Happy New Year Everyone!
TIME KEEPS ON SLIPPING, SLIPPING INTO THE FUTURE
Just like the lyrics from the 70’s song “Fly Like an Eagle”, time has a way of getting away from us. Many of the things we put off to be done “some time in the future” are still not done, even though the future is here. We really did intend to eat better, exercise more, be nicer to our loved ones, save more money, etc. So what happened to all our good intentions? I think Nike said it best; “Just Do It”. We often do too much planning and too little doing. This year, don’t plan to do anything; simply do it.
If losing weight is a goal, try posting a sign that reads ‘EAT LESS. MOVE MORE” on your desk or refrigerator. Then everyday, eat one thing less than you could have eaten, and do one more thing that is active than you usually do. Most people can make one minor change every day. By this time next year, that “future” could feel a whole lot better. Good luck!
For those who would like a more structured approach, keep reading.
GUIDELINES FOR LOSING BODY FAT (reprinted from 2010)
With the New Year upon us, many people are thinking about their New Year’s resolutions. Quite a few of which probably include nutrition and fitness goals. Given the ease of measuring body composition and the known benefits of decreasing body fat percentage, it is no surprise that fitness professionals and consumers alike want to know how much body fat they should expect to lose.
Unlike the well-researched and accepted guideline that an individual should lose no more than an average of 1-2 pounds per week (for permanent weight loss), body fat percentage loss is not as well studied and no official guidelines have been published. Still, most experts agree that a 1% loss per month is generally safe; however, this is achievable only if you work at it regularly as described below.
It is also important to recognize that most methods of measuring body fat (such as calipers, bioelectrical impedance analysis, etc) are prone to measurement error and detection of small changes in body fat percentage is just as likely due to this error as it is an actual change in body fat. Thus, it’s best to wait several months to recheck body composition to see if you’ve made progress, and, if possible, have the same person do the measuring each time.
How to decrease body fat – Losing weight is not the same as losing body fat. Weight loss alone won’t necessarily lead to huge decreases in body fat since weight loss without exercise will lead to decreases in lean mass as well. If you really want to decrease your body fat percentage you need a three-pronged approach: eat better, do cardiovascular exercise and do resistance training to build up your lean mass. If you lose weight through diet alone and you do not exercise, then about 25% of every pound you lose will come from lean, calorie-burning muscle.
The cardio exercises should be done almost every day for at least 45 minutes at a moderately-high intensity level; or for 20-30 minutes at a high level. Your trainer can explain how to determine intensity levels.
Resistance training should be done 2-3 times/week. There are many variations in the type of resistance training you could do; however, all should challenge your strength and muscular endurance.
Ideal body fat percentage – Remember that ideal body fat percentage is different for men compared to women. Women require a higher body fat percentage in order to maintain menstruation and the ability to have children. If you are curious to know what your body fat percentage is, your trainer or other PFTL staff member can measure your body fat percentage, assess your basic fitness, and get you on your way to a healthier, more fit you in 2011.
PRACTICAL STEPS TO INCREASE LIFESTYLE ACTIVITY LEVELS
Today, the greatest barrier most sedentary adults face in adopting a more active lifestyle is a perceived lack of time (Andersen and Jakicic, 2009). The American work week has expanded and most people feel like they do not have enough time in the day to get to all the things in their lives that need attention. Furthermore, most adults work behind a desk or a computer and expend little energy at work.
Regardless of weight or fitness status, everyone can benefit from increasing his or her lifestyle activity level. A workable strategy that suits your lifestyle can be developed by carefully examining both leisure time and a typical work-day to look for potential slots to work in physical activity. Each person’s activity pattern will be different.
Reduce Time Spent Sitting – Recently it was reported that individuals who took frequent breaks in sitting time had smaller waist circumferences, lower BMIs and healthier triglyceride and glucose levels compared to those who remained sedentary for prolonged periods of time (Healy et al., 2008). Therefore, people who have sedentary jobs should be encouraged to get up and move throughout the work day. A digital watch or computer timer can be set to give an hourly reminder to get up and go for a quick three-minute walk. Quick walks or stair climbing can also be done during commercial messages while watching television. This has an added benefit of reducing the impulse to snack as well.
Use a Pedometer to Track Steps – Pedometers are a great tool for inexpensively monitoring and tracking improvements in lifestyle activity. Cheap models are usually inaccurate, so plan to spend about $30 for a better model.
Maintain Moderate-intensity Activities – It is important to remember that the rate at which activities are done will make a significant difference in the amount of energy expended. Many people mistakenly believe that lifestyle activities are only done at a “light” intensity. This is not the case. In fact, rather than talking a stroll around the mall, you should perform activities at a purposeful pace or “moderate” intensity. A useful guideline is to advise clients to walk at the pace that they would use if they were late for an appointment. Even deconditioned adults can sustain this pace for several minutes.
REMINDERS:
OPEN GYM – Since all current clients have personal door codes, they may have access to the studio 24/7 for a drop-in charge of only $8/hr. We ask that you notify us when you plan to be there, so we can confirm that there is space available for you to exercise on your own. If you do not come as scheduled, let us know so you will not be charged. If you come without prior notification, please let us know when you were there (the honor system), so we can add the charge to your monthly bill.
Currently, early morning before 8am, early afternoon after 1:30pm (except 4-5pm Mondays) and after 6pm are the most open times.
DROP-IN YOGA Mondays 4pm-5pm – Anyone interested in attending our beginner yoga class as a drop-in, may do so by notifying us when they plan to come. The drop-in charge is $20.
NEWSLETTER VIA ONLINE BLOG
If you would prefer to view this newsletter online, go to our blog at http://pftl91.wordpress.com/posts/ . You can subscribe to the blog and be notified by e-mail every time we post a new newsletter and other announcements.
You can also get to our blog by clicking on the link from our webstie at www.pftl.net .
We sent out e-mails to clients whose e-mail addresses were in our files to inform them of this method of receiving the newsletter.
20th ANNIVERSAY FOR PFTL – 2011 marks 20 years that we have been in the personal training business. We will be officially celebrating this anniversary during the week of March 14- 19. We will be offering some free services and prizes. You will receive more information about this in the next two newsletters.