Spot Reducing: A Fitness Fib

Dynamic/metabolic training will help you shed body fat.

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  Tone your arms in 10 minutes! Shrink your belly in 14 days! Pshhhhhhhhhh

  We've all heard it, and we've all tried it. But now is prime time to stop wasting our energy, and realize one thing: We can't spot reduce fat.

  Spot reducing, no matter how hard we try, is impossible.

  Don't think of this as me being negative, or a killjoy, because it's true. 

What is Spot Reducing?
  Spot reducing fat is saying, 'I want to lose weight in my stomach.' Or, 'I don't want to lose fat in my upper body, but I want to slim my legs.' Then we head to the gym and proceed to isolate our 'problem area', and do 1000 sit ups, 200 squats, or 800 bicep curls. We do this over and over, never see the results we are looking for, and get frustrated and discouraged.

Isolation training at its finest: the ab roller.

  Training by isolating only trains, or conditions, the single muscle we are working. It tones that muscle -- whether it'd be our abs, our triceps, or our legs. And that gets us nowhere in regard to burning the layer of fat we're trying to get rid of.

  Furthermore, fat does not convert to muscle. Ever. You have to burn through the fat, while toning the muscle. If there's five inches of fat covering your abs, your stomach won't look any more toned than it did prior to doing 1000 sit ups a day! 
  
Then, How Do We Tone?

Dips alone won't give you toned arms.

  Say, for example, we want to drop a little extra body fat on the backs of our arms, and tone up our triceps. I bet every single one of us just flashed to someone doing tricep extensions or dips.

  We can do all the tricep extensions, dips, push ups, you name it, our upper arms can handle, but it won't get us any closer to our goal.

  First and foremost, we must reduce our overall body fat.

  Slimming our physique is not easy. But the idea is relatively simple. In order to reduce body fat, we must be willing to work our entire body.

  Our workouts should be dynamic and metabolic. Metabolic workouts burn the most calories, and burned calories equal burning fat.

High Intensity Interval Training is the answer.

  Workouts that are 'metabolic' are workouts where we're simultaneously training multiple muscle groups. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), plyometrics (jump training), and circuit training are metabolic workouts.

  These training techniques are most effective because you burn the most calories during your workout, and continue to burn calories after your workout is over -- know as after-burn, or EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption).

  Cardio workouts (running, walking, biking, swimming) are other effective training methods that burn fat, but don't provide the after-burn that HIIT does.

  On the contrary, isolating one muscle group burns the fewest amount of calories -- another reason doing hundreds and hundreds of sit ups is the least effective way to trim your stomach.

Diet
  Secondly, we need to clean up our eating habits (not necessarily going on a 'diet'). Changing our eating habits means changing our lifestyle. It's a permanent change, not a change that last a week, a month, or a even a year.

  It's focusing on the quantity and quality of the foods we are eating. Most obviously, dump processed foods, as they wreak havoc on our metabolism.

The Science Behind It
  Finally, our bodies will lose/store fat where it is hormonally predisposed to. Generally speaking, women (or estrogen dominant people) store fat in their lower bodies, while men (or testosterone dominant people) store fat in their bellies.

  Yet another reason we can't spot reduce fat. It's based on our biochemistry and hormones.

Ignore the Gimmicks
  Those 'lose back fat' or 'torch belly fat' teasers we see in so many ads are dishonest! Forget the gimmicks and the quick fixes. More often than not, they're ineffective and a waste of energy and money.

  While it may be obvious, or something you've heard dozens of times, it bears repeating: adopt a sound fitness and nutritional plan! It will take time and dedication, but it'll be more fulfilling, and more permanent.

  You want more ideas? Just let me know!

 RELATED POSTS:

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) 

Tackling 2 Workout Myths

LINKS: 
Jillian Michaels Podcast 4/29/2011
Debunking the Myth of Spot Reduction

Exercise Boosts Brainpower

High Intensity Interval Training.

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  I've always felt that exercise clears my head, and makes my mind sharper. But there seems to be some new research that actually backs those feelings up.

HIIT Strengthens Memory
  A study from University of Montreal tracked participants for four months as they followed a workout regimen that included: two 40-minute sessions of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), two 30-minute circuit weight sessions, and one moderate intensity workout per week.

  As could be expected, participants lost weight, decreased waist circumference, lowered insulin levels, and increased maximum oxygen intake. The new take-away however, showed that subjects saw a 10-25% improvement in brain functions such as speed, recall, and short-term memory.

  A more in-depth study is in the works to narrow down the effectiveness of interval training and weight training together, versus exercise in general.

  Physically speaking, HIIT (my first blog about interval training) is the most-beneficial, and most time-efficient way to exercise. But now there seems to be an added bonus to testing out HIIT!

Intervals benefit our brain!

Examples of (HIIT) interval training:
  Tabata: 20 seconds 'on', 10 seconds 'off' for eight total minutes.
  Timed intervals: Time on & time off depends on fitness level. If you're just starting out try a 1:2 ratio: 30 seconds on, 1 minute off, for example.

  If you're not doing a timed/ratio interval, there's a more precise way to gauge your exertion and recovery time based on maximum heart rate.

