By: Chad Ciri

Being a total health and fitness fanatic, I’ve experimented with just about every eating and exercise plan out there. That alone has brought me to despise just about every fad diet that has hit the streets! While bits and pieces of all the fad diets out there like the low fat diet, the Atkins, the South Beach Diet, etc. make some sense scientifically, they’re all either unsustainable for a long period of time, or they’re fundamentally flawed.

After discovering Mark Sisson’s website (marksdailyapple.com), I realized that his belief system on nutrition and exercise was very much in line with mine, in that a lot of the “conventional wisdom”, or what we have been led to believe are facts,are actually inaccurate when it comes to health and nutrition. So I bit the bullet an ordered his book.The short of it is, the way I look at nutrition has been forever changed!

While I won’t get into every detail of the Primal Blueprint, the eating plan is what I found particularly powerful. Mark uncovers an overwhelming amount of evidence and research that strongly suggests that the start of the obesity epidemic, along with the skyrocketing numbers of cases of heart disease began with the emergence of agriculture. Many anthropologists suggest that the human species reached its peak in terms of body composition, bone density and brain size about 10,000 years ago. Our physical decline occurred at the development of agriculture when humans began to harvest wheat, rice, corn and other grains.When you look at the relationship in timing, it’s an eye opener!

Unlike what the modern day Food Pyramid would prescribe, the Primal Blueprint eating philosophy recommends an essential elimination of grains from the diet. While most of us know by now that processed carbohydrates and sugar are unhealthy and hindering to weight loss efforts, most people still look at whole grains as “healthy” carbohydrates. The fact is, grains still have the ability to spike your blood glucose levels, which in turn trigger the insulin response. Moderating your insulin levels is absolutely essential to achieving or maintaining a healthy body weight. Quite simply, if your insulin levels are constantly elevated, your body will always be in fat storage mode…and NO amount of exercise will reverse that!

So how does this eating plan break down? Good question. To simplify it, it allows you to eat just about anything you want…as long as it comes from a natural source!

The Primal Blueprint eating plan prescribes an abundance of foods solely from animal and plant sources. Included in this are (some of these may surprise you), eggs, bacon, salads, burgers, steaks, nuts, seeds,fruits and raw vegetables. In short, if you can grow it from a seed or you can kill it, you can eat it! Your carbohydrate intake will likely be lower than usual, but you still get plenty of good carbohydrates from fruits and vegetables.

When you eat according to the Primal Blueprint laws, you may be surprised by how much it allows for fat intake. I sure was! Before I sampled this eating plan, about 30% of my overall intake came from fat, and I calculated that about 50% of my intake now comes from fat after shifting to this plan.I went into this a little skeptical of the higher fat intake, but was pleasantly surprised by the results.

After 6 weeks of eating on this plan, I lost nearly 12 lbs. and lost almost 3 percent of my body fat…no joke! That’s a significant decrease in such a short period of time, especially considering that I wasn’t overweight or carrying excessive body fat prior to starting the plan. Specifically, I dropped from 175 lbs. with 12 percent body fat to 163 lbs. with 9 percent body fat. The point is, this eating plan can work for you whether you’re trying to lose 100 lbs. or if you’re already fit and just trying to shed that last stubborn ten pounds. The best part of it was that my energy levels actually skyrocketed, which surprised me given the rather drastic decrease in carbohydrate intake (about 125 grams per day). And honestly, the only real change I made was replacing oatmeal with fresh fruit and brown rice with steamed vegetables. This plan does not require you to make drastic changes nor eliminate all of the foods you love.

Sisson also emphasizes the importance of intelligent exercise. Intelligent is the key word here. Changing your body does NOT mean having to sweat it out through an hour and a  half of spin class every day. Instead, bring it back to how our primal ancestors moved when they were fighting for survival – occasional heavy lifting, occasional high intensity sprints (presumably from evading the danger of being attacked by wild animals), and LOTS of moving at a lower intensity level. Yes, I’m simplifying here, but walk, lift, and sprint…and you will achieve changes in your body that you may have thought were impossible.

