Friday, May 29, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Nutrition Notes: Week 10
Last week we finished up by talking about supplementation. Over the years we have fielded so many questions about what supplements are good or bad, which ones work the best, which ones are o.k. to take, when to use them, if they should be used at all, and on and on. The correct answer to most of these questions is...that there isn't always just one correct answer. In consulting with our clients, including Michael, we first need to evaluate where they are at nutritionally, understanding their personal situation, before we can make sound recommendations. While many people do fall into similar traps and poor nutritional habits, each person's needs and limitations will vary (vegetarians/vegans, lactose intolerance, etc.). This is also why we don't generally provide generic meal plans or an exact amount of calories to follow. When it comes to nutritional supplements, most of our recommendations follow this same level of specificity. There are some basic guidelines, however, that just about everyone can take into consideration, and for the purpose of still keeping this focused on Michael's situation, we can discuss how we evaluated his needs. First of all, we focus only on the nutritional supplements that have true nutritional value to our clients, specifically supplements that provide proteins, carboydrates, vitamins, and minerals, either stand alone or combined in the product itself. The amount of products out there is staggering, and for just about anything you can think of. Unfortunately, most of what's out there is either poor quality, completely unnecessary, provides little to no actual benefit, or all of the above. Despite this fact, the supplement industry is a vastly growing, multi-billion dollar industry. Also, there are limited to no regulations by the FDA on most supplements, so when it comes to them...Buyer Beware!
It doesn't mean they are all bad or useless, it just means it is important to either educate and arm yourself with the knowledge, or seek out a qualified and experienced professional to guide you in the right direction - and no, the guy behind the counter at your local GNC or Vitamin Shoppe is NOT that person. They are paid and have incentive to sell you as much as they can and steer you to the products that give them the most profit, regardless of whether you really NEED them or not. The right fitness professional will ONLY recommend the right products that you can truly benefit from, and actually discourage you from buying or using the ones you don't need or that could harm you. This is what we did with Michael. We evaluated that most of his need was in ensuring that he was keeping his food frequency up by getting good snacks in. He had the ability to take care of his main meals well, but would struggle with getting healthy and balanced snacks in at the correct portions. He also was in need of a good multi-vitamin and mineral supplement from years of eating processed and high fat foods that provided him with little to no nutrients. Finally, with the intensity and effort he is putting into his workouts, we knew he would need a high quality recovery product to ensure that his body was getting the right balance of quality carbohydrates and protein post workout. That's it, though - no products specifically designed for "weight loss", pre-workout energy, or anything outside of what he needed to fill the gaps in his nutritional plan. Eating right and getting all the nutrients you need will provide you with all the energy you need and will support your metabolism, allowing you to lose weight naturally. Also, the plan is to eventually taper the use of some of these off as he progresses. He may decide eventually to always use them in some capacity, which is completely fine - if you polled all fitness professionals, I would be willing to bet that the vast majority use nutritional supplements in some capacity on a daily basis. The overall idea, however, is to use them for convenience and to "fill in the gaps," an insurance policy as we always like to say. Without taking up too much more time or space (I didn't realize how quickly it can add up), next time we can go into a little more information about quality and what can potentially distinguish a "good" supplement from a "bad" one. Until next time...
It doesn't mean they are all bad or useless, it just means it is important to either educate and arm yourself with the knowledge, or seek out a qualified and experienced professional to guide you in the right direction - and no, the guy behind the counter at your local GNC or Vitamin Shoppe is NOT that person. They are paid and have incentive to sell you as much as they can and steer you to the products that give them the most profit, regardless of whether you really NEED them or not. The right fitness professional will ONLY recommend the right products that you can truly benefit from, and actually discourage you from buying or using the ones you don't need or that could harm you. This is what we did with Michael. We evaluated that most of his need was in ensuring that he was keeping his food frequency up by getting good snacks in. He had the ability to take care of his main meals well, but would struggle with getting healthy and balanced snacks in at the correct portions. He also was in need of a good multi-vitamin and mineral supplement from years of eating processed and high fat foods that provided him with little to no nutrients. Finally, with the intensity and effort he is putting into his workouts, we knew he would need a high quality recovery product to ensure that his body was getting the right balance of quality carbohydrates and protein post workout. That's it, though - no products specifically designed for "weight loss", pre-workout energy, or anything outside of what he needed to fill the gaps in his nutritional plan. Eating right and getting all the nutrients you need will provide you with all the energy you need and will support your metabolism, allowing you to lose weight naturally. Also, the plan is to eventually taper the use of some of these off as he progresses. He may decide eventually to always use them in some capacity, which is completely fine - if you polled all fitness professionals, I would be willing to bet that the vast majority use nutritional supplements in some capacity on a daily basis. The overall idea, however, is to use them for convenience and to "fill in the gaps," an insurance policy as we always like to say. Without taking up too much more time or space (I didn't realize how quickly it can add up), next time we can go into a little more information about quality and what can potentially distinguish a "good" supplement from a "bad" one. Until next time...
