Why most people lose muscle while on a diet- Some common mistakes...

Why most people lose muscle while on a diet- Some common mistakes...

Like most things in our society today, I see the weight loss/fat loss people falling into one of three camps. The first camp are the "I have to starve and suffer to lose weight and get lean" folks. They go for hours or days without eating, and may do this sporatically for months at a time. I am sure you know one of these folks and you may actually be one of these folks. They continue to starve themselves and suffer for a few months until they realize two things. First, "I can't do this anymore!" kicks in and they bail and binge. Time to start over in another month or two, worse off than where they were before. These people have also been called "yo yo dieters". The second reason they stop is that they realize they may be lighter on the scale (a little) from all of this suffering, but they don't really look any better, in fact, they often look worse! They have gotten a little smaller but not much, and definitely don't look any leaner, in fact they are flabbier. "Wtf??"
The second group is very similar to the first group, as they feel they must suffer to get lean but they choose to suffer not with diet but with cardio. Daily cardio sessions, for up to hours at a time done for weeks on end only to show minimal, if any, results. They too end up softer, flabbier and not really much leaner and certainly not more energetic. So instead of being lean, strong and full of vitality and energy, they are a little smaller, flabbier, tired and probably pretty achy and sick of exercise.
The third group are the folks who have been reading Muscle and Fitness and Shape magazine for 10 years and are afraid to go 2 hours without protein for fear that they may lose all of their hard earned muscle. (This was me for about 20 years.) They will eat even when they are not hungry to make sure they are in "positive nitrogen balance" because if they are not, the catabolic devil will creep up and eat all of their muscle!
All three of these groups of folks have a few things in common. One, they have a common goal of getting lean and losing fat. Two, they have a misguided, yet completely understandable, approach to getting lean. It is no wonder they are all so confused as their is so much information out there, good and bad, that it is almost impossible to know what to believe. Here is the real deal:
The secret to not losing (maintaining) muscle on a diet is heavy resistance training. Yes, that is the secret. Heavy resistance training gives the body a reason to hang on to muscle (and even build some in the process). If we are not performing heavy resistance training and giving the muscle a reason to stay, once we get into a calorie- reduced state our body chooses to eat up muscle rather than fat. Fat is actually more beneficial for the body to have in a calorie- reduced state. Think about it. If the body perceives that we are starving and may have to go a while without food, would it be better to have 10 lbs of stored  fat available as food down the road or to have nice arms and shoulders? Lol that's a no brainer! Our bodies main goal is survival, not having a nice ass or six pack abs.
If we diet (go into a calorie-reduced state) without heavy resistance training, we will lose muscle and keep the fat. That is what happens with Groups 1 and 2 above. When we starve or cardio-off the calories, without resistance training we lose muscle instead of fat and get smaller and flabbier. If we train hard and heavy, with more focus on weights and less focus on cardio, we can eat less and go for a few hours without protein (Group 3 I am talking to you now) and still maintain our muscle mass and get leaner!
Interested in learning more about how to get stronger and join the Iron Will team? email me info@ironwillstrengthstudio.com and we'll chat.
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What type of cardio is best to lose weight?

"What type of cardio is best to lose weight?"

This is a very common question and one that I get almost daily. The answer may surprise you. Are you ready? Here is is: Exercise is actually not a very effective way to lose weight. Now this may sound crazy, coming from someone who specializes in exercise but it's true. Exercise is great for many things but it has proven relatively ineffective for weight-loss. Let me explain..
While many people think that cardio is the key to weight loss and more importantly, fat loss; research and anecdotal evidence shows it just doesn't work very well. For example, over the years I have done seminars for hundreds of runners. One of the things I ask every group is why they started running. Most say "to lose weight" and yet most of them admit that they haven't lost much, if any and in fact , many report actually gaining weight!

There are a few reasons for this. First off, it is almost impossible to out-cardio your mouth. It takes 3 minutes to eat 300 calories and about 60 minutes to burn those calories. You will lose that contest every time. (Side note- although your favorite cardio machine may tell you you are burning 300 calories in 30 minutes or something crazy like that, you are not. The machines notoriously over-estimate your calorie burn. Think about it.. If you were really burning so many calories, why are you not losing more weight?)

The second point is that traditional cardio increases the appetite and more often than not, you will end up consuming more than you burned. Not good for weight loss. Resistance training, while the best tool for building muscle and sculpting and reshaping the body, it is historically not very effective for weight loss either. So what does work for weight loss or fat loss? It is very simple and something bodybuilders have been doing for years. (And by the way there is no group of athletes that loses bodyfat more consistently or more effectively than bodybuilders, who routinely achieve bodyfat levels of below 7%.) A low or reduced carbohydrate diet is the most effective way to lose weight.

