FitBuzzer

Get Paid To Hit The Gym!

2013-01-16T11:04:00.001-05:00

With 2013 rolling in, many of the new years resolution people will slowly start to fade away from gyms. Why are you quitting the gym? If anything you should be excited for a new start of a new you. All you require is patience and dedication. However, I do agree that sometimes people tend to lose motivation for whatever reason, but that doesn’t mean you should give up the second you’re unmotivated!

Due to mankind’s greedy nature, nothing is going to kick you back into wanting to hit the gym again other than some cold hard cash! With the free iPhone app GymPact, users deposit money and get a chunk back every time they check in at the gym. Here's the catch, you will lose cash when you skip your scheduled workout sessions. I personally don't know anyone who is willing to give up some of their hard-earned money for the sake of skipping workouts. So save your money, and make some too, by sticking to your workouts.

You can download the FREE iPhone app from here (opens in a new window)

Good luck, and happy hustlin'!

Gym Lingo Series: #4 The Moves

2012-12-23T12:45:00.001-05:00

The last episode of the Gym Lingo Series; The Moves. You usually overhear certain terms at the gym that would either sounds funny or not make sense at all. Familiarize yourself with those terms so the next time you’re conversing about the gym, the lead will be yours. Let’s take a look at some of those moves:

The Moves

Bench Press: C’mon! who doesn’t know this one? It’s an all-time upper body favorite. A compound movement that is used to strengthen the chest, shoulders, and triceps. Weights could get heavy on this one, so a spotter is strongly advised.

Burpee: There is nothing rude about letting out a few of these at the gym. It’s a full-body movement that involves adding a “squat thrust” (pushup in the down position), and finishing off the movement with a vertical jump.

Clean & Jerk: A highly-technical Olympic weightlifting move. It’s an explosive two-stage movement that begins by “cleaning” the weight from the floor to shoulders, and then “jerking” it overhead with a solid push from the legs.

Deadlift: Not as scary as it sounds, this movement involves picking a loaded barbell off the floor. Not any type of random picking; your deadlifting form has to be on point. You can checkout the detailed rundown of the form by the legendary strength coach Mark Rippetoe from here.

Dips: While many prefer dips with chips, this athletic version involves both hands. It is usually a movement that involves holding onto two parallel bars, and “dipping” in between them. Two grip variations to hit two muscles: narrow for chest, and wide for triceps.

Military Press: If you’re looking for some serious overhead strength, this is the right movement. From a standing position, with an overhand grip, press the barbell upward until arms are fully extended overhead. Make sure you move your head forward when your arms are fully extended and squeeze those traps to achieve the fully benefit.

Planks: Jack Sparrow’s absolute favorite, this core-stabilizing exercise keeps us on our toes and forearms while working the abs, lower back, and obliques.

Pull-ups: Nope, they are not the “potty training” version. This beastly movement involves hanging off a bar and pulling yourself up using an overhand grip until your face clears the bar, repeatedly.

Chin-ups: The cousins of pull-ups. The movement involves pulling yourself off a bar using an underhand grip.

Skullcrushers: No worries, relatively few skulls have actually been crushed during this dynamic triceps movement. It involves brining a barbell (or dumbbell) within inches of the forehead, while laying down on a bench. A spotter is definitely advised for this one!

Snatch: Arguably, the most technical movement in strength sports. The snatch involves lifting a barbell from the floor to a locked arms overhead position in a smooth, continuous motion. A combination of strength, speed, and precision is needed for this Olympic weightlifting movement.

Gym Lingo Series: #3 The Methods

2012-12-20T12:47:00.001-05:00

Your fitness goals dictate your type of training. There are certain terminologies associated with each type of training. You will hear those a lot at the gym, or even run through them as you're reading your favorite fitness magazine. Therefore, it is important to familiarize yourself with “The Methods” involved in training so you can approach your goals the right way. Here’s a list the list:

The Methods

Lifting: With many names such as weight training, resistance training, and pumping iron, lifting is the method for increasing muscular strength, size, and endurance.

Circuit Training: Usually involves a set of exercises that are done in an ordered manner. The exercises are a combination of strength and cardio training to blast the maximum amount of calories. Circuits are done more than once (3-5 times) depending on the intensity.

Interval Training: A training regime that involves mixed bursts of light and intense activity. This training method is well known for maximizing fat-burning potential while boosting metabolism and cardiovascular fitness.

Compound Movements: They are exercises that involve multiple muscles, promoting stability and maximum calorie burn. Some of the classics include squats, deadlifts, and bench press.

