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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I recently came across this article that I thought would be eye opening to people who are trying their best to pursue a healthier lifestyle. As a health professional, I am always conscious of making sound decisions when it comes to nutrition and am committed to helping my clients do the same. Part of that is raising our clients’ awareness level of the trends in public health and the support systems that exist around it.
Unfortunately, in the case of this article, it seems that one
health professional’s mission to raise awareness of dangerous
foods comes to an abrupt end in the name of preserving business.
It’s sad that this negative publicity exists, but I think you’ll
find the doctor’s position here is quite inspirational. Click on the link below to read more about it.

Enjoy!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090813/ap_on_re_us/us_doughnut_doctor

Click the link below for a special message from me…

Personal Trainer Germantown Maryland

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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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By Dr. Mark Wiley, OMD, PhD

Whether you have goals of pain free living, building your fitness profile, or changing your diet… it’s a New Year and time for a fresh start!

Yes, you’ve been focused on “thinking” about your fitness and health goals for years. But for every reason you can think of, you have not yet reached your goals or achieved your desired fitness. No matter how your “try,” you are finding the ability to follow-through on what is asked of you or what you ask of yourself.

Taking personal responsibility for your own health and fitness is difficult. It requires dedication and patience. Life is tough. But it’ll be less tough if you start fresh now, and here I will tell you that everyone experiences the same barriers to achieving their goals. And I will tell that when you focus, you’ll see how they are not really barriers at all, and can be easily broken down and overcome!

The Time Barrier

The most obvious barrier to achieving optimal fitness is time. There is only so much of it and when we finally do find a free moment, it gets eaten up by unsuspecting sources like: work, family obligations, events, projects, you name it. Something always seems to get in the way of doing our exercises, driving out of the way to purchase organic whole foods, eating balanced meals, getting a healthy amount of sleep, hitting the gym on a routine basis.

Look, I know you’re busy. You’ve got kids, a demanding job, a hectic family schedule. But if you need to exercise, you can prioritize 20 minutes at a time, 3 days per week. Forget reruns of Seinfeld; do your stretches instead. Better yet, why not do the exercise ball and bands exercises while watching your favorite sitcom or the evening news? Skip reading the morning paper tomorrow and go for a jog instead. Skip the take out lunch and go to the farmer’s market on the way home from work, then prepare a healthy lunch in advance.

There are always sets of minutes in a day that can be “constructed” into health minutes. You simply need to prioritize your days — your life — and establish the time. So do yourself, your family and your loved-ones a favor and break down that Time Barrier. It doesn’t exist; it’s an illusion. Only laziness and lack of creativity make time short. And you’re neither lazy nor uncreative!

The Mental Barrier

This is a huge subconscious operation below the surface of your mind, sabotaging all your attempts to start with a clean slate.

With exercise being one of the most popular New Years Resolution Ideas, let’s use it as an example here.

You wake up January 1, filled with energy, and say: “That’s it! This time, I’m going to do it!” You strap on your new running shoes and take a brisk, cold run around the block in the freezing cold and it makes you feel Great! Next day, you may even do it again. Then you go back to work, the holidays are over, life, family, and work get in the way. Now your new shoes sit in a corner collecting dust.

Now, what begins to take place subconsciously is a constant chatter of “I’m a failure,” “I’m no good.” These thoughts are extremely powerful in a totally negative way. You try fighting them mentally but the only way to really beat it is to get back out there and DO IT.

Then this thought of… “I’ll try this again,” gets sabotaged by your subconscious firing off… “I’m a failure, this will never work.”

This creates a vicious cycle of negative thinking and a negative environment for new ideas and attempts that carry into other areas of our lives. To beat this cycle, it’s necessary to develop a new way of thinking. One of positive affirmation for yourself. Give yourself compliments and follow them up with action. Tell yourself you are a “fit and healthy person” and then follow it up with a workout.

The Money Barrier

The third most common barrier is money. The gym costs money. A personal trainer costs money. A weekly massage costs money. Acupuncture can get expensive. Supplements aren’t cheap, but their protocols are long so they add up.

The main thing is to prioritize your wellness dollars. If you are spending X amount on health each month, how can it be maximized? And if you are spending money on extra cable TV channels, expensive dinners and unnecessary clothing–then why not cut back on these and spend the money on your health instead?

One of the best things you can do is to learn methods of reducing stress, of stretching and of exercising by yourself at any time of day. This will allow you to keep in routine and stay on your fitness path, even when the gym is closed.

I recommend consulting with my good friend Dennys Passeto of Achieve Fitness for what the best program for you may be—given your time and goals—and he can give you ideas of how much money needs to be allocated to reach those goals. There are gym memberships, personal training, workout videos, good sneakers, simple free weights and balls/straps for the home… whatever you may need. But Dennys can help you focus in and only spend on what you need. Then you can allocate the fitness dollars in your budget into what approach will work for you. Then money is no longer a barrier!

It’s a new year. It’s 2009! By focusing a bit and breaking down the barriers to health NOW, nothing can block your path to the amazing life you so rightly deserve.

Dr. Mark Wiley is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Ph.D. in Alternative Medicine Mind-Body Health Practitioner, Author, Celebrated Teacher. He is an internationally renowned mind-body health practitioner, author, editor, lecturer, and seminar instructor who has traveled extensively throughout the United States, Europe, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Japan to conduct field research on the oldest indigenous and modern holistic healing practices.

If you have any questions about our fitness programs or would like some advice on the available and recommended resources that are out there to help you get in shape this year, please don’t hesitate to contact us at mike @ achieve-fitness.com.  We would love to tell you what would work for you based on your budget, time, needs and help point you in the right direction.

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