Mountain Rush Fitness

The Magic Weight Loss Number - 3500!

2012-03-28T11:53:00.000-07:00

The Magic Weight Loss Number - 3500!

3500 – The Magic Number to Lose Weight

3500 is the magic number when it comes to weight loss. One pound of body fat equates 3500 calories. So, if a person wanted to lose 1 pound, they’d have to obtain 3500 calorie deficient. This deficiency is obtained through burning calories (exercise) and through consuming-less calories per day. So, if you want to lose 1 pound in one week, you’d have to have a 3500 calorie deficient for that week. If you wanted to achieve this weight loss simply through exercise, you’d have to burn 500 calories per day (7 days) through exercise (3500 calories burned/7 days per week = 500 calories burned per day).For the average person, working out 7 days per week would be quite challenging.

Splitting the 3500

The more realistic and ideal method of losing weight is a balance between diet and exercise. When first starting a weight loss plan, you can split the 3500 calories in half, burning 1750 calories through exercise and the other 1750 through eating less calories per week than you are currently eating. Let’s take a look at an example, which will provide some clarity.

Example – “Average Mike”

According to the National Health Statistics report published in 2008, the average 30-year old male weighs about 189 pounds is 5’8” (70 inches tall). Let’s call this guy “Average Mike”. Let’s say Average Mike stopped going to the gym, stopped working out and started eating really unhealthy. Let’ say that by age 35, Mike was now up to 235lbs.

BMI Chart

According to his BMI chart, a worldwide health indication standard, using height and weight, Mike’s BMI is 35.7, which be considered obese.

Mike must keep in mind that BMI is only part of health status analysis. Individuals who have more muscle mass tend to have a higher BMI. Along with BMI, there’s hip-to-waist ratio, waist line measurements, cholesterol, blood pressure and much more. Mike has a 40 inch waist, is nearly out of breath all the time, has high cholesterol, is borderline diabetic and decided it was time for a change. He spoke with his doctor and determined that he wants to lose 35 pounds, which will get him down to 195. He also wants to lose 6 inches around his waist.

BMR – Finding how many calories you burn naturally each day

Before Mike steps one foot in the gym, or before he goes out and buys tons of weight loss supplements, he needs to know some vital information. He needs to know how many calories he should be consuming to both maintain his weight and to lose weight/fat. Using the Basil Metabolic Rate (BMR) Calculator, which determines the number of calories burned by a person naturally, each day, without exercise, Mike burns 2155 calories each day. Now, with that number, Mike needs to know how many calories he needs to live, maintain his weight and to lose weight.

Harris Benedict Formula – Find how many calories you need to maintain or lose weight

Taking his BMR of 2155, he then used the Harris Benedict Formula to calculate his daily caloric needs. Because he participates in little-to-no exercise, he multiples his BMR x 1.2, which equals 2586 calories (2586 = 2155 x 1.2). This the number calories that Mike needs to consume to maintain his weight. He has been consuming much more than this each day, which is why he gained many pounds over the last few years. Now, Mike can put all of his calculations together to come up with a realistic plan to lose his 35lbs.

To lose weight, one pound per week, Mike needs to have a caloric deficit of 500 calories per day (3500 calories per week). To start, Mike is going to exercise and burn 250 calories each day and eat 250 calories less each day. If he does this consistently, 7 days per week, he will loss 1 pound per week. But, what if he is not able to work out or has a “bad diet” day? Mike has a chart that shows him different options for him achieving his 1 pounds loss per week goal.

Calories In-Out Chart

Option	Calories Burned Per Day via Exercise	Caloric Deficient via Food per Day	Total Combined Caloric Deficient per Day	Total Calories Available for Food Consumption per Day	Total Net Calories (after exercise and caloric deficient) per Day
Option A – Exercise 7 days/week	250	250	500	2336 (2586-250)	2086 (2586-500)
Option B – Exercise 5 x per week	350	250	600 on exercise days, 250 on non-exercise days	2336 (2586-250)	2086 (2586-500)
Option C – 4 x per week	437	250	500	2336 (2586-250)	2086 (2586-500)

Along with his overall weight loss plan, Mike created a daily meal plan. Here is a sample 2300 calorie meal plan for Mike. Notice that the foods he is consuming is nearly all high quality, low fat, low sodium meals. He has a good balance of proteins, carb's, and healthy fats.