Isolation Movements: The opposite of compound movements. Those exercises target a single muscle instead of multiple ones. A classic favorite is bicep curls.

Drop Sets: Used as a strength training technique, the weight used is reduced mid-set and the exercise is continued until exhaustion. Great for building strength, very taxing on the body (use in moderation).

Supersets: Intensify any workout with this approach; two exercises are performed back-to-back with no, or minimal, rest in between. The result is more work in a minimal amount of time.

Split: No it’s not the fudgy-nutty-heavenly-banana-ice-cream. It’s a type of routine that involves dividing muscle groups into different training days, like this split routine. This is beneficial as each body part will have a sufficient time to recover and rebuild.

Failure: The exercise is repeated until exhaustion; until the muscle cannot handle the weight used anymore. While it is beneficial in terms of muscular strength, size, and endurance, using this method can potentially cause some nasty injuries. Be careful.

Forced Reps: Almost as fun as they sound. These are extra repetitions at the end of a set that require the help of a spotter. Why do that? Well, a great potential for greater muscle mass and strength gains.

Negatives: Nope, it’s not something bad, just a type of movement. It is also referred to as an eccentric contraction; lowering the weight slowly under tension to the start position. Why do that? Well, negative reps apply more stress on the muscle over a longer period of time. Therefore, more strength incurred.

Progression: It’s a method of tracking things at the gym. This includes tracking weights, repetitions, number of sets, rest time, etc. Tracking progression is a great way to gauge improvements and pinpoint weaknesses.

Plateau: The human body has a natural ability to adapt to stresses, more specifically, those from exercise. If the same exercise routine is performed regularly, the progress at the gym will eventually come to a halt, and that is called a plateau. Changing exercises and levels of intensity can aid in overcoming plateau’s.

Plyometrics: A set of movements designed to increase speed and explosiveness while strengthening joint and muscles. These movements include things like broad jumps, vertical jumps, explosive skipping, explosive pushups, etc.

Gym Lingo Series: #2 The Talk

2012-11-20T11:34:00.003-05:00

You are supposed to be 100% concentrated on your workout and not wasting your valuable time chitchatting with others at the gym. However, a lot of times your going to experience workout interruptions brought to you in part by your brothers in iron. For a newcomer, many of those social interruptions do not make sense. Here is some decoding for common phrases at the gym:

The Talk

“Can I get a spot?”: Nothing is more terrifying than death by free weights. Seeking a more secure workout by asking an able-bodied individual would probably save you a few life-threatening situations at the gym. With the possibility of a few grunts of encouragement, your body will be pushed to achieve its limits.

“How many sets do you have left?”: A question that is repeatedly asked when a gym equipment is occupied by someone else. The purpose of the question is to know how long to wait around to be able to use that piece of equipment.

“Can I work in?”: With the profound assumption that this isn’t someone trying to hit on you, the person is asking if it’s alright to take turns on the machine/bench/squat rack while you rest between sets.

“What are you lifting today?”: The most logical answer would be weights (duuuh!), but the question is actually asking what muscle group (legs, chest, back, etc.) is on today’s agenda.

“What’s your max, bro?”: This question falls under the “pure bro talk” category. It is referring to your personal best for a certain exercise. Don’t recall the number? No biggie, just pick your favorite number and add at least one zero to the end of it.

“Can you help me load/rack these?”: Remember how important it was to put toys away? Proper gym etiquette states that after loading weights, they should be racked (i.e. removed) and returned to where they belong (asking for help to do so is totally a personal preference).

Gym Lingo Series: #1 The Crowd

2012-11-07T13:55:00.000-05:00

Unsurprisingly, gyms are filled with people who have the potential to score high on the intimidation scale. Try going for a quick stroll inside the gym, you will be attacked with not only provoking looks and take-no-prisoners stares, but also some out of the ordinary lingo that would even add more insult to injury. Here is a gym lingo series that would make you walk around the gym like a pro. Be on the look out for the rest of the series, ya' heard!

The Crowd:

Bodybuilder: This is an easy one. You can easily spot them by their X-shaped frames and bulging biceps.

Powerlifter: They can single-handedly do a lot of things. They prefer to do two things: Math (in the multiples of 45 lbs), and compete in squats, deadlifts, and bench presses.

CrossFitter: These super motivated specimens slam their workouts hard with tens to hundreds of reps of high intensity functional movements including pull-ups, box jumps, Olympic lifts, and burpees.

