A Dose Of Reality

For those of you who have been reading my blog, I would like to say; THANK YOU!

I would also like to apologize for the delay since my last posting. I am periodically confronted with a one of the less desirable consequences of aging - that being pain.

Three years ago, I was diagnosed with degenerative disk disease, stenosis and spondylolysis in my lower back. Too many sports for a lot of years the doctor tells me. During these episodes, I can experience extreme pain, making my life nothing short of miserable. I am forced to muster up every bit of energy and optimism I can to meet my clients, and simply function. My blog entries and other tasks take a back seat to work, caring for my dog, being a husband and performing other domestic duties.

As a personal trainer, I must always put a happy face on the natural process of aging - pain included. But in my case, it is immature and unforgiving. I despise it! I suppose the only redeeming aspect of pain is that I can relate to my clients who experience it in one form or another. See, there's some optimism for you!

Mild stretching, massage and heat have certainly helped alleviate some of my pain, but rest and time usually does the trick. Daily stretching always helps and is a mandatory part of my schedule. Here's another reason to add flexibility training to your fitness routine.

Feeling somewhat better, I am ready to continue writing regularly. My next entry this week will include some interesting information regarding the often overlooked and crucial part of your health and fitness program, that being sleep.

Healthfully Yours,

The Fitness Guy

Flat Belly Diet...........Give Me A Break!

Once again, another alleged “miracle” diet has hit the market place. If you spend any amount of time online, I’m sure you’ve seen it. It’s called the “Flat Belly Diet”.

The authors claim it magically burns away that unsightly belly fat, which most of us accumulate around our mid-sections at some point in our lives. The premise is this: If you add monounsaturated fatty acids (called MUFA’s) to every meal and snack, you will melt your belly fat away forever!

MUFA’s are healthy fats that include olives, olive oil, avocados, nuts and seeds, soybeans, flaxseed, peanut butter and even dark chocolate! Their health benefits are well documented. They reduce LDL cholesterol, increase satiety (fullness), regulate insulin, provide vitamin E, (an anti-oxidant) and yes, promote body fat metabolism!

A few red flags popped up for me when I visited the Flat Belly website to investigate.

1. They claim the diet specifically targets stubborn belly fat.
   Fact: Physiologically, our bodies do not metabolize body fat in one specific area. Spot reducing is absolutely ridiculous and a myth!
2. They claim you will lose up to 15 pounds in 32 days – that’s approximately 3.75 pounds per week! Fact: Any diet that claims weight loss of more than 1-2 pounds per week is extremely unhealthy and unrealistic. Most of the initial weight loss is water.
3. They claim exercise is unnecessary.
   Fact: Any responsible or credible nutrition plan should advocate exercise for good health.
   The volumes of documented benefits to support this are overwhelming.

The Flat Belly Diet does have some redeeming qualities however:

• It closely resembles the Mediterranean diet which includes lots of fruits, vegetables, healthy fats and lean proteins
• Total calorie intake is around 1600 calories per day, or 400 calories at 4 meals per day. A little low, especially for men, but you’re not starving
• Meal planning and timing is acceptable

This whole MUFA thing caught my attention because I'm a huge advocate of MUFA consumption. I eat almonds, peanut butter, avocados and olive oil on a daily basis.

In addition to the health benefits stated above, I get a sense of feeling fuller when I eat them in meals and snacks. While not scientifically concrete, I really believe they play an integral role in body fat metabolism.

My clients who eat MUFA’s regularly, appear to lose weight easier and faster, and claim to be satisfied for longer periods after meals and snacks, thus eating fewer calories.

MUFA’s are only one small component of the nutrition equation however. The MUFA recommendation in the Flat Belly Diet is good, but it's not the magic bullet for melting away belly fat.

Again, the magic bullet for burning body fat is a solid and consistent exercise program combined with a balanced nutrition plan - over a long duration!

