Avoid Resolution Sabotage!

New Year's Resolutions. Have you ever made one? I bet you have. Every January, people all over the world maKe health and fitness resolutions.  That's awesome. Start out the new year on track, with a goal and vision to better yourself. However, the sad truth is that around 30% give-up the very first week! An ever bigger percentage give up during weeks two and three. I've seen proof of this driving by the big box gyms in my area. January 1st the parking lot is full. February, you'll see tumbleweeds rolling around in that same parking lots.

Why is that? Why do so many give up so quickly? Self-Sabotage! Often our resolutions and goals are so lofty and huge that they are unobtainable. We are so quick to completely remove something or stop something as a part of our resolutions. "I'm going to stop eating carbs. No more sugar! I'm going to stop eating meat. I'm going vegan!" Or, we're too quick to add drastic changes to our routines. "I'm going to run every day, no breaks! I'm going to workout one hour every day. I'm going ride my bike to work each day!" The basic root of the resolution is solid, but it's often the severity of the limitation or addition or the time frame in which we've given ourselves to accomplish such a goal that we soon realize it just "ain't gonna happen."

I have people come to the studio all the time telling me that "I need to get them to lose 30 lbs in a month." Two things wrong with this expectation. First, the time frame is very unrealistic. Second, the responsibility has been placed on me to get them to lose the weight instead of the individual taking ownership of the weight loss. This is not a scenario for success.

It's great to have goals and to challenge yourself, but if those goals are too unrealistic, you'll only set yourself up for failure.

In stead of wanting to lose 40 lbs by February, make your goal to change your body composition by February. Often when starting to lose weight , especially if you're also beginning to exercise along with your nutrition changes, you may not initially see the weight loss you expect reflected on the scale. This is because your body is going through lots of changes. While you may be losing some body fat, you may also be

gaining a little muscle. That's a good thing, but as a result, the scale may not show the awesome changes you're actually making. So, instead of initially focusing on the scale, focus on measurements. Week 1, measure the circumference of your bicep, chest, waist, hips, thigh, and calf. (Note: Be sure that when you measure your bicep, thigh, and calf that the measurements are all on the same side, so that when  you measure at a later date you'll remeasure the same side. Your left and right sides can have different measurements, so sticking with the same side will keep your data accurate.) Record the measurements  in a journal or on a spreadsheet, so you won't forget. Give yourself three months to work on your diet and exercise. Weigh yourself periodically if you'd like, but don't redo the circumference measurements until the end of the 3rd month. Nine times out of ten, when  you redo those measurements, you'll find that your circulference measurements have decreased! You're an inch smaller here, two inches smaller there, and inch and a half smaller there. So, while the scale may only say you've lost 10-15lbs you may actually have lost a total of 5-6 inches! Proof of your hard work!

Once you continue beyond this point with your nutrition changes and exercise, you'll begin to see more weight loss. The key really is consistency.

The same applies with running. Instead of on January 1st deciding you're going to run a half marathon that spring (even though you're not currently even running 1-mile without stopping), commit to building on that mile. Focus on endurance and building a base. I recommend that a runner build up to a total weekly mileage of 15-20 miles a week for 4 weeks before beginning training for a half marathon. So, begin by running 2-3 days a week to build that base. Don't focus on pace, just run. If you're currently running about a mile add a few minutes of running to the end of each run gradually increasing your distance. Build to 2 miles, then three over time. Then move to 3-4 days a week. That way when you do start that half marathon training, you won't be trying to build a base while at the same time your trying to acclimate to the demands of higher mileage in your training.

You have a whole entire year. Think through your resolution. Set yourself up for success not failure. You can do anything you put your mind to as long as you're realistic with your goals and time frame.

Know Your Numbers

The scale is a scary piece of equipment for many. Its reading can mean triumph or defeat. Used in the
correct manner, the scale can give you great information about your body composition.

Below are a few tips to make the most of your scale and use to help you evaluate your progress beyond just how much you weigh.

