Body Fat Loss 101

Body fat.

In my training experience, the top reason most people give as their reason for exercising and eating healthy is to manage and/or lose body fat. Being healthy and able-bodied is important, but most people want to look and feel good in their skin as well.

Unfortunately, there seems to be a huge amount of confusion as to the "how" of fat loss. Countless infomercials, diet pill ads, and workout crazes attest to this, as they all promise to have THE answer to the fat problem, yet leave many people feeling short changed and disappointed when they see little positive, lasting results.

So, what should YOU do?
What IS the best plan for successful weight management?

Read more on our Portland Personal Training blog...

To your fitness success!

Indoor season is here!

Arms a little too jiggly? Summer tops feeling a bit snug by the end of the season? Beginning to bust out of your summer bathing suit?

Not surprising! Summer vacations, long days, and having the kids home can wreak havoc on your schedule as well as your eating habits and fitness routine. So, unlike poor Italian swimmer Flavia Zoccari, some wardrobe malfunctions can actually be caused by gaining a bit too much junk in the trunk.

Fortunately, indoor UBC season starts in October!
Just in time for you to get back to your regular schedule and down to business.

We're excited to announce that we are now located within Portland Athletic Club, located at 5803 SW Beaverton-Hillsdale Hwy in Portland.

Check out the new details on our website.

Sign ups have already begun, so hurry and claim your spot!

We're also pleased to announce that we will begin using the facility for our personal training program (including partner and small group training) as well for those who'd prefer not to workout in home. Ask for details!


Look forward to helping you get more fit soon!

How much rest do you need between workout sessions?

After a fantastic track workout last night, one of our UBC participants asked about how often they should do resistance training (lift weights, use resistance bands, do body weight exercises, etc) during the week. The amount of rest needed between workouts depends on a number of factors including:

* The type of lifestyle you want to maintain - Are you simply working to improve your overall health, or are you training for a sport or to maintain an active lifestyle?
* The type and level of activity/sports you are training for - Do you want to go for weekend bike rides or hikes, or are you entering a marathon or a triathlon this year?
* Your fitness goals - Is your focus on feeling better and losing body fat, or are you entered in an event and want to improve your running speed and muscle endurance?
* The amount of time you are willing to devote consistently - Can you schedule a block of time, or do you need to break up your exercise throughout the day?
* The number of weeks/months you've been exercising - Have you been working out intensely for a few weeks, or are you just beginning?

If you are a beginning exerciser, these are some general guidelines to follow:

* Strength train for all major muscle groups on non-consecutive days, allowing roughly 48 hours per body part worked. If you are still sore from a previous workout, just work out less intensely or use lighter weight. Don't skip the workout! We recommend one additional workout on your off-UBC days, which is provided for you. You can, however, choose different exercises tailored to your specific needs. Discuss your situation with your instructor for guidance.

* Cardiovascular exercise can be done on consecutive days, 3-5 days per week for 20-40 minutes (with UBC that's 1-3 additional workouts). Varying the intensity/duration is acceptable, but again, don't skip workouts.

* Do something every day, even if it's just 10 minutes of stretching or a brisk walk. This will help to keep you on track and focused even on scheduled off-days.

* Every four to eight weeks (depending on your exercise intensity) have an active rest week. Do activities outside of your normal exercise sessions. This can include hiking, kyaking, swimming, et cetera, but the goal is to do something different. This will help to keep you from feeling stagnate and lessen your chance of injury due to overuse and exhaustion. Keep in mind that if you typically work out at a very high intensity, you may need to take a complete rest for the week.

Ultimately, keep in mind that the creation of healthy, consistent exercise habits is the most important thing. Discovering what works for you and your lifestyle is also key. While there are certain biological and physiological similarities, your fitness journey is a unique one that has to be tailored to your needs. Rest is important, but you have to "do" before you rest. Find what you like and do it. Even if you start with only 5-10 minutes of general movement, staying focused and consistent will help you build up and achieve more.