  When you're doing interval work, you want to work around 80% (or higher) of your maximum (this is HIGH intensity after all!).

To find maximum heart rate: 220 - age = maximum heart rate. For example, mine would be 220 - 32 = 188. In this instance, 80% of my maximum is 150 beats per minute (188 x .8). So when I am executing the 'on' portion of the interval, I want to ensure my heart rate is reaching at least 150.

  For the rest period, when your heart rate is back down around 60-65% of your maximum (for me 112-122), rest time is over. It's time to get back to work and start another interval!

To find heart rate: Find pulse on wrist or neck. I can never find it on my wrist, so that never works for me. But theoretically, you can find it there! Count the beats for six seconds, then multiply by 10 (or add a zero).

  Again, using me as an example, when I have 15 beats in six seconds my heart rate is roughly 150 beats per minute (you can check just after you've completed your interval to see if you're putting forth the right amount of effort!). And when I count 11 or 12 beats in six seconds my heart rate is between 110 and 120 beats per minute, so rest time is over!

  It may sound difficult, or too confusing, but it really isn't once you get the hang of it! Or you can make things really easy by using a heart rate monitor, but another gadget really isn't necessary.

  Try the intervals for 20 minutes. As you get stronger, and build better endurance, you can add time to your workout. Here are some more example interval training workouts if you're just starting out.

  Let me know if you see (and feel!) some results! And as always, don't forget to warm up and cool down!

  LINKS:

Exercise Boosts Brain Power

Jillian Michaels Podcast 12/1/2012

Cardio or Weights First?

Team workout in Germany.

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  You've made it to the gym, what should you tackle first? The weight room, or the treadmill?

  Even the experts can't agree. Many of them have different answers, and different preferences. But truly, the answer depends on what your goals are. What are you trying to accomplish in your workouts?

  Are you trying to get stronger, improve cardiovascular training, or lose weight/fat?

Train With Your Goals in Mind
  Ironically enough, your fitness goals will tell you what you should do first! If your goal is to become stronger, and increase muscle: hit the weights first. If your goal is to increase aerobic endurance, or lose body fat, perform your cardio first. 

  The ultimate, most-efficient way to exercise is to do both, cardio and weights, at the same time via circuit training. If done at a high pace and intensity, circuit training can be considered a form of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).

  The key to circuit training is that there is no rest. At least not the kind we're used to seeing. Never are you just sitting or standing (in between sets) idly doing nothing. Your rest time is active rest, either by moving to a different muscle group, or doing a cardio interval, as the muscle groups you've just worked, recover.

  By training in this fashion, your heart rate is always elevated, working both cardiovascularly and muscularly.

Weights First, Hypothetically
  If you prefer to focus on one thing at a time -- strength training and cardio separately -- it is said to lift weights first.

  You should do strength training first because at the start of your workout, there's more blood sugar available to burn through. Your muscles will have a more powerful contraction, resulting in a more powerful workout. You get the most out of your muscles by lifting weights first, and then finishing with cardio.

  Hypothetically, you burn through the available sugar (during the weight session), and during the cardio session, your body moves into burning a higher percentage of stored energy (fat). I say hypothetically because there really isn't much research to back up this assertion. 

Personal Preference and Consistency
  I also look at it like this: what do you prefer? What is your routine? In my opinion, whatever keeps you going on a consistent basis, is the right way to go.

  For me, I prefer to do my cardio first because I like my muscles and body to be warm when I start lifting and doing more-explosive exercises. But, I also am not throwing around extremely heavy weights either, so needing a high level of power isn't as necessary. I have not 'maxed out' (or anything close to it) in the weight room in quite some time!

First season in Sweden. 2008-2009.

  You also might find yourself skipping the second part of your workout (because you're tired from the first part, or are running short on time), so do whatever you enjoy doing the most, first. You're going to put a better effort into something you enjoy over something you despise!

  Likewise if results are most important to you, do what coincides with your goal, first. So if you do skip part of your workout, it's not the part that's the most important!

  I can speak from experience about this too. On the occasions when I do lift before running, I find myself lagging and wanting to cut my cardio workout short. And I always want to get a good cardio burn in, so I prefer to focus on my cardiovascular goals. 

  All in all, despite what you are good at, or what you like, it all comes down to what your goals are, and how much you value accomplishing those goals.

  If you have a goal to lose stomach fat, doing 1000 sets on the bench, or any other muscle-isolating lift, isn't going to help you reach that goal. And vice-versa: if you're trying to get more explosive muscles, running for hours on end on the treadmill isn't going to get you any closer to accomplishing that goal.

  Take a look at what you want to accomplish, and go from there!

 LINKS:

Weights or Cardio?

Commentary: Cardio or Weights?
Weights or Cardio First?

Jillian Michaels Podcast 10/14/2011

Amp Up Your Workouts with High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

Red Rocks. How's this for an interval workout!?!

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  The Holiday Season is here!

  For many of us that means busier schedules, and yummier foods than usual. And if exercising is a part of our regular routine, maybe we should try to get more bang for our buck in the workout department to go along with our hectic holiday lives.