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Trainer Notes: Week 10
Wow! The weeks just keep flying by, and Michael continues to see great, steady results. His workouts also continue to progress well each week. This week we will decrease our rep range and increase some resistances to help challenge his body to get even a little bit stronger. We will do this for two weeks and then change up the entire routine again. As you see in his previous post, Michael lost another 12 pounds two weeks from the last assessment. To me, the consistent rate at which he has continued to lose weight has been one the coolest things to watch. See, this isn't always the norm, and even as trainers, we expect that there may be an occasional week or several week period where the scale doesn't always reflect the effort, or show the weight loss we would like to see. It doesn't mean things aren't changing and improving (inches, decreased body fat), and often it can lead to better returns the following week or period. It's almost as if the body decides that it just needs to play catch-up before it kicks into a higher gear again with the changes (to put it not so scientifically). The point is, it can happen, but it shouldn't discourage you or throw you off course. Michael's consistent results have, in part, come as a result of him being so consistent with his workouts and nutrition. While his weight loss has been steady and consistent, it doesn't mean that it will be for every weigh-in. It might, but if it isn't, it doesn't necessarily mean that he, or we, did anything wrong. If you stay on track, get good workouts in and eat well on a consistent basis, the end result will come your way. Just keep the focus on that one key word - Consistency - and the body will find a way to take care of itself and be the best it can be in the end, both internally and externally.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
A Lonely TV 10 Weeks Later
After my eight week weigh in at 361 and 32 lbs. lost two weeks ago, Ben and I set a goal that I would be able to weigh on the Fitness Together scale which maxes out at 350 for the next bi-weekly weigh in at 10 weeks. Up to now, we have been weighing next door at Dr. Dall’s office – Thank you Dr. Dall. The verdict is in, and I beat it by 1 pound at 349 lbs., which means I lost 12 lbs. the last two weeks for a running total of 44 lbs. Woohoo!
Thank you Ben, Phil, Brian, Tracy, Marie, and Nicole. I can’t say it enough.
Reasons why this transformation is so important to me:
1. My health was headed down a deadly path. At 37 I am pre-diabetic, have high blood pressure, and testing showed my cardiac disease risk was over 3 times the high level of normal.
2. I couldn’t sleep, and would rotate from the couch to the bed, to the chair, back to the bed. Often watching TV at 3AM.
3. I was tired of being tired.
4. I was emotionally drained by frequent embarrassing moments.
5. I was worn out by everyone I know telling me I needed to lose weight. Let’s be truthful folks, it doesn’t make smokers quit either.
6. I had lost almost my entire sense of self-worth and self-confidence.
Changes already:
1. I have energy to do things like gardening which I enjoy more than putting my Netflix subscription to maximum usage.
2. I can sleep now. I have added the ritual of reading in bed for a few minutes, and have been sleeping straight through the night now with consistency. Something I haven’t done in years.
3. My heart rate is way down, my cholesterol down, and my diabetes risk is decreasing.
4. We are eating more meals together as a family at the table, instead of on the coach basking in the blue light glow.
Things I am looking forward to:
1. Being able to fit into a booth at a restaurant.
2. Not having to ask for a chair without arms in any public situation.
3. Not getting bruises on my legs from airplane seats.
4. Not having to ask for a seat belt extension from a flight attendant when flying.
5. Not having people make ugly faces and sigh when they realize the big sweaty guy(me) has an airplane seat next to them.
