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Caffeine and Athletic Performance Does it Help or Hurt You?

Well, the short answer is yes, but there's a lot more to it than that.  Caffeine along with a very select few other ergogenic aids (athletic performance enhancers) are proven effective However, the answer isn't that simple, several things about caffeine and it's use to enhance performance need to be understood.  

Caffeine is perhaps one of the most widely used drugs in the world.  It has been used as an athletic performance enhancer for over 30 years.  It's found in coffee, tea, chocolate and other foods Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant with effects similar to, but weaker than amphetamines (as in meth amphetamine or crystal meth)  Many people forget that caffeine is a drug and that it is a physically addictive substance and you go through withdraw if you try to quit.  

Caffeine has been shown to improve athletic performance for both cardiovascular endurance and strength and power activities in elite athletes.  Ingesting caffeine through both food sources or pill form are both effective.  The pure caffeine in pill form works better than caffeine from coffee.  Bioavailability is the same in both coffee and supplement form, it could be that some compound in coffee interferes with the absorption and utilization of the caffeine.

Now, with that said,  keep in mind these were highly trained athletes.  Recreational athletes, or exercise enthusiasts typically don't get the same results as elite athletes .  In fact, in studies measuring caffeine's effect on strength and power, using recreational athletes, no significant difference was seen in performance with the aid of caffeine. 

One thing most average individuals, fitness enthusiasts and recreational athletes underestimate or neglect is water intake, and I can assure you, most highly trained athletes take this very seriously because it is the number one factor affecting athletic performance.  If you're dehydrated, no amount of caffeine is going to replenish your energy like water will.  So hydration status needs to be carefully considered when consuming caffeine before your activity. 

The kicker is that caffeine is a diuretic causing your body to excrete water, therefore, dehydrating you.   So before you drink coffee or pop an energy pill with caffeine make sure you're drinking an adequate amount of water as part of your regular routine.  

In addition to hydration status, the other major thing you need to pay careful attention to is how well your body handles the substance.  I'm always preaching listening to your body, and this is a prime example. Each person and situation is usually very different. Keep in mind that coffee or a caffeine pill can cause stomach discomfort, which will surely effect your performance negatively.  

The right intake and timing mostly depends on how well trained you are, how well you tolerate certain substances. and what and how much you had to eat and drink at your previous meals. 

If you're already at a high level of training, eating good and hydrating properly then, supplementing with caffeine can help improve performance, but the building blocks of a solid foundation need to be there first   Caffeine is a supplement to the right diet and training program not a substitute for one.  

The NSCA guideline is 3mg/kg-9mg/kg for well trained individuals. or the equivalent of 1.5-3.5 cups of coffee for a 70kg (154lb) athlete.  However, my personal recommendation to clients is no more than 3 cups coffee per day for anyone, and really I prefer only 1 cup, as little as possible or none at all.  I'll explain more later.

Timing of caffeine intake is similar to guidelines for pre-activity food, and fluid intake.  I wouldn't recommend having any more than 8 oz of fluid 15 minutes before activity and I would take a (pill form) supplement with a small amount of food no less than 30 minutes before.  However, each person is different some people may notice they can drink coffee 20-30 minutes before activity without issue, while others may need more time for the coffee or supplement to break down or empty from the stomach.  Generally, I'd recommend waiting at least a half hour after intake before activity, but some people may need up to an hour, some may sip a coffee protein shake shortly before and during their workout, and be completely fine.  
If you're performing a cardiovascular type of activity, you'll probably want to drink less or wait longer.  If you're performing a strength type of activity, you might be able to get away with having fluids closer to the workout or during, without it upsetting your stomach.

Some people may already be drinking in their upper limit of coffee, and be no where near the training level of an athlete.  If you order a large coffee it could be anywhere from 1.5-3 cups right there in one cup.  A serving of coffee is one 8 oz. cup so you'll need to check the fluid oz. to determine how many servings you're actually taking in.  

Hydrated or not, many negative effects are seen in consumption of over 9mg/kg caffeine. Negative effects associated with caffeine are anxiety, gastrointestinal disturbance, restlessness, insomnia, tremors, and heart aryrthmias.  Since caffeine is a diuretic it can cause heat illness in high temperature.  
 
