The Dangers of Shoveling Snow!!!

The snow fall this winter has created many problems already.  Many towns are already at or above their budget for snow removal, I've personally witnessed two car accidents, and three of my clients have fallen because of the ice (fortunately... they're strong enough to get back up injury free ;-)

With all this snow, the snow removal business must be booming, but for those of us who have to get out there and shovel this stuff ourselves, it is now time to be thankful for the fact that you've being working out consistently.  I keep hearing these generalized statements on news like, "if you're over 40 you shouldn't shovel any snow."  Huh???  Now I'm not 40 years old and it will be a while before I get there, but a 40 year old man should be and is very capable of shoveling a lot of snow IF he has taken care of himself. 

How do I know this???  Because I train many 40 year old women that are very capable of getting out there and shoveling their fair share of snow.  Unfortunately, these general warnings are needed because most of our population is too unfit to do much more than sit at an office desk. 

So, ask yourself an honest question...  Are you confident that you can go out side and shovel a small driveway or walkway without any problems???  (Disclaimer: I am NOT challenging you to go outside to find out)

If you have not been weight training properly and doing consistent cardiovascular exercise then answer to this question is no.  So consider this, if you're capable of shoveling snow you can consider yourself to be more fit than most of our population.  If you can not shovel snow confidently because you run the serious risk of a heart attack or back injury then it's time to start taking care of your body.  Get your cholesterol and blood pressure down and improve you functional strength.  You can do this all with a healthy diet and a balanced and progressive exercise program.

A quick note on functional strength:
Balancing on one leg on an unstable device and doing curls is often called "functional" right.  Personal trainers will tell you this and some schools will even teach this, BUT what functional task does this exercise help you perform?  I'll be back with more of an explanation in another post, but the short answer is that this does not help you perform any functional task at all.  So when I speak of functional strength, I'm talking about taking an object that is an adequate load and moving it throughout the correct range of motion(i.e. actual weight lifting).

There are roughly 100 deaths and 11,500 emergency department visits annually because of shoveling snow.  These are not freak accidents.  This is yet another sign that we need to encourage our out of shape friends and family members that it's time to get moving again. 

Check out the statistics here  Snow Shoveling Injuries


For some snow shoveling tips from the American Physical Therapy Association click here

http://www.203fitness.com/

Increase you protein intake and BURN FAT!!!

 
There have been numerous studies showing that diets containing a high amount of protein result in greater fat loss when compared to diets that contain a moderate amount of protein. 

The Health's Dietary Reference Intake recommends that you consume 10%-35% of your calories in the form of protein.  The upper end of this recommendation is where you will receive many of the weight and fat loss benefits.  The good news is that no negative effects have been found from consuming higher than recommended amounts of protein unless you already have kidney problems.  So... eat away!!!

To start bump up you're protein to at least 120 grams/day spread out evenly over 5-6 snacks/meals.

Here are some great protein sources...   
4oz of chicken ~22 grams
3oz of fish ~25-30 grams
1 scoop of whey protein ~ 24 grams
1 small chobani yogurt ~18 grams
8oz of low fat milk ~8 grams
1 large egg ~ 7 grams
1 egg whites ~3.5 grams

Remember that most of your protein should come from animal sources.  If you follow a vegan diet them please seek a qualified nutritionist to make sure that you learn the importance of complementary proteins.  Consuming only incomplete proteins like those found in grains, legumes, nuts, and vegtables in the wrong amounts can lead to deficiencies and a slowed metabolism.

See what WebMD has to say... http://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/high-protein-diet-weight-loss

http://www.203fitness.com/

find a Personal Trainer in Darien by clicking here!!!
find a Personal Trainer in New Canaan by clicking here!!!

3 Great Core Exercises that work MORE than just your core!!!

BOSU Plank with alternating leg lifts- This move will challenge your ability to stabilize your core through motion and instability while activating your gluteal muscles.

Tip- Focus on stretching your leg back as far as you can instead of lifting it up as high as you can, pause for 2 seconds on top.  About 12 inches of motion is ideal, any more than this and you risk hyper-extension of your lower back.

 

Physio ball Russian Twist- This move will challenge your rotational core muscles(obliques)while requiring you to contract your gluteals and hamstrings to maintain complete hip extension, balance, and stability throughout your trunk. 

Tip- Drive your heals down into the ground as you rotate towards one side.  Drive the bottom shoulder into the ball allowing it to roll slightly sideways until your shoulders are perpendicular with your hips as seen in the second photo.

Plank with feet on a Physio ball- This move will work the entire midsection.  Having you feet elevated places and addition load on your shoulders and triceps.

Tip- Keep your ankles flexed so that you toes are pressed firmly against the ball as seen in the photo.  If this is too difficult you can start with both shins on the ball.

These exercises are meant for healthy injury-free individuals.  For modifications, loading, and/or set and repetition schemes please contact me at chris@203fitness.com

OR... Find the Best Personal Trainer in Darien

Find the Best Personal Trainer in New Canaan

How do you know if you have a great personal trainer???