6. Being able to get into our shower without scrapping my stomach on the shower door frame.
7. Not breaking office chairs when I sit in them, including those at Fitness Together (sorry Ben).
8. Being able to buy clothes at Kohls and retire our King Size Direct credit account.
9. Being able to fit into a sports car comfortably and take a nice drive.
10. Being able to live longer and happier life.
11. Being able to take my dog on a 3-mile hike.
12. Being able to do a fundraising run, and run, and finish.
13. And much more….
Until next time,
Michael
Thank you Ben, Phil, Brian, Tracy, Marie, and Nicole. I can’t say it enough.
Reasons why this transformation is so important to me:
1. My health was headed down a deadly path. At 37 I am pre-diabetic, have high blood pressure, and testing showed my cardiac disease risk was over 3 times the high level of normal.
2. I couldn’t sleep, and would rotate from the couch to the bed, to the chair, back to the bed. Often watching TV at 3AM.
3. I was tired of being tired.
4. I was emotionally drained by frequent embarrassing moments.
5. I was worn out by everyone I know telling me I needed to lose weight. Let’s be truthful folks, it doesn’t make smokers quit either.
6. I had lost almost my entire sense of self-worth and self-confidence.
Changes already:
1. I have energy to do things like gardening which I enjoy more than putting my Netflix subscription to maximum usage.
2. I can sleep now. I have added the ritual of reading in bed for a few minutes, and have been sleeping straight through the night now with consistency. Something I haven’t done in years.
3. My heart rate is way down, my cholesterol down, and my diabetes risk is decreasing.
4. We are eating more meals together as a family at the table, instead of on the coach basking in the blue light glow.
Things I am looking forward to:
1. Being able to fit into a booth at a restaurant.
2. Not having to ask for a chair without arms in any public situation.
3. Not getting bruises on my legs from airplane seats.
4. Not having to ask for a seat belt extension from a flight attendant when flying.
5. Not having people make ugly faces and sigh when they realize the big sweaty guy(me) has an airplane seat next to them.
6. Being able to get into our shower without scrapping my stomach on the shower door frame.
7. Not breaking office chairs when I sit in them, including those at Fitness Together (sorry Ben).
8. Being able to buy clothes at Kohls and retire our King Size Direct credit account.
9. Being able to fit into a sports car comfortably and take a nice drive.
10. Being able to live longer and happier life.
11. Being able to take my dog on a 3-mile hike.
12. Being able to do a fundraising run, and run, and finish.
13. And much more….
Until next time,
Michael
Nutrition Notes: Week 9
Last week we discussed how Michael is still losing weight at a steady and consistent pace, and doing it without the help of a nasty four letter word... D I E T. I still nearly shudder at the mention of "dieting" when people tell me they are trying this to lose weight. Dieting generally means two things to me; deprivation, and...temporary. Neither benefit anyone in the end. Our bodies need adequate calories and a balance of all nutrients to function at their peak, and we want good nutritional changes to last for a lifetime. We truly believe that the changes Michael has been making will stick with him, allowing him to maintain a healthy way of eating for the long haul. One of the main reasons for his weight loss nutritionally, is that by changing many of his daily eating habits (more frequent and balanced meals with good portion control), which is almost equally important as his improvements in food choices (higher quality, healthy choices), he has trained his body to use food as the fuel and energy source it was meant to be. He can still enjoy the taste of healthy and nutritious foods (it doesn't happen immediately, but our palate does change), and even an occassional "cheat" meal, but ultimately he is teaching his mind and body to view food differently. In addition, the proper frequency and correct balance of nutrients allows his metabolism to skyrocket by normalizing hormones, and helping to improve or avoid insulin resistance. It also means he can get the most out of his workouts so they can be as effective as possible on their end.