There are many other “primal” laws to live by that Sisson discusses in detail, all of which are powerful and are scientifically backed by research and history. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to be inspired to make some positive life changes. I have no personal investment in whether anyone buys this book (though I’m starting to think Mark should pay me for writing such a good review), but I can say with confidence the primal eating philosophy alone drastically helped me make some huge changes to my body composition, and I’m absolutely certain it can do it for anyone else who may be struggling to lose weight! Integrate this eating plan and a guided “intelligent” exercise program from a fitness professional, and you WILL see the changes you deserve!

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by Steven Hefferon, CMT, PTA

If you go to the gym to get healthy and fit, look good, feel good and pamper your ego, then I urge you take a minute to think about something,

Do you remember the old adage, “People like to do what they are good at and comfortable with”? Are you living that old adage at the gym? Most people do. They have a set routine at the gym, yet it’s that very routine coupled with the mechanics of the equipment that can lead to trouble-either very quickly or over time.

As beneficial as we know exercise can be, there are some things you need to be aware of before starting. The challenge is in knowing injuries can happen and how to prevent them. There are two basic categories of injuries: the sudden accident (a.k.a. trauma) and what can be described as a process injury (in other words, the long, slow development of a condition.) My goal is to protect you from both types of injury.

Traumatic Injury at the Gym

Let’s start with the 5 basic concepts of working out in order to show you how easy it is to injure yourself in a traumatic way.

•    Intensity: How hard you work out.
•    Frequency: How often you work out.
•    Duration: How long you work out.
•    Progressive Resistance: Using more resistance with each set you perform.
•    Progressive Overload: Starting at a higher level of resistance at subsequent workouts.

Each one of these principles has the ability to cause injury. But when you couple them the drive to eek out one more  repetition as you fatigue, you go into all kinds of contorted positions to get the job done.

All of a sudden, Bam-O! A hundred different injuries can happen. And they will take a long time to heal. You will have defeated the entire purpose of going to the gym in the first place. Please understand that the body can tolerate a lot of abuse before you pay the penalty of an injury. Just know that injuries can happen in seconds and the effects can last a lifetime.

Injury as a Process

Traumatic injuries do happen. But more often it is the slow progression injuries that are far more sinister and very well may  be the root cause of some traumatic injuries. So I would like to focus on what happens over the long term so that you can make a change now to prevent injuries.

I have spent the last 10 years of my life dealing specifically with what are called muscle imbalances and their effects on the back and body. In describing the concept I will use some examples and try to make you aware of what possible injuries you could be facing.

Muscle imbalance can be defined as strength and flexibility of one muscle group compared to the opposing muscle group. So if you compare the strength and flexibility of the quadriceps to the opposite muscle group, the hamstrings, in nine out of 10 people the quads will be overly strong and overly tight compared to the hamstrings. That’s the definition of having a muscle imbalance.

How Back and Body Injures Start!

The quads are always going to be stronger then the hamstrings, so you may be wondering what is wrong with that. Let me give you some possible examples of what can happen if your quads are drastically stronger than the hamstrings. As I give this example, understand that there are other imbalances that often happen at the same time to develop this condition. For example, the hip flexors and the glutes can be out of balance too.

When the quads are out of balance with the hamstrings, there can be uneven and excessive wear and tear on the cartilage and ligaments of the knee.  The knee will not function correctly and conditions will develop to the point that running and other basic physical activities will be painful, or even impossible.

Second, balance between the quads and the hamstrings keep the pelvis in a neutral and stable position. But when you have overly strong and overly tight quads, your pelvis will be pulled in several different directions. In some cases the whole pelvis is pulled excessively forward. In other cases one side of the pelvis comes even more forward and the hip elevates,
causing the pelvis to rotate. This is very common in physically active women over 40.

