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Newsletter |
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A newsletter
with your interests in mind and heart Welcome. I hope you find something that you can use in this newsletter, because I have written it for you. I choose subjects that I feel are valuable to your success, as well as issues that you have specifically asked about. You may discover answers to things that you didn't realize you misunderstood, and wouldn't have thought to ask. So whether this helps you to fine tune an exercise that you may have been doing incorrectly, get an important nutritional tidbit that kick starts your fat loss,  a
new motivational perspective, or even just a little entertainment, then I've
achieved my goal of making this a worthwhile endeavor for all of us.
As always, I am open to your suggestions and questions.
I want to
make each edition better than the last, so please contact me with any special
requests. |
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3.) Dos and Don'ts for Starting an Exercise Program 4.) Exercise Of The Month |
5.)
The Calorie Formulae For Those Needing To Lose Fat 7.) Working Out vs. Training
8.)
Contact Information |
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Read complete articles below extra ideas:
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"We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them."~Albert Einstein
"Few people are capable of
expressing with equanimity opinions which differ from the prejudices of
their social environment. Most people are even incapable of forming such
opinions."
"So we went to Atari and said,
'Hey, we've got this amazing thing, even built with some of your parts,
and what do you think about funding us? Or we'll give it to you. We just
want to do it. Pay our salary, we'll come work for you.' And they said,
'No.' So then we went to Hewlett-Packard, and they said, 'Hey, we don't
need you. You haven't got through college yet."
"The greater danger for most of us
is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low
and we reach it."
"It's
never too late to be who you might have been."
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Does your diet sputter and stall soon after you finally
get going? Are you in a daze from the diets in the "rag mags" at
the grocery store. Are you tired of wading through a mucky field
of tall grass in an endless search for the ultimate nutrition plan? Well, let's get right to it, no more meal plan
clutter for you. Your frustrations are now over. The clarity overwhelms
your spirit within. You have no excuses; no reasons to complain about
diet confusion any longer. This ultra-simple plan consists of three essential
components: diet, supplements, and cardio. You follow this plan, and you
will see results. Nothing more, nothing less. Diet There are only a few important philosophies that make this diet work, but without following these rules, you will fail. Paying close attention would be a good idea here! We'll make this easy by breaking it all down into components and basic principles. Protein You need tons. One-and-a-half to two grams per pound
of lean bodyweight is a good place to start. Protein intake should
only come from lean sources. Variety is good, but pork BBQ is not a
quality lean protein source, and neither is turkey bacon! Stay away from
processed meats and cold cuts. Protein shakes are an important
part of a sound nutrition plan for a couple of reasons: they not only
help you meet your daily protein requirements, but a product like Low-Carb
Metabolic Drive contains proper nutrients to keep you in a positive
nitrogen balance, as well. Low-Carb Metabolic Drive, taken before bed, is highly recommended due to the micellar casein in the blend. That, combined with this product's impeccable quality, puts it leagues ahead of all other protein powders available. If you're not using quality protein supplementation, you're doing nothing but wasting time and money. Fats Guess what? You need fat to lose fat. Before you get too excited by all those images of bacon and butter floating around your head, let's clarify: we're talking healthy fats here, the essential fatty acids (EFA's). The word 'essential' is in that name for a reason — you need EFA's for more than a flat belly; they'll keep you healthy, too! Good food sources of EFA's are healthy oils (flaxseed, grape seed, and olive oil are just a few examples), nuts, and fatty fish, but supplementation is important here too! Flameout is a fantastic EFA product that will help you get lean while keeping your hair and skin flawless, your joints pain-free, and your general health in check. Flameout is so concentrated that one capsule is as potent as 8 capsules of some discount-chain blends! Carbohydrates I can hear it now: "I want to start a cutting diet, and you want me to eat carbs?" You're darn right, carbs. You need 'em! Your body utilizes them to fuel and repair muscle tissue. Carbohydrates are protein-sparing. For this plan, however, a big part of your daily carb intake will consist of post-workout nutrition in the form of Surge, with the remainder consumed during the early part of your day. You're not to have additional carbohydrates after 6pm, unless your training takes place late in the day. You'll also need to include a ton of fibrous
vegetables. These won't count toward your total caloric or carbohydrate
totals for the day since green, fibrous veggies don't have any effect on
insulin levels. Aside from being great for general health reasons,
fiber-rich greens will help lower cholesterol and help you digest all
