Necessary Changes For Weight Loss

Working as a trainer I have come across a variety of people looking to get healthy and lose weight. Most people know what they need to do, but cannot fathom the changes it takes (beyond diet and exercise) in order to accomplish their weight loss goals. Here is a brief list of the major points I believe are necessary for success in weight loss.

Commitment Adherence:
I've said it before and I'll say it again: to lose weight we need to MOVE MORE and LIFT MORE. Research supports that in order to increase your daily metabolism (RMR) you need to break away from sedentary behaviors. It is recommended that we get 30 minutes of cardio-activities 5-7x weekly. This trains our bodies to burn more calories by staying consistent with this habit.

Stop wishing and start planning...then stick to the plan.

In order to further increase our metabolisms (remember that high metabolisms burn fat more efficiently) we need to engage in strength training 3-4x weekly. Why 3-4x a week? Again, research supports that 3-4x weekly is what it takes to BUILD muscle efficiently. This goes for men and women by the way. I don't care how easily you put on muscle, this rule still stands.
Now that you know what you need to do (cardio x5, Strength training x3) you need to ADHERE to the program. This is the hardest part of the process. Here is when people start telling me about their busy schedules; kids, work, other commitments, etc. The reality is that you need to exercise consistently in order to reach your goal. Commit to your exercise schedule the way you commit to scheduled meetings. You aren't going to blow off a meeting with your boss. Health is pretty important too, so don't blow off your workouts. Believe in the science of the body; you can gain weight and you can lose weight. Which way your body goes (the way of weight-gain or loss) is up to you. Give yourself over to the process. Accept that you need to workout regularly. No one ever said, "I wish I hadn't wasted that time exercising."

Body Weight Fixation:

There is more to your weight loss goal than simply "weight". Stop checking the scale every day. A good rule of thumb is checking once a week, or for my clients, once every two weeks. Your weight can fluctuate +/- 5 lbs everyday. It depends on how much water you've had the previous day (water weight), regularity, inflammation, etc. Checking the scale can become an obsessive behavior and doesn't serve a helpful purpose. Realize that change cannot happen overnight. Take that in; change cannot happen overnight. (Okay, maybe with surgery... but I doubt most of us have $20,000+ to throw at weight loss problems)

There is a point where body weight is an obvious indicator of your current health status. However, even at these times it is more appropriate to reframe your mind and consider the amount of fat your body holds. Body fat percentage can have a big impact on the way someone looks. Skinny people can carry a higher amount of body fat and still weigh under 120 lbs. Thin people (you might still consider them skinny) can weigh over 120 lbs and have lower body fat. It's all about the body type you want.

Damaged Relationships With Food:
Food is fuel. Yup, food is fuel for the body. Yes, it is enjoyable because we've conditioned our cultures to incorporate food-enjoyment into social gatherings. However, the reality is that food is necessary and actually enjoying our food is not necessary. Food is not evil. Food does not make you fat.

Bad habits with food make us put on body fat. Emotional eating... binging... starving yourself because you think you'll lose weight that way... it is all a huge problem for your weight loss goal. Food cannot soothe your emotions. Binging is a by product of not giving your body enough energy throughout the day. Starving yourself is disorder eating pure and simple. Most people who purposely fast throughout the day are convinced that NOT eating will cause their bodies to burn off their body fat. Funny thing about our bodies is that they rarely cooperate with our "wants". What happens when you starve yourself is that you end up storing more fat because your body believes that it won't be getting enough fuel. It goes into "squirrel mode" and stores everything it can in an effort to have enough fuel to run itself even in times of low-quantities of food. Surprising? Yes, you need to EAT to lose weight. Change your mind about food and you'll change your life.

Stressors:
Some might say: avoid stress. However, we all know that avoiding stress in American society is nearly impossible. Family, friends, work, lack of sleep, starving yourself... all are sources of stress.

