12 (FITNESS TIPS) DAYS OF CHRISTMAS!

The Holiday’s are here! Many people take this time to gain 8-12 pounds on avg over the holiday. I am here to offer you 12 tips to prevent the holiday weight gain!

Several things happen during the holidays that tend to curtail our fitness plans. First, there is an influx of additional activities that require our time and push out exercise time. Second, food is such a big part of the holiday season and it seems everywhere we go there is more food, specifically higher calorie food than we are used to and we tend to overeat.

Since these two issues are going to be part of the season, we must work around them and make concessions to prevent the holiday BULGE! Consider these 12 tips for fully enjoying the holiday season.

1. Focus on weight maintenance vs. weight loss during the holidays.

If you are currently overweight and want to lose weight, this is not the time to do it. Maintenance of your present weight is a big enough

challenge during the holiday season.

2. Plan on NOT dieting after the New Year. Anticipation of food restriction sets you up for binge-type eating over the holidays. It has been found that restrictive diets don’t work in the long run.

3. Be physically active every day. Physical activity, especially aerobic activities (like brisk walking, jogging, bicycling, roller blading, and swimming) can help relieve stress, regulate appetite, and burn up extra calories from holiday eating. Make it a family event and have FUN!

4. Eat a light snack before going to holiday parties. It is not a good idea to arrive at a party famished. Try eating some almonds or an apple before you go.

5. Make a plan. Think about where you will be, who you will be with, what foods will be available, what foods are really special to you (that you really want to eat) vs. those that you could probably do without, what are your personal triggers to overeat and how can you minimize them.

6. Take steps to avoid recreational eating. At parties and holiday dinners, we tend to eat (or keep eating) beyond our body’s physical hunger simply because food is there and eating is a “social thing.” To avoid recreational eating, consciously make one plate of the foods you really want.

7. Reduce the fat in holiday recipes. There are plenty of low fat and low calorie substitutes that are amazingly tasty. See recipes for great ideas.

8. Choose your beverages wisely. Alcohol is high in calories. Liquors, sweet wines and sweet mixed drinks contain 150-450 calories per glass. By contrast, water and diet sodas are calorie-free. If you choose to drink, select light wines and beers, and use non-alcoholic mixers such as water and diet soda. Limit your intake to 1 or 2 alcoholic drinks per occasion. And, watch out for calories in soda, fruit punch, and egg nog as well. Try adding a lemon lime diet drink with wine to make a wine spritzer and always have a bottle of water handy!!

9. Enjoy good friends and family. Although food can be a big part of the season, it doesn’t have to be the focus. Holidays are a time to reunite with good friends and family, to share laughter and cheer, to celebrate and to give thanks.

10. Maintain perspective: Overeating one day won't make or break your eating plan. And it certainly won't make you gain weight! It takes days and days of overeating to gain weight.

11. Increase your water consumption – more water = less food = less weight gain!

12. Continue your H.I.T. workouts – nothing is better at this hectic time of year than a 10-15 min workout that is equivalent to at least twice the time commitment. Fight the BULGE with HIT.

Now go out and enjoy the holiday season!

THE “Six-Pack” REVISITED, PT 2!

By Troy Huggett (Battle Creek Shopper)

Welcome to part 2 in our quest for “Six-Pack” ABS! Last time, I laid out my Success Triangle – Nutrition, Exercise, Water and the middle of the pyramid – genetics. Today, I want to go in depth on the first point of my triangle – Nutrition.

