HIGH INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING - YOUR FAT'S BIGGEST ENEMY (Part 1 of 5)

H.I.I.T CIRCUIT #1

WHEN IT COMES TO EFFECTIVE AND FAST FAT BURNING INTENSITY IS KEY.

By Monika Tarkowska-Carter, CPT, LWMC, HLC 2

H.I.I.T or High Intensity Interval Training has been very popular lately and for a good reason. It has shown to deliver effective workouts in a much shorter time than most people care to spend exercising. It is a great fat burner, and can also increase strength and develop nicely shaped muscles. It can be done as a cardiovascular workout, training with weights or just body weight, or even a combination of the two.

The beauty of H.I.I.T is not only better results with shorter time commitment, but the reason behind it. Any workout produces certain hormonal responses in the body. A few main hormones that are of importance when we talk about fat burning and growing muscles, are cortisol, growth hormone and testosterone. With longer workouts (even though they are less intense) the body gets too taxed, and after about 40-45 minutes cortisol levels rise pretty high. This has a catabolic (breaking down muscle) effect on the body rather than anabolic, as most exercisers desire. Growth hormone and testosterone, which stimulate muscle growth and fat burning, and are released in higher amounts as a result of exercise, get suppressed if the workout is too long and stressful on the body. However, shorter workouts, but with higher intensity, seem to create an ideal situation for a much lower cortisol release and, at the same time, no suppression of either growth hormone or testosterone. In fact, these two hormones seem to respond amazingly well to this kind of scenario. There may be many reasons behind it, the main one being that humans evolved to use high intensity movements only for short periods of time, as in “fight or flight” situations, and otherwise move a lot but in a low intensity fashion, and our bodies are simply better adapted to handle this kind of exercise on a hormonal level than workout sessions that are medium/medium-high intensity and last forever.

(The final levels of the above hormones will also depend on your pre and post workout nutrition, but that’s an entirely separate subject. Please, see my article on post-workout meals from 07/11/2011 if you are interested:   http://fitness-science.blogspot.com/2011/07/post-workout-meal-dilemma.html).

 

This video is designed for pretty advanced and experienced exercisers. Please, make sure to watch all the instructions carefully. The length of the H.I.I.T circuit can easily be adjusted to suit anyone with a limited amount of time, from as short as 3 minutes all the way to 30. You probably wouldn’t want to do just 3, but all the circuits in this series (there are 5) range from 2 ½ to 5 minutes. All you need to do is repeat them as many times as your endurance and level of conditioning will allow, up to a maximum of 30 minutes total. They will give you a great fat-burning full body workout, addressing most of the muscle groups. H.I.I.T is great for toning and shaping, as well as overall muscle conditioning. You don’t really need a lot of additional abdominal exercises since your core is used to a great degree in most of the exercises shown.

Please, always do a 5-10 minute warm-up before any exercise.

If you’re not used to working out at a very high intensity you may need between 1.5 to 2 minutes of rest before repeating each circuit. If you find that your level of fitness and conditioning allows you to move faster through the whole routine, then take only 1 full minute of rest between the circuits.

Each circuit consists of 5 exercises and all exercises are done in sets of 6 repetitions, using moderate weights that are still challenging, but that will also allow you to perform full range of motion and complicated multi-joint movements. You will have to figure out yourself what amount of weight you feel most comfortable with that will let you finish the whole set with good form. The sets are short since you are not resting at all during each circuit, and anything longer would be too taxing on the body given the choice of exercises.

Make sure that you get enough recovery between sessions. Most of the exercises in these videos are strenuous and demanding, and you will need a minimum of 48 hours recovery time. For many people a schedule of 2 days of rest afterwards is a better option to avoid overtraining.

DON’T LET THE LOOKS FOOL YOU. IF YOU DO THE EXERCISES CORRECTLY AND WITH A FULL RANGE OF MOTION, YOU CAN GET VERY SORE FROM THIS WORKOUT, SO BE SMART ABOUT PROGRESSION AND DON’T START WITH 7 OR 8 CIRCUITS, AS YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO MOVE THE FOLLOWING DAY.

I would highly recommend a good post-workout recovery meal, which should have good quality protein and carbohydrates and a small amount of fat. It could be just a regular meal, or a protein shake. To get protein shakes ideas and recipes please refer to my earlier article:
http://fitness-science.blogspot.com/2011/07/post-workout-protein-shake-recipes.html

Please, always consult a physician before beginning any exercise program.