Power Couple: His and hers workout has got a matched level of intensity. Look out for synchronized movements with lots of starry-eyed high fives (get a home gym, please!)

Personal Trainer: With their distinctive t-shirts, level of fitness, knowledge, and leadership skills, those certified pros help clients achieve their fitness goals through safe and effective exercise techniques.

Spin Head: A lot of sleek, logoed spandex involved. These spinning enthusiasts seek out that high-intensity, peddle-pounding burn.

Gym Rat: These workout-aholics will do whatever it takes to get their daily dose of burn. You can spot then morning, noon, and night, maneuvering the floor and hopping on from one exercise to another with a cool “I know what’s up” swag.

Mr. Varsity: If anyone’s got game, it’s this guy. Rocking a “big man on campus” cockiness, this all-star athlete puts on a well-rehearsed show of weights, plyometrics, track work, and ofcourse, a few winks here and there for the ladies.

Weekend Warrior: The mid-week grind is all that keeps those ones from going full-throttle. Check out their weekend grind though, it involves a range of intense, strenuous workouts.

Playlist #1: Top 10 Workout Music Tracks

2012-10-03T00:19:00.000-04:00

A good workout playlist could possibly be your best friend at the gym. Here is a list of 10 hot tracks that will take your workout to the next level. The songs are in no specific order. Now it's time to upgrade your gym music playlist. This is playlist #1, be on the lookout for new music playlists regularly. Enjoy!

"The Annihilator" Workout

2012-09-26T22:50:00.001-04:00

This is what I have been doing at the gym for the past few weeks. I must say that it’s not the easiest training split out there, but it has been showing great results. The split focuses on strength and endurance, which makes it great for recreational athletes and beginners in general. Keep in mind that exercises here are done as supersets (Superset: a combination of a set of one exercises followed by a set of another exercises with minimal to no rest between them). For example
, on chest and back day the first two exercises (1.1 and 1.2) are supersets; do one set of 1.1, and then quickly do one set of 1.2. You can click on each exercise to watch an instructional video about how to do it correctly (will open in a new window). Here we go:

Day 1: Chest/Back

1.1: Incline Dumbbell Bench Press (3x10)
1.2: Incline Dumbbell Flyes (3x20)
2: Flat Dumbbell Bench Press (3x10)
3.1: V-Bar Pulldown (3x12)
3.2: Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown (3x12)
4.1: Seated Cable Rows Palms Up Grip (3x12)
4.2: Straight-Arm Pulldown (3x12)

Day 2: Legs/Abs

1: Barbell Squats (3x10)
2.1: Leg Press (3x20)
2.2: Leg Extensions (3x20)
3.1: Romanian Deadlifts (2x10)
3.2: Leg Curl (2x10)
4.1: Cable Crunches (4x12)
4.2: Weighted Crunches (4x12)

Day 3: Shoulders/Arms

1.1: Barbell Over Head Press (3x10)
1.2: Seated Bent Over Delt Raise (3x15)
2: Barbell Upright Rows (3x8)
3.1: E-Z Bar Preacher Curls Close-Grip (3x8)
3.2: Overhead Cable Curls (3x8)
4.1: Lying Triceps Press “Skull Crushers” (3x8)
4.2: Reverse Triceps Bench Press (3x8)

This is a three-day split, but I have been doing it as a four-day split with emphasis on chest/back training twice a week. My split currently looks like this:

Monday: Day 1:Chest/Back
Tuesday: Day 2: Legs/Abs
Wednesday: Rest/Cardio
Thursday: Day 3: Shoulders/Arms
Friday: Day 1: Chest/Back
Saturday: Rest/Cardio
Sunday: Rest/Cardio

So there you have it fellas, The Annihilator. It has been working great for me, try it out and let me know how it works for you. Let the annihilation begin!

Calculating macronutrients requirements

2012-09-14T15:52:00.000-04:00

As explained in this post, macronutrients are proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. To calculate your macronutrient needs you will first need to determine your caloric needs from here. Keep in mind the following
:

Proteins: 4 calories/gram
Fats: 9 calories/gram
Carbohydrates: 4 calories/gram

Hypothetically speaking...

