DON'T STARVE YOUR MUSCLES

Being in the gym business and around three different gyms every week, the most common question I am asked is"How can I lose weight?" This is a real problem for alot of people and with so much information out there it can get very confusing.

As with anything in life there is a right and a wrong way to do it with alot of "grey area" in between. To get sustainable results we are told we must exercise and eat right, and usually not much more than that. Well we are going to go alot further than that over the next few weeks and columns you will learn alot about how to get leaner, more energetic, stronger...just healthier!

First off...I have a problem with the term "lose weight". It's too general. Too many people have summoned up all their willpower to go on a diet and lose weight without even thinking about all the consequences.

If you severely restrict your calories on a diet and lose alot of weight you are doing great, right? Not always! Calorie deprivation without the right exercise almost always leads to fat loss...and muscle loss. Stay with me because this could change the way you look at losing weight forever.

You have dieted for 5-6 months, cut the calories way down, are skipping breakfast, not eating after 6:00PM, following a low carb plan, whatever..and you have lost 25 pounds.

Congratulations? Maybe...or maybe not.

If some of that weight you lost was muscle and not fat you may have just slowed down your metabolism. When you severely deprive your body of calories it will dip into its fat stores but it will also dip into your muscle tissue if it is not being esed or exercised. This is not desireable because muscle burns calories, even at rest, while fat is more or less just stored energy. It doesn't really burn any calories.

Now if you happen to go off your diet you will probably gain the weight back and more quickly. Why? Because if you have lost any muscle at all you have just slowed down your metabolism. The fat will come back quickly when the willpower wanes but the muscle may not. Muscle is easy to lose and hard to gain for a sedentary person and fat is just the opposite.

There is a better way. Rather than trying to lose weight, lose body fat. Don't satrve off even an ounce of your muscle...you need it! Through a sensible nutrition, weight training and cardio-vascular exercise program positive longlasting results can be yours. It will help you lose the bodyfat and give you more energy than you will ever expend doing it. I cannot do it for you but I sure can tell you how to do it. Don't put it off...start right away.

 

LEARN HOW TO EAT, NOT HOW TO DIET

Most diets do not work. That is a fact. According to the US Federal Trade Commision the number of Americans who diet and regain the weight they lost is 95 per cent. This is clearly a dismal success rate and it is easy to explain why.

By it's very definition, a diet is a regimen of special or limited food and drink, as to lose weight (Websters New World Dictionary). It is looked upon as temporary depravation to reach a specific weight. Nobody wants to feel deprived and temporary just doesn't cut it. Who wants to temporarily lose weight? That is what happens when you diet, go off your diet, and gain it all back. Forget the diet. Lets learn how to eat.,

I love food. I like the food that accompanies family get tegethers, the eating when enjoying time with friends, just kicking back after a long day and eating something good. However, I am very concious about the quality of what I eat. When you learn the basics of what is considered good nutrition and what is not, it is easy to eat right. Don't spend another minute fighting with food. It is not the enemy. Real food, food that is actually healthy and promotes a lean body tastes great and will satisfy your hunger. Break away from the dollar driven quick fix, fast food industry and listen to what your body is telling you. Not the TV.

There is alot to learn here so I am just going to touch on some of the basics. Most of you probably know alot of this, but are you actually doing it?

Eat Breakfast. A low fat breakfast with some quality protein and complex carbs is the best way to start the day. It gets your metabolism going right away and lessens the chances of empty calorie mid-morning snacks or a huge mega-calorie dinner. Fries eggs, bacon, toasted white bread with butter and a coffee with cream and sugar?NO! A better choice would be two boiled eggs, whole wheat toast and low sugar jam, an orange and a coffee with skim milk and no sugar.

Dinner. Do not do the fast food thing. Burgers, fries, pizzia, fried chicken, deep fried anything is just nutritionally void high fat junk food. Most restaurants offer healthy choices too but the junk is still a big seller and they are selling it because we are buying it! Better choice would be a whole wheat sub with white chicken, turkey, lean beef, any and all veges, and mustard rather than mayo. Baked potatoes, chicken, fish, lean meats, rice, salads, whole wheat pastas, sandwiches,etc. Lots of good choices.

Supper. If your supper is a home cooked meal you get to decide the ingredients. Make the right choices. Learn how to read labels and watch for added fats, oils, sugars, syrups, dextrose etc. These are all empty calorie additives than can really add the pounds to you when routinely consumed.

Snacks. Avoid the chips,bars, sweets, colas, and ice creams. Better choices are fruit, nuts, veggies, plain yogurts and cottage cheeses with fruit added, quality meal replacement bars and shakes, homemade muffins and cookies where you have control over what goes in them.

This is just touching on the subject of nutrition. There are volumes written and it would be impossible to cover it all in one article. The purpose here is to try and make you aware of what you are eating and that better choices are really not that hard. If you really want to make the change take some time to educate yourself on what food is made of. Primarily carbohydrates, protein, fats and water. Learn how to read labels and what is good on a label and what is not. Be willing to try different foods and combinations. You will be surprised at how much you can actually eat when you are feeding your body correctly. You will also be amazed at how good food actually tastes when you get away from the sugar and fat overload that many of us are addicted to.

Visit a registered dietician to get more information on making the right changes. These people are experts in the field and can get you on the right track. Remember you are learning how to eat...not how to diet!

 

THE IDEAL TRAINING ROUTINE

When designing a training routine for optimum health and fitness the following components must be considered. Body composition, current overall health, injuries, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility and aerobic capacity. If any of these areas are not addressed, maximun results may not be obtained and you may put yourself at risk.

Body composition is a measure of lean body tissues and body fat. It gives you a better assessment of your percentage of bodyfat than a typical height weight chart. For example an athlete could be at eight percent bodyfat, 200 pounds at a height of 5'11". He would be considered overweight by a typical height weight chart, but his bodyfat is at a very low level. The following are considered the healthy ranges for the average adult.

Female age 20-39: 21-33%, age 40-59: 23-34%, age 60-79: 24-36%.

Male age 20-39: 8-20%, age 40-59: 11-22%, age 60-79: 13-25%.

Although not the best, the most common ways to measure bodyfat are skinfold calipers by a skilled tester and bio impedance or bodyweight/bodyfat scales.

Current overall health is important when embarking on a fitness routine. Any health problems should be addressed and taken into consideration when designing your routine. Diabetics should keep a close eye on blood sugar levels as exercise will help the body to better utilize blood sugar. Certain heart conditions may limit your maximum heart rate during cardio training. Asthmatics may find weight training easier than cardio training.

Checking with your doctor is always a good first step.

Any injuries must be taken into account. If you have lower back problems your routine may consist of exercises to strengthen the area without causing further problems. Shoulder, knee, elbow problems can usually be trained around but do not do any movements that cause pain or discomfort. Get any injuries properly diagnosed and see if there are any exercises that can be done to strengthen and help heal the affected area.

Muscular strength and endurance are easily increased through a good resistance training program. Generally increases in strength are acheived by doing compound exercises in the 6-12 repetition range with lots of rest in between sets. Muscular endurance is acheived by a higher rep scheme with little rest in between sets. There is a difference between muscular and aerobic endurance. An example would be a hockey player who's thigh muscles fatigue before he hits his maximum heart rate or is "out of breath". This athlete would need more endurance training in the thigh muscles. If just the opposite happens and the athlete is "out of breath" first he should increase his cardio training.

Flexibility is of prime importance to all athletes and to all of us as we get older. A flexible athlete will be a better athlete. More flexibility will mean an increase in speed, sport specific skills and movements and a decrease in injuries. Being able to reach or stride an extra inch could be the difference between making or not making a play. Many injuries stem from a joint being extended past its range of motion. This can result in joint and or soft tissue damage. If you have muscle groups and or joints that are limited in their range of motion incorporate proper stretching into your routine. Execute each repetition of each exercise with precision and proper form. Use exercises that promote flexibility along with strength and endurance. As people get older they lose flexibility so their routines should consist of exercises that work all muscles and joints through their full range of motion as long as their is no discomfort.

Aerobic capicity is a direct measure of the heart as an "oxygen pump" and the muscles ability to use oxygen sent to them through the cardio-vascular system. The higher the aerobic capicity, the higher the rate at which energy can be produced to sustain endurance activities. This is best acheived by getting your heart rate in your target zone and keeping it there for the desired period of time. This would be determined by what your sport and fitness goals are.

Everyone has different fitness goals and starting points. By determining what your goals are and where you are at now you can use these components to map out a training program that suits you. Your program should be designed to bring maximum results and set up in a way that you can incorporate it into your lifestyle.

 

WHY CARDIO

Cardiovascular and aerobic exercise are the best way to strengthen the heart, lungs and entire cardiovascular system. If you find yourself frequently getting out of breath from minor exertion you may need more of this type of exercise. The most popular would be fast walking, jogging or even running, depending on your current level of conditioning. ANy activity that gets you in your target heart range for at leats 12 minutes is considered cardiovascular exercise.

Here are some heart rate basics: Heart rate is the number of times your heart beats in one minute, the times per minute that your heart muscle contracts. Your maximum heart rate is the maximum number of times your heart can contract in one minute.

This is the most useful tool in determining training intensities besause it can be individually monitored or predicted. You can determine your maximum heart rate by having it measured in an exercise test (usually treadmill stress testing) administered by a cardiologist or by using an age predicted maximum heart rate formula.

The age predicted maximum heart rate formula allows you to predict your maximum heart rate with some accuracy and is great for exercise reasons. For women the formula would be 226 minus your age equals your maximum heart rate. For men it is 220 minus your age.

This formula applies to adults and is generally accurate to + - 10 to 15 beats per minute. The discrepancies may apply to someone who has been fit for many years or for older deconditioned people. Keep in mind this is your MAXIMUM HEART RATE...Not the rate you should be trying to acheive during exercise. During exercise you are aiming for a target heart rate (HR) which is a percentage of your maximum. Here are the guidlines.

50-60% of your maximum heart rate is light exercise and will maintain a healthy heart and keep you moderatly fit.

