Welcome to the first post from my new fitness book club!

It’s funny that as I write about the first discussion and book selection, I am struggling to stay away from the distraction of Twitter and Pinterest.  The irony is the first book up for discussion was Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength. The authors, Roy F. Baumeister and John Tierney, tackle the topic of self-control: where it comes from, why some people seem to have more than others and is it possible to strengthen it?

What could have been a rather dry subject was actually made quite entertaining. Baumeister is the researcher, in the clinical sense, of the pair and has plenty of experiments and studies to back up his primary conclusions: willpower is a real thing that can be conserved and strengthened. To help make sense of the research and figure out how to apply it in your own life, Tierney uses real world examples and real life situations.

My favorite chapter, for example, is his discussion of glucose levels and their impact on willpower. He uses a story of type 1 diabetic and comedian, Jim Turner, to illustrate the point. Jim recalls a nighttime episode of irrational thinking and near hallucinations to show how low blood glucose can take away our common sense and make us people that we aren’t normally.

I know this first hand. I too lack self control and rational thought when my blood glucose drops. (In case you didn’t know, I am also a type 1 diabetic.) I’ve been known to yank phone cords out of walls, break things and (although it’s been a long time) eat uncontrollably when my blood sugar dips far too low.  While most people don’t experience it to the extremes that Jim and I do, there is a lesson to be learned: to make rational thoughts and decisions the brain needs fuel. Let your glucose levels drop too low and you lack the ability to make good choices.

While this isn’t a fitness book, the authors do offer a pretty good weight maintenance plan that could also carry over to anyone trying to lose fat. I don’t want to give it away but I will give you a hint-it’s not about dieting.

If you’ve ever wondered how some people seem to quite smoking for good or stay dedicated to the gym with ease, this book is for you. There’s even a solution for my Twitter/Pinterest problem. It’s called RescueTime and I really need to look into it.

Thanks to everyone who joined the live Facebook discussion about this book. If you missed it all the questions and discussion are still there, just scroll back to January 19.

The next book for my fitness book club is The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who've Lived the Longest.  For me it’s not just about living longer but also about have the best quality in those years. From what I’ve read so far this book will help us do both. Look for the Facebook live discussion in March. Read along and join us!

image by ericmcgregor

The Fit Truth: You Must Strength Train

The 1^st Key to Real Fitness is committing to a challenging strength training program as the foundation of your fat loss and fitness routine.

I won’t lie; there are lots of ways you can lose weight. But do you want to lose weight or do you want to lose fat? Losing weight isn't the same as reshaping your body so you fill out your jeans and have tank top ready arms. Losing weight just means being a smaller version of your squishy self. What makes the difference between just losing weight or having a fit body is a focused, appropriate and challenging strength training program.

Focused:  Your strength program should be efficient and designed to maximize results.  If you’re program contains a lot of isolation moves (like concentration curls) or machines (like leg extensions) then you may not be getting the biggest bang for your buck.

Appropriate: No one walks into my studio and starts doing dead lifts and single leg squats on the first day. Your strength program should meet you where you are.  If you’ve never lifted a weight in your life, your program should start with learning proper form and how to move your own body.  It should also be designed with your goals in mind. A fat loss program looks different than a sports specific or body building program. Any prior injuries or muscle imbalances should be taken into consideration.

Challenging: Please don’t take appropriate to mean easy. If someone has never lifted weights before a body weight squat can be very challenging. At the same time, endless repetitions with 3 lbs dumbbells will not shape the body you want.  If you can do 50 crunches on the stability ball then you need to increase the intensity. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone.

My most successful clients embrace their strength programs. When push comes to shove, they will do their strength homework instead of cardio. I want you to do the same. You can raise your heart rate with strength training but it’s harder to build muscle by riding the stationary bike.

Your Action Steps:

1. Strength train 3 days a week minimum. No excuses.
2. If your goal is fat loss, your movements should be designed to use as many muscles as safely as possible and to keep your heart rate up. Keep the movements big and rest periods small.
3. Make sure you can do a basic squat, a basic lunge, a push up (whatever modification makes sense for your fitness level), a bent over row and a plank hold with perfect form.  You must master basic foundational moves before progressing to more challenging versions and combinations.
4. Keep a training log. Document all strength sessions with reps and weights done. Have a plan for progression that matches your goal.