When the pelvis is not in the most neutral and most stable position possible, the spine may go into abnormal curvature. It is that abnormal curvature caused by the muscle imbalance that can set you up for hip problems, SI joint problems, back pain and sciatica.

How Does This Happen?

The very equipment you are using at the gym is either directly or indirectly helping you develop your muscle imbalances and setting you up for future problems.

Let me give you some examples. You cannot help but develop raw quad strength when you use the leg extension machine. As I asked you before, do you stick to exercises that you like to do? Let’s face it, everyone hates to work the hamstrings because they are weak and it is difficult. So most people overwork their quads and under-work their hamstrings.

Another example is the calf raise machine. Again, the calf muscle will always be stronger then the muscles in front of the shin, but when you blast your calves and do not work the muscles in the front of the shin you are setting yourself up for plantar fasciitis, heel spurs, Achilles tendonitis and even knee problems.

To recap, working out with gym equipment puts enormous unnatural force through the joint, restricts movements to linear motions and can very easily overdevelop muscle groups. This combined with the development to muscle imbalances is a hidden root cause of most if not all physical injuries at the gym.

Action Steps

As with any new desire to make a change in your life, you must first have a starting point. There is no easier way to get started then to take an inventory of where you are right now. It will not help you at all to make subjective assessments about yourself and not be honest, so I have a few suggestions:

•    Take photos of yourself. I would not always recommend this.  But in cases were your health and wellness are at stake, why not? Here is what you can do. Put on a bathing suit and have someone take photos, front, back and both sides, making sure that you see head to toe. Then take a look–not with a judging eye but a caring eye, looking for areas that are not in balance. For example, is your head straight? Is your head over your shoulders or is it forward of your shoulders? Are your shoulders level? What about your hips, are they level? (Look at your side view and suit line as a guide.)

Those are just some of the areas that you can gauge yourself on. You can also use the photos as a reference of how you are now so you can look back at how you were then.

•    Feel the pain. The best way to assess pain is by asking yourself how you feel in the morning, during the day and at night. With this one you will need to be honest with yourself, and I suggest that you write this down. You can even mark up the photos you took by writing on them at the body part or parts where you feel pain.

•    Listen to your body. If you are working out and you feel a little something and you’re not quite sure what it is, rest assured it’s your body telling you it does not like what you are doing to it.

•    Build your awareness. If you live with fear, worry or doubt about your weight, health or medical condition, the best way to overcome that it is to build your knowledge on the subject. Study what others already know.Working with a professional fitness trainer can drastically improve your chances of developing a safe, sound and effective exercise program.

And remember to always stay enthusiastic about the process. That is the secret to achieving your goals. If you listen to your body, you just might learn something about it!

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I can’t possibly count how many times people come to me and are struggling with losing weight but are working their butts off at the gym to do so. Though their effort is there and they’re putting the time in, they just can’t seem to lose weight or change their bodies. When I hear this scenario, I can almost instantly diagnose the problem nine times out of ten. It’s the result of having gone “cardio crazy.”

Generally, the people who fall into this category have the same frustration. They spend 1 hour a day, 5 days a week, sweating it out on the treadmill, the elliptical or the recumbent bike. Some of them burn up to 800 calories per workout, but are just not seeing the results. It’s difficult to understand because they’re burning such a high volume of  calories, and we’ve all been taught that it’s all about calories in versus calories out, right?

Yes, you DO need to expend more calories than you take in to lose weight. If this simple mathematic equation doesn’t add up, weight loss will be impossible. Unfortunately, however, this is NOT the only part of the weight loss equation. Let me explain…

The real key to losing weight, and more specifically burning fat is not how many calories you burn during your workout,  but what your body does to recover afterward.