60-70% of your maximum heart rate is good for weight management and will burn a bit of bodyfat if done long enough.

70-80% of your maximum heart rate is aerobic conditioning and will increase stamina and aerobic endurance.

80-90% of your maximum heart rate is for optimal conditioning and maintains excellent aerobic conditioning.

90-100% of your maximum heart rate is for elite conditioning and will maintain elite aerobic conditioning.

How do I measure all this? The most common ways are with Polar Heart Rate monitors which can be bought at most sporting good stores. Also most high end cardio equipment such as treadmills, bikes, crosstrainers, etc. have heart rate sensors built right in. These machines will do the monitoring for you.

If your goal is to get leaner, firmer and stronger don't overdue it on the cardio. Regular small doses of cardio will help with the conditioning and fat burning, but too much can sap your strength and actually lead to muscle wasting.

If you compare the physiques of 100 meter sprinters or weight trainers to that of long distance runners such as marathoners the sprinters and weight trainers are just as lean, if not leaner than their aerobic counterparts, even thgough they do little aerobic exercise. Too much time spent in the aerobic zone can cause your body to lose muscle (since muscle weighs more than fat, it is the body's preferred tissue to cannabalize in the interest of lightening the load).

If you have been trying (unsuccessfully) to lose 10-20 pounds of body fat think of resistance training as the core of your program, and aerobic exercise as the supplementary activity...not the other way around.

 

OBSESSION??

In the past 20 years I can count on one hand the workouts I did not give 100%. Every set is to failure and plenty of forced reps for each bodypart. If I didn't feel like I gave it all, I didn't feel like I had a good workout. No arrogance intended. Its just the way I have to train. Don't miss any workouts either. If I miss a scheduled training day I will make it up the day before or the day after. I think its wise to take a 5-6 day layoff every couple of months, but alot of times that does not happen. Right now the last layoff was in March and I don't see me taking one soon. After 4-5 days I start getting restless and miss the physical exertion of a good workout. Just don't feel right. Might even cut a scheduled layoff short and start back early. There are a thousand reasons why people stop training...but one main one why you shoud start. Your body needs it. In this day and age you need the physical challenge that our lifestyles no longer give us. Some of the reasons for stopping? They are more excuses than reasons and the longer you train the more you see that there are ways around them. Injured? Train around your injury. If you have a leg injury you can still train upper body and visa versa....Train the muscle groups that are not affected by an injury and work with a physio therapist to activly rehab your injury. Sick? If you are not contageous you may find that a scaled down bit of activity and movement may help you feel better. Of course it depends on what you have..but sometimes it helps. Just know your body and recovery abilities. Too busy? Don't even use that one.....you can always find a few hours in a week to get an abbreivated workout in. Travelling? There are gyms in virtually every small town in America now...they are easy to find and all welcome visitors. Lack of motivation? The longer I am in the business the more I believe this comes from training with the wrong people. Hook up with some like minded individuals at your gym. Set scheduled training times and train hard and enjoy the camaraderie of training partners and a good workout. If you have days where you cannot be there at the set time, go in when you can and hook back up with your training partners the next day. Intimidated? When you walk into a gym this may be what you are feeling, but all the regular members are happy to see another person who is interested in adapting the training lifestyle, and the knowledge that these people can give you is invaluable in getting you started the right way. I have occasionally been told by people that do not train that I am obsessed with training. I looked up the meaning of obsession in the dictionary. It means compulsive preoccupation with a fixed idea. Or to haunt or trouble the mind. I never miss a workout, but when I am done I move on to the dozens of other things I have to get done in the run of a day, and forget about my workouts until the next one. BUT....I am obsessed with getting you into a productive training schedule because you do not know how physically, mentally and socially rewarding it is until you experience it.
 

WHERE ARE ALL THE SENIORS?

Take notice of all the different people that train at your gym. Men and women, boys and girls, athletes and the fit conscious. Its great to see. More people are training than ever before, but there is still a group that is not being reached. Seniors...not baby boomers, but the 65 plus generation. Oh there are a few training but not enough. Seniors can benefit immensely from a training program that addresses their needs. One thing that is so easy to do is delay the muscle loss that comes with aging. Delaying this can lead to stronger muscles and bones, better balance, lower blood sugar levels, a higher metabolism, decreased bodyfat levels, lower blood pressure...it can even affect your mood. The benefits are huge. However for many seniors weight training is not something they grew up with. Gyms may be viewed as brawny athletic places with little to offer someone who knows nothing about the magic of the iron. Fact is I can double the strength of a senior (man or women) much faster than that of a young athlete. The reason is simple. The senior is gaining back what they lost from inactivity and not using the muscles while the young athlete has to build new muscle. Muscle has "memory"...when challenged and used on a regular basis it will come back quick. Building new muscle is much harder. What a senior has to do is understand their own personal limitations and work around them. They can even gradually improve their limitations. Balance problems? Start with machines rather than free weights where balance will not be an issue. Sore joints? Be selective on the movements you do and work with a trainer to minimize joint pain while strengthening surrounding support muscles. Muscle weakness? You will have to use them to regain strength. The weights you use can start as low as one pound. Medical conditions? In many conditions movement is medicine. Inactivity contributes to a decline in health for everyone, and this is especially true for seniors. Move around...stay active. If you are a senior and you want to stay as healthy and fit as you can, discover the wonders of resistance training. If you can move you can do it and the help and support are at your local gym. I have had many seniors tell me it is one of the best things they have ever done for themselves. It is great to retire from your job, but do not retire from activity. Real activity. It keeps you young.
 

TURN YOUR WISHES INTO REALITY

Think about something for a minute....If you could have one with come true related to your Health, Fitness, Pyhsique or Athletic ability what would it be? Lose a few pounds of fat? Get stronger? Run faster and further/ Deal with a medical condition? Now, what are you currently doing about it? The wishing part does nothing. There are no Genies in a bottle or magic wands. You have to take action. Action produces results, work produces results, wishing produces nothing. That's not to say wishing is not important. It is very important, but its only the first step. Its only a thought. If you do not act upon the thought you will still have the same wish a year from now. Take action. Take that wish and make it crystal clear in your mind what you want to do. Develop a game plan of how you are going to turn it into reality. Think, rationalize, plan, learn. Develop a blueprint so there can be no way you can fail. Now take that blueprint to a carpenter...a physical carpenter. Someone who has done what you want to do or someone who has the knowledge to get you where you want to be. They can help you keep the good and improve on your blueprint to make it work. Now get rid of all the clutter in your life. The things that take up alot of your time and offer no rewards. The TV, the Gamecubes, Computer passtimes...the procrastination, the self-doubt and the habits that you want to chage but haven't been able to do yet. Keep all the good. Family, friends, people who believe in what you want to acheive. Surround yourself with these people and make them aware of your goals. You may need their support. When everything is all in place and you are clear in your mind that now is the time, get started. Start the exercise program, enjoy the challenge of doing something physical. Take pride in the fact that you have cleaned up your nutrition and are well on your way to being in much better shape. Learn as you go and build upon that blueprint. I have seen countless people turn a wish into reality but they all had one thing in common.....They had a plan and they followed through. Good luck!
 

ARE YOU IN THE GAME

For most gym owners this is the time of year when we are at our busiest. New Years resolutions and cold outdoor weather bring alot of people into the gyms to get in better shape and for something to do for the winter. Why is it that some people are so full of energy and enjoy being active so much and for others it is a constant struggle? One reason is when you are active and healthy it actually gives you more energy.If you stay with a fitness program long enough for it to produce results you will be more energetic, leaner and stronger.

There are two basic changes you must make to get results. The first one is the mental change. Give up your story. No matter what your present level of fitness is you have to stop telling yourself you cannot get results and get back into shape. Make the commitment to start treating yourself better with good nutrition and an exercise program that suits you.

The second change is the behavoural change. Knowing what to do and not doing it is all to common. No one can do it for you. Old habits can be hard to change, but it must be done in order to get results. Once the changes are made it becomes new habit. Eating right becomes easy and you will look forward to training and challenging yourself physically.

Make the mental change, then the behavourial changes...and the physical changes will follow.

I have never thought of exercise as "exercise". It is a great sport and the ultimate challenge.

Here is your GAME!

THE GAME: To be in the best shape you can be in.

THE PLAYING FIELD: The gym and the great outdoors.

YOUR TEAM: You and your training partners.

THE OPPOSITION: Junkfood, the couch, mindless TV.

HOW DO I SCORE? Beat your best. Faster run or walk, extra pound lifted, more reps, better nutrition, etc.

THE WINNER: Do it right and you are the winner every time.

THE TROPHY:....You are living in it...look after it!

 

TIPS FOR LOSING THE LAST FEW POUNDS

"How do I lose the last few pounds"? This is a question I am frequently asked by women as they pinch an inch or two of fat just below the bellybutton. This is often a problem area. A conditioning program can be going great, with noticable results every week or two and then when you get to those last few pounds you can hit that dreaded plateau. Nothing changes for weeks, even though you are training hard and eating right. The first thing you should do is step back and realistically access your physique. Ask yourself "Do I really have five more pounds to lose? Am I at my ideal weight? Is this a normal amount of bodyfat to carry on my abdominal area?" Also, if you were once alot heavier, are you pinching abdominal bodyfat or excess skin? If you cannot answer these questions, get assessed by a fitness professional. They can tell you if you are at an ideal weight, or if you still have that last five to lose. If it is determined that you are very close to your ideal weight and losing a few more pounds will give you the waistline you want, here is a very successful way to do it. This only works when you are following a solid training program and eating in a way that promotes leanness. First the Training: Do not altar yout training program too much. Stick with basic multi-joint movements for most of the workout to hit the large muscle groups and keep the calorie burn high. Try changing this: For Legs and Back (the two hardest bodyparts to train) keep the rest time in between sets down to two minutes or less. For chest keep the rest time down to 90 seconds or less and for all other bodyparts keep it down to 60 seconds. This not only taxes the muscles, but also the respiratory system and the whole body in geneal. This style of training will force the body to burn much more calories.. and glycogen, which means less chance of storing it as bodyfat. Second do some running or cycling sprints three times a week. After a warmup go full out for 30 seconds and then at 50% intensity for one minute. Repeat this eight to twelve times depending on your level of conditioning. This is both an aerobic and anerobic activity that will stimulate calorie burn and fat loss. Now for the nutritional part. First off I want to stress that while the above training metheods can be followed for extensive periods the nutritional part should only be followed for about six weeks. If you have a good understanding of basic nutrition and are following good eating habits already, try temporairly lowering your intake of simple and complex carbohydrates while raising your intake of vegetables and fiberous carbs. Your caloric intake should not drastically drop, but the carb ratios will. If your nutrition is good a 25 - 30% change in these ratios can make a big difference. Do this for three days and return to your previous good eating for a day. Repeat this for a maximum of about six weeks. This should be all it will take if you only have a few pounds to lose. Then gradually increase your intake of complex carbs agoin to stabilize your weight. This is not a long term nutrition plan but rather a short term specific way to lose the last few stubborn pounds....and it works!
 

