Blog
Weight Loss Vs Fat Loss
When trying to get fitter, a lot of people will incorrectly look to their weight for guidance on how they are doing, not knowing that fat loss isn’t measured on a weight scale.
Increasing your exercise will increase your muscle and burn body fat. This can’t be measured on a set of weighing scales due to the fact there is a difference in densities of muscle and fat.
Muscle weighs roughly 10x more than fat, so as you increase in muscle and decrease in fat the scale won’t show how well you’ve done. For that you need to have your body fat measured, either by digital fat scales or a little more accurately with skin-fold calipers to truly know how awesome you’re doing.
So remember: it’s not weight loss, its fat loss and how well your clothes fit that define your results!!
Don’t fail
One of the reasons people fail is because they forget to look at the small goals.
So, you’ve set yourself a long term goal – that’s why you came to the gym. But achieving it won’t happen overnight. In order not to get disheartened or to lose focus you need to set yourself micro goals: these are goals that are realistic but that you need to push yourself to achieve. This in turn gives you constant, changing goals as you improve, as well as helping you to see your own progress.
It’s not a sprint; it’s a marathon, so take it one mile at a time – well, unless you’re training for a sprint!
Shortcuts to goals
You don’t need to be in the gym for hours on end to achieve your goals. Worry less about working single muscle groups and concentrate on compound moves that work multiple muscle groups in one.
While doing large compound exercises, multiple muscles require energy at the same time. In order for those muscles to receive an energy supply, energy travels via the bloodstream increasing the heart rate, which in turn increases the amount of energy burned – making your workout a lot more effective.
Remember: working more muscles at the same, saves time!
Everybody has a six pack
We have all seen someone with a flat stomach and looked on in envy, with the same thought in most peoples mind: “How many sit-ups did that take?”
The only difference between their six-pack and someone else’s is body fat percentage. Doing a 1,000 sit-ups won’t do it; you need to do a combination of resistance and cardio training.
We all have abdominal muscles and just because some of us can’t see them, it doesn’t mean they aren’t strong.
Reducing body fat and strengthening the core are the keys to achieving that flat stomach look.
Healthy Living
Just a few minutes a day can improve your health, well-being and help you:
•Lose weight
•Reduce stress
•Relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety
•Reduce your risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer
•Boost your mood
•Give you more energy
•Help you sleep better
•Increase bone density
•Strengthen the heart and lungs
•Improve your quality of life
Cardio Guidelines
Cardio exercise is any rhythmic activity performed continuously and can include activities like walking, running, aerobics, cycling, swimming and dancing. Cardio strengthens the heart and lungs, increases endurance and burns calories which helps you lose weight. While you should always stick with a cardio program that fits with your fitness level, the general guidelines for cardio exercise include:
•For health benefits, do moderately intense cardio 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, OR
•Vigorous cardio 20 minutes a day, 3 days a week
•For weight loss, you may need to do 60-90 minutes of activity several days a week
Working at a moderate intensity means you’re working, but still able to talk, which is about a Level 5 on this perceived exertion scale. Keep in mind that you can also split your workouts throughout the day and get the same results.
Stretching
Open up your hips, chest and back while building balance and stability with relaxing moves.
This exercise is perfect for stretching the chest and abs. By relaxing on the ball and letting your arms fall out to the side, you can stretch the entire front body while getting full support from the ball.
Lie face up on the ball and roll down until your back, head and neck are fully supported.
Relax your hips and let your arms fall out to the sides for a relaxing chest stretch.
Hold for 3-5 breaths and repeat as many times as you like.
Strength Training
Strength training is another form of exercise that works the body in a different way than cardio. With strength training, you lift weights (dumbbells, barbells, resistance bands, machines, etc.) to strengthen the muscles, bones and connective tissue. Strength training is just as important for weight loss as cardio. By lifting weights, you build lean muscle tissue which raises metabolism and reduces body fat as long as you’re also watching your calorie intake. The general guidelines for strength training are:
•Choose 8-10 exercises, targeting the major muscle groups (lower body, chest, back, shoulders, biceps, triceps and abs)
•For beginners, do one set of 8-16 reps of each exercise to fatigue. More advanced exercisers can do 2-3 sets.
•Train each muscle group 2-3 non-consecutive days a week
Being the best you.
Philosophy: There are many reasons why people choose to exercise and we all need to train with a purpose. Whether you want to improve your sport performance, reduce health risks, or look and feel better I can help you achieve your goals. Using a functional, yet fun approach, together we can transform your quality of life and make your health goals a reality.