Fat Burning Full Body Workout Circuit for Toning and Shaping

HOW TO CREATE THE BODY YOU ALWAYS WANTED IN HALF THE TIME

By Monika Tarkowska-Carter, CPT, LWMC, HLC 2

This is the sixth (and last) circuit in the series of 6 workouts. The video is designed for advanced and experienced exercisers only. Please, make sure to watch all the instructions carefully before attempting the following video - The Workout. This 20-40 minute circuit will give you a great fat-burning full body workout, addressing most of the muscle groups. It is great for toning and shaping, as well as overall muscle conditioning. Make sure that you have good balance before attempting the circuits as it is used to a great degree in a lot of the exercises shown.

Please, always do a 5-10 minute warm-up before any exercise.

Depending on your time availability and level of muscular strength and endurance, try to do 2-3 full circuits. Each circuit should take about 10-12 minutes. If you’re just starting, rest for 30 seconds between the first 4 exercises, and then 60-90 seconds between the 4^th and 5^th, then go back to a 30-second rest for the remainder of the workout. If you find that your level of fitness and conditioning allows you to move faster through the whole routine, then take only 10-15 seconds of rest between the exercises, and a slightly longer rest (30-60 seconds) in the middle of the workout.

All exercises are done in sets of 12 repetitions, using moderate weights that are still challenging, but that will also allow you to perform full range of motion and complicated multi-joint movements. You will have to figure out yourself what amount of weight you feel most comfortable with that will allow you to finish the whole set with good form.

Always make sure to get enough recovery between sessions. Most of the exercises in these videos are very strenuous and demanding and you will need a minimum of 48 hours recovery time. For many people a schedule of 2 days of rest afterwards is a better option to avoid overtraining.

The exercises themselves are performed slowly, which is HARDER not easier, but you are progressing from one exercise to the next with minimum rest, so the overall pace of the workout is pretty fast.

DON’T LET THE LOOKS FOOL YOU. IF YOU DO THE EXERCISES CORRECTLY AND WITH A FULL RANGE OF MOTION, YOU CAN GET VERY SORE FROM THIS WORKOUT, SO BE SMART ABOUT PROGRESSION AND DON’T START WITH 3 FULL CIRCUITS, AS YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO MOVE THE FOLLOWING DAY.

Always make sure you can do the simpler version of all exercises correctly and without any strain before progressing to more difficult variations.

I would highly recommend a good post-workout recovery meal, which should have good quality protein and carbohydrates and a small amount of fat. It could be just a regular meal, or a protein shake. To get protein shakes ideas and recipes please refer to my earlier articles:

http://fitness-science.blogspot.com/2011/07/post-workout-protein-shake-recipes.html?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

Please, always consult a physician before beginning any exercise program.

Do you live in the West LA area?  I currently have an opening for a individual who is strongly motivated to improve their fitness and wellness.  If that sounds like you, call me at 310-471-6786 and we can arrange a 45 minute interview to determine if we are a good match. 

If you liked this video, please tweet this:  View this Free Fat Burning Video Gives Full Body Workout for Toning and Shaping

A FASTER WAY TO WEIGHT LOSS AND A TONED BODY - YOUR ULTIMATE FAT BLASTER CIRCUIT #6 - THE WORKOUT

HOW TO CREATE THE BODY YOU ALWAYS WANTED IN HALF THE TIME

 

By Monika Tarkowska-Carter, CPT, LWMC, HLC 2

This is the 6th full workout - THE REAL DEAL. Please, refer to the previous post for instructions.
Make sure to eat a balanced post-workout meal or shake that will contain good quality protein, some carbohydrates and a little fat.

http://fitness-science.blogspot.com/2011/07/post-workout-protein-shake-recipes.html

Please, consult a physician before beginning any exercise program.

 

ULTIMATE FAT BLASTER CIRCUIT #5 - THE WORKOUT

HOW TO CREATE THE BODY YOU ALWAYS WANTED IN HALF THE TIME

 

By Monika Tarkowska-Carter, CPT, LWMC, HLC 2

This is the 5th full workout - THE REAL DEAL. Please, refer to the previous post for instructions.
Make sure to eat a balanced post-workout meal or shake that will contain good quality protein, some carbohydrates and a little fat.

http://fitness-science.blogspot.com/2011/07/post-workout-protein-shake-recipes.html

Next, and last, fat-blaster circuit coming shortly.

Please, consult a physician before beginning any exercise program.