 I know you don’t want to hear this, but if you really want a “SIX PACK” you must control your caloric intake. That’s the bad news. Now for the good news – you don’t have to stop eating what you love. For over 20 years my clients have proven this fact over and over and over. You can eat pasta – even white pasta, fast food, candy, cookies, and cake! You just can’t eat the amounts you normally eat.  It’s true, regardless of what you have read – it works. One time I had a female client that was addicted to fast food. She committed to train as hard as I pushed her, but admitted she wasn’t willing to prepare her own meals. We worked with a dietitian and developed a diet that included all of her favorite fast food items and she ate 2-3 fast food meals per day – that’s right per day. As a result of controlling her intake, she was able to eat her favorite items and still lose 23 pounds in a month. More important than the initial loss was the fact she maintained the weight loss for over 2 years following this simple system. Does this mean I recommend you start eating fast food instead of preparing your own nutritious meals – of course not. My point is it is possible to shed fat and work toward a “SIX PACK” without eliminating your favorite foods or going on a crazy diet.  What you need is the tried and proven strategy promoted by the majority of dietitians since the beginning of time; eat small meals more frequently throughout the day. You should strive to eat 5-7 small meals, spaced 2-3 hours apart. When we say small meals we’re talking about 200-400 calories. You must create a caloric deficit of 3500 calories to eliminate 1 pound of fat. I recommend doing this through caloric modification and increasing your exercise. The combination always produces faster and longer lasting results.  

There you have the magic – secret – unknown nutrition info that will help get you to your “SIX PACK” It really is back to basics and you can do it. Come back next time for the most intense education on fitness you’ve ever read!

THE “Six-Pack” REVISITED, PT 3!

By Troy Huggett (Battle Creek Shopper)

Here we are again – more info on developing your “Six-Pack”. In the first article I laid out my Success Triangle – Nutrition, Exercise, Water and the middle of the pyramid – genetics. Last time I detailed the Nutrition component! Today, I will give you the proven strength training system that has taken an average of 2 ½ inches off the waist in two weeks. It works every time for our clients and it will work for you – if you follow it!

Traditional training mentality would direct you to do a ton of ‘crunches’ and even more cardio – my system doesn’t recommend either of these outdated and unsuccessful techniques. I know that flies in the face of nearly everything you’ve ever read or been told, but over 20 years of success prove my system works! In addition, excessive crunches or any other exercise that claims to produce spot reduction has been proven over and over again to not work. It is NOT possible to train one area and have the fat come off of just that area – it CAN’T be done. The body determines how the fat is lost and it is lost proportionately throughout the body.

Having said that – it doesn’t mean you can’t spot “produce”. You absolutely CAN develop body shaping muscle through specific exercises. However, more is not better.  Instead, use concentrated, focused efforts to assure results. Below find the 5 step philosophy we use to achieve “Maximum Results in Minimum Time!” Apply these principles and you too can get amazing results in less time than you ever imagined.

1. Select one exercise per major muscle group
2. Use a slow, controlled lifting & lower motion – 4 seconds each way
3. Train with heavy enough weight to reach momentary muscular fatigue between 8-12 reps
4. Move quickly between exercises, taking less than 30 seconds from the end of one to the beginning of the next.
5. Breath normally during your training, NEVER hold your breath.

Putting these 5 principles to work for you, following the Nutrition recommendations and water recommendations (coming next time), not some special infomercial device or dangerous pill/diet, is the Six-Pack answer you’ve been looking for!

THE “Six-Pack” REVISITED, PT 4-The Final Installment!

By Troy Huggett (Battle Creek Shopper)

Wow, you’ve made it to the final piece of the Six-Pack Puzzle! A quick refresher for those that missed the first 3 articles. My Six-Pack Success Triangle has 3 points and the main piece in the middle. The two points we’ve covered so far include nutrition and Exercise. Today I will detail the final point – Water and the main piece that most infomercial ads forget to mention – Genetics.  Having adjusted your meal planning and increased your exercise intensity, you are surely making great strides toward that elusive six-pack. One of the most neglected parts of a fat loss program and an amazingly effective weapon in this battle is WATER! I have written about this “Magic” fat loss ‘supplement’ that cost nothing and has no negative side effects for many years and it’s effectiveness continues to amaze me. OK, initially as you increase your water intake you will find the biggest negative side effect is more frequent trips to the rest room – but that’s a pretty fair trade compared to the very embarrassing and sometimes deadly side effects for many of the miracle weight loss pills on the market today. Without question, our clients that increase their water intake over time to 4+ quarts per day see the greatest fat loss – guaranteed – it never fails. Increase your water intake starting today. I know there are a lot of different formulas available on how to determine your water needs, but over the years we’ve seen a 4+ quarts per day habit to be effective for all of our clients. Check with your doctor if you have any concerns about increasing water intake. See www.troyhuggett.com for the 5 steps to successful weight loss through increased water intake.

