Fitness Together Brecksville: February 2015

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Trainer Tuesday: If I am on a diet, do I need to replace the calories burned while exercising?

Trainer Tuesdays

Welcome back to the weekly edition on Trainer Tuesdays. Make sure to check in at our blog every Tuesday evening to learn the expertise of our great staff. Aside from being fantastic exercise coaches, they are also extremely knowledgeable in many aspects of health and fitness; so, it's time that you get to know them a little better! Each week, we will post a frequently asked, or sometimes just a fun fitness related question followed by the answers of each of the trainers at Fitness Together Brecksville.

If I am on a Diet, Do I Need to Replace the Calories Burned While Exercising?

Justin Traft: So we all know exercising builds a healthier body and helps you manage your weight. When you move more you burn calories, the units of energy you consume through food. Whether you replace those burned calories depends on your health and fitness goals, as well as how much you exercise during a week. Simplest way put here's how it would break down mathematically for diet and weight loss. Example if you want to lose weight, you need to create a calorie deficit. 250 calories per day to lose 1/2 pound per week and 500 calories per day to lose 1 pound per week equals 3500 calories. If you exercise off 500 calories, replacing them will slow your rate of weight loss. If you are eating fewer than 1,200 calories per day (the minimum amount you need to get adequate nutrition) you should replace at least some of the calories burned during exercise to prevent muscle loss and possible nutritional deficiencies. Remember everyone will be different depending on the goals of the individual so be sure to consult