Free Workout Video Ultimate Fat Blaster #5 - Instructional

How to Create the Body You've Always Wanted in Half the Time

By Monika Tarkowska-Carter, CPT, LWMC, HLC 2

This is the fifth circuit in the series of 6 workouts. The video is designed for advanced and experienced exercisers only. Please, make sure to watch all the instructions carefully before attempting the following video - The Workout. This 20-40 minute circuit will give you a great fat-burning full body workout, addressing most of the muscle groups. It is great for toning and shaping, as well as overall muscle conditioning. Make sure that you have good balance before attempting the circuits as it is used to a great degree in a lot of the exercises shown.

Please, always do a 5-10 minute warm-up before any exercise.

Depending on your time availability and level of muscular strength and endurance, try to do 2-3 full circuits. Each circuit should take about 10-12 minutes. If you’re just starting, rest for 30 seconds between the first 4 exercises, and then 60-90 seconds between the 4^th and 5^th, then go back to a 30-second rest for the remainder of the workout. If you find that your level of fitness and conditioning allows you to move faster through the whole routine, then take only 10-15 seconds of rest between the exercises, and a slightly longer rest (30-60 seconds) in the middle of the workout.

All exercises are done in sets of 12 repetitions, using moderate weights that are still challenging, but that will also allow you to perform full range of motion and complicated multi-joint movements. You will have to figure out yourself what amount of weight you feel most comfortable with that will allow you to finish the whole set with good form.

Always make sure to get enough recovery between sessions. Most of the exercises in these videos are very strenuous and demanding and you will need a minimum of 48 hours recovery time. For many people a schedule of 2 days of rest afterwards is a better option to avoid overtraining.

The exercises themselves are performed slowly, which is HARDER not easier, but you are progressing from one exercise to the next with minimum rest, so the overall pace of the workout is pretty fast.

DON’T LET THE LOOKS FOOL YOU. IF YOU DO THE EXERCISES CORRECTLY AND WITH A FULL RANGE OF MOTION, YOU CAN GET VERY SORE FROM THIS WORKOUT, SO BE SMART ABOUT PROGRESSION AND DON’T START WITH 3 FULL CIRCUITS, AS YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO MOVE THE FOLLOWING DAY.

Always make sure you can do the simpler version of all exercises correctly and without any strain before progressing to more difficult variations.

I would highly recommend a good post-workout recovery meal, which should have good quality protein and carbohydrates and a small amount of fat. It could be just a regular meal, or a protein shake. To get protein shakes ideas and recipes please refer to my earlier articles:

http://fitness-science.blogspot.com/2011/07/post-workout-protein-shake-recipes.html?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

Please, always consult a physician before beginning any exercise program.

Would you like to see even better results?  Do you live close to the 10 and 405 in West Los Angeles?  Then join me at Joe's Gym and I can provide you with a custom tailored workout program as your personal trainer.  If you would like to set up a first meeting (free consultation) please call 310-471-6786

BLAST YOUR FAT IN 30 MINUTES A DAY - CIRCUIT #4 - THE WORKOUT

HOW TO CREATE THE BODY YOU ALWAYS WANTED IN HALF THE TIME

By Monika Tarkowska-Carter, CPT, LWMC, HLC 2

This is the 4th full workout - THE REAL DEAL. Please, refer to the previous post for instructions.
Make sure to eat a balanced post-workout meal or shake that will contain good quality protein, some carbohydrates and a little fat.

http://fitness-science.blogspot.com/2011/07/post-workout-protein-shake-recipes.html?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

Next 2 fat-blaster circuits coming shortly.

Please, always consult a physician before beginning any exercise program.

 

BLAST YOUR FAT IN 30 MINUTES A DAY - CIRCUIT #4 - INSTRUCTIONAL

HOW TO CREATE THE BODY YOU ALWAYS WANTED IN HALF THE TIME

By Monika Tarkowska-Carter, CPT, LWMC, HLC 2

This is the forth circuit in the series of 6 workouts. The video is designed for advanced and experienced exercisers only. Please, make sure to watch all the instructions carefully before attempting the following video - The Workout. This 20-40 minute circuit will give you a great fat-burning full body workout, addressing most of the muscle groups. It is great for toning and shaping, as well as overall muscle conditioning. Make sure that you have good balance before attempting the circuits as it is used to a great degree in a lot of the exercises shown.

Please, always do a 5-10 minute warm-up before any exercise.