Troy Huggett's Fitness Pros

DIET SUCCESS LIST

• One Day at a Time.
  Are you starting each day by focusing on breakfast? Make sure the first meal you eat is a healthy one. Many diets have met their untimely end due to a poor breakfast, which turned into a poor lunch, which turned into a poor dinner, which turned into a poor week… You probably get the picture. If you did have a day that included some slip-ups, breakfast is the perfect time to get back on track. Just start over with a healthy meal. Don't think about the cookie you had at lunch yesterday or even the office party you have to go to tomorrow. Concentrate on today and worry about tomorrow, tomorrow.                                                                                     
• Two People To Support You.
  Don't isolate yourself. Do you have two people who can be supportive and help you make sound decisions? How long has it been since you checked in with your counsellor? Is there a Nutri/Buddy out there wondering why she hasn't received an email from you. Use the resources you have to tell what you might think are the silliest stories: How you passed up some potato chips during lunch, that you had a perfect meal plan day, or that you weighed in and lost two pounds.                                                                      
• Three Goals and Three Rewards
  Create a goal system for yourself and write it down (if you haven't already). Short Term Goal - Figure out where you want to be in two weeks and write down a non-edible reward (a new CD, a movie, whatever…) If you reach your goal, make sure to give yourself the reward. If you don't reach your goal, and it may happen, look at the progress you made and set another goal. Medium range - Decide where you want to be in 2 months and make the reward just a bit larger. (New walking shoes, a day at the salon, a new pair of pants.) Long term - Figure out what your goal weight is and when you think you can reach it. Set up a vacation for that date or find another way to celebrate your achievement. Give yourself a little leeway here. Don't cancel a trip if you are 3 pounds off. The point is to look forward to something in the future.                                       
• Four Pieces of Fruit.
  Have you been skipping that banana at breakfast and just eating the two muffins, or just having cereal and milk? The fruits will help fill you up and reduce your cravings. Fruits are especially important when just starting out.                                                                   
• Five (or more) Servings of Vegetables.
  Eating all your vegetables can be especially challenging. Vegetables can be harder to get all of your servings than fruit. Generally speaking, they take more time to prepare, and we only think of them as dinner foods. One of the best ways to ensure you get all your vegetable servings is to plan ahead. Stock up on frozen and canned veggies, in case you forget to buy fresh ones. When preparing your meal, fix the vegetables first. That way there will be no temptation to just eat your entrée and leave the veggies in the fridge
  .
• Eat Six Times A Day
  Oddly enough, one of the keys to losing weight is eating often. You should be eating six times a day. That's three small meals and a snack after each meal. The faster you can get into this eating habit the better. This will keep you from becoming hungry late at night, when you may be tired and not have as much will power.                 
• Seven Days of Exercise
  If you haven't been exercising this may sound difficult. Visions of endless jogging and hours spent in the gym. Start slow and start with what is right for you. Walking every day is a simple way to begin. Even if it is just for 10 minutes, get yourself in the habit of getting up and moving. Walk during your lunch hour or visit a co-worker instead of calling. If you can, adding a couple days of free weights will help you build muscle and ultimately keep your metabolism running at a higher level.                                               
• Eight Glasses of Water a Day.
  It is hard to believe this can actually help you lose weight. It makes sense that eating well should help, but how does adding water help. Your body needs lots and lots of water. More than most people give it. Water keeps the body in balance. Besides, sometimes we can mistake thirst for hunger, leading to a snack instead of trusty old H2O.                                                                                             
• Nine Different Activities in Your Workout.
  Don't let yourself get bored doing the same exercises repeatedly. Half an hour worth of sit-ups or walking the same route every day can be boring, even for the most motivated exerciser. Troy Huggett's Fitness Pros has many great suggestions for different exercises you can build into your program. By trying different things, you will actually be working your muscles in a more productive manner. Our bodies become accustomed to exercises we do all the time and start becoming more efficient and burning fewer calories while performing them.                                                       
• Ten Minutes of Journal Time a Day.
  Take time to reflect and write down some of the frustrations you may be having. Being aware of how you feel mentally can help you feel better physically. Your journal doesn't have to just be what you ate and how far you walked. How is dieting making you feel? Frustrated, confident, grumpy, or proud. All of these may cross your mind at one point or another. Writing them down may be a good way to cross them out of your mind.