Traditional cardio, like the kind I described above, usually  entails 30 to 60 minutes of a low to moderate intensity exercise like walking, jogging or biking at a pace that is sustainable for a long period of time. No one would argue that this type of exercise doesn’t have its health benefits and can produce some gains in fitness. However, the problem is, as soon  as you’re done performing this type of exercise, your body stops reaping the benefits of it. It simply does not take your body much to recover from the stresses of pure aerobic activity.

If you live in this zone of cardio, you WILL NOT see significant improvements in your fitness level or your weight loss efforts!

To truly improve your fitness level and increase your metabolism,  you must constantly vary the stimulus, and therefore constantly change the metabolic demands of your workouts. There are so many  ways to vary the stimulus provided by your workouts. These  variables include the modality of exercise,load, tempo (intensity), distance, duration of exercise and rest periods. Once your body fully adapts to any stimulus, the cardiovascular system stops being challenged, and therefore ceases to make further improvements.

One of the keys to getting more out of your cardiovascular  program is to periodically work out at an extremely high  intensity for shorter durations. This is where interval training becomes so powerful. Rather than running for 45 minutes at one speed, you can perform 30 second sprints at 90 – 95% of your maximum heart rate, resting one minute between each sprint.  If you push the pace properly, you only need to perform about 5 repeats of this interval to reap its metabolic benefits. Why? Because different work to rest ratios have different energy demands, and this will shock your metabolism way more than a leisurely 30 minute jog!

Study after study in exercise science has shown that the  higher the intensity of the stimulus, the longer the post-workout metabolic rate is elevated. If your current workload is not causing you to fatigue, it’s time to start pushing it further! Overloading is absolutely necessary in achieving any positive physical change in your body.

The problem with the traditional cardio programs that people  tend to follow is that they never challenge their anaerobic  threshold. Simply put, anaerobic activity occurs when the body cannot produce enough energy for the muscles with oxygen alone. The beauty is, you can train anaerobically using just about any modality. Sure, you can stick to running, swimming, or biking using interval training. But you can also push your anaerobic threshold using strength training, plyometrics, or body weight resistance.

Remember, variation is the key to success. Routine truly is the enemy when it comes to producing positive physical change. You  can get just as much benefit (if not more) performing fast- paced  intervals of air squats or push ups for 10 minutes as you can in a 45 minute aerobics class. Mix it up and watch your body transform!

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It’s that time of year again! Ok, now that I have your attention, what I really mean is it’s that time when people typically feel tired, lethargic and drained of energy. The good old winter blues have struck again!

This is the time of year that people dread. The buzz from the holidays has worn off, the days are short, and it’s too cold to get outside and be active. Sure, part of these feelings  just seem to come with the season. However, there are also internal changes that occur within our body that make this time of the year seem unbearable.

One of the main reasons for these feelings during this time of year is due to the lack of sunlight.

There is hope, however, and the beauty of it is that we as human beings have the power to make a few small lifestyle  changes that can make the winter season just as happy and  productive as any other time of year. One of the most  powerful things you can do to keep you feeling energetic,  lively and enthusiastic through the winter season is by adding one of nature’s critical elements to your lifestyle.

What is this miracle substance that I refer to? No, it’s not a magic pill that I’ve discovered on the Wal-mart shelves. It’s one of nature’s healthiest nutrients for the human body, it’s called…..Vitamin D!!

The benefits of Vitamin D cannot be overstated. Vitamin D regulates growth in just about every cell of our body. It is absolutely critical to developing strong bones, teeth, and eyesight. It also aids in the absorption of other key nutrients, mainly calcium and Vitamins A and C. It has also shown to play a role in the prevention of various types of  cancer, as well as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and inflammatory conditions.

Vitamin D deficiency can cause some frightening effects  as well. It has been linked to elevated cholesterol levels and hypertension in older adults. Because of its critical role in calcium absorption, the lack of Vitamin D can also cause weakened bones, which in turn leads to severe joint pain and inflammation. People who have tested low for Vitamin D levels in the bloodstream have also reported lower energy levels, depression, and overall lack of motivation.