To simplify things, let’s take an example of an individual who has the following stats:

Gender: Male
Age: 25 years
Bodyweight: 200 lbs
Height: 6 feet
Activity level: Moderately active (Exercise 3-4 times/week)
Bodyfat percentage: 15%
Lean Body Mass: bodyweight - (bodyweight x bodyfat% / 100%) = 200 - (200x15%/100%) = 170 lbs
Goal: Decrease bodyfat percentage

Since the goal here is lose body fat, the individual must maintain a diet at a caloric deficit. The first and most important step here is to calculate the right caloric requirement as shown in this guide. According to this individual’s stats:

“Maintenance” caloric requirement = 2804 calories/day
“Fat loss” caloric requirement = 2243.2 calories/day (after a 20% reduction in calories)

At this rate, this individual is eating at a deficit of 560.8 calories/day. Therefore, in one week, he will be at a deficit of 3925.6 calories/week. This is equivalent to a loss of 2.46 pounds of fat/week (since 2.2 pounds of fat = 3500 calorie)

Ok, but what about macronutrients?

So after calculating the caloric requirement to meet this individual’s goal, it’s time to determine his macronutrient needs. Since he does not fall under the athletic performance category, we should begin by calculating his protein intake first, followed by fats, and then fill the rest of the remaining calories with carbohydrates.

Proteins:

By looking at this gentleman’s stats, we could tell that he has a moderate bodyfat percentage of 15%. Therefore, he requires 1.25 grams of proteins per pound of lean body mass (LBM):

170lbs x 1.25 = 212.5 grams of protein
212.5 grams of protein x 4 calories/gram = 850 calories should come from protein

Fats:

The bodyfat percentage we’re dealing with is 15%, or average, thus this individual would need 0.4-1.0 grams of fat per pound TOTAL bodyweight. Since the goal here is to lose fat, and the individual is moderately active, it is advised to be at the lower end when calculating fats needs. Therefore, I would go with 0.4 grams of fat per pound of TOTAL bodyweight:

200lbs x 0.4 = 80 grams of fats
80 grams of fat x 9 calories/gram = 720 calories should come from fats

Carbohydrates:

After determining the requirements for proteins and fats, it’s time to calculate carbs requirement based on the numbers obtained or proteins and fats as follows:

Carbs calories = Total caloric needs - ([protein grams above x 4] + [fat grams above x 9])

Carbs calories = 2243.2 – ([212.5 x 4] + [80 x 9])
Carbs calories = 673.2 calories should come from carbohydrates

Carbs grams = 673.2/4 = 168.3 grams of carbohydrates

Therefore, the breakdown of this individuals macronutrient needs would be as follows:

Proteins: 212.5 grams = 850 calories/day
Fats: 80 grams = 720 calories/day
Carbs: 168.3 grams = 673.2 calories/day

In conclusion...

In the hypothetical example mentioned above, the individual should maintain his “Fat loss” caloric requirement, plus choose the right foods to meet his daily macronutrients requirement. Combining these two on top of regular exercising will guarantee a successful fat loss journey. Keep in mind that the fat loss caloric requirements as well as the macronutrients requirements could be tailored towards ones needs as they could find suitable. So the next time you are eating that rice cake, make sure you watch out for the nutritional value box so you are able to count your macros.

Macronutrients requirements

2012-09-14T15:51:00.002-04:00

Whether your goal is to shred that stubborn fat or pack on some lean muscle, it is without a doubt that determining your caloric requirement is an essential step towards meeting your fitness goals. But what comes after figuring out the daily caloric requirement? You probably guessed it right if your answer is macronutrient requirements. For those of you wondering, macronutrients are proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.

Proteins:

One gram of protein is equivalent to 4 calories. There’s a bit of a controversy when to it comes to the recommended protein intake depending on an individual’s goal. Generally speaking, adequate protein requirements would be:

For Strength training: 0.6 grams per pound of bodyweight
For Endurance training: 0.8 grams per pound of bodyweight
For Teenager’s training: 1.0 gram per pound of bodyweight

However, in the world of bodybuilding, these requirements would be modified according to one’s bodyfat percentage as follows:

Very high bodyfat: 1.0 gram per pound of Lean Body Mass
Moderate bodyfat: 1.25 grams per pound of Lean Body Mass
Very low bodyfat: 1.35-2.0 grams per pound of Lean Body Mass

A lot of people find that a high intake of proteins is better for satiety and blood sugar control. Protein becomes essential when on low calorie and low carb intakes.

Fats:

One gram of fats is equivalent to 9 calories. Fats are absolutely important for the body to maintain general health and sanity plus aiding in recovery after intense training sessions. General guides for fat intakes according to an individual’s bodyfat would be as follows:

High bodyfat: 0.4-1.0 grams per pound of Lean Body Mass
Average or low bodyfat: 0.4-1.0 grams per pound of TOTAL bodyweight

When on a low calorie diet, fat intake could be decreased further but should not be decreased below 0.3 grams per pound of bodyweight.

