I'll Admit I Think This Sometimes (pardon the language)

What's Your Beverage of Choice?

So True!

Funny Stuff!

The Correct Approach to Weighing In?!

Resistance Training to Improve Flexibility

One of the many fallacies about strength training is that it will decrease one's flexibility. I was happy to see the Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research [25(12)/3391-3398] refute this ideology at the University of North Dakota.  Researchers measured static stretching at various points (hamstrings, shoulders, etc...) and compared it to a group that solely performed strength training.  The results of this preliminary study suggested that full-range resistance training regimens can improve flexibility as well as the static stretching programs.  Take-home point: do not fear that strength training will reduce your flexibility.  Exercises like the above (2-arm/1-leg Kettlebell Stiff-Legged Deadlifts) are an outstanding way to improve glute (minimus and maximus) and hip strength.  Additionally, it's a great way to improve balance and work on grip endurance.

Still my top choice for Protein Powder!

Incline Bench DB Row w/ISO Hold

I use this exercise a lot to improve mid/upper-back strength with clients.  It's a fantastic choice for those looking to improve posture (which is most of us!)

Obese, Ridiculously Strong, AND an Olympian!

Look Like Barbie, Lift Like Ken

Megan Graham, 3rd place winner of the recent Miss Bikini Universe is trained by a colleague of mine, Ben Bruno.  She is living proof that girls need to lift challenging weight vs "Pink Dumbbells" and hours of non-stop steady-state cardio to look their best.  Ben wrote an OUTSTANDING article with VIDEOS of Megan's workouts.  Check it out here: http://www.benbruno.com/2012/06/look-like-barbie-lift-like-ken/

I had the opportunity to head out to Littleton, MA last week to meet with members of their Police Department.  Like many other communities throughout Massachusetts, they constructed a new building a couple years ago- complete with a state of the art exercise room for their staff.  While it's a wonderful amenity to have, some of the officers aren't proficient with using some of the equipment...that's where I come in.  


I took the group through a few exercises and stretches based on their available equipment and space.  They had fun and learned a lot.  The plan is to head back in the fall and lead them through a routine they can all progress with on their own.  

Super Nutritious Dinner on The Foreman Grille

Perform Better 3-Day Functional Training Summit: Providence

I had the privilege of attending Perform Better's 3-Day Functional Training Summit earlier this month.  I'll be writing a full review in my Summer Newsletter (published July 1, 2012).

Interesting Video on Sugar

So True!!!

Total Body workout with Rachel Cosgrove

I had a chance to see Rachel speak last weekend for the 2nd year in a row at a conference in Rhode Island.  As always, she was phenomenal in describing fat loss strategies for training female clients.  No surprises in that there was NOTHING I'd do differently when it comes to exercise-specific selections.  I may take different verbal and psychological approaches with respect to body composition changes, however.  The above video shows Rachel running through a fantastic total body workout that burns calories and improves lean muscle.  These are all exercises I have both my male & female clients performing regularly.

DB Reverse Lunge

Alternating DB Reverse Lunges are a dynamic single-leg exercise I often use with my clients after they are comfortable with split squats and Rear-Foot Elevated Split Squats.  Huge points of focus are keeping the chest tall and driving off the grounded heel when ascending from each repetition.  I like to have clients squeeze their scapulae as that often maximizes perfect posture in their torso.  Look for a good shin angle (~90-degrees) and power production as they come out of the bottom of each lunge.  


Key thing to remember as this type of lunge should be performed BEFORE any forward type of lunging as this variation creates minimal knee stress and requires less deceleration.  I'll start people with bodyweight and progress to external loads (i.e. weighted vest, dumbbells, kettle bells, etc...) 

