Insanity - Or Desperation?

There will always be those people looking for a short-cut. They are willing to pay any price to look good. A lack of patience and a belief in magic is their mantra. With this home bodyweight-only workout series, the price isn't just amount of cash you'll put down for the DVDs. It'll be painful (do you like vomiting/dry-heaving during a workout?), and it very well may lead to injury if you're not careful. Unless you're an elite athlete - or mentally unstable - skip this one and train with someone who knows what they're doing.

Here's a link to the smartest (in my opinion) exercise guru in the business, Tom Venuto. Read his level-headed thoughts on whether Insanity is the right program for you. Here's hoping Common Sense trumps Insanity in the end...

Intensity or Insanity, by Tom Venuto

Train Smart,
Ross

Not All Weight Loss Is Created Equal

Not All Weight Loss Is Created Equal

Happy Spring! Before getting started, a side rant (as opposed to a side note?)!

I was watching 60 minutes Sunday evening before one of my favorite shows (The Amazing Race). Normally, I get extremely irritated when Andy Rooney shoots his mouth off with his editorial comments. He only delays the start of something I'd much rather watch. This time, he actually had something worthwhile to say - which was, enjoy the NOW. He seemed irritated that people are already saying that summer is just around the corner. Technically, it's not. It's still 69 days away (71 days as of Sunday night's airing). SPRING is here! It just started, so get out there and enjoy it. Summer will be here soon enough.

Onward.

Something I've been hearing a lot lately is, from a coach's perspective, irritating. What's got my boxers in a bunch? Well, I keep hearing this stuff about people losing weight through diet alone, or diet and cardio (i.e. running/jogging/walking). So you've lost 30 lbs. without working out. "Good for you." I wish I could be as happy for you as I'd like to be.

Allow me to explain. It's not that I have a problem that these people have lost weight. I think it's great. They've made a move to change their life, look better, and improve their health. They just didn't do it in a well-informed manner. Sorry. Many people probably aren't aware of this, but not all weight loss is created equal. Let's say I have two close friends that have lost some weight. Let's say their names are Josh and Jane.

***ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) MOMENT ALERT: As I type this, Kelli (my girlfriend) asked me to go get her a cookie (like, get in my car and go get a big one type "cookie"). Really? While I'm typing a weight loss article for my fitness blog? Of course, my answer is NO! Hahahaha! I mean, "Ok, honey...maybe later...."***

Sorry, I digress. Now where were we? Oh yes. Josh and Jane. Actually, let's make this Jeff and Josh so we can keep these people on an even playing field.

(I hope you all are keeping up!)

Both Jeff and Josh are 30 year olds weighing 200 lbs. at 30% body fat. They are exactly the same height and - you guessed it, they're twins! Both are going to Weight Watchers to get their nutrition under control. Jeff decides he's also going to jog every morning, 6 days per week. Josh is hitting the weights at the gym 3 days per week in addition to jogging 3 days per week. So both guys are exercising 6 days per week.

After 12 weeks, Jeff has lost 30 lbs.! Josh, however, has only lost 25 lbs. - which is still good, of course. Jeff starts gloating about how all he had to do was eat right and run around his neighborhood. "See!?" he says, "You don't need to go to a gym to lose weight!" But all is not what it seems. Let's take a closer look at what TYPE of weight each person has lost.

There are two types of weight I look at as a trainer. Fat mass (FM) and lean body mass (LBM). We all know what fat is, so for those of you who aren't aware of what lean body mass is - it's everything else. This includes muscle, blood, water, glycogen (stored carbohydrate), and bone.

If we were looking at scale weight alone, Jeff would be the clear winner. But I'm about to show you why he's the clear loser - the victim of physiological ignorance! While Jeff lost 30 lbs., what he didn't realize is that he only lost 20 lbs. of fat. The rest of it was precious LBM. That's right, he's also lost some muscle. What a shame. Josh, however, lost 30 lbs. of PURE FAT. That's ten more pounds of fat than Jeff lost! He did not lose ANY LBM, and he even gained 5 lbs. of muscle! Lifting weights only 3 times per week preserved the lean mass he started with, he then gained muscle, and finally he lost even more fat than he would have without lifting weights. Good job, Josh!

Starting body fat was 30 % for both individuals. Ending body fat? Jeff weighed in at 170 lbs. with 23.5% body fat and Josh weighed in at 175 lbs. with 17.3% body fat. Josh wins, hands down. Sorry, Jeff!

Studies have shown that people who reduce their calories to lose weight and participate in resistance training 3 times per week maintain or gain LBM and maintain their metabolism. Unfortunately, those who only do cardio and reduce their caloric intake alone can't hope for the same. So, if that describes you - it's really time to get into the gym and pump some iron. Seriously. There's nothing good about losing LBM.

I hope everyone now understands the importance of lifting weights to lose weight, reshape their body, and look great.

Have a great day!

