Metabolism and calorie burn after exercise goes a little like this…

After a workout, your metabolic rate (calories burned) is elevated.  How long is up for some debate, but one aspect that is not debated is that just how long is affected by how intense you exercise.  Some studies have shown that metabolic boost can exist up to 24 hours after exercise for the most intense of workouts.  We’re probably talking Olympic level workouts here, but you get the picture.  For most people, it’s probably in the ballpark of a few hours. (provided they are working out hard).  When it comes to longer endurance sessions (ie running), or even traditional weight lifting with longer rest periods between sets, the metabolic boost doesn’t go much past the end of your workout.  All it takes to recognize a workout like this is the time you were in the gym.  If you walked in at 10 AM, and left at noon, odds are the intensity is not quite where it should have been.   I’m generalizing, but you get the picture.  This is one of the reasons why I’m not a big fan of running as a method of weight/fat loss.  (don’t want to go off topic here, but it needs to be mentioned because if you do find yourself in a situation where you are finding longer gaps in between your workouts, then you best be sure that you are making the most of when you do get to work out.  Translation : Go hard!)

Flat out…harder workouts mean your body has to work harder to return your body to a true resting state.  And guess what that means?  Yep, more calories burned.

When talking about how often you workout, you can see where it might be a problem when there are long gaps with your training routine.  And if you buy into the fact that your metabolism will slow down to resting levels a few hours after you end your workout (and even if it was up to 24 hours), it stands to reason that it would behoove you to do some sort of intense workout on a daily basis.  Of course you need to take into account how you are working out, and what you are doing, rest, etc to avoid overtraining.  Generally though, once you are at it for awhile, your body will tell you what you can do when to avoid overtraining.

I guess this is just a long winded way of saying that you should exercise every day, but it plays into why I decided to address this issue now.  It’s kind of fresh on my mind because I often see a disconnect with clients and people I’ve advised as to how much it takes to achieve “Hollywood Bod” (or even pre-baby bod).

Here’s a fun scenario that I’ve experienced with some of my clients.  For some reason, they like to travel.  I can’t figure it out J  Well, long weekends seem to be the thing to do in Roswell.  Seaside, occasional Mexico trips, the Carolinas, you name it.  So, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are out.  Monday is out because they got back late on Sunday.  Tuesday rolls around and they’re in a funk and need to psyche themselves up again…so I don’t see them until Wednesday.  You see the problem here?  It’s been almost a week without any kind of intense exercise.  Yeah maybe they went for a run on the beach, or did some dips in the hotel room, but not a workout of any significance to keep the metabolism kicking.  (and good nutrition habits on these trips are most certainly dealt a hard blow, which is a problem in and of itself).

Scenario two is simply that the week just gets away from you.  Maybe you can muster up enough energy to get up early on Monday morning to hit the gym, but when workout 2 comes on Thursday, that’s a lot of time for the body to be in a state when it’s not burning fat.  Scheduling workouts is a great way to avoid this, and even if the day does get away from you, there is no way you can tell me that you can’t find 10 minutes to get a quick workout in.  You’ll waste more time than that playing Words With Friends.

So….Have you hit a plateau?  Weight loss/fat loss stagnant?  This could be your problem.  3 days with long gaps in between just will not get it done.   So what’s the takeaway lesson here?  Make time to do it regardless of where you are.  You can get a great workout by carving 10, 15, 20 minutes out of a day you would’ve otherwise thought you couldn’t get one in, and doing a burpee and squat medley that will destroy you.  Ask my clients…do burpees for 10 minutes and see how you feel afterwards.  Hmmmm.

So get at it.

Chris

Chris Buckley, B.S. Exercise Science, is a certified Fitness Trainer and exercise physiologist, graduate of the University of Florida and fitness professional located in Roswell, GA. Buckley is the owner of BodyBack! Women’s Fitness Boot Camps…serving Roswell, Woodstock, Milton, and NE Marietta, and has posted more information on his website, www.RoswellBootCamps.com.  To try a trial week of his fat churning, calorie burning boot camp…click on the registration link at http://www.roswellbootcampsforwomen.com/roswell-boot-camp-registration.html

Alright, another one of these double edged swords…or is it?  If you go the old school train of thought which is do exactly what your doctor says no matter what, then there is not much you can do about this.  You have high blood pressure, doc says take a diuretic, and that’s that.  If you are the type of person who likes to give your doctor a hard time (asking a ton of questions and driving him or her crazy), then perhaps there is something you can do about this.

Now I’m not trying to create waves here between you and your physician, but let’s be honest with ourselves.  You and I both know that there is big money in pharmaceuticals, and it would be best for the industry to keep you on them.  Now I’m not anti-big pharma (a lot of these save lives for sure), but knowing that there’s a ton of cash to be made should raise a little bit of a red flag.  It’s the same thing as exercise gimmicks and gadgets.  How on Earth is it humanly possible that the freaking ab roller still makes money?  It offers a supposed quick solution to a problem…which is exactly what drugs do. (and let’s be honest, aren’t our lives centered around what will make them easier?)

The whole point in all this is that you may not have considered the wonderful healing abilities of the human body…provided it is in an environment that is conducive to healing.

The fact remains that there are plenty of people out there that will take the pill, see that the “numbers” fall in line with what the doctor says they should be and  take it as fact that there is nothing else that needs to be done.  My thought process is that you should safely do everything within your power to try to get off the meds you are on, and I think that is where people tend to get complacent.  The truth is that there is not a medication out there that doesn’t have some sort of side effect…whether it manifests itself in a way that you can feel or not.