Carbohydrates:

One gram of carbohydrates is equivalent to 4 calories. Carbs do not have a specific requirement, but they are extremely important for athletes, highly active individuals, and those trying to gain mass. Keep in mind that carbs intake has an influence on training performance and intensity since the body prefers it as a source of energy. Thus, carbs requirement depends on your goal. Athletes involved in a high volume of training are advised to calculate their carbohydrates needs first, and then go back to calculate proteins and fats. General guidelines suggest the following values if you’re calculating carbohydrates intake as a priority:

Moderately active: 2-3 grams of carbs per pound of bodyweight
Highly active: 3-4 grams of carbs per pound of bodyweight
Intensely active: +4.0 grams of carbs per pound of bodyweight

Other individuals who are not as involved in high volume athletic training are suggested to calculate their carbohydrates intake after calculating their proteins and fats first.

For a guide on calculating macronutrient needs click here

Torch fat in 10 minutes!

2012-07-16T09:59:00.002-04:00

Here you have it, a simple circuit training routine to melt that extra blubber. This routine requires no equipment or space, which makes it a lot more convenient, especially for those on the run. Make sure you follow the exercises in order to achieve the best results. Of course, in circuit training, doing the routine once counts as one circuit. Try to go anywhere from 3-5 circuits continuously, with a resting time of 45-60 seconds between circuits. Also, try to keep the resting periods between each exercise to a minimum.

Here is the list of exercises for the routine in order. Get your torches ready, let's do this! (Click on the exercise to view an instructional video in a separate window):

Jumping Jacks
Start with your feet hip-width apart and hands at your sides. Simultaneously raise your arms above your head and jump so you can spread your feet shoulder-width apart. Then jump again to lower your arms and bring your feet together. Do 20 reps.
Prisoner Squat
Stand with your hands behind your head, your chest out and your elbows back. Sit back at your hips and bend your knees to lower your body as far as possible without losing the natural arch of your spine. Squeeze your glutes and push yourself back up to the starting position. Do 12 reps.
Spiderman Pushup
Start in a standard pushup position: legs straight, hands beneath your shoulders. Bring one hand further back toward your legs on one side. As you lower yourself down, bring one knee up and over the elbow on that same side. As you push back up, put your foot back in standard pushup position. Switch arm that is back to be more forward as you prepare to repeat on the other side. Do 12-15 reps.
Forward Lunge
From a standing position, take a large step forward with one leg. When your front thigh is parallel to the floor and your back knee is off the floor, hold for 1 second. Then return to the starting position and repeat with your other leg. Do 12 reps with each leg. (Make it harder by holding the lowered position for 5 seconds.)
Jabs
Begin with your feet hip width apart and your hands out in front of you at chin level. Bend your knees to lower your hips down and back as if you were going to sit on a chair. Keep your upper body straight and tall. Begin punching your fists forward in alternating jabs. Avoid swinging; only your arms should be moving. You don't have to use the weights as shown in the exercise video. Do 20 reps.

Recipes: Peanut butter Banana power shake!

2012-07-10T12:02:00.000-04:00

Nothing is better than a filling meal on the go, especially with today’s busy lifestyles. This power shake will be ready for attack in no time. As the name suggests, it consists of natural peanut butter, banana, and a few other healthy ingredients. The end result is a shake with well-rounded nutritional values, great taste, and could be definitely used as a pre/post-workout supplement. Let’s get this shake shakin’!

What do you need?

A blender (Preferably a high quality one)
1 Tablespoon of all natural peanut butter
1 Banana (Preferably frozen)
1 Scoop of whey protein powder of choice, Vanilla/Chocolate flavors are preferred
1 Cup of ice
1.5 Cups of cold water
1 Tablespoon of cinnamon powder (optional)

What to do?

Cut frozen banana into slices
Add all ingredients to blender
Blend your shake away
Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts:

The complete guide to calculating caloric needs

2012-07-06T13:17:00.002-04:00

Undoubtedly, a successful diet will require smart planning. This includes calculating the daily caloric requirements, which differ from one person to another. The following could be used as a guide to achieve a rough calculation of daily caloric needs.