Sample 2300 Calorie Meal Plan

Breakfast (500 calories)	Mid-morning Snack (250 calories)	Lunch (650 calories)	Mid-Afternoon Snack (350 calories)	Dinner (550 Calories)
1 cup of dry oatmeal cooked with 1 cup of skim milk. Sweeten with 2 tsp. of honey and add 1 oz. of chopped almonds. The oatmeal provides whole grains, the milk offers calcium and the almonds contain heart-healthy unsaturated fats and multiple nutrients.	1 cup of chopped apple for a serving of fruit and fiber, with 1 cup of low-fat cottage cheese for more calcium	homemade turkey burger made with 4 oz. of lean ground turkey, a slice of low-fat Swiss cheese and fresh tomatoes on a whole-grain bun. Have 16 baby carrots and 2 tbsp. of hummus on the side	one-fifth of an avocado on a whole-grain tortilla and top with 2 oz. of roast chicken and 2 tbsp. of salsa	3.5 oz. of grilled shrimp over 2 cups cooked whole-wheat pasta with diced tomatoes and 1 oz. of feta cheese. Enjoy a cup of blueberries for dessert to fit in one more serving of antioxidant-rich fruit

Calculating Exercise Calories

Mike’s exercises will be cardio-based in the beginning of his weight loss efforts. he will not do any major weight lifting quite yet. He will initially start out walking, either outside or on a treadmill, for 30 min’s. According to the WebMD Exercise Calculator, Mike will burn 267 if he walks at a rate of 4 mph for 30 min’s. Mike will use this website to find other exercises, such as swimming, biking, playing basketball, dancing, that will help him find the right duration/intensity that he needs to help him burn calories for weight loss.

Work that Plan!

Average Mike has a solid/accurate exercise plan. Now there's only one thing left for him to do; Work the Plan! With this plan, Mike will lose those 35lbs in about 30 weeks. If that’s too slow of a weight loss method, Mike can double his workout calories burned (500 calorie per workout) and lose 2 pounds per week. This would help him reach his goal within a little over 2 months.

Sounds like a lot of numbers. In the beginning, it is important to have a very accurate plan. Once you begin to work your plan, you’ll get first-hand experience with diet and exercise and see results. After weeks/month of this, you’ll be able to work this plan without calculating. You’ll be able to “feel your way through”, make adjustments in your weight loss efforts because you’ll be that much more familiar with your own body and what it needs.

I WAS Average Mike!

So, how do I know that all of this stuff work? I am “Average Mike”!In August 2010, I weighed close to 232lbs.

From September 2010 to December 2011, by performing cardio (walking and running) and changing my diet, I lost over 35lbs. I used a free calorie tracking app called Loseit! to track my food and exercise. Since that time, I have spent tons of hours at the gym, scuplting my body, ran in 5k's (3.1 miles) , 10k's (6.2 miles) races and even a 1/2 Marathon (13.1 miles). I have helped many others achieve their weight loss goals.

Stick with it!

Counting calories works, and although it takes a lot time and effort, it is well worth it. With some great planning, you can reach your 3500 calories and more. You can easily drop 1-2 pounds safely each week, and keep it off for a long time. Nearly two years later, I have maintained my weight loss, and even added on a few pounds of muscle. My body transformation story is currently the most popular, most commented story on Muscle and Strength. If I can do it, so can you. Stay encouraged, stick with it, keep things as simple as possible and you’ll see the results you been longing for.

Regards,

-Michael Lee

Killer Biceps, Back & Ab's Workout

2012-01-30T16:33:00.000-08:00

Killer Biceps, Back and Ab's Workout

Greetings,

Today I performed a killer bicep, back abs workout. It was a very energetic,strenuous workout. This workout is similar in length to my chest/shoulders/triceps/ab's workout, in which I try to complete it within 40 minutes to 1 hour. I generally perform 2-3 exercises per body part. I focus on mid level/high reps with lower weights. This type of weight lifting leads to a very lean, athletic body type and really fatigues the muscles. Research shows that the more lean muscles a person builds, the more efficient the body becomes at burning fat (Kravitz, 2007).