For example, you are taking an antidepressant.  Sure you are feeling better as a matter of mood, but you haven’t so much as felt like taking a walk in a month or longer.  You know why?  Side effects of antidepressants can include dizziness, insomnia, and constipation (not to mention weight gain…ugh).  Take a sleep aid like Ambien?  DId you know that they can cause daytime fatigue?  Sooo….you took a pill to sleep, slept, and were fatigued throughout the day.  Does that make sense to you? Another example would be the highly prescribed statin drugs like Lipitor (for high cholesterol).  Potential side effects include muscle weakness, difficulty sleeping, and nausea.  Hey, who’s up for sprints?!  Some of this is slight exaggeration, as “potential” doesn’t mean its going to happen, but I’ll bet there’s a few of you out there that this speaks to.

Now, a lot of what it takes to get off of meds has to do with so many other things in your life.  This really all ties in together.  Nutrition, sleep, how you manage stress, etc are probably some of the main factors that prompted you getting on meds in the first place.  Of course genetics has a lot to do with it too, and there’s not much you can do about that.  Having said that, again, don’t discount the natural healing ability of the body.  Talking with a naturopathic doctor (or at least a more forward thinking doctor) can open your eyes to some different remedies that you may not have heard of.  Regardless of whether or not you take his or her advice, it could be a starting point to open a conversation with your regular doctor to find some other ways to “heal” yourself.  It’s also eye opening to see if he or she is a straight up fraud or not.  Doesn’t hurt to test their knowledge a bit…nicely.

If you are taking a medication for something that you don’t have an option to not not take a med for, then consider talking with your doc about switching meds to something that performs the same function, but without some of the potential side effects that would affect your exercise prowess.

Again, not giving medical advice here, just trying to open your mind to taking an active, cautious role in your relationship with your doctor and your health.  This is simply for the purpose of getting you to “feel” like exercising again.  Remember, it doesn’t really help your overall health and well being to fix one problem and create another by not exercising.

Until the next time I feel like preaching,

Chris

Chris Buckley, B.S. Exercise Science, is a certified Fitness Trainer and exercise physiologist, graduate of the University of Florida and fitness professional located in Roswell, GA. Buckley is the owner of BodyBack! Women’s Fitness Boot Camps…serving Roswell, Woodstock, Milton, and NE Marietta, and has posted more information on his website, www.RoswellBootCamps.com.  To try a trial week of his fat churning, calorie burning boot camp…click on the registration link at http://www.roswellbootcampsforwomen.com/roswell-boot-camp-registration.html

Here’s the deal…our bodies were meant to move, and move well.  I would love to sit down with someone who would argue otherwise.  They were not meant to feel lethargic, achy, toxic to the brim as many of us feel all the time.  Some of you might say that you were just not meant to “be an athlete”,  “it’s too late for me”, or “that’s just my life right now”.  So my focus here is to get you thinking about WHY you don’t feel like exercising.  To get you to start in motion some better habits that will make you actually FEEL like getting up and coming to boot camp or going to the gym.  Truth is, for many of you, all you are missing is one or two tweaks in your life.  For others, perhaps it will take a bit longer, but the point is if you don’t make an effort to get some of this stuff I am going to talk about in line (and I am very serious when I say this), you WILL NEVER find the time or the energy to be a regular exerciser.  And if slowly wasting away is the path you want to take, then hey, you reap what you sow or don’t sow.  I started writing this blog post and decided it was going to be waaay too long for one post, so I’m dividing it up into 6 or 7.  I’ll pepper them throughout the next few weeks.  Let’s dive in….

Sleep – Sounds obvious, right?  Not so much.  I have to be honest…I really just gave this a lot of lip service myself up until recently.  I’ve even discussed recently (the conversations spurned on by some recent research of mine) with some clients about what constitutes good sleep.  The reason…I’m 36 now and I think it matters more to me J  I think a baby will do that to you.  Somehow it just doesn’t mean as much when you are 26.  Your body recovers faster and you bounce back easier.  (duh)  Here’s what I know…most of you will say something to the effect of “sounds good in theory, but welcome to my life”, or “you try to sleep with a husband working on his laptop in bed, a dog who needs attention, and a kid with hives “ (Maddie had those recently so it’s fresh on my mind)

Okay, what’s wrong with this picture?  Why the hell is the dog sleeping in your bed?!  Why haven’t you kicked your husband out of the bed yet?! (I’m guilty too, so I’m not dissing the guys).  Did you really have a cocktail to actually help you sleep?  We cannot sleep, or sleep well with all of these distractions/stressors.  Our body will not physically allow us to.  Estimates vary a bit, but the ballpark of needed sleep for the average human is 6-7 hours (if you are in deep sleep..which most people are not), or 8-9 if the sleep is not as deep or restful.