CELEBRATE YOUR FITNESS!

That’s right – let’s celebrate our Fitness level! Get out there; join a charity walk, bike ride or lifting event! It is great fun, helps you stay fit and is obviously beneficial to whatever organization is sponsoring the event! You’ve worked hard to get in shape, now go show it off!  Wait a minute you say, I’m in no condition to do an event! If that is your answer, then it’s time to “pump you up”! I’m going to give you a program that you can start anywhere, right now and you’ll be on your way to success in less than 15 minutes.  There are 3 things you need to do:

1. Consult with your health care team to make sure you’re ready to exercise safely. Review the program below, make sure you know how to safely complete each activity and modify as needed.
2. Take action! This is the sticking point for most people. They have the plan, they know they can do it, but they never take action. You’re better than that – go take action as soon as you’re done reading this. 

 The steps to success are listed below.

1. You have two options for step one:
1. March in place for as long as you can – goal 3-5 minutes or
2. Go for a walk or do another type of cardiovascular exercise–goal 3-5 mins
2. Perform the following 4 strength exercises

• Lunges
• Crunches or Pelvic Tilts
• Push ups
• Reverse Flies
• Perform the following 4 stretches
• Seated Toe Touch
• Lying Knee to Chest Pull
• Cross Body Shoulder Stretch
• Anterior Shoulder Stretch

 Keep up the great work and I hope to see you at a charity fitness event in the near future!

ARE ALL SALADS GOOD FOR YOU ??

 Have you ever ordered a salad while you were on a diet? Well, I know many people who do. As a matter of fact I was with a good friend of mine who always gets a salad for lunch (and sometimes dinner); because he’s trying to lose weight, meanwhile I went with something seemingly less healthy.   I’ve told him many times about how to eat effectively to lose weight, yet he continues to order ‘healthy salads’ in an attempt to lose weight, I just don’t get it. While I’m thinking this he says to me: “Why don’t you ever eat salads? You know they’re better for you and much lower in calories than your order?” I gave him the answer that I give everyone who asks that: You’d be surprised if you looked into the calorie and fat content of your salad compared to my meal. He didn’t believe me, so I had to show him.  We jumped on the internet and analyzed his salad and my meal. His salad had  657 calories and 45 grams of fat w/out dressing, the 3 oz of dressing he added amounted to 303 additional calories and 33 grams of fat for a grand total of 960 calories and 78 grams of fat – in a ‘healthy salad’. My ½ bacon Cheeseburger was 596.5 calories and 42.5 g of fat. The fries I had added 179.5 cal and 6.5 g of fat for a grand total of 776 calories and 49 grams of fat. I saved 184 calories and 29 grams of fat, had another small meal for later, and loved my meal. Now I ask who has the better chance of keeping the weight off and losing more? Who had more fun at that meal? Who’s more likely to keep eating this way?  

It’s sad to see people deprive themselves of what they really want and go with a salad solely for the perceived health and weight loss benefits. Today’s salads don’t generally offer quite what you thought and as rule offer a whole lot more! My recommendation to you, do a little research on what you’re eating and look for things you enjoy, eat smartly and don’t blindly select ‘health’ foods. Good luck, have fun and enjoy life!

GOLF FITNESS 101: LOWER YOUR SCORE!