GAINING ARM SIZE

Ask any young boy to "Show me your muscles" and he will automatically lift his arms, bend his elbows and flex his biceps. For decades the biceps have been the show muscles. Many men, young and old like the idea of being able to add some muscluar size to their arms through weight training. If a guy starts training to lose a few pounds around the waist and come measurement time his arm are an inch bigger while his waist is smaller he is usually just as pleased over the arms as the waist. Adding size and hardness to the arms is easy when approached right. The two major muscles in the upper arms are the biceps and triceps. While the biceps are considered the "show" muscles its the triceps that make up the largest part of the upper arm muscle mass. The triceps are a three headed, or three part muscle on the back of the arm. They account for 60% of the mass in the upper arm. The function of the triceps are to straighten out your arm. They are used in all pushing and throwing movements. The biceps are the two headed (hence the term bi in biceps) on the front of the arm. Their function is to draw the forearm up to the shoulder. They are involved in all curling, rowing and lifting movements. When both the triceps and biceps are developed they can give the upper arm a very "full" appearance. So guys....How do you make them bigger? The usual approach is to hit the gym and train the heck out of the arms three or four time a week. And this usual approach usually does not work. When you compare the size of the arms to the size of the rest of the muscle groups in the body, like the legs, back and chest muscles the arms are a small muscle group. Combine this with the fact that the arm muscles are involved in just about every upper body exercise and you have a bodyaprt that is very easily overtrained. The best way to gain size on the arms is to train the back and chest hard. I know..it sounds a little odd, but I have yet to see someone who can do 50 or 60 chinups (back) and sets of 20 on dips (chest) that have not gained considerable size on their arms. Even though these are considered torso exercises the arms are heavily involved and gains best come from working the muscles as groups rather than individually. Now I have seen lots of guys train for months and just bomb the biceps and triceps with very little in the way of results. The body just does not work that way...and even if it did, it would look rather odd to have a big set of arms with no back or chest development. So when you are putting your training routine together, and you are thinking arm size do more sets for the back and chest than you do for arms. If you have been training for awhile you should be on some form of a split routine. Ten to Twelve sets of basic moves for the back and chest muscles and six to eight sets for the smaller arm muscles. You want to stimulate, not anilihate them! And guys....you have to train your legs! Terry Adams CFT IRON HAVEN GYMS
 

MORE IS NOT ALWAYS BETTER

Here is an all to common scenario. Someone will start a fitness program and be set up on a routine where they are training three days a week for about one hour per session. As they get comfortable with the gym and learn how to use all the equipment, they slowly start adding more exercises and increasing the amount of time they spend on cardio equipment. A few months down the road they are training 5-6 days a week for about three hours a day, thinking more is better. After another few months they are not training at all, stating they do not have the time, or they lost their motivation. The problem is they ended up overtraining. Even the most motivated, goal oriented athletes would have trouble maintaining a training schedule that demands 15-20 hours a week of their time and energy. Do not fall into the trap of thinking more is better when it comes to your training. More is not always better...better is better. As you advance in your fitness levels your training will have to advance too, but as you add new exercises and moves, remove some of the ones you are doing now. By replacing exercises that are no longer challenging you, with new more advanced ones you can keep on progressing and reaching your goals without adding to your training time. Overtraining can be both a physical and mental problem. By physically doing too much and too often, you are not allowing your body to recover from your training sessions. Muscles can take up to four days to recover from a strenuous workout, and if you are hitting that same muscle every two or three days it never fully recovers. This halts all progress and increases your chance of injury. Both cardio and weight training can be overdone. Mentally if you are training so often you are not looking forward to your training sessions you need to scale back. It is vitally important that you make your training time fit your schedule, and not the other way around. When you start, think about how much time you realistically have and want to spend training and then have a routine put together to suit that. Its also productive to change the time you have to suit you. Many experienced trainers will adjust their routines to the time of year. If you have more leisure time during the fall or winter, you could set some goals and train on a 4 to 5 day a week schedule. During your busier times of the year you could maintain your fitness level with as little as two 45 minute sessions a week. Consistency is one of the key components to a successful training program. Far better to train two to three days a week and still be at it a year later than to train every day and burn out in a few months. Short relatively intense sessions (based on your fitness levels) can do wonders for you both mentally and pyhsically as long as they are maintained. Your body does not remain static. You cannot get in shape, stop what you are doing, and expect to stay there. The most important thing about frequency of training is enjoyment. Use whatever your time permits to stay in shape, but do not go so much that you take the fun out of it. Get to know the people you train with, learn as many exercises as you can to keep it fresh, and enjoy challenging yourself and the energy it gives you.
 

TRY MY

Got home late from work Saturday nite and I spent a few minutes flicking through the channels while eating my Tuna Melt for lunch. Some of the late night infomercials on home fitness and abdominal exercise gadgets are just about totally useless, yet they sell like crazy. The latest is a sauna belt. You strap this around your waist, plug it in and the heat is supposed to melt the fat away. The cord on it is only four feet long so you cannot even move around while it is plugged in. It promotes being sedentary rather than being active! How about the Ab Lounger. It kind of looks like a hammock that you lay in while working your abs. Promises a flat stomach in only minutes a day. They also have an Ab Lounge Sport. Sounds cooler I guess. I drive a Sport Minivan, whatever that is. How about a six second ab machine, Abgymnics electronic ab exerciser, Gut Buster, Ab Swing, Torso Tightner, Core Sculptor, Cross Crunch, Inflatable AB Toner, Abflex, EZ Krunch Abdominal Exerciser....you get the idea. There are literally hundreds of products out there that provide very limited results because there is more to it than stated. Sure everyone wants a flat stomach and it is possible to obtain, but it involves getting yourself into the state of burning off all the calories you are eating...every day. You certainly cannot do that lying in a hammock, or wearing a portable sauna. Still, if you are dead against getting some exercise and movement into your life than I have a gimmick for you too. I think I have them all beat. Takes less than 6 seconds a day, does not have to be plugged in, will not shock your muscles, you can lie down while you use it. Heck, you won't even know you have it on. And it is FREE from Iron Haven Gyms and your West Prince Graphic! It's the two second BELLY OFF BUTTON. Simply cut this out and stick it about one inch above your BellyButton. When ever you wake up in the morning just give it a little push. That's it, takes only a second and guaranteed to work......If you follow the nutritional information that is included. (Hey its only fair...all the gimmicks say this)! Best of all if it does not work your money will be 100% refunded. My point is there is a short cut. It is exercise and proper nutrition. All it involves is a bit of a lifestyle change and once you try it you will stick with it. You deserve to be in the best shape you can be in. Healthy and fit for life. The benefits are too numerous to ignore and getting started is the hardest part. Our work is providing less and less vigorous activity so we have to make it part of our leisure time. I will send some of my BELLY OFF BUTTONS to the makers of products with ridiculous claims. If the buttons truely will burn away bodyfat they can stick them on their foreheads. The Belly Off Botton is inside the brackets...its very small! (.) Terry Adams
 

REALISTIC WEIGHT LOSS GOALS

You can find just about anything now on reality TV. Car shows, Bike Shows, Home Decor, Fishing, Cooking and the last few years....Weight loss Shows. The most popular one would be "The Biggest Loser". In this show, two teams are pitted against each other to see which team can lose the most weight in a specified amount of time. Each week a team member is voted off and the last remaining person is the biggest loser. All the participants leave their homes and familiar enviroments and move to a "ranch" where their job for 24 hours a day is to lose weight. They are surrounded by training and fitness experts, doctors, nutritionists, etc. Sure, there are events and foods in the show where the participants are tempted to go back to their old habits but for the most part their whole life while there is structured for weight loss. And it works! Previous contestants have lost over 200 pounds in eight months...or over 20 in one week. This is possible for someone who has large amounts to lose, but you have to realize it is the extreme exception, not the rule. These people are surrounded by a team and people who focus on weight loss for the whole time they are there. It could not be a better enviroment to get leaner. They have a shot at winning $250,000 dollars and are part of a team that wants them to succeed. After the 11 or 12 weeks many of the participants have lost over 100 pounds, but the important point is that when these people are revisted months after their participation in the show, they have maintained or even improved on their health and fitness goals. This is after they have left the ranch and returned to their real world. These people have made permanent changes in the way they live their lives, and this is what has to be done. So, where does that leave the average person who wants to get leaner but has to do it from home and in familiar surroundings? First off you have to set realistic goals. I have personally had people lose 50 pounds in 12 weeks from programs that I have worked with them on, but this is still above average. Fifteen to Twenty five pounds is more the norm, and this is still a significant amount of weight. Do not let the huge weight losses of others discourage you if it is slower for you. Think about how much you are applying yourself and how much of a priority it is for you to get leaner. The more positive changes you make the greater the results. These changes also have to be permanent. Temporary changes will only lead to temporary results. Anyone who is advised by their doctor to lose weight and then does so should be proud of the fact that they made it happen. It does not have to be a contest and there need not be a short time frame to do it in. Just focus on changing the habits and lifestyle that contributed to the weight gain in the first place. The more things you can change for the better, the quicker the results. If you make the changes permanent then your results will be permanent. The best way is still to drastically reduce your intake of processed foods, sugar and saturated fats. Eat more complex and fiberous carbs, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Spread this out over 5-6 small meals per day and get moving. Stay as active as you can to burn some calories. Lift some weights to rebuild lean muscle lost to inactivity, get some cardio in two or three times a week for 20 minutes. All it takes is a few hours per week and the payback is huge. The Biggest Loser? Watch it for motivation, training and nutrition tips but do not get discouraged if your results are not as drastic, unless you are willing to make the same drastic changes. You can lose the weight....it just may take a little longer. Slow and steady wins the race. Terry Adams CFT IRON HAVEN GYMS www.ironhavengym.com
 

HOW CAN WE REACH YOU?