Depending on your time availability and level of muscular strength and endurance, try to do 2-3 full circuits. Each circuit should take about 10-12 minutes. If you’re just starting, rest for 30 seconds between the first 4 exercises, and then 60-90 seconds between the 4^th and 5^th, then go back to a 30-second rest for the remainder of the workout. If you find that your level of fitness and conditioning allows you to move faster through the whole routine, then take only 10-15 seconds of rest between the exercises, and a slightly longer rest (30-60 seconds) in the middle of the workout.

All exercises are done in sets of 12 repetitions, using moderate weights that are still challenging, but that will also allow you to perform full range of motion and complicated multi-joint movements. You will have to figure out yourself what amount of weight you feel most comfortable with that will allow you to finish the whole set with good form.

Always make sure to get enough recovery between sessions. Most of the exercises in these videos are very strenuous and demanding and you will need a minimum of 48 hours recovery time. For many people a schedule of 2 days of rest afterwards is a better option to avoid overtraining.

The exercises themselves are performed slowly, which is HARDER not easier, but you are progressing from one exercise to the next with minimum rest, so the overall pace of the workout is pretty fast.

DON’T LET THE LOOKS FOOL YOU. IF YOU DO THE EXERCISES CORRECTLY AND WITH A FULL RANGE OF MOTION, YOU CAN GET VERY SORE FROM THIS WORKOUT, SO BE SMART ABOUT PROGRESSION AND DON’T START WITH 3 FULL CIRCUITS, AS YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO MOVE THE FOLLOWING DAY.

Always make sure you can do the simpler version of all exercises correctly and without any strain before progressing to more difficult variations.

I would highly recommend a good post-workout recovery meal, which should have good quality protein and carbohydrates and a small amount of fat. It could be just a regular meal, or a protein shake. To get protein shakes ideas and recipes please refer to my earlier articles:

http://fitness-science.blogspot.com/2011/07/post-workout-protein-shake-recipes.html?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

Please, always consult a physician before beginning any exercise program.

 

Workout Video Circuit #3 from Monika Tarkowska-Carter - Los Angeles Personal Trainer

 8 Exercises from the Fat Blaster Workout Series Will Slim You Down and Tone You Up

HOW TO CREATE THE BODY YOU ALWAYS WANTED IN HALF THE TIME

By Monika Tarkowska-Carter, CPT, LWMC, HLC 2

This is the 3rd full workout - THE REAL DEAL. Please, refer to the previous post for instructions.
Make sure to eat a balanced post-workout meal or shake that will contain good quality protein, some carbohydrates and a little fat.

Next 3 fat-blaster circuits coming shortly.

Please, always consult a physician before beginning any exercise program.

BLAST YOUR FAT CALIFORNIA STYLE - CIRCUIT #3 - INSTRUCTIONAL

HOW TO CREATE THE BODY YOU ALWAYS WANTED IN HALF THE TIME

By Monika Tarkowska-Carter, CPT, LWMC, HLC 2

This is the third circuit in the series of 6 workouts. The video is designed for advanced and experienced exercisers only. Please, make sure to watch all the instructions carefully before attempting the following video - The Workout. This 20-40 minute circuit will give you a great fat-burning full body workout, addressing most of the muscle groups. It is great for toning and shaping, as well as overall muscle conditioning. Make sure that you have good balance before attempting the circuits as it is used to a great degree in a lot of the exercises shown.

Please, always do a 5-10 minute warm-up before any exercise.

Depending on your time availability and level of muscular strength and endurance, try to do 2-3 full circuits. Each circuit should take about 10-12 minutes. If you’re just starting, rest for 30 seconds between the first 4 exercises, and then 60-90 seconds between the 4^th and 5^th, then go back to a 30-second rest for the remainder of the workout. If you find that your level of fitness and conditioning allows you to move faster through the whole routine, then take only 10-15 seconds of rest between the exercises, and a slightly longer rest (30-60 seconds) in the middle of the workout.

All exercises are done in sets of 12 repetitions, using moderate weights that are still challenging, but that will also allow you to perform full range of motion and complicated multi-joint movements. You will have to figure out yourself what amount of weight you feel most comfortable with that will allow you to finish the whole set with good form.

Always make sure to get enough recovery between sessions. Most of the exercises in these videos are very strenuous and demanding and you will need a minimum of 48 hours recovery time. For many people a schedule of 2 days of rest afterwards is a better option to avoid overtraining.

The exercises themselves are performed slowly, which is HARDER not easier, but you are progressing from one exercise to the next with minimum rest, so the overall pace of the workout is pretty fast.

