptive to higher calorie and/or carbohydrate meals within 30 minutes before and within three hours following high-intensity activity. Ideally you would want to workout out before AND after a big meal, but if you can only do one, that will suffice. It is less important when you do it and more important that you do it. Your best options will be 20 minutes of circuit resistance training or cardio interval training. Even a 20-30 plus minute walk a few hours afterwards can serve as a bit of damage control.
2) Fasting can be Fattening! Do NOT Fast in Preparation for a a Big Meal or Holiday Feast
Fasting in preparation for a free meal will not only lead to overeating, but worse: overeating foods that are extremely high in sugar, fat, or both! Your body is a survival mechanism. If it hasn’t had food in a while it anticipates a famine state. This means that the next time that you eat your body will use as much of the incoming food as possible to store as body fat (survival energy) in anticipation that it won’t see food again for another long period of time. Do yourself and your body a favor by eating every two to four hours as you normally should to prevent yourself from becoming a ravenous, fat-storing beast this holiday season!
3) Do NOT Overeat!
Eat until the point of satisfaction, not discomfort. Remember this: binge eating is not the habit of lean individuals. It is imperative to understand that that holiday meals are not a ticket to eat as much as you can in as little time as possible. However, listen to your body and make sure to enjoy the foods you are craving in moderation and only eat when you are hungry.
4) Eat a High-Fiber, Protein-Rich Meal An Hour Before a Holiday Event
A meal high in fiber and protein before a big holiday meal will help prevent overeating by making you feel more full which in turn means less calories consumed during the ensuing feast. My favorite strategy is to drink a protein shake with a added fiber and healthy fats (e.g. 2-4 Tbsp. flax meal) and 1 liter of water before such a meal to help keep me nice and full upon arrival. This way you won’t lose any friends by eating their entire dinner platter and you’ll save your midsection from a fluffier existence!
5) Eat Leans Proteins and Fruits and Vegetables FIRST
Just because it’s a holiday meal doesn’t mean you can’t eat any nutritious food. Make sure to load up on healthier food choices first and try to eat as much lean meat, fish, and fruits and veggies as possible at the start of each holiday event. This will leave less room for the unhealthier, higher calorie treats. At least this way you know your body is getting in some good nutrition and you are not putting yourself at excessive risk for sickness and/or other health concerns.
6) WATER! Drink LOTS of it!
Water competes for space in your stomach and truly helps decrease appetite. For every plate you eat, try to drink at least 1-2 glasses of water. After that second plate, when you have 1 full liter of water in your stomach, I bet you might just throw in the towel!
7) Following a Large Meal, Do NOT Eat Again Until You’re Hungry
Now I know I already told you to eat every 2-4 hours, but there is one exception to this. If you eat a huge meal, it is important not to eat again until you are hungry and/or no longer full. If your body is not used to eating such a big meal, then it will take a much longer time to digest all that food and the worst thing you can do is put more food into an already full stomach, unless you goal is to do the stop, drop, and roll drill. Only when you are hungry again should you resume your normal eating plan following a big holiday meal.
8) Immediately Resume Your Normal Eating Schedule at the Next Meal
What’s done is done. Now it is time to get back to your regular eating plan. Remember weekly caloric intake is far more important than daily caloric intake. For example, let’s say that you need 3,000 calories per day to maintain your current body weight. Well, all that you need to do is make sure the average daily caloric intake each week is 3,000 calories per day. This means that you can fluctuate your daily caloric intake and yield the same results as if you ate that same amount each day. So if you have one day of big eating where you eat 9,000 calories (just an example, not a recommendation), but you only eat 2,000 calories per day the rest of the week, you will still end up at the same caloric balance. Again, I am not recommending that you eat in such an extreme manner, rather I am suggesting that you do not have to obsess about being perfect. Enjoy some indulging in moderation at your various holiday festivities knowing that the week in review trumps a day in review, even when you are particularly naughty on any given day.
9) Junk Food for Breakfast or Before Bed…NEVER Do It
Eating a highly refined carbohydrate meal first thing in the morning will make your blood sugar levels go crazy for the rest of the day resulting in greater junk food cravings and uncontrollable hunger. On the other hand, eating a big meal before bed will result in a bunch of unused energy that will be stored as body fat and you very well may have trouble sleeping with all of that extra food volume in your stomach!
10) Portion Control: You’re In Control
Try to eat only half of all the servings of unhealthy food that you choose. Half of the portions equal half the calories!