….Try combating the Winter Blues without it! No thanks!

So, where can we get Vitamin D. There are a lot of answers out there – in our diet, supplementation, and sunlight would be the most common. All of these are good sources.

Supplementation is a great way to get the necessary  Vitamin D3.  I usually try and take about 5000 IU’s per day.  It’s very inexpensive and effective at maintaining healthy energy levels.

Some great food sources for Vitamin D include eggs (particularly egg yolks), some meats (especially liver),milk, sardines, salmon, and cod liver oils. While these are all great resources for getting Vitamin D in your diet, ingested sources are generally insufficient for ensuring adequate Vitamin D levels. However, that doesn’t mean you should give up. Foods that are high in  Vitamin D usually contain other critical nutrients for overall health as well.

Sunlight may be the most effective way to get adequate amounts of Vitamin D. Conventional wisdom would tell us to avoid the sun at all costs, however, regular moderate exposure to sunlight is the best way to get Vitamin D that the human body can use.  Without getting adequate sun, you would need to drink almost 40 glasses of milk to achieve adequate Vitamin D levels. Excess Vitamin D is actually destroyed by the sun itself, so it is impossible to overdose on it through sun exposure.  The greatest benefit of getting sunlight is that the Vitamin D that is specific to sun exposure contains a natural mood elevator, something that can play a necessary role in
combating the Winter Blues!

So the solution to picking your spirits up this season? Eat a healthy, balanced diet with plenty of natural Vitamin D sources, and try to endure the cold and get outside, even if it’s just for a few minutes every day. Even if its just sitting by a window with sunlight coming through it for a few minutes per day.  Your body (and mood) will thank you for it, as you re-energize during this typically “down” time!

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by Dennys Passeto

Last Tuesday I was a guest speaker at a local 12 week long weight loss challenge that concluded last week.  It was the final weigh in for the contestants that had participated in the 12 week long challenge.

They were all local people just like you and me who had just 1 goal in mind, to lose weight and get in shape.

The purpose of my speech was to give these individuals some ideas and knowledge to take with them to continue to propel their great results now that they were going off on their own.  This is the most valuable tool I can give them as a trainer to empower them to take control of their lives.

Needless to say, I was blown away by their progress as the organizers first announced the inches and total body fat percentage lost followed by presenting the winner their cash prize.  Nice prizes too.  The winner took almost $300 in cash!

It was very much like the biggest loser except the contestants did all the work on their own with the help of a weekly group meeting and weigh in at the Kentlands Nutrition store. This became their headquarters  where they received a motivating and informational speech on a different aspect of weight loss every week.

I was honored to have been invited and to get to witness this.  I wanted to let you know that they are starting a new 6 week weight loss challenge on December 1st.  Yes, I know that was yesterday but you can still sign up and be only 1 day behind. With this powerful system in place, you’ll make up the results in no time!

Anyways, if you are interested in signing up, please contact Kimberly Strickland at 240-388-2537 or by email at wlc.strickland@gmail.com. Be sure to tell her I sent you.  I’ve also attached the flyer for the upcoming challenge.  This could be a great way to motivate yourself into making some positive changes.

And don’t forget about spreading the gift of great health by giving a Gift Certificate for Personal Training to someone you love this holiday season.  Gift Certificates are available for any amount you desire.  However, you must order before December 16th to ensure you have it by the 24th so don’t put this off.  I know we all procrastinate every year including myself so let’s break the cycle.  Please contact Mike for more information at 1-888-872-7961 ext. 1.

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Anyone who has followed the Bartendaz or seen their videos can attest to their amazing display of strength, power, balance and explosive athleticism. The group has blown away what was once the physical performance standard for athletes!

Yes, their style and presentation may be obnoxious to some, but once you get past the talk at the beginning of their clips, you can really appreciate the time and dedication it takes a human being to perfect these movements. Considering the fact that it can take months for a person to develop the strength to perfect a single pull-up, the ease with which they execute these exercises is truly amazing.