In fact, if even a glimmer of artificial light (be it your alarm clock, phone, Vizio TV logo, etc) is on throughout the night, it throws off your Circadian rhythm.  Your Circadian rhythm is an internal mechanism that determines if you actually have any rhythm.  It comes from the part of your brain Circadia, and it’s somewhere between G Flat and E Minor.  Really it’s another way of naming your “biological clock”.  Not the “gotta have a baby” kind, but how your body reacts to day and night, sleep and wakey time.   I won’t go into a ton of detail as to how exactly Circadian rhythm works (it would bore you to death), but it would behoove you to try to get it closer to the point of what nature intended….sleep from sun down to sun up J

Yeah, I get it, some things you just can’t control.  Fine, I’ll buy in, but….you DVR’d 15 shows and need to catch up.  Necessary?  You complain the next day because you stayed up too late watching The Bachelor or CSI.  Not only did you stay up late, the very fact that these high drama adventures are just that got you all riled up.  That’s recipe for sound sleep (sarcastic).  Here’s another one…tonight when you actually “go to bed”…take a look around the room and count how many individual lights you see.  (I’d be interested to hear your feedback on this).  Is it possible to even turn off half of them?  I’d bet so.  Another thing you can generally control is putting into practice the art of going to bed and waking up at the same time so your body can get into a pattern that is conducive to good sleep.  A few others to consider…better/darker drapes/shades, limiting larger late meals and caffeine consumption, exercising earlier in the day (uh, actually exercising if you are not…hmm, which comes first?  The sleep or the exercise?), and try to get off those damn meds (they aint helping).

So, for the body to perform at its optimal level, it needs to be well rested.  Does it sound like with any of the above your body would be ready for a max bench press or 100 burpees?  Nay, “I’ll just walk the dogs instead”.   My challenge to you is in the next week make it your personal mission to not just sleep longer if need be, but to sleep better.  (that means soundly)  Minimize distractions to the best of your ability, and post your comments on this blog as to what steps you took to make your sleep better.  If you are still not motivated, know this….you will get fatter.  Won’t get into the exact science of it here, but you can get a lot of great information via this link about Circadian rhythms, sleep, stress, etc at….

http://search.mercola.com/search/Pages/results.aspx?k=circadian

(this website might very well be the scariest website on the internet in my opinion, but it could save your life…and I’m not joking).

Watch for my next blurb about why you don’t likey exercisey.

Happy Tuesday,

Chris

Chris Buckley, B.S. Exercise Science, is a certified Fitness Trainer and exercise physiologist, graduate of the University of Florida and fitness professional located in Roswell, GA. Buckley is the owner of BodyBack! Women’s Fitness Boot Camps…serving Roswell, Woodstock, Milton, and NE Marietta, and has posted more information on his website, www.RoswellBootCamps.com.  To try a trial week of his fat churning, calorie burning boot camp…click on the registration link at http://www.roswellbootcampsforwomen.com/roswell-boot-camp-registration.html

You remember that Mathew Broderick movie back in the 80’s “The Road To Wellville” about John Harvey Kellogg (the dude that invented Kellogg’s cereals)?  Might very well be the worst movie ever made (I think I fell asleep).  Anyway, the movie centered around Kellogg’s belief in colonics and the health benefits that come with them.  I think of that movie every time I talk about the detox.  The problem with a lot of these hokey “cleanses” or “fasts” is that you don’t get all the nutrients you need because of the fact that they are centered around calorie deprivation.  The fact is that in order for your body to “detox” properly, it WILL need vital nutrients to do so.

Invariably your calories will take a bit of a dip during your detox week with the protocol I use. This of course depends on where your caloric intake is now, but….you are not sacrificing vital nutrients as the supplements are aplenty, especially protein (which you can use in shake form).  And truth be told you can keep your calories up if you are able to eat a ton of veggies and approved fruits.  (most of which are on the high fiber side…obviously).

The whole idea behind a good detox is to clear out the colon and eliminate much of the buildup of waste in the colon.  The fact is that much of the nutrients that we absorb are done so through the colon.  Through many factors, buildup in the colon occurs through years and years of eating garbage food (mainly along the processed front).  Good nutrients find it difficult to absorb through a bunch of “crap”.  Pardon the pun.  In many cases, even people who eat a lot of good food too are short changing themselves, as much of the nutrients they think they are getting are not actually being utilized by the body.

So a few questions I’ve been getting…

1)    Is it hard to do/get through? – Why yes, it is!  Especially if you are a caffeine addict.  Get ready for headaches, though they will subside after a few days.  I would suggest weaning yourself leading up to your first day of the detox. You might even feel as if you are sick and want to sleep all day.  The reason – toxins being released.  Clear em out, feel great afterwards!  Plus coffee will give you a buzz if you wait a few weeks before drinking it again.  Pretty cool J

2)    Will I lose weight? – Probably, but I wouldn’t bet on much.  If you are doing a detox with this as you primary goal, then I would suggest doing another one.  Now, what it will do is put your body in a state that will help you fire on all cylinders.  When you cut out all the junk and allow your body to absorb good nutrients, wonderful things start to happen.  Metabolism kicks up, fat starts to be metabolized better, and yes…that means weight can drop.  The best part is that you will lose any natural bloat from all the foods that we do not tolerate very well (ie grains, processed foods, etc), and that alone will make you look leaner.

3)    Will I be on the toilet all day? – Maybe/Probably/Absolutely, depending on how much is in there.  It’s usually only the worst for the first few days.  I didn’t find it to be all that intrusive.  Plus, if you are drinking as much water as you should be, then the toilet trips will be frequent anyway.

4)    I don’t like any of the fruits and vegetables that are suggested…Can I still do the detox? – Maybe, but you’ll need to find some other high fiber green leafies.  You will probably find it harder to get through as the suggested ones are your staples, meaning that it might be hard to keep yourself full.