One of the things we have helped Michael with in the beginning stages of changing his nutrition, is introducing and recommending a small amount of supplementation to his daily food intake. We focused on three areas; ensuring he is getting all of the vitamins and minerals he needs through a high quality multivitamin and mineral supplement that also includes probiotics; providing the proper ratio of quality carboydrates and protein intake for workout recovery through a post workout shake; and helping to keep his frequency up by providing him with another high quality and balanced option for his snacks in the form of a bar or shake mix. I'll discuss these items a little more next time and also explain how using nutritional supplements can and often should vary from person to person depening on their individuals needs and limitations. There are pros and cons and all supplements are definitely NOT created equal.
One of the things we have helped Michael with in the beginning stages of changing his nutrition, is introducing and recommending a small amount of supplementation to his daily food intake. We focused on three areas; ensuring he is getting all of the vitamins and minerals he needs through a high quality multivitamin and mineral supplement that also includes probiotics; providing the proper ratio of quality carboydrates and protein intake for workout recovery through a post workout shake; and helping to keep his frequency up by providing him with another high quality and balanced option for his snacks in the form of a bar or shake mix. I'll discuss these items a little more next time and also explain how using nutritional supplements can and often should vary from person to person depening on their individuals needs and limitations. There are pros and cons and all supplements are definitely NOT created equal.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Trainer Notes: Week 9
Week 9 brought some tough new challenges for Michael. His new workout routine is definitely challenging him to step up his game another notch. While our basic structure of balancing resistance training with cardiovascular exercise remains the same, we have brought the intestity up another level. We have progressed on the exercises and lowered the rep range, which allows us to make those exercises a little more difficult during each set he performs. In some cases, this means increasing the resistance, and in others it means continuing to challenge him with harder progressions and positions that are tougher to control. As he has proven since the beginning of this competition, however, he has the drive and the fight to push through every challenge we have put in front of him. While he has definitely been very fatiqued before, the end of week 9 had Michael more physically and maybe even mentally fatigued than at any point so far in this challenge. He has worked through it like a champ, though, and that's what also makes adequate recovery, even through tough competitions like this, so important.
We still have Michael taking the weekends off from structured exercise. Monday through Friday he is going all out, giving it everything he has through 5 days of challenging and intense workouts. We structure and design the plan during the week to allow adequate muscle recovery, but by the end of the week his body, and we feel even more importantly, his mind, need a break. We encourage active recovery, like walks with the dog, working around the house and in the yard, a nice bikeride, etc., but not stuctured and intense exercise. These activities still burn calories and help support the metabolism, but are supposed to be fun and very low in intensity. Even though this is a competition, it's a journey, not a sprint, and we want to avoid physical breakdown and injury, as well as psychological burnout. The body also makes most of its progress through the recovery process, and Michael even reports that he feels his body changing the most over the course of his "weekends off." Keep up the good fight everyone, and thank you to all of our current clients who have directly or indirectly provided Michael with support. We are hearing more and more how Michael's efforts and results so far are an inspiration and providing motivation to many of you out there. We pass this along to Michael, and he tells us all the time how appreciative he is and how much it motivates and inspires him in return. We have our next weigh-in this Wednesday, so stay tuned for the results...