Unfortunately, you may not know if your trainer is good at what he or she does until you've already committed a lot of time and money.  Trying to find a skilled trainer among all the rest can be a very difficult task and it's far too easy for the average person to become a "certified" personal trainer.
 
What does all this mean???  It means that Joe Smith who dropped out of high school can find an organization that provides a Personal Training Certification for about $300 and a few weeks of studying.  In a month he could be training you at your local gym, and you wouldn't know the difference between this guy and a great trainer until it was too late.  This is an extreme example... but YES, there are certifications that DO NOT even require a high school diploma.

Here are a few things to look for in your personal trainer...

1) At least a bachelors degree in an Exercise Science related field.  They don't need to have a BS to be a great trainer, but it certainly shows that they're dedicated to the field and assures you that they do in fact know what they're doing.  Beware of the "well... I guess I can just be a personal trainer now" types.  If your trainer is working other jobs as well as personal training... get off the treadmill and run out the door!  I'm serious, this person is training solely for money, NOT because they know how to help you achieve your goals.  You don't want a "job personal trainer," you want a "career personal trainer."

2) A C.S.C.S. (Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist) is by far the most difficult certification to attain.  Although there are some great trainers with other certifications, it's less common to find a bad trainer with a CSCS due to its requirements.

3) An actual passion for fitness... if your trainer doesn't even workout themselves... Dump Them!!!  Trust Me.  On the other side...just because your trainer is in shape DOES NOT guarantee that they know what they're doing. 

4) A busy schedule... if your trainer isn't busy, then there's most likely a reason for it.  There aren't many good trainers in the field, so the good one's are highly sought after.

5) The ability to customize programs to your needs.  Everyone is different...and to achieve your goals in the most sound and logical manner you need a customized program.  There is no one size fits all.  If your training at a fitness club, take a look around... if you see a trainer performing the same exercises with EVERYONE, the chances are that they've gotten lazy and become an "exercise of the day" trainer.  This absolutely does happen, just watch.


Lastly...ask your trainer what your doing and why your doing it...  A competent and confident trainer will be happy to explain exactly why your doing what your doing.  Be curious, ask questions, it will pay off.  There are a lot of trends in the field right now that are grossly misused, make sure you don't become a victim of one of them.

Find a Great Trainer Below!!!

Personal Trainers in Darien      Personal Trainers in New Canaan     Personal Trainers in Rowayton

Expert Darien Personal Trainer Explains the #1 Reason that people "can't" lose weight...

Since I was in middle school, I've been in and out of many different fitness clubs, and I've definitely seen it all.  Unfortunately, the most common occurrence that I've come across is that many people do the same exact workouts week after week after week.  Then, they eventually become discouraged when the don't see or feel any changes even though they've been consistent and dedicated to their workouts.  Sound familiar???

Eventually, many have asked me for help and I always start my explanation with a great quote from Albert Einstein who said, "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." 

This is the most important thing to remember when you're planning your workouts(because you are PLANNING your workouts right?).  The most basic principles of fitness and the human body state that you will adapt to whatever new stress you place upon your body.  In this case the stress is your workout.  When you lift weight's you "stress" your muscular and skeletal systems.  Then, your body adapts and builds stronger muscles and stronger bones to be better prepared for the next time that you have to lift a heavy object.  The same goes for cardio...  When you do cardio you "stress" your heart, your respiratory system, and your circulatory system.  Then, your body adapts and you have a stronger healthier heart as well as a greater ability to perform that same bout of cardio the next time.

So, if you're doing the same thing every time that you workout, then what does your body have to adapt to?  It doesn't have anything to adapt to so it doesn't.  This is why progress often stops, and this is the number one reason that most people end up discouraged and learn to accept the fact that they "can't" lose weight.  You must understand that your body likes to maintain a state of homeostasis.  To break out of this you must consistently provide something new to adapt to.  How to do you do this???

It's simple, just make your workout slightly harder or at the very least slightly different every time.  Here are a few variables to work with...

Cardio- run, bike, swim, elliptical, etc... Change your speed, duration, or incline/resistance.  Try to do intervals instead of steady state cardio or vise versa.

Resistance Training- Change the exercises you perform, the repetitions in each set, the number of sets in each exercise, or the total number of exercises.  If you normally work you're whole body, try to work just lower body one day and just upper body the next day or vise versa.

Changing your body can be much more complicated than this, but this is one huge step in the right direction!

If you want more ideas or guidance feel free to contact me or post questions, if you want to work with me directly or another great expert in the field than click below

Darien Personal Trainers    New Canaan Personal Trainers

Short on time? Here's a great short workout that will get the job done fast!!!

1 circuit...  5 exercises...  5 rounds

Perform 1 set of all 5 exercises with <30seconds rest in between.  After you run through the circuit once, then you can rest for 60 seconds before you start round 2(same between round 2 and 3, 3 and 4, etc...) 

