Archive for March, 2010

Myth of the Fat Burning Zone

Wednesday, March 17th, 2010

There’s an idea that has been traveling around for a long while now about the “Fat Burning Zone”. The concept is that if you stay in your “Fat Burning Zone” you will burn more fat and thus lose weight faster. Almost every piece of cardiovascular equipment has a graph with this zone hi-lighted which leads the public to believe that if they work at a lower intensity they will actually make more progress. Wow. What a concept! Who wouldn’t love to do less and have better results?

What is actually happening in your body when you workout? You use fat, carbohydrates, and protein as fuel sources during activity. The intensity and duration of the activity determines which sources and how much of each source, measured in percentages, are used. You burn the MOST fat at rest. Yes, read it again…the most fat, at REST. Percentage-wise, fat is the body’s main source of fuel at rest. The confusion comes from thinking that more calories are being burned if more fat is burned which is not true. On the other side of the spectrum, an Olympic sprinter is burning minuscule amounts of fat and using almost all carbohydrates as fuel during a 100 meter sprint. Have you ever seen fat on a sprinter? At first, this myth seems logical but as you can see, it has been misinterpreted.

So even though, percentage-wise, you are using more fat as fuel (as opposed to carbohydrates) when you are in the “Fat Burning Zone,” you are not burning more calories by restricting yourself to that zone. If you push yourself harder and higher above it, you will burn even more calories and lose more fat.

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Motivation – Ways to Make Your Workout More Interesting

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010

Are you stuck in a workout rut? If your workout is becoming a bore and you are having a hard time getting excited about exercising, perhaps you need to tweak something about your schedule or routine to reignite the fire you once had about getting in shape. There are several things I do to pump myself up when I start feeling that way. First I try to figure out what is at the source of my “blah-ness”. Am I busier and more stressed than usual? Have I been eating horribly? Have I been doing the same workout for too long?

If you’ve been stressed out, remind yourself of how great you would feel after a short cardio session. Even 20 minutes is better than nothing at all so try not to hold yourself to your usual duration since it can be overwhelming. I find that downloading several new songs to my iPod ALWAYS gets me charged for a run, bike ride, etc.

If you haven’t been feeling enthused because your nutrition has been sub par, it may be a good idea to go shopping for healthy food to stock your fridge with. Then eat a good meal and reset your frame of mind with a gratifying workout.

Doing the same workout for more than a week or two will lead to certain boredom. If you are sick of taking yourself through the same old routine, grab a pen and paper and write out a new plan that you can get excited about trying. Mix it up! Add some cardio activity in with your strength training or pick a new time of the day to train. This may be all you needed to get the blood pumping again.

Bottom line, we all have ups and downs with fitness. Sometimes we are so into it and can’t wait to workout and other times, we think we will never lace up the sneakers again. It’s mental. If you can change your attitude, associate positive feelings with exercise and pull yourself out of your slump, you will be able to get back on track a lot faster and on your way reaching your goal.

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What to Look For When Hiring a Personal Trainer

Monday, March 1st, 2010

The idea of having a personal trainer has really exploded over the past decade. Preventative health is on the rise and so is the desire to be slim, toned, and active. There are many factors to consider when it comes to finding a personal trainer who is perfect for you. This CAN BE a pricey service after all. Here’s what think about and look for…

Must be certified
Your candidate must be a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT). There are a great deal of companies who employ “fitness specialists” or “fitness consultants”. This is a sneaky way of not having to say “Certified Personal Trainer” and these trainers have not gone through a rigorous certification process by a nationally accredited organization in order to maintain the CPT title. A degree in a fitness related field (Kinesiology, Exercise Science, Exercise Physiology, etc.) is ALWAYS a plus as well.

Initial Assessment Offered
Make sure you are able to meet with the trainer before you seal the deal. During this meeting, he or she should be very interested in your goals, wants and needs. Be honest and say what you are looking for in a trainer. Your trainer will get to know you very well and vise verse so you want to be sure it is someone you feel comfortable with and can trust.

Experienced
Does the trainer you are interested in have previous training experience? Because people are unique, It is great to find a trainer who has observed a diverse clientele. If you have or have had a musculoskeletal injury or chronic pain, this may be especially important for you to look into.

Sex?
Do you prefer a female or a male personal trainer? Will you feel comfortable working closely with a member of the opposite sex? This is personal preference sort of thing but is definitely something to think about.

Conducive Schedule
Scheduling is very important. You will want to make sure you and your trainer have similar availability in your schedules.

Now you know! Go forth and exercise!

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