Don’t worry, we don’t leave cardio completely out. It is important for good health and it can help you burn more calories. But many of you are going about it the wrong way. Next week, I'll tell you how cardio fits into your program.

See all articles in the series The Fit Truth.

When I say “physical fitness” what’s the first thing that pops into your head?

The first thing I think of is the Presidential Physical Fitness tests we used to take in school.  Maybe it’s because I have a lot of trauma and negative emotions tied to them. As the fat kid, these tests caused me much anxiety. I couldn’t run a mile, do a chin up or complete the required number of sit ups.

In health and fitness circles we spend a lot of time talking about physical fitness. I have since gotten over my fear of the term, but the more clients I work with the more I think our focus may be displaced.  Yes, running a mile under a certain time is a great goal. But is it really what most people need to worry about?

Physical function, to me, is a much better area of focus. Physical function is defined as:

One's ability to carry out various activities, ranging from self-care (activities of daily living) to more challenging and vigorous activities that require increasing degrees of mobility, strength or endurance (Stewart & Kamberg, 1992; Haley, Coster & Binda-Sundberg, 1994; Haley, McHorney & Ware, 1994; Wilson & Cleary, 1995).

This term used to be mainly applied to older adults or those with physical challenges.  However, society is getting unhealthier and more sedentary as the obesity epidemic grows. The consequence? Lack of physical function in one or more areas is becoming more common in younger adults.

Some examples of our modern maladies:

• Inability to lift legs up to tie shoes or put on socks.
• Unable to get up off floor from a seated position.
• Can’t walk up more than 1 or 2 flights of stairs without stopping.
• Low back pain from tight hamstrings and weak core.
• Getting up out of a chair requires an arm or pushing off.

Some of you might laugh at the thought of some of these things, but really they aren’t a laughing matter. I see these things in people in their 30s. If they have these problems now, what are they going to look like in their 60s and 70s?

Fat loss and athletic achievements (like running a 5K) are great goals to strive for. But so is moving freely and without pain.  But we, as a fitness industry, need to do a better job of helping people function. It’s not a matter of “no pain, no gain” but a matter of “no pain”. Exercise should be fun and challenging but compatible with real life challenges facing people. Being able to touch your toes and walk a mile are just as important as fat loss and running.

How do you feel about the fitness industry? Is the emphasis on boot camps and “insane” workouts helping or hurting?

image by Harsha K R

The reality is most people spend a good deal of the day at the desk.  Snacks need to be non-perishable and quick.  Something that can stay in a desk drawer or office refrigerator and reloaded once a week.  Something that can be grabbed in the mad dash between meetings and conference calls.

I used to live that life, so I know how challenging it can be.  My go-to 2:00 pm snack when I started this journey (and for many years after) was a Luna bar. It still makes the top of my list. Just don’t wash it down with a Diet Coke as was my habit back in my office dwelling days.  I have since discovered that woman cannot live on protein bars alone.  So I have compiled a list with a variety of options for healthy office snacks or mini meals. If you’re struggling with office fuel or things to pack in a purse for a long day of errands I hope these options help you out.  If you’ve got a favorite not on the list be sure to share!

Desk drawer snacks:

• Luna Bars (170-190 calories each, depending on variety)
• Primal Strips Seitan Jerky (99 calories)
• Almonds (100 calorie packs for freshness)
• Bear Naked Fit Granola (120 calories a serving)
• Dry Roasted Edamame (130 calories a serving)
• Bananas ( small ones are about 75 calories) and apples (small ones are about 65 calories)
• Tuna or chunk chicken packets (for my non-vegetarian readers, about 70-100 calories per serving)
• Protein2GO (50 calories) perfect to add to a bottle of water

Break Room refrigerator snacks:

• Low Fat Cottage Cheese (1/2 cup 90 calories)
• Hummus with baby carrots (about 100 calories for a serving of each)
• Greek Yogurt (varies by brand, aim for 120-150 calories)
• Hardboiled eggs (71 calories each) or just the whites (17 calories each)

By planning ahead and bringing in a new bag of snacks each week you will have something to reach for (other than the vending machine Snickers) when hunger attacks.

image by IPBrian

But there is one myth that, quite literally, weighs on us as we approach New Year’s Day. It is the one that tells us that when we step on the scale on January 2 will be about 10 pounds heavier than we were before Thanksgiving.

