Losing Fat - The Workout

Okay, so we've established from the last post that "losing fat" is much more important (and difficult) than simply "losing weight," which could include muscle and water.

So the question begs, how can we tweak the example workout in the previous post to be more efficient?  It's actually quite simple.  Three steps:

1.) Reverse the order - weights first, cardio second
2.) Change the muscle groups - from small muscles to large muscles, and in the right order
3.) Do 12 reps, with the 12th rep being tough to complete

Let's go over these one-at-a-time.

1.) Reverse the order - weights first, cardio second.  Why?  Because it burns fat more efficiently.  In short, lifting weights first (with large muscle groups in the right order -- see #2 in a bit) will deplete your body's stored energy (glycogen) faster than cardio itself (unless it's high intensity interval training or HIIT style of cardio).  You need to do that in order to use fat as fuel.  So, if you lift weights first, your cardio afterwards will be to burn mostly fat.  Also, after you're done, your body will continue to burn calories due to EPOC (excess post oxygen consumption) because your muscles, worked via weights, need energy to recover.  The other way around simply burns less fat.

2.) Change the muscle groups.  Why?  In short, because larger muscles, exercised in the right order, will cause you to burn more energy (glycogen) and thus more calories, and get you into your fat tank faster.  Hips ab/adductors, arms, and core are all considered Type I small muscles, and they do not require a lot of energy to work.  Contrast this with your legs (quads, hamstrings, and glutes), chest, back (lats), and shoulders.  These are primarily Type II muscles, which produce a lot of force and power, but require a lot of energy.  Weight train in this order: Legs, Chest, Back, Shoulders (LCBS).  Largest muscles first, then separate your chest and shoulders with back, so it's a Push->Pull->Push workout, better balance, and more rest for your triceps, which work in most "Push" exercise.  LCBS, don't forget that order, it's important.

3.) Do 12 reps, with the 12th rep being tough to complete.  Most folks lift either way too light (gals) or way too heavy (guys).  Do 12 reps, this is in the "Endurance" range, best for weight loss.  Don't worry, gals, you won't get big and bulky (more on that in another post).  And guys, put your ego aside, have good form, lower your weight, go through a full range-of-motion, without swinging and using momentum, and get 12 good reps.  And do that for 3+ sets.

Here's a simple program you could complete in about 1 hour, do each for 3 sets of 12 reps, progressively adding weight until the 12th rep becomes tough to complete, resting 1 minute or less between sets.  Always error on the side of caution, rest as needed, especially if you are just starting out.

• Dynamic Warmup - (5 minutes)
• Legs - Squats (3x12)
• Chest - Bench (3x12)
• Back - Lat Pulldowns (3x12)
• Shoulders - Arnold Press with Dumbbells (3x12)
• Cardio - Elliptical or Treadmill, any pace (20 minutes)
• Cooldown/Stretch - (10 minutes)

If you follow these simple changes, your "fat-loss" workout will be more optimal.

Losing Fat

Nearly 5 months into my Personal Training studies, and I've learned so much about the human body, about nutrition, about the body's energy systems, about workouts, and about a lot of other details I'd have trouble listing down.  To be sure, it's been a worthwhile journey, something I will always look fondly on, and will be a part of me forever.  It's the foundation for a lifetime of continued learning, and I want to pursue this at the highest levels next, something I will gear up for and achieve.

Probably the single most important concept I've learned is how the body uses (and loses) fat most efficiently.  Most people want to lose weight, I think that's the observation I've made when seeing people with trainers in the gym, and people in the gym in general.

You look at the layout of a gym, and it's really geared towards people who want to lose weight.  About 50% or more of a gym is filled with cardio machines, space for spinning, yoga, zumba, or other cardio or fitness classes.  About 25% is filled with weight "machines" meant more for novices to weight training and such.  And about 25% or less is filled with free weights or more advanced weight training equipment.  Of course, that's generic, and just the gyms I've visited in the past few years.  You'll always have your exceptions, like Gold's Gym, which caters towards a different crowd, and has a different layout.  But, the popular gyms like 24, ClubOne, ClueSport, or Equinox typically have this type of breakdown, catering to their clientele.

Most people think that a scale determines your weight, and hence your overall fitness.  If the scale reads lower, then that's good.  If it reads higher, that's bad.  They measure their progress strictly by how many pounds are measured on their scale.  So, "losing weight" is simply "losing pounds", and for most folks, it doesn't matter where those pounds come from, just as long as the scale is lower.

Take, for example, a typical female who wants to lose weight.  Her routine is to static stretch, then jog/run on a treadmill for 30 minutes, then do some targeted resistance training, maybe some hip ad/abductor machines, some core work, and some arms.  She'll do zumba, dance, maybe squeeze in a spinning class, a yoga class, or a body pump class to mix it up.  She'll do this for years and probably be fit, have great cardio, lose a few pounds, and probably look and feel much better than she did when she started.  So, the question is, what's wrong with that?