For more information visit the U.S. Department of Human Services' website: Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans

Basic Training: Body Comp, BMI and Energy Systems

We "completed" Basic Training this week! At least in the sense that everyone focused on acclimating to their new workout environment and focusing on foundational exercises, including calisthenics such as pushups, squats, and situps. The knowledge continues, however, as we apply and build upon what we've learned.

Ron, Laura, and Gretchen each won a prize in our Countdown Burpees Challenge. Congrats! Everyone else also did a fantastic job, but were more than happy that they won since the challenge ended when the first three people finished... Whew!

Here are some Basic Training highlights:

Body composition is the ratio of lean body mass (muscles, bones, skin, etc) to body fat mass.

General Body Fat Percentage Categories*:
Classification Women (% fat) Men (% fat)
Essential Fat 10-12% 2-4%
Athletes 14-20% 6-13%
Fitness 21-24% 14-17%
Acceptable 25-31% 18-25%
Obese 32% plus 25% plus
*American Council on Exercise

Body Mass Index (BMI) estimates whether what you weigh is the appropriate amount for your height. Desirable BMIs for adults is between 19 and 24. Overweight is defined as a body mass index between 25.0 and 30.0. Obesity is defines as a BMI of 30.0 or greater. Calculate yours here: BMI Calculator

There are two basic energy systems of the body: aerobic (producing ATP energy from oxygen) and anaerobic (producing ATP energy without oxygen). The "talk test" can give you an idea of how hard you're working. In terms of training, you are considered to be "aerobic" when you can speak comfortably during your workout (think walking, running, or biking on a flat surface). You are working out anaerobically when your breathing becomes very labored and you may even gasp for air (think heavy weight training, sprinting, and jumping, or from the first example walking, running, or biking up hill).

The training continues!
Watch for pics next week.
May even throw in a video...

Breaking through fitness plateaus

Even if you have "the best" workout plan in the world it won't be long before you notice that you're not getting the same results you did when you first started. This is often the result of two main culprits, 1) your body has already made the necessary changes (adaptations) to the stressor (exercise routine) and doesn't need to do anything more (you've plateaued), or 2) you may be overtraining, meaning that your body needs to rest.

Fortunately, the fix for these two problems is not too hard to overcome. Follow these simple steps to fire things back up and move to the next level.

1). Rest. If you've been going fast and furious for a few months take a couple of days off. To keep you from losing your fitness habit, use your normal workout time for more calming activities such as stretching, yoga, or a massage treatment.

2). Think outside the box. Cross training can add depth and purpose to your fitness routine as you use your new-found strength and abilities. Find an interesting trail to hike, go for a bike ride, try a new activity like rollerblading or indoor rock climbing. The goal is to do something new and outside of your norm.

3). Change your routine. If you've been working the same exercises, in the same order, and for the same number of set and reps...your body is bored. Generally, the average non-athlete should change routines every 4-6 weeks, if not more often. This doesn't necessarily mean that you need to get rid of everything, changing the order or simply adding a new move could be enough. Additionally, you can work on slowly increasing the amount of weight you move or the number of reps/sets performed (volume). Note: don't increase volume and weight together; increase the weight OR increase the volume to help you stay injury free.

4). Look at your calories in versus calories out. If your body is no longer leaning out or building muscle progressively, your diet could be the culprit. To lose body fat, you need to create a calorie deficit ideally through exercise AND eating. Generally, that equates to eating slightly less, exercising slightly more. If building muscle is the goal, you need to eat an adequate combination of complex carbs and lean protein; "FEED the muscle" as they say.

By focusing on these tips you can give your body new stimuli, thus encouraging your body to begin creating new adaptations to push you past your plateau and on to a new level of fitness.

Our Favorite Belly-Slimming Super Foods

1. Steel cut oatmeal. Fiber rich and filling, add berries for a great start in the morning. Tip: takes a little longer to cook than regular rolled oats so prepare a few serving to store in the fridge.