71 Tips to Lose Fat

Dr. Chris Mohr, R.D., posted an article this week on how to lose fat.  VERY applicable to 95% of my clientele and the majority of folks I come across:

1. Have a clear goal that anyone in the world can measure and understand.
2. Drink tea. Research suggests that those who drink tea (black, green, or white, as long as it’s from real tea vs. herbal tea) have lower BMI’s and have less body fat. 
3. Eat cayenne pepper.  A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition showed that when compared to placebo, capsaicin (the active ingredient in cayenne) increased fat burning. 
4. Decrease/eliminate simple carbs.  They do nothing for you outside of creating a favorable environment for gaining fat.
5. Eat more veggies. They fill you up, without providing many calories.  Just avoid the high fat/high calorie dressings.
6. Eat more fruits: No one ever gained weight from eating more fruit even the so called "high sugar" fruits, like bananas, melons and others.
7. Lift weights.  Heavy weights.  Build more muscle, burn more calories.
8. Cut down rest time between sets.  This will keep your heart rate elevated causing an increase in calories burned.
9. Do intervals.  No more strolls through the park.  Study after study after study continues to show intervals are more effective (and in less time).  And physically just look at the body of a sprinter vs. the body of a marathoner. 
10. Eat more protein.  Replacing refined carbohydrates with lean protein will not only help satiate you, but will also increase your metabolism, through something called the thermic effect of food.
11. Eat protein more frequently.  Piggy backing on #10, it’s important to also time your intake so you’re eating protein regularly throughout the day … not just in one lump sum, like most do at dinner.  Every meal and snack should include some protein. 
12. Supplement with fish oil.  A study published in Lipids fed mice diets enhanced EPA and DHA (fish oil).  The researchers learned that the mice fed diets higher in omega-3 fats had significantly less accumulation of body fat.  Other studies have shown similar results.
13. Do full body exercises, such as squats, deadlifts, pullups,chinups, pushups, etc.  You’ll get more bang for your buck out of each workout.
14. Cycle carbs depending on workout routine.  Sure, carbs are important, but you surely don’t need as many if you’re not working out or if you workout just 30 minutes per day and then are sitting most of the other 23.5 hours.  
15. Start meals with a salad.  Salad will provide some bulk to help fill you up, so you eat less calories overall.
16. Include low-fat water based soups as snacks.  include this with a salad and the two of them will fill you up before getting to the calorie laden meal.
17. Don’t forget the fiber.  Think of fiber like a sponge; it absorbs water and makes you feel full. Focus on fiber, not carbs.
18. Drink water.  Professor Dr. Brenda Davy and her Team from VA Tech found that giving people 2 cups of water before each meal resulted in greater weight loss after 12 weeks.  The reason?  It helps fill you up.
19. Add beans to your salads.  It’s a nice way to add some additional fiber, protein, and healthy carbs. 
20. Replace one meal/day with a large salad and lean protein.
21. Self monitor.  Keep a journal.  There’s no better way to track what you’re putting in your mouth. 
22. Watch your portions.  Avoid the buffet line and never super size a thing; instead make sure you’re following what the nutrition label recommends for a serving.
23. Weigh and measure foods.  You won’t know how much you’re eating unless you pull out the food scale, measuring cups and spoons. 
24. Switch to calorie free drinks.  All calories count, whether they’re liquid or solid, so unless it’s low fat milk, opt for tea or water.  Or something I was introduced to in the Netherlands – large bunches of mint, lemon and hot water. 
25. Weigh yourself.  Studies show daily weights help enhance weight loss efforts.  Don’t live and die by the number.  And of course a scale doesn’t decipher between fat and lean body mass, but it can still be of benefit to keep things "in check."
26. Eat whole eggs.  Daily.  A study published a couple years ago showed that those who ate whole eggs vs. a bagel for breakfast ate less at the next meal.  A similar study showed eating whole eggs increases HDL (good) cholesterol. 
27. Eat breakfast (which is convenient with #26 above).  A review published in theAmerican Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that those who ate breakfast are more successful with long-term weight maintenance.  Other research has shown the same for weight loss.  Grab hardboiled eggs, scrambled eggs, Greek yogurt, a piece of fruit and handful of nuts, or make a smoothie.  It doesn’t have to be fancy.
28. Eat the bulk of you meals in the AM and eat progressively less throughout the day.  A study published in the Journal of Nutrition showed that eating the bulk of your calories earlier in the day positive influences weight changes.
29. Stay upright-you burn more calories.  This means not sitting in front of a computer, TV, phone, etc all day.  Stand and you’ll burn more and be more productive.