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Meal Plan: Week 8
Michael continues to do very well with his nutrition, and there are numerous reasons why we feel he's done so well. As mentioned previously, changing nutritional habits can be one of the most difficult things to do when trying to lose weight and get in shape. Often, people are trying to change deeply rooted, life-long habits, and sometimes breaking psychological and/or physiological addictions to food. That's what makes the changes he has made even more impressive, because when Michael came to us, his body was definitely addicted to sugar, fat, processed and fried foods. Michael's love for food, as many of us have, actually provided us with a positive approach, however. How? Well, prepare yourself as I let you in on a little secret, but... it's o.k. to enjoy food. No, really, it's O.K. Shocking, right? I know what you're thinking, but no, eating healthy doesn't have to doom you to a life of foods that taste like bark. In working with Michael and his wife, Audrey, we discovered that they both love to cook and create. This helped us work with them and challenge them to not only find and create new, healthy recipes, but to also find ways to modify some of their favorite recipes to choose better ingredients and make them healthier. They've done a great job of following through on this, and in the long run, it will help these changes stick more permanently, because they are the ones taking part in this process of change. We try to provide them with the education and tools they will need to be successful, but then help support and coach them through the process of actually making these changes stick as new habits and as part of a new lifestyle. We also believe strongly in the philosophy that good nutrition is about eating enough of the right nutrients, in the proper balance. Deprivation is not a word that fits into our nutritional vocabulary very well. In fact, Michael still tells us that he feels strange eating the amount of food we have him focusing on every day, and yet, he still continues to lose weight. We'll discuss next time some of the reasons why, and touch upon another key nutritional topic - Nutritional Supplements.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Trainer Notes: Week 8
We finished up week 8, and wow, does time fly. It's been so fun and really amazing to see what Michael's been able to accomplish in this short period of time. As you can see from the last entry, the results are speaking for themselves. What the numbers don't tell you, however, is how much he has improved and benefited in less "measurable" ways. One thing that was really noticeable to us this week was how much Michael's confidence with himself and with performing his exercises has improved and really started to shine through. I'm not sure if it's something he has even recognized, but is very apparent to those of us who saw where he started. While the improved confidence seems to be actually helping him progress and excel in his workouts, we're more excited for how it can affect and improve his life in various ways outside of our studio. Also hearing how much better he is feeling overall and how much more active he's been able to be at home is a great feeling. Outstanding job, Michael. These real "life" improvents are just as important as the other great results you have gotten so far.
Next week we will start another new workout program. Michael's body has responded so well to the gradual increases we've made so far, that we will continue to focus on building good functional strength. Again, exercises will get more challenging, we will decrease our rep range a little, and challenge him in new ways. We are going to continue with 3 resistance training sessions followed by short duration cardio and two coached cardio sessions each week, as it has been working so well for him. His cardio sessions will of course get more challenging, continuing to keep up with his new found cardiovascular improvements. Well, that's about it for this week, but I did want to give some recognition to the other contestants, as everyone appears to be working very hard and starting to see the payoff. Nice job everyone! This has been a fun and rewarding experience all around so far.
Next week we will start another new workout program. Michael's body has responded so well to the gradual increases we've made so far, that we will continue to focus on building good functional strength. Again, exercises will get more challenging, we will decrease our rep range a little, and challenge him in new ways. We are going to continue with 3 resistance training sessions followed by short duration cardio and two coached cardio sessions each week, as it has been working so well for him. His cardio sessions will of course get more challenging, continuing to keep up with his new found cardiovascular improvements. Well, that's about it for this week, but I did want to give some recognition to the other contestants, as everyone appears to be working very hard and starting to see the payoff. Nice job everyone! This has been a fun and rewarding experience all around so far.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Meal Plan: Week 7
Well, I'm not going to talk much about nutrition today because I'm just too excited to report the results of Michael's first 8 week assessment. Do check out his next video blog, though, as he gives a nice cooking demonstration and recipe for a healthy and tasty breakfast idea (trainer approved, too). So, we did Michael's first "full" re-assessment today, 8 weeks from our original one. In short, the changes are...outstanding! While we do pride ourselves on seeing very good, consistent, and predictable results with our clients, Michael's focus and his workout plan have only reinforced to us (and many of our current clients) what can be accomplished in a short period of time with hard work, dedication, and a "full" commitment to working toward the end result. By doing a great job focusing on all three "essentials" of our program (resistance training, cardiovascular exercise, and nutrition) in the proper balance, Michael has been able to achieve the following results in just 8 weeks:
Weight Loss - 32 lbs.
Body Fat % Decrease: 3%
Total Inches Lost: 23 inches (7.5 inches lost around his waist, and 8 inches lost around his hips alone!)
Resting Heart Rate: Went from 97 beats per minute to 68 bpm. (This means his heart and complete cardiorespiratory system isn't being taxed nearly as much and is much more efficient)
Heart Rate Recovery from a 3 minute step test: 158 bpm down to 115 bpm (During the first assessment, he could only complete 2 minutes of the test, and couldn't follow the designated cadence. This time he completed all 3 mintues at the correct cadence, and still had a dramatic improvement in his recovery from cardiovascular exercise.)