Ross

Weight Watchers: WATCH OUT! Update

Just a quick Weight Watchers: WATCH OUT! update:

I found out this morning that there are even more "hidden" calories that may be sabotaging your ability to reach your weight loss goals using the Weight Watchers point system.  The culprit?

::drum roll::

FAT!

::symbol crash::

Yeah.  Fat, in the form of oil.  Everyone knows - well, most should - that oil is full of good, healthy fat.  But that's not the problem here.  The problem is that Weight Watchers wants you to include oil in your day to day eating so bad that you get 2 teaspoons per day absolutely free!  (No point counting necessary!)


"Teaspoons!  Teaspoons of oil!  They're yummy!  Come and get your free teaspoons!"


I digress into goofiness from time to time.  Sorry.

What does this mean to your weight loss goal?  Well, THEY figure it will help keep you full longer and therefore be less likely to binge in between meals.  Is that bad?  No.  So, I can accept that.  Fine by me.  Where I have a problem is that this fat is free.  And let me tell ya, folks.  Fat ain't never free!  It comes at a cost of 9 calories per gram!  That's more than double the calories per gram of protein or carbohydrate!

So once again, let's do some quick math.  2 teaspoons of oil is roughly 10 grams of fat, times 9 calories per gram, equals 90 calories per day.  90 calories per day times 7 days equals 630 calories per week.  That's 2520 calories per month.  30,240 per year don't count!?  That's 8.64 lbs.!  Wow.

Keep eating the oil, but count the calories.  They count as points.
Count the calories, count the calories, count the calories! (And have a great day!)

Setting Goals for 2010!

Setting Goals for 2010!

Now is the time to start thinking about your goals for the New Year. 2010 is just around the corner, and it’s the beginning of a whole new decade for the 21st century. It’s a big deal! I haven’t heard ANYONE making a big deal about it in the news, but it IS! It’s like the end of the ’80s and the beginning of the ‘90s! Does ANYONE remember the kind of changes we experienced?

ANYONE?

Allow me to refresh your memory. 1989 into 1990 was the end of listening to hair metal bands like Motley Crue and Twisted Sister, and the beginning of the Seattle grunge band scene including the likes of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Alice in Chains. Prince, Michael Jackson, and Whitney Houston all began to fade away. Snoop Dog, Dr. Dre, and L.L. Cool J all began to rise to the top of popular music charts. Oh, and don't forget Britney Spears. Ha-ha!

You get the picture. Big changes ‘a comin’.

What about in your life? What big changes do you have planned? Since this is a wellness blog, how about the goals you are planning regarding your fitness, nutrition, and fat-loss goals? Is it time for you to make that big change? Well, it should be!

While you think about what you’d like to do, whether it’s fit into that skimpy bikini for summer, reduce your LDL levels 30 points, decrease your body fat levels 15%, gain 10 lbs. of lean muscle – you can achieve it. So while you decide, I’ll tell you about my goals for the New Year. I have many, but regarding my body – I am going to lose 9% body fat in 12 weeks. That’s right. By April 1st, 2010, I will be 6% body fat and sporting a chisled set of 6-pack abs!

The last time I saw my 6-pack was when I reached 8% body fat after 12 weeks of intense dieting and exercise in 2003. I dropped my body fat levels from 22% to 8% during those 3 months. If I could do that, I can easily achieve a 9% loss in the same time frame. It's been awhile, but I’m confident I can achieve my goal in that time frame.

Are you confident you can reach your goals? Perhaps you are not.

That’s where I come in. If you’re not confident you can change your body and your life in a BIG way this New Year, you need to come and train with me. If you can commit to doing everything I tell you to do for 3 months, I guarantee big changes. I don’t care where you’re starting from. If you’ve got a lot of weight to lose – over 100 lbs., I can help you with that. I have a client who’s down 40 lbs. in two months. That’s amazing. If you are “skinny fat” and you want to look “Hollywood” in 12 weeks, I can help you with that. If you just want to live a healthier lifestyle, I got you covered too. Even if you're injured or have a chronic joint issue and you think that's interfering with your ability to live a healthy lifestyle - it wouldn't stop me. And it should't stop you, either.

Now for all of you Star Wars fans who remember the final trilogy that began in 1999 and ended in 2005 – a big deal to a lot of people (and part of history for the last decade) – you must have also seen the first trilogy that concluded in the early 80's. Think about the Empire Strikes back where Darth Vader said, “Join ME…It is the only way…” Well, I’m not the going to say training with me is the ONLY way for you to achieve your goals this year, but it certainly would help you get there faster & with less hiccups along the way!

OK, you may now return your focus back to Christmas, or whatever you choose to celebrate before 2010 rolls around.

Thanks for reading, and I hope to talk to you soon! (ESPECIALLY if you're already my client!) :-)

Your Coach for the New Year,

Ross

Did You Know?

You may be able to use your Health Savings Account (HSA) to pay for a weight loss program? This would require your doctor to prescribe weight loss to improve your health, so see your doctor first.

Stay tuned for more videos and posts about nutrition, exercise, and alternative health information.

Have a great day!