Category Archives for "solo show"
February 1, 2016
- in fitness , solo show , weight loss by tajirul
Should I lift weights?
Today we're going to talk about resistance training.
A very common question about resistance training is “why would I want to do resistance training if I am trying to lose fat?”
Fat-loss is all about what and how much you eat. And if you are trying to use exercise as a way of burning more calories, you probably pushing yourself to a point that is unsustainable. And when you go back to your normal lifestyle, your metabolism will have slowed. Good weight loss is when the loss is done on a sustainable eating plan. The ideal way is to set small goals like losing one or two pounds per week. Resistance training allows you to retain lean body mass while you lose body fat. This will lead to a better body composition after you've lost the weight.
Lifting weights can help us in three different modalities; muscle strength, muscle mass, and muscle endurance. What many people don’t know is after you turn 35, you start to lose muscle every single year. So, if you look at the older people who did not do resistance training and as a result, they don’t have as much muscle mass. That can be a big problem.
You may not feel comfortable lifting weights. I say you don't have to lift weights; you can actually use your own body weight.
Body-weight exercises like squat and pull-ups are things that can help you get really stronger. Two major advantages of bodyweight exercises are that you can do it anywhere and with limited injury risk.
If you choose to do weights, my typical choice would be free weights. Free weights are better for functional strength. The advantage of machines is that they are easier to learn and use. Regardless of whether you go free weights or machines, always ensure you use good form to avoid injury.
It is difficult to fully cover this topic in 15 minutes. Still, I hope you understand the value of resistance training and don't neglect this very important fitness modality.
Music used for the podcast Intro and Outro: http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music
Should I be taking fish oil?
Today we will discuss the benefits of fish oil.
It should not come as a surprise that fish oil has many health benefits. The use of fish oil can improve heart disease, stroke, Parkinson's, eye-health, and arthritis. It is one of the best nutritional tools to improve heart and brain health.
What is it about fish oil that makes it so special?
Well, fish oil has a particular type of fat called omega 3 fatty acids. There are two components to that; EPA and DHA. Both of these have the mechanisms that help our hearts, eyes, and brains. They have benefits for individuals with diabetes. Even some studies have found fish oil may reduce the pain from women’s period. So, this is a pretty amazing substance.
The best source of fish oil is fish!
Yes, there are people who do not like fish much. They don’t like to taste a fish. But there are things that you can do to prepare it better. The advantage of taking fish is the protein it contains besides its oil. When you eat fish, you know a little more about it. So, make sure you pick a good quality fish.
But not all fish will give you equal benefits. There are some fish that are fatty than other fish. Some of the fish will not give you as much fish oil as you get eating same size or part of another fish. It is healthier to get wild and fresh fish instead of firm fishes.
How you cook and prepare fish for eating is important as well. You should try to cook the fish in a way that you can get the health benefits from it. If you want to fry something, make sure you use fatter oil is no going to break down or degrade.
If you are someone who does not like fish, there are some quality supplements in the market. But you have to be careful about the fish oil because if it breaks down and oxidizes, you can harm your body.
Understand the benefits of fish oil and make sure you're getting it from quality sources.
Links: Pub Med – Fish Oil
Music: Ben Sound Royalty Free Music
January 26, 2016
- in personal training , solo show by julie
Progression for results
Clients John and Tammy are seeing real success in the program. They’re checking in once again and have taken another round of measurements. Both are down ½-inch across the board.
John even has shorts that don’t fit anymore. He recently got his A1C blood test done to review his blood sugar levels. In the four months since his last test, he dropped 2.1 marks. His doctor was so impressed that he feels John will be off his medication in three to six months and under 200 pounds in six months. John now has a goal to reach 180 pounds. He can see what’s possible and what he is capable of achieving. He’s setting slightly bigger goals and placing milestones along the way. He understands what is coming next in the natural progression of his health and fitness journey.
Tammy has seen a shift as well. She has noticed her mindset changing as she is building new habits around healthy eating. She is no longer looking for the quickest meal, but finding the healthier option. She knows she has a choice to make and is using her willpower to make the right choice. She can even consider planning ahead and packing a lunch. She is encouraged by the fact that her measurements went down as well. Her hip measurements went down by almost three inches!
John and Tammy are true examples of patience, perseverance, and progression. They know the weight usually comes off faster in the beginning, but are prepared to stay the course. They are truly seeing their progression and know that they can accomplish anything with the help of patience and perseverance.
Music used for the podcast Intro and Outro: http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music
4 fitness modalities that matter
When beginning a fitness journey, people often need to lose weight and may only be focused on what the scale says. In reality, different fitness modalities need to be considered to help you achieve all of your fitness goals, which should be so much more than just weight loss.
Here are four important fitness modalities to consider:
Cardiovascular
Many people assume cardio is essential to fat loss, but it’s not always one of the most important modalities in the equation. It simply needs to be sustainable and work with your diet. Some examples include running, walking, or riding a bike. Perhaps the most effective way to get to a high level of fitness through cardiovascular exercise is by cross country skiing. As long as you’re moving and getting your heart rate up, you will see the real benefits of this fitness modality.
Balance
As you get older, you lose that brain-muscle connection and run the risk of falling. Working to improve your front, back, and side to side balance will help you in the long run.