Reverse lunge--- 12 reps each side (alternating legs) add weight appropriately
Push-ups--- 15 reps (if you can't do a full push-up modify it, if it's easy do clapping push-ups)
Physio ball leg curl--- 12 reps (if it's easy with both legs, try it with 1 leg)
Pull-up OR Inverted row--- 15 reps
Plank--- 60 seconds

     If you keep your timing strict, this workout will take less than 30 minutes.  It will hit every major muscle group in your body, and you will gain a cardiovascualar benefit from it that will keep your metabolism on overdrive for 12-36 hours after you finish!!!

Unfortunately, I can't coach form or show you the exercises through the computer... so until video clips are up feel free to contact me for more tips.

High Fructose Syrup soon to be called "Corn Sugar"

     Apparently, the Corn Refiners Association has caught on to the fact... that we have caught on to the fact... that high fructose corn syrup is like poison. 

     They're proposing a name change, so that high fructose corn syrup would be read "corn sugar" in ingredient lists on your food products.  This is a marketing strategy that's used to trick consumers who are making an effort to choose the right foods.  How bad is that huh? 

Welcome to the world of trickery from the food industry.  It's for these same principles, that low sugar/low fat foods aren't always a better choice(but that's another topic).

     If you don't know... high fructose corn syrup is found in many soft drinks, packages foods, candies, cakes, cookies, and even a lot of ketchups among other things.  It has been linked directly to metabolic syndrome, elevated triglycerides, hypertension, fatty liver disease, excess uric acid levels(associated with gout), and has even been linked to faster aging.  The use of high fructose syrup has increased in the US over the last few decades, and the rate of obesity, diabetes, and insulin resistance have all increased right along side it.  This is NO coincidence! 

     So, read your labels, and keep up with this story to see what alias you need to look for in your labels!!!

Check this article out HERE 

Why all you die-hard runners need to incorporate weight training into your routine...

Running is a great form of cardiovascular exercise, because you can do it anywhere.  It's a tremendous way to improve your heart health, lower blood pressure, and burn some extra calories among its many other benefits.  However, running does have some downfalls IF all you do is run. 

So... how do maximize the benefits of running while avoiding some of its potential negative effects?  Simple, you incorporate a weight training routine.  Not just any weight training routine, but a specific routine that will go hand and hand with your running. 

Here are some benefits an endurance athlete reaps when adding weight training...

1)      Improved running efficiency 

2)      Lowered risk of injury

3)      Lowered risk of overtraining

4)      Improved flexibility and ROM (range of motion)

     When you run, you are repeating the same motion over and over again.  This means that you are working the same muscle groups over and over again creating a muscular imbalance and setting up an ideal environment for injury.  By working the muscles that are neglected during your runs, in addition to the muscles that are used while you run, you will wind up with a much stronger foundation, leading to faster times and a lowered risk for injury.

    

     Most people have heard of cross-training, and in its simplest form here is how it works.  The more variety someone has in their routine the better their overall results will be.  There are definitely some exceptions, but weight training for runners is not one of these exceptions.  Weight training improves strength, helps to stabilize your joints, strengthens important core muscles, and improves flexibility (although general misconceptions will lead you to believe the opposite).  Runners are often found with weak and tight muscles, unstable joints, and core/lower back problems all of which can be corrected or even better yet prevented through weight training.

     To finish off, I would like to clear up one other major misconception that many runners tend to have... 

     Weight training will not "add bulk" to you frame and slow you down.  The only single way that anyone can gain weight or "bulk" is by consuming more calories than they are burning.  Although the exact number of calories will vary, it is safe to say that an avid runner is burning A LOT of calories on a weekly basis.  In addition to the massive caloric expenditure from running, weight lifting is going to burn even more calories while creating an increased metabolism, which is ideal for burning body fat while at rest.  With this said, I can guarantee you one thing... if you're running a slower time becuase you're heavier, then it's because of additional body fat.  I promise you it is NOT because of muscle.

   

Please don't hesitate to contact me or post questions here.

Why you need to eat breakfast...

           I know you've been hearing this since you were a child with no real explanation, so I'm going to clarify one great reason to eat breakfast which is to improve your body composition.
      

While you're asleep, I'm assuming you're not eating?  Correct?  So when you wake up you have gone a long period of time without food (yes, even if you had a late dinner).  The longer your body goes without food the slower your metabolism becomes due to what's called a "starvation adaptation."  Even though your brain knows that you can go to a store to get food whenever you would like, your body doesn't know this.  Your body needs to be fed frequently to know that it's not going to be "starved."  This goes back to primitive times when we would hunt and gather our food and our next meal was NOT guaranteed.

Next, you need to understand that the physiology of your body is designed to "survive," it's not designed to look lean, toned, and/or muscular so you must "trick it" at times to achieve your desired look.  The more body fat you have, the longer you can survive is food ever became scarce, because that ugly soft stuff we all want to get rid of is actually a form of stored energy. 

So if your body is starting to question when that next meal is coming (because you haven't eaten anything all morning, then your metabolism will slow down in an attempt to maintain all that "stored energy" around your waist.  The longer the time between feedings/meals the more pronounced this negative effect becomes.  So eat your breakfast and keep your meals small but frequent to maximize fat burning through your diet.

This is the most simplistic explanation I have, but if you're interested in details please dont' hesitate to contact me or post questions.