Personal Trainer Tips: September 2015

Quality vs. Quantity

Posted By: Fitness Together | Alexandria on 08/18/2015

Fewer calories isn't always the way to go...

For example, take a 100-calorie snack pack of mini muffins and a 120-calorie banana. Which would you choose?

The logical choice would be the healthy banana, but by only considering the calories one would choose the mini muffins. The tricky thing is what really is the healthiest snack choice?

www.Fitnesstogether.com/Brecksville/Nutrition

The truth is, the snack pack of mini muffins contains artificial flavors and sweeteners that break down in the body and store as fats – not what we want. Those fake sugars cause the body to gain weight and actually hinder the weight loss process. The chemicals from the artificial sweeteners and flavors cause the body to feel just heavy and unhealthy and the body’s mental state drops as the chemicals often make the mind tired and unmotivated.

The banana, however, contains natural sugars and proteins that your body breaks down and uses as fuel and energy, rather than storing it as fat. Also, by eating healthy foods your mind is healthier and happier and you often feel more motivated.

There have been many studies that show whether or not a calorie is simply a calorie, no matter what food it is from, and if every calorie that is eaten is the same. Is a calorie just a calorie? Many people assume that the only variable when it comes to food and weight loss is the amount of calories you intake, which completely ignores the role of macronutrients such as protein, starch, and fat in the weight loss process.

A specific study shows three people’s eating habits over a two-week span. One subject had a low protein diet, one with a medium protein diet and the other with a high protein diet. If a calorie was a calorie, each subject should have gained the same amount of weight as they were given the same amount of calories, just different foods. Instead, the results showed that the subjects who ate on a moderate to high protein diet built muscle and healthy fat, while the person who ate a low protein diet built mostly fat. The low protein subject gained less total weight, but what he gained was almost exclusively fat. This study showed that changing macronutrients does affect weight gain and fat loss even in the presence of poor food quality. If more attention had been paid to where the calories came from, it’s likely the results would have been different.

Other studies also have shown that not getting enough sleep or being stressed out can affect your metabolism and ultimately your ability to lose weight. First of all, when you are tired and stressed out your mind most commonly desires comfort food, which we all know is not typically fruits and veggies. By getting enough sleep and regulating your stress levels, your mind can be able to be awake and healthy. Your body also responds to sleepless nights and stressful occurrences by increasing cortisol levels, which are hormones that slow down your metabolism.

You should also keep in mind that simple exercise and healthy eating is just plain good for you! Making healthier food choices and being more physically active will help you feel better, sleep better and feel less stressed. Managing calories and what you eat is one thing, but practicing common health habits is a great start in taking charge of your health and your life.

For more information about our Nutrition Together program and dietitian in Brecksville, Ohio visit www.FitnessTogether.com/Brecksville/Nutrition.

5 Tips to Conquer Your Fall 5K

If you’ve planned to run a 5K this year and have not started training yet, it's time to get to work. Good news: fall is a great time to run! Before you get overwhelmed, here are few ways to help you conquer your 5K.

Pre-Training
Before you begin your training, you’ll want to make sure that you start with the right shoes. Visit a running store to get professionally fitted. Also, you’ll want to invest in proper and comfortable running clothes.

You Must Walk Before You Run
Pending on your fitness level, you’ll want to start by walking to ease into your 5K training. Try walking at a brisk pace 3 to 4 times a week. Each workout should be about 35-45 minutes. Remember you’ll want to include dynamic pre-workout stretching and post stretching to help reduce the risk of injury.

Step to Intervals
After you’ve spent time walking steadily at a good pace, you should move to incorporate jogging intervals. You should start with a minute of jogging followed by 5 minutes of running and continue this rotation for the duration of your workout. Then you’ll gradually increase the jogging intervals over time. The eventual goal is to feel comfortable jogging for 18 minutes straight, which in reality, is the amount of time (assuming there is a water station) you’ll be running in your 5K.

Stay Hydrated
As with any fitness challenge, a consistent, healthy diet will help set you up for success. The morning of your race, eat something light and high in protein to give you energy. An English muffin with peanut butter on it or a banana is a good option. The point being, you don’t want to feel bloated before your race. The bigger issue is hydration; don’t drown yourself, but make sure that you get enough water so that you won’t be dehydrated. If there’s a water station on the run, take advantage.

Training for your first 5K can be intimidating, we understand. If you ease into it and train properly you'll have a positive experience. The fall is a great time to run your first race. If you need help training, a Fitness Together personal trainer will help you meet your 5K training goals. Don’t have a trainer? Get started now!!

Thursday, September 10, 2015

Calorie Quality vs. Quantity

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

5 Tips to Conquer Your Fall 5K