Health Habits

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Archive for the ‘obesity’ category

A Cost Benefit Analysis of your Health & Physical Fitness

March 19th, 2010

This post is for all of those people who:

Want to live a long life, and
Want that long life to be full of health, vitality and general awesome-ness

Because seriously, who wants to live until 100 if you have to spend the final 20-30 years of your life hooked up to machines and/or driving around in one of those motorized scooters because of your poor lifestyle choices

Luckily for you, I am here to help.

The True Cost of Health & Fitness Spending

Sadly, in our modern world, the biggest threat to living a long, healthy, vital and generally awesome life is our lifestyle.

Too little physical activity
Too much sitting
Too much of the wrong foods
Too little of the right foods
Chronic low level stress

Not good.

But, maybe that’s just the way things have to be. Maybe it’s a yin-yang kind of thing.

For all of the benefits of our modern society, there have to be some drawbacks.

Maybe the cost of our technological evolution is a slow, physical de-evolution into WALL-E blobbiness.

Maybe, there is nothing we can we do about it?

personal trainer toronto

wrong.

personal trainer toronto

Here are your options for getting super-fit.

1. Wait for a Technological Solution

Whether it’s a new drug or surgery or medical implant or obesity hygiene device, some people are going to sit and wait for someone else to save them from…themselves.

Cost/Benefit Analysis

Benefits

No exercise
More free time to watch tv and play video games
Eat whatever you want, whenever you want it

Costs

You may die before a “cure” is found
And you may have to spend big bucks on a Comfort Wipe

Conclusion

For me, the costs outweigh the benefits.

I have to give this plan a thumbs down.

2. Become a Caveman

Our caveman ancestors might not have had an iPad, but they certainly were leaner, stronger & fitter. And, if it wasn’t for their higher infant death rate and the general lack of emergency room doctors, our caveman ancestors would probably have retained a high level of physical fitness well into the senior years.

So, solution #2….

Walk away from all of your modern conveniences, leave your home, walk into the nearest forest and adopt the lifestyle that our paleolithic ancestors thrived upon.

Cost/Benefit Analysis

Benefits

Eating real food (wild game, fruit, berries, nuts, vegetables, roots, water… will make a huge difference on your overall health as well as help you drop a few lbs.
Increased physical activity will drastically improve your overall physical fitness
Less tv, less computer, less video games, less time in the car will improve posture, pain and portliness.
Low level stress will melt away as you ditch your daily commute, your boss, your suit & tie and your need to conform

Costs

No income
Property laws mean that you will likely be arrested for vagrancy or trespassing on private property
Herds of wild buffalo are pretty scarce nowadays, so you might have a problem finding enough food.
Replace low level chronic stress with higher level acute stress – starvation, arrests for vagrancy, etc…

Conclusion

The costs associated with returning to our ancient way of life far outweigh the benefits.

Ergo, another thumbs down.

3. Become a Modern Caveman

A modern caveman continues to work at his/her job, live in his/her nice warm home but chooses to eliminate or at least minimize those aspects of modern life that are causing us so much trouble

too much screen time – tv, computer, iphone, etc…
too much sitting
not enough physical activity
too many calories
not enough nutrition

Cost/Benefit Analysis

Benefits

Eating real food (wild game, fruit, berries, nuts, vegetables, roots, water… will make a huge difference on your overall health as well as help you drop a few lbs.
Increased physical activity will drastically improve your overall physical fitness
Less tv, less computer, less video games, less time in the car will improve posture, pain and portliness.
Taking a proactive approach to stress reduction will help improve the quality & quantity of your life.

Costs

Individuality – If you like to blend in, being a modern caveman isn’t for you
Grocery Bills – Real food often costs more than the typical processed Standard American Diet. Or at least it requires more imagination and effort to keep costs down.
Cost of physical activity – whether it’s time or money or a combination of the two, exercise is going to hit you in the wallet. Because you aren’t spending your entire day being active, you’re going to need to “exercise”. Whether you choose to run on your own or hire an in-home personal trainer, there is going to a cost – time, money, combination.

Conclusion

Millions of fit, healthy & attractive people are implementing some version of this plan each & every day.

Next week, i will go into some of the options and break them down…benefits, costs, etc…

Stay tuned.

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HIIT Kicks Cardio’s Butt

March 16th, 2010

I like to visualize Ben Johnson crushing Carl Lewis when I do my HIIT sprints

So, there I was.

I had just finished a set of killer HIIT sprints….when the Lance Armstrong clone to my left asked me “what’s the deal with that workout”?