Well, nothing's "wrong" with that at all.  That's great!  And it's much better than another person who didn't do anything for as many years.  But, the main issue is the efficiency at which she reached her goals, and what she actually "lost" in terms of weight in the process.

Let's rewind a bit and take some measurements of the female before she started her routine.  Let's say she initially weighed 5'2", 165 lbs,was 35 years old, and had 40% body fat.  Technically, her BMI (at 30.18) and her body fat percentage (>32%) would put her in the "Obese" Category.  A good goal for her could be a BMI of 24.9, which is a "normal" BMI.  This would be 135 lbs.  That's 30 lbs. lost ... 30 lbs of FAT!

Let me say that again, 30 lbs. of FAT!  At 165 lbs and 35% body fat, she would have 66 lbs. of fat.  If she lost 30 lbs. of FAT and maintained her lean body mass (the rest minus the fat), she would weigh 135 lbs and at 26.7% body fat.  That would be an amazing accomplishment, to lose 13.3% of her body fat. To do that safely, and with everything ideal, it would take between 15-30 weeks to lose those 30 lbs. of fat.

Now, contrast this to a case where you just talked about weight.  Lose 30 lbs. sure.  But if those 30 lbs. were 10 lbs of fat, 15 lbs. of muscle, and 5 lbs. of water, would that be the same thing?  Obviously not!  Losing muscle to lose weight is not good.  Losing water to lose weight is not good.  What matters most is the fat loss, losing the excess adipose tissue, which can be so detrimental to your health.

The next question is ... how do we tweak what the female did in terms of working out to maximize the efficiency of the fat burn?  Good question ... wait for the next blog entry and I'll share that with you.

Control

I'm not a control freak, far from it.  But, I had a talk recently with my long time mentor about control and it made me think a little differently about it.  It's easy enough to know right from wrong most times.  You don't do harm to others, you try to be honest, you try to do the right things.  And for the most part, we live our lives that way.  Of course, like anything in life, there's the exceptional cases, where life takes a turn, where you get swept up in helping others, pursuing your fancy, or simply spending time away from your core.  To put it bluntly, to lose a bit of control and focus.  It's when this becomes unbalanced, when it becomes apparent that you're spending too much time away from your core, that it becomes an issue.

So, then the question is, what causes this and how do I react to it?  To me, the cause is very simple, and has been consistent throughout my life.  My reaction, on the other hand, has been something very interesting for me to study and reflect on.  Sometimes, I feel like I don't have any control at all, I simply just react and after several hours of doing whatever, I shake my head an wonder why I spent all that time and energy there, again, away from my core.  I guess I'm a "nice guy", sometimes "too nice" and folks tend to take advantage of that.  That's fine, I'm not worried about that so much.  But, I do wonder about my time and energy, that it can spent more at my core.

My friend who may be reading this, I pray that you find peace in handling these types of situations, become aware of the imbalance that may occur, and react accordingly to bring you back to your core.  And you know what I mean by "core" ... what's most important in your life, whatever that is.

Lent 2012

This Lenten Season is upon us, a time to reflect and review, take inventory of life itself, it's meaning, and how to better it.  Last year during Mass the Sunday before Ash Wednesday, I bought a book called "Lenten Grace" which was put together by Catholic Nuns and Sisters to reflect on each day of Lent.  Each day, they review a passage in the Bible, then discuss it's meaning, then offer a prayer.  I think it's a great way to spend a few moments with God, to stop living so quickly, and reflect on many positive words of wisdom.

Whatever you're "giving up" for Lent, whatever your doing for Lent to honor God, know that there are many that share your journey.  I like to think of this time as something very beautiful and positive, not something restrictive or abstained at all.  To get closer to God, to me, is always what feels best.

I pray for you, my friend, that this Lenten Season and Journey brings you peace and happiness, and positive thoughts and energy.  May God Bless you this season and always, and may you find purpose and beauty in this time and experience.

The Double Helix

The Double Helix

I was asked recently about why I'm kind to other people, often to strangers.  I had to think about it for a while, it's not something that's readily apparent to me.  The engineer in me thought about the commonality that we all have as living beings, and that, biologically, structurally, and chemically at our core, we are essentially the same.  The sympathetic person in me remembered when a Buddhist monk once answered my question about the singular piece of advice he would give to someone regarding happiness.  Something like ... "See other people as having the same core as you, built of the same content, and be compassionate because of that."  It got me thinking that despite our outward differences, the things we can see, hear, and sense, that we are all similar, with similar needs, weaknesses, and longings.