This group has come to redefine elite fitness. The perfectly balanced athlete displays tremendous core strength, flexibility, body control, agility and accuracy. These guys bring that to an entirely different level. Ok, enough pumping them up – check out their video below. Again, ignore the first minute of talk and try to absorb the incredible display of fitness!

Truly breathtaking, isn’t it? It’s hard to imagine what kind of training program they used to perfect some of these movements. You can see the true mastery of skills across any possible modality of training – plymetrics, gymnastics, power lifting, resistance training….the list goes on.

The one thing that is truly inspirational about this video is that it makes all of our fitness goals seem that much more attainable! Whether your exercise program is geared toward weight loss, hypertrophy, increasing flexibility,sports performance enhancement or just improving your nutritional habits, this video shows us what the human body is capable of when pushed to its limits.  These guys aren’t even Olympic athletes!

Hopefully some of us will use this as fuel the next time we step in the gym. If your body tells you that you can’t get that last rep (or you don’t believe it when your personal trainer says you can), remember what is truly possible when you push yourself!

If you liked that video, check out this other performance they put together with some new and improved moves!  Again, please feel free to leave your comments below.

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Many television viewers have become absolutely fascinated with the NBC reality show, The Biggest Loser. The show takes obese, deconditioned people away from their every day life and places them on a campus to be put through an intense, grueling exercise and diet regimen geared toward rapid weight loss.

If you have seen the show and the results it produces, you’ve surely been impressed with the transformations in the bodies of the contestants. The weight loss that occurs on the show is nothing short of inspirational. But does the show give an accurate depiction of safe, effective weight loss?

Certainly no one can argue with the end result. Many of the contestants have lost over 200 pounds on the Biggest Loser campus, some at a pace of more than 10 pounds per week! So,it’s clear that the numbers don’t lie when it comes to the results these people are getting. It is truly amazing that this show has helped people take control of their health and more importantly, their lives. We as personal trainers love to see this!

However, there are some things that, as fitness professionals, we feel obligated to caution you against.

The show has the tendency to foster unrealistic expectations on the actual pace of weight loss. Healthy, sustainable weight loss should occur at 1-2 pounds per week. Some of the contestants experience weight loss of 15 pounds per week or more!

While this is impressive, we must keep two things in mind. One is that most of these contestants are morbidly obese and have upwards of two hundred pounds to shed, so it’s not unrealistic for them to shed pounds that are such a small percentage of their overall body weight. The second is that these contestants are on a full-time weight loss program. Their entire day is dedicated to weight loss, and the time they spend exercising can exceed 6 hours per day.

Another part of the show that may give the public the wrong idea about physical training is the unnecessary challenging exercises that the contestants are put through so early in the game. Often times the contestants are pushed quickly into complex, punishing movements without being taught the basics.
This can be a recipe for a medical disaster, and if you watched the premier last week, you know that two people have already landed in the hospital. At no point does losing weight justify sacrificing your health and well being!

Personal trainers, unjustifiably, can develop a bad reputation from this show. The trainers on the Biggest Loser are often shown screaming at the top of their lungs at the contestants in a way that appears to be nothing short of bullying. While trainers should be great motivators, they can push you to
succeed without screaming at you! If you’re afraid to hire a personal trainer because you think you’ll be yelled at, don’t be! You can shop around to find someone who fits your personality!

Despite its faults, this show has done wonders in motivating Americans to take control of thier health and start pursuing their fitness goals relentlessly. We strongly encourage you to watch it and follow along as it will show you
that anything is possible when it comes to achieving your fitness and weight loss goals! The show airs Tuesday nights at 8pm on NBC.

If you want to be pushed, motivated and encouraged like the contestants on the show, we can help you with that too! For just a few more days, We’re still offering 3 FREE personal training sessions with the area’s best trainers when you sign up for a package of 18 sessions or more. And we promise…no screaming, no hospital visits, and you don’t have to get on a scale in front of the entire country like they do on the show .