I think I croaked something about anaerobic this and EPOC that…and was about to hop off the bike when he said…

“that’s just a fad..like Atkins. If you want to get fit, you HAVE to do cardio”

Arrrgggghhhh!

Stifling my hulk-like rage, I asked…

“What do you mean I have to do cardio?”

From there, he proceeded to tell me why cardio rocks and why high intensity training (HIIT, HIRT, resistance training) sucks.

Double arggghhhhh!

Hulk (me) was getting mad.

But, instead of smashing, I flipped him one of my business cards (along with a certain finger) and suggested he read the following study which shows (once again) how HIIT kicks cardio butt

And here’s the study.

According to the researchers, high intensity interval training (HIIT) is better than traditional endurance training for improving:

Athletic performance
Metabolic performance
Molecular adaptation to exercise

According to researcher Martin Gibala…”doing as little as 10 one-minute sprints on a standard stationary bike with about one minute of rest in between, three times a week, works as well in improving muscle as many hours of conventional long-term biking less strenuously.”

We have known for years that repeated moderate long-term exercise tunes up fuel and oxygen delivery to muscles and aids the removal of waste products. Exercise also improves the way muscles use the oxygen to burn the fuel in mitochondria, the microscopic power station of cells.

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Running or cycling for hours a week widens the network of vessels supplying muscle cells and also boosts the numbers of mitochondria in them so that a person can carry out activities of daily living more effectively and without strain, and crucially with less risk of a heart attack, stroke or diabetes.

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But the traditional approach to exercise is time consuming. Martin Gibala and his team have shown that the same results can be obtained in far less time with brief spurts of higher-intensity exercise.

Take that Mr. Lance Armstrong clone.

But wait, it get’s better.

One of the main complaints about High Intensity Interval Training is that it’s…well, too intense.

Sure, it gives you a great workout, but it will probably give you a heart attack.

Not according to Dr. Gibala.

The main purpose of his study was to prove the performance, metabolic and molecular advantages of a more practical model of low-volume HIIT.

The new study used a standard stationary bicycle and a workload which was still above most people’s comfort zone (about 95% of maximal heart rate) but only about half of what can be achieved when people sprint at an all-out pace.

Seven men performed 6 HIIT training sessions over 2 weeks.
Each session consisted of 8-12 x 60 s intervals (at ≈100% of peak power) separated by 75 s of rest.
That’s a total of between 17 and 26 minutes per workout or 2 ½ hours over 2 weeks

So, how does this workout compare to traditional cardio?

According to the doc, to achieve the same performance, metabolic and molecular benefits with traditional endurance (cardio) training, you’d need to complete over 10 hours of continuous moderate bicycling exercise over a two-week period.

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Hmmmmm…let’s recap.

HIIT

2 ½ hours per week

Cardio

10 hours per week

And I won’t even mention the fact that HIIT workouts make you look like this:

while cardio workouts make you look like this…

your choice.

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Jeff Garlin – my footprint

March 10th, 2010

Jeff Garlin’s new book (my footprint) is the best & worst diet book I have ever read.

The worst because…. it’s not really a diet book.

There’s none of the eat this and don’t eat this that all diet books are supposed to have.

There are no promises of rapid and permanent weight loss.

There are no recipes.

The cover doesn’t feature an image of a person with taut muscles and a rippling six pack.

It features Jeff…and his still too big belly…walking on a treadmill….in the middle of a forest.

Not exactly the prototypical diet industry role model.

But that’s okay.

It’s okay because Jeff has written a book that should be read by:

People who find themselves unable to stop themselves from eating
People who identify themselves as food addicts
People who have to eat when they feel angry, sad, anxious, happy, etc..
People who eat when they are already full
People who eat to the point of nausea
People who eat past the point of nausea
People who hide their eating habits from others
People who are ashamed of how they eat
People who love and care for people who eat like Jeff Garlin

Now onto the book…

Jeff Garlin provided the voice for the overweight spaceship captain in the movie WALL-E.

If you haven’t seen the movie, you really should. Even if you don’t like animation – but, I digress.

Back to the book.

After attending the closing night of WALL-E at a movie theater in Hollywood, Jeff realized (not for the first time), that for years, he has been telling himself that he’s going to finally lose the weight and get in shape. But he never does.

On that fateful night, after watching the captain experience his own epiphany, Jeff realizes that it’s finally time for him to stop talking about losing weight and to finally do something about it.

“If not now, then when”?

And as his lies in bed that night, Jeff is struck by an idea – he’ll write about his attempt to lose weight.

And just like his character in WALL-E, he decides to add an environmental transformation to his physical one.

Jeff has decided to lower his carbon footprint as he simultaneously lowers his personal footprint.