A person with high blood pressure, or a genetic risk for developing high blood pressure (or other conditions aggravated by caffeine) should keep caffeine and coffee intake to a minimum, and certain medications interact with caffeine, coffee, and or tea  If you're not in great shape or don't eat right and you put cream or sugar in your coffee then those calories can add up big time.  I've had clients lean out just from cutting down (or cutting out) on the cream and sugar they put in their coffee. 

You usually drink lots of coffee because you want more energy, or worse, you've made it a habit, built up a tolerance and have become dependent on caffeine and need an increased amount to have an effect   It's important to note that drinking more water usually increases energy more than drinking more coffee does.  If this sounds like you,  I'd first recommend cutting down on caffeine gradually, using specific strategies for behavior change to a lower your intake, while having you focus on eating right and drinking more water.  This will certainly give you more energy with less stress (anxiety) caused by excess caffeine intake.

I always emphasize getting nutrients from foods.  I don't drink coffee anymore, I prefer green tea over coffee and recommend the same to my clients.  Green tea also has caffeine, but only about 30% of what a cup of coffee contains.  If, and when I do recommend a caffeine supplement (which is rare) it's usually a green tea extract supplement over any other form (as in green tea extract pill).

Here's something I might do or recommend.  Trader Joe's makes these chocolate chunk, protein banana muffins that taste awesome.  I might have 1 or 2 of these and an 8-10 oz. cup of green tea 30 minutes or so before a workout.  I usually drink green tea throughout the day, as much as I drink water, but this particular pre-workout cup I might make stronger so it's less liquid and more concentrated.  That way, I have something that's going to stick to my stomach and won't be sloshing around while I'm training.  There's protein and some higher glycemic carbs, and some caffeine in the chocolate and in the green tea. which is a nearly perfect balance of nutrients to keep me fueled for my workout . Green tea seems to give you what I call clean energy. You feel satisfied, energized, and focused  not anxious or jittery and stressed with an upset stomach.


Posted by Andrew Schmarje at 1/29/2012 4:40 PM | View Comments (1) | Add Comment

Ski Stronger & Better with Sports Specific Training for Skiers

Ski season is here.  If you live or grew up in the northeast like me, (or near the Rockies or in the northern US) then you know that winters can be harsh.  I embrace it along with many others.  If you ask me, flying south for the winter is for birds not humans.  We are strong, hearty people up here in the northeast, and while we may complain, enduring winters here produces a certain pride of being able to endure harsh conditions.that many others would not.  While there are many outdoor activities you may not be able to enjoy in the winter, there is one activity that many people just can't wait for.  That activity is skiing.   Many people live for skiing and can't wait to get out there in the snow.

As a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist I realize the advantage of Sports Specific training for all kinds of different sports, not just for traditional athletes in sports like football, baseball, hockey, or lacrosse.   I've personally trained many clients who're avid skiing or snowboarding enthusiasts, and while most of the year we focus on strength, stamina, flexibility, and fat loss, when ski season gets near, I start changing their programs to a strict sports specific focus on making them perform better for skiing out on the slopes.  These sports specific skiing clients almost always report back the feeling of greater strength, balance, stamina, and enjoyment out on the slopes.  Being able to ski better longer is elating for those who love to ski. 

While not everyone can afford the elite level one-on-one personal training I offer here in New York City, and it's sometimes difficult for new clients to get into my busy schedule,  I'm always looking for ways to reach and help more people through high quality training programs.  Recently, my fellow exercise scientist and Aussie friend Clayton developed this comprehensive sports specific training program for skiers that is totally awesome. 

What I like about Clayton is, like me, he has a solid background in exercise science and it is clear he's dedicated to his career.  He's not some shlep trainer who pursued one of the many no name certifications, got a job in a gym because they like working out and want a free gym membership, or pulls random exercises from their favorite fitness magazine to develop programs.  As exercise scientists our information comes from higher level education like textbooks and scientific journals most personal trainers couldn't understand  You can tell by looking at his program materials he is serious about skiing, and has a lot of first hand experience kicking ass and having fun out there on the slopes, while helping others have that same experience.