5)    Does it get easier to do as the week goes on? – Yes, once a good bit of the toxins are eliminated and you hit the point when you are allowed to consume a bit more food (ie the wild fish), then it’s smooth sailin’ till the end of the week.  I’ve always heard that this is tougher on guys anyway because we usually eat more food as a whole, and its tougher to keep our calories up from what we are used to.

You’ve heard me say time and time again to limit or eliminate altogether processed foods (ie foods in a box or can).  Regardless of whether or not that is difficult for you to do, the fact remains that that is one of the main reasons why you are fat (sorry to be so blunt).   So a detox is just an extension of that premise…to clear yourself of all the crap.  And it’s also the single reason why you feel like a million bucks when your week is over.  You cut out the processed!  Novel idea!

Now, I could care less whether or not you do my recommended detox (and I am not prescribing it for the record).  I can only speak from experience about how it worked for me and how it made me feel (as well as many of my other one on one clients in the past).  I guess the whole point is to “get yourself clean”, even if it means in little spurts, or a gradual shift to eating foods that don’t have a wrapper.  Sometimes even a simple change in your diet like adding more fiber is in and of itself kind of a mini-detox.  Just keep in mind that it doesn’t do much good to do a detox, clean yourself out, then go back to your old habits.  Build upon a good start by continuing the process of eating “clean”.

Happy Thursday (Go Heat!!!)

Chris

Chris Buckley, B.S. Exercise Science, is a certified Fitness Trainer and exercise physiologist, graduate of the University of Florida and fitness professional located in Roswell, GA. Buckley is the owner of BodyBack! Women’s Fitness Boot Camps…serving Roswell, Woodstock, Milton, and NE Marietta, and has posted more information on his website, www.RoswellBootCamps.com.  To try a trial week of his fat churning, calorie burning boot camp…click on the registration link at http://www.roswellbootcampsforwomen.com/roswell-boot-camp-registration.html

Theres a lot of haters out there for sure.  Most of the critiques from other trainers I see about Biggest Loser are on the negative side.  Jealousy, I think.  While I dont agree with everything that goes on on that show, all in all, these people are doing a lot of good.  I found an interesting link along these lines from a trainer type, poo-pooing trainer Bob’s affiliation with Quaker Oats.  Read the link, watch the videos, and then read my take on it…..

http://www.healthhabits.ca/2011/02/18/celebrity-personal-trainer-bob-harper-says-oatmeal-super-food/

Ok, I see this from both angles.  The author clearly has it out for Bob.  From the videos I see, I dont see where he is pimping the sugary packets as the staple.  Did I miss something?  Furthermore, I think the overall point to the whole thing is that he is expressing the importance of breakfast.  Some of my clients are still on the kick of not eating any food until what, 2,3,4 hours after they wake up?  Sometimes no food until lunch?  Cant imagine why, as Ive stressed this crucial point ad nauseum.

Another point that the author is making is that if you were to have one of those packets, then that would be the equivalent of a having a York Peppermint Patty or some other candy.  Well, truth be told, there are in the ballpark of 12-15 grams of sugar and 3 or 4 grams of fiber in an apple too, but she doesnt mention that.  This is what makes me think “what is her agenda here?”  For the record, I’m not saying that an apple and a peppermint patty are equivalent.

Where I do agree with the author, and especially if its really coming from a place of caring and information is…many people just don’t know that those sugary packets of oatmeal are not the best choice to eat, even though it is oatmeal..and if you see your favorite trainer and he says its OK, you might take it and run with it (sometimes making a food like that a staple because its quick and in a wrapper).  This is where one would run into trouble.  The person who does not know how to read a label, much less check to see how many sugar grams are in a particular product is the person that could get into trouble.  My take is every once in awhile that stuff is “acceptable”, but usually that is only for the person who is not used to eating anything, and just getting something in their stomach is a step forward.  Frankly, anyone who has been, or is looking to get in really good shape should NEVER eat stuff like that.

I’ve said it before and Ill say it again…Id rather see you eat a half a Snickers bar instead of skipping a meal.  That may sound controversial, but I’d bet that the negative effects of skipping a meal would be at least equally as destructive to your fitness plan as eating a Snickers.  At least with the bar, you are getting some semblance of macronutrients that your body can work with.  This is a slight exaggeration, and if it was habit it would be a problem, but you see where Im going with this?

Anyway, just something that I was thinking about that I wanted to address.  The lesson…Learn how to read and decipher labels.  One way you can do this is to attend one of my grocery tours or seminars.  There I’ll teach you what to look for, and what to avoid when purchasing food in a box.  (which I try to get everyone to avoid anyway, but hey, life gets in the way sometimes, right?)

Until next time,

Chris

Chris Buckley, B.S. Exercise Science, is a certified Fitness Trainer and exercise physiologist, graduate of the University of Florida and fitness professional located in Roswell, GA. Buckley is the owner of BodyBack! Women’s Fitness Boot Camps…serving Roswell, Woodstock, Milton, and NE Marietta, and has posted more information on his website, www.RoswellBootCamps.com.  To try a trial week of his fat churning, calorie burning boot camp…click on the registration link at http://www.roswellbootcampsforwomen.com/roswell-boot-camp-registration.html



I thought this was common knowledge, but apparently it is not.  I still see this fear all over the place, and frankly, it’s part of the reason why many ladies fear starting a program that can actually truly transform their bodies once and for all.