We can all make a more serious effort to manage our stress. One great way to manage stress is to exercise regularly. Studies show that engaging in regular exercise at least 30 minutes a day can help people better cope with stress. For most of us, quitting our jobs and quitting our loved ones is not an option. Giving yourself the tools to cope with stress is the best thing you can do for yourself. Exercising has been shown to help populations sleep better. In fact, my clients have reported to me that they've experienced better sleep patterns since training with me.
I mentioned above how terrible starving yourself is. Talk about sabotaging your own progress! To get more into the science behind it, when you deprive your body of nutrients (AKA: food) you put stress on your own body. Your mind releases hormones like cortisol that triggers fat-storage in your body. Your body thinks you are in a situation of low-food sources; it has no idea that you are purposely withholding from food, so it tells your body to store ALL the nutrients it can. By starving yourself you are stressing yourself to the point of increasing your body fat. Please stop. Eat more, eat smarter, stress less.

Positivity:
There is a huge amount of power behind words. Words can illicit positivity and negativity.

A more positive outlook can cause you to trigger the "pleasure zone(s)" in your brain, which release chemicals into your body and effect your physiology. On the flip side, negativity leads to bad feelings, which can effect your brain in the areas that process physical pain. Imagine the chemical signals that travel throughout your body due to that... No bueno. A positive mindset leads to better adherence to the weight loss process and less stress.
Stay positive. Be patient with yourself. Be kind to yourself.

In the World of A Personal Trainer

I survived the first week of the grand opening of my gym. I've gained some great clients and met some really nice members. I really enjoy the inter-personal aspect of being a personal trainer. I like being around people and have little problem striking up conversations. I recognize that I have not always been this way; I was a very shy kid. Thankfully, I grew out of that in my 20s because it makes it so much easier for me to approach people.
Unfortunately there is a sales aspect to personal training. Even more unfortunate is that I am not rich and living off a trust fund. [shaking my head] Sooooo unfortunate. Health and fitness has enriched my life and I want to share it with the world, so I embarked on a career path that is challenging. Helping people is my #1 goal. Is it easy to approach people and ask them to hire me? [cringe] No. That is why I don't ever ask for money. What I do is different. I talk to people, hear their stories, I practice empathy, understand their struggles and fitness goals, and help them come up with a plan (a Program) that will get them to their goals as quickly and efficiently as possible. I empathize with people struggling to figure it out. My own family is rife with the same struggles. I figured it out and I want to help others do the same.
I have been hitting the ground running since the gym opened last week. I am enjoying working with my clients and members. The downside is the hours. I work long hours and I am not used to it. I've never been a workhorse. I am a "quality over quantity" person. I would rather be very efficient with my time for 7-8 hours than being half awake for 12-14 hours. This is why Personal Trainers often do "split shifts". They come in for a few hours in the morning, have a break in the mid afternoon, and then come back to work in the evening.
Okay, enough talk about work... My personal life is still around too. I'm maintaining a balance. So far Saturdays are my day off. Fridays and Sundays are technically "half days" for me, because I am working long hours Monday-Thurday. I actually got to go to my Barre studio this week. Was I exhausted? Absolutely. Did attending my usual workouts make me feel better? You bet'cha!
More and more my clients are loving my Barre-styled workouts (tailored to them individually of course) so I am thinking that this might be a great option for my career path. Now I just need to finish my truBarre teaching hours. The applied teaching hours gets me prepped to teach the classes. Teaching one person is difficult enough, but adding in multiple people adds to the challenge. Cueing is an art form, and an area I'm striving to improve in.
Have a great week! Remember to get up and move around a little more this week. Invest in your health and happiness. Cheers!