• Calibrate your scale: You can pick up a spring scale for under $20 at any big box discount store, but the old saying, "You get what you pay for" really holds true with the cheaper scales. Spring scales provide the least accurate reading. If you are using a spring scale (the kind you step on and the needle moves around a dial to reveal your weight), make sure it's calibrated correctly. To do this, have your doctor weigh you or weight yourself on a balance scale at the gym (the type you stand on and move the weight balance to reveal your weight). Once you have your accurate weight, stand on your spring scale and see if there is any difference. Usually, you'll weight less on the spring scale. So, if you're 4lbs lighter on the spring scale, then move the needle on the scale from "0" to "4." This will give  you a more accurate reading.
• Same time, same place: Keep your scale in the same location, don't move it around. Particularly with spring scales, the more it's moved around, the more likely the calibration will get off. So avoid storing it in a cabinet and taking it out each time you weigh. Also, weigh yourself at the same time each day. Within the same day, your weight can vary +/– several pounds. A morning weight and an afternoon weight can be very different. 
• Expect variance: Having your weight vary +/– 2-4 lbs from weigh-in to weigh-in is normal. As long as your weight stays within that +/– range, you're fine. If the trend is that it keeps getting higher, that's a different story. Hydration, the types of food you've eaten, the amount of food you've eaten, bowel movements (or the lack there of) can all affect your weight and it has nothing to do with decreased or increased body fat. Just normal fluctuations of your body. Exercise can cause muscles to retain water and eating carbohydrates can cause your body to retain water. You should not avoid either, it's natural. That water retention is temporary and not body-fat weight gain. If you've ever carb-loaded before a marathon, you may have had that bloated feeling and the scale may say you've gained a pound or two. That's actually a good thing. That means your body is retaining some water meaning you'll be well hydrated on race day. During the race, that water will come in handy and you'll lose that extra water weight.
• Invest in a good scale: While many purchase the spring scale because it's more affordable,
  
  it really doesn't give you the big picture. All it provides is your weight. Owning or having access to an electrostatic impedance scale will provide you with a wealth of data that will give you more information about your body composition. This type of scale looks similar to a spring scale, but there is no dial. It has a digital display. You stand on this type of scale barefoot (it needs skin contact for an accurate reading). While standing, the scale sends an electrical impulse up through your body. Don't worry, you feel nothing and it's safe. The rate at which this impulse travels determines everything from your weight, body fat %, lean mass, water %, visceral fat, BMR, MET age, bone mass and more. Many fitness studios and gyms have such scales, if you're not ready to purchase your own. Depending on what you buy, you can expect to pay about $60 to several hundred dollars for such a scale. In the studio, I use the Ironman by Tanita and it runs about $150. 
• Take some data: Now I don't mean keep an obsessive log of each weigh-in, but it's a good idea to periodically record your stats. This gives you a benchmark from which to compare progress.
• Know your numbers: Have you been working on your nutrition with a weight loss goal and working out? Have you be perplexed feeling like you've lost weight but the scale is telling you something different? Clothes feel lose. You feel better than you ever have before. You're eating smart. But that dang scale keeps saying you've either lost nothing or gained! Well, if you know your numbers, then that weight gain may be a good thing. WHAT? Crazy talk, right? Nope...a good thing. For example, last year about this time, I decided to drop about 25lbs. I was getting ready to turn 50 and I wanted to head off that middle-age weight gain. So, I began to make sure I was getting in "Me" workouts and "Me" runs. While I didn't go on a diet, I did start to be more cognizant of what I was eating and making smarter decisions about what I was eating. As a result I lost that 25lbs. But.....in the past 2 months, the scale has shown a weight gain. Now this would cause a panic in most individuals. Weight gain must mean body fat gain. Right? Not always. Fortunatly I knew my nubmers. In the past two months, I've been upping my resistance training. I looked back my the data I had recorded from my weigh-ins and I saw that my body fat had not increased. It was still at the lower end of the healthy range. What had changed was my lean mass....my muscle mass. I had gained some muscle! Six pounds of muscle in fact! Awesome! This muscle gain actually makes me look even leaner. It also, means I'm stronger and have more muscular endurance which is supporting me on my runs, particularly my long runs. 
• Men and Women are not created equal...when it comes to body fat: Healthy body fat % numbers for mean an women are apples and oranges, so know your numbers. I can't tell you how many ladies have heard me say their body fat is 25% and they're devastated, when that's an awesome body fat perfect for ladies. Actually the low end of the healthy range for an 18-year old female is 21%. As you know, men and women are physically very different. Women need more body fat. The low end of the healthy range for an 18-year old male is 8%. Men do not need as much body fat. But remember that the young lady at 21% body fat isn't fat because she has 13% more body fat than her male counterpart. It means she's lean and has exactly what she needs for her body to function properly. Below are the healthy body fat ranges for men and women. 
  