Here’s the deal…you gals just don’t possess the amount of testosterone necessary to look like you are too bulky.   Sure, a few ladies produce a bit more than others, and those are the ones who might have to watch things a bit more.  On the whole, most ladies would have to eat a ton of food, or use a little chemical enhancement to gain the amount of lean muscle it would take to make you look like you spent all day every day lifting.  In fact, I would present that even if you do produce more testosterone than the average gal, I would bet that a good bit of the “bulk” that you think comes from muscle actually comes from fat stores.  Perhaps more than you think.  This is why it’s crucial to measure body fat on a regular basis.   Not to mention the frequent pinching of all your “fat” spots tends to keep you on your toes a bit more.

Some points I would like you to consider in regards to muscle weight gain, body fat measurements, and general girth measurements as you are going through your exercise program…

1)      If you have never done any resistance training in your life, you might gain more muscle weight in the beginning of your program than someone who has worked out for a considerable period of time – Translation: You have to start somewhere if you want to transform your body.  What happens with a person in this situation is they are fulfilling their potential from a muscle weight gain perspective.  Here’s the beauty of it though…females would be hard pressed to even gain 5 lbs of lean muscle throughout their entire body, much less an amount that would make one look like they had too much.

2)      Measurements don’t always go down in the beginning of a program – Translation: In order to become a fat burning machine, you must first build some lean muscle.  This lean muscle may push the fat outward which is why you might not see an immediate circumference drop with whatever it is you are measuring.  Sounds scary, right?  Only if your patience is lacking.  With time, circumferences typically decrease in the limbs IF you have enough fat to lose, regardless of how much muscle weight you gain.  So don’t panic, take your body fat and truly see where the truth lies.

3)      Gains in muscle weight typically occur throughout the body – Sure, if you are always doing lunges, your booty might be a bit more, how do I say it?…bubbly.  A good thing from a male perspective (not that you care).  The point is that I see many shying away from certain body parts for whatever reason and gravitating toward others.  Typically it’s something like not wanting to do biceps because you think your arms will get too big, or maybe you think doing legs is just too hard because your knees are a little less than stable (not condoning being unsafe if you have knee issues btw).  The best one of all, though, is that inner/outer thigh machine in the gym.  Guess what happens if you live on that machine?  Yep, your thighs can get bigger, in exactly the way you don’t want them to.

4)      Gains in muscle weight, and body shape in general, for that matter has a ton to do with genetics – Guess what?  You are what you are.  Translation: You can fight it…deny it all day long that you have not, or will never turn out like your parents, but guess what?…They are the ones that cursed you with string bean calves.  Embrace it!

5)      Choices, choices, choices – You have two options if you are in the boat of being that person that was lean and mean in your youth, up until, say 40, having never lifted a single weight.  Perhaps you were the gal who ran 3-4 times a week and stayed thin doing it.  Option 1 – continue to do what you’ve always done, and continue to gain fat in all the wrong places (yes, even with all the running), or Option 2 –  accept the fact that you might gain a few muscle lines (definition), and reduce the fat hanging from your triceps.  Your choice.  Some of you might have a desire to have no muscle in your arm like some starlet, but keep in mind that it WILL catch up with you at some point.

6)      Do some reading up on airbrushing – I get it.  You’re an independent gal, but here’s a news flash for ya…you’ve been programmed (robot voice).  Here are a couple of links that will help you gain some perspective on some of the things that program you….

http://www.hilary.com/fashion/bikini.html

http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/12/09/the-art-of-airbrushing/

Of course you have a right to strive for the body you want, but keep in mind that some goals might be a tad unrealistic depending on what you are looking for.  You might be thinking to yourself…”Gee, that sounds discouraging…you mean I can train like a mad woman and I still might have wide hips like my mom?”  Yeah, maybe, but keep in mind training is more than just transforming your body.  You’ll feel better, and at the end of the day isn’t that what it’s all about?

Until next time, keep it real

Chris

Chris Buckley, B.S. Exercise Science, is a certified Fitness Trainer and exercise physiologist, graduate of the University of Florida and fitness professional located in Roswell, GA. Buckley is the owner of BodyBack! Women’s Fitness Boot Camps…serving Roswell, Woodstock, Milton, and NE Marietta, and has posted more information on his website, www.RoswellBootCamps.com.  To try a trial week of his fat churning, calorie burning boot camp…click on the registration link at http://www.roswellbootcampsforwomen.com/roswell-boot-camp-registration.html

1)      Eat BEFORE you party. Yes, eat a dinner before the dinner.  I’ve seen it a thousand times, you skip meals all day leading up to the event because you know you are “going to be bad”.  That is bad for a variety of reasons, but for our purposes here it’s strictly for curbing your appetite.  Same reason why I always tell you to eat small frequent meals all the time anyway.  So I’m not saying eat a huge meal, that is what you are trying to avoid, but eating a satisfying meal will curb the urge to hang around the buffet table…or the open bar (yikes) for that matter.

2)      Drink plenty of water the day before, the day of, and obviously the day after (especially if you throw up) the party.  If you didn’t know this already, what oftentimes is mistaken for hunger pangs is really your body telling you “can you please drink something besides a Diet Coke?”