It’s that time of year again – Golf Season! As a Personal Trainer for over 22 years, I’ve been fortunate to train thousands of people to achieve varied goals. Among my clients have been many golfers at all levels from Duffers to local champions to PGA professionals.  I’m sure you’ve read about the BENEFITS of exercise for golf, it’s a critical component to a great game! The most interesting thing to me is the variety and diversity in the recommendations. While most programs have great merit and variety can be a positive, the massive variety can be very confusing and many programs require equipment that isn’t available to all golfers. The purpose of this article is to provide you with a common sense –doable and proven program. Some of the recommendations you may recognize and others you may not! However, I promise you’ll be able to do them with no equipment, anywhere you happen to be and you’ll get great results! This is a no fluff, results oriented program. In this article I will highlight 4 basic strength training exercises that are at the ‘core’ of the program, I can’t promise you’ll make it to the PGA or win the Club championship but I can promise if you follow the simple plan, you’ll add 10-20 yards to your drive and you’ll feel much better.   The complete system:  1.  Strength training

• Flexibility
• Cardio Vascular Fitness

 Let’s begin by detailing the Strength portion of the System: I will start with four basic strength exercises that make up the ‘core’ of my program; perform each exercise for only one set, follow the rules below and your drive will amaze you.  Each repetition should take 4 seconds for the lifting and 4 seconds for the lowering and be done in a constant, steady, pendulum-like motion. The movement doesn’t speed up, slow down, start or stop; it is a continuous pendulum motion.  You need to perform between 8-12 repetitions of each exercise in a slow controlled manner until you reach a point where you are unable to correctly complete the repetition. This is known as momentary muscular fatigue and it is the point where muscle development is signaled to occur. It’s the challenge that signals the body to grow.    Be sure to take each movement through as great a range of motion as possible without resting to assure full range of motion and to reap some flexibility benefits from the strength training portion of your workout.  The final step in your golf strength training routine is to move quickly (less then 10 secs) to the next exercise and repeat the above strength training rules. By moving quickly to the next exercise and starting the new exercise in less than 10 seconds of finishing the last exercise, you will reap cardiovascular benefits from your strength training workout *and decrease your workout time.   The exercise program is surprisingly short and will go against many of the articles you’ve read. However, over 20 years of implementing this workout, following the above rules have proven to increase the long ball and lower your scores! 

1. SquatsCrunches
2. Push Ups
3. Bird Dog

 Take the next day off from strength training and let the body fully recover so the muscles can develop and you’ll have more power to drive the ball further. That’s right, this is a 3 day/wk program, anymore is counterproductive. Don’t do it daily, instead perform your golf strength training workout on Mon, Wed, Fri or any combination of three non-consecutive days per week that fit into your schedule.  

Now, don’t wait, start right now to LOWER YOUR SCORES! Good luck and let me know how you do.

EXERCISE WITH YOUR SWEETIE!

When I see hearts, I think cardiovascular or aerobic exercise. This got me thinking – what a great time to commit to your sweetie to get on a regular exercise program and build strong hearts andValentines is here and hearts are popping up everywhere. As a fitness trainer, when I see h bodies to assure you can experience the joy of an ever active life for many, many, many years to come.

Don’t make this complicated, instead find simple ways to get more active and raise that heart rate – go for a walk, I know it’s freezing outside – try the mall or walk around your house, maybe even incorporate the stairs. Use stationary equipment, join a class, go to the gym, or work through an exercise DVD.

Time is the biggest obstacle for most people, which is really a lame excuse. I know it’s the easiest and everyone looks at you and nods their heads reassuringly, but it’s unacceptable. How much time do you watch TV per day – the average is over 4 hours – don’t you think you could do some of that TV watching while you exercised? I know so. How about time spent on the computer after work? This is increasing tremendously and if you shave a couple minutes off of this and replace with activity, your fitness will improve and your relationship can grow.  

Use this special day to recommit to each other to scratch-out 30 mins/day building your bodies and relationship. YOU can do it!