Tuesday, July 10, 2018

Wait, I actually THINK about what we're going to do?



It is no surprise that there are lots of kinds of workouts.  I design mine the way I do on purpose to meet some specific goals.

One of my goals for my clients is basic cardio fitness.  I want us all to be able to go up stairs without heavy breathing.  Some of my clients work out other times than when they see me, either cardio or weights, but others not so much.  At least on days they see me, I want them to get their aerobic box checked.

Another goal I have is improving metabolism.  The combination of cardio and weights and the multi-joint exercises I like to choose not only burn more calories in the moment, but cue the metabolism to burn more the rest of the time, too.

Functional fitness means being strong, balanced, and flexible enough to do all the things we want to do without getting hurt.  The core exercises, the asymmetrical exercises, the ones with the BOSU, and all those squats contribute to making us all more likely to be independent well into old age.

I also care about strong muscles, although I find that just doing the work causes that to happen:  clients, over time, find that I keep handing them heavier weights and they handle them just fine.  Maintaining and building muscle mass is important for general health, weight maintenance or loss, and encouraging strong bones.

How these goals play out across workouts depends on the client in front of me.  If a client has a goal to reduce body fat percentage, I’m going to be zeroing in on building muscle mass and metabolism.  If someone is recovering from an injury, we work on corrective exercise, range of motion, and mechanics for prevention of future injury.  The workout of the week can look sharply different depending on who is doing it and what those folks want out of the experience.

Monday, July 9, 2018

Monday Workout: More Practice!



I am loving how challenging the kettle bell passes are!  We are doing them again this week so we get better at them!  Three rounds…

mountain climbers
30
bent over rows
20
pushups
10


kb swings
30
kb pass or twist
20
kb 8s
10


plyojacks/jacks/mod jacks
30
squats
20
pretty princesses
10

Friday, July 6, 2018

Friday Progress Report: Nutrition Studies!


Today’s topic from my continuing education reading is portion sizes.  Over the last century, the issues facing Americans about nutrition have shifted.  It used to be that the problem was that we had trouble getting enough calories to meet our energy needs and keep our nutrient levels within functional ranges.  Not so much nowadays:  we are suffering from overnutrition as evidenced by the two thirds of our adult population who are overweight or obese.


(Please note:  My goal is not to promote body shame.  Healthy bodies come in many different shapes and sizes.  Current measures of what constitute overweight/obese rely on BMI, which is a problematic tool in that it does not account for muscle mass.  Nonetheless, many of the chronic diseases that afflict us are strongly correlated with being heavier than we ought to be.)

One thing that does not help us achieve or maintain optimal body weight is the out-of-control portions we have come to see as normal.  Take, for example, my friend the Big Gulp.  (Okay, it’s my former friend, but still…)  The handy plastic cup holds 32 ounces of soda.  That is four cup-sized servings, which were the standard serving size for many years.  The 12-ounce can changed that, but even so, the Big Gulp holds nearly three cans.  We definitely don’t need that much soda.

As sodas have gone, so have other foods and food-like substances.  Many of us routinely eat a day’s worth of meat portions at a single meal and then do it again twice more before the day is over.

It is hard to buck the dominant trend, but we need to rebel for our own good.  Use the small plates and bowls.  If you really want the big plate, make sure it is mostly full of (non-fat-drenched) vegetables and fruits.  (My experience suggests that most people get tired of eating those leafy greens without dressing long before they exceed their calorie limit…)

We can do this, one small rebellion at a time.