2. Bananas. Just turned yellow, not over-ripe. High in potassium, they're perfect for increasing your blood sugar immediately after your workout. Eat alone for a quick pick-me-up or add some protein with a low sugar almond butter.

3. Wild salmon. Flavorful, high in protein and healthy fats. Omega-3 fatty acids improve insulin sensitivity, which helps build muscle and decrease belly fat.

4. Blueberries, grapefruit, strawberries, apples, pomegranates. From antioxidants to fiber these nutrient dense fruits are great as morning breakfast additions or healthy snacks. Pomegranates and blueberries are fun popcorn alternatives on movie night.

5. Tuna (white meat packed in water). A bodybuilding staple for good reason: high in omega-3 fatty acids and protein, low in fat. Omega-3's are also provide an array of cardiovascular benefits such as improved HDL to LDL ratio and decreased inflammation.

6. Olive oil. Generally all oils have 100 calories per serving regardless type. In addition to adding unique flavor, however, this Mediterranean diet staple offers protection against heart disease by controlling "bad" LDL cholesterol and raising "good" HDL cholesterol levels. It also lowers the risk of certain cancers.

7. Sweet potatoes. A filling alternative to white potatoes, high in potassium with a relatively low gylcemic index. They also contain unique root proteins with potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

8. Leafy green vegetables (ie. spinach & romaine lettuce). Along with vitamins and minerals, two cups later, you still haven't reached 50 calories.

9. Brown rice. Nutty flavor. High in fiber so it's filling. Low glycemic index.

10. Chicken breast. Lean and filling protein source. Tip: marinate it to increase the flavor and don't overcook it to decrease dryness.

11. Beans (ie. lentils, navy, pinto). Lean and filling protein source high in antioxidants. Pair with brown rice to help complete this protein source.

12. Eggs. A filling protein source, women on a low-calorie diet who ate an egg with toast and jelly each morning lost twice as many pounds as those who had a bagel breakfast with the same number of calories but no eggs, according to a study from Louisiana State University.

Bacon Doughnut Web Rant

Deep down we have to know.

I believe it in my soul.

We HAVE to know that we should not be eating candied bacon ice cream. Bacon chocolate chip cookies. A bacon shell taco. Or, my personal jaw dropping favorite, the bacon doughnut shown here. No nutrition degree is necessary. We know it won't lead to good health or weightloss success.

Take a look at this website: Thisiswhyyourfat.com

What did you think when you saw those foods?
And, no, "yum" is not the correct answer! Four laps, then drop and give me twenty just for thinking it cuz you'll need at least that to burn off the calories...

All I can say is HOW COME?? When pondering what to put on the menu who thought "hey, I know, I'll deep fry a Mars bar and a Twinkie"? Now, of course, these things wouldn't be out there if there was no one to BUY them...

Our government spends, and has spent, millions in hard cash and manhours educating the public on what we should be eating (in case the advice of doctors, nutritionists, and fitness professionals wasn't quite enough, of course). The new USDA Food Pyramid alone took four years and cost $2.4 million to complete. All in the name of helping us eat better, live better, and FEEL better because there can be no doubt that you will experience at least a few ill sensations after wolfing down something called "the garbage plate" (check out that website again, it was there I swear).

Now it's not to say that you can't visit a restaurant and have a treat now and then, but most of the 27 percent of adults and 12.5 percent of children who are obese didn't become that way due to an occasional treat. Moderation. That's the key. Or, at least one of the most important of them. Exercise in moderation. Eat in moderation. Enjoy a moderate treat, in moderation. The magazine Men's Health does great "Eat this, not that" sections that offer helpful options for getting that junk food fix without sacrificing your health. When in doubt though, walk away!

Take care of your body!
You only get one and you have to live in it for the rest of your life!

Ok. . .
I'm finished now.
;)