that protein you'll be eating. One final rule in this category: your carb intake must consist of foods with a low glycemic index at all times, outside of the Surge consumed directly post-training. Foregoing this rule at any time will yield poor results. The Separation of Carbohydrates and Fats This is a highly contested issue, but I tend to agree with Dr. Berardi's theory. Separating your carbs and fats is an important aspect and is essential for maximum fat loss. The basic premise is that when you take in carbs, your insulin levels are affected. If you add fats to the mix when your insulin has been spiked, there's a higher propensity for fat storage. Separation will minimize the chances of this happening. Post-Workout Nutrition Ahhh, the most overlooked aspect of dieting, especially with women. What you eat right after training is incredibly important! After a lifting session, your body is in desperate need of fuel to restore lost glycogen and begin repairing all those fibers you just tore. It's a completely anabolic state; your muscles are craving the proper nutrients to speed recovery and eliminate any possibility of muscle loss. What you eat shortly after your workout will either make or break your efforts in the gym. About a two to one ratio of carbs to protein is optimal here, your carb source being of utmost importance. If you're serious about reaching your goals, you'll use sound supplementation in this case. Carbohydrates from fruit are never what you want to
ingest after heavy training. Fructose restores liver glycogen and does
nothing to replenish lost muscle glycogen storage. What you want is
Surge. It'll send a rush of protein and the right kind of carbs to your
muscles, quickly restoring the glycogen supply. Sample Diet This diet is included for the sole purpose of helping you get organized. It's based on the needs of a 150 pound woman at about 20% body fat, whose goal is to get lean while maintaining her muscle. This diet will not work for you unless those stats apply to you, so customize the plan according to your own nutritional requirements. Meal 1: 6 egg whites, 40g cream of wheat (35g Protein,
30g Carbs) Note: On a non-training day, the post-workout Surge is to be substituted with 1.5 scoops of Low-Carb Metabolic Drive. There are trace amounts of fat in protein/carb meals, just as there are some carbs in fat and protein food sources at night. These are unavoidable and negligible, so don't worry about them. The sample diet totals will add up to approximately 193 grams of protein, 109 grams of Carbs, and 30 grams of fat. Remember, these values are only to serve as a guide for you as you create a plan to suit your personal goals and current caloric requirements. Cheating Do I smell cheesecake? Or is that a soaking wet cheesy double stacked burrito with nachos on the side? Maybe you're craving a big gooey heaping of a banana split with extra hot fudge, fluffy marshmallows, and fresh ripe strawberries. Go ahead, by all means, enjoy!
For those who have not been exercising and are committed to starting a program, I applaud you. It is the single best gift you can give yourself. It also can be very challenging. The key is to find a program you like, and one your body tolerates well, and stick with it -- no matter what it takes! For those of you who are starting out after a long layoff, or if exercise is new to you, it's important to avoid these common mistakes when starting an exercise program. Also, if you are really out of shape, overweight, or have medical issues, check with your doctor before getting started. The five most common mistakes individuals make when starting an exercise program are: • Too much too soon. Many try to make up for lost time by going at it with a vengeance. While I love that "start-up" enthusiasm, it's also important to remember that exercise is a powerful stimulus, which benefits your body in many ways, but your body needs time to adapt to the new stresses and strains being placed on it. So go slowly at first. Follow the "10 percent Rule" -- never increase your exercise routine (i.e. the amount of miles you run or the amount of weight you lift) more than 10 percent per week. This avoids overuse injuries and the overtraining syndrome.• Lack of balance. Try not to pick only one activity. Embrace cross-training to get more overall balance for your body. Remember there is no single perfect exercise that covers all aspects of fitness, so it pays to mix things up. Also, in general, you should not be doing the same exact routine every single day (although walking and stretching can usually be done safely every day). Each week try to incorporate aerobic (cardiovascular) activities, weight lifting, and stretching. Unidimentional (i.e. one activity only) workouts can create imbalances that can be a set up for injuries. Also, variety makes things less boring. When you first start out, it's fine to pick one activity, but as the weeks go by, be sure to add more overall balance to your program by adding the other above mentioned components.• Pick an activity that's right for your frame. Musculoskeletal (i.e. muscle, bone, and joint) problems are so common that you may need to modify your routines to accommodate that bum knee, sore shoulder, or low back that goes out more than you do. Check with your trainer or physical therapist (if you have one) or your orthopedic surgeon who can help you stay fit and pain free. Fitness shouldn't be a pain!• Fuel up. So many are trying to both lose weight and get fit at the same time. There's no question that exercise should be an essential part of any weight loss or weight control program. The mistake that is commonly made is that in an effort to drop pounds, starvation (i.e. inadequate calories) becomes part of the plan and that will interfere with optimal workouts. Food is your fuel for exercise, so learn to make good food choices rather than starving yourself. Breakfast is especially important, so look for a high-quality carbohydrate breakfast food. Also, be sure to drink plenty of water (at least eight glasses a day) to remain adequately hydrated, since fluid needs go up with exercise.• Stick with it. Exercise is not easy but it should be fun. There will be times when you may want to pack it in, especially when the novelty wears off. There will always be a handy excuse available. Don't give in and remember you are creating a lifetime habit, so thing long term.If you can avoid these few mistakes, your path to fitness should be much smoother. Believe it or not, even those who have been exercising regularly for years fall prey to these common exercise errors.