Combined with a solid and consistent resistance training program and a "little" cardio (20 min, 3x per week), a low carb diet will give you the lean and toned physique that most people are looking for. While it is tempting to believe that you can eat crap and burn it off with cardio, you can't. Lots of people try this approach, and those are the sad individuals who you see virtually chained to the cardio machines at the gym for hours and hours, yet they are still overweight. They will stay that way forever until they accept the reality that eating properly is the only way.

In addition to my Ebook, The PROGRAM- Nutrition Protocol for fat loss and muscle gain, this is a great Low Carb Cookbook. 

** Special footnote: Once you have grasped the concept of low carb, moderate fat and moderate protein eating as outlined in my Ebook The PROGRAM, you can add Metabolic Acceleration Conditioning to your routine. This type of interval cardio actually does burn tons of calories and increases the metabolism in a way that is completely different than traditional cardio. Contact me here to learn more about this type of training.
 Hook up with me here: Online training, nutrition (Ebook- "The PROGRAM- Nutrition protocol for fat loss and muscle gain.") and inner circle membership and support- www.theprogram.trainerize.com

Whatever happened to being strong?

** Rhetorical question of the day: What ever happened to wanting to be strong, muscular and lean? Every day I see people doing stupid things in the gym and saying things like “I just want to be a little bit toned.” Seriously? A little bit toned? That sounds so weak.. Actually, I believe that most people who say they just want to be "a little toned" are actually afraid that saying "I want to be really lean and muscular and look incredible" would sound just too unrealistic and they are afraid of being judged. I get that. But forget that! I say go for it! If you want to be lean and muscular and look like a superhero then go for it! And what about being strong? I know I’m getting older when I want to use the expression “back when I was growing up” but I’m going to use it anyway. Back when I was growing up strong was awesome. Being muscular was a sign of strength and hard work, it let others know that you were someone to take seriously, someone who could get the job done.  The way I see it, nothing’s changed. Being strong and muscular is still awesome, the only thing that’s changed is that it’s now awesome for women too. And that’s beyond awesome!

Once and for all let’s forget about being skinny and focus on being strong. Think about how we describe the people that inspire us. Whether we are referring to political leaders, military personnel, law enforcement officers, superheroes, or extraordinary moms and dads; the most common adjective for a great leader is STRONG. Being strong inspires confidence and trust.

If you are a leader, in your workplace or in your household, being strong is what your family and your team expects and needs from you. They do not care if you are skinny, they want you to be strong. Our children love superheroes because they are strong. Whether they are male or female doesn’t matter, what matters is that they are strong and that they can protect the world from evil. Now maybe we can’t protect the world from evil, but we can all be strong and inspirational to our children and to our families.

I have noticed a wonderful trend in the gyms lately. I have had lots of women tell me that they are less interested in losing weight and more interested in being strong. They want to be strong for their kids and they want to be strong for themselves. Strength brings an undeniable feeling of self-confidence and that feeling transcends the gym. The feeling of being strong and the self-confidence that comes with it transfers into the workplace and into the home. We all inherently know when someone is strong both physically and mentally and it is difficult not to respect that person.

Being strong is not only physical, but also mental and emotional. Strong means having the ability to carry your child or grandchild on your shoulders for hours at a time or having the strength to defend your family when necessary. Strong can also be the ability to work around the house and in the yard without pain. Strong means believing deep inside that you can conquer whatever challenges you might face. Strong can be holding on and making it through a difficult time.

The good news is that even if you were not “born strong”, you can become strong, both mentally and physically and the training that will make you physically stronger, will make you both mentally and emotionally strong as well. The ability to endure under strain and discomfort can be developed. Strength training can be very basic and it is never too late to start or to benefit from a strength training program. Nationwide, seniors and middle-aged men and women are the largest growing group participating in strength training right now. A good strength program will develop strong muscles and bones, increase tone and even speed up your metabolism for a leaner and better looking body. The benefits of a solid, real strength training program are too numerous to list and too important to ignore. Forget the “toning”, let’s get strong.
 Hook up with me here: Online training, nutrition and inner circle membership support- www.theprogram.trainerize.com

What diet is best? Part 1.