I spend alot of time driving, and use this time to think about how I can help my gym members get the results they desire. I don't dwell on the principals of training, nutrition and recuperation. Training principals have changed little over the years. Sure, there are new training schedules and rep schemes on the map but the basics of what works are still the same. Gradually and progressively overloading a muscle with weight training will result in a higher metabolism, and an increase in muscle size if the caloric intake is there. This can be done with the latest high tech machines or a set of 100 year old barbells. I'll take the barbells thank you....and throw a squat rack and a chin/dip bar in there too. Now nutrition is just the opposite. Its changed, but for many people its regressed rather than improved. If the average Joe would take that 100 year old set of barbells and match it with some 100 year old nutrition, obesity would be alot less of a problem. I see the biggest problems as being too much sugar and fat, and just too much. We are taking in way more fuel than we are burning off, and it has to go somewhere. If eating right sound way too complicated start with this. If its processed, or manmade, do not eat it unless you are sure its low sugar and low in saturated fat. This will mean lots of vegetables, fruit (not juice), lean meats, poultry, seafood, low fat dairy, oatmeal, etc. Its a start until you learn enough about nutrition to get you where you want to be. What I dwell on is how to reach people that have no idea where to start. The athletes, weekend warriors, gym rats and three day a weekers are fine. They are here. They are learning and will continue to learn as long as they continue to train. But what about the people who have never trained, yet want to drop 50 pounds or get their blood sugars under control or just get back in shape? What's the best way to help these people out? The first thing they need is support. Support in their training, support in their nutrition, support in the lifestyle changes it will take to get them on the right track. We offer that. The next thing they need is the courage or resolve to get started. Just get started. I have had everyone from tiny senior ladies to big burly fishermen and farmers tell me its damn intimidating to walk in the doors of a gym. This is always an image they have created in their own mind. Concern over being too out of shape to go to a gym. A place full of jocks and superfit people. Yes, they are there, but these are the very people that can help you get started. Also there, are people just like yourself who are taking their personal fitness and health seriously. Great place to make your goals finally happen. If your health and fitness levels are not where they should be and you have no idea where to start I want to hear from you. I want to know what is holding you back and what myself, or anyone who is in a position to help can do. If there is a group of people we are not reaching I would like to know what we can change to reach you. The few small steps that you have to take can have a profound effect on your health, zest and well being. Gotta go for a drive and think some more....
 

SUCCESS STORY

I weighed in one of my Body for Life participants on Saturday Morning. She just finished the one that is wrapping up, and she also completed the one before that. This would give her about six months of the training and all that goes with it. I can easily remember the first time I met her, and the difference between then and the person I just weighed in is unbelievable. Not just the weight (she has lost over 80 pounds in the last 8 months) but just about everything else too. I have witnessed many people lose phenominal amounts of weight and the differences are always obvious, but this lady just looks so fit. Looks full of energy, lean, bubbly and really enjoys training. Yes, she likes lifting weights and this is the reason she lost the weights and looks so athletic. She lost the bodyfat and actually gained some muscle at the same time. You can see it and it looks great! She had never trained before and I am confident she has found the solution to sustainable results for her. She gets excited over talking about her training and is still setting goals....not just to get leaner, but to get more toned, to gain a bit of muscle and to be more athletic. She is thinking the right way for lasting results. It can be done and it can be done quickly, efficiently and in a healthy way. The only real secret is consistancy. Doing what it takes day after day. This might sound hard but it is not. What is hard about actually eating in a way that makes your body healthier and leaner? When you dig deep enough you realize it is much harder eating the junk and the processed foods. You just need to be "awakened", you need to discover that what goes in has a profound effect on your well being. What is hard about getting some exercise? What can be hard about something that energizes and invigorates you? Burns off the calories as well as the stress. Builds your mind as well as your body. Gives you discipline as well as strength. The best part of many days is the few hours after a hard workout with the weights. The feeling of wellbeing and endless energy everybody wants comes from the iron...not the latest energy drink. You have to experience it. Get yourself in good enough shape to take a a workout to the limit, and then do so with an experienced lifter that will set the pace. See how you feel when you are done. You will be hooked. When someone realizes that it is a sustainable change in their habits that produces sustainable results they are just about guaranteed success......Here is to your success.. Terry Adams CFT IRON HAVEN GYMS www.ironhavengym.com ECLIPSE ENTERTAINMENT CO. www.eclipsepei.com
 

PERMANENT WEIGHT LOSS

Q: I am involved in a weight loss contest at work and I am doing great so far. I have lost 18 pounds in 7 weeks. There are only 2 weeks to go and I would like to lose 7 more pounds for a total of 25 pounds. I have been checking out diets on the internet and was thinking of trying the one where I just drink juice and water and eat vegetables. It sounds like it is great for losing alot of weight quick. Wnat is your opinion on this? A: I see several flaws with the whole concept. First of all I do not like the term weight loss. Its too general. Weight loss where both fat and muscle are lost is not a good thing. Under no circumstances should you do anything that will cause the loss of both. Think more in terms of muscle preservation and fat loss. Losing lean muscle mass through calorie deprevation will always slow the metabolism. This will cause the weight to come back on quickly when you go off your diet, and you cannot live on fruit juice and vegetables for the rest of your life so you will go off your diet. Far better to think in terms of "cleaning up your long term nutrition". By making a permanent change you will get permanent results. Cut the simple sugars and fast foods, eat 5-6 small meals per day to prevent overeating and to supply your body with a constant supply of fat burning nutrition. By consuming only fruit juice and vegetabes you are living on carbohydrates, with very little fat or protein and your body needs all three for optimum function and to prevent muscle wasting. Your body needs a source of nitrogen for tissue repair and maintenance and this comes from the protein you consume. If you are protein deficient your body will cannabilize muscle tissue for that source of nitrogen. You're vegetables and a bit of fruit juice are fine, but also consume some high quality lean proteins. The choice of what proteins to eat are yours as long as they are low fat, low sugar sources. And get some of the good fats in your daily meals too. Time and time again I talk to people who are in good shape in their twenties who get out of shape and heavier in their thirties and forties. By incorrect diets and little activity they may get back to their starting weight but they are in nowhere the same condition. Reason being? They lost too much muscle and it has been replaced by bodyfat, even though they hit their goal weight. One girl described herself to me as a "skinny fat person". I convinced her to try weight training and a healthier diet and she reached the condition she wanted in about 10 weeks. We simply regained the muscle she lost and at the same time took off a few more pounds of bodyfat.. Her weight stayed the same during the 10 weeks, but her physique sure changed. My advice to you would be to think long term, don't starve off muscle, eat in a healthy way that you can maintain year-round, lift some weights to maintain or even build some muscle and stay active in as many ways as you can. The next year when the same people are doing the same weight loss challenge and trying to lose the same weight they gained back after last years challenge you can say "no thanks, I've been at my goal weight for a year now, and it feels great!". Terry Adams CFT IRON HAVEN GYMS www.ironhavengym.com ECLIPSE ENTERTAINMENT CO. www.eclipsepei.com
 

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN THE FITNESS INDUSTRY

With changes in the world we live in and our lifestyles come changes in opportunities. We live in a world of automation where most manual labour jobs have been replaced by machines. Large portions of our leisure time can be taken up by some form of media, which does not give us alot of activity. These are a couple of the reasons why there has been an explosion of gyms and fitness centers all around the world. People need a physical outlet. Good for the body, good for the mind. With so much growth in the gym business and fitness industry comes opportunity! If you have never considered a career in the fitness industry it can now be a lucritive option. Here are some of the doors that have opened in recent years. Certified Fitness Trainer (CFT). There are gyms in every city and town in North America and in larger centers CFT's are an integral part of the staff. With so many people getting into training there is a huge demand for knowledge. It all sounds simple...go to the gym and lift some weighs...but without proper instruction and guidance you may not fully benefit from your training. With the help of a CFT you will get started right and be assured of results. CFT's can be part of the gym staff and on salary, or on their own and charging the members privately for their services. A CFT course averages about two years for certification. In larger cities and gyms a CFT can charge upwards of $50.00 per hour. GYM OWNER: If you have ever dreamed of owning your own gym, the time may never be better. An ideal location is a city with a population of 15,000 or more without an adequate facility, and there are still some out there. You have to really enjoy working with people and helping them reach their goals as this will take up the majority of your work time. The initial investment is high, so it is a long term investment. FACILITY MANAGER: Opportunity exists here in the cities. With gyms becoming busier and busier, and many being part of a chain or franchise, managers are in demand. An ideal manager would have a business degree and also be a CFT. A knowledge of both is essential in a busy facility. REGISTERED MASSAGE THERAPY: Many larger gyms have on staff RMT's. With huge memberships the demand is there for this service. We have one here on staff at IRON HAVEN GYM in Alberton! Same hold true for PHYSIOTHERAPISTS as the athletes in virtually every sport now train hard with the weights. CLASS INSTRUCTOR: Most gyms also offer group fitness classes, and these require instructors. Some examples would be Aerobics, Spinning, Boot Camp, Yoga, Pilates, Kickboxing, Martial Arts, the list goes on. CHILD CARE: Once again, the larger centers offer this service for their members and it takes someone to offer it. While mom or dad are working out the kids are getting some activity with an instructor who specializes in early childhood development. EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURING: There are many good manufacturers that supply all the gyms around the world, and two of the top ones are right here in Canada. Atlantis Fitness Equipment is based out of Quebec and Apex is in BC. There are huge, busy companies. EQUIPMENT TECHNICIAN: Equipment is getting more and more advanced all the time, and someone has to fix it. Most Cardio equipment is now computerized. Treadmills are extremely high maintainance and someone has to fix them. The larger companies like Life Fitness offer courses on equipment repair then hire technicians and give them their own territory. NUTRITIONIST: When someone decides they want to be in the best shape they can be in, they have to take nutrition into account. This is an education process all by itself. Nutritionists are readily available in gyms with a larger enough membership base to support them. Athletes and anyone serious about improving their conditioning benefits from a nutritionist. WRITER or COLUMNIST: There are dozens and dozens of fitness magazines on the market and these magazines are hungry for articles and stories. All have regular contributors. Also a demand for photographers for the magazines. These are just a few of the doors that have been opened by the huge growth in the fitness industry. Openings in everything from clothing, Fitness software programs, facility insurance companies, janatorial, suppliment companies...the list goes on. May be something to think about! Terry Adams CFT IRON HAVEN GYMS www.ironhavengym.com ECLIPSE ENTERTAINMENT CO. www.eclipsepei.com 902 853 3421
 