Hypermobility, Fat-Loss, & Anti-Sedentary Tactics

Hello and happy Tuesday!
I don't really have a specific topic for this post, but I do know that I have stuff I want to share. Being a new Personal Trainer, I am hungry for knowledge. I've joined groups, read numerous articles and blogs, and read through LONG strings of conversations held by other PTs and pseudo-PTs. Literally every day I am reading away and trying to absorb as much knowledge as possible about nutrition, exercise, and the PT business.
Here are some cool bits that have really resonated with me:
1.) "Why You Must Not Stretch Hypermobile People." (The PTDC)
I read this article and literally said out loud, "FINALLY! Some answers!!" I, ladies and gents, am hypermobile. I have more than my fair share of collagen in my ligaments and am double-jointed in every movable joint in my body. Being able to imitate a flamingo stance with my legs and bend my thumbs back to touch my wrists were pretty cool parlor tricks when I was a kid. Alas, I grew up. [sigh] One anecdote from this article that was a huge help to me was knowing that hypermobile people often get light-headed when they stand up. This happens to me All. The. Time. I'll level with you and confess that I've really worried about my health as a result of this super annoying light-headedness.
The cool points of this article are that this population of people should not be stretched overmuch. I would go so far as to amend that they should not be stretched before workouts. Due to super-elastic joints, hypermobile people have inherent difficulties in stabilizing joints and stretching can lead to further de-stabilization (and possible injury). Instead of traditional stretching, opt for foam rolling instead. That was my big take-away: foam rolling before working out.
Are some of you wondering what foam rolling is? What it does? Foam rolling is the common name for self-myofascial release (SMR). To throw some more nerd-talk in there, SMR refers to a process of autogenic inhibition to improve tissue extensibility. If you're thinking WTF are you talking about KRegan?... THAT'S O-K! This basically means that when you apply targeted pressure (via foam roll) to your "tight" tissues (muscles) the neural pathways between your muscles and brain start talking. Pressure upon your muscles (via foam roll) creates a sense of tension within the muscle and your brain basically forces your tight muscle to relax (or release). The end result of SMR is the same as stretching; a relaxed muscle.
2.) Sedentary Behavior Could Be the Main Culprit In Rising U.S. Obesity (Personal Training Today)
I read this article on the heels of another blog post about how to lose weight. The previous article emphasized the necessity of simply MOVING more. The truth is that your body burns more calories when you are moving around during the day. The more you move, the more you burn (calories-wise anyway). And this doesn't even count your workouts (Those are in addition-to). This is you walking around your office, through the buildings, up/down the aisles of the grocer, hauling laundry up/down stairs, chasing after your kids, etc. Get my point? It's just the calories your body burns while you do your thing during the day.
Weight loss is a numbers game. We've got to have more calories going out than calories coming in. This article shows a link between sedentary lifestyles and obesity. Some of you might be saying, "Yeah duh." But this article (and the one I read previously) have reminded me of the importance to getting up off the couch more. For this reason, I wear my fitbit All. The. Time. I like the reminder to get up and move around. I recommend pedometer-devices to everyone. I prefer Fitbit because of their cool App for my cellphone and the technology their device provides.
3.) 10 Mistakes Women Make With Diets (T Nation)
 Yes yes yes, YES! I've seen so many of these articles over the years. Unfortunately it seems that the information just does not sink in. People, (Men AND women) you need to be eating nutrient dense whole foods. No processed crap. No white bread, white flour, white rice, etc. These foods are white because they've been processed to the point of having no color.
Another important takeaway from this article is that if you want to lose weight, you need to lift weights. Cardio alone will NOT get you to your weight loss goal. "Cardio" is short for cardiovascular training. This trains your vascular system and heart, and it is obviously important, however it will not result in a significant reduction in body fat. Want to drop body fat? Want those abs? You need to lift weights and build some sleek & sexy lean muscle. Lean muscle burns calories just to maintain itself within your body (This "maintenance" concept is called metabolism). That means you will increase your metabolism as you build muscle mass. Higher metabolism = eating more food. This also means that you will have a lot more wiggle room when it comes to eating. You won't be forever teetering over the precipice of gaining all the fat back just because you had a fun weekend.
Let's recap: Lifting weights -> Increased lean muscle -> Increased metabolism -> decreased body fat -> You hanging out in your bathing suit, drinking some wine and eating a few cupcakes without being worried that you'll reverse all the progress you've made.
Sooooo... if you want to drop some weight (i.e.. body fat) please get off the cardio-only bandwagon. Go and pick up some weights. Up. Down. Up. Down. And so on...