You can check out one of his instructional videos below to see him in action and learn a few of his special sports specific training exercises for skiing now.

Note:  these are things you won't learn from a ski instructor.







Access to Clayton's Full Sports Specific Training Program click here

Schedule one-on-one sports specific personal training in NYC with me, Andrew Schmarje CSCS

Schedule fitness / nutrition online coaching sessions - for those out of the NYC area or for New Yorkers with crazy inflexible schedules but still want some of the highest quality fitness training and coaching available.
Posted by Andrew Schmarje at 1/18/2012 1:49 PM | Add Comment

Dangerous Fat Loss Myth Hazardous to your Training Results.

Many people believe performing cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach maximizes fat loss.  Just when I thought this myth might be dying out, telling myself everyone may already know this by now.  Maybe I should write about something else.  I saw it again in a recent issue of a popular magazine.  I won’t mention what magazine or what well-known health expert was promoting it.  The bottom line - this fat loss myth is still alive and well and it needs to be dispelled before more innocent people fall prey to this misconception.

 

The theory here is that if you perform cardiovascular training in a fasted state with depleted glycogen stores you’ll cause the body to burn fat for energy.  While it may sound sensible to some, scientific evidence doesn't support this fat loss myth.

 

There are many reasons why this belief is misguided.

 

First, fat loss occurs throughout the course of the day, not just during the workout itself.  To illustrate, High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is proven to be a more effective method for fat loss than moderate steady state cardio, or training in the “fat burning zone.”   When comparing HIIT with moderate steady state cardio, the rate of fat burning is less during HIIT workouts, while the ratio of fat burning is greater during steady state cardio.  However, those who perform HIIT continue to burn more fat hours after the workout is over and burn more total fat throughout the day than those who perform moderate steady state cardio in the “fat burning zone.” In addition, even when the body does burn fat at a faster rate, the broken down fats that are not used are converted back to stored fat, negating any fat burning effect achieved in a fasted state.

 

Second, the Thermic effect of food, based on scientific laws of heat and energy transfer, states that your body uses energy to break down food for energy.  In other words, your body’s metabolism increases during digestion to break down food.  So by eating breakfast you increase your metabolism through the Thermic effect of food, and by exercising after you increase your metabolism and fat burning potential even more through the Thermic effect of exercise.

 

Third, food as fuel for your body is elementary health, Training first thing in the morning is challenging enough, let alone doing it with no food for fuel.  If you have breakfast, you’ll have more energy to train harder longer.  If you’re able to train harder during your session you’ll burn more fat throughout the rest of the day.

 

Fourth, if having a strong, lean body is your goal then, in no way is doing cardio (or any kind of exercise) in a catabolic state a good idea.  Scientists found that training in a fasted state resulted in nitrogen and protein loss.  Furthermore, related findings revealed that when subjects were given a carbohydrate mixture before training it did not inhibit fat burning.  These two points taken together demonstrate the carbohydrate sparing effect of protein, and are very important facts for those looking to maximize fat loss, and increase lean muscle.

 

The bottom line is, make sure you eat breakfast, especially if you work out in the morning because you'll speed your metabolism, have more energy to train harder longer, burn more fat, and preserve your lean muscle tissue in the process, which is just about everyone’s main goal.


NYC Personal Trainer Andrew Schmarje CSCS 


 

Schoenfeld, B.  (2011).  Does Cardio After an Overnight Fast Maximize Fat Loss?  Strength and Conditioning Journal 33(1), 23-25



Other Fat Loss Articles:

Hot to Get Awesome Abs

Best Plan for Fat Loss

How to Lose Weight & Keep It Off


Personal Fitness Training Programs 



Posted by Andrew Schmarje at 10/11/2011 4:07 PM | Add Comment

Best Fat Loss Plan and The 5 Fitness Elements

In addition to strength, endurance, and flexibility, body composition is a major component of fitness. When a personal training client tells me they want to tone up or sculpt a six pack without "getting big" what they mean is they want to improve their body composition. It is independent from and superior to height weight scales and the BMI, where many athletes would be off the charts. Body Composition (or Body Fat Percentage) is the ratio of fat to lean muscle and improving it should be a focal point in any successful workout program that produces results to achieve an optimum fitness level and the healthy, fit, look so many people desire.