11) Try To Avoid Empty Liquid Calories and Alcohol
One can easily consume over 1,000 calories per day from liquid calories alone. This means that in one week, you will gain 2 lbs of body fat from just fluids! Opt for regular solid food calories versus empty liquid calories (e.g. juices and soft drinks), for at least the food will fill you up and provide some nutrition where as liquid calories, particularly alcohol, have no such effect. Rather, sugary and/or alcoholic drinks tend to make you hungrier in general and often hungrier for junk food in particular. Furthermore, your body cannot burn fat until the alcohol is processed out of your body in addition to the fact that alcohol consumption actually lowers leptin levels thus defeating one of the main purposes of this flexible eating (decreased leptin levels increase hunger and decreases your body’s use of fat for fuel). Thus over-consumption of alcohol can prevent the fat burning process from resuming until several days later and/or even cause unwanted fat gain and thus set you back as little as a few days to as long as a full week!
12) Use Lower Calorie/Carbohydrate Substitutes Whenever Possible
Instead of using sugar, opt for zero calorie alternatives like splenda or stevia. They can deliver a similar taste without all of the extra sugar and calories. Even try replacing yeast with protein powder when you bake. The extra protein and reduced carbohydrates will result in a slimmer you while still providing some great tasting treats! Your goal should be to find the minimal amount of calories that can provide the same great taste that makes the holiday treats enjoyable rather than simply overdoing it because you can!
13) Avoid Eating High Fat and High Carbohydrate Meals
The absolute worst thing that you can do is to eat a meal that is high in both fat and carbs. The high amount of carbs will lead to a rapid increase in blood sugar levels and thus large increases in the potent fat-storing hormone Insulin. The high amount of fat will lead to a large increase in free fatty acids in your bloodstream. Since Insulin is already present in large amounts, in addition to there being a large amount of free fatty acids now available in your blood, the stage is set for all those free fatty acids to be gobbled up and stored by your fat cells. This is the equivalent of becoming the next Goodyear blimp, so it is imperative to use caution at your holiday meals when it comes to combining fat (particularly saturated and trans fats) and carbs (particularly starches and refined sugars). In general, it is best to choose one over the other. But since most people crave carbs at their free meals, it is essential to keep the fat low at this meal. Want pasta? Instead of alfredo sauce, opt for marinara sauce with whole grain pasta. Want pizza? Make your own pizza with whole grain crust and fat-free cheese. Want mashed potatoes? Well then be sure to skip the gravy and go easy on the butter. These small changes can literally save you hundreds, even thousands of calories, and more importantly will prevent your holiday feasts from creating the optimal fat-storing environment that will set you back from achieving your health and fitness goals.
Fast Fat Loss Through Circuit Training - How To Build The Ultimate Circuit Training Program For Fast Fat Loss
In the past, the cornerstone of most resistance training workouts has been performing exercises in a straight set format. Essentially, this means you perform a certain number of reps for a given exercise or you perform as many reps as possible for a given exercise and then you rest anywhere from 30 seconds to five minutes based on your training goals before repeating this set a certain number of times based on your goals. For more of a fat loss and lean muscle gain emphasis shorter rest periods are ideal. For more of a strength or power emphasis, longer rest periods are prescribed.
So, what’s the problem with this format? Well, though straight sets are extremely easy to comprehend for people new to fitness, they are also an extremely inefficient way to order your exercises. In most commercial gyms you’ll typically see someone perform three sets of 10 reps for let’s say the bench press. They pump out 10 reps, go to the water fountain, talk with some buddies, watch a couple of highlights on ESPN, and then gingerly walk back to the bench area to hit up their second set. In general, most people, guys in particular, tend to take about 3-5 minutes between sets. In the case of three sets of 10 on the bench that means it would take up to 15 minutes to complete only one movement pattern (a horizontal push). That means you’d need at least in hour to perform four different exercises!