3)      Building upon the last one…beverages. No one is telling you not to drink, however…couple of points  a) someone has to be dd, why not you? let your husband act a fool  b) curb the sugar drinks…not condoning it, but I’ll tell you what I do once a year..vodka, Fresca, and fresh squeezed lime.  Yeah I know Fresca is diet soda, but every once in awhile it won’t kill you (most likely).  c) final point on drinking…the average pour on a glass of wine is at least 5 oz…that’s what YOU pour, not what should be poured.  If you went to 4 holiday parties, and consumed 3 drinks at each one, that would be approximately 1200 calories in alcohol alone…just sayin

4)      Don’t skip any workouts! – You’ve heard this from me before, but now is the time to NOT miss your workouts.  Listen, whether or not you get your workout in, your days and weeks WILL be crazy this time of year…that ain’t changin’.  So why not take out a little stress on the muscles?  Schedule them and get em done.  You might deal with your day a little better in the process.  Plus, you’ll be extra buff to fight off and through crowds.

5)      Extra cardio the day of.  Get your butt up and do a little cardio, or better yet, do some sprints about an hour or two before the party.  That will rev up your metabolism quite nicely before a calorie fest.  May not offset it, but you can curb the damage.

6)      Finally, do me a favor and don’t just say to yourself, “There’s no way I can make any progress during the holidays”  You are setting yourself up for more frustration in the new year if you go into the last few weeks of the year with that attitude.  You’ll force yourself into more resolutions that you won’t keep.  Enjoy yourself, but keep it in check by staying consistent with your workouts, watching portion sizes, and drinking plenty of water.

Here’s my game plan for my vacation and party filled next two weeks….

1)      Schedule and fulfill a workout EVERY day (the obvious)

2)      Going to Florida, so going to purchase a week membership to my sister’s gym

3)      Going to limit my starchy carbs (not cut them out, but limit) on party and holiday event days because I know most of the meals I eat will be carb-laden

4)      I will limit alcoholic beverages to no more than 2 on every occasion/event

Just a few commitments to think about if you need some ideas.  Like goals and food journals, committing them to paper is key.  Probably on a few of you will, but you can be one of those few and be better because of it!

Merry Christmas & Happy (belated) Hanukkah!

Happy day,

Chris

Chris Buckley, B.S. Exercise Science, is a certified Fitness Trainer and exercise physiologist, graduate of the University of Florida and fitness professional located in Roswell, GA. Buckley is the owner of BodyBack! Women’s Fitness Boot Camps…serving Roswell, Woodstock, Milton, and NE Marietta, and has posted more information on his website, www.RoswellBootCamps.com.  To try a trial week of his fat churning, calorie burning boot camp…click on the registration link at http://www.roswellbootcampsforwomen.com/roswell-boot-camp-registration.html

I’ve had a lot of success training clients over the years, but I have to be honest…not one of them would have been successful if they individually had not had their heads on straight.  I have very little in the scheme of things to do with this (university psychology class was a joke), other than pointing out things you might be forgetting.  You’ve heard of the old clichés like…”Fitness is 90% mental and 10% physical”, or whatever % you want to put on it.  Doesn’t really matter, even if the breakdown was 90/10 physical/mental, not having the mental would ruin you.  I got to thinking about it, and came up with a list of things other than my staple rules about how to eat and how to exercise.  Here they are….

1) Stay off the scale! – This is not helping things.  The stress alone will hinder your progress, and that’s a scientific fact Jane!  Funny thing how your body has a tendency to gravitate to the weight its comfortable, and that means in good times and bad.  It’s good to be motivated, but sometimes it’s to a detriment.  If you are fixated on scale weight, you will NOT do the things you are supposed to do to actually get it off. (even though you intuitively know deep down you are sabotaging yourself)  Example…it was suggested to you that post-workout nutrition will aid in your recovery and improve your overall performance in your workouts, but you refuse to address this important cog in the fitness wheel because you were told that carbs are bad, regardless of fact that you were told that they have a different post-workout effect.  That’s just one example, there are countless.

2) Keep a food and exercise journal – I’ve recently given myself a new nickname…”Broken Record”.  It’s a nice nickname, but I’d rather have the nickname “Jerk” or “Hardass”

3) Ask for help – I don’t know of any successful person in this world who hasn’t gotten some good help along the way. (and most get frequent help)  You know what I’m getting at here, but taking it a step further….your family and co-workers can help you too (even without knowing it).  Not telling ya how to run your family and work life, but it’s OK to say NO every once in awhile.  Be your own CEO and delegate wherever possible. 

4) Make the most of your workouts – You are taking the time to come to a workout, most of you early in the morning.  So let’s maximize your workout time.  What do I mean by this?  Push yourself.  In the beginning of your program, we talked about pushing yourself to your max.  Many of you who haven’t exercised like this before aren’t really sure what this means.  Simply put…if you are not walking out of your workout completely spent on whatever body part(s) we are working, then Houston, we have a problem.  There are limits to how much an out of shape body can push itself, but hey, if you’ve been at it for more than a couple of months, and still ain’t feeling the burn….talk to professional to show you how to get there. 

5) Stop thinking of your workouts as “something else you have to do” – Here’s what I mean…proper exercise should be challenging in the moment.  Yeah, it’s hard, but it becomes a real drag after awhile if you are looking at your workouts as the most miserable part of your day.  When you start to look at your workout time as “time for me”, then it becomes a bit more bearable. (and who knows, you might even become fit enough to be a fitness junkie!…and that’s a nice place to be)

6) Be honest with yourself about your current habits – (or take some time for some serious soul-searching) – You’re falling into your old habits again, ain’t cha?  Hopping on the scale every hour, skipping meals, low carb all day, taking bits and pieces from different diets and trying to piece together some semblance of a meal plan.  I’ve seen it all.   Don’t remember who said it, but someone famous said that your destiny is shaped in your moments of decision.  Something to keep in mind every time you find yourself falling back into old habits, or forming new bad ones.

