There is often quite a bit conflicting advice offered when evaluating the appropriate volumes and intensity at which someone should exercise.

Many "non-experts" propose a variety of different methodologies, in order to lose fat or lose weight. Often these methodologies have been born from personal experience or a misunderstanding of basic physiological principles.

It is important to understand the theory behind each of these approaches in order to accurately utilize the most effective methods available.

One important theory to understand is that of individuality. 

In short, the concept of individuality explains that the same exercise may have different effects for different individuals. Essentially this says, "What works for one person, may not work for another."

Let's look at this more carefully...

In order to do this, let's compare two individuals, the first a highly trained aerobic athlete, the second a beginner who is not aerobically fit at all.

To simplify our comparison, let's say that the first athlete is capable of running on a treadmill at 18 km/h and at the second athlete is capable of running only up to 8 km/h. 

(We could also compare their aerobic capacities, measured by their maximal oxygen uptake, or VO2 max)

Obviously, should we ask each athlete to run at 8 km/h, the highly trained aerobic athlete will find this a very easy task, whilst our unfit athlete will find this extremely challenging, as this speed is the maximum they are capable of doing at present.

So the same demand in terms of absolute speed or velocity has produced two very different aerobic challenges for two different people.

Looking at this example in a very simplistic manner, we could say that the second athlete is working at approximately 100% capacity in order to run 8 km/h, whilst our highly trained athlete is working at less than 50% capacity (8/18 = 44.4%)

When we consider the source of the energy used by each athlete, the least fit athlete would be utilizing a very high percentage of carbohydrates and a very small percentage of fat. The very fit athlete however, because of the low demand placed on their aerobic capacity, would be utilizing quite a high percentage of fat, as the exercise is making very little demand on their aerobic capability.

Hence, the better-conditioned athlete utilizes more fat in completing the same exercise intensity than the poorly conditioned athlete. This helps explain why a very fit person may also be quite lean, even though they appear to be exercising at a higher rate (or intensity) that a less conditioned person.

Many people without a strong theoretical background, and hence a reliance on their own personal experience only, propose methodologies that work for them. These people are usually well conditioned, enjoy challenging themselves having trained for a number of years, have high tolerances of pain and are both quite strong and very capable aerobically.  As such, most aerobic exercise is relatively easy and will thus challenge their fat utilizing capabilities, even when exercising at relatively high rates. (Compare the physique of marathon runners, and long-distance runners, who are aerobically advanced to those of say, competitors in the field events, who do not have the same aerobic requirements and who therefore do not train to develop aerobic capacities to the same extent)

Whilst this appears to be in conflict with the concept of utilizing more fat at lower exercise intensities, it actually is not, as it is the individual's exercise intensity rather than an absolute value (such as the speed of their run) that is critical in determining the source of energy utilized in any particular exercise.

The use of a heart rate monitor is essential in order to accurately assess the appropriate level of intensity that any exercise has on an individual. Using "rules of thumb" such as Karvonin's principal in order to calculate appropriate heart rate ranges will allow the intensity of the exercise to be matched to the capability of the individual, and as such, will help to maximize results.

For the conditioned athlete, the exercise mentioned in the example above is very easy. As such, both the energy demand and subsequently the demand for oxygen are both low and the energy supply can easily be met by metabolizing fat.

For the beginner however, working close to or at the capacity, is incapable of supplying sufficient oxygen to meet the energy demands of the exercise, which in their case is high. As such, they need to utilize the most efficient source of energy available to them, carbohydrates! Therefore, the use of fat as an energy source in their case is relatively low.

 In exercise, there is no “one size fits all” approach.

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    Regards Kym

Encouraging proactive action in order to improve your health and fitness is always central to one’s role as a physical educator, exercise physiologist or personal trainer.

Procrastination is always the enemy of achieving any positive outcomes, particularly in respect of your health.

In an upcoming post, we will look at many of the mistakes common to beginners attempting to improve their health and fitness.

One of the most common mistakes made is making too many changes all at the same time.

By this I mean, the typical “New Year’s resolution”, whereby starting on January 1st, the person vows to change their exercise patterns, eating patterns, drinking patterns etc.

In essence, they commit to change their entire lifestyle.

Whilst this is an admirable objective, the methodology by which they effect this change may be flawed.

Due to a complex set of interrelated factors, which they have maintained for a number of years and are integral to their lifestyle, this is often a particularly difficult task.

As seen in the post “behavioral change: a staged approach”, effective change, (that is one that is permanent) needs to be supported by an adequate and staged educational process in addition to a readiness and appreciation of the positive values of the intended change.