Mobility
You want to be able to move through a full range of motion so you can continue to have the ability to do things for yourself. As you improve your mobility, you will feel more flexible and capable. Just be careful not to injure yourself.
Strength
Building muscle will keep you healthy. You will be less likely to injure yourself and have the ability to move something heavy in one direction or another. Improve strength by doing resistance exercises. Add in free weights and machines if you’d like. Challenge the muscle and then rest the muscle.
Find a good cross-training program that includes all of these important fitness modalities. Then pair it with a good diet to build and fuel your body. Soon enough, you will be in much better shape.
Message me to get our guide – The 7 Health and Fitness Measures That Matter. It will give you some guidance to know that you’re focused on the right things with your health and fitness program.
Music used for the podcast Intro and Outro: http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music
January 22, 2016
- in health , solo show , weight loss by tajirul
Nutrition is personal
The concept of personal nutrition has been kind of a hot topic in the nutrition field, bio-hackers, and health advocates alike. This study found is that individuals react to food slightly differently based on their genetic profile and their lifestyles in the past.
A 2015 study on “Personalized Nutrition by Prediction of Glycemic Responses in Cell” examined 800 individuals, 60 percent of which were female with mean age of 43. The study sought to understand the blood sugar response relative to certain foods. Another goal of the study was to come up with a predictive model to allow people to manage their blood sugar. They monitored the blood sugar of 800 people in five-minute increments. Over the period of the study, the participants were encouraged to eat different types of food. After a week of examination, another 100 people were examined through the same process. When the algorithms of both examinations were compared, the individuals were, in fact getting highly predictable blood sugar results. There was a correlation between the algorithm and participant results. The results went beyond the genetics of the study participants.
There are companies now that will evaluate your gut microbiome. But there are easier and less expensive ways for you to do something similar yourself. You can purchase a blood sugar monitor and test strips. You can test your blood sugar before you eat and again 15/20 minutes after you eat. You may even want to take another reading 90 minutes afterward. This way you can see how your blood sugar rises with that particular food. Some food items like cake, cookies and alcoholic drinks can give you a surge in blood sugar, pretty much no matter who you are. Once you know how particular foods affect you, you can modify your diet to keep your blood sugar stable. This will help you lose fat much easier.
Conduct an experiment of one and identify the food that best suits your body.
Music used for the podcast Intro and Outro: http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music
January 19, 2016
- in personal training , solo show by julie
Tweaking to fit
In this client episode, John and Tammy evaluate their progress thus far and consider tweaking their program just a bit. They’re making progressions and improving their form, but they realize that alcohol consumption is also part of the equation. After all, alcohol calories are sugar. In the future, they will need to look at their volume and manage it against what other sugars they are consuming. Another important factor to consider is water consumption. They will want to keep drinking water to counteract the dehydrating effect with alcohol.
When evaluating their diet, John and Tammy recognize they are eating a lot of basic carbs—essentially eating a basic American diet. This will be one of the areas to tweak. They will reduce their carb intake, and once they start lifting weights, shift more to protein consumption than the carbohydrates.
Regarding their exercise plan, John is noticing his knees are more flexible and he’s having less pain at work. He’s doing push-ups, but would like to do more upper body work. Another tweak will involve starting push-ups in the standard position, not on his knees, and then dropping to his knees when he begins to struggle with his form.
Tammy mentioned she was having a bit of trouble with squats. While she is holding onto a chair to keep her balance, she will now try using the chair as part of her squat. She will adjust her positioning so that when she squats, her bottom will touch the edge of the chair, which will help take some of the pressure off her legs.
The key is to build the basic foundation and continue tweaking along the way. In the beginning stages, it will seem like progress is limited when you can only complete a small set. However, as progression grows, John and Tammy will be able to take on more reps and see a real improvement.
January 18, 2016
- in fitness , health , solo show , weight loss by julie
Be a lab rat to find health and fitness
Want to know how you can get the best results for you? Become a lab rat to find your path to health and fitness! You can evaluate study data to see what might work best for you. Be wary of advice you see in the press or attention-grabbing headlines. Some of this is often based in fear-mongering to grab your interest. To be successful, you need to reflect about the true nature of the study. Usually, there is a test and control group to do a compare and contrast of results, from which statistically valid conclusions are drawn.
Some studies are metastudies. This is where several studies are evaluated and data is extrapolated to develop a new conclusion or bolster a prior conclusion. Look at how they were designed and pick apart why one was different than the other.
Some studies may have general assumptions. Analyze the data and think critically about the information that is presented. Some studies may include a very limited number of participants. The backbone of a good study will have a large pool of participants. Other studies may have bias or influence. In fact, some supplement companies will pay for a clinical study to be done. Be cautious of this as well.
All this being said, you have the opportunity to do experiments on yourself to be well-controlled. First, you must define your experiment. Determine how you will go about it and what your criteria will be. Do you want to lose five or 10 pounds in four weeks? Write that information down and keep track of your data. Want to try a low fat diet? Be clear on what that means to you so you can assess properly.
In the end, if you use common sense and do your research, you will be able to apply study findings to your own journey. Test something that you can sustain over time. If it works for you, systemize the program and make it a part of your daily life. Think of yourself as your own experiment—a lab rat on a journey to better health and fitness!
Music used for the podcast Intro and Outro: http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music