7) Schedule some me/mom time – Easier said than done, but look, I don’t know of any family expert that would tell you that that is a bad idea.  News flash!  Your schedule ain’t lightening up, buddy.  You can keep telling yourself that I’ll do this/that when INSERT TASK HERE is over/ends, but you and I know something else will always come up.  Might as well have a little sanity in the midst of all the insanity.

Schedule your workout time – This also goes along with being honest with yourself about your current habits.  You might be doing well with going to all your boot camp sessions, but what about off days?  Here’s the deal…you should be doing some sort of high moderate to vigorous exercise at least 6 days a week to see massive results.  Going to boot camp 3 days a week and throwing in one day of cardio will NOT be enough.  I wish I could keep tabs on all of ya at all times, but that might be a bit intrusive.  So, schedule a time on your off days to fit in your cardio, or it might not get done.

There you have it, 8 tips to keep perspective about your fitness journey.  I’d like to hear about some of the things you like to do to keep focus and consistency.  Your thoughts and best practices can help one of your fellow bootcampers.  Have a great day!

Chris

Chris Buckley, B.S. Exercise Science, is a certified Fitness Trainer and exercise physiologist, graduate of the University of Florida and fitness professional located in Roswell, GA. Buckley is the owner of BodyBack! Women’s Fitness Boot Camps…serving Roswell, Woodstock, Milton, and NE Marietta, and has posted more information on his website, www.RoswellBootCamps.com.  To try a trial week of his fat churning, calorie burning boot camp…click on the registration link at http://www.roswellbootcampsforwomen.com/roswell-boot-camp-registration.html



Is added fiber have the same benefits as natural fiber? – We have often talked about how fiber is the great equalizer when it comes to weight loss.  There is a strong correlation between fiber intake and weight loss / maintaining a healthy weight, so it stands to reason you should be loading up on this essential nutrient.  We often see products on the grocery shelves that have “added fiber”, or are touted as “high fiber”…some of which include fiber bars, “lower glycemic” pastas, even water.  So, are any of these equal in quality as compared, say, to a head of broccoli?  The answer is most likely no.  Studies have shown that the altered fiber in some of these foods do not transport cholesterol out of the body as readily, because they are not as sticky.  Furthermore, studies are inconclusive as to whether or not the fiber in these foods creates the environment in the digestive tract that is conducive to proper nutrient absorption and immune function.  Having said that, if you are one of those people that would rather die than eat a vegetable, then some of these products are better than nothing, as they can still “push things along”…as we all know fiber does.

Differences in potatoes – Somebody asked me at a recent grocery tour if a red potato was better than a white.  Great question…she stumped me for sure.   Which should she/you go with?  Well, upon research, and taking into account a couple of different prep methods…they are essentially the same.  Taking into account nutrient level and glycemic load, there is not too much difference between the two.  I say two, but there are hundreds of potato varieties, if you want to take the time to research all of them, then be my guest.  Truth be told, you would be much better off with a yam or sweet potato anyway…both from a nutrient standpoint, and by how fast they break down in your body (slower).

Look, they’re all carby goodness, but the bottom line is that you’d be better off getting your carbs from ANY potato than from a ton of bread, pasta, crackers, etc.  If we are looking at how fast these break down in your body by themselves (which you shouldn’t be doing anyway since you eat all your meals with protein right?)

Do we really have to worry about mercury in canned tuna? –   Yes, but really only if you are pregnant, considering getting pregnant, or are a baby or small child.  Canned albacore, though claimed to be a better quality in the realm of processing, does seem to have higher concentrations of mercury than regular chunk light tuna.  For most adults, the mercury content in canned albacore is not enough to be detrimental to most people, if consumed in moderation.  Bodybuilders might have to be worried since they seem to eat canned tuna every day.  Not many of my female clients are in that mode J

Are those blue chips any good for you? – Define “good”.  I suppose if you compare them to say, regular corn based chips, they seem to have some slight “benefit”.  Generally, the darker the vegetable or fruit, the more packed with nutrients they are.  Not always the case, but it’s a good rule to eat by.  This seems to be the case with blue corn chips, as they have a bit more in the way of vitamins/antioxidants, and they do have a slightly lower glycemic index.  At the end of the day, however, they are still chips, and most are still fried, so they have plenty of fat in them.  I would look at them as an occasional cheat, but not as a staple healthy carbohydrate.

Is seltzer, or carbonated water just as readily absorbed as straight up water? –  Inconclusive.  Some research shows that it does not, provided it is straight up carbonated, or sparkling.  I’ve also read some stuff that indicates that since it is harder to digest, it causes the kidneys to work a bit harder, making you go to the bathroom more…which would, in turn, make you dehydrated if you were not replacing the fluids.  It is also rumored that carbonated water can inhibit calcium absorption.  Again, inconclusive as far as research goes.  I will say this, from my end, I tend to believe the kidney thing, as I’ve kind of experienced it on my own.  There was a time, not so long ago, that I was looking for something flavored without sugar.  I bought a bunch of bottles of those Publix seltzers and was drinking them all day long.  Not to go into too much detail, but I peed all day long.  You might say this was because I was drinking too much liquid, but the kicker was my mouth felt dry.  The kind of dry that you experience when you’re dehydrated.  Just sayin’.  Maybe it was placebo effect, I don’t know, but that’s my story and I’m sticking to it!