Mike "Camo" Lee - Arm/Back/Ab's Post Workout

Here is my Biceps, Back & Ab's Workout, with links to videos of how to perform the exercise. I try to keep things simple, fast and challenging:

Exercise                                  Set, Reps, Weight (lbs)

Arms
Dumbbell Curls                              4, 10, 40
Hammer Curls         4, 8, 25
Incline Dumbbell Curls    4, 10, 22.5

Back
Lat Pull-down (Machine)               4, 9, 145
Standing Dumbbell Row                         4, 10, 50

Abs
Decline Reverse Crunch        3,    15/12/10
Mountain Climbers                3,     10/10/10
Situps                                     3,     10/10/10

I always work my arms first, then my back, abs. You can mix it up a bit and perform abs first. I try to perform ab's first because I use my arms a lot during my ab workout and I don't want to fatigue my biceps to much before lifting. I usually rest a day after doing biceps, then follow this workout with my chest/shoulders/triceps/ab's workout. I perform this workout twice a week. Try it out and let me know how challenging it was for you.

Until then, rush to a fitter YOU!

Regards,
-Mike "Camo" Lee
Mountain Rush Fitness

References:

Kravitz, Len. "Fat facts: quit debating! To burn more fat, work harder or longer--or both." IDEA Fitness Journal Sept. 2007: 23+. InfoTrac Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine Collection. Web. 27 Jan. 2012.

Chest, Shoulders, Triceps and Abs - Volume Day!

2012-01-26T13:09:00.000-08:00

Greetings,

Today I worked out my shoulders, chest, triceps and abs. It was a very intense workout because I had to do many reps/sets within 1 hour, hence the name "Volume Day". On volume day's, I focus on using higher rep's (the number of times I left a weight within a set) with lighter weights that I usually use. This type of weight lifting leads to a very lean, cut look and really fatigues the muscles. This type of workout is in contrast to "Heavy Day's" (lifting heavier weights for a lower amount of reps).

Post volume-day pic

Here is my volume-day workout, with links to videos of how to perform the exercise. I try to keep things simple, fast and challenging.:

Exercise                                  Set, Reps, Weight (lbs)

Chest
Flat Dumbbell Flys                    4,     15,     50
Incline Dumbbell Flys              4,     12,     50
Decline Dumbbell Flys               4,     10,     50

Shoulders
Seated Machine Press                     4,    12,     140
Standing Dumbbell Front Raise        4,    8,        20
Seated Dumbbell Lateral Raise        4,    8,        20

Triceps
Bench Dips                                4,    17,        Body-weight

Abs
Jack Knife Sit-up                    3,    15
Mountain Climbers                3,     10
Cross Mountain Climbers        3,     8

I work through these exercise very quickly because I workout on my lunchbreak. I rest anywhere between 30-60 seconds per set. I love this workout because it challenges me both physically and mentally. I am usually in the gym alone when I workout, which helps provide great focus. I have my high-energy music playing, which helps me to stay motivated and pull through those last reps. I usually perform this workout 2 times per week, on non-consecutive days.

My next article will be about Arms & Back - Volume Day.

Until then, rush to a fitter YOU!

Regards,

-Mike "Camo" Lee
Mountain Rush Fitness

The 300 Push-up/Sit-up Challenge!

2012-01-20T08:55:00.000-08:00

Although these exercises probably date back to the beginning of man's existence, Push-ups and Sit-ups are still considered very effective exercises by nearly all fitness standards.

When I was in the Army, Push-ups and Sit-ups were a part of my daily fitness routine. Push-ups and Sit-ups sometimes get a bad wrap these days, being seen as "old fashion". Using a variety of exercises will keep the body guessing, reducing the chances of your body plateauing and getting used to a certain exercise. It's great to mix in Push-ups and Sit-ups in your workout plan. Let's examine the effectiveness both Push-ups and Sit-ups a bit more.

My good 'ole days in the Army

Push-ups
There are very little exercises that can replace the simplicity and effectiveness of a push-up. Performing this exercise works the chest, shoulders and arms. In addition to weight lighting, I try to incorporate a push-up based exercise session once a week in my workout plan. There are many different variations of push-ups (close-hand, wide-grip, incline). Research has shown that the most effective push-ups are push-ups performed with your hands as close as possible (Cogley, 2005).

Sit-ups
Sit-ups, performed correctly, can be an effective ab exercise. Sit-ups, along with other ab exercises, help the body to maintain posture aid in breathing process, protect organs in the ab area and much more. In a 2008 study, full sit-ups were shown to be as effective as (and gentler on the neck) than partial sit-ups using a stability ball (Chong, 2008). Sit-ups, along with other ab exercises, is a great way to strengthen ones core.