Ever wonder why there are so many different types of diets and diet books out there? There is a new one out every week and there usually 2 or 3 on the best-seller list at any given time. How can there be so many different diets and theories? Many times these books will completely contradict each other, and yet they each have a nutritionist, some research, and many times even a doctor, to support their program. How can this possibly be? I'll tell you how...

The most common misconception in the health and fitness industry is that one size fits all. This is true whether we are talking about nutrition or exercise. We've got people swearing by Paleo, we've got people supporting Vegetarianism like it's a religion. We've got bodybuilders who eat more protein than a small village and we've got athletes who eat enough carbs to make Dr. Atkins turn over in his grave. So what gives? How can all of these people follow such different diets, and yet there are thousands of people following each of these different plans and getting great results? To make things even more confusing, for every person who is getting great results on each of these vastly different diet plans, there are five people who are getting no results or even worse, getting the wrong results!

Here is what no one is telling you. They are all right. Yes, that's right. Just about every diet book you have ever seen or read has something in it that is correct. The missing link is that it's not about the diet. It's about the person following the diet. This point is so important it is worth mentioning again. It's not about the diet, it's about the person following the diet.

A lower carb, higher fat diet IS a healthy diet, for the right person. A high carb diet can be a good diet, for the right person. A vegetarian-based diet can be the best diet, for specific people. So the question is not, which diet is best. The question is which diet is best for me.

Part 2- Which diet is best for me and more importantly, how do I determine that?

-Scott
Hook up with me here: Online training, nutrition and inner circle membership support- www.theprogram.trainerize.com

The technical term for the "energy crash".

Reactive hypoglycemia.
What is reactive hypoglycemia? Reactive hypoglycemia is the technical term for the "energy crash" and the hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) response that occurs after a meal too high in refined carbohydrates or sugars. This state is characterized by tiredness, brain fog and a depressed or irritable state of mind. The interesting thing about reactive hypoglycemia is that when your blood sugar is low (when you are getting hungry or shaky) having a processed carbohydrate or sugar snack will actually make the situation worse. It will temporarily raise your blood sugar and correct the situation, for a second, and then it will drop you down to an even lower level than where you started. Some real world examples are: the way you feel after stuffing yourself at Thanksgiving dinner and then desperately need a nap, the afternoon crash at work and the way your child is a moody mess after snacks of juice and cupcakes at school. (School administrators and parents please listen up: Stop sending and allowing that shit in classrooms. It affects your child's ability to learn, socialize and perform. And don't use the excuse that it's only on birthdays and special occasions because there is a birthday or occasion every day at the elementary school level.)
Avoid reactive hypoglycemia by snacking on foods rich in proteins and healthy fats, and fruits.
Cheese, nuts, apples, nut butters, yogurt, and other fruits make good snacks. Juices, pretzels, candy and all baked goods (cookies, cakes, cupcakes) are all very poor snack choices, both for kids and adults. Sodas and coffees with sugar or sugar substitutes will elicit a reactive hypoglycemic response as well so avoid those too. To avoid a hypo-crash, use cream (instead of skim or regular milk as cream has zero sugar and the fat content actually stabilizes energy levels) in your coffee and always have coffee with food.

Ps. If you need a killer home workout program, with no equipment. Check this out:

Turbulence Training Fat Burning Program

 Hook up with me here: Online training, nutrition and inner circle membership support- www.theprogram.trainerize.com

"Fun" Workouts?

There is always a lot of talk about workout programs, fitness classes, etc. that are fun. Everyone wants a workout that is fun. I understand that as I like things that are fun too. But fun doesn't usually equal results. My personal workouts are not fun. I make them enjoyable by listening to good music and knowing that my hard work is doing something good for my body and my health. My personal training sessions are fun because I joke with my clients and we have a great relationship and enjoy our time together, but the workout itself is not fun. It's hard work. That is why is called a "workout" not "play time".
There are new exercise "crazes" every year, and many of them are "fun." That's great. Going to a club and dancing all night is fun. It makes you sweat. It gets your heart rate up. Awesome. Does it get you stronger? Does it make you healthier? Does it make you look better naked?

It amazes me how many times I have had to try to explain to someone who has just complained to me for 20 minutes about how big her legs are, that she needs to stop spinning 3x a week. "But I love spinning", she says. "Great", I say, "but do you love it more than you hate having big legs?" Listen, I'm actually a fan of big muscles, so if you have thick, firm thighs from spinning I'm good with that. But if you want thinner legs, you cannot spin 3x a week. Have you ever seen a spin instructor with thin legs? Muscular and toned legs, yes. "Thin legs"? Nope. You get the idea.