What often happens as a result of all this change is that somewhere along the line it becomes too difficult to maintain. 

Work, unrealistic expectations, social life, family life, injury, a lack of adequate progress, sickness, holidays, motivation or just life in general presents challenges that make maintaining this new regimented and structured lifestyle difficult.

Typically one aspect of the change cannot be maintained. As a result, the whole process collapses, as the individual sees their “resolution” as a whole process, not a sum of the parts. 

When one part of this whole process cannot be maintained the individual loses motivation to maintain their commitment to all the other processes.

A more graduated approach, where the individual addresses different aspects of this change in a progressive manner may for many people be more appropriate and effective.

For example, perhaps an individual may consider as their first step just one stage of this process, let’s say to start a gradual and appropriate exercise program.

Once this has been undertaken successfully, you could gradually introduce the second stage of program, perhaps modifying your eating processes.

This approach lessons the amount of stress and expectation an individual places upon themselves and make their success much more likely.

In all eventuality they are much more likely to be able to cope with difficulties presented by modifying one aspect of their lifestyle rather than attempting many simultaneously.

So, perhaps this year it’s time to make your “November resolution” now, and start the first phase of your lifestyle change. 

It will make your traditional “New Year’s Resolution” much more likely to be successful!

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Lately I have been doing quite a deal of reading about the concept of virtual assistance and outsourcing.

Essentially this involves contracting a person or persons to complete tasks on your behalf, as you lack the skills, time, knowledge or inclination to do them yourself.

It’s a very effective way of working, as you are utilizing people who may be far more efficient and expert in various tasks, and therefore capable of achieving whatever the task is in a time efficient manner.

The concept has been popularized of late through the publication of a book by Tim Ferris titled “The four hour work week”. Ferris leverages his time by utilizing virtual assistants and/or outsourcing to achieve a great deal of work whilst he completes a managerial, delegating role. In essence he sets the strategy or plan and has others effect it.

Whilst not a new concept, it is one that is gaining increasing popularity as people outsource an ever-increasing range of tasks, often to someone living offshore (via the Internet) and who will work for a fraction of the cost it would take the original entrepreneur or to do the tasks themselves.

Like many busy people, (particularly with a young family) I find myself with too much to do and too little time in which to do it.

This results in an ever-expanding list of "to-do" items, eventually resulting in little action and growing frustration.

It seems common that people often find themselves in a situation of having time on their hands but not the money to enjoy it, or conversely having money but without the time to enjoy it.

And so utilizing virtual assistants or outsourcing various tasks on my list is becoming an increasingly attractive proposition…

As part of the information I have been reviewing in regard to virtual assistance, I came across a quotation yesterday from somebody who had an initial hesitancy as to whether he could afford to utilize such methods.

In speaking about his now positive experiences from outsourcing, he revealed that he had changed his initial mindset from “ I can’t afford to do this?” to “How can I find a way to afford this?”

This is often a similar situation with your health and fitness and/or your use of personal trainer, as we explored in "too busy to exercise or too busy not to?". Whilst you appreciate the benefit that could be had, you convince yourself that you can’t afford either the time or money to invest.

It started me thinking about various methods that people could use, should they see value in pursuing their training objectives.

Firstly, take action!  Without some positive action on your behalf, nothing will occur.

Research, or simply ask how much these services cost. In speaking to potential clients I’m often amazed at what they perceive it might cost to utilize my services.

One of the most obvious ways to utilize training services would be to budget an amount of money from your existing wage.  Discuss what that amount of money would be able to achieve and assess a cost to benefits relationship.

Perhaps look at utilizing a trainer less often if they are charging an hourly rate that is beyond your budget. Often a few sessions may be adequate to assess your needs, limitations of, capabilities and requirements in order to set up a program that you may be able to follow yourself.  The less contact time you have with the trainer, the more affordable this service is likely to be over a period of time.

Yet even this may be beyond the scope of some people’s budget.

Yesterday I met with a potential client, who could recognize the potential benefits and was particularly enthusiastic but had a particularly restricted budget (as they were working only very limited hours whilst completing their education).  Their paid work time had been reduced and therefore had some time available.

It made me think about how I might help this individual and others in similar situations. Simple solutions such as find more work, work more hours etc were not going to be effective in the short term.

Then I started to think about the concept of virtual assistance, outsourcing and the like. Similarly, I began to think about the numbers of new personal trainers working within the industry who need assistance in developing their business.  Additionally I thought about my own clientele, and the sense of community (and network) that exists within them. And so I came up with a number of solutions that might assist this person and others.