Interestingly, improving the other components of your fitness program improves your body fat. Strength training is the most effective fat burning fitness component. Ultimately, reaching personal fitness goals comes down to formulating a personal training and nutrition program including activities that target all components of fitness in the right balance. For example, someone who's strong may not have much flexibility or may need to lose fat, Someone who has good endurance may not have much strength or tone. Plus everyone has different genetics so what training program works for one person may not work as well for another. If you're unsure about exercise consider consulting a personal trainer to help create a balanced training and nutrition program to help you reach your fitness goals

Muscular Strength - improves lean muscle tone, best fitness training element for burning fat, best form of exercise to increase metabolism ex. weight lifting, exercises like squats, lunges, pull ups, less than 10 reps.

Muscular Endurance - improves stamina, ex. rowing, swimming, planks, more than 20 reps.

Flexibility - helps improve agility, posture, range of motion, ex. Yoga, Tai Chi, sports specific dynamic stretches.

Cardiovascular Endurance - improves energy, plus body's ability to use oxygen ex. cross - country skiing, cycling, walking briskly, jump rope (my favorite).

Body Composition - eating a well balanced diet comprised of wholesome, unprocessed nutrient dense foods. Ex. breakfast, lunch dinner, protein, carbohydrates (fiber), unsaturated fats (very small amounts of saturated).


best fat loss plan | Personal Training Sessions 
Posted by Andrew Schmarje at 2/9/2011 12:16 PM | View Comments (3) | Add Comment

How to Lose Weight and Keep It Off

Many people are capable of losing even a little bit of weight for a short period of time (weeks or months).  A significantly smaller percentage of people can achieve their ideal body weight, and body composition,  get strong, and lean then maintain long lasting results as part of their regular lifestyle for years or ideally the rest of their life.   

Exercise alone is not enough if you want to lose weight and, or body fat then keep it off..  An individualized fitness nutrition plan must be properly implemented.  A diet that is unreasonably restrictive is most certainly a recipe for disaster, and a workout program that is inappropriate for you will leave you with little or no results. Worse yet you’ll be left with overuse injuries or strength and flexilibty imbalances that can lead to various health fitness issues or injury.  

Losing weight is much more mental than it is physical (since almost everyone is physically capable of getting into shape) and urges and lack of motivation can rarely be overcome for long using sheer will power alone. You need a solid fitness training and nutrition program plus mental strategies to stay on track and keep motivated when you start to fade or slip.

Make a list -  Think deeply for a moment, then write down all the true personal reasons you have for wanting to lose weight and body fat.  Write down all the health fitness benefits of losing weight that are most important to you.  Keep that list handy.  Refer back to your list of personal reasons and health fitness benefits any time you feel your motivation fading.

Have a Plan-  Think about all the challenges you may face in working towards accomplishing your goal and write them down.  Write whatever comes into your mind.  Next, filter your results, and circle a few of your major roadblocks.  Come up with several ideas on how you’ll over come these challenges.  Now, go back and group similar challenges where possible, then come up with one strategy for each of your minor challenge groups.  

Increase Knowledge and Awareness – With all the fad diets, weights loss supplements , and misinformation about fitness out there, it’s hard to find the truth on what will really work long  term for you as an individual. Increasing knowledge and awareness is the first step to changing behavior.  There are 2 major ways of doing this.  One is to learn yourself (like I did) with years of advanced (collegiate) level studying and practice.  The other is to work with a professional.  In this case, a Personal Trainer, Nutritionist or both.  Bottom line, you need to learn and properly implement the right personal strategies and techniques that work for you as an individual to get the weight loss results you want and establish the right habits for your personal lifestyle to maintain lasting results and manage a healthy weight. 

Keep a Log - Keeping a log of your exercise and nutrition is one of the most powerful tools you can use to progress toward your weight loss goal then maintain you new healthy weight .  Those who log their fitness training and dietary nutrition have a much greater chance of success.   I use training and nutrition logs with my personal training clients extensively and after many years still use them periodically for my own personal workouts and nutrition to this day.


