Dropping pounds in '08

Since resolution season is just a week or so away I thought I would list some practical tips for getting back in shape.

1. Drink water. An easy way to reduce calories is to cut them out of your beverages.


2. Eat breakfast. Have some protein and fat in the morning..not just carbs.


3. Limit sugar intake. If it comes in a packet then it has a lot of sugar.


4. Train like an athlete, not a body builder. Do full body exercises.


5. Invest in a heart rate monitor.


6. Stay away from elliptical machines. They are useless.


7. Circuit train.


8. Eat smaller portions throughout the day. It will help regulate your metabolism.


9. Cut out milk and cheese.


10. Do not eat 2-3 hours before going to bed.

http://www.athlete365.com/

Burger King is public enemy #1

http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2007/12/20/transfats-monitoring.html?ref=rss

This is funny stuff. Burger King has not reduced the trans fats in its food so Health Canada is singling them out as the bad guy. So it seemed when I watched the CBC National news last night. How about the other restaurants? Did they get healthier? No, no. They just replaced trans fats with saturated fats.

Will targeting trans fats at fast food restaurants really make a difference in the growing obesity levels in Canada? And all of the other health problems that come with it? I don't think so. Eating fast food is bad any way you look at it. It has little or no nutritional value and is loaded with calories. Will a little reduction in trans fats really do much if you do not exercise and consume more calories than you need? The best way to reduce trans fats is too just stay away from them as much as you can. Therefore, if you are a frequent flyer at a fast food joint then maybe you should cut back on your visits.

Power Oatmeal

Not a fan of breakfast? You say you have no time to eat, or you can't look at food until lunch. Not a good idea if you are trying to lose or gain weight. I don't want to sound like your mother but breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. By not eating in the morning you are sabotaging your metabolism for the entire day. Whip up this quick recipe in the morning and have energy for hours.

3/4 cup rice or soy milk
1/3 cup instant or quick oats
1 Tbsp raisins
1 Tbsp chopped apricots
1/2 Tbsp flax seeds
1 Tbsp maple syrup

Bring milk to a boil. Stir in oats, raisins, apricots, and flax seeds. Cook for 1-4 minutes, depending on oats package instructions. Then, stir in maple syrup. Put top on pot and set aside for 2 minutes before serving. Serves 1.

Step away from the machines continued..

Still thinking about the article (refer to last post) from yesterday. Forgot to link an article from Athlete365.com titled Functional Exercises Save Time. Because machines isolate muscles they also make you work longer if you are trying to work your entire body. If you are looking for more bang for your time exercising then look into training in a more functional manner.

Step away from the machine - article link

Read a great article on the MSN page today titled Is Your Workout Wasting Your Time? In a nutshell it examines whether exercise machines do more harm than good.

Some key points:

1. Exercise machines isolate muscles rather than train movements.
2. You should never use the leg extension machine.
3. The leg press is just a waste of space.
4. Do exercises on your feet. That includes working your core.
5. Vary the speed of your exercise.

There is really no ground breaking stuff in this article but I recommend taking a read over it if you are someone who trains a lot with machines.

High Intensity Interval Training

Came across two articles this morning on high intensity interval training (or HITT) and its benefits for stimulating fat loss. It is definitely a type of training that I like to use, but if you are going to try it make sure to err on the side of caution. Do a little less rather than really trying to kick your butt in the first few sessions. Everyone will react differently to HITT so it is very important to play it safe.

Also, I would really recommend wearing a heart rate monitor when doing HITT. It will greatly improve the quality of your workout because you will be able to track your heart rate following work sets and recovery, without any guess work involved on whether you are ready to do another set.

If you are just getting back into a fitness routine I would definitely not recommend it. You need to build a solid fitness base (6-8 weeks generally speaking) before putting it into your training and make sure to do it 2 to 3 times per week (for 4 to 5 weeks) with at least one day off between each workout. But once again, it depends on the individual. If you are really unsure of how to implement it then speak to a trainer who knows what it is and who has done it themselves. Reading about HITT and actually experience a workout are two very different things.

Here are the two links to the articles.

http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=1756065&cr=performanceTraining

http://ca.askmen.com/sports/bodybuilding_100/135_fitness_tip.html

If you have any questions about HITT please write me.

How much protein do you need after a workout?

"Endurance athletes should consume a carbohydrate/protein supplement in a 4:1 ratio within the 45 minute window following exercise. Resistance trained athletes should consume 40 g of carbohydrates with 15 g of protein within the same 45 minute window (2). Of the protein supplements available, whey protein is recommended since it empties from the stomach faster than other protein supplements."

This was taken from The Glycemic Index and Recovery by Thomas W. Nasser, which was in the recent NSCA Performance Training Journal. Great article and I recommend you read it to get a solid understanding of how to use the glycemic index to your advantage. Whether it is for sport performance or for your day to day dietary needs.

http://www.nsca-lift.org/Perform/article.asp?ArticleID=302