Jeff’s Weight Loss Journey

The first thing you’re going to notice about this book is that it reads like a series of diary entries. Chronologically we read about Jeff’s day to day struggles to overcome his food addiction and drop a ton of weight (while simultaneously lightening his environmental impact upon the earth).

The second thing that you’re going to notice is that Jeff is funny. Seriously funny. For those people who are already fans of Curb Your Enthusiasm, this will come as no surprise. But for those people who have never watched Curb, let’s just say that as I read this book (in public – coffee shop, chiropractor’s office) I couldn’t stop myself from laughing out loud.

Yes – I was that strange person laughing to himself in a room full of people.

What I Loved About Jeff’s Message

Jeff made two points that struck me as terribly important.

1. He is a food addict.

This is a very controversial statement.

Most weight loss experts (and the general) population that weight loss is as simple as eating less & moving more.

They are wrong.

People like Jeff know that in addition to the chemistry and biology of human metabolism, many of us have to deal with powerful mental & emotional obstacles that drive us to eat and eat and eat.

Just like the alcoholic, compulsive gambler or drug addict, our thoughts and emotions can have a profound effect upon our hormones, brain chemistry and ultimately our actions.

Food addiction is real.

2. Weight Loss is hard work.

Unlike other “food addicts” Jeff doesn’t take the position that his addiction makes it impossible to lose weight. He doesn’t assume the role of victim.

Jeff is eager to spread the message that:

Weight loss is possible
But it is going to be really hard

There are no magic solutions.

There are going to be good days and there are going to be bad days.

Weight loss is hard work.

End of story.

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Click here if you want to buy the book.

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Do You Have Fat Taste Buds?

March 7th, 2010

Back when I was a kid, I had 4 types of taste buds: Sweet, Salty, Sour & Bitter

And then, they discovered that I (we) actually had a fifth taste bud specifically for savory foods like meat, cheese & mushrooms. This taste is commonly referred to as Umami (fun fact – in Japanese, umami means flavor or taste.)

And because they can’t leave well enough alone, some researchers in Australia have recently discovered a sixth form of taste.

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And it just so happens to be a taste for FAT.

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And how does this fat taste bud work?

Well, according to the researchers, “people with a high sensitivity for taste of fat actually eat less fatty food and have less likelihood of being overweight“.

Unfortunately, this also means that people with a low sensitivity for taste of fat are more likely to eat more fatty food and have a greater likelihood of being overweight“.

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And there is nothing you can do about it.

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But, luckily for food manufacturers, research has already begun on creating an artificial fat flavoring that can be added to low-fat foods in order to trick your newest taste bud.

For more info check out the following links

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Protected: Health Habits Workout -Week 9/Day 3

March 5th, 2010

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Posted in Exercise, I Wanna Be Healthy, I Wanna Look Great, bodybuilding, fat loss, fitness, fitness - energy system, health, obesity, personal trainer, weight loss, working out

Tags: diet Exercise fitness health hiit obesity personal trainer personal trainer toronto tabata toronto weight loss workout

Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution

March 3rd, 2010

This is a joke….right?

A really, really, really bad joke….but still a joke.

How can a kid not know what a tomato looks like?

How can an “adult” think that pre-fab chicken is a healthy food choice?

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Diet Deathmatch: Paleo v.s. Vegan

March 1st, 2010

A few weeks ago, Paleo dude John Durant appeared on the Colbert Report.

Nice interview. Very civilized.

What happened backstage wasn’t.

more about “Exclusive – Backstage With Paleo John…“, posted with vodpod

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Play v.s. Exercise

February 26th, 2010

Awesome Image taken by Toby Green - flickr

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Researchers have found that in just 3 short months, a group of inactive men with high blood pressure were able to drastically lower their BP, resting pulse rate and body-fat % by playing soccer.

That’s right – soccer.

In fact, the results were significantly better than results achieved via the typical medical advice on healthy diet & exercise. (link to study)

The researchers found that “a regular game of soccer affects numerous cardiovascular risk factors such as maximal oxygen uptake, heart function, elasticity of the vascular system, blood pressure, cholesterol and fat mass far more than e.g. strength training and just as much if not more than running”.

More than running?

But, isn’t that what soccer is? You run and chase the ball over here…and then you chase the ball over there…etc, etc….

So, why is playing soccer better than just running around a track?

What’s the difference?

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The difference is that soccer is played with other people, and when you play soccer you talk and laugh and compete with those other people.

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And that makes it fun.

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And fun + exercise is better than running on a treadmill while watching Anderson Cooper make his serious “news-man” face.

But, maybe you don’t like soccer. Maybe it’s a little too Euro for your taste.