DON’T LET THE LOOKS FOOL YOU. IF YOU DO THE EXERCISES CORRECTLY AND WITH A FULL RANGE OF MOTION, YOU CAN GET VERY SORE FROM THIS WORKOUT, SO BE SMART ABOUT PROGRESSION AND DON’T START WITH 3 FULL CIRCUITS, AS YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO MOVE THE FOLLOWING DAY.

Always make sure you can do the simpler version of all exercises correctly and without any strain before progressing to more difficult variations.

I would highly recommend a good post-workout recovery meal, which should have good quality protein and carbohydrates and a small amount of fat. It could be just a regular meal, or a protein shake. To get protein shakes ideas and recipes please refer to my earlier articles:

http://fitness-science.blogspot.com/2011/07/post-workout-protein-shake-recipes.html?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

Please, always consult a physician before beginning any exercise program.

 

THE LATEST “BREAKTHROUGH” WEIGHT LOSS RESEARCH

THE LATEST “BREAKTHROUGH” WEIGHT LOSS RESEARCH – one of the “pearls” of recent nutritional “science”

HOW THE MEDIA AND STUPID SCIENCE PLAYS WITH YOUR MIND

By Monika Tarkowska-Carter, CPT, LWMC, HLC 2

The Daily Mail newspaper in England recently published (online version, June 26^th, 2012) the conclusions of a study done at Tel Aviv University which bluntly states that eating dessert for breakfast helps you lose weight. The study, for obvious reasons, made for the BIG NEWS. But before you jump into eating doughnuts and cake for breakfast again, maybe you should at least try to dissect it a little bit further and see if the facts really hold up.

The article starts with: “Good news for dieters – having a sweet treat for breakfast can actually help you lose pounds and keep them off longer” – PERFECT advice! Have some processed sugar, Stupid!

It goes on to say: “Although both diets (there were 2 groups) had the same amount of calories (….) - one included a large breakfast with a sweet treat such as a doughnut, while the other allowed  for a larger meal later in the day”. What an ingenious statement that a bigger meal in the morning makes you fuller and more satisfied for the rest of the day, while being hungry all day and eating most of your calories at night keeps you fat. Did they really need to waste money on research to figure this out? Really???

The author of the study states that “The goal of a weight loss diet should be not only weight reduction, but also reduction of hunger and cravings, thus helping prevent weight gain”. Yes, indeed, that’s a smart statement, but how on earth did they draw the conclusion that you can (or should even attempt to) reduce hunger and cravings with extra sugar is beyond me.

In my holistic nutrition coaching practice I always suggest clients eat at least 25% (if not more) of their daily caloric intake for breakfast. The reason is simple and logical: your body needs most of the calories during the day to maintain a certain level of energy, not at night when it rests. No surprise here. So, if you starve it for the first part of the day, it will slow down its metabolic rate to conserve calories. This will result in fewer calories burnt overall and more calories stored. No surprise here either.

Unless you have been on a ketogenic diet for quite some time (meaning you have been eating mostly protein and fat, with minimal amount of carbohydrates, and your body has had a chance to switch to using body fat as fuel almost exclusively), you will still need some carbohydrates. Depending on your Metabolic Type you will need a lot, a little, or somewhere in between, but you will need them nonetheless for your body and brain to function properly. In the study, the subjects in the group that regained the weight were given not only 50% fewer calories, but of those calories only 13% were from carbohydrates – way too little even for Protein Types. The group that lost more weight was given double the amount of calories, more calories coming from carbohydrates (40%), AND a higher total amount of protein. (By the way, even in that group the ratio of 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein and calculated 30% fat still kept that group in a moderate carbohydrate/high protein classification – a perfect Zone Diet.)

Why is it then a wonder that the results came out the way they did? One has to be completely blind to not be able to figure out why the higher carbohydrate diet worked better. So, simply speaking, the bigger meal satisfied the body’s energy needs better, by providing more satiating protein, more energy producing carbohydrates, and a sufficient amount of fat to keep the participants’ blood sugar under control. In addition, higher amounts of protein and carbohydrates created a higher level of thermogenesis (amount of heat produced and calories burnt in the process of digestion, assimilation, etc.) since they take more energy to break down and digest than a low-calorie breakfast, whose 52% of calories came from fat, a nutrient with a minimal thermogenic effect.