• Not all body fat % measures are equal: The most accurate way to determine percent of body fat is to do a water displacement test...the "Tank Test." This is the test where you're submerged under water.  While this is the most accurate, it's not the most convenient and it can be expensive. There are several other methods used to determine body fat percent such as the electrostatic impedance scale I mentioned above, an air displacement test, and a caliper pinch test. All of the non water-displacement tests have a +/– error rate of 4%. I've had two different clients (one female, one male, one physically fit and one not as fit) have the tank test done. The next day they came to the studio and we checked their body fat using the electrostatic impedance scale. The body fat of both individuals was 4% higher on the electrostatic impedance scale as compared to the tank test. So when using the scale with my clients, I give them a range. If the scale says their body fat is 25%, then I tell them their body fat could be as low as 21% and as high at 25%, both of which are healthy. Determining body % percent at home is not an exact science. The main thing to keep in mind is that if you're not wanting to loose/gain weight, you want the number you see to remain constant. If you're trying to lose weight, you want to see that number get smaller over time. 
• Don't become discouraged. In today's rush, rush, quick-fix society, we often want immediate results. If you have extra weight you want to lose, it's going to take time. Losing weight slowly over a longer period of time has a much higher "keep-it-off" success rate than dropping a lot of weight in a short period of time. If you're combining exercise along with weight loss, you may not see much change on the scale initially, even though your clothes may feel looser. Just like I described above, you may be increasing your muscle mass while at the same time decreasing your body fat %. So on the scale it may be a wash. This often happens the first month or so. Stick with it and your weight loss will start to show on the scale. Taking girth  or circumference measurements of your hips, waist, thighs, calves, biceps, chest, etc, is also a great idea. After a couple of months of your new diet and exercise regimine, retake your girth measurements and even though the scale may not reflect a huge weight loss, you may discover you've lost an inch in your waist, a half-inch in your calf, a couple inches in your thigh. More proof that your body composition shifting in the right direction.

Fat: The Good and the Bad

Just like most things, with fat there's a good side and a bad side. Yep, I actually said there's a good side to fat. Along with carbohydrates and protein, fat is an essential macronutrient. Fat is a backup source of energy. It also supplies linoleic acid which is an essential fatty acid needed for growth. Also, the nerves in your body are covered with something called a myelin sheath. Guess what? The myelin sheath is made of fat. That's one of the reasons why when you go on a starvation diet, you can actually gain weight. If your body thinks it dipping too far into the fat reserves, then it will begin burning muscle as fuel instead of carbs or fat, in order to protect itself.

So who da thunk that fat was a good thing. Well, just like most everything else in this wonderful world, there can be too much of a good thing. Fat is no different, especially if you're talking about visceral fat. Have you ever seen an individual with a protruding gut? Maybe you have one? Is it hard? Ever wonder why? Well, the hard protruding gut sometimes called a "beer belly" isn't strong muscle. The protrusion is caused by too much visceral fat. The stomach appears hard because unlike fat stored else where on the body, visceral fat is located beneath the abdominal muscles in the chest cavity. So as the amount of visceral fat increases, it begins to push the abdominal muscles out causing them to become taunt, not strong. Elsewhere in the body, fat is more subcutaneous which means it's found just beneath the skin. That's why on your butt, legs, arms, and thighs, you see it wiggle and jiggle. 