The first thing that came to mind was that often within my own network people often require specific assistance for which they may be prepared to employ on a full-time or part-time basis. “Putting the word out” in a network can be very effective in generating opportunities.

I often recommend people within my own network to others or am asked to refer someone with a particular skill to them as a simple courtesy. You may well have a set of skills or knowledge that is highly desirable. Oftentimes people are more comfortable with personal recommendations rather than going through the hassle and uncertainty of advertising positions, interviewing and structured employment processes.

Specific and general skills might be required…a backlog of typing, organizational duties, research, basic accounting and bookkeeping, business writing, marketing, market research, debt collection, gift buying etc…the list is only limited by imagination.  Being available to work through an ever expanding “to do list” would be particularly attractive in my circumstance.

You might also be able to utilize your own networks by referring them to a trainer in exchange for their services. You may be able to negotiate free sessions or discounted rates for attending with a friend, for a referral or attending during off-peak times. The important thing to remember is that the person you are approaching, (that is the trainer), may need some education in order to recognize the opportunity that you are presenting.

Naturally, they would need to appreciate whatever service you are offering as of particular value. If this value can be leveraged, it is a much more attractive proposition.

It’s not unusual for people to exchange one service for another. For example hairdressers might exchange a haircut, a masseur a massage, or a mechanic a tune up in exchange for training. It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement.

You would need to ensure that both parties are clear on exactly what has been agreed to, what is required and for a period of time the agreement lasts.

Marketing skills could be used to extend business and are particularly applicable in difficult financial times. Why not strike an arrangement to prepare and execute a marketing and promotional program for a trainer in lieu of a training fee? 

It’s an area in which many businesses struggle due to lack of expertise. Demonstrating the advantages that such a process might bring would be highly attractive to most businesses.

It’s great practical experience. And remember, a job well done will often lead to further referrals, presenting other opportunities that may interest and advantage you.

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We've all seen them…

Infomercials and advertisements featured in newspapers, magazines, radio and television which extol the virtues of a variety of products and services related to health, wellbeing, fitness and training.

Nearly always they feature attractive presenters or celebrities using the product.

Often they feature celebrity endorsements or sponsor successful professional teams or athletes.

We imply through association, that the targeted product or service was the cause of their success or image.  This may or may not be the case. In many cases, particularly in relation to the commercialization of products it is not the case.

A favorite in the infomercial arena is the targeted reduction implication. The product featured appears to target an area of the body, one that is desirable for the potential purchaser. For example, the person using the machine has a lean, attractive abdominal musculature (a six pack!). In front of our eyes, they are on a machine that is using their abdominal muscles. Obviously we imply that their musculature is a direct result of their use of the machine.

Fitness Models are often used, who are models with attractive bodies hired specifically for the job, but not necessarily a long-term user of the product.

Even in situations such as; with family and friends, gym or health club, or in a sporting environment, we assume that because someone possessing a desirable physique or image is using a particular product, exercise, machine or program, that it is that product, program, exercise or machine that has caused their physique.

And because we desire a similar physique we attempt to utilize the same process.

Fear, envy, lust, desperation, laziness motivate us to pursue a particular path.

The fat loss and body image market is both a particularly lucrative and vulnerable audience. Often the potential purchaser has tried a variety of other methods (usually unsuccessfully) but is unperturbed, willing to try again (this product will be the miracle!), reticent to seek professional help, embarrassed by their physical appearance and desperate to achieve their objective.

Clever marketers research their target demographic through a variety of methods to identify the factors that would appeal to them and that would influence a buying decision.

Information gathered from their research through focus groups and surveys, result the use of specific key words, concepts and images that appeal to the potential purchaser. Retouching of photos can enhance physical features. The use Fitness Models make it easy for us to make the implication of cause and affect. Even the likeability of a celebrity and the physical design of a print advertisement can influence us to buy!

Limited offers, special discounts and bonus offers create a sense of urgency, imploring us to buy on impulse.

How can you protect yourself?

Look carefully at the advertisement and determine what direct claims are being made as to the cause and effect of the people involved. Do the claims seem realistic?

What sort of guarantee exists with the product?

Is there a scientific basis to any claims actually made? What this means in essence, is that regardless of who uses the particular product it will return a similar result.

Does the person demonstrating the product appear fluent in its use? I am often amused, particularly in infomercials, at the awkwardness of some of the fitness models in their use of the product. It's obvious that they have barely used the product prior to the taping of the advertisement!

Ask yourself if you could you use this product on an ongoing basis? Is it boring and repetitive?

If possible, delay your purchasing decision whilst you think carefully about your potential investment or can speak with someone without your degree of emotional attachment.

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