A much more effective and time-efficient approach to ordering your exercises is utilizing the alternating set format. Here you’ll perform one exercise, rest for a short period of time, then perform another non-competing exercise, rest for a short period of time, and so forth. Alternating sets allow you to work different areas of your body when you would otherwise be resting with the straight set format. Plus, by working another area of your body with a non-competing exercise you allow your body to recover from the previous exercise(s). The result is improved training economy and density: more work accomplished in less time, the cornerstone of any sound fat loss program. There are several ways to perform alternating sets outlined below:
1.) Supersets: Alternate between two different non-competing exercises (e.g. upper body and lower body such as push-ups and lunges)
2.) Trisets: Alternate between three different exercises (e.g. push, pull, and lower body such as push-ups, rows, and lunges)
3.) Circuits: Alternate between four or more different exercises
Though supersets and trisets are excellent alternating set options, I believe circuit training is by the far the best option time and time again. To demonstrate why, let’s examine my favorite circuit training template using timed set intervals:
The 50-10 Five Exercise Circuit: You will alternate between 50 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest for all five exercises in the following 5-minute circuit:
Exercise#1- Squats
Exercise#2- Dips
Exercise#3- Single-Leg Hip Extensions
Exercise#4- Pull-ups
Exercise#5- Leg Raises
Perform this circuit up to four times for a 20-minute total body fat burning workout.
Basically, in the same 15 minutes that it took to get in three sets on the bench you could have gotten in three sets of five different exercise for a staggering total of 15 work sets! Plus, the intensity on each exercise will be just as high as in the straight set format because in this five exercise circuit you will have full recovery with over four minutes before you return to any given exercise (just as you did with the straight set format described earlier).
To recap, the key to creating the optimal hormonal environment for fat loss is to perform each exercise with maximal intensity while separated by brief rest periods in order to accumulate a high volume of total body work in the shortest amount of time possible. Circuit training provides for the best of both worlds and is thus simply unmatched for simultaneously maximizing fat loss and lean muscle gain. Use the following template I use with my many boot camp clients for some killer, yet simple fat loss circuits:
Exercise#1- Double-Leg
Exercise#2- Push
Exercise#3- Single-Leg
Exercise#4- Pull
Exercise#5- Core
I’ll be sharing some more great circuit training workouts from my boot camps in the weeks to come ;)
Invest In Your Fitness,
Ray Ortiz
www.investinfitness.ca
www.byebyebabyfat.ca
So, what’s the problem with this format? Well, though straight sets are extremely easy to comprehend for people new to fitness, they are also an extremely inefficient way to order your exercises. In most commercial gyms you’ll typically see someone perform three sets of 10 reps for let’s say the bench press. They pump out 10 reps, go to the water fountain, talk with some buddies, watch a couple of highlights on ESPN, and then gingerly walk back to the bench area to hit up their second set. In general, most people, guys in particular, tend to take about 3-5 minutes between sets. In the case of three sets of 10 on the bench that means it would take up to 15 minutes to complete only one movement pattern (a horizontal push). That means you’d need at least in hour to perform four different exercises!
A much more effective and time-efficient approach to ordering your exercises is utilizing the alternating set format. Here you’ll perform one exercise, rest for a short period of time, then perform another non-competing exercise, rest for a short period of time, and so forth. Alternating sets allow you to work different areas of your body when you would otherwise be resting with the straight set format. Plus, by working another area of your body with a non-competing exercise you allow your body to recover from the previous exercise(s). The result is improved training economy and density: more work accomplished in less time, the cornerstone of any sound fat loss program. There are several ways to perform alternating sets outlined below:
1.) Supersets: Alternate between two different non-competing exercises (e.g. upper body and lower body such as push-ups and lunges)
2.) Trisets: Alternate between three different exercises (e.g. push, pull, and lower body such as push-ups, rows, and lunges)
3.) Circuits: Alternate between four or more different exercises
Though supersets and trisets are excellent alternating set options, I believe circuit training is by the far the best option time and time again. To demonstrate why, let’s examine my favorite circuit training template using timed set intervals:
The 50-10 Five Exercise Circuit: You will alternate between 50 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest for all five exercises in the following 5-minute circuit:
Exercise#1- Squats
Exercise#2- Dips
Exercise#3- Single-Leg Hip Extensions
Exercise#4- Pull-ups
Exercise#5- Leg Raises
Perform this circuit up to four times for a 20-minute total body fat burning workout.
Basically, in the same 15 minutes that it took to get in three sets on the bench you could have gotten in three sets of five different exercise for a staggering total of 15 work sets! Plus, the intensity on each exercise will be just as high as in the straight set format because in this five exercise circuit you will have full recovery with over four minutes before you return to any given exercise (just as you did with the straight set format described earlier).