Just because you have a high body fat percentage doesn't automatically mean you have a lot of visceral fat. Have you ever heard, "It's better to have a pear shape than an apple shape?" Well, what that means is, if the body fat is carried below the waist it's in a healthier location. Now if a person has a body fat percentage that puts him or her in the Obese category, then no matter where it's located, it's not too healthy for the individual and they need to work on decreasing their total body fat. However, if you're within the healthy body fat percent range or maybe just a tad over into the overfat range, and what you do have is carried more below the waist, then you're at a lower risk of diabetes and coronary heart disease.

Visceral fat is a fancy name for the fat in the chest cavity. Your body needs a little amount of visceral fat. It's kind of like nature's bubble wrap for your internal organs. It acts as a cushion for the organs and protects them when you're hit in the stomach or when you fall. The key phrase there is "a little amount of visceral fat." When you have more than you need, it becomes dangerous. High amounts of visceral fat have been linked to diabetes, heart attack, high blood pressure, stroke and some cancers.

The first thing many people think of in trying to get rid of the gut or visceral fat is doing tons of crunches and or going on a diet. Well, exercise is key, but it doesn't have to be crunches. It's almost next to impossible to target a specific area and make it lose fat. So, doing crunches may help strengthen the area, but if you're losing fat, it's probably more just due to the fact that you're upping your metabolism and burning more calories as a result of the crunches.

Diet is great and everyone should be watching the types of fats that they're eating, making sure to eat more of the healthy fats such as polyunsaturated and monounsaturated as well as Omega 3s. Many are surprised to find out that their total daily caloric intake should be comprised of 20%-35% fat. But again, this needs to be healthy fat. Decreasing your daily intake of fat or just trying to get rid of visceral fat with diet modifications alone will probably have very little effect.

Physical exercise is the best way to lose visceral fat. Not only will you look and feel better, your entire body will benefit when you decrease the amount of excess visceral fat you have. Decreasing the amount of visceral fat you have will decrease your resistance to insulin. This can help prevent or reduce your risk of Type II Diabetes. If you're already a diabetic, reducing the amount of visceral fat you have can increase the efficiency of the insulin your body produces, making it easier to control your blood glucose levels. If you have hypertension, reduced visceral fat can help you better control your blood pressure reducing your risk of stroke or heart attack. And best of all, your clothes will feel better!!

Full body workouts, fitness walking, and running are great ways to increase your metabolism overall which in turn will help decrease your body fat percentage on the whole, particularly fat in the gut. Resistance training or weight training is one of the best ways to lose body fat. It's probably even better than running. Yes, RunnerDude just said that resistance training is better. In this case, it really is. Running is great and while you're running you're getting a great caloric burn, especially if you're doing more intense types of runs such as intervals, fartleks, tempo runs, sprints, or hill workouts. But unfortunately when you stop running, that good caloric burn pretty much stops soon after. Research has shown, however, that with resistance training(weight training), the caloric burn can last up to 9 hours after you've finished your workout. Wow! What a better way to start your day than with a good workout and get the metabolism ramped up for the day; then top it off with an afternoon walk or run.

If you're worried that resistance training will add bulky muscles, you need not worry. If you stick to lighter weights and higher repetitions for each exercise then you'll definitely gain muscular endurance and you'll begin to see some more definition in your muscles, but you won't bulk up like a body builder.

Circuit workouts are great for upping you metabolism. You can get a full-body workout in a fairly short period of time. Or you can break the circuit workout into an upper-body and lower-body workout. A circuit workout is simply a workout where you move from one exercise to the next without taking a break in between. The circuit should consist of 10-12 different exercises. I like to insert a core exercise in between each exercise. For example you'd begin with an upper-body exercise (like a dumbbell pec fly), followed by a core exercise (like a plank), followed by an upper-body exercise (like an upright row), followed by a core (bicycle crunches), etc. After all 10 or 12 exercises are completed, then take a 1-3 minute break, get water, towel off, and then repeat.

If you're interested in having a custom full-body, upper-body, and/or lower-body circuit workout created to meet your specific needs, email me at runnerdude@runnerdudesfitness.com. I'll be happy to work with you.

What are you waiting for? BUST THAT GUT!!