4.) Exercise Of The Month: (
5.) The Calorie Formulae For Those Needing To Lose Fat The V-Diet exercise plan consists of two main things: a special weight training program and NEPA-based walks. Here's an overview of each. 1. Weight Training: If you're not going to perform some type of resistance training when dieting, then don't bother dieting. Weight training while losing fat is essential. Muscle is the primary determiner of your metabolic rate. Most dieters lose muscle tissue as they lose fat, leading to metabolism damage and yo-yo dieting. What's more, most dieters are disappointed and de-motivated at the end of their diets because they look flabby and flat. This is caused by a simple lack of muscle or loss of muscle. The V-Diet weight training program has been specially designed by strength and conditioning specialist Chad Waterbury. You'll perform resistance training three times per week on this plan. This will speed the fat loss process and help you retain and even build lean muscle tissue. When you finish the diet, you'll be leaner, harder, and more defined, not flabby and weak!
The V-Diet began as my attempt to finally hit single digit body fat. It's not only successful at getting those already in good shape into GREAT shape, it can also act as a fast kick-start for those needing to lose a lot of fat. However, calories differ for these goals. Here's some improved formulas: I Need to Lose Less than 35 Total Pounds Men Plug body weight into this equation: (10.2 x bodyweight + 879) x .50 = _____ Women Plug body weight into this equation: (10.2 x bodyweight + 879) x .52 = _____ I Need to Lose Over 35 Total Pounds Women needing to lose over 35 pounds total and (10.2 x body weight + 879) x .50 = _______ x .8 =
_______ Warning: You will not "make the diet faster" by going for long runs, doing sprints, or taking hour-long aerobics classes. You will impede recovery, have less energy, and possibly cause your body to catabolize (eat up) lean muscle tissue, which will in turn wreck your metabolism. Remember, the diet itself does most of the fat burning here and the weight training builds and/or helps you retain the metabolism-boosting muscle. Traditional cardio and aerobics just aren't necessary while on the V-Diet, and may even be counterproductive. Along with your daily NEPA walk, I want you to "seek movement." In other words, try to increase your natural NEPA. How? * Park farther away from stores or your place of work than you have to. Get a little extra walking in. * Take the stairs. If you have to take an escalator, walk it, don't just ride it. * Carry your luggage; don't roll it. Sounds simple, but these small daily actions can lead to additional fat loss, long term weight loss maintenance, and improved health. Make them a lifetime habit and your lifetime will be long and lean!
Stretching is NOT an activity that was meant to be painful; it should be pleasurable, relaxing and very beneficial. Although many people believe that to get the most from their stretching they need to be in constant pain. This is one of the greatest mistakes you can make when stretching. Let me explain why.
So to avoid the 'stretch reflex', avoid pain. Never push yourself beyond what is comfortable. Only stretch to the point where you can feel tension in your muscles. This way, you'll avoid injury and get the maximum benefits from your stretching. Consistency is the key to success.
7.) Working Out vs. Training There is a huge difference between "working out" and "training." (page 4 -- cressy) When the results you seek from exercise are not clearly defined, then you're meeerley working out. Your program lascks direction, focus, and progression. cosequently, although you may put a lot of time and effort into your sessions, your progress is minimal, and at times it might be hard to tell whether you're making progress or not. However, when you take specific performance goals to the gym, you are training. Chasing concrete and measureable goals has a way of making one's progress more focused, more progressive, and ultimately more effective. goal: lift more weight, do it by when, get more reps in same time period -- all the while
etabolis
The Serape Effect
In exercise physiology,
we learn of an important aspect of muscular function and structure called the serape effect. The serape effect describes the musculature that engages in a crisscross fashion when the body rotates, by connecting a shoulder to the opposite hip. When looking at the structural design of the body, it is clear to see that a majority of the muscles of the human body have horizontal and oblique orientations. This creates a line of action that either rotates to load the body, or a body part, for movement. We see the serape effect in action with movements that involve taking a shoulder to its opposite hip, such as throwing, serving a ball, or reaching down with one hand to pick something up. Rotation is one of the most important functions in human movement yet is one of the things that we are traditionally taught to exclude from our training. In order to take full advantage of our natural design, we must include rotation when training stability, strength, and power.
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8.)
Contact Information
Bob Keyser Copyright © 2000-2008
Bob Keyser. All Rights Reserved. |
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When
the muscles and tendons are stretched to the point of pain, the body
employs a defense mechanism called the 'stretch reflex'. This is the
body's safety measure to prevent serious damage occurring to the muscles
and tendons. The 'stretch reflex' protects the muscles and tendons by
contracting them, thereby preventing them from being stretched.