Fear not, however. The 10 pounds the average American is alleged to gain from eating too much pumpkin pie and drinking too much eggnog in the six week holiday season is indeed a myth. A National Institute of Health study in 2000 tested this theory by measuring the weights of 195 volunteers before, during and after the six week holiday season. What they found was the average weight gain was only about 1 pound.

Yet, the myth still persists and is spread even in fitness circles. Perhaps it is because some people do gain excessive amounts of weight during the holidays.  After all, if 1 pound is the average weight gain, and we know that some people didn’t gain any weight at all, some people exceeded that average as well. The study showed that about 10 percent of participants gained more than 5 pounds during the 6 week holiday season.  Its results concluded that there were 3 factors that influenced who gained 5 or more pounds and who didn’t.

The Top Factor: Being overweight or obese.

This means your best offense is a good defense. If you are fit, healthy and focused on staying that way all year, the holidays don’t prove to be as much of a challenge.  So don’t wait till January 2 to start a fitness program. Do it now and have a foundation to help you navigate the holidays and minimize the damage.

The other two Top Factors: Level of hunger and level of activity.

Level of activity will be addressed by your defensive measure of starting a fitness program.  As your schedule gets busier, remember that something is always better than nothing. As a part of your fitness program, have quick activities you can do that easily at home or on the road.  Also workouts can be broken into 10 or 15 minutes segments, making it easy to fit in on hectic days.

Keeping hunger at bay, and addressing the third factor, can be more challenging because of another myth-saving up calories for a big meal.  The worst thing you can do is to go to a party or a family Thanksgiving meal hungry. When we arrive hungry with blood sugar levels plummeting, everything looks good.  Eating normally throughout the day is a much better strategy and will help you make better choices.

During the holiday season we will be overwhelmed with choices at office parties, holiday open houses and family festivities. The key is to be proactive: have a plan, stay active and eat normally. Knowing the facts will help you stay below average when it comes to holiday weight gain.

photo by Stephen Heron

If I could give you a prescription for something that could lower your risk of Alzheimer’s disease would you take it? If I recommend a treatment for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease without unpleasant or dangerous side effects would you ask the doctor about it?

When it comes to Alzheimer’s disease, exercise is medicine.  While most references to Alzheimer’s prevention focus on keeping the brain active and agile, more and more research is emphasizing the importance of physical activity. Exercise is proving to be not only an effective tool for prevention but also an important part of treatment for those living with the disease.

Exercise should be part of your prevention plan for two key reasons. First, exercise is a critical component of weight management. Despite most people’s efforts to lose weight without it, exercise is a vital in creating a negative energy balance to facilitate weight loss and in maintaining a healthy body composition. Being overweight, particularly carrying the weight around the middle or having an “apple” shape, is a key indicator for late onset Alzheimer’s disease. Central obesity is typically defined by two measurements:

• Waist circumference: Measured at the smallest part of the stomach, above the belly button but below the xiphoid process (lower part of the sternum).  A measurement below 102 cm for men and 88 cm for women is considered ideal.
• Waist to Hip ratio: Ratio of waist circumference to hip circumference (measured at the largest part of the hips).  For women your waist circumference divided by your hip circumference should not be greater than .08, for men it should be no greater than 1.0.

Recent research from Columbia University indicates that, even after adjusting for other factors, waist to hip ratio was the best predictor of risk of late onset Alzheimer’s disease.  Central obesity is also a risk factor for type 2 diabetes and heart disease, both of which also pose an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease.   Combining regular physical activity with a balanced healthy diet is the most proven and effective strategy when it comes to weight management.  Your action plan: Use a tape measure to find your waist circumference and waist to hip ratio.  Reduce your waist, reduce your risk.

The second reason is even if the scale doesn’t move in the right direction your regular workout can still have protective benefits. Researchers at the University of California-San Diego recently published a study that outlined various reasons why exercise, independent of weight loss, proved to be an effective preventative therapy. Their hypothesis included the effects of exercise on the following Alzheimer’s disease risk factors:

• Blood flow to the brain
• Management of diseases that effect vascular function, such as diabetes and hypertension
• Stress

With all three, exercise had a positive effect and decreased the risk of Alzheimer’s disease even among those with a greater than average genetic risk.  Your action plan:  Make 30 minutes of physical activity part of your daily routine.  Anything you enjoy that gets your heart rate up works, just do it.