If you are not eating MUFA’s, try adding some to your daily meals and snacks for the many health benefits. For dietary fat guidelines: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/weight-loss/NU00647

Don’t waste your money on another marketing gimmick. Let’s check back in 6-9 months to see if the Flat Belly Diet ends up in the diet book graveyard.

Healthfully Yours,

The Fitness Guy

Exercising in Hell

About a year ago, one of my in-home clients told me about a particular yoga class he started taking. It was called Bikram Yoga. I’d heard of it in the past, but all I remember was something about yoga in a hot room.

My client and I share the same degenerative disk condition in our lower backs, and he claimed it helped to reduce his back pain and improve his flexibility. He invited me to take a class on a number of occasions. I declined. I was hesitant because I never envisioned myself in one of those mind/body classes full of sweaty a-la-naturales.

Over time, I did actually notice gradual improvements in my client's flexibility and pain levels, so I gave in and decided to give it a try. He briefed me on the nature of the class – very hot and ninety minutes of extremely challenging movements and postures called asanas.

One early Sunday morning, equipped with water and three towels, I met him at the yoga studio, enthusiastic but a little anxious and uncertain. As a Bikram newbie I didn’t know what to expect, but I was determined to give it a go!

We left our sandals near the front entrance and walked barefoot into the studio. I was hit immediately by a burst of intense heat, one-hundred and five degrees to be exact. I reminded myself that it was called Bikram, or hot yoga. Feeling the “It's a newbie” stares, we set up our mats and towels in a rear corner of the room. I preferred that location because I didn’t want any eyes on this Bikram yoga newbie. Set up on our mats, wearing nothing but shorts, we waited for the instructor to arrive and began sweating profusely. Boy, I knew I was in trouble before the class had even started.

The instructor strolled into the studio as we stood patiently on our mats. He was a very tall ex-construction worker who went by the nickname “Lamp Post”. His tall and lanky frame said it all. Being quite an affable fellow, I soon felt at ease with Lamp Post.

As we began the first deep breathing exercise in a standing position, (the first of twenty-six postures/asanas), the combined inhaling and exhaling of thirty plus attendees created this strange wind tunnel sound, like no other I‘ve heard before. It was surreal! We progressed into a series of leg strengthening and stretching poses, causing my legs to fatigue, quiver and burn from the lactate build-up in the muscles. The sweat flowed like I’ve never experienced before. Intense exercise in one-hundred and five degree heat does that to a person! I struggled with nearly every posture and stretch, especially as time progressed and fatigue took hold in the inferno-like studio.

I was put at ease by Lamp Post as he strolled around the studio providing words of encouragement and barking out orders to move into new asanas/postures - funny names I’ve never heard before. As he proceeded to our corner of the room I caught a few drips of his sweat as I lay on the floor. I felt a little violated! But I reminded myself this was yoga, a very different experience, and form of exercise I was not accustomed to. I was too fatigued and focused on attempting to hold my posture to let it bother me anyway.

At about the one-hour mark, I was exhausted and remained seated on the floor. Numerous times I attempted to gather enough energy to try the next asana, but most attempts were fruitless. The temperature near the floor dropped to about one-hundred degrees, but felt heavenly compared to the standing position. Numerous times I was tempted to get up and walk out of that studio, but I had to prove I could hang tough with my client. Yeah, I was tough alright, sitting on that floor near total defeat.

Catching a brief glimpse of the other participants, some joined me on the floor, but most were gracefully executing the asanas without any difficulty. These folks came from all walks of life and shattered the “a-la-naturale” stereotype I previously held. But right then, I could care less about the type of people who were there. My focus was surviving that final thirty minutes and mustering up enough energy to try some of the remaining postures!

Class finally ended and we remained on the floor completely drained, attempting to gather ourselves. I was worked! Our towels were soaked with sweat and the water bottles were bone dry.

As punishing or sadistic as it seemed, I felt detoxified, relaxed and limber after I composed myself and showered. When my wife asked me how it went, I replied; “It’s like exercising in hell!” As an ex-athlete, I thought I could handle this yoga thing. Man I was wrong. I was humbled.