30. Ask your waiter to doggy bag ½ your meal before serving it to you.  If you wait and tell yourself you’ll just eat half.  You won’t.  So don’t even have it put in front of you.
31. Use the stairs, skip the escalator and elevator.  These won’t make or break success, but every little bit helps, so get in all the movement you can.
32. Eat low energy dense foods.  These are foods that are high in water and lower in calories, such as fruit, veggies, soups, salads, etc.  Studies at Penn State University have showed that the inclusion of these foods helps individuals eat less total calories overall.
33. Don’t grocery shop hungry.  Rather than stick to your list, you’ll buy everything in the aisle; foods that are sure to sabotage your goals of getting lean.
34. Replace side dishes with steamed veggies.  Restaurants will often allow you to switch the fries or chips with steamed veggies; all you have to do is ask.
35. Bake, don’t fry
36. Switch to smaller silverware; it forces you to take smaller bites.
37. Use a grill
38. Order dressing on the side, dip the fork in dressing, and then in the salad.  This saves a ton more dressing than if one was to order it on the side, then poor the entire cup on the salad anyhow.  Less calories equals less weight. 
39. In the airport?  Carry your luggage, don’t roll it.  Again, not a deal breaker in terms of success…just another way to increase energy expenditure.
40. Skip the “Venti lattes” and opt for plain coffee or, better yet, tea.  Those extra large “designer” coffees can pack a wholloping 500 or more calories per serving!
41. Got oats?  Plain rolled oats will help fill you up more than the high sugar breakfast counterparts.  Moreover, 1 serving provides a lot less calories than the sugar coated alternatives.
42. Fidget. A study published in the journal Science showed that those who fidgeted more often, changed posture frequently, etc weighed less than those who did not.  This extra movement was termed NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis).
43. Laugh often.  A study presented at the European Congress on Obesity found those who laughed hard for approximately 10-15 minutes each day burned an additional 10-40 calories/day.  Multiply that by 365 and those calories can add up! 
44. Don’t use email within your office—get up and walk to a co-workers desk.
45. Switch to water first thing in the morning vs. juice; you’ll save 100+ calories.
46. Steam your veggies—don’t sautée oil
47. Leave something on your plate at the end of the meal-every little bit counts.
48. When out to eat, split a meal.  The portions are usually big enough to feed a family.
49. Skip dessert
50. Don’t socialize around the food tables at parties; you’re more likely to pick, even though you may not be hungry.
51. Don’t eat your kids leftovers; every little bit of food adds up, including these "BLTs" (bites, licks and tastes)
52. Keep chips, dips, and other high fat snack foods out of the house—it’s not about willpower, it’s about being realistic.
53. If you have a dog, take it for a walk—don’t just let it out in the back.
54. If you don’t have a pet, offer to walk a neighbors dog.
55. Use smaller plates and bowls, there will be less room for you to fill up and it makes less food seems like more.
56. Skip buffets.  You will feel you like you have to get your moneys worth and overeat.
57. Slow down.  It takes approximately 15-20 minutes for the stomach to sense it’s full.  If you woof down your food like a starving dog, you’ll likely out eat your hunger.
58. Decrease your food intake by 100 calories per day; theoretically this translates to nearly 1 pound per month (1 lb = 3500 calories).
59. Buy a pedometer and accumulate at least 10,000 steps each day.
60. When possible, walk or bike to do your errands. 
61. Don’t buy in bulk, unless you’re buying toiletries or feeding an army.  The more that is there, the more that you’ll eat.
62. Stay away from the alcohol—I don’t care if it’s low-carb anything, alcohol provides 7 calories/gram, which means a lot of empty calories and just 1 drink lowers your inhibition so you overeat other calories too
63. Plan ahead.  If you fail to plan, you plan to fail
64. Pack your meals for the week on Sunday; you never want to be without options.
65. Keep some healthy snacks — like nuts — in your glove compartment so you’re prepared at all times.
66. Take before pictures and write down your goals.
67. Get new friends.  If your friends prefer pizza, wings, nachos and beer on a regular basis, find one’s who are like minded and want to be healthy.  Research has suggested that friends enhance (or can hurt) success.
68. Put yourself first.  Many people (women in particular) put everyone else ahead of themselves and let their health fall by the side. 
69. Be honest with yourself—you’re not fooling anyone by “sneaking” different foods.
70. It’s not all or nothing; if you fall off the bandwagon, jump right back.  Don’t let yourself continue to fall until all progress has been lost.
71. Wake up early to exercise; you’re more likely to get it done if you don’t wait until after work. 

Wrong Information, Right Information