Perhaps best of all, exercise can provide benefits after diagnosis. A study published this year in the Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences indicated that those whose treatment included regular physical activity had improvements in cognition, mobility and ability to perform activities of daily living.  Alzheimer’s patients also feel the psychological benefits of exercise of improved mood and stress reduction.  Your action plan: If caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease, insist on physical activity as part of the treatment plan.

If you are interested in learning more how exercise can be an effective prevention tool for not only Alzheimer’s disease but type 2 diabetes, hypertension and other diseases and chronic  illnesses be sure to visit www.exerciseismedicine.org for more information and action steps.

photo by Robert Brook

Recently this appeared in my inbox as part of a local magazine’s “Deal of the Day” program

40 Days of HCG for $99

Frustrated by not hitting your weight loss goals? Feel stuck? Then you need to look into the hCG weight loss program through (company removed). hCG helps you lose weight immediately, burn fat in problem areas, keep excess weight off and eliminate food cravings. In addition to 40 days of hCG drops, this deal also includes weekly detox footbaths and infrared sauna treatments.

What a deal. Half off the ability to purchase a program that:

• Helps you lose lean muscle mass:  The real weight loss driver of this program is the starvation diet of 500 calories per day. I won’t argue, at 500 calories per day you are probably going to lose weight. But what weight? Muscle, water and maybe a little fat. There is no scientific evidence that can back up the claim of burning only fat.  Nor do most of these practitioners measure anything but weight.  How do you know what you’re losing if no one takes body composition measurements before or after?
• Increase chances of getting pregnant: HCG is a pregnancy hormone. In fact that is what pregnancy tests are testing to get that little plus or minus.  It increases rapidly during the 1^st trimester and then drops off in production after that.  It’s only approved use, via injection, is as a fertility treatment.
• Disrupt thyroid function: Studies of women taking HCG for its approved use show an increased risked of hyperthyroidism.  Speaking from experience, you don’t want this side effect. Plus any abnormal stimulation of the thyroid can cause issues when that stimulation is removed.
• The FDA has deemed a fraud and illegal: In early 2011 the FDA released a statement that the homeopathic drops were illegal because they are not recognized by the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia and not approved by the FDA as a homeopathic drug. They described them as an “economic fraud”.

Yet I am sure they sold hundreds of these deals.  Hundreds of people who want to lost weight and are being deceived by diet industry that doesn’t care how it leaves people in the end, only about emptying their wallets. No matter how many times I talk about the dangers of this method, people will continue to ignore the warnings because the results seem to be too good to pass up.

Since I am a native of the Show Me state, I believe the proof is in the numbers. Here is what I am going to do for anyone in the Springfield MO area. If you bought this deal of the day call me before you start the program.  I’ll check your body composition for free before you start and after to prove to you that the claims of only fat loss are false.  Based on my experience I am so sure of this fact that if I am wrong, I will give you a month of Team Training for free if indeed 100% of the weight lost is fat.  All you have to do is call me before you start and show me a copy of your Deal of the Day when you come in.

So who’s ready to take my challenge?

Personal Trainer Pamela Hernandez talks about the various ways to measure body fat and shares her most used method.

Discussed in this Video:

• Omron Body Logic Fat Loss Monitor
• Accu-Measure Fitness 3000 Personal Body Fat Tester
• MyoTape Body Tape Measure

Why We Get Fat.

Good Calories, Bad Calories

Technically speaking, there is nothing different in this book than Good Calories Bad Calories (see my review of Good Calories, Bad Calories). I would actually refer to it as the simplified version of the previous book, with a lot of the research removed and the arguments condensed to be less dense and more understandable to the average reader.

The problem is, by doing so, he’s written just another diet book. Another book that harkens back to Atkins and the other “cut out all but the barest trace of carbs from your diet” books. Another diet book that presents a plan that may work but is hardly livable. Another diet book that says I have the absolute answer and serves to just add one more source of confusion to the average American’s quest to get healthy.