ENERGY

Energy...It powers everything that moves including us. Hows yours? Wake up full of energy and vigour? Does it stay with you all day long until you retire for the day? Human energy is a different commodity. With most things if you do not have enough to sustain you, you ration it. Food, water, money. You save it or try and make it last longer. The last thing you want to do is use it all up. Things like sleep....if you are not getting enough, you sleep more, but what about energy? If there is more day than energy, what do you do? How do you get more? Assuming you are healthy, eating reasonably well and getting enough sleep the answer may surprise you. To gain more energy you have to use more energy. Not many things work like that. If a good portion of your day is spent sitting and alot of your work is mental, this can physically exhaust you. The last thing you may want to do is something physical but that is exactly what you need. Getting your body moving, using your muscles and increasing your heartrate will almost immediately increase your energy levels. This effect will last for hours after physical activity. There are many reasons for this. Getting moving gets oxygen to your muscles and brain. Vigirous activity reduces stress and tension which deplete energy. It elevates your mood and just makes you feel better. Energy is just as much a mental state as physical. Getting moving is the single best way to increase energy levels but it takes some time for many people to learn that truth, even though they may experience it over and over again. Here are some other tips to increase your energy levels; Drink lots of water. Being slightly hydrated can rob you of energy. Eat small frequent meals. By doing this you can keep your glycogen levels stable all day long, which will prevent those energy dips. Keep stress to a minimum. Stress has been proven to be an energy zapper, so try and correct or limit the stresses in your life. Look after your social life. Studies have shown that maintaining an active social life keeps spirits higher, which will have a direct impact on energy levels. So next time you get home after a hard days work and you feel like you do not have the energy to do anything, that may be just what you need. Do something physical and fill up that energy tank!
 

THE BENCH PRESS

The bench press is easily the most popular exercise in the gym for guys when they start training. If a guy is buying some gear to train at home the first things bought are usually free weights and a bench press. Guys are routinely ask "how much can you bench?" if they are talking about working out. There are even Bench Press contests for lifters to compete in. So if you want to get your bench press poundage up, how do you do it? First you have to know what muscles are involved. The primary muscles involved in a bench press are the pectoralis major and minor muscles. Also secondarily involved are the deltoid and tricep muscles. By increasing the strength of these muscle groups your bench press poundages will increase. This is best done by training these muscles once every 4-6 days. The higher the intensity and the more expereinced the trainer the more rest days that will be needed. One of the most frequent mistakes a beginner makes is training chest too frequently. The muscles need a chance to recover. Use the pyramiding principal when you do your benching. Warm up well, them do 4 sets of bench, increasing the weight and derceasing the reps on each set. A 10, 8, 6, 4 rep scheme works good. Pyramiding will get your muscles and tendons stronger with the lower reps while you still get the benefits of the higher reps. Lower the bar slowly down to your chest, lightly touch and power the bar back up. Make sure your form is perfect. Do not bounce the bar off your chest and use the full range of motion. Your goal is to work the muscles as hard as you can, not to incorrectly move alot of weight. By using proper form and pyramiding the weights you will get stronger quickly. The chest muscles respond well to regular training. Follow your benching with three sets of Incline Bench Press for sets of 10 and three sets of Dips for about 15 reps. If the intensity is high enough this will be plenty for chest. These are all basic compound exercises that will really increase your pushing power. It also is beneficial to work the Shoulders and Triceps as these muscles are secondarily involved in the Bench Press. By keeping them as strong as possible your bench will go up. You are only as strong as your weakest link and I have seen many lifts stall out close to the top of the lift due to lack of tricep strength. Follow this for a few months, eat the rights foods and plenty of them and we might see you in the Annual Bench Press come March! Terry Adams CFT IRON HAVEN GYMS www.ironhavengym.com ECLIPSE ENTERTAINMENT CO. www.eclipsepei.com 902 853 3421
 

LEG DAY

There is something about leg day that sets it apart from every other workout. Training legs to failure is incredibly hard work. But with the hard work comes the rewards and a deep satisfaction. Legs are a different animal. Just hard leg training alone will get you in great shape. You cannot train any other one bodypart and expect to get in shape...just legs can do that. They are among the strongest muscles in the body and training them hard will leave your heart pounding, your body sweating and your lower body unsure of its steps for a few minutes afterwards.....and today is leg day. Here is how it went: The nutrition was great the last few days and I know I have lots of carbs or glycogen in the system. This always means a great workout....lots of energy and strength endurance. When you have been training as long as I have you can tell how what you eat effects you, especially your workouts. After a couple of minutes of light stretching we start with Hack Squats. Hacks are a superior exercise for hitting the quadricep muscles. Start with the empty machine (100 pounds) for a warm up..10 reps. Next warm up set is with a plate (45 pounds) on each side followed by a plate and a half. Now is when I tell the guys we are going to do 1 1/2's today. These are an extremely intense way of working a muscle and they work great on Hacks. We will be doing a half rep at the bottom of the movement, followed by a full rep and this will count as one rep. The guys are on for it as they love a hard workout as much as I do. Good training partners are a must when you are pushing it to the limit. First set is with two plates a side...up halfway, down and back up all the way is one rep. First eight are easy and then the burn starts to set in. Manage to get five more before I am stuck at the bottom and need a spot. Feel the pump on the Quads already. Second set is Two and a Half plates per side and that knocks the reps back to ten and one forced rep. Two sets and the quads are on fire already, and so are the lungs. Third set is the same weight but the quads are starting to tire and I only manage seven reps plus two forced. Anyone who thinks that weight training is not cardio should try this. Heart rate is up, breathing is hard and legs are unbelievably pumped. Last set, cut the weight back to two plates a side again and manage only nine reps plus two forced ones. Oh Oh, muscles are tiring already and this is only the first exercise. We follow hack squats with high rep leg press. Start with four plates per side and manage 22 reps before I cannot budge it. Second set is four and a half plates for 16. Panting like I just ran up a mountain. Third set is Five plates for 12, then back to four plates for 16 on the last set. Legs feel like they are going to explode from all the blood pumped into them...but it feels good. Its a love hate thing! Next exercise is leg extensions. If we do these first I can use 310 pounds for 10 reps but the legs are fried and I have a hard time getting six reps with 225 pounds...Weight feels like lead. Drop it back to 195 for eight and a couple of forced ones and a final set of eight with 180. Thats it ...the quads are completely exhausted. Its a strange feeling to be walking around the gym when your legs are all wobbly and feeling like you are going to fall over. Those muscles have no choice to come back stronger after that. Final exercise is the Glute-Ham Raise for three sets. After all the work we just done I know there is no point in trying to use anymore than just bodyweight for these. Manage 13, 12 and 11 reps and we are done! Legs feel really really tight from all the blood that has been forced into them and thats precisely what we want. No just going through the motions. Its all about giving every set all you got. This is a result oriented, muscle stimulating, strength building workout. Impossible to have a bad day after a workout like that. Can't wait until next leg day to do it all again.....I think... The point is there are no special exercises or magic ways to train.....For great results keep the intensity high and try and fatigue the targeted muscles. Terry Adams CFT IRON HAVEN GYMS www.ironhavengym.com ECLIPSE ENTERTAINMENT CO. www.eclipsepei.com 902 853 3421
 

STAYING AT IT

How is your training going? Really, are you making progress and enjoying the process? Do you look forward to your training sessions and do you have clear goals in mind? Every year I work with alot of people who have specific goals in mind and want some help reaching them. The longer I am involved in training the more I realize that it is more of a mental exercise than physical. The people who reach and even surpass their goals really enjoy the challenge of training. They apply intense concentration to their training and are hungry to learn as much as they can about the mechanics of training and the science of nutrition. There is such a huge difference between simply going through the motions and actually training. Two people can be doing the exact same training routine, yet a few months down the road the results can be so different. Mental focus is important when weight training. If you really focus on what you are doing you will be able to get harder, more intense muscle contractions. You will be able to temporarily fatigue the targeted muscles quicker and this is the name of the game. By increasing the intensity of the workouts you will become stronger, more toned, with quicker reflexes and a faster metabolism. So how do you increase your mental focus? One of the first things you have to do is get a handle on good nutrition. Its a futile effort to train hard when the results will be in vain from poor eating habits. Eat like an athlete and also get the rest you need. You want to be mentally sharp and full of energy when you hit the gym. When you arrive at the gym leave all your "mental baggage" at the door before you come in. If you are having a bad day, or are having personal or work related problems or stresses just forget about them for your hour of training. You cannot do a workout justice when you are distracted by problems. This is time for personal improvement, both mentally and physically. Approach it with a clear mind. A good workout will burn off alot of stress and give you a clear look at the problem when you are done. Know what you are going to train and what exercises you are going to do before you start. Once you get started you want to focus on your workout, not "what am I going to do next?". Have a plan and stick to it. If you are going to make changes in your training routine, make them after your session and apply them to the next one. Its great to be able to talk to the other gym members during your workout, but limit the time you are talking between sets. When its your time to start your next set simply say so and get at it. Its virtually impossible to get in a good workout when you are resting to long and for inconsistant times between sets because you are too engaged in conversation. Save the long talks for after the workout. Use the mirrors in the gym to increase your focus. They are there for that reason. If you are doing a set and you can actually watch the weight being moved and the muscles contracting you will get in a much better set. Using the mirrors will also enable you to make sure your lifting form is bang on on alot of exercises. Be confident in your workouts and your ability to acheive your goals. Think about this while you are training and picture it all happening while you are working out. Doubting your abilities will hamper your results and cause your mind to wander....diminishing your focus. Believe in what you are doing, apply enough mental focus to your training to get the most out of it and then physically follow through. The results will follow.
 