Call Mike Now at 888-872-7961 ext.1 to learn more or click here for more info. This offer expires on September 30th so jump on it.

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There is a load of information out there in exercise literature which suggests that lower intensity exercise burns more fat than higher intensity activities. But what evidence exists that might prove this theory to be true?

Scientifically, this claim actually makes sense. The human body uses more glucose (sugar) for energy production and less fat as exercise intensity increases. In other words, the harder you work out, the less fat is used as energy to support your intensity level. In fact, when you’re at rest, your body is burning approximately 85% fat and 15% carbohydrates (in the form of glucose) for fuel.

These are scientific facts, but common sense would tell us that being at rest everyday will not help us lose weight! Yes, your body does need a certain amount of oxygen to properly break down fat cells, and yes, your body generally receives more oxygen when you’re exercising at a lower intensity. However, the notion that low intensity exercise is the best way to decrease body fat does not make sense mathematically, nor has it ever been proven in exercise research.

Whenever you hear about certain trends in the fitness world, it’s always best to look at scientific, evidence-based research to get the real facts! Extensive research was conducted on this topic at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. The researchers had subjects perform two 30 minute bouts of exercise: a relatively low intensity bout (about 65% of maximum heart rate) and a relatively high intensity bout (about 85% of maximum heart rate). They then examined the source of energy that was used to support the exercise during the two bouts.

The results showed that for the low-intensity exercise, subjects burned a total of 240 calories, with 96 of those calories (41%) coming from fat. During the high-intensity bout, the subjects burned 450 calories, with 108 (24%) coming from fat.

The picture here is clear. Though the lower intensity bout produced a higher percentage of calories burned from fat, the higher intensity bout produced a greater overall number of fat calories burned, and just look at the difference in overall calories burned!

We’re not suggesting that walking, light jogging or leisurely biking doesn’t have its place in your fitness program. However, to get the most out of your exercise regimen, the research shows that working harder is also working smarter when it comes to burning fat!

Don’t forget, we’re still offering our back to school promotion on personal training! When you purchase any training package of 18 sessions or more, you receive 3 sessions for FREE! Call Mike at 888-872-7961 ext. 1 to sign up for your free trial session with the area’s best personal trainers or click here to get set up.

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Yes, you read the subject line correctly. Exercise is NOT
linked to weight loss, according to Time magazine’s most
recent article written by John Cloud. The article emphatically
implies that exercise has no substantial role in weight loss
or weight management.  Among several other misleading
assertions made in this article, the most prevalent one is
that exercise automatically increases appetite and therefore
single handedly becomes the culprit for promoting over eating.
Wow!

This article is as reckless as it is completely false, and
frankly – irresponsible. I’ll share the link with you shortly,
but first, let’s explore some reasons why his claims are so
ludicrous.

First and foremost, there is an overwhelming amount of
scientific, evidence- based research that proves the positive
role that exercise plays in weight loss.  The author’s
assertion that exercise uncontrollably increases appetite is
simply erroneous. In fact, studies done by the most credible
authorities in the fitness industry including ACE and ACSM
show that appetite may actually be suppressed for up to 90
minutes following vigorous exercise by affecting the release
of particular appetite hormones. Unless you’re an elite
athlete following a high intensity workout program
consistently, your body’s demands for additional calories
will not drastically increase with a moderate exercise program.

Second, weight loss is a matter of simple mathematics. You
must expend more energy than you take in to lose weight. This
fact has proven time and time again and continues to be
accepted, with good reason, in the modern age. Most of the
individuals described in the article (including the author
himself), are not able to meet their weight loss goals because
they are simply eating too much. To attribute this to exercise
alone is completely unsubstantiated.  The author assumes that
the majority of individuals are powerless in their weight
loss efforts and simply lack the overall will power to keep
their caloric intake at a healthy level. The bottom line is
that exercise and proper nutrition go hand in hand, and you
simply cannot discount one or the other when it comes to
studying weight loss.