Since that first Bikram class, I’ve tried a few more classes. It does get easier - sort of. I know what to expect and the heat of the studio seems a little less stifling. The asanas still remain very challenging due to my diminished low back flexibility, but I do feel better. Retreating to the floor the last thirty minutes of class is becoming less frequent as well. Now there’s real progress!

I guarantee this form of yoga will challenge all newcomers. If you want a butt-kicking workout and a humbling experience, try it! Yoga in one form or another is certainly an alternative to traditional forms of exercise such as weight training, jogging or other group exercise classes.

Bikram yoga is not for everyone however, and it does have it’s critics. If you cannot tolerate exercising in extreme heat, then don’t try this. If you have any medical or orthopedic conditions, TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR FIRST! Let the instructor know you are a newbie and disclose any medical conditions.

Try it, you might like it.

Healthfully Yours,

The Fitness Guy

Rediscovering Smoothies

As a teenager in 1976, (yes I’m old!) I remember getting my first glimpse into the world of smoothies, from a very primitive perspective. The first Rocky movie was in theatres and one scene depicts Sylvester Stallone gulping down five raw eggs as he prepares for an early morning workout. I did say primitive!

After entering my twenties in the early 1980’s, I discovered weight lifting, Muscle and Fitness magazine and the desire to put some muscle on my skinny frame. Regressing back to that Rocky movie, my roommate and I mimicked that raw egg drinking ritual - many times. Man it was disgusting! But hey, I wanted that muscle mass and I do believe it helped, to a degree. However, I’d never recommend it to anybody. Not only does it taste horrid, but you can get deathly ill from potential salmonella poisoning!

Without researching, I believe that first Rocky movie spawned the beginning of smoothie consumption, in one form or another. I continued to drink archaic forms of smoothies by mixing milk and egg protein powder in a glass. I was a poor college student and couldn’t afford a blender. Using a glass and a spoon to mix it was time consuming and frustrating because it never blended together thoroughly – lots of clumpy protein powder left in the bottom of the glass. The end of the drink was a little rough going down. It still tasted better than raw eggs however.

Skip a few years ahead and armed with a blender, I continued drinking smoothies by blending whey protein powder (milk based), milk, fruit, ice and sometimes juice. When I was in a hurry to get somewhere it served as a fast snack or meal. I would leave the blender in the sink, but later came home to a hardened coating of gunk to clean. Over time, I became tired of taking the time to break down the blender and clean all of the parts. My consumption of smoothies as I knew it, was soon history.

Spring forward to Christmas 2007. After complaining of limited choices and repetition in healthy snacks (yes, we trainers struggle with food choices too!), my lovely wife surprised me with a new fan-dangled blender called the Magic Bullet. Magic Bullet Express 17-Piece High-Speed Blender Mixing System I was enthusiastic about the prospect of drinking smoothies again, but I kept flashing back to that cleaning issue. As a result, it sat in its box, unopened for nearly two months. One day, I caught a demonstration of the Magic Bullet on TV and convinced myself to give it a try.

Pleasantly surprised, I discovered a vast improvement in the design and operation, in contrast to the blender I used in the early 1980’s. The Magic Bullet is light, fast, easy to operate, thorough, and most of all, extremely fast and easy to clean. I’ve used it nearly every day for at least one snack or meal ever since! My wife has even jumped on the smoothie band wagon! As a snack and meal alternative, I highly recommend the Magic Bullet as a great addition to your meal planning. Yes, I’m giving it a shameless plug, but I wouldn’t recommend a product I didn’t believe in.

Americans are drinking smoothies again in big numbers, as evidenced by the proliferation of smoothie franchising! (e.g.; Maui Wowi, Smoothie King, Planet Smoothie, etc.)

Since the early 80’s, my recipe has evolved into a complete and balanced mixture of protein, healthy fats and carbohydrates. Below, I’ve listed my typical smoothie recipe including nutrient and calorie counts. Try it, you’ll like it!