Doesn’t matter.

Find some physical activity that:

Gets your heart beating, and
You think you may enjoy

Maybe you join a running club, or lift weights with a buddy, or go swimming with the old ladies at the community center, or play softball or volleyball or basketball or play ping pong with nunchucks

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It doesn’t matter what the activity is.

Fun + Exercise = Good for You

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February 26th, 2010

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Posted in Exercise, I Wanna Be Healthy, I Wanna Look Great, bodybuilding, fat loss, fitness, fitness - energy system, fitness - strength, obesity, personal trainer, weight loss, working out

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A Super-Sexy David Beckham-esque HIIT Sprint Workout

February 25th, 2010

David Beckham : Men's Health

Awhile back, Men’s Health wrote an article showing us guys how we can “Live It Like Beckham“.

Included in that article was the David Beckham Workout.

Looking at that workout almost 2 years later, I realized that…..it was a hunk of junk.

Seriously, this guy makes bazillions of dollars every year and this is the best workout that him and his team of trainers & therapists can come up with.

We can do better.

So, here we go:

1. Strength Training

The MH article ignored Beckham’s strength training routine, so like them, we will save that part of his training routine for another article.

However, if you are interested in building some strong, powerful “athlete” muscles, start with this article.

2. Aerobic Training

The MH article also neglected to look at Beckham’s aerobic training. Luckily for you, I am going to build some aerobic conditioning into your….

3. Anaerobic / HIIT / Tabata Training

Alright, here’s where the fun begins.

3 workouts per week
Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced workout
Increased speed, power & anaerobic endurance
Less of this

And more of this

Beginner Workouts

These workouts are designed for beginners who are interested in losing tons of weight and getting super-fit and ripped.
For beginners, I am going to assume that you are performing 2 strength training workouts per week
I will outline 3 Super-Sexy David Beckham-esque HIIT Sprint Workouts. The number of workouts you perform will depend upon your schedule, goals & recovery abilities.
My recommendation: Do all 3 workouts if you can
Regarding fitness equipment, I prefer trainees do these workouts while sprinting outdoors or on an exercise bike in the gym or on a Versaclimber or on a rowing machine. A treadmill can be used with lower intensity workouts, but when the sprinting gets intense, the treadmill can get a wee bit dangerous.

Workout #1

Warm-up – 10 mins at a perceived intensity 50% of your maximum intensity.
3 minutes of sprints – 10 sec. sprint with a 50 second rest
10 minutes cardio at 60% of max intensity OR (175 – your age) Heartbeats per Minute
3 minutes of sprints – 10 sec. sprint with a 50 second rest
10 minutes cardio at 60% of max intensity OR (175 – your age) Heartbeats per Minute

Workout #2

Warm-up – 10 mins at a perceived intensity 50% of your maximum intensity.
3 minutes of sprints – 10 sec. sprint with a 50 second rest / 15 sec sprint with 45 sec rest / 20 sec. sprint with 40 sec. rest
10 minutes cardio at 60% of max intensity OR (175 – your age) Heartbeats per Minute
3 minutes of sprints – 10 sec. sprint with a 50 second rest / 15 sec sprint with 45 sec rest / 20 sec. sprint with 40 sec. rest
10 minutes cardio at 60% of max intensity OR (175 – your age) Heartbeats per Minute

Workout #3

Warm-up – 10 mins at a perceived intensity 50% of your maximum intensity.
10 minutes of sprints – 10 x 10 sec. sprint with 50 sec rest
Cool-down – 10 mins at a perceived intensity 50% of your maximum intensity.

Intermediate Workouts

These workouts are designed for intermediates who have outgrown the beginner workouts and are still interested in losing tons of weight and getting super-fit and ripped.
I am assuming that you are performing 2 strength training workouts per week
I will outline 3 Super-Sexy David Beckham-esque HIIT Sprint Workouts. The number of workouts you perform will depend upon your schedule, goals & recovery abilities.
My recommendation: Do all 3 workouts if you can
Regarding fitness equipment, I prefer trainees do these workouts while sprinting outdoors or on an exercise bike in the gym or on a Versaclimber or on a rowing machine. A treadmill can be used with lower intensity workouts, but when the sprinting gets intense, the treadmill can get a wee bit dangerous.