Basic Terminology:

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate): The amount of calories you need to consume in order for your internal organs to function at rest.
NEAT (Non-Exercise Associated Thermogenesis): The amount of calories expended on daily activities that are not exercise-related (For example: working, doing house chores, shopping, etc.).
EAT (Exercise Associated Thermogenesis): The calorie requirements associated with planned exercise.
TEF (Thermic effect of feeding): The calorie expenditure associated with eating. This is considered as a percentage of total calories consumed. The percentage varies according to macronutrient and fiber content.
TEE (Total Energy Expenditure): The total calories required. It is determined by the sum of the above (BMR + NEAT + EAT + TEF = TEE).

Factors affecting caloric requirements:

A number of factors (in no specific order) are considered to have an impact on daily caloric requirements:

Diet (What kind of food are you ingesting?)
Daily activity level (Do you have a job that requires a lot of moving around?)
Exercise level (More exercise = more calories required)
Age and gender (Generally, males require more calories than females)
Hormones
Physiological status (Illness, injury, pregnancy, etc.)
Total weight and lean body mass (More lean body mass = more calories required)

Estimating caloric requirements:
This involves various methods which are different in terms of accuracy. Many of these methods were scientifically developed to ensure close-to-perfect results. The simplest method is to base the caloric requirement on a set of developed standards for “calories per unit of weight”. As a general guideline:

Individuals with sedentary lifestyles and minimal physical activity:

26-30 kcals/kg/day (12.0-14 kcal/pound)

Individuals involved in light to moderate activity 3-5 times/week with moderately active lifestyles:

31-37 kcal/kg/day (14-16 kcal/pound)

Individuals involved in vigorous activity and highly active lifestyles:

38-40 kcals/kg/day (16-18 kcal/pound)

Individuals involved in moderate to heavy training (15-20 hours/week):

41 to 50 kcals/kg/day (18.5-22 kcal/pound)

Individuals involved in heavy to extreme training (more than 20 hours/week):

50 or above kcals/kg/day (more than 22 kcal/pound)

Another method to estimate caloric requirements is to calculate BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate), which is the amount of calories required at rest (i.e. for the internal organs to function). A number of formulae could be used for that purpose:

Harris-Benedict formula: This is the most inaccurate formula as many noticed that overestimates the requirements, especially for overweight individuals. Avoid it if possible.

MALES: BMR = 66 + [13.7 x weight (kg)] + [5 x height (cm)] - [6.76 x age (years)]
FEMALES: BMR = 655 + [9.6 x weight (kg)] + [1.8 x height (cm)] - [4.7 x age (years)]

Mifflin-St Jeor: A more realistic formula than the previous one. However, it still lacks accuracy as it overestimates needs, especially for overweight individuals.

MALES: BMR = [9.99 x weight (kg)] + [6.25 x height (cm)] - [4.92 x age (years)] + 5
FEMALES: BMR = [9.99 x weight (kg)] + [6.25 x height (cm)] - [4.92 x age (years)] -161

Katch-McArdle: The most accurate formula. The only set back is that you need to have a good estimate of your body fat percentage (BF%) to obtain a good estimate of your lean body mass (LBM).

BMR = 370 + (21.6 x LBM)

Where LBM = [total weight (kg) x (100 - BF%)]/100

Notice that the formulae above will only provide you with BMR values. The next step here is to convert your BMR into your total caloric requirement (TEE), or what some like to call “maintenance”. This conversion is simple; you multiply your calculated BMR value by an “Activity Variable” to obtain your total caloric requirement (BMR x Activity variable = Total caloric requirement)

Activity variable:

The “activity variable” is the total cost of living. This involves your training as well as work, life activities, etc. Basically, you have to consider your activity level for a 24-hour period. These activity variables have been averaged into a set of values as follows:

1.2 = Sedentary active (desk job + minimal physical activity)
1.3-1.4 = Lightly active (light daily activity + light physical activity 1-3 days/week)
1.5-1.6 = Moderately active (moderately daily activity + moderate physical activity 3-5 days/week)
1.7-1.8 = Very active (Physically demanding daily activity + Heavy physical activity 6-7 days/week)
1.9-2.2 = Extremely active (very heavy daily activity + athlete in heavy endurance training)

“I have calculated my total caloric requirement, now what?”
That’s it, the only thing you need to do now is to decrease or increase your caloric intake according to your goals (i.e. lose or gain mass). The right way to apply this customization is to consider the decrease/increase as a percentage of you maintenance, or total caloric requirement. Typically:

To lose weight: Subtract 10-20% worth of calories from your maintenance.
To gain weight: Add 10-20% worth of calories to your maintenance.