Resting Blood Pressure: Went from 140/90 down to 126/78 (Again, another great "health" improvement)
Post Cardio Recovery Blood Pressure: Went from 180/90 down to 180/80 The improvement in the diastolic (second number) is the key here.
Upper Body Strength: His predicted max on our bench press went from 150 up to 208. This was a 38% improvement in his test strength, but as we've seen in his workouts, his "functional" strength has already doubled.
Lower Body Strength: His predicted max on our leg press went from 583 to 864 (This guy has some strong legs!) :) Again, a 48% improvement here, but even more important is the improvements we've seen in the leg exercises he has done in his actual workouts.
Flexibility: Michael improved his Sit & Reach test from 3.8 to 6 inches - a 60% improvement! Better flexibility can often equate to less risk of injury during many physical activities.
Overall, excellent results and improvements. At this point, Michael's metabolism is even more "fired" up than it was during his first few weeks, so I still expect to see great changes over these remaining months. We'll still keep everyone updated with our bi-weekly weigh-ins and monthly re-measures. Thanks to all who have been supporting and encouraging Michael. We are extremely proud of him, and can't wait to continue seeing what he can accomplish in the near future.
Weight Loss - 32 lbs.
Body Fat % Decrease: 3%
Total Inches Lost: 23 inches (7.5 inches lost around his waist, and 8 inches lost around his hips alone!)
Resting Heart Rate: Went from 97 beats per minute to 68 bpm. (This means his heart and complete cardiorespiratory system isn't being taxed nearly as much and is much more efficient)
Heart Rate Recovery from a 3 minute step test: 158 bpm down to 115 bpm (During the first assessment, he could only complete 2 minutes of the test, and couldn't follow the designated cadence. This time he completed all 3 mintues at the correct cadence, and still had a dramatic improvement in his recovery from cardiovascular exercise.)
Resting Blood Pressure: Went from 140/90 down to 126/78 (Again, another great "health" improvement)
Post Cardio Recovery Blood Pressure: Went from 180/90 down to 180/80 The improvement in the diastolic (second number) is the key here.
Upper Body Strength: His predicted max on our bench press went from 150 up to 208. This was a 38% improvement in his test strength, but as we've seen in his workouts, his "functional" strength has already doubled.
Lower Body Strength: His predicted max on our leg press went from 583 to 864 (This guy has some strong legs!) :) Again, a 48% improvement here, but even more important is the improvements we've seen in the leg exercises he has done in his actual workouts.
Flexibility: Michael improved his Sit & Reach test from 3.8 to 6 inches - a 60% improvement! Better flexibility can often equate to less risk of injury during many physical activities.
Overall, excellent results and improvements. At this point, Michael's metabolism is even more "fired" up than it was during his first few weeks, so I still expect to see great changes over these remaining months. We'll still keep everyone updated with our bi-weekly weigh-ins and monthly re-measures. Thanks to all who have been supporting and encouraging Michael. We are extremely proud of him, and can't wait to continue seeing what he can accomplish in the near future.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Trainer Notes Week 7
Week 7 was another good week for Michael overall. This week started the second half of his current workout routine, which made it time to pick things up even a bit more. The first week was more about learning the new exercises and progressions, and really getting a feel for the changes in flow and intensity. His second week on it helped us work on fine tuning technique and gradually increasing the volume and intensity. With solid technique and a good feel for the program dialed in by week 3, we could really focus on challenging him more during the workouts by increasing resistance levels and decreasing his rest and recovery periods. Next week will already be the last week on this program, and we'll really try to maximize the benefits of it before we switch gears. Michael continues to adapt quickly and respond very well, although that doesn't mean that it's been easy for him. We keep doing our best to encourage, coach and support him through the tough physical and mental challenges that an intense program (The FT Transformation Challenge) like this can present. This current routine was meant to continue furthering a balance of strength, conditioning, and functional development for Michael. So far, so good. His strength keeps going up in leaps and bounds, he's going faster and harder in his cardio workouts, and his neuromuscular control and joint stability are noticeably improved from even a few weeks ago. Just one more week before we do a full remeasurement of his weight, inches, body fat, strength levels, and cardiovascular levels. I can't wait to report the changes!
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