Workout #1

Warm-up – 10 mins at a perceived intensity 50% of your maximum intensity.
5 minutes of sprints – 10 sec. sprint with a 50 second rest
5 minutes cardio at 60% of max intensity OR (180 – your age) Heartbeats per Minute
5 minutes of sprints – 10 sec. sprint with a 50 second rest
5 minutes cardio at 60% of max intensity OR (180 – your age) Heartbeats per Minute
5 minutes of sprints – 10 sec. sprint with a 50 second rest
5 to 30 minutes cardio at 60% of max intensity OR (180 – your age) Heartbeats per Minute

Workout #2

Warm-up – 10 mins at a perceived intensity 50% of your maximum intensity.
5 minutes of sprints – 10 sec/50 sec – 15/45 – 20/40 – 10/50 – 15/45 sec. sprint/rest ratio
5 minutes cardio at 60% of max intensity OR (180 – your age) Heartbeats per Minute
5 minutes of sprints – 10 sec/50 sec – 15/45 – 20/40 – 10/50 – 15/45 sec. sprint/rest ratio
5 minutes cardio at 60% of max intensity OR (180 – your age) Heartbeats per Minute
5 minutes of sprints – 10 sec/50 sec – 15/45 – 20/40 – 10/50 – 15/45 sec. sprint/rest ratio
5 minutes cardio at 60% of max intensity OR (180 – your age) Heartbeats per Minute
5 minutes of sprints – 10 sec/50 sec – 15/45 – 20/40 – 10/50 – 15/45 sec. sprint/rest ratio
5 minutes cardio at 60% of max intensity OR (180 – your age) Heartbeats per Minute

Workout #3

Warm-up – 10 mins at a perceived intensity 50% of your maximum intensity.
10 minutes of sprints – 10 x 10 sec. sprint with 50 sec rest
5 minutes cardio at 60% of max intensity OR (175 – your age) Heartbeats per Minute
10 minutes of sprints – 10 x 10 sec. sprint with 50 sec rest
5 to 30 minutes cardio at 60% of max intensity OR (175 – your age) Heartbeats per Minute

Advanced Workouts

These workouts are designed for advanced trainees who have outgrown the intermediate workouts and who are almost super-fit and ripped.
I am still assuming that you are performing 2 strength training workouts per week
I will outline 3 Super-Sexy David Beckham-esque HIIT Sprint Workouts. The number of workouts you perform will depend upon your schedule, goals & recovery abilities.
My recommendation: Do all 3 workouts if you can
Regarding fitness equipment, I prefer trainees do these workouts while sprinting outdoors or on an exercise bike in the gym or on a Versaclimber or on a rowing machine. A treadmill can be used with lower intensity workouts, but when the sprinting gets intense, the treadmill can get a wee bit dangerous.

Workout #1

Warm-up – 10 mins at a perceived intensity 50% of your maximum intensity.
2 minutes of sprints – 10 sec. sprint with 20 second rests (4 sprints total)
5 minutes cardio at 60% of max intensity OR (180 – your age) Heartbeats per Minute
4 minutes of sprints – 10 sec. sprint with 20 second rests (4 sprints total)
5 minutes cardio at 60% of max intensity OR (180 – your age) Heartbeats per Minute
2 minutes of sprints – 10 sec. sprint with 20 second rests (4 sprints total)
5 to 30 minutes cardio at 60% of max intensity OR (185 – your age) Heartbeats per Minute

Workout #2

Warm-up – 10 mins at a perceived intensity 50% of your maximum intensity.
4 minute Tabata workout – 4 x 20 sec sprint / 40 sec rest
10 minutes cardio at 50% of max intensity
4 minute Tabata workout – 4 x 20 sec sprint / 40 sec rest
5 to 30 minutes cardio at 60% of max intensity OR (175 – your age) Heartbeats per Minute

Workout #3

Warm-up – 10 mins at a perceived intensity 50% of your maximum intensity.
10 minutes of sprints – alternate 10/15/20 sec sprints
5 minutes cardio at 60% of max intensity OR (175 – your age) Heartbeats per Minute
10 minutes of sprints- alternate 10/15/20 sec sprints
5 to 30 minutes cardio at 60% of max intensity OR (175 – your age) Heartbeats per Minute

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Enjoy

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And while it’s not required, I highly recommend using an interval timer with your sprints. Trying to watch the clock an do these workouts is a real pain in the butt.

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Archive for the ‘obesity’ category

The True Cost of Health & Fitness Spending

1. Wait for a Technological Solution

2. Become a Caveman

3. Become a Modern Caveman

Related Posts

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Related Posts

Related Posts

Related Posts

Related Posts

Related Posts

Fun + Exercise = Good for You

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Related Posts

1. Strength Training

2. Aerobic Training

3. Anaerobic / HIIT / Tabata Training

Beginner Workouts

Workout #1

Workout #2

Workout #3

Intermediate Workouts

Workout #1

Workout #2

Workout #3

Advanced Workouts

Workout #1

Workout #2

Workout #3

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