What’s so bad about Equal (aspartame) or Splenda (sucralose)? -  See this previous blog post for a little more detail, but…

http://www.roswellbootcampsforwomen.com/blog/34/

Here’s what most scary about these artificial sweeteners.  They are finding their way into a hell of a lot of products nowadays.  They also tout them (especially Splenda) as being all natural.  Well, it might have been at some point, but if you chlorinate sugar, can you really call it all natural?  They also haven’t been around all that long in the scheme of things, so who’s to say that this stuff won’t cause some kind of stomach cancer down the line?  Regarding aspartame…a naturopath MD explained it to me this way…aspartame turns to a form of formaldehyde in your body once ingested, causing all sorts of neurological issues.  Food companies refute this in a major way, and it’s a debate that rages on.  Here’s what I do know…I’ve heard numerous first-hand accounts of clients, friends of clients, etc that consumed a lot of this stuff, suffered from headaches, dizziness, etc, and could never find the cause of them.  Guess what?  Got off Diet Coke, and voila…no more headaches!  Just saying, you say you NEED your Diet Coke.  Do you really?

Anyway, I hope some of this stuff clears up some questions you might have about the foods you are buying.  Please drop me a line or ask some more questions if you have them.  I’ll address them in an upcoming blog post or newsletter.  Have a great week!

Chris

Quotes For The Week –

“Red meat is not bad for you.  Now, blue-green meat – that’s bad for you!”

~Tom Smothers

“Gluttony is an emotional escape, as sign something is eating us.”

~ Peter De Vries

Chris Buckley, B.S. Exercise Science, is a certified Fitness Trainer and exercise physiologist, graduate of the University of Florida and fitness professional located in Roswell, GA. Buckley is the owner of BodyBack! Women’s Fitness Boot Camps…serving Roswell, Woodstock, Milton, and NE Marietta, and has posted more information on his website, www.RoswellBootCamps.com.  To try a trial week of his fat churning, calorie burning boot camp…click on the registration link at http://www.roswellbootcampsforwomen.com/roswell-boot-camp-registration.html

When trying to lose weight, it is important that you burn more calories than you consume.  Many people do this by cutting their caloric intake very low.  These same people struggle with weight their entire lives because cutting calories too low will cause you to hold on to body fat and burn muscle and water instead.  As opposed to creating a caloric deficit by eating fewer calories, it is best to create the deficit by burning more calories through exercise.  That means either exercising more frequently or exercising with more intensity.

This all sounds good in theory, but finding the energy to exercise more intensely or more frequently is difficult for many.  This is where the “other side” of nutrition comes in.

If you have ever gone to the gym and tried to exercise on an empty stomach, or after you have eaten poorly throughout the day, then you know how difficult it can be.  You feel lethargic, you get light headed or nauseous, and more often than not you slowly and reluctantly finish the workout, or you quit the workout all together.  Many of us confuse this lethargic feeling with “not getting enough sleep”, or the run down feeling that a lot of stress causes.  Though this may be the case with some, most of you could increase your energy output tenfold by simply making the nutritional changes that I preach every week.  Forget about exercise…wouldn’t you be much happier and productive if you could just get through your day without nodding off at your desk?

The problem is when you don’t attack your workouts with a high intensity, you cut the workouts short, or you simply don’t work out often enough the result is your overall caloric expenditure (how many calories you burn during your workout) goes way down.  When your caloric expenditure is way down then it is very difficult to create a caloric deficit through exercise.

I guess what I’m trying to say is…Eat well to work out well.  If you can’t work out well, then what’s the point of working out?

So, the question becomes, “how do I get the energy to increase workout intensity and/or frequency”.  As you have probably guessed by now, the answer is through our food intake and overall nutrition regimen.  Food is not only used to feed the body in a way that maximizes fat loss, it is also our body’s fuel…and frankly, when you are in the mindset of losing fat and weight, you should look at it as such.  The fuel we use to make it through our hectic days and the fuel we use to maximize our workouts to create the caloric deficit we so desperately need to burn body fat.  And sorry folks, coffee does not count as fuel…tasty though it may be.

Trying to embark on an exercise routine and expecting to excel while eating poorly is akin to dumping sand into the gas tank of a Ferrari and expecting it to perform optimally.  You and the Ferrari will just end up broken down and out of commission.

So, if you are currently on an exercise routine and the results aren’t what you want them to be, take a second look at you nutrition. (or a first look for those of you who are blowing it off)  Be sure that you are eating enough calories, be sure that you are eating your lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and sprinkling in some whole grains here and there.  Make sure you are eating frequent meals throughout the day and limiting your sugar intake to keep your blood sugar levels stabilized and your energy high.  This will enable you to maximize your workouts every single day you train and the result will be a huge spike in your caloric output.  And a spike in caloric output means lower numbers on the scale.  Booyah!

See ya soon,

Christopher

Chris Buckley, B.S. Exercise Science, is a certified Fitness Trainer and exercise physiologist, graduate of the University of Florida and fitness professional located in Roswell, GA. Buckley is the owner of BodyBack! Women’s Fitness Boot Camps…serving Roswell, Woodstock, Milton, and NE Marietta, and has posted more information on his website, www.RoswellBootCamps.com.  To try a trial week of his fat churning, calorie burning boot camp…click on the registration link at http://www.roswellbootcampsforwomen.com/roswell-boot-camp-registration.html