Go get after them goals!
-KRegan

If you are interested in foam rolling, here are some excellent resources to check out:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/13/foam-roller-exercises-moves_n_4044197.html

http://www.performbetter.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/PBOnePieceView?
storeId=10151&pagename=91

The Importance of Having Strong Support Sources.

Last night was the "Belly up to the Barre" event that I've been organizing for months. The Union Method was kind enough to host the get-together for my new health-minded social group here in the Seattle area. We all met each other through the Tone It Up! community, and then created our own little sub-community offshoot; Tone It Up! Seattle. As a group we've been really great about getting together to try out different workouts and just kick back with each other. These ladies have become great friends and wonderful support sources.

Celebrating with my ladies!

As I've said before, I love truBarre classes at The Union Method. I decided a few months ago that it'd be really fun to share the experience of a barre workout with my fitness community (#TIUSeattle) so I made a plan and I made it happen. 

Belly Up To the Barre was such a fun event. The class was challenging and then we had some wine afterward. Pictured above is representative of how much fun we had. Do we look happy? That's because we are. :-) 

As always, we take the time to talk to each other at our events. We take the time to connect. It is such a rewarding and uplifting experience. There is absolutely NO JUDGEMENT. We share in each others' accomplishments and express genuine happiness for one another. It is not about who is prettier, thinner, has great legs, wears the cutest clothes, etc. Maybe it is that we are all about mid-late 20s, and we might've grown out of the stage in our lives where we were in near constant competition with each other..? There is something really wonderful about aging and learning to be ok with who you are. 

My husband and family are always my #1 supporters, but there is something really special about my #TIUSeattle ladies. I never expected such wonderful women to come into my life, but I am entirely grateful. They keep me going, they keep me down to earth, they make my days a little bit sweeter.

My recommendation to anyone who is looking to make some changes and seek healthful living, is to CREATE a wide base of support. Having support sources can make a huge difference in the success of lifestyle changes. When I moved to the Seattle area I decided to seek out a supportive community and it has been the best decision I've made socially. YOU CAN DO IT TOO. 

Eating For Your Blood Type

Hi y'all!
I was asked about "the Blood Type Diet" yesterday by a friend. I have heard about this diet before, but haven't read into it. I decided to take some time to look into the Blood Type Diet and write a simplified explanation of it here.
This diet was created by Peter J. D'Adamo, a naturopath. He believes that the foods we eat have chemical reactions with our blood. The idea behind this diet is that different foods with react with your blood type, and if you eat a diet "for your blood type" your body will digest the foods more efficiently. More benefits Mr D'Adamo believes will happen as a result of his diet are weight loss, increased energy, and disease prevention.

Here's what D'Adamo recommends for each type: (Provided via WebMD)

"Type O blood: A high-protein diet heavy on lean meat, poultry, fish, and vegetables, and light on grains, beans, and dairy. D'Adamo also recommends various supplements to help with tummy troubles and other issues he says people with type O tend to have.

Type A blood: A meat-free diet based on fruits and vegetables, beans and legumes, and whole grains -- ideally, organic and fresh, because D'Adamo says people with type A blood have a sensitive immune system.

Type B blood: Avoid corn, wheat, buckwheat, lentils, tomatoes, peanuts, and sesame seeds.  Chicken is also problematic, D'Adamo says. He encourages eating green vegetables, eggs, certain meats, and low-fat dairy.

Type AB blood: Foods to focus on include tofu, seafood, dairy, and green vegetables. He says people with type AB blood tend to have low stomach acid. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and smoked or cured meats."