At this point, I start to wonder why anyone would even undertake a study whose outcome is not only obvious, but at best unhealthy, and dangerous at worst. And who could possibly pay for a stupid science like this? The sugar industry? I would be curious to check the sources that funded it, and I probably wouldn’t be very surprised with my findings.

Another important point, if you haven’t figured it out already, is the fact that the same effects could have been achieved by substituting some high quality, high fiber carbohydrates: vegetables, fruit, whole grains like old-fashioned slow cooking oatmeal, dairy (whose big % of calories come from carbohydrates, e.g. yogurt, etc.), and even small amounts of healthier sweeteners like organic raw honey or unprocessed maple syrup for the "dessert treat". I bet the researchers knew the outcome would have been exactly the same, or better, but the study wouldn’t have made big news.

What bothers me most, is that this is exactly what companies that fund dubious studies like this one count on – masses of readers or listeners, who have absolutely no idea how to evaluate scientific research, and who take whatever is fed to them by the media (and sponsored by the food and drug industries) at face value. If it’s research from some university, it must be valid.

With the overwhelming obesity epidemic in the US and (thanks to commercial CRAP food production driven exclusively by money) spreading quickly to other countries, the last thing we need is scientists telling us to eat more sugar in order to lose weight.

Funny though, the researcher’s conclusions are correct, for the most part:

1. Timing of the meal is indeed an important factor in weight loss success (here having a bigger meal in the am),

2. Diets higher in protein reduce hunger by giving the feeling of satiety,

3. Carbohydrates make people feel full.

But here’s the conclusion I have a real problem with: “dessert kept sweet and fat cravings under control”. Any half-reliable nutrition source will tell you that dessert (or any sugar for that matter) does anything BUT that. As a matter of fact, in most cases, it does the exact opposite: spikes your blood sugar causing your body to release massive amounts of insulin, then making the blood sugar plummet and increasing the cravings for sugar even more.

One thing that researches did not mention is just exactly how many carbohydrate and fat calories in the whole meal came from dessert, were they only from dessert, or were they just a small addition to other, better carbohydrate options – an important factor in the whole equation that should not have been omitted.

By the way, the only reason why sugar might satisfy sweet and fat cravings (though in case of just sugar it is only a short-lasting effect) is when your diet is seriously out of balance, you have nutritional deficiencies, candida or parasites, or you have been working out long or hard without replenishing your glycogen stores by consuming adequate amounts of carbohydrates afterwards. A comment here on sweet breakfast: many people (including yours truly) do not feel like eating meat and vegetables in the morning and would rather have something “sweet”. But that’s when natural foods like fruit, yogurt, oatmeal, wholegrain minimally processed breads, nut butters, honey and low-sugar 100% fruit spreads come in, if that’s what you crave. Dessert, in a true sense of the word, should hardly be a main option for breakfast as part of a healthy diet.

So what conclusion will most readers draw from reading the headlines (which is the only thing a majority of people read these days anyway)? That not only is it OK, but downright advisable, to have sweets for breakfast, because it will help them with their battle of the bulge. And, of course, they will be dead wrong and most will find themselves in even deeper trouble following such an insane advice.

The science and resulting lengthy advice on what to eat for breakfast is beyond the scope of this article (and it will differ from person to person), but one thing is for sure: DON’T TAKE WHAT YOU READ IN THE MEDIA AS GOOD ADVICE, EVEN IF IT CLAIMS TO BE A SCIENTIFIC STUDY (AND ESPECIALLY IF IT DEFIES COMMON SENSE), AND LOOK FOR MORE RELIABLE SOURCES OF INFORMATION WHEN YOUR HEALTH IS AT STAKE. This, however, is a whole other endeavor, and a whole other story, since most sources you have been told are trustworthy unfortunately are not.

When it comes to your own health, do the research, and take your own responsibility. The results are worth it.


Here’s the link to the original article:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2164976/Dessert-breakfast-HELPS-diet-beating-cravings.html

West LA Personal Trainer Monika Tarkowska-Carter Helps You Get In Shape

WEIGHT LOSS - SMOOTH SAILING OR AN OBSTACLE COURSE - PART 2

Physical Reasons

(Continued from May 3^rd, 2011 post)

EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT WHY YOU ARE NOT LOSING WEIGHT AND WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT.

By Monika Tarkowska-Carter, CPT, LWMC, HLC 2

I have promised a while back to spend some time explaining how to get around the weight loss hurdles, and how to address specific reasons why you might not be losing weight. Some of you have been asking for more specific pointers and ideas for quite some time so I will devote the next few posts to this very subject. In this post I am going to start with the explanation of the most basic reasons for failure which, so often, is the source of frustrations for many.