  Or maybe we've hit a plateau, or are bored with our workouts, and are looking to spice things up a bit? Maybe pounding away on that treadmill or bike is getting tiresome? Whatever our workout-complaints are, here are some ways to shake things up a bit!

  These are some tried and tested ways to amp up your workouts, change the status quo, and get your heart thumping: 

HIIT -- (High Intensity Interval Training) is exactly what it sounds like: intense cardio performed in a series of intervals.

Luscher Farms -- my field of choice for sprints.

  What makes HIIT any different, or any better, than your run-of-the-mill cardio? The payoff for a shorter, more-intense workout is that after a HIIT session, your body spends the rest of the day expending energy to recover!

  This is called EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption), or 'after-burn'. It means that you consume a great deal more oxygen recovering from the workout than you would have if you'd just done a steady-state workout.

  HIIT allows you to burn "up to nine times more fat while sitting on the couch later that night than you would have if you'd spent an hour on the treadmill at a moderate pace." But it has to be intense -- no slacking allowed!

Three examples of HIIT that I use on a regular basis, mostly in my off-season are:

• Hills/Stairs -- Find a hill, or a set of stairs, in your neighborhood -- something that takes roughly 20 seconds to run. After a sufficient warm up (10-minute jog, for example), perform a series of 10-15 sprints up the hill, or stairs. Walk, or jog back down for your recovery, and repeat. After 10-15 repetitions, finish with a 10-minute cool down (and don't forget to stretch!). This works the same if walking is your preferred method of cardio!
• Sprint Intervals -- If you can't find a hill or a good set of stadium stairs, surely there's a field or track in your neighborhood! Again, after a good warm up, it's time to hike up the intensity: sprint for 50 yards. Then recover, by either jogging or walking, for another 50 yards. Repeat for 10-15 minutes. I like to do my sprint intervals on a football field because it's a nice flat/soft surface, and the distances are already marked for me. I don't need to look at a watch, I just sprint 50 yards, then recover for 50 yards. No thinking involved, just run! And don't forget your cool down!
• Machine work -- Both of these workouts can be performed on a treadmill, bike, or elliptical. For hills/stairs, you increase the incline for 20-30 seconds, then return it to normal for your recovery time. For the sprint work, you increase the speed for 15-30 seconds (depends on how hard the sprint is!), and then return it to a comfortable pace for your recovery. Again, these can be done as walking workouts as well!

Tera and I getting ready to run the stairs at Red Rocks.

  The point of interval workouts is to raise your heart rate very quickly, and then during your recovery, return your heart rate to a lower pace. This will increase your fitness level overall (you will recover quicker the more often you do it).

Push Outside Your Comfort Zone
  The trick is that you have to push yourself out of your comfort zone: the more you push yourself during the 'sprint' phase, the better results you will see. And of course, the more 'after-burn' effect you will see.

  Clearly you need to have a good base fitness level to perform HIIT workouts. You can't just jump off the couch, straight into sprint workouts. That's a recipe for disaster. And you should not do HIIT workouts every day. Your body needs time to recover from intense workouts, and should only be done two to three times a week.

  If you find yourself having difficulty maintaining a high intensity throughout your workout (or want to give interval training a try, and you're new new to the working out game), you are better off performing more moderately-paced 'endurance' cardio. But try to push yourself with a few harder minutes sprinkled in throughout the session. This will help increase your metabolism (although not as much as with HIIT), as well as your overall fitness, which may lead to you eventually including HIIT workouts as part of your routine.
  

High Intensity Interval Training.

Tabata Training -- is a very specific, rigorous kind of HIIT. Tabata is becoming more and more popular because it can be done very, very quickly and it simultaneously improves your anaerobic AND aerobic conditioning. Tabata develops your ability to sustain explosive bursts of strength and speed, along with improving endurance. 

  If you TRULY only have 20 minutes to squeeze in a workout, try Tabata, it'll torch you! I have given it a shot a few times this season, and have found my legs were shot the next day. Something I never feel the day after something like a 40-minute run.

  Again, it is suggested that you have a good, if not GREAT, fitness level for Tabata training -- because if you cannot sustain the intensity, you will not see the results in the short time.

  Any exercise can be incorporated into Tabata training. Pay close attention to the 'sprint' phase, and the recovery phase: notice that the sprint-time is twice as long as the rest-time. The basic outline of Tabata training method is:

• 10-minute warm up
• 20 seconds of intense training (all out sprint)
• 10 seconds of rest 
• Total of 8 sessions/rounds (making the entire Tabata session 4 minutes long)
• Cool down and stretch

  True Tabata training is not supposed to last longer than one session.

  Whether you're looking to spice up your workout, or get a more-intense workout, in a shorter time, give interval training a try! Your extra hard work will pay off. And it's always good mentally and physically to change up your routine -- it keeps us on our toes, and forces our bodies to adapt.

  Good luck, and let me know what you think!

LINKS: 

The Ultimate Interval Workout from ESPN-W

Sport-Specific Interval Training

Improve Conditioning with Tabata Interval Training 

Eight 20-Minute High Intensity Workouts

High Intensity Interval Training

Tabata Training

Mercola Fitness: More About HIIT