Online Training – Friend of Foe.

Online training has recently become the latest "craze" among fitness enthusiasts, ranging from those who would just like to get into better shape, to the more serious athletes.  The first time I caught on to online training was 5 years ago, a year later I met up with my Coach, Nathan Harewood all the way in Calgary, Canada.  Four years later, and we still going strong, and it has worked amazingly for us.  Three years ago I took my business the online route, and it's grown steadily over the last couple of years.  But I have picked up some problems.

Probably the biggest attraction about online training, is the fact that it's more affordable and you can manage your training to your own time schedule.  However, it has its downside as well, and these are just a couple of points that you need to consider before going this route.

1.       Problem: You have to know your way around the gym and especially the weights room.  If you have never seen the inside of a gym, to start off with, your program will probably be complete gibberish, never mind trying to attempt the exercises. 

Solution: Do your research.  If it’s not on the internet, it doesn’t exist.  You-tube is a fantastic option to find training videos.  You can also ask you Coach to send you the relevant video clips.  Ask for help.  If your Coach is out of town, then ask someone trustworthy to assist you.  Maybe even invest in a session with a reputable trainer to take you through your program.

2.       Problem:  Ladies often feel intimidated in the weights room, and that is with a trainer. 

Solution: Get over it! You deserve to be there just as much as anyone else.  If you need to use a piece of equipment, and someone is busy on it, ask, no one is going to bite your head off.  The gyms are also open all hours of the day and night, maybe in the beginning try to go in off-peak times.

3.       Problem:   You need to be able to push yourself.  There is no one there to tell you to push harder and make sure that you finish every set, every rep.  If you don't push yourself, your progress will be very slow.

Solution:  Keep a training diary.  You have your training program and nutrition plan, write down every day what you train, eat, tick off that you have taken all your necessary supplements, how much cardio you have done, how much water you drank.  This way you can keep close record to make sure that you cover everything your Coach wants you to do on a daily basis.  Especially on the training side, you need to make sure that you progress every week, even if it’s just a little bit.  But be honest in your diary, if you skipped a workout, write it down.  This way when it comes to assessment time, you and your Coach can have clear understanding of your progress, or lack thereof.

  

4.       Problem:  You need to be committed and consistent.  No one is waiting for you at the gym to make sure you pitch for your session. 

Solution:  Again you’re training dairy.   Also schedule your day in such a way that there can be little or no interference with your gym sessions.  Planning is everything, same as with your meals, plan your training accordingly.

5.       Problem: I am a BIG believer in proper form when it comes to weight training, you need to make sure that you do the exercises 100% right, or again your progress will be very slow, and most importantly, you can pick up serious injuries.

Solution: Again do your research and discuss with your Coach.  Start off slow, make sure that you perform every rep perfectly before moving up to a higher weight.   Concentrate and watch your form at all time.

Most importantly, go out there and enjoy your sessions! A new training and nutrition plan, is like a holiday. 

HIIT vs Steady State Cardio

Received this question... and my response.

"Which form of cardio, HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) or steady state cardio works best for fat loss".

Dear "B" I'll start off with a quick definition of the two:

HIIT: Any workout that alternates between intense bursts of activity and fixed periods of less-intense activity or even complete rest. For example, 2 minute walk, 1 minute sprint and so on.

Steady State Cardio: is simply a cardio workout that is a continuous, steady effort for an extended period of time.

When you read on the web each have their own list of benefits, and why you should be doing the one an not the other, and so on.

This is one of those things, and I know it's probably one of the most irritating answers, but it differs from person to person. For me personally, I only do steady state, and it works brilliantly for me. I have experimented between the two with clients, and find that they will respond well to one, but not the other. I suggest that you stick to one form of cardio for 2 weeks, and then switch to the other and see how your body response.

Cellulite!

I received this question today, and I would like share my response.

Question:

Although I'm very thin I have so much cellulite.
I don't know how to get rid of it , Its mostly on my upper Legs and bum I can't dare to wear a bikini .

I also struggle to eat right ! I'm addicted to energy drinks How can I get my body in shape and stop eating and drinking wrong !! 

Response: Dear M.... let's look at your first part of the question:

Cellulite:

What is cellulite? Its name makes it sound like a medical condition. But cellulite is nothing more than normal fat beneath the skin. The fat appears bumpy because it pushes against connective tissue, causing the skin above it to pucker.