If you stick to your maintenance for three weeks and notice stability in weight/measurements, then you have most likely found you maintenance. After determining your maintenance, you will need to monitor your results and adjust as required. Please keep in mind that the values obtained are rough estimates and are by no means accurate. Therefore, it will require a good deal of experimentation to achieve your goals. Good luck :)

Do you understand nutrition labels?

2012-07-05T12:37:00.000-04:00

There is no doubt that fitting into a healthy lifestyle will involve a lot of changes. One of those changes involves taking initiative and looking at the nutrition labels of the foods you buy. Honestly speaking, I was never the type of person to check out that white rectangular box at the back of the food packaging. However, when I decided to adapt to a healthy lifestyle, I started reading the nutrition label before anything.

“So I checked out that nutrition label on the cereal box, now what?”. Well, you have to keep in mind that paying attention to the amount of calories while quickly glancing over the ingredients and the breakdown of the nutrition label will do you no good. Here are a few things to keep in mind on your next trip to the grocery store.

You will need to pay attention to the 3 macronutrients along with other ingredients. Here’s a calorie for calorie breakdown (Proteins, Carbs, and Fats):

Proteins = 4 calories/gram
Carbs = 4 calories/gram
Fats = 9 calories/gram

Proteins:

You will most likely see proteins without any subcategories on the nutrition label. Simply speaking, there is nothing to breakdown for you; a protein is a protein and all proteins consist of amino acids. The only difference is how well are the proteins absorbed. Of course, that will depend on the type and quality of the ingested protein.

Carbs:

Carbs consist of two subcategories on the nutrition label: sugar and fiber. First thing’s first, sugar should not be treated as a close friend. It should be treated like someone who you would meet occasionally with a lot of moderation. Avoid foods that contain 14 grams or more of sugar; anything with a lower amount of sugar is a smarter choice. Attention: some sugary products are fat-free, but remember that excess sugar will eventually turn into fat in your body.

Conversely, make fiber your best friend. It works wonders on providing you with the feeling of satiety and helping out the digestion process. Ultimately, take it easy on sugars, but be generous with fibers!

Fats:

Fats are broken down into four categories: saturated, polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, and trans fats. As a rule of thumb, it is recommended to eat more unsaturated than saturated fats. That is, of course, of total fat consumed. Also, in case you haven’t heard already, trans fats should be avoided at all costs!

The neglected ones (Cholesterol, Sodium, and Potassium):

Those are listed on the nutrition label, but they’re mostly disregarded by many. There’s a misconception about cholesterol which I personally believe that it has been influenced by the media. Cholesterol is good for you and your body does need cholesterol for many important functions such as vitamin and hormonal production. The twist here is to watch your daily cholesterol intake, because too much of anything is never good. The recommended daily intake for cholesterol is 300mg or less.

On the other hand, a lot of your health awareness should be towards sodium. You've probably already heard about the side effects associated with an excessive sodium intake such as hypertension and increased water retention. Sodium serves as a preservative. The lower the sodium in foods, the better.

The last neglected component is potassium. It should not be neglected because it serves as an important electrolyte. It also plays a vital role in maintaining bodily functions.

The ingredients:

So you analyzed that nutrition label and now you’re stuck at the ingredients list with terms and names that you can’t pronounce. Remember, the fewer the ingredients, the better. Ingredients are listed starting with the most abundant and ending with the least abundant. It is a smart choice to stay away from processed foods, and stick to whole and natural foods as the latter preserve their nutritional benefits. Stay away from words like “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” where both are referencing trans fats. Also, substitute products with the word “enriched” to products with the word “whole”. “Enriched” means that the product has been refined (i.e. stripped of its nutrients).

Chug that H2O!

2012-07-03T15:22:00.000-04:00

One of the most controversial questions when it comes to health and fitness is “How much water do I need to drink?”. Much debate is going on as some say daily drinking of 8-10 glasses of water is enough, while others argue that letting your thirst dictate your daily water intake is the way to go. Different theories, different point of views, but they all agree upon one thing; water is good for you.

I've had my own experiments with water intake to see what works best for me. My experiments went from over-hydrating myself with water, to only drinking water when feeling thirsty. I must say that I have learned quite a lot from such experiments. It’s been already established that water is great for you, but the trick here is to know how to take advantage of your body’s ability to uptake water.

I believe that the ideal time for drinking large quantities of water is right after waking up in the morning. Logically speaking, our internal organs are begging for water after a long night where they had to metabolize large quantities of water to perform their overnight tasks. Therefore, it is very important to drink at least 1-2 large glasses of water upon waking on an empty stomach to rehydrate those hard-working organs.