NYC Personal Trainer Andrew Schmarje CSCS


Posted by Andrew Schmarje at 1/16/2011 11:31 AM | View Comments (1) | Add Comment

How to Survive a Night Out for New Years. Health Wellness Tips for Preparation and Recovery.

It's easy to get swept away in the excitement of the holidays like New Years' Eve, and good times with friends and family in general. I work with many clients who regularly attend business or social functions, which include alcohol consumption, and often I'm asked what is the best route when it comes to drinking.

Really the best thing is not to drink at all because regular alcohol consumption can be a major factor in not accomplishing fitness goals, despite all the touted health benefits.  Alcohol significantly inhibits the body's ability to metabolize fat. You'd probably be surprised to learn that the majority of the population are non-drinkers or rarely drink at all. 

We are only human.  Here are some steps you can take if you're planning a long night out or overdo it and end up with a hangover.

Take a nap before you head out. If you think you're going to be out late, try to lay down for a half hour to an hour and take a nap even 10-20 minutes will help.  

Eat a well-balanced, satisfying dinner with protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats. Carbohydrate foods are typically good sources of b vitamins, which your body loses when you drink alcohol. Plus, carbohydrates bind with water helping you stay hydrated.  Having 1 or 2 tbsp. of olive oil or other healthy fat helps coat and protect the stomach.. The mixture of all 3 will help you feel fuller, and slow the absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream. 


Stay hydrated:
Drink water before you go out.
Space your drinks out with water, or water / juice mix. Ask the server / bartender for a glass of water with a shot of juice after each drink or two.
Drink a glass of water at the end of the night after you stop drinking, before you go to bed.

Stick to clear liquors mixed with water and, or small amounts of natural juice like lemon or lime.  Often times clients think that red wine is the healthiest option  The health benefits of red wine are over-rated. It contains sulfites (preservatives you should try to avoid) and has more toxins than most beer or liquor.  Toxins and sulfites are typically responsible for the headaches people experience   Clear liquors like Vodka are most pure, and lowest calorie


Hangover Remedies:

Slightly warm water - have water served at room temperature next to your bed, it's easier on the stomach than ice cold and you can drink it if you wake up intermittently throughout your sleep. 

Slightly burnt toast - charcoal like absorptive properties.
Banana - good source of potassium

Vitacoco - all natural coconut water. One of my new favorite rehydrating drinks. Vitacoco is available in most grocery stores.

or

Here's a concoction you can try, which hydrates and helps settle your stomach. It's like home-made pedialyte a stomach settling, rehydrating drink for children.

3-5 tbsp. juice. I like cranberry juice, but you can use whatever is handy.
1/2 Cup Water
Dash salt
Dash baking soda
Stir and serve. 

Prickly Pear Extract- comes from the Prickly Pear Cactus. May have anti-inflammatory effects on liver. Friends who lived in Arizona mentioned it's not uncommon to find martinis mixed with prickly pear juice there. I've also seen it used in salads in some restaurants in NYC. You may find this in a health food store like Whole Foods or your local NYC health food store.

Trying to workout or sweat it out is a not a good idea. More stress on the body is the last thing you need. Get plenty of sleep, and rest to allow your body to recover, and make the resolution to never let this happen again. Happy New Year!

Disclaimer: The above information is not intended to encourage poor drinking behavior or super-cede medical advice.






Posted by Andrew Schmarje at 12/29/2010 3:39 PM | View Comments (6) | Add Comment

One Exceptional Option to Personal Training at a NYC Health Club.

Training under the guidance of a professional personal trainer is one surefire way to get in shape and stay in shape. Don;t want to waste money on a gym membership at NYSC, Equinox, David barton Gym or the like.  Here's a great Option.