Fitness Guy Smoothie Recipe

1 - c. 1% or non-fat Milk
1 - scoop *Designer Protein Powder
( *One of the best whey proteins on the market - see at right )
1 - 6 oz. Danon Light’n Fit or plain Yogurt
1 - small banana
¾ - 1 c. frozen or fresh mixed berries
1 - teaspoon olive or flaxseed oil
Ice: optional

Total Calories: *477
Total Fat: 14g
Saturated Fat: 6g
Cholesterol: 55mg
Sodium: 270mg
Total Carbohydrate: 58g
Dietary Fiber: 6 g
Sugars: 26g
Total Protein: 38g

*For snack calories (approx 250), divide ingredients in half, except Designer Protein.

Drink up and enjoy!

Healthfully Yours,
The Fitness Guy

Dear Diet: I Detest You!

For me, the word "diet” always seems to conjure up images of those miserable souls, starving themselves to lose 25-30 pounds - sometimes succeeding, but inevitably gaining it all back, plus a few extra pounds. Once again, perpetuating a vicious cycle of weight loss and weight gain - over and over again.

I never did like the word "diet" – that four lettered word as many call it. It sounds so harsh coming out of one's mouth. Not like the word chocolate, that not only tastes good, but sounds good too! But in all seriousness, the word “diet” has carried a nasty stigma for decades. I really don't believe there is any hope in resuscitating this word. But hey, you never know.

Many diets are born from some fan dangled idea someone throws together haphazardly. With little or no scientific merit, they put a fancy name on it, market the hell out of it, and sell it like hotcakes. Then it dies. Why? Because ultimately, it doesn't work! (e.g.; food combining, cabbage soup, watermelon, Slimfast, and the list goes on and on.)

Not to say that any of the past or current diets have any useful applications. Some in fact do. Some of these “diets” share some redeeming qualities and sensible approaches that can be utilized in your eating strategies. I wish writers of these programs would use names like the XYZ Eating Plan or 123 Nutrition Plan, rather than the word “Diet” in the titles. OK, I’ll quit dwelling and get to the point.

As unpleasant as it may be for some, nutrition habits are the ultimate determinant in the success, or failure of their health and fitness program. I cannot emphasize this point enough, and I say this with the utmost confidence and certainty.

Here is why. If you ever spend any time in a health club, observe the folks who use the club five to seven days per week, exercising their butts off. Many spend countless hours, days and months, sweating, huffing, puffing, and grimacing away. Yet, over time, many of these folks never appear to lose any weight! In fact, some actually gain weight. Why? Because they refuse to learn healthy nutrition habits, or seek out the proper guidance to do so. Many choose to eat what is fast, convenient and loaded with calories. They believe they can log in more exercise to burn off the extra calories!

They couldn't be more wrong! Physiologically, the human body is unfair and merciless when comparing calorie consumption and expenditure. For example, a 160 lb. individual will burn about 277 calories after walking one hour on a treadmill at a moderate pace of 3.5 mile per hour. It takes little to no effort and maybe two minutes to eat a 286 calorie Hershey bar! Eating food is simple, burning calories requires some effort! Maybe an extreme example here, but I think you get my point.

As the folks previously mentioned progress in age, they begin to gain more weight and can’t understand why all of the exercise is not paying off. In the end, they become frustrated and quit exercising, or worse yet, injure themselves from over training. Then, while continuing to eat poorly, their weight gain compounds! The health issues start creeping in, and some of these poor souls reach a point of no return. I suppose you can call it the snowball effect. I’ve observed this on a number of occasions, and it isn’t pretty. In a nutshell, quality of life heads right down the toilet.

Add gender, menopause, genetics and potential metabolic conditions to this equation, and it becomes even tougher. As we age, our eating habits become more important than ever while attempting to lose weight and improve overall health. If you are female, premenopausal, menopausal or post-menopausal, and have fat parents, it becomes doubly challenging. I call it the triple whammy.