THE HOLIDAYS AND WEIGHT GAIN

Its just about the Holiday season again...and with all the good things that come with it there is also the annual weight gain for many people. That holiday five to ten pounds that magically appears in two short weeks. What happened?? Too much turkey is a common answer but ironically that is one of the best things you can eat. Far better to blame the radical change we have in our life style or habits for those two short weeks. If you make that gain every holiday season, make this the year to hold your own over the two weeks. Here are some tips to keep that weight in check while still enjoying the holidays. Yes, the biggie is what you eat. Do not use the holidays as an excuse to eat whatever you want if you gain weight easily. Be selective while still enjoying some of the holiday foods. One of the biggest culprits is the chocolates. If you take all the sugar and fat out of a chocolate there is not too much left. Go for the other christmas treats...the mandarines, the five star apples, big oranges, christmas nuts, even a few of the hard candy are a better choice than the chocolates. Lots of staff and family parties to attend and with these can come alot of junk foods. If you know beforehand what is going to be there for food and its all going to be junk, have a small meal before you leave home. This way you can eat a bit at the party but you will not be starved and fill up on the junk. Usually though there will be enough variety where you can eat good. You just have to make the right choices. What you drink is just as important too. Alot of high sugar drinks out there and coolers are the worst. Yes, they have a label on them listing the amount of sugar. Read your labels and choose the lower sugar ones. The caloric counts on beers vary too. If you use a cola for a mix with hard liquor use a zero calorie one. This means no sugar. All the little changes can add up for you. Ahhh....Christmas dinner??? Load the plate up if you like....Make your plate look like this. Even amounts of turkey and potato. Go for the white turkey meat. Lots of veggies as long as they are not basted in butter. Go easy on the gravy and dressing and enjoy a bit of the cranberry sauce. For the dinner leftovers all week just do the same thing and oh....watch the desserts. Now after that big dinner do not head for the couch. The holidays can also be a time of alot of doing nothing. Try and be active. If there are kids around engage them in some active games. This will keep you moving too. During your holidays go for a few walks, skates, ski's, workouts. Anything that involves activity is good. If you are eating a few extra calories over the holidays you will have to burn off a few extra calories too. The more you eat, the more you have to move! Look at the holidays as a time of active relaxation rather than passive. As a gym owner, the holidays are a great time of year. All those extra pounds mean alot of new years resolutions involving weight loss and alot of new gym members! Even if you do not need to lose the holiday five pounds in January we would still like to see you at the gym with a new years resolution....just for the health of it!
 

FALL TRAINING

There are two main times of the year when Gyms see a major influx of members. New Years and September. With September here vacations are done, kids are back in school and most people are back on some sort of a regular schedule. Summer can also add a few unwanted pounds! With all this comes the return to regular training routines. If you are new to the gym get started on a basic routine with a personal trainer. Take some time to talk about your goals and how you hope to acheive them. They may involve resistance training, some form of cardio vascular training, changes in nutrition, or all of the above. By having a detailed goal and a plan of how to achieve it, you are more likely to succeed. Don't start off to hard and with a routine that has you training too many days a week. You don't want to burn yourself out in a few months. If you stay at it long enough you will gradually develop a personalized training routine that suits your schedule, preferences and lifestyle. You will get the results you want. Just starting back? If you have trained before and are returning after an extended layoff, start back easy! You know the exercises, you know how to execute them and apply some intensity, and if you go to hard you will be extremely sore. The great thing is that after a few workouts you will be well on your way to your previous fitness level. Your muscles have "memory" and you will bounce back from a layoff very quickly. Even many members who have been training all summer will set new goals at this time of year. Maybe their summer workouts were to maintain the level of fitness they had already acheived. This can easily be done training as little as two days a week. Now its time to up the ante and hit the gym three or four days a week...set new and higher goals for the next few months. Check out the various schedules and programs your gym offers. There are an infinite number of ways to weight train so you can always keep it fresh. Its good to change your schedule every few months. Most gyms now have a great variety of cardio machines, ranging from treadmills to cross trainers, steppers, bikes, even rowing machines. Then there are the group classes. Here we offer Body for Life courses, Yoga, Boot Camp Classes, Ballet for the kids, Adult Dance Classes, etc. See what your local gym has to offer and get involved! Getting in shape has never been easier or more enjoyable, and its a great way to spend active time with your family and friends.
 

WHAT IS YOUR GIFT?

Everyone has something they are good at, something that seems to come easy to them. A special talent or a skill. Could be pyhsical or intellectual. Observers may even call it a gift. Tiger Woods is gifted at golf, Gretzky at hockey, Elton John is a gifted singer and Obama is a gifted public speaker. There are scores of special talents. What is yours? Think about it. What are you really good at? What seems to come easier to you that to most of your friends? Whatever it is, there are reasons why you are good at it. For one, you probably truely enjoy it. This makes it easier to practice it, which it turn, makes you even better at it. The simplest of tasks can be improved upon when done over and over. You probably also received some instruction when you first started it. By getting started on the right foot you had a better chance of improving and not making alot of beginners mistakes. Also when you get started doing something right, you have a better chance of mastering it and sticking with it. Did you receive any recognition for you talent? We all like to be noted for what we are good at, and it reinforces our work ethic to get better at it. Sometimes the recognition can make us realize that we are gifted in a certain area. Have you ever had a chance to mentor someone? To teach them what you are talented at? It can be even more rewarding for the teacher than the student...and it will make you better at what you are already good at. Desire. If you had the burning desire to master something, and the perserverance to stick with it until you did, you are probably now good at it. An unrelenting work ethic can take you a long way. It can make dreams come true. Now we all want to be in our best physical condition, but many of us fall by the wayside in our quest to get there. Some never even try, while other seem to have it mastered...It is there special talent. They enjoy the physical challenge. They make it look so easy. It is there "Gift". For many of these people most of the above will apply. They are in great pyhsical condition because they practice it on a regular basis. They sought instruction when they started and listened to what they were told, keeping the good and discarding the useless information. When the results started coming people would compliment them on it. Positive reinforcement makes it all the more rewarding, and makes you want to stay in shape, and get in even better shape. Heck, this is fun now! People even start asking you how to get in shape. Wow, They are asking "ME!" "I'm going to learn as much as I can about this so I can help them out". Just get started and apply some of the above. You can get good at keeping yourself in shape. The nuts and bolts of it is easy to learn. Its the desire, the perserverance, the "I will succeed" that cannot be taught. But you already have that with your "gift". Take some of that from your special talent and apply it here. Give yourself the gift of being in the best, healthiest shape you can possibly be in.
 

GAINING MUSCLE

What is the best thing I can do to gain alot of muscle? The single best thing you can do is to realize that gaining muscle is the result of a few things done correctly, not just one. First off, pick the right exercises. Do the basic weight lifting movements the work the muscles in groups, and not in isolation or one at a time. Some examples would be: LEGS- Squats, Leg Presses, Hack Squats, Deadlifts, Walking Lunges. BACK- Chin ups, Bent Over Rows, T-Bar Rows, Dumbell Rows, Lat Pulldowns, Deadlifts. CHEST- Flat and Incline Barbell and Dumbell Presses, Pushups, Decline Presses, Dips, Pullover and Presses. SHOULDERS- Overhead Barbell and Dumbell Presses, Machine Presses, Olympic Presses, Shrugs. BICEPS- Underhand Chinups, Barbell Curls, Dumbell Curls. TRICEPS- French Curls, Close Grip Bench Presses, Tricep Dips. CALVES- Standing and Seated Calve Raises, Donkey Calve Raises. Don't try them all. Pick three or four for the larger muscle groups and two or three for the smaller. Train on a split routine that suits your available days and time to train. Perform three sets of each after warm ups. Train intensely, take each set to failure and aim for eight to ten repetitions. Fifteen to Twenty repetitions for the calves. Give yourself five to six days before you train the same bodyparts again. If you are able, train four to five days a week and pair up a larger bodypart with a smaller one. Otherwise you may end up over, or undertraining. Remember, you grow while you are resting, not while you are training. When it comes to feeding your body to gain muscle you have to eat alot....period. If you really want to gain alot of muscle aim for one gram of protein for each pound of your current lean bodyweight and two to three times that amount of quality carbohydrates, depending on how lean you are and how fast your metabolism is. Your goal is not to gain bodyfat so monitor your waistline on a regular basis when increasing calories. You also should consume a serving of essential fats daily. Spread this caloric intake out over five or six meals per day. Rest. As I stated earlier, your muscles repair themselves and grow while at rest, not while you are training. Get seven to nine hours of sleep each nite, depending on what you need. Just as important as the rest is a good positive attitude. You have to truely believe that you will succeed and you have to do what it takes to make it happen. No wishful thinking. You know what you want and only you can make it happen. Hand around with like minded people at the gym and get yourself a good training partner. One year of training like this can make a huge difference in your physique, health and athletic ability.
 