Workout in your Apartment Building Gym with an In Home Personal Trainer

There are many residential buildings in New York City that have private fitness training studios or workout rooms equipped with free weights, benches, cardiovascular machines and everything you'd need to get a great workout in the convenience of your own home. If you have a gym, training studio or workout room in your NYC apartment building you can have a private in home personal trainer come to work with you.  It saves travel time and membership fees of NYSC, Equinox, David Barton Gym, Crunch and the like. Plus the quality of personal training you'll receive from a private or independent personal trainer is generally superior to that of the health club trainer.  Some of the New York City residential building gyms have all the health and fitness amenities of a large gym like a squash court, basketball court, pool, and sauna located on a lower level.  Others are fully equipped fitness training studios located near the top floor, providing a more pleasant view, roof access for more scenic and possible outdoor roof-top workouts. Others are quaint, quiet, private access workout rooms.  No matter what the size, every Manhattan apartment building gym, studio, or workout room I've trained clients in had all the necessary exercise equipment and space to give the client a great training session. More effective workouts with a private personal trainer combined with the time and money saving convenience of training in your own home make working out in your apartment building gym with a private trainer an exceptional option to personal training at a NYC health club.

Have me come to give you an awesome workout at home in NYC
Posted by Andrew Schmarje at 11/3/2010 2:25 PM | View Comments (1) | Add Comment

Super Healthy Creamy Coleslaw Recipe

Killer Kale Slaw - that's what I'm calling it

Coleslaw tastes great with the right meal especially at picnics with food from the BBQ in the Summer and it's that time of year again.  

Coleslaw is one of those dishes that can be made a number of different ways.  Unfortunately, a lot of times in a lot of places the way it's made is loaded with calories and not always the best calories.

Since I'm a personal trainer and i like Coleslaw of course I found a way (multiple ways actually) to power it up to it's max.

Whoever told you eating healthy doesn't taste good is lying to you. 

Here is one of my top super healthy variations on an all American favorite.  Tastes great with food from the BBQ or Seafood.  Enjoy.  

Ingredients:
  • 4 cups finely chopped Kale - top super food loaded with vitamins and minerals
  • 1 cup low fat Greek strained yogurt - protein and beneficial bacteria for digestive health
  • 2 tbsp. honey - contains b vitamins, minerals, and bee pollen
  • 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar - helps balance your ph, and helps clean you out
  • 2 tbsp low fat milk
  • 1/8 cup chopped walnuts (optional) - healthy fats
Method:
  1. Rinse, dry, and finely chop 4 cups of kale
  2. Toss kale and walnuts in a large bowl
  3. In a separate small bowl mix yogurt, milk, honey, and cider vinegar
  4. Pour dressing mixture over kale and stir until mixed thoroughly
  5. Place kale slaw in smaller bowl and refrigerate for several hours.
This recipe is loaded with nutrients from some of the most nutrient dense foods.  Enjoy.

Learn more about Fitness, Nutrition  and Healthy Meal Planning from NYC Personal Trainer | Nutritionist. 



Posted by Andrew Schmarje at 8/6/2010 12:56 PM | View Comments (2) | Add Comment

Save Time, Save Money with this Simple Fitness Tip

As you may have noticed from previous posts, I'm all about maximizing time and money especially when it comes to maintaining optimum health and fitness.  So, here's another great time and money saving fitness tip.  Ride a Bike to Work.

Bike riding is a great healthy, environmentally friendly way to get around especially in NYC.  There is a certain freedom that comes along with coming and going on your own time. and relying on yourself to get where you want to go  You move through a different pulse of the city when you ride a bike, You feel the fresh open air, rapidly taking in vast areas of the city instead of breathing the stale or crowded subway air,   Not relying on public transit, and feeling the open air while partially removing yourself from the rat race and having the nimbleness to behave somewhere between that of a car and a pedestrian  also gives you a satisfying sense of freedom. 

Here are some more great reasons to ride a bike:
Exercise - biking outdoors is a good form of cardiovascular exercise.  It  provides greater resistance through wind and pavement grade and improves proprioception  providing you with a more effective workout than indoor cardiovascular machines
Saves money - gas, mileage, cab / subway fare
Saves Time -  combining activities like exercise and commuting saves time.  You get your cardiovascular workout done and don't have to spend time indoors on a machine.  In addition, depending on travel points like biking cross town in NYC after work during rush hour could very likely save you a lot of time,
Environmentally friendly.  No Gas, No fumes,  Runs on human power., expending calories.

