Training Swag ... the pursuit of physical fitness

Build up your back, boost your self-esteem

2011-08-16T15:00:00.000-04:00

The second time I hired a personal trainer, I wanted to go to the next level.

Photo by http://www.lashinda.smugmug.com/

After I went over my routine with her, she said: “You are only working the front part of your body – the part that you can see in the mirror. What exercises are you doing for your back?”

My response: “My back? Why would I work my back? I can’t see it.”

Trainer: “Well, what are people going to say when you walk away?”

I have trained my back ever since, and it has become one of my favorite muscle groups to exercise.

Back muscles are important because they support the spine and are involved in almost every move that you make. These muscles are important in maintaining good posture.

Beyond the health benefits, when you develop your back it’s just a matter of time before you get the coveted V-taper or wide shoulder-to-waist ratio. And besides, it just looks so damn good.

We’re talking backless dresses. Halter tops and T backs.

So develop a routine that includes working your back muscles. Spend time doing lat pulldowns, the seated cable row and pullups. (Pullups? Yep, pullups. Ladies, you can do pullups – even if it is 10 sets of 1.)

If you do a back routine two or three times a week, you won’t have to wonder what people are saying when you walk away.

Mind over matter … if your mind isn’t right, nothing else matters

2011-07-21T19:10:00.000-04:00

The battle of the bulge is not just about the food you shovel into your mouth. It is also about what you allow to grow inside your head.

I am talking about your thoughts. What do you say about yourself - your goal to lose weight, your quest to become more physically fit - throughout the day? What do you say about food?

Your thoughts are one of the keys to success. Thoughts are seeds that grow and produce fruit. I often compare a person’s thought life to a garden.

When you allow your mind to wander or focus on negative thoughts, it is like not weeding a garden. And everyone knows that when you don’t tend a garden, the weeds will take over and choke out the flowers you are trying to grow.

Weeds are like nagging negative thoughts or feelings. You know how it goes. “I will never lose this weight.” “After I lost the weight, I said I would never let myself go again. But here I am. I am too old now.” “I tried that diet and it doesn’t work.” “I can’t work out. I don’t have the time.” These are all weeds designed to choke out the abundant life you crave.

It is time to tend your garden. You do that by challenging every negative thought that creeps into your mind. Every time you have a negative thought, ask these questions: Is it true? Who says? What steps have I taken to solve this issue? What expert advice have I sought? Have I surrounded myself with like-minded people who can support me in my efforts? Do my physical surroundings support what I am trying to do? Did I give it my all?

Once you’ve challenged the negative thought, replace it with a positive affirmation. You will likely have to repeat the process over and over again for the rest of your life.

My father once told me, “No one can tend your garden the way that you do.”

We were weeding a flower bed at the time. As I look back on that conversation, I believe his comment had a deeper meaning.

The body serves the mind.

You are what you eat - really

2011-06-24T12:51:00.004-04:00

Here's the deal.

After you rule out medical conditions, the mostly likely reason you are not losing weight is because you are eating too much.

Photo by www.lashinda.smugmug.com

Your metabolism probably isn’t slow. Thickness may run in your family, but that is a choice. The last few diets you went on didn’t work, but then you didn’t stick with them.

These are versions of the lies you tell yourself to make yourself feel better. But don’t deceive yourself.

There is nothing magical about losing weight.

Calories in. Calories out. It’s that simple.

If you burn more calories than you eat, you will lose weight. If you eat more calories than you burn, you will gain weight. If you burn the calories that you consume, your weight will remain steady.

Yes, working out is important and it aids in weight loss. But there are not enough hours in the day for you to burn the calories you consume when you eat too much.

So, take the guesswork out of how much you are eating by measuring and weighing your food. And account for the calories of all the extras, like sauces or oils you put on food.

It’s a pain. But when you have a goal, the steps you take to reach that goal have to be specific.

Losing weight is no different. Set your goal weight. Figure out how many calories you need to consume to sustain the goal weight. Know how much you are eating by weighing and measuring your food. That way, you can calculate how many calories you are consuming.

It’s all about calories in, calories out.

Eight reasons to hire a personal trainer

2011-06-16T15:31:00.000-04:00

1. A personal trainer can develop an exercise program for you to follow at home or when you go to the gym. The program will include exercises, number of repetitions and sets and exercise frequency.

Photo by http://www.lashinda.smugmug.com/.

2. A personal trainer will make sure you follow the proper technique when using free weights or strength training equipment. This will not only lower the risk of injury, it will ensure that you get the maximum benefit from training.

3. Need someone to encourage and push you or make you accountable? A personal trainer can do that.

4. There are many methods to build muscular strength or improve your cardiovascular endurance. But the underlying principles of how the body responds or adapts to stress are few. You can get that information from a trainer and avoid having to wade through anatomy books. Once you understand the principles, you can be successful no matter what method you choose.

5. A personal trainer sharpens your focus as you exercise.

6. It is time to put you at the top of the list of what is important. When you are with a personal trainer, you are the No. 1 priority.

7. There are no shortcuts to fitness. But a personal trainer makes the trip a lot easier.

8. Do it for all the haters in the world. (People who are going to hate on you because of your improved fitness and appearance.)

Don’t fear the scale; use it to your advantage

2011-06-14T16:29:00.000-04:00

Stepping on the scale is like a cold slap on the face.

You can’t fudge it. You can’t file excuses. You can’t make it disappear.