WELCOME BACK JOE

Its back day today. I like to spend 10 minutes warming up the whole upper body before the real work starts. A few light sets of pulldowns and some shoulder stretching always sets the mood for a great workout. As I am just finishing the warm up and getting ready for four or five good sets of chin ups a familiar face walks into the gym. He is familiar on the street, but not in the gym. It has actually been over twenty years since he has touched a weight. I will call him "Welcome Back Joe". Now Welcome Back Joe used to hit the weights with a vengence. Three or four days a week you would find him at the gym. Doing all the right exercises and making his workouts count. Joe loved to train and it showed. Then somewhere along the line life got too busy for Joe and the workouts became fewer and far between. Soon Joe was out of it all together. Out of it for over twenty years. Its great to see you back Joe, but you have to start back a little easier or you may not be back for long. The 150 pounds you have on the bench press is alot of weight to start back with. What about a warm up? The twenty years of physical and nutritional neglect have caught up to Joe a bit. The waist has grown a little larger and the muscles need a little more coaxing to respond. That's OK Joe, as long as you have the desire the rest will follow. Do not be disappointed by how heavy the weights seem. Do not get frustrated by how quickly you tire. Remember..its been twenty years. The human body is an amazing machine. It will adapt to your newfound training again. Just give it some time. Set some goals every six weeks. Muscle has memory. If you reached a certain level of strength before, you will get there again. Don't try and do it overnight. Think back to how great it felt to have the body come alive during a workout. The endless energy, the feel of the weights getting lighter with each workout, the camaradery of good training partners. Its all still there Joe, but not today, probably not tomorrow or even next week. It takes a few months of steady training to get back there Joe, and the next few months may well be the deciding factor on whether you get back in the saddle and get back in shape or give up and tell yourself "its not like it used to be". Sure the couch is more comfortable than the squat rack, but remember the great feeling of a job well done after a good leg workout? Its demanding, but satisfying at the same time. I'm just finishing my chin ups and moving on to some rows. I can tell by watching you Joe that you are out of practice. The weights don't feel right just yet. You have to remember Joe, this is workout number one. Workout number twenty five will feel totally different. Make it that far and you will get hooked again. Welcome back Joe.....welcome back. We are all cheering for ya!
 

WEIGHT TRAINING or CARDIO

Are you trying to lose twenty or more pounds? Wondering what to try? Today the weightloss metheods are endless. You can lift weights, run, jog, walk, swim, cycle, take pills or herbal suppliments, stand on vibrating platforms, join weight loss support groups, get surgery, get hypnotized, acupunture, sweat it off in a sauna, body wraps, magnets, change your eating habits...whew. Where do you start? What really works? Well, all of the above will work to a certain degree but lets focus on the ones that are proven and the most effective. Its been proven time and time again that exercise and proper nutrition is the best defence against obesity. The right combination of both will yield lasting results. In this acticle I want to discuss the differences in aerobic exercise and weight training and how to get maximum benefit out of each. Aerobic is any form of exercise that elevates your heart rate into your target zone and maintains that heart rate for 18 or more minutes. Your target heart rate is determined by subtracting your age from 220 and taking 60% to 90% of that number. Here is how it would work for a 30 year old person. 220-30=190x60%=114 190x90%=171. This person would want to keep their heartrate between 114 and 171 for at least 18 minutes. This type of exercise burns extra calories as you as you perform it, and for about an hour or two afterwards, depending on the duration and intensity of the exercise. Then your Basic Metabolic Rate (BMR) resets itself. The benefit of aerobic exercise as a calorie burner is that the calories are burnt right away, as soon as the person begins to exercise. One drawback for many is that the weekly calorie burn from 3-4 45 minute sessions is simply not enough to make a noticible difference in their bodyfat levels. They may have to perform the activity for 8 or more hours a week in order to lose a significant amount of bodytfat. Weight training is using resistance to work all the major muscles of the body. If the body is working, it burns calories. 45 minutes of weight training will not burn as many calories as 45 minutes of cardio for the average person simply because most people do not use enough intensity when they first start. Also if you use extended rest periods between sets, a 45 minute workout could mean only 20 minutes of actual exercise. The main advantage of weight training for weight loss comes after a few months of proper training. If you train correctly and intensly enough you will actually increase the density of your muscles....You will "tone up". This increase in lean muscle mass will cause your BMR to increase as muscle is live metabolic tissue and burns calories to maintain itself. It other words, even when you are not training your body will still burn more calories than an untrained body. This adds up! So, if you want to lose a few pounds in a few weeks the best way may be aerobic exercise if you are conditioned enough to do it and have the time. If you want to gradually lose the weight and speed up your metabolism at the same time weight training may be the way to go. The weight loss, once acheived can be maintained by keeping your newfound muscle density. If you want the best results do both, and of course, training of any kind cannot take the place of good nutritiuon!
 

CARIO WEIGHTS

Weigh training is primarily thought of as a muscle building activity, but it can also improve your cardio vascular conditioning when done a certain way. One way is to train with very high intensity and short rest periods between sets. Many people just find this too hard so here is another way..its called cardio training. The principal here is to train with less intensity, but to do the exercises in tri-sets of three. The repetitions will be slightly higher and the majority of the exercises should be movements that work the muscles in groups. You will always start each triset by training the largest muscle first, and work towards the smallest. The exercise arrangement should work three unrelated bodyparts in each tri-set. This will enable you to keep a fast steady pace going. By maintaining the fast pace you will get your heartrate up quickly. You will be able to maintain that heartrate by moving from exercise to exercise with no rest in between. At the end of each tri-set you can take a short "active" rest. This means stay moving.....Walk around the gym in between each triset for about 45 seconds. You should still train hard, and take each set to momentary failure, but do not do any forced repetitions or partials, and keep the weights light enough so you can manage 10-15 repetitions on each set. Make sure you breath deeply on each rep, especially as they start to get harder close to the end of a set. Here would be a great cardio-weights routine that could be followed three days a week Clean and Press 3 x 12 Seated Cable Row 3 x 15 Swiss Ball Crunches 3 x 15 Full Squats 3 x 15 Push ups 3 x max Hanging Leg Raises 3 x 15 Chin ups or Lat Pulldowns 3 x 12 Bench Press or Dips 3 x 12 Calve raises 3 x 18 With each group of exercises you will move from one exercise to the next with no rest until you complete all three movements, then after a very short rest repeat it for a total of three times. Then move on to the next group and do the same. It will probably take you about 40-45 minutes to complete all three groups. If it takes much longer your rest times are too long. Start easy and gradually up the intensity! This is not easy.
 

REASONS WHY PEOPLE TRAIN

Gyms are a very diverse place these days. The cross section of people that are training is amazing. Everyone from teenage athletes to our seniors are enjoying the sport of training. I am always asking people I meet in the gyms why they train. Their answers are as diverse as the members themselves. Here are a few of them: To lose body fat and tone up. Hear this one alot, and I like hearing it better then "to lose weight and tone up." I think people are realizing that losing any of their naturally occuring lean muscle mass is not good. Lose the body fat and keep the muscle! I want more energy. With lack of exercise and deconditioning comes lack of energy. By getting moving and getting in better shape the energy will come back. Want my clothes to fit better. If you are not in shape your body measurements and posture have probably also changed. By training you can get back to where you were, to where you want to be. I want to train to be better at my sport. Training will make you a better athlete. A proper training schedule will make you faster, more agile, leaner, stronger, sharpen your reflexes..the list goes on. Of course the training schedule has to match what your goals are. I want to build some muscle, gain some size. This is the reason alot of younger males will start, and its a great time to start. Gaining muscle size is an acheivable goal if you do it right, and the benefits can last a lifetime. I want to be stronger. I hear this from male and female, young and old. Increased strength can help with everyday life, making many tasks easier. I enjoy training. One of several reasons that got me started. Training is an enjoyable, challenging sport if you really apply yourself to it. Great way to spend some quality time with friends and get in shape at the same time. Rehabilitate an injury. Many people will start after an injury to rehab that injury, and try and get back lost strength and mobility. In many cases rehab is an essential part the healing process. Increased cardio vascular health, improve heart and lung function. They are muscles too, and need to be vigorously used to be at their best. Many people will start an exercise program after a recommendation from their doctor. I want to stay strong and independent. Many seniors want to maintain quality of life as they age. They are concerned about strength, balance, bone density, agility. Exercise can add more healthy years to your life. Stress reduction. If your job and daily activities are alot of headwork and not alot of pyhsical work you need an outlet. Exercise can melt away stress and re energize you. The benefits of exercise and depression are well documented too. I can relate to many of these, as I am sure you can too if you train. There are also many more reasons not mentioned. Some are more important than others, but the sense of acheivement and the lessons learned are just as important no matter what your reasons for training. The other equal in all of this is nutrition. Physical activity and good nutrition are two things that every one of us need, yet this seems to be a big problem. Exercise and good nutrition have a profound effect on our quality of life but the majority still struggle and procrastinate with both. Find the time, make the time. Practice patience, determination, perserverance, goal setting. With time and training the goals can all be met, and the feeling of acheiving those goals will keep you training for life. Transportation for bride and bridesmaids to and from hairdresser Late night pick-up from reception to hotel or airport
 

