Since it is the typical New Years Resolution time I thought I should discuss how to properly do the cardio aspect of your routine. And since I saw many people are the gym yesterday only doing long drawn out sessions of cardio I think this is needed.
So which is better? Shorter intense cardio or long drawn out at a moderate pace?
They both have their advantages, however if you are trying to lose weight your best bet would be to do shorter more intense cardio training (interval training) after you have built up a base cardio ability by doing drawn out moderate paced training.
For example, the easiest way I can describe interval training to you via this blog is:
Go to a street that has telephone poles along it, and after a proper warm up, run as hard as you can between two poles and then do an "active recovery" jog between 2-3 and then repeat for 10-20 minutes.
Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts
Friday, January 14, 2011
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Extremes Sell
This is sadly true and it's an odd fact for the human species.
Look on the cover of almost any fitness or "health" magazine and you will see one of the three following types:
Super Tall and Super Skinny. These are usually females and they are usually way to slim to actually be healthy and happy. For example, I am talking about a woman who is say 5 foot 9 or 10 and weighs all of 102 lbs. Unless she has the genetics for it, she probably is not healthy and it probably trying to make herself look a certain way in order to make society happy.
"Muscle Monkeys" These guys, and sometimes ladies with muscles popping and bulging veins exploding from under paper thin skin. I call these Muscle Monkeys, spend 4-6 hours a day pumping iron and usually jacked off of a combination of various chemicals that I doubt a pharmacist could pronounce let alone suggest.
"The 700 lb man or woman who lost 550 lbs and you can too" I am still trying to figure out why society is in amazed with either very very very large people or very very very tiny people.
So what about those of us in the middle? My personal and professional oppinion is that we should select goals for ourselves that are a challenge but in the realm of possible. We should make healthy food choices and not eat fast food everyday or drink five galons of pop a day. Make an honest attempt at being more active and not spend 8 hours a day watching TV.
Look on the cover of almost any fitness or "health" magazine and you will see one of the three following types:
Super Tall and Super Skinny. These are usually females and they are usually way to slim to actually be healthy and happy. For example, I am talking about a woman who is say 5 foot 9 or 10 and weighs all of 102 lbs. Unless she has the genetics for it, she probably is not healthy and it probably trying to make herself look a certain way in order to make society happy.
"Muscle Monkeys" These guys, and sometimes ladies with muscles popping and bulging veins exploding from under paper thin skin. I call these Muscle Monkeys, spend 4-6 hours a day pumping iron and usually jacked off of a combination of various chemicals that I doubt a pharmacist could pronounce let alone suggest.
"The 700 lb man or woman who lost 550 lbs and you can too" I am still trying to figure out why society is in amazed with either very very very large people or very very very tiny people.
So what about those of us in the middle? My personal and professional oppinion is that we should select goals for ourselves that are a challenge but in the realm of possible. We should make healthy food choices and not eat fast food everyday or drink five galons of pop a day. Make an honest attempt at being more active and not spend 8 hours a day watching TV.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Great Fitness Book!!!!
First on the Bill is:
Anatomy of Exercise
Pat Manocchia
I love this book. If I am designing a routine and I am unable to think of anything for a particular body part I grab this book. It's awesome, if you are in the market for a exercise book and limited funds, I strongly suggest this book. It shows great warm ups, stretches and the proper technique of each exercise. It also details which muscle is being activated primarily.
Anatomy of Exercise
Pat Manocchia
I love this book. If I am designing a routine and I am unable to think of anything for a particular body part I grab this book. It's awesome, if you are in the market for a exercise book and limited funds, I strongly suggest this book. It shows great warm ups, stretches and the proper technique of each exercise. It also details which muscle is being activated primarily.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Body types, an introduction
Another friend gave me a great idea to do a multi-part discussion on body types and how to train correctly for each type. So tonight I am going to start it off with an introduction.
There are 3 body types. It does not matter about gender, age, race or whatever else. If you are human you fit into 1 of the 3 or a mix of 2 of them.
Endomorph -
If we look at the above picture you can see that typical Endomorph tends to be:
Round
Easier time gaining muscle
Slightly harder time losing fat
Heavier set
Pear shaped
Mesomorph -
Muscular/Atheletic look
Easy time losing fat and gaining muscle
Considered the "ideal" body type
Ectomorph-
Slim to frail
Insanly easy time losing fat
Almost impossible to gain and maintain muscle
Very slender
Every single person on the planet will either fit into one of these three types or is a hybrid (Ecto-Meso or Endo-Meso). If anyone tells you they are a hybrid of Ecto-Endo, they likely do not know what they are saying and are probably confused with the names of the types.
There are 3 body types. It does not matter about gender, age, race or whatever else. If you are human you fit into 1 of the 3 or a mix of 2 of them.