PHYSICAL

1. You exercise too little

This is a very obvious one, yet so many people still can’t grasp the fact that it is NOT enough to follow the minimum daily guidelines for exercise, which is 30 minutes a day of moderate intensity activity, 5 days a week. Yes, if you have been sedentary for years and are totally out of shape, it’s a good start, but this amount is not enough, by itself, to start losing serious amounts of weight. I am going to be very cautious here and refrain from giving specific amount of exercise time recommendations, since all of you are different, eat a different diet, have different metabolism, daily activity level and lifestyle, as well as different conditions that might preclude you from intense or prolonged exercise. Your diet is still at least 80% of your weight loss success, but this does not mean exercise is not important. It is, and very much so. Keep in mind, however, that in order to lose 1 pound of body fat you will need to have a deficit of 3500 calories. An average person weighing 150 lbs burns about 150-200 or so calories during a 30-minute brisk walk (and I mean brisk! – at the speed of about 4 mph). Let’s call it a power walk to distinguish it from a leisurely stroll. If you walk 5 days a week, you will burn +/- 750-1000 calories. That’s not even 1/3 of a pound. The rest has to come from somewhere else. You will still have to cut back an additional 2500-2750. I will talk about the nutritional factors in the following posts devoted specifically to that subject, but in general, cutting your calories too low is not good either, because you will constantly be fatigued and grumpy.  Depending on your initial weight, the best solution is to cut between 250-500 calories from your diet daily (this number will depend on your overall calorie allowance for the day), and make up the rest of the difference in slightly longer, or more intense, workouts. Your weight training sessions should generally not be longer than 1 hour (plus a short warm-up and stretch), and your cardio sessions between 20 and 60 minutes; 20 for those who are total beginners, or those advanced ones who can really push at high intensity; and 60 for those who need to burn some serious calories but are not yet capable of working out doing high intensity interval training. I am generally not a big proponent of endless cardio sessions, (unless you’re an endurance athlete, of course) as they are catabolic in nature, make you lose muscle and, as a result, slow down the weight loss. They also very often lead to overtraining. My advice would be to limit your cardio to no more than 40-45 minutes, but put forward your best effort and really kick up the intensity. Also, do more lean- muscle-building weight training that will shape your body better than any cardio.

2. You exercise too much

This is as bad as doing too little and still quite common. I am not contradicting what I just said in the previous point, but more is NOT always better. Burning fat is very energy consuming for your body and you simply cannot fatigue it to the point where it has none left. Your body will outsmart you any time and will stop losing weight to protect itself from more abuse. You will also most likely find yourself looking puffy and retaining water, since it can’t keep up with clearing all the metabolic waste products out of the system. Use your common sense, listen to your body and let it rest if you feel exhausted. You will have more energy for your next workout and you can make it harder.

3. Your exercise is inappropriate for your age, fitness level and goals

I encourage all of you to invest in a few sessions with a good personal trainer. He/she will be well worth your time and money. Nothing can be more frustrating than wasting your time at the gym and not seeing results. Stop doing things you are not sure of or have no idea about. Your exercise program has to have arms and legs, be appropriate for you at the level you are currently at, be consistent with your goals and be performed according to a well designed plan that will progress you in the right way. Otherwise, not only will you not see much in terms of results, but you will be going in circles, and will eventually give up.

4. Your exercise intensity is too low or too high

Results oriented exercise is actually a science. Many people forget about it completely and think that anything will do. If you’re serious about results, ask someone who is trained in this area to figure out what intensity you should be working out at. This applies as much to cardio as strength training. If the intensity is too low, you are not going to challenge your heart or your muscles enough to get much benefit; if it’s too high, the chances are you will overtrain very fast, and might get injured in the process, which will only delay any possible progress.

5. Your exercise program lacks the proper balance of cardiovascular exercise and strength training

With all the knowledge out there on the importance of both, some people still often choose one over the other. From my observations, it’s usually the cardio lovers that tend to shun strength training and not so much the other way around. Keep in mind that both types of training affect the amount of calories burnt, and have the ability to increase your metabolic rate for quite a few hours afterwards. How much, depends on the intensity of the training itself. Cardiovascular workouts can burn quite a few calories during the session, while weight training builds muscle, and this in turn increases the metabolism overall, since muscle is a more metabolically active tissue than fat. The elevations in metabolism don’t seem very impressive in numbers, but add up considerably over time, so don’t ignore them. As a general rule, however, the more intense the workouts, both cardiovascular and strength training, the more additional calories your body will burn afterwards.