The subcutaneous fat rests on top of muscle, and if the muscle is weak and flaccid, this can also contribute to the ‘bumpy’ effect of cellulite.

Since cellulite is largely due to a structural conformation below the skin, it is often common in very slender women. However, individuals who are over-fat will frequently have a more pronounced cellulite development, while those with less fat and more muscular definition tend to have less visible cellulite.

Some causes of cellulite:

Poor diet
Fad dieting
LACK OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY!
LACK OF MUSCLE TONE/FIBER
Slow metabolism
Dehydration
Total body fat
Thickness and color of your skin
Excess consumption of saturated fat and sugars

The best way to reduce the amount of cellulite, is to decrease the amount of body fat in the body. You can do this by:

Eating a healthy, balanced diet
Do more resistance training
Increase your cardiovascular exercise
DRINK MORE WATER! Minimum 4lt per/day
Avoid the use of caffeinated drinks
Restrict the use of alcohol and sweetened carbonated drinks.
STOP SMOKING!

Therefore "M" when you look at the points above, I'm sure that you can see why you struggle with cellulite, when you fix the things mentioned above, the cellulite problem will go away. But this links directly to your the second part of your question. And this is unfortunately something that only you can decide on. You need to be mentally and emotionally ready to make the change, no one can make you do this. The road to a healthier, fitter more beautiful you is not the easier road to take.

Recipe: Wasabi Grilled Tuna

Absolutely delicious, quick and guilt free.

Wasabi Sauce:

1 teaspoon wasabi powder or 1 teaspoon dry hot mustald
1 teaspoon water
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoons fat free smooth cottage cheese
1 clove garlic (crushed)

Tuna

1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon wasabi powder of dry hot mustard
2 fresh tuna steaks (2cm thick)

Directions:

Sauce:

1. In a bowl mix wasabi and water to make a paste
2. Let stand for 10 minutes
3. Stir in vinegar, fat free cottage cheese and garlic
4. Set aside

Tuna

1. Prepare grill with medium-hot coals (or hot skillet)
2. In a cup, mix the soy. oil, and wasabi powder
3. Brush on tuna
4. Grill for 3 - 4 minutes for rare tuna (I don't like it rare so 5 - 6 for well done)
5. Thinly slice the tuna and serve with wasabi sauce.

The scale - NOT the only indicator!

http://www.naturalphysiques.com/87

This is such a good article about all the things that can influence the numbers on the scale.

It's not all about the scale

We grow up in a society where weight loss is measured by the scale.  I have been guilty of this myself and have seen most clients get themselves in a tizz when the dial on that scale just don't budge.   But there are so many things that can influence the numbers, there is great article that I posted "Why the scale lies" that looks at all the things that can influence weight loss.  But the scale should never be our ONLY indicator that we are trimming down.  Take into consideration the following weight loss indicators.

• Take some measurements every couple of weeks and see if you have made progress in certain areas of your body, you might be pleasantly surprised to see that you have lost inches around your waist and gained a little around your bicep.

• Your clothes. One of the best indicators to see if your body is changing is how your clothes fit.  That snug pair of jeans probably not fitting so snug anymore, your body is changing.

• When you start making all the adjustments to your lifestyle, healthier foods and exercising regularly, you will probably find that you are FEELING much better, more energy and just happier in general.

• In some cases you might be able to decrease any medications you are taking.  Positive lifestyle changes have a dramatic effect on certain ailments and helps reduce the need for medication.

• Do you get through your day easier?  Easier to wake up in the morning, missing that afternoon slump where you need a double espresso to get you through the afternoon, if your daily tasks are just in general easier to do, it's a positive sign.

• Being able to increase the weight and reps during your gym sessions or able to add an extra 5 minutes to your cardio sessions is a good indication that you are getting fitter and stronger.

• Your health and fitness changes becomes habits, when you take some time off it's much easier to get back into the swing of things.

• Photo's!  One of my personal favorite indicators.  As they say, a photo don't lie.  Take regular progress photo's to see the changes in you body.

• Does your family, friends and colleagues see the changes? We tend to be very hard on ourselves, and we don't see the changes, but the people around us do.

If any of these indicators describes your results, then you are definitely on the right track!  

Why The Scale Lies by Renee Cloe

This is a very good article about all the different things that can affect our weight...


http://www.naturalphysiques.com/87