Endomorph -
If we look at the above picture you can see that typical Endomorph tends to be:
Round
Easier time gaining muscle
Slightly harder time losing fat
Heavier set
Pear shaped
Mesomorph -
Muscular/Atheletic look
Easy time losing fat and gaining muscle
Considered the "ideal" body type
Ectomorph-
Slim to frail
Insanly easy time losing fat
Almost impossible to gain and maintain muscle
Very slender
Every single person on the planet will either fit into one of these three types or is a hybrid (Ecto-Meso or Endo-Meso). If anyone tells you they are a hybrid of Ecto-Endo, they likely do not know what they are saying and are probably confused with the names of the types.
Exercise FAQs
I'm going to answer some of the most common questions I have been asked. This may end up being a series.
If I lift weights, won't I end up looking like Arnold?
Unless you have the genetics for this to happen, no. I have heard this question from alot of women and a few men. Some bodybuilders resort to "alternative medicine" in order to get the look that is desirable for their sport. The credible ones who do it without those medicines usually spend hours upon hours in the gym crafting their bodies for the sport. So again, unless you have the genetics and spend hours in the gym a day. You will not end up looking like Arnold if you lift weights.
Why aren't I losing weight, the Cardio machine has said I'm in fat burning mode:
Unless you are going at your current pace for hours on the machine you are not in fat burning mode. Those machines are kind of misleading in that aspect. In order for you to lose weight doing cardio you would be better off figuring out your heart rate targets and staying within them. Or by doing interval training once you build up a base cardio ability. I will investigate this more in my next article.
Can't I just get fit by only lifting weights? I hate doing cardio.
I mainly hear this from younger guys. While you will gain a small gains in cardio ability by doing strength training you would be better off doing a regime that blends cardio and weight/strength training together in order to cover all your bases. So guys, go do some cardio it's good for your heart and will help you be able to pump that iron for longer.
My muscles hurt after working out, how can I stop this?
After your workout which should include a proper warm up, you should stretch out the muscles you worked which will limit the soreness. And after the workout eat or drink something that contains ample protein.
Do I really have to do cardio? It's so boring, I feel like a hamster on a wheel going nowhere.
Yes, you have to do cardio. If it bores you so much then do something you like to do. Other great cardio options that don't involve machines are: Running stairs, snowshoeing, swimming, rowing, soccer, basketball, jogging, skating, walking, playing with your kids, taking the stairs at work, parking further away from work/mall and more. You don't have to do your cardio on the machines at the gym but you need atleast 30 minutes a day 5 to 7 times a week to be of benefit.
If I lift weights, won't I end up looking like Arnold?
Unless you have the genetics for this to happen, no. I have heard this question from alot of women and a few men. Some bodybuilders resort to "alternative medicine" in order to get the look that is desirable for their sport. The credible ones who do it without those medicines usually spend hours upon hours in the gym crafting their bodies for the sport. So again, unless you have the genetics and spend hours in the gym a day. You will not end up looking like Arnold if you lift weights.
Why aren't I losing weight, the Cardio machine has said I'm in fat burning mode:
Unless you are going at your current pace for hours on the machine you are not in fat burning mode. Those machines are kind of misleading in that aspect. In order for you to lose weight doing cardio you would be better off figuring out your heart rate targets and staying within them. Or by doing interval training once you build up a base cardio ability. I will investigate this more in my next article.
Can't I just get fit by only lifting weights? I hate doing cardio.
I mainly hear this from younger guys. While you will gain a small gains in cardio ability by doing strength training you would be better off doing a regime that blends cardio and weight/strength training together in order to cover all your bases. So guys, go do some cardio it's good for your heart and will help you be able to pump that iron for longer.
My muscles hurt after working out, how can I stop this?
After your workout which should include a proper warm up, you should stretch out the muscles you worked which will limit the soreness. And after the workout eat or drink something that contains ample protein.
Do I really have to do cardio? It's so boring, I feel like a hamster on a wheel going nowhere.
Yes, you have to do cardio. If it bores you so much then do something you like to do. Other great cardio options that don't involve machines are: Running stairs, snowshoeing, swimming, rowing, soccer, basketball, jogging, skating, walking, playing with your kids, taking the stairs at work, parking further away from work/mall and more. You don't have to do your cardio on the machines at the gym but you need atleast 30 minutes a day 5 to 7 times a week to be of benefit.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
How do I read nutrition labels?
This is another good question. Being able to read these labels does include some math and translation of those scientific names of ingredients.
The math:
Fat, Protein, Carbs and Alcohol all have the following calories per gram (or in the case of the Alcohol per ml)
Fat : 9 kcal
Protein : 4 kcal
Carbs : 4 kcal
Alcohol : 7 kcal
So if something says it has, for example, 150 calories per serving and 10g of fat, 6g of protein and 9g of carbs.
10 x 9 = 90 kcals from fat.