The 300 Push-up/Sit-up Challenge
With that said, are you ready for the 300 Push-up/Sit-up Challenge?

I call this the 300 Challenge because you will perform 300 push-ups, 300 hundred sit-ups in 30 minutes or less.

Goal: Perform 300 Push-ups and 300 Sit-ups (or as many as you can) in less than 30 minutes

What you need: Clock or Watch (Use the stopwatch feature on your phone**), a exercise mat or soft carpet, pen/paper. Optional - 30 lbs Dumbbells, Edge of a Couch, Treadmill, or the edge of a Heavy Bench, a bottle of water, a towel, and chewing gum - to keep your throat from being dry.

Setting up the Challenge: This challenge can be performed at home or at the gym. To stabilize your feet for the sit-ups, you have several options. You can use two 30 lbs dumbbells to hold your feet. Just slide your feet under the handles at the edge of the mat.

You can use a the edge of a treadmill to stabilize your feet. Or, if you have enough room and if the sofa is heavy enough, you can use the edge of your sofa. You can also use the end of a workout bench.

There are many different approaches to taking the challenge You can start by alternating between doing 10 push-ups, then performing 10 sit-ups. I prefer to alternate between 20 push-ups, then 20 sit-ups. Whatever method you decide, write it out on paper and bring it with you to the challenge session, along with something to write with.

Performing the Challenge:

Step 1: Start the clock

Step 2: Perform your first round of push-ups and sit-ups

Step 3: Immediately after that round, cross it that row on your paper (This will also give you a few seconds of recovery between the rounds).

Step 4: Repeat steps 2 and 3 the until the 30 minutes are up, you can't perform anymore, or you complete all 300 push-ups and sit-ups.

Comment on how far you got, what problems you ran into or your approach/modifications to the challenge.

If performed correctly, you can burn anywhere from 200-400 calorie during this session.

Here is a quick video tutorial that demonstrates how to correctly perform a push-up.

Here is a quick video tutorial that demonstrates how to correctly perform a sit-up.

**(Tip) - If you use a IPhone or IPod as your stopwatch, disable the auto-lock feature so that the phone will display the clock the entire time of the challenge session.

Regards,

-Mike "Camo" Lee

References:
Chong, Raymond, Shelly Barber, Laurie Howell Martin, Kimberly Steele and Rebecca White. "Abdominal exercise intensities on firm and complaint surfaces.(Author abstract)(Report)." Perceptual and Motor Skills 106.3 (June 2008): 917(10). Nursing Resource Center.

Cogley, R. M., Archambault, T. A., Fibeger, J. F., & Koverman, M. M. (2005). Comparison of muscle activation using various hand positions during the push-up exercise. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 19(3), 628-33.

Disclaimer - Use caution when engaging in any strenuous exercise. Live to fight another day. Always follow the advice of your physician before starting any new workout program.

Hello World!

2012-01-10T12:29:00.000-08:00

Hello. My name is Mike "Camo" Lee and this is the official fitness blog for Mountain Rush Fitness. Coming soon, on this blog, you will find the latest health and fitness information, which will help you reach your health and fitness goals. We will publish original fitness tip articles as well as links to other helpful news and information. We will also have workout videos, tutorials, fat loss strategies, ebooks, and much more.

So, who am I, you may ask?

I am a Army Veteran who is extremely passionate about health and fitness. In August 2010, I decided to radically change my health and fitness. I went from a pudgy 232 lbs to a lean and mean 185 lbs. That was a fat loss of 47 lbs! I added a few pounds of muscle and landed at 192 lbs. It took me from August 2010 to June 2011 to achieve this goal.

So, how did I lose 47 lbs of fat?

I lost the fat mainly through running, weight lifting and a fundamental sound meal plan. On this blog, I am going to step you through exactly how you can do it too. It was by no means easy. There was a lot of sacrifice that had to be made in order for me to achieve that goal. But, I can definitely say that all the hard work paid off. I am happier and healthier than ever.

My Body Transformation story has been featured on the hugely popular fitness website muscleandstrength.com. My story is currently the most commented Body Transformation story on their website. There have been a large number of people that have reached out to me letting me know that my fat loss methods have helped them become fit.

Check out Michael Lee's Body Muscle and Strength Body Transformation story here.

http://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/michael-lee-body-transformation.html

I hope it touches and motivates you as it has for many others. More tips, information and post coming soon...

Regards,

-Mike "Camo" Lee
Mountain Rush Fitness