There hasn't been much research on the actual effectiveness of this diet in terms of weight loss. One study (The only one published anyhow) has evaluated the Blood Type Diet. Their results found that people with certain blood types received a cholesterol-lowering benefit from eating a low-fat diet. However their research it didn't support that the Blood Type Diet works for weight loss.

KRegan's thoughts:

Holy cow! I've been eating according to my blood type for a while now! My blood is type O and I eat a lot of proteins and vegetables and I watch my grain in-take. I realized several months back that I am sensitive to lactose so I have pretty much eliminated it from my diet. Oh, and yes I have suffered from awful tummy-troubles for years. Through dietary changes like eliminating dairy, I have been to prevent my stomach problems.

In my opinion, the Blood Type Diet has me pegged. Right. On. The. Nose. There might be something to the Blood Type Diet after all.

Im curious though, has anyone else been eating according to their blood type? Anyone willing to try it out for 2 weeks to see if it works for them?

For an additional article about this, Men's Fitness magazine has a great article here. (According to them I'm a leader and should avoid dairy. Well duh Men's Fitness. LOL)

Why truBarre can improve your body.

3 Reasons why you should consider truBarre:
1) Isometric muscle contraction
2) No joint impact
3) Increased Proprioception

I remember hearing about "Barre" a few years ago.  Honestly, it took me a while to figure out that people weren't actually going to a bar. (Barre is pronounced "Bar") Phrases like "Ballerina workout" and "really hard" were common responses when I asked just what Barre was. I'll be honest, I wrote Barre off as a possible workout for me. I am not a ballerina and I certainly do not look like a ballerina, and I just couldn't fathom the value of going to a "ballerina workout".
I changed my mind Spring of 2014. I recently moved to the Seattle area (previously mentioned) and I didn't know much about my neighborhood and I certainly didn't know anyone in my neighborhood, so I decided I would meet people through fitness. I found a Groupon to a local Pilates studio, The Union Method and purchased it. It was an incredible value; something like 10 classes for $30. Killer, right?!
Let me back track a minute and remind you all that I previously mentioned that I developed "runner's knee" at the beginning of the year. [Sad face] I went to Physical Therapy and got a series of strengthening exercises and stretches to help "fix" my knee. It might surprise you to read that I was NOT good at consistently doing these exercises. (Okay, that might not be surprising.) Realistically, it is tough to keep a consistent routine. I think most everyone struggles with this. My struggle was doing these leg strengthening exercises consistently. I remember thinking, "Jeeze, when will I be able to run again?!" (At this point I was able to run a max of 1 mile before it became uncomfortable.)
Fast forward to my first class at The Union Method in Kirkland, WA. It's Sunday morning and I joined about 8 other women in a room with mirrors and [obviously] bar railings along the walls. The instructor was very friendly and welcoming, but she warned me that the point of a truBarre class is to fatigue the muscles. (Me: Uhhhh...what?) Roughly 60 minutes later, I was fatigued. My legs were burning my abs were stiff. I was in love.

So what is Barre?
The Barre Method was developed by Lotte Berk. After suffering a back injury, Lotte decided to combine ballet barre routines with rehabilitative therapy. The result was the Barre Method.
The Union Method teaches a "spin off" from the original called "truBarre". TruBarre is a mix of pilates and classic barre techniques. The focus of these classes is on form, alignment, and posture; All the while having NO IMPACT on the body's joints. (Might come in handy for people with injuries, huh?) What it also does is increase strength through isometric muscle contraction.

What is isometric muscle contraction?
This is where a muscle "fires" (activates) but does not move over a joint. i.e.: the muscles generates force without changing length.

We've likely ALL seen the benefits of workouts containing isometric muscle contractions. Ie.: Think yoga.... and think of Adam Levine's sexy body pleasing physique. 