To recap, the key to creating the optimal hormonal environment for fat loss is to perform each exercise with maximal intensity while separated by brief rest periods in order to accumulate a high volume of total body work in the shortest amount of time possible. Circuit training provides for the best of both worlds and is thus simply unmatched for simultaneously maximizing fat loss and lean muscle gain. Use the following template I use with my many boot camp clients for some killer, yet simple fat loss circuits:
Exercise#1- Double-Leg
Exercise#2- Push
Exercise#3- Single-Leg
Exercise#4- Pull
Exercise#5- Core
I’ll be sharing some more great circuit training workouts from my boot camps in the weeks to come ;)
Invest In Your Fitness,
Ray Ortiz
www.investinfitness.ca
www.byebyebabyfat.ca
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
INVEST IN FITNESS - Change your life - Part 2
So the whole point of sharing my story is that I wasn't happy. I needed to do something. And when you're not happy, there will be a point where you have to make a choice. What are your options? Well, you can keep doing what you're doing, and hopefully one day things will change for you. OR!! You can do something about it!!!
So with that being said, I'm going to do something about it. I'm going to change my life, in a positive way. I challenge you to do the same!!! How do you start? Well, all you have to do is write down your goals, give yourself a deadline, and make sure it's accomplished by then. Pretty much, do what you gotta do to get where you wanna go!!! It's possible, and I'm going to prove it!!!
So, with this being a "Fitness Blog"....I'm going to start with getting back into shape in 2009!!!
My goal: To lose 10lbs of body fat by Jan. 31/09
I will be updating this blog frequently with my progress, my setbacks ('cause I'm sure I'll have some), how I'll overcome them, and reach my goal. WISH ME LUCK!!!
AND....GOODLUCK TO YOU!!!
So with that being said, I'm going to do something about it. I'm going to change my life, in a positive way. I challenge you to do the same!!! How do you start? Well, all you have to do is write down your goals, give yourself a deadline, and make sure it's accomplished by then. Pretty much, do what you gotta do to get where you wanna go!!! It's possible, and I'm going to prove it!!!
So, with this being a "Fitness Blog"....I'm going to start with getting back into shape in 2009!!!
My goal: To lose 10lbs of body fat by Jan. 31/09
I will be updating this blog frequently with my progress, my setbacks ('cause I'm sure I'll have some), how I'll overcome them, and reach my goal. WISH ME LUCK!!!
AND....GOODLUCK TO YOU!!!
INVEST IN FITNESS - Change your life - Part 1
Change MY Life???
HELLO!! My name is Ray Ortiz.
I am the owner of Invest in Fitness, a personal training company dedicated to bringing awareness to health, wellness, and fitness by providing the most current tips, research and information.
Why am I writing this blog. Well, to show my readers that I am just like anybody else, and that I know how difficult it is to get fit. Most importantly, I want to show people that it is possible, and ANYONE can do it.
WELCOME TO INVEST IN FITNESS!!!
To prove that I am just like everybody else, I want to share my story:
Just as a quick overview, I completed a degree in Kinesiology and Health Sciences in 2004. My next step was to become a Chiropractor. In 2006 I was enrolled at the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in Toronto, in hopes to complete my Doctor of Chiropractic. It was a lot of work getting into that school, and felt amazing when I got in because all of my hours of work and planning FINALLY paid off. My path was set. I was going to study, work hard for the next four years, and hopefully open up a successful practice at the end of it all. Chiropractic was going to be my career!!! Until IT happened. My plans changed in a blink of an eye.
In 2006, just 2 months into my first year at Chiropractic College, my father suffered a massive heart attack, which resulted in him having severe brain damage. It was a big blow to my family. And it also meant that I had to put my Chiro plans on hold, to help out at home. So for the next year, I would work as a personal trainer at a gym, in hopes that I could continue my studies the following term. So that's what I did, and in 2007, I began my studies again. This time, I felt like it was going to happen, I was focused. As crazy as things were at home, and as difficult as the Chiro program was, I wasn't going to let anything stop me from following through with my plans.
But sometimes, things are just out of your control. Early this year (2008), my father was moved from the hosipital, to a nursing home. Which meant that my family had to now pay for his care....and let me tell you, it is NOT cheap!!! When you throw in my $ 20,000/year tuition, it makes for tough times. So again, my plans of Chiropractic had to be put on hold. But this time, I wasn't sure when I'd be able to go back, because of all the resposibilities I had in my personal life. It was pretty devasting to me, because I had worked so hard to get into Chiropractic college, and I had all these plans for myself for the future, and all of sudden my plans crumbled, and I was faced with having to find a new career path.