It’s just the hard, cold-stone facts. And while it should not be the only measure of progress, weighing yourself is a valuable tool that indicates whether you’re on the right track.

Weigh yourself weekly and try to do it at the same time and day each week. If you are up three pounds or more, it’s time to make adjustments in your diet or exercise regimen.

Weighing yourself more frequently will drive you crazy because body weight fluctuates for various reasons.

Weighing yourself less frequently allows you to wallow in denial. The longer you stay there, the further you get from your goal. And if fear has paralyzed you to the point where you cannot bear to get on the scale, not knowing your weight doesn’t change the truth.

If you have packed on a few pounds, chances are you already know it. Your clothes are fitting tighter. Maybe your midsection looks a bit more bulky.

No matter. You can always change your course.

So, step on the scale. Get the objective measure (your weight) of whether you are on track.

If you are on track, keep going. If not, make adjustments and still keep going. The journey continues no matter what.

Seeking a transformation, making tough choices

2011-06-07T17:25:00.017-04:00

He came to me with a simple request: I want you to train me.

At age 19, standing 5-foot-7, the young man who had been known for his exploits on the basketball court had ballooned to 288 pounds.

He said somewhere in the middle of high school his physical activity had dropped off. College came with a whole new set of challenges. Away from home for the first time, the temptation to eat whatever he wanted was too great. Playing his beloved game of basketball was sporadic at best.

He didn’t say what his tipping point was. But it didn’t really matter.

Falling in love with pumping iron

2011-05-31T13:00:00.001-04:00

Photo by http://www.lashinda.smugmug.com/

Let me tell you about my ongoing love affair with the weight room.

To me, it is the only place – other than the cemetery – where the playing field is level.

To get results, the color of my skin doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter whether I am young or old, male or female. Political or religious affiliation is of no consequence. It doesn’t matter whether I am popular or a loner. And money is worthless.

The only thing that matters is my effort. How hard I work and how far I push myself – I decide. It’s my world, and I have total control. Nobody is the boss of me.

The possibility of change lives in this room. Bodies can be transformed in this room, but so can minds.

Don’t waste a workout – intensity is the key

2011-05-25T19:09:00.000-04:00

If you are overweight and trying to lose pounds, don’t focus on how many calories a cardio machine says you are burning. They are not accurate, anyway.

Instead, focus on the amount of time and at what intensity level you are exercising. The harder you work, and the longer you work, the more calories you burn.

To maximize weight loss, exercising about 300 minutes a week at a moderate intensity level is recommended. That’s working out for about an hour on most days. If you can’t last an hour, start with 30 minutes and work your way up.

Photo by lashinda.smugmug.com

If you are more physically fit, you should spend about 150 minutes a week exercising at a vigorous intensity level. That breaks down to about 25 minutes a day.

So, how do you determine intensity level? Moderate intensity level is working at 55 percent to 69 percent of your age-related maximum heart rate. Vigorous intensity level is working at 70 percent to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate.

The formula to calculate your age-related maximum heart rate is:

220 – age = maximum heart rate, in beats per minute.

If you are 40 years old, your maximum heart rate would be 180.

To determine your range for moderate intensity, use this calculation: Multiply the maximum heart rate by .55 (55 percent) and then by .69 (69 percent). So, if you’re 40, the range would be 99 to 124.2.

To get your range for vigorous intensity: Multiply the maximum heart rate by .70 (70 percent) and then by .85 (85 percent). If you’re 40, the range would be 126 to 153.

But here is the clincher. You have to spend the correct number of minutes exercising at the appropriate intensity level. So, if the recommendation is to work for 60 minutes a day at a moderate intensity level, you may have to spend a total of 75 minutes exercising in order to get 60 minutes at the desired level. In this example, you’re allowing yourself to spend 15 minutes outside the moderate intensity level.

That means if you have a goal, you can’t mindlessly zone out when you are working out. You have to be engaged in your workout. Pay attention to what you are doing, know how hard you are working and how long you’ve been working.

One of the best ways to make sure you’re exercising at the correct intensity level is to invest in a heart-rate monitor. These allow you to check your heart rate at any time with just a glance. Or you can follow the readouts on the exercise equipment, which are generally accurate for heart rate.

It simply is not enough just to exercise when you are trying to enhance weight loss. The exercise has to fit the formula.

Consistency (time + intensity) = results.

And so the journey begins...

2011-05-22T16:37:00.000-04:00

Photo by lashinda.smugmug.com

Welcome to Training Swag, a blog about the relentless pursuit of fitness, written by a certified personal trainer who at one time was a journalist. Yes, I used to be a journalist. But when the economy tanked, so did my position as a city desk editor. Not once, but twice.

Now I am in the process of recreating myself – in much the same way as when you start an exercise regimen and begin eating healthier. It is hard work and it takes time.

This blog – Training Swag – is an outgrowth of that process. This blog is about fitness – how to get there and how to stay there. I will give you information about the principles of strength training and the body’s response to physical activity. Many fitness topics will be discussed, including what happens as the body ages and what you can do to slow down that process. You will meet people I’ve encountered along my journey and read their stories, about how and why they are trying to become more fit. And ladies, I will push you to pump iron because diamonds are not your best friend, dumbbells are.

Why the name Training Swag? Swag is your personal style. Your confidence level. The overall way in which you carry yourself. It is that “it” some people have and everybody notices. You can probably get swag from a number of places. One place you can acquire it is in the gym. But you have to train for it.