You need to train for the goal you have in mind, not necessarily what you "like" to do. 

Training is something you do to achieve a specific result. Exercising is something active that you like to do. There is a very big difference between the two.I like to play hockey. That is my fun and that is where I get to enjoy the benefits of my hard work in the gym. Being faster is fun, being stronger is fun, being able to play all game long and not get tired or injured is fun. And although hockey is strenuous exercise , it alone will not give me the results I want. If that was my only form of exercise that I was willing to do (because it is fun), I would be very disappointed in my physique and other goals. I must perform workouts that build muscle and burn fat, and leave the fun for the other activities that I love.

Going to the beach is fun, especially when you are confident in the way you look in a bathing suit. Being insecure and self-conscious at the beach is not fun.
So the moral of the story is that while some workout programs may be "fun", you are going to get more long term enjoyment from workouts that "work", even if they are not so much fun while you do them. Train for results. Exercise for fun.
-Scott
 Hook up with me here: Online training, nutrition and inner circle membership support- www.theprogram.trainerize.com

A "unconventional" approach to feeding kids

*Important things to remember:

Our goal is to control and stabilize blood sugar to enhance learning ability and impulse control (ie: avoid tantrums and promote good moods!)

• There are three keys to a child's ability to learn. Sleep, oxygen and glucose (an optimal blood sugar level).
• When glucose (blood sugar) is low, things requiring mental effort (learning, self-control, decision making) are impaired.
• Baked goods and refined grain products have a serious negative impact on blood sugar. The response is equal to or worse than actual sugar. 
• Things that will negatively affect blood sugar: Crackers, pretzels, most cereals, breads, waffles, pancakes, muffins, pasta, white rice, Goldfish, juice, soda, candy, etc. All baked goods and refined carbohydrates will cause a rapid rise in sugar followed by a dramatic drop. 
• The cure to this is to:

A) Avoid refined carbohydrates when possible and instead choose from the recommended carbohydrates listed below and focus on fruits, fats and proteins (and, of course, vegetables when possible). One trick with veggies is to sauté in olive oil and/or serve with butter. (Kids will generally eat the veggies when they are seasoned with some fat and salt and the nutrients are better absorbed that way as well.)

B.) When you give refined carbohydrates, try to choose whole grain when possible and serve with a protein and/or fat to reduce the blood sugar response. ** Fats and proteins will slow the rapid rise in blood sugar (and corresponding crash) that typically comes from a high carbohydrate meal.** Some examples of how to this and other good snack/meal suggestions are below:

                        Use oatmeal and add real butter, a little maple syrup or sugar, cinnamon,                                     etc.  (Butter is key to help the kids be willing to eat it and makes the                                     energy provided from the meal longer lasting).

                        Add meat/cheese to pasta.

                        Use whole milk (rather than non-fat) with cereal and have some organic                                     sausage, eggs, cheese sticks or some other fat/protein on the side.

                        Whole grain waffles/pancakes but always serve with organic bacon or                                     sausage or eggs.

                        “Fage” full fat Greek yogurt with nuts.

                        Homemade “loaded” muffins. We like Dr. Oetker’s Organic Muffin Mix                                     (available at Whole Foods) We use Apple Cinnamon or Oatmeal and add                         an extra egg, chopped walnuts, banana or applesauce, and use coconut oil.  
                        Coconut oil is a great oil and a healthy source of good fats. 
   

                        Apples with peanut/almond butter.

                        Nuts and fruit.

                        Cheese sticks.

·      Gluten. We have seen many people have a favorable response to eliminating gluten from their diet. Research suggests that many people may be gluten-intolerant and not know it. You can get tested by your doctor or you can self-test by eliminating all gluten (all wheat products) for 2 weeks and see how you feel.

Non “blood sugar friendly” breakfasts and snacks. AVOID THESE!!

·      Sugary cereal with non-fat milk and juice

·      Pastries, muffins, bagels, etc.

·      Pretzels (alone)

·      Goldfish or other crackers (alone)

·      Cookies, cake, etc.

·      Non-fat sweetened yogurts

·      Non-fat sweetened frozen yogurt

·      Juice or other sugary drinks alone or with the above snacks will just make the problem worse. 
  Here is a great Low Carb Cookbook with great low sugar, low refined carb meals and snacks for the whole family.  Because your kids aren't the only ones who should be eating healthy.

Hook up with me here: Online training and coaching, nutrition and inner circle membership and support. www.theprogram.trainerize.com