I had been a certified personal trainer and worked at a gym since 2002. But I never saw it as a possible career. It was just a hobby for me, it was fun! I had a free membership at a gym, I met different people on a daily basis, I had a consistent client load, I got paid well, and I was good at what I did. I helped numerous clients reach their fitness goals. But what about MY goals???
How is this relevant? Well, during the last year, while I was in school, I got into the worst shape of my life!!! I'm supposed to be a fitness professional, and here I was, eating junk food, not exercising, getting fat and out of shape!!! I went from exercising 5 times per week, to 5 times a month!!! Mind you, school was insane. It seemed like all you could do was eat, sleep and study, with not much time for anything else. But still, I knew better as a fitness expert. And before you knew it, I was gaining weight, my clothes that fit me in the past didn't fit me anymore, I wasn't as strong or as fast as I used to be.
Everything, that my clients used to say happened to them, was happening to me. I felt like I was losing control. I used to coach my clients how to get into the best shape of their lives, and I couldn't even coach myself anymore!!! I would keep telling myself things like: "I'll work out tomorrow" or "I'll start eating healthy again tomorrow". Well, days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and before you knew it, I was 12 lbs heavier than I was the year before!!!
Something needed to change. I needed to change my life!!!
HELLO!! My name is Ray Ortiz.
I am the owner of Invest in Fitness, a personal training company dedicated to bringing awareness to health, wellness, and fitness by providing the most current tips, research and information.
Why am I writing this blog. Well, to show my readers that I am just like anybody else, and that I know how difficult it is to get fit. Most importantly, I want to show people that it is possible, and ANYONE can do it.
WELCOME TO INVEST IN FITNESS!!!
To prove that I am just like everybody else, I want to share my story:
Just as a quick overview, I completed a degree in Kinesiology and Health Sciences in 2004. My next step was to become a Chiropractor. In 2006 I was enrolled at the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in Toronto, in hopes to complete my Doctor of Chiropractic. It was a lot of work getting into that school, and felt amazing when I got in because all of my hours of work and planning FINALLY paid off. My path was set. I was going to study, work hard for the next four years, and hopefully open up a successful practice at the end of it all. Chiropractic was going to be my career!!! Until IT happened. My plans changed in a blink of an eye.
In 2006, just 2 months into my first year at Chiropractic College, my father suffered a massive heart attack, which resulted in him having severe brain damage. It was a big blow to my family. And it also meant that I had to put my Chiro plans on hold, to help out at home. So for the next year, I would work as a personal trainer at a gym, in hopes that I could continue my studies the following term. So that's what I did, and in 2007, I began my studies again. This time, I felt like it was going to happen, I was focused. As crazy as things were at home, and as difficult as the Chiro program was, I wasn't going to let anything stop me from following through with my plans.
But sometimes, things are just out of your control. Early this year (2008), my father was moved from the hosipital, to a nursing home. Which meant that my family had to now pay for his care....and let me tell you, it is NOT cheap!!! When you throw in my $ 20,000/year tuition, it makes for tough times. So again, my plans of Chiropractic had to be put on hold. But this time, I wasn't sure when I'd be able to go back, because of all the resposibilities I had in my personal life. It was pretty devasting to me, because I had worked so hard to get into Chiropractic college, and I had all these plans for myself for the future, and all of sudden my plans crumbled, and I was faced with having to find a new career path.
I had been a certified personal trainer and worked at a gym since 2002. But I never saw it as a possible career. It was just a hobby for me, it was fun! I had a free membership at a gym, I met different people on a daily basis, I had a consistent client load, I got paid well, and I was good at what I did. I helped numerous clients reach their fitness goals. But what about MY goals???
How is this relevant? Well, during the last year, while I was in school, I got into the worst shape of my life!!! I'm supposed to be a fitness professional, and here I was, eating junk food, not exercising, getting fat and out of shape!!! I went from exercising 5 times per week, to 5 times a month!!! Mind you, school was insane. It seemed like all you could do was eat, sleep and study, with not much time for anything else. But still, I knew better as a fitness expert. And before you knew it, I was gaining weight, my clothes that fit me in the past didn't fit me anymore, I wasn't as strong or as fast as I used to be.
Everything, that my clients used to say happened to them, was happening to me. I felt like I was losing control. I used to coach my clients how to get into the best shape of their lives, and I couldn't even coach myself anymore!!! I would keep telling myself things like: "I'll work out tomorrow" or "I'll start eating healthy again tomorrow". Well, days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and before you knew it, I was 12 lbs heavier than I was the year before!!!
Something needed to change. I needed to change my life!!!
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