My frustration is based in the fact that he’s on to something. He’s core ideas are right:

Sugary and refined carbs are responsible for increasing obesity and malnutrition.

We eat too much processed food.

Food quality matters

But he then he goes off track, shifting to the extreme position. He presents data that, on the surface makes sense but if you look closely you’ll find the flaws in the argument.  For example, he presents data against exercise, how it doesn’t help you lose weight. He discusses the inability of dedicated runners to maintain a healthy weight. He says if someone is running miles a day, and can’t lose weight, than what’s the point? Yet he doesn’t account for what these runners are eating. I always say you can’t out train a bad diet.  Of course running won’t help you lose weight if your recovery meal is a muffin and Frappuccino.

Further, he talks about the Women’s Health Study. Women were asked to follow the standard low fat heart healthy diet yet didn’t appear to be any healthier or lighter for it.  What about exercise? Of course you can eat a heart healthy diet and gain fat. You can eat too much of anything. To maintain lean mass you’ve got to strength train.

My mission, my passion for a livable approach to health and fitness, just solidifies every time I read about extremes. I know, there are some who might call my lifestyle extreme. But it’s a lifestyle that has evolved over time. You can just as easily let a sedentary, unhealthy lifestyle evolve over time. We get fat because instead of making a conscious choice to live healthy and fit, we let the food industry, sedentary jobs and the needs of others take over.  We get fat because we don’t demand better of the food industry, assuming they have our best interests at heart and believing their overinflated health claims.   What I am passionate about is educating people so they can make conscious choices about how they live their lives.  Those choices may lead to small changes each day or perhaps to a true extreme makeover.

Since I reviewed the first book has anyone else picked it up? Have you read Why We Get Fat? How do these books make you feel? Vexed? Frustrated? Passionate?

image by pfala

When Tina McManus, a Springfield breast cancer survivor, was treated for lymphedema in her right arm she was warned against participating in many common exercises, things like tennis, golf and weight training. Until recently, this was the standard advice given to breast cancer survivors.  Exercises that utilized the arms excessively, particularly those that are weight bearing, were thought to increase the risk of lymphedema, a blockage of the lymph vessels that drain fluid from tissues throughout the body and allow immune cells to travel where they are needed.

The problem with that advice is we need to lift things every day.  Life is full of the tasks that require us move and carry heavy objects: laundry baskets, grocery bags, lap top bags and children to name a few.  Staying strong means being able to live a productive life.

Fortunately, that advice may be changing. Two recent studies may provide new guidance when it comes to breast cancer survivors’ fitness routines.

The first study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2009, reported a link between weight training and a reduced risk of breast cancer related lymphedema.  In the study, 114 participants were divided into exercise and nonexercise groups. The exercise group did weight training 2 times per week for a year, while wearing a compression garment.  At the end of the year the exercising group showed significant improvements in overall strength as well as significant improvements in lymphedema symptoms.

A second study, published in 2010 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, seems to reinforce those findings.  In the JAMA study included 154 breast cancer survivors (ranging 1-5 years post unilateral breast cancer) who had at least 2 lymph nodes removed and presented with no signs of breast cancer related lymphedema.   The participants were divided into 2 groups: one group who participated in a supervised, slowly progressive resistance training program and one non exercise control group. The exercise group met with a personal trainer 2 times per week for 13 weeks and then exercised unsupervised for the remainder of the year.  At the end of the study “clinically significant” arm swelling occurred with less frequency in the exercise group than the control group.

After doing her own research and reviewing the information she found online, Tina decided that weight training should be part her new fitness program.  After participating in weight training 1-2 times a week for almost a year she says, “I do think that my lymphedema is more under control now - due to the exercise (and movement)”.

If you are breast cancer survivor here are a few tips to follow if you are interested in starting a weight training program:

1. Always consult with your doctor. Make sure you are clear to resume normal activity before starting any type of exercise program.
2. Wear a compression sleeve.
3. Pay attention for any signs of swelling during the first exercise performed. If necessary, measure circumference of arm (s) before and after exercise.
4. Start slowly, focusing on lighter weight and higher reps.
5. If you are unsure of what exercises you should do and how to do them, consider consulting with a certified personal trainer.  Or search out programs designed specifically for cancer survivors such as the Cancer Fatigue program at Hulston Cancer Center.