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Better Endurance and Strength Training

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How have you been training?– Have you been training?

Does the gym intimidate you?

What physical goals do you have?– To look like an athlete? To be able to carry your children, or groceries?

There are so many ways to train your body for your goals. Strength training is an important piece toward building those goals. It may not have been anything you have considered, but as we age we loose 3 – 5% lean muscle mass per decade starting in our mid-thirties. Did you know you can reverse this process by doing resistance and strength training? Who knew? I did!

Building Endurance and Strength can be done in a gym, or at home. If the gym intimidates there are many exercises which can be completed at home or while traveling. Bodyweight exercises are an excellent way to start training, and can be challenging even to the more seasoned athlete. Below is a sample workout for you too try, complete 4 rounds, rest after each round:

Step-ups 10 each side (use a step or stable stool)

Push ups 10 (may be performed on knees)

Biceps curls ( use resistance bands or cans)

Reverse Lunge 10 each side

Tricep dips

Up next we will talk flexibility and stability training

Where do I start with nutrition?

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There is so much talk about “good diets” and “bad diets” – “good” foods and “bad”, it can be intimidating trying to run the gambit of too much information. In fact, it makes it difficult to even start because of the perceived restrictions and lifestyle changes which seem like a punishment instead of a road to a healthy life.

This is simply not the case, too much of any food is where the problem comes in. We all have an amount of calories we burn throughout the day, (TDEE – Total Daily Energy Expenditure) just existing. The problem arises when we eat over that amount. See wasn’t that simple?

Now with that being said, there are ways of eating which will fuel your body in a better way, compared to other ways of eating. For example, one Costco muffin is 672 calories, and the next meal shown is 700:

Which meal will satisfy you longer? Which meal will provide more nutrients to the body? I don’t know about you, but before I started watching what I ate, I would have 3 muffins a day on a weekend, plus meals. Why? Because they were quick to consume and delicious!!! However, they never kept me full for long, so a “real” meal wasn’t far behind.

Now here comes the simple part and a little math – 3 muffins x 672 = 2016 calories in snacks! Add in an average 600 calories each meal = 1800 calories (i.e. two eggs, two pieces of toast w/butter, 3 slices of bacon and coffee with creamer – breakfast; grilled cheese sandwich – lunch; cheeseburger and chips – dinner). I have consumed 3816 calories in one day, and pretty darn easily, my TDEE is 1787.

Stay with me just a little more math – I have stored approximately 2029 calories that day, two days like the one shown and I have stored 1+lb of fat for the week…..there are 52 weeks in a year, so a grand total of 52 pounds gained in a year. It’s as simple as that, conversely decreasing the intake of food, by just a slight deficit below TDEE will have the opposite effect.

Your body runs on all things protein, carbohydrates and fats. It is best to try and get all the macro nutrients into your diet daily. Yes even carbs! There are no bad foods, just too much of any one thing. There are many diets that restrict one thing or another, and it will work for awhile, but is it sustainable to your lifestyle? Does it feel like punishment? Only you can decide which diet will work for you.

You can start with a simple portion control plan – Palm size of protein, cinched fist of carbs, cinched fist of vegetables 5 or 6 times a day; Calorie counting ; or a macro plan. The last two I suggest a food scale which will become your best friend, and tuthfully you should have as a fixture in your kitchen anyway. Bottom line is It all depends on your goals, your routine and lifestyle which will be the plan that works the best for you.

If you have any questions on how to start please feel free to shoot me an email, and let’s get started!

Pushing your limits

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Today I wore a shirt I received from a guy who competed for the USA in Russia at a world competition in arm wrestling and he placed 4th, IN THE WORLD !!!!

And as I sit, during my rest, between sets of lat pulldowns, I think my God the commitment it took to get there! Pushing your limits everyday….never phoning it in, seeking out stronger and stronger competition, learning from them and never ever stop pushing to be the best. 

There are days when I say “well something is better than nothing”, and while this can be true, it will not get you to world competition level. Don’t get me wrong we all start somewhere, but you can no longer keep swimming in the same place, being complacent if you want to reach your goals. After thinking about this guy’s drive and determination to get where he wanted to be, you better believe I pushed that weight to failure…every set, every rep, was made with determination.
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While he no longer competes professionally, I had the pleasure of attending a local competition (how I got the shirt) and even after all these years he still kicked butt and placed against a much younger crowd. You know what I saw? The younger competitors coming over shaking hands and asking for tips, which he happily gave to them. The camaraderie I saw between these competitors was inspiring. Respect was mutual and no one was there to see you fail, they were there to support each other, and the sport they love. 

So my lesson today. push or you will not get where you’re going; learn from those who you can; and support those rising behind you.