After the daily morning rehydration, I have noticed that drinking water when my body asks for it works best for me. Of course, the timing and situation have to be kept in mind. For example, it is a faulty assumption to drink lots of water during a meal. Drinking water with meals will dilute you valuable digestive enzymes and thus will impede the breakdown and absorption of nutrients. On the other hand, it is absolutely fine to drink limited quantities of water 10-20 minutes prior to having a meal. As some would argue, it would curb your appetite.

Similarly, drinking lots of water during a workout is not exactly the best idea, even when your body is begging you to gulp down that 1.5L bottle. Having large quantities of water during a workout will create more stress on your body by diverting the blood flow to your stomach. For that reason, water should be “sipped” during a workout (i.e. small quantities). However, it is absolutely essential to rehydrate your body after a workout to make up for all the dehydration which was caused by sweating during the workout.

Water intake at night could actually be the opposite of beneficial. Drinking large quantities before bed will most likely cause you to wake up multiple times to go to the bathroom. Disrupting sleep will not only cause you to wake up tired and foggy, but will also interrupt the muscle recovery process and hinder the development of your hard-earned muscles. I usually keep a glassful of water bedside in case I’m desperate for it during my sleep and right after waking up.

In conclusion, drink like a king in the morning, and sip as the day progresses. Try it, it might also work for you!

Goals: One step at a time

2012-07-02T23:26:00.001-04:00

Dig this, nowadays without a goal, you are nothing. The first step to reaching that sense of accomplishment is to set goals. I am not talking about “go to the gym” or “lose weight”, those are not goals. Come on, I’m talking about “real” goals. Something like “bench press 225 pounds” or “lose 20 pounds of fat”, now those are real goals. One would argue with a lot of “but’s” like “but my right shoulder was dislocated 20 years ago and I had to be treated with gamma radiation, which later caused mutations, and now my two shoulder blades are fused together so I can’t bench press a single pound, let alone 225 pounds…blah, blah, blah”. Let me break down the news for you, with an attitude like that, you will not set any goals and you will not accomplish anything.

Without a real goal at the gym, you will be walking around aimlessly doing whatever exercise you feel like, or using whatever machine or weights with the fewest line-up. You’re doing all this because you’re lazy and you have no clue why you are in the gym to begin with. Now you lift weights for a few days, and then you forget that the gym exists for the next few days, or weeks maybe. You decide to remember the gym when the strength you gained from the few days you hit the gym completely runs out. At that point, you will have to start from scratch and you go into a never-ending cycle of recognizing and abandoning the gym. Eventually, you will quit because you will not be seeing any progress since you had no initial “real” goal.

A very important thing to keep in mind is that fitness is a long-term goal which requires a lot of time, dedication, and consistency. You start out by setting a “real” goal, followed by a plan of action, and you work on your plan of action until the determined goal is attained. Setting a timeframe such as “achieve goal in 3 months” might also help. Consider it as a challenge that has no room for quitters. After many months and years of working on your goal you will be standing in the gym all tired and ask yourself “What am I doing here?” The correct answer is “I’m working on benching 225 pounds”. If your answer at that point consists of a confused statement such as “I don’t know”, then you’re doing it all wrong. The gym is not a place for hesitation and confusion. It is a place for goal-oriented action. The key here is to realize that even though there’s no way you can bench 225 pounds, but if you do, you will be a hardcore mofo! And the next thing you know, you are benching 225 pounds.

No matter how aspiring your goal is, there is only way to achieve it is one extra 2.5 plate at a time. One more rep at a time. One second faster at a time. One minute longer at a time. This is why we follow a constant progression of incremental increases of stress on our bodies until our bodies achieve the desired adaptation along with the highly-anticipated sense of accomplishment.

What's Buzzin'?

2012-07-02T23:17:00.001-04:00

Who doesn't want to be fit and healthy? You would rarely find someone jumping in to answer that question by saying “Oh, that would be me!”. Let’s face it; attaining the right physique is no easy job. It will require a lot of dedication and consistency to achieve one’s dream of being healthy and fit. But hey, let’s not look at the glass half empty, shall we?. I started my pursuit of fitness over a year ago, and aside from being a strict journey, I can conquer that it has been a pleasant one. Being healthy and fit is not about forcing yourself into it; it’s about living it and sustaining your results for a lifetime. In this blog, I will share my amateur experience and thoughts about health and fitness, so buckle up and enjoy the ride!