DNA is essentially our core-building blocks as beings, we all know this.  We have a unique signature of infinite combinations of DNA that make us who we are.  The structure of DNA itself is quite remarkable, a double helix.  And when I look at it, I think I see the answer to the initial question of why I'm kind to other people, often to strangers, quite clearly.  I am but one side of the double helix, and any other human being I meet is the other.  Throughout life, our paths cross.  For some, we'll cross often.  For the vast majority of others, we'll cross once or if we're lucky, a few more times in the span of our lives.  So, if that's the case, if I'm only in contact with a like-minded, like-structured being for such a rare time, why not make it a moment of kindness and compassion?

My dear friend who may be happening upon this, challenge yourself to see the goodness in others, and the goodness within yourself.  Maybe finding commonality, instead of finding difference will give you a sense of peace and calm in your life.  Maybe the structure of the double-helix will exemplify life's journey and give you perspective.  And maybe you'll feel better and be better because of it.

I hope this finds you well, my friend.

The Silicon Valley Life

I visited a friend recently at one of the most successful Silicon Valley Companies of all time, and man, I was shocked to see the lifestyle and work life there.  No judgement, no good or bad, just my observations.  People asked me afterwards if I would like to work in an environment like that.  It's tough, I think, and depends a lot on where you are in life, how much you've lived, and your priorities.

Let's just say that life there was Utopian, to say the least.  Talk about the antithesis of George Orwell's "1984" or Fritz Lang's "Metropolis", this place was nuts.  Free cafeteria, snacks, drinks, juice bar ... all the food you could want and more, organic, gourmet, junk food, whatever you want.  Bicycles everywhere, just pick one up and ride.  Valet parking, not only for employees, but for everyone else.  Laundry service, child care, etc.  Outdoor sand volleyball courts, outdoor endless/infinity swimming pools, meditation rooms, etc.  And that was only what I caught or heard about in my brief stay there.

Now, why might you ask, would I NOT want to work there.  Well, for me and me alone, it boils down to something very specific.  It's simply not a realistic lifestyle, and doesn't promote a complete and healthy environment, in my honest opinion.  That may be strong and I apologize in advance for that, but that's my feeling.  If you rely so much on a free-flowing cafeteria for most of your nutrition, you're really saying that you're not going to go grocery shopping, go take the time to pick out the ingredients in your meals, go take the time to prepare them, and hence, those skills will eventually atrophy, like a muscle which hasn't been exercised or used.  And when you're playing volleyball and going swimming in between working crazy hours, all at work, then you don't have time to spend at home, with friends outside of work, with interests outside of work ... heck, just physically being outside of the boundaries of work.  That lifestyle imbalance is like carrying your backpack on your right side for 10 straight years, eventually you'll have a muscle imbalance, which could cause back pain or other complications.  So much time spent living, breathing, sleeping work costs something.  Like the left side of your body, which never bore the burden of the backpack for 10 years, it weakens due to negligence.

So, I think in my own little, humble world, with all of the things done for me by others and all of the things I do for my kids, etc., I keep wondering if I'm better suited to do things myself, learn more about them, and do likewise with my children, have them clean up, make their lunches, do their homework on their own and struggle, etc.  It's an interesting question, because we all can do a little more to work on the "muscles" in our bodies and in our lives that have atrophied over the past many years due to neglect.  I think we'd be stronger as a result.

Learning

It's been about 2 months (hard to believe) into my 6 month personal training journey, and man, it's been one of the most enlightening experiences of my life.  Talk about on-the-job, on-the-spot, on-the-fly learning.  I'm applying things I learn instantaneously to prospective clients, and folks I'm currently working with, and of course, to my own body and mind.

I've been working out for the past 30+ years, and I'm telling you, for the most part, I was doing everything wrong, backwards, inefficiently, without any scientific backing, without any fundamental knowledge.  Certainly, like any other field, things progress quickly, theories change and such.  And the state-of-the-art certainly is dynamic, especially with all of the advances in science and technology, research and development.

My teacher, who I tend to bother a lot just because of my undying thirst for knowledge, mentioned the following to me:

"Listen to my words of wisdom, and you'll never plateau..."

That stuck to me, because as I mentioned, in 30+ years of working out, I think I hit every plateau (both good and bad mind you) that an athlete (or wanna-be athlete) could hit.

I'm so grateful for this opportunity, so thankful this turn in my life happened, that I could learn and associate with the good people at my new school.  We see each other often, we're quite a tight group, and I know we'll spend lots of time post-graduation together, making a difference in other people's lives.

As I look back at my blog over the past 3 years, I've seen myself grow as a person, try different things, have strong opinions about others.  I see a kid just 3 years ago, with a newly found passion for certain things, some of them quite noble (like Veganism, etc.).  And I see a lot of learning that has happened in the time since.  I am grateful, even for that time, because it has shaped me, it has made me a better student and trainer having experienced and gone through all of that.  It's my life's full experience that I bring with me, into my new possible career path, and that's what makes the difference between having passion, and simply existing.

I pray for you, my friend, that you may find something in learning that will light a fire in your heart and soul, to carry you past all of your indecision and hardship, to push you forward to places you didn't think you could make it to, to never plateau.