Disappointingly, the author also fails to effectively
emphasize the effects that exercise has on overall health.
As we have all seen, people who are “light weight” are not
always healthy. Health can be achieved through exercise in many
different ways including improved muscle composition, lowered
blood pressure and cholesterol, improved cardiovascular health,
and one more “minor” thing known as DISEASE PREVENTION. The
scale is simply not the only indicator of overall health and
well being.

We encourage you to read this article yourself and draw your
own conclusions. Click Here to read about it.

After you read it, also be sure to read a follow-up article
written by Dr. Claude Bouchard, who is the executive director
of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, which is an
organization that Time magazine “claimed” to have obtained
some of its research from. As you’ll read, this claim is also false.
Check it out  HERE

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Top 4 Benefits of Partner Training

Fitness is such an amazing activity and lifestyle choice. Aside from it being undeniably good for you, it is also fun and often down right exciting. There are just so many kinds of fitness activities and places to do them, that it is hard to believe anyone could tire of personal training.

Most people tend to fly solo when it comes to getting in shape. They lift weights, go running, swimming or do aerobics. Sure, they may be in a gym full of people, but the swimming, treadmill, weights and cadio classes are essential individuals training at the same time. Even when you have a trainer, you are still alone in your efforts of doing the fitness routine.

But there is another way to train, one that may be more fun and challenging. It is partner training, and today I would like to tell you about the four top benefits of this type of training.

1-Motivation

One of the biggest problems with getting into and staying in shape is actually getting up and doing it. It is a fact that millions of gym memberships are bought and never or only rarely used. Personal trainers help with motivation, because you have someone to account to. But if you also had a fitness buddy, a training partner, chances are you would be more motivated.

Motivation is what makes us decide to do something, like getting into shape, changing our eating habits, going to the gym. And while many of us do follow-through, there is nothing like having an actual fitness partner to motivate you to get together and work out. You’ll want to, you’ll look forward to it!

2-Competition

Training together with a partner also provides a little competitive edge to each workout. Because there is someone by your side, doing what you are doing, you get that little extra “push” and encouragement needed to give it everything you’ve got.

And when you’re tired and either don’t feel like going to the gym or are there but feel like giving up, that partner next to you will give you the reason to push and do. You know, no matter what you might say in public, that you will never lose to Jane or Bill. You would sooner show up sick then feel like you let the partnership down. And there’s no way you’d allow Becky to do one more push-up than you!

3-Accountability

Training with a partner also makes you more accountable—to yourself, to the trainer, to your friend. Just by being committed with you, your partner will help you remain on track by being not only accountable to you but also to them. They are also sacrificing time, money and effort… and are counting on you to be there for them.

Between workouts is when having a partner who is a friend really pays off! It’s like Big Brother or Big Sister is watching you all the time. They will make sure you are eating right, sleeping right, getting ready for the gym on time. They, like you, want a partner to watch over them and help them achieve their fitness goals!

4-Costs

One of the biggest barriers to getting into shape and committing to a workout or gym is financial. It costs money to do all the things necessary to get and stay fit and healthy. Well, having a fitness partner will help alleviate some of those costs by contributing to your trainer fees. While it may cost more money per hour for two people to have a trainer, the cost per person is less than paying as an individual.

So what are you waiting for? Go and grab your best friend, life partner or co-worker and become fitness partners! And with our new promotion… there’s no reason not to!

With our new promotion, we’re offering 3 FREE partner training sessions with the purchase of a package of 18 sessions or more. That’s right, in addition to your free trial session to see if your trainer is a good match for you and your partner, we’ll also give you 2 additional training sessions!

Also, if you missed it, don’t forget that our “Cash for Chunkers” promotion expires on August 31st. Don’t miss your chance to get $200 OFF any personal training package of 12 sessions or more.

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