6 x 4 = 24 kcals from protein.
9 x 4 = 36 kcals from carbs.
So if this were a real product, if the fat were saturated or trans fat it would not be something healthy you consume.
Types of fat:
Saturated, this is a perserving fat used to extend the shelf life of products.
Transfat, alot of snack foods like chips, cookies and some crackers have this in varying ammounts. This is horrible on your body, and should be avoided or atleast very limited in your diet.
Poly-unsaturated, This is good fat that is not usually found in the North American diet. These are the Omega Fats, like Omega 3, 6 and 9 these are awesome for your brain and heart. Usually found in fish oils.
Mono-unsaturated. Another good fat that is found in nuts and avocados.
Any ingredient that ends with ous. Like fructous, dextrous and alike. This is a fancy name for sugar. Unless it is sugar from fruits or veggies it should really be consumed in very limited ammounts.
I do hope this helps you figure out the labels on food a little easier.
The math:
Fat, Protein, Carbs and Alcohol all have the following calories per gram (or in the case of the Alcohol per ml)
Fat : 9 kcal
Protein : 4 kcal
Carbs : 4 kcal
Alcohol : 7 kcal
So if something says it has, for example, 150 calories per serving and 10g of fat, 6g of protein and 9g of carbs.
10 x 9 = 90 kcals from fat.
6 x 4 = 24 kcals from protein.
9 x 4 = 36 kcals from carbs.
So if this were a real product, if the fat were saturated or trans fat it would not be something healthy you consume.
Types of fat:
Saturated, this is a perserving fat used to extend the shelf life of products.
Transfat, alot of snack foods like chips, cookies and some crackers have this in varying ammounts. This is horrible on your body, and should be avoided or atleast very limited in your diet.
Poly-unsaturated, This is good fat that is not usually found in the North American diet. These are the Omega Fats, like Omega 3, 6 and 9 these are awesome for your brain and heart. Usually found in fish oils.
Mono-unsaturated. Another good fat that is found in nuts and avocados.
Any ingredient that ends with ous. Like fructous, dextrous and alike. This is a fancy name for sugar. Unless it is sugar from fruits or veggies it should really be consumed in very limited ammounts.
I do hope this helps you figure out the labels on food a little easier.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Water and your weight
Ladies and Gentlemen as a fitness professional I am often asked questions about ways for people to lose weight a little quicker.
When it comes to water there are 2 options;
Drink Ice Cold, and I literally mean ice cold water. Doing this causes your metabolism to work harder because your body wants to heat that water up to body temperature. Doing this won't cause 20 lbs to drop off overnight, this may add to roughly 5 extra pounds lost during the course of the year. Not to mention the water does help you eliminate waste.
Shed water weight, this can be done by limiting the amount of sodium you intake daily *. The sodium can cause you to retain water and thus appear bloated. I have been told that some people can be walking around with 5 to 10 lbs of excess weight do to water retention. While you are limiting your intake of sodium you need to increase you intake of water in order to flush out the excess sodium.
There is also another way to shed the water weight. I do not recommend this for the average person looking to lose weight because it can be very dangerous if not done with supervision. This way is to sweat out that water through moderate to high intensity cardio exercise while wearing say long pants and a long sleeved shirt. Again I do not suggest or advise this for the average person because dehydration can set in and could result in fainting, kidney failure and possible death. So unless you are a very expierenced exerciser DO NOT DO THIS.
* Limiting sodium intake can be tricky to do because if you look at the labels on most foods you will see an obscene ammount of sodium. For instance if I take a can of soup from my cupboard I can see the sodium is nearly 50% of your daily required intake.
When it comes to water there are 2 options;
Drink Ice Cold, and I literally mean ice cold water. Doing this causes your metabolism to work harder because your body wants to heat that water up to body temperature. Doing this won't cause 20 lbs to drop off overnight, this may add to roughly 5 extra pounds lost during the course of the year. Not to mention the water does help you eliminate waste.
Shed water weight, this can be done by limiting the amount of sodium you intake daily *. The sodium can cause you to retain water and thus appear bloated. I have been told that some people can be walking around with 5 to 10 lbs of excess weight do to water retention. While you are limiting your intake of sodium you need to increase you intake of water in order to flush out the excess sodium.
There is also another way to shed the water weight. I do not recommend this for the average person looking to lose weight because it can be very dangerous if not done with supervision. This way is to sweat out that water through moderate to high intensity cardio exercise while wearing say long pants and a long sleeved shirt. Again I do not suggest or advise this for the average person because dehydration can set in and could result in fainting, kidney failure and possible death. So unless you are a very expierenced exerciser DO NOT DO THIS.
* Limiting sodium intake can be tricky to do because if you look at the labels on most foods you will see an obscene ammount of sodium. For instance if I take a can of soup from my cupboard I can see the sodium is nearly 50% of your daily required intake.
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