6. You are overdoing cardio

If you want to have a low percentage of body fat and look really lean, stop overdoing cardio. Your body gets very efficient at doing something you subject it to for such long stretches of time and will burn fewer and fewer calories the more you beat it up. Just look at so many “skinny fat” aerobics instructors who, though not heavy in a true sense, have a pretty high body fat. The same goes for long distance runners. Though lean due to pure amount of training, they look like famished skeletons with no muscle at all. Long aerobic workouts almost always guarantee that you will be burning precious muscle tissue, which is the last thing you want if you’re trying to lose weight. Also, it is almost a given that if you can do something for very long, you are not working out intensely enough.

7. Your exercise program is poorly designed or lacks any specific design to begin with

So you have read a few magazines and try to follow a routine described in the latest Men’s Health or Shape. Though some, or even all, exercises may be good, they may not always be the best for YOU. They don’t take all your particular circumstances into consideration and are almost never designed as part of a smart program, based on YOUR needs and goals. Or maybe you have designed your own routine, based on what you have observed in the gym – an even worse approach. Just because someone has a body you would like to have, does not mean you should follow everything they do. Their genetics are different, they may not have muscular conditions or imbalances that maybe you have, and you don’t know what else they do, or what they eat, to achieve the body you’re admiring. Exercise program design is a science and an art. Don’t just guess, or you’ll get nowhere.

8. Your form is incorrect on pretty much everything because you never learned how to perform the exercises appropriately. You think it’s OK because you’ve watched others do it

There is no substitution for working with a qualified trainer, at least for a few sessions. It is very hard to get the right feedback on whether you are actually performing the exercises correctly, especially if you have never done them before. It may seem to you that you are doing things exactly as they should be done, but only a qualified professional can spot where you’re lacking in form.  Invest in a few sessions and learn proper form. Otherwise, you are not going to achieve the results you are looking for.

9. You have no idea about proper intensity, load, sets, reps, tempo, rest periods between sets, etc. and how they affect your workout outcome

As I said in point 7, program design is a science. It takes years to study the human body and how it responds to various ways of training. Do you really know what intensity in a weight training session is? It is a degree of one’s applied strength relative to their current level of maximum strength. Probably not what you thought it was. How about load, tempo or rest periods? Do you know that when you change the rest periods just slightly, your whole program has just changed and you might be getting completely different results than you actually intended? If you plan on working out on your own and not wasting your time, make sure you learn about all the factors that affect your workout BEFORE you hit the weights.

10. You simply don’t have the knowledge when it comes to exercise and workouts

This is a very common problem, yet I see people in gyms all the time that insist on using weights and machines having absolutely no clue how to do so correctly. Please, please spend a few bucks and learn first. It will not only prevent an injury but is the ONLY way for you to get some benefits out of your workout.

11. You lift weights that are way too light to make any significant difference in gaining lean body mass and losing fat

This applies mostly to women, but not entirely so. In order to achieve strength gains, increase muscle size or just shape and tone your muscles, you need to challenge them enough so that they could respond by adapting to the new level of effort and thus changing the way you would like them to. This can only be done with a proper overload. If the weights you’re lifting don’t provide much of a challenge, you are wasting your time. For those women who are afraid of bulking up, I have a few words of assurance: we don’t have enough testosterone to build giant muscles that easily and you would have to lift very heavy weights in order to do so. If, however, you have a sizeable fat layer on your muscles, and you gain even a little bit of lean body mass, without losing any fat, it may look like you’re getting big. Extra muscle is a good thing, but you also have to look at your diet, incorporate cardiovascular exercise and stretch, in order to lose the fat and look really lean.

12. You don’t get enough recovery

One of the biggest mistakes people make when they get too eager to lose weight fast is forgetting that their bodies are not ever-ready batteries. Your muscles, and your cardiovascular system, need a sufficient amount of time to recover. Your muscles grow and change during that time, NOT when you put them through hundreds of contractions under heavy resistance. Remember to allow yourself enough rest days. It’s different for everyone. Some people can work out 5-6 days straight, and then take a day off; others might do 2 very intense sessions and have to rest on the 3^rd day. All depends on your fitness level and your body’s ability to recover. There is no golden rule here.

Stay tuned for Part 3 – the Nutritional Reasons for not losing weight – coming soon.