WEIGHT TRAINING and KIDS

A frequently asked question in the gym industry is "What is the right age for kids to start weight training? " Whenever a child is old enough to participate in organized sports like hockey, softball or soccer they are usually old enough to participate in weight training. It is more for maturity than physical reasons. They should be mature enough to follow instructions and not be disturbing other members. When done properly, weight training is a great activity for a younger child. Movements like push ups, sit ups, assisted chin ups, walking lunges, etc. are great bodyweight exercises that will strengthen the muscles, improve balance and coordination, and confidence. It is also a great calorie burner and a boost to underactive children. When a child first starts training, their routine should not just be a scaled down version of an adult program. Heavier training should not be intruduced until the child has passed through puberty. Low rep heavy training is commonly used to build above average strength and bulk and this is not possible without adequate levels of testosterone. Keep the repetitions in the ten to twelve rep range and focus exercises that work the muscles in groups rather than individually. These are the exercises that will support everything from increased muscle and bone density to a higher strength level and improved athletic performance. As the child gets older they can gradually increase the amount of weight they use and or decrease the repetitions if this style of training matches their training goals. It is recommended that a child trains in the presence of a parent or an instructor to ensure they are training correctly. Resistance training is more than a motion of moving a weight from point A to B and proper form and exercise execution is essential. Supervision will ensure that the form, the sequence, weight selection and exercise speed are correct. A child could train anywhere from two to four days a week, depending on their current activity level and interest. The routine should be completed in less than an hour and changed every six to eight weeks to ensure continued progess and interest. No need of getting into split routines at this stage. Keep the training simple, yet fun and effective. Weight training as with all other sports can be a part of your childs weekly activities to keep him or her healthy and fit! Terry Adams CFT IRON HAVEN GYMS www.ironhavengym.com ECLIPSE ENTERTAINMENT CO. www.eclipsepei.com 902 853 3421
 

LIFESTYLE

The single best thing you can do to get in your best possible shape is living the right lifestyle. Exercise is a must, but its not a cure all for poor lifestyle habits. Too often I will see an individual training too long and too often in hopes of getting in better shape, when there are too many other things that need to be corrected in their lifestyle. Yes, sometimes less effort in with the exercise and more effort in other areas is better. For example if you want to lose weight, exercise will burn a few calories, which is great, but your nutrition is probably a bigger deciding factor. To get lean and stay lean, do not eat the foods that put the weight on in the first place. It is much too hard to exercise off poor nutrition. An hour of hard training may burn five to six hundred calories, of which double that can be consumed in just one junky meal. Eating better just makes you training all the more effective. It is not uncommon for a woman to join the gym, correctly change her eating habits for her and her family, and for her husband to also lose a substancial amount of weight. His activity levels may not have changed but the meals he is eating at home are better. Even without the exercise he will lose some weight. That is how powerful good nutrition is. You cannot fix your weight issue until you fix your nutrition. Exercise is simply a tool to help you use your body the way it was meant to be used. You body is designed to be active and without the activity it quickly gets deconditioned. If you are not getting alot of activity from your job, then you need exercise. It does wonders. Increases strength, energy, endurance, health, elevates your mood...the list goes on and on. But are you participating? Are you doing it? Make it a part of your lifestyle. Get rid of the excuses, make the time and just do it. Stay active long enough to see the positive physical changes and you will be hooked. Lifestyle involves every facet of your life. If you are not getting enough sleep your body's recuperative abilities will be compromised, you will be more prone to illness and little injuries. Also if you are tired you will be less likely to be active and participate in exercise. Smoking, drinking, drugs, stress, all detrimental habits lessen your ability to be at your best. If you want to get in shape take the time to really assess your current lifestyle. As with everything in life, try and strike a balance. Yes, exercise, but make it much more effective by creating an enviroment within yourself which will enable the exercise to do what it is actually supposed to do.
 

FIT FACTS

1) Did you know that twenty minutes three times a week is all you need to maintain an adequate level of cardio-vascular fitness? Research shows that keeping your heartrate at 70% of your recommended maximum for twelve minutes improves your aerobic capacity. When you include a brief warmup and a few minutes to get your heartrate to that level, twenty minutes is all you need! 2) The best way to lose weight and stay lean is small frequent feedings. By eating five to six smaller nutritious meals per day you control hunger cravings, stabalize blood sugar levels and prevent overeating. 3) Lifting weights for eight to twelve repetitions is the best rep range for maximum fitness. Too few reps will increase your levels of absolute strength, but do little to increase muscular endurance or aerobic capacity. Too high of repetitions do not stimulate the muscles enough to cause growth and therefore does not cause an increase in metabolism. 4) Weighted Squats and Deadlifts work your core muscles better than many other exercises, a recent study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning reports. Spinal-column muscles that can handle weight and go the distance prevent lower back pain by supporting ligaments and keeping the spine in line. When compared with Swiss Ball exercises, squats and deadlifts strengthen spinal column muscles 50 to 70% more. The key is using weights that are heavy enough to enguage your core. 5) There are different types of carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates are very quickly digested and the rapid blood sugar rise they can cause can also promote an increase in bodyfat. Complex carbohydrates are digested much slower by the body, do not cause as much fluctuation in blood sugar levels and are less likely to promote an increase in bodyfat levels when consumed in correct amounts. Fiberous carbohydrates contain high amounts of fiber, which the body does not digest, and are the least likely to increase bodyfat levels. An ideal nutrition plan would contain the right amount of all three for your bodytype, lifestyle and goals. 6) The higher the intensity of a workout, the more rest days needed in between. You may be able to start a resistance training program working the whole body three days a week, but as you get stronger this may be too much. As you get stronger and are able to generate more intensity the muscles are getting worked harder and need more recovery time. May be time to switch to a split routine where the muscles get more that a days rest between training sessions.
 

BULKING UP??

Fall is quickly approaching and there are lots of new infomercials on TV touting the latest way to get in shape. Some have merit and others are simply a fad, but hey...anything is better than nothing. If something will get you active for "ten minutes a day" it will not get you in shape, but it could lead to more. You have to start somewhere and the ten minutes may be a real challenge when you begin but as your fitness level improves so should your level of activity. Most of these infomercials are directed at women who want to lose weight. This is a billion dollar industry and when a company comes up with something new it will spend alot of money advertising it before the novelty wears off. I have seen a few of these products recently that claim ten minutes a day to a slimmer you, without "bulking up". They claim to lengthen and slenderize your muscles. What exactly is bulking up? Bulking up usually refers to gaining more weight and body mass and is used alot in male weightlifting circles. For a woman starting an exercise program and good nutrition it should be of little concern. It is just extremely hard for a woman to gain any amount of muscle size from exercise. Even hard hard bodybuilding style training does not cause much of an increase in muscle size on a woman. We all have a genetic amount of muscle on our bodies that is dictated before birth. Guys can increase the size of those muscle cells by intense weight training and dietary practices. The size increase will happen because of the training, nutrition and higher levels of testosterone, a male hormone, circulating in the males body. For a woman the same training and nutrition will cause the muscles to firm up, but the size will not happen because of the lack of testosterone. Granted, if a woman is really inactive and deconditioned and has lost some of her muscle mass, training will bring it back very quickly, and this is a good thing. When a woman comes to see me in the gym who wants to lose thirty, forty pounds or more and has concerns about bulking up I explain all the above to her. By gaining the excess bodyfat, she has already bulked up....and most would gladly trade it for a leaner, firmer, stronger, healthier physique. Make this the year to get in shape!
 

REASONS PEOPLE TRAIN!

Everyone has different reasons for training and working out. I asked this question online on a couple of different sites and got alot of responses. Here are a few. I Train because: I wanna be strong. It makes me feel good. I can. I eat way too much by times. If I don't, someone else is, and getting stronger than me! I love it. I want to be healthy. What's life without the gym! Nothing like a good workout to start the day. It takes my stress away and makes me feel great. A good body and being healthy is a gift to yourself. It keeps me young so I can keep up with the kids, or ahead of them. Because I want to live life to the fullest, training makes me feel like I can do just about anything. My Kids are getting bigger! Because I'm fat. Because I like to....when I'm not tired! Because I used to be 170 plus pounds. I never want to feel that bad about myself ever again. Because when someone calls me "Chubby" all I hear is fat! I have to have a rockin bod....because the minds just not there anymore! At the end of a great workout I feel "unstoppable" It keeps me alive and well. I really enjoy it and I want to feel and look the best I can. Try to bend the bars! Because it gives me so much energy and makes me feel like living! I have a goal! Lots of reasons why people train. Whats yours? Terry Adams CFT IRON HAVEN GYMS www.ironhavengym.com ECLIPSE ENTERTAINMENT CO. www.eclipsepei.com 902 853 3421
 

LOSE 10 POUNDS by CHRISTMAS

Its less than ten weeks until Christmas! I get alot of inquiries every year from people who want to lose weight for Christmas, but they usually leave it until too late. By starting now, a ten pound weight loss should be within your reach if you have that much or more to lose. Consistancy is important. Try and make the changes needed and stick with them. Here are some things you can do to get you there. Get moving. Activity of any kind burns calories so get more active. There are basically two different kinds of activity, aerobic and anaerobic. Try and do a little of each. Aerobic is anything that raises your heart rate to its aerobic level and keeps it there for at least twelve minutes. Your aerobic heart rate is 220 - your age times 80%. Many cardiovascular machines now have sensors built into them that will pick up and display your heart rate. If you are doing your aerobic workout without this, simply take your pulse to determine where your heart rate is at. Start off easy with your aerobic workout and gradually increase the time until you are able to do about twenty minutes. Anaerobic activity involves the voluntary muscles more and does not tax the heart and lungs as much. When done for a long enough period of time in can actually speed up your metabolism. A good example of this would be weight training. By lifting weights you are challenging the muscles in the body. The body reacts to that challenge by becoming stronger, the muscles become denser or toned and the added density increases your calorie burn. Muscle burns calories. Week after week, this can make a significant difference in your fat loss efforts. Take a good honest look at your eating habits. If you are not making an effort to eat good, you are probably not doing it. Exercising to lose weight is not nearly as effective if you are eating too much of the wrong foods. Processed carbohydrates, sugars, saturated fats and empty calorie foods should be kept to a minimum. Eat more fiberous and starchy carboyhdrates, lean proteins and healthy fats. There is much information available on how to make the right eating choices. Do your homework and get started right away. Once you make the necessary changes make them part of your lifestyle. You should be exercising a few times a week. You should be as active as you can be. You should be eating better and making better lifestyle choices. We all know this, its just up to ourselves to make the changes and practice them. The rewards are too great to ignore. Better health, less sickness and disease, more energy and vitality, and the definite possibility of losing that ten pounds by the Christmas Holidays!

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