Those who choose to integrate healthy eating habits into their exercise program, almost always succeed. Those who don’t, almost always fail. It is as simple as that.

As mentioned above, I choose to replace that word "diet" with the words "eating plan" or "nutrition plan". Why? Because it involves planning with some forethought, and a little strategizing. It is personal, something we learn and are directly involved with.

Rather than follow a specific diet per se, formulate your own successful "eating plan". Use the solid strategies and guidelines listed below to build the foundation to your nutrition plan. I have found these to be invaluable over the years. Learn to integrate them into your daily routine and you will look and feel better. Consistency is the name of the game here!

• Eat breakfast daily
• Control and stabilize insulin and blood sugar levels by combining protein, fat, and carbohydrate in every meal. For balanced meal and snack ideas visit:
  http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/healthy-recipes/RE99999
• Learn portion control. Calories do count! For portion guidelines visit: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/weight-loss/NU00647 http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/portion-control/NU00267
• Eat 3 meals and 2-3 snacks every day
• Eat at consistent times every day (every 3-4 hrs.)
• Eat 5-9 servings of various fruits and vegetables every day
• Choose lean sources of protein such as non-fat dairy, skinless chicken, fish and poultry
• Take a high-quality multi-vitamin daily (talk to your doctor first)
• Take an Omega 3 fatty-acid supplement daily (talk to your doctor first)
• Add olive and/or flax seed oil to your food daily
• Add 1/4 to 1/2 avocado to a meal every day
• Add a small handful of raw almonds or other nuts or seeds to a snack or meal every day
• Drink plenty of water throughout the day
• Avoid processed and prepackaged foods and sweets
• Limit eating out to one time per week
• Limit alcohol to one drink per day
• Enlist the services of a Registered Dietitian to help formulate your plan. Visit:http://eatright.org/ to find a Registered Dietitian
• DO NOT SMOKE!

The famous fitness guru Jack LaLane once said, “If god didn’t put it on the earth naturally, then it shouldn’t be eaten” That mantra has always stuck with me. It makes complete sense.

The internet is full of free nutrition content! In later posts I will provide a list of reputable nutrition websites for your reference. Take advantage of them and discover how to eat “clean” for effective weight loss and better health. You’ll be glad you did.

Healthfully Yours,

The Fitness Guy

The Harsh Reality of Weight Loss

Over the years I have have been barraged with the same questions concerning weight loss; "What is the best weight loss diet? Can I take a vitamin or pill to help me lose weight? Should I buy that piece of exercise equipment on the infomercial to help me burn fat?

The harsh reality is this. Currently, there is no pill, powder, gadget, gizmo, etc. that will magically melt away your body fat! Period.

This statement is validated with two questions:

First question is; "Have you heard of, or tried a diet, drink, pill or gadget that has resulted in significant, sustained and healthy weight loss over the long run"? Probably not. If you have, please share your secret, as there are loads of people who will certainly benefit.

The second question is; "Why do these products or programs disappear as soon as the novelty wears off? The answer is simple. They don't work! If they did, we would all be skinny/lean and the manufacturer would be the Microsoft of the weight loss industry.

This process becomes a vicious cycle of the following:

• introduction of a new product and/or program
• massive marketing (eg; beautiful, handsome and extraordinarily lean, athletic models)
• explosive growth in sales
• slowed growth (when people realize it doesn't work)
• the disappearing act. It's gone!

Do you see the trend? These products come and go as fast as the changing seasons, only to be replaced by a revamped or new gizmo, or another absurd diet.

Many folks become entrapped in this vicious cycle, gladly shelling out money for false hope, discovering products as bogus or ineffective, then waiting for the next "miracle" gizmo and shelling out more money, yet again. All the while, they continue to age, become less active, eat poorly and gain even more weight, while spending lots of money. They become sick, frustrated and want to throw in the towel. In the meantime, the product manufacturers and marketers are smiling all the way to the bank!