*One Caveat.  As Always... Be Safe and Be Aware. There's a lot of nutty people acting crazy out there especially during rush hour.

For more ways on how to maximize your training results in minimum time or for outdoor personal training sessions that include bike riding in NYC contact Andrew NYC Personal Trainer Today.
Posted by Andrew Schmarje at 8/4/2010 6:13 PM | Add Comment

How to Get Awesome 6 Pack Abs, Tone Up, Burn Fat, & Increase Metabolism for the Body you’ve Always Wanted.

Now that I have your attention, I’m going to let you in on a little trade secret.  Doing ab exercises or Pilates class is not the best way to burn belly fat and get abs you can see.  It’s not even close to the level of effectiveness of the strategies I’m about to reveal to you.  Many people think they can reduce belly fat and tone their abs by doing lots of abdominal exercise.  Unfortunately this is a training myth known as spot reduction.  Spot reduction assumes you can lose fat and tone a specific area by doing exercises that focus on that area.  Following this belief can significantly inhibit the return on your training efforts. You may create strong abdominal muscles but you’ll still never see them because there’s still a layer of fat surrounding them. Here are some of the most important elements in the fat burning formula that will help you summon the elusive abdominals and your best body ever.

Strength | Resistance Training 

Strength training or resistance training is the best form of exercise to help your body burn fat and increase metabolism.  Since you are breaking your tissues down when you perform strength training exercise, you’re body will continue to burn calories and fat long after your workout is over as it uses nutrients to repair the tissues and strengthen the muscles.  Plus as you tone all your muscles evenly over time the effects will multiply.  Your metabolism will increase as your body burns more calories and fat all the time to sustain your increased lean muscle tissue plus what you burn from individual strength training sessions.  Exercises that work large and multiple muscle groups work best.  Why?  because large muscles like legs and back use much more energy (calories, fat) than small muscle groups like biceps, or abs, and don’t worry your ab and core muscles actually do quite a bit of work during exercises like squats for legs.

 

Cardio

One of the most time effective cardio training techniques for fat burning is Interval Training .   Interval training isn’t for everyone, especially if you’re just starting out or have physical or medical restrictions.  You’ll need to build up first.  If you’re intermediate to advanced it works very well.  Interval training is a great cardio training strategy that will keep your body burning calories and fat hours after exercise is over.  As an added bonus H.I.I.T. (High Intensity Interval Training) accomplishes much more in less time.  22 minutes is an average recommended time plus a warm up and cool down. If done properly this 22 minutes of H.I.I.T. training  can be more effective than an hour of steady state, moderate pace cardio, like walking for an hour

 

Nutrition:

Following any crazy crash course fad diet, or relying on the latest supplement will certainly be a recipe for failure in the long run.  Eating healthy doesn’t need to mean starving or depriving yourself of the foods you love.  Be open- minded and willing to try new foods or recipes and you’ll find some healthy foods you really like. Develop an awareness of what you take in your body by reading and understanding food labels, and ingredients.  Choose more foods that are wholesome and natural with very few ingredients  Most importantly drink plenty of water and eat a wide variety of foods in moderation that include with meals including a mix of protein, carbohydrates (fiber),  fat (unsaturated w/ small amount of saturated).  Take time to enjoy your food rather than inhaling it to fill a void.  Keep in mind It takes 20 minutes or so for your stomach and brain to register how full you actually are.  Eat until your satisfied.  Space your meals evenly throughout the day.  By taking in a variety of nutrients and spreading well-balanced meals evenly throughout the course of the day you’ll feel fuller longer, decrease the chances of calories being stored as fat, and have much more energy throughout the day.

No magic potion or pill can take the place of proper nutrition and the right exercise program.   While this is a very broad overview these principles are the foundation of what I use to get my clients in great shape and are fitness lifestyle principles I've personally used for years.  If ever there were a magic formula for the body you desire this would be it.

Best fat loss diets | Personalized fitness training programs


Posted by Andrew Schmarje at 3/12/2010 12:06 AM | View Comments (2) | Add Comment
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