Can isometric workouts really work for me?
Short answer: Yes. I believe everyone should incorporate isometrics into their normal exercise routine. An article by T Nation stated, "One of the most important benefits of isometric action training is that it’s the contraction regimen that leads to the greatest activation level." (Sounds promising huh?) well, T Nation continues on with an awesome explanation of how isometric exercises help to improve the body over time; "What this tells us is that isometric training can improve our capacity to recruit motor units during a maximal contraction. In the long run, this improved neural drive could greatly increase one’s strength production potential!" (Love the enthusiasm T Nation) So let me break this down for you one more time. Isometric exercise activates your muscle but does not move around the joint. (No movement!) Over time, isometric exercise makes you stronger by training your body to better recruit your muscles. Personally, I have seen some muscle gains, but I want to note that research says that isometric exercise won't give you bulky muscle growth. (I've never met a yogi that gained his bulging biceps by doing yoga sever hours a day.) You likely won't develop huge muscles doing isometrics, but you WILL gain muscle. (And more muscle mass leads to metabolic change. You like eating right??) Isometric exercises are AMAZING for training stabilization in muscles! Let me repeat that again...Isometric exercises are AMAZING for training stabilization in muscles! Stabilizing your core makes sense of course, because you want to protect and support your back. But I love that through truBarre I am much more stable on my feet and arms. 

What is proprioception?
Wikipedia says proprioception is, "the sense of the relative position of neighboring parts of the body and strength of effort being employed in movement." I like to simplify this by explaining that it is being aware of your extremities and their position/orientation. For me, the isometric exercises contained within a truBarre routine have increased my proprioception. In my everyday life I am now able to correct little movements and positions. I can FEEL the difference because I am more aware. I'll give you an example. The other day I was out running (Yay!) and I started to feel discomfort in my knee. I immediately took stock of where my knee was positioned during the foot fall... Nope, that wasn't it. Then I realized that it was my foot; I was allowing my arch to fall into "flat foot status". Knowing this, I was able to correct my foot, raise my arch, and continue my run without knee discomfort. It is so important for me to explain that I've never been able to feel my foot pronate before, but by increasing my proprioception [through regular isometric exercise] I can now make corrections to my posture and alignment through my body's cues. 

Guess what? I'm a Personal Trainer now!

Yes, I got certified. I'm doing this the right way. I got certified through NASM in June, 2014. (Side note: It has been too long since I last blogged.) Now that I've moved to Seattle, Washington I am working at a local gym here. (Yay!)

Let's fill you in on some things that have happened to me since my Triathlon...
* I ran my first half marathon. The Rock'n'Roll Half Marathon in Las Vegas!

I earned that sweet medal!

* I ran another half marathon.... The Tinkerbell Half Marathon in Disneyland!

* Completed the ISSA Sports Nutrition certification. I'm not just playing around anymore. (TeeHee)

* We moved to Seattle! 

* I tried some new workouts

I tried aerial yoga at Knotty Yoga in Redmond, WA.

* I fell in love with Barre workouts...

Oh Barre... How I love thee...

* Got certified in Person Training

Somewhere between my last half marathon event and my aerial yoga adventure I developed a bad case of runner's knee. I went to Physical therapy to treat it and prevent future occurrences. I learned what I could but ultimately stopped going because guess what? It is expensive. However, with my fancy-shmancy PT certification I now know a LOT more about treating cases like mine through functional training. Barre training has come in real handy for this. There is zero impact during the workouts AND I do many of the same strengthening (and stabilizing) exercises that the Physical Therapist recommended to me. Guess what? I am slowly building back my mileage. Progress is progress and I am happy for it.
Welp, there are the major events that have happened since I last blogged. It's been a roller coaster! I am glad my path led me here. Here, being my current status in life. I am feeling pretty positive about my life. Though Here could have also referred to Seattle, because Seattle is pretty darn cool.
Signing off.... Your Personal Trainer AND Nutritionist (& friend) KRegan.

Keep your head high and a smile on your face.