The simple hard facts are these:

• To remain healthy, human beings are designed to move! Yes move. (run, jog, walk, step, jump, push, pull, etc.)
• To remain healthy, human beings are designed to eat foods that were put on the earth "naturally" (eg; fruits, vegetables, limited grains and animal protein)

As we have evolved, we have stopped moving and are now eating quick, convenient, processed, calorie dense foods.

The resulting outcome is our global - yes global obesity epidemic. Closely associated, are huge increases in other lifestyle diseases such as heart disease, stroke, certain cancers, diabetes, osteoarthritis, and depression.

In simplified form, I offer this 8 Step action plan for a healthier lifestyle.

1. Get a Physical Exam from Your Doctor Once a Year.
2. Exercise Your Heart and Lungs. Walk, jog, run, swim, bike or perform any cardio activity of your choice 3-6 days per week, non-stop for 20-60 minutes
3. Exercise and Stretch Your Muscles. Hire a professional personal trainer and learn how to strengthen and stretch your body
4. Eat Clean. Learn to eat properly and you will not only feel better, but you will burn body fat! ( to be covered in more detail later)
5. DON'T SMOKE! No explanation required
6. Limit Alcohol Consumption. No more than 1-2 drinks per day
7. Get Your Rest. The body repairs and rejuvenates itself and metabolizes body fat during sleep. Most sleep experts are recommending 7-8 hours per night. Cat naps are good too!
8. Manage Stress! Treat yourself to massage, yoga, meditation, travel, etc. to decompress

In future posts I will focus on nutrition and exercise strategies in greater detail to enhance and optimize the components of a fitness program.

Until then, stay away from the infomercial and marketing hype for quick weight loss. Once again, it simply does not work. Don't continue to pad the marketers bank accounts, and finally, take some time to rediscover your youth by moving and nourishing your body with "clean" foods.

Healthfully Yours,

The Fitness Guy

My Take on the Battle of the Bulge

By now, most Americans know we have a serious weight problem on our hands. Yes, this gives me job security, but it also angers and saddens me! Why you may ask? Because I've personally observed how lifestyle diseases can affect people and their families.

For the sake of confidentiality I will not get into details, but it is extremely painful, both physically and mentally, not only for the sufferer, but their families and friends as well.

I'm angry because they are selfish for leaving loved ones behind prematurely. I'm also angered because in part, I am paying for the treatment of obesity related diseases in my skyrocketing health insurance premium! Why can't folks get rewarded for their good health behaviors rather than penalized for other Americans poor lifestyle choices?

OK, enough venting. And again, this epidemic does give me job security!

I have many times attempted to analyze the very reasons why many of us have become so fat and out of shape. This is what I've surmised from years of observation and study.

• Physical Education in many schools is non-existent, so the problem is beginning at a very young age.
• We have become an "immediate gratification" society. If you don't see the results immediately, you're moving on to the next dead-end option.
• Exercise is viewed by some as laborious and tedious. It's no fun!
• We have become a totally automated and mechanized society. Remote controls, computers, car washes, elevators, escalators - you get the point. We exert a minuscule level of physical effort to perform many tasks in which automation easily accomplishes.
• Our fast paced, time driven society has opened the floodgates for endless choices in fast-foods and convenience foods. It is abundant and for the most part, pretty cheap. Unfortunately, these foods are filled with tons of empty calories and stuff most people cannot even pronounce. But hey, it gives us immediate gratification, albeit only temporarily. But hey, it's quick, easy and many times automated.
• The stress of our fast-paced society and demands on time have put an emphasis on escape, with an indulgence of food and alcohol, many times in large quantities

So there you have it, my take on a weighty issue. Pun intended!

I continue on, motivated and determined to help as many people as I can with two critical lifestyle changes - to get active and eat well! Seemingly simple, but absolutely necessary for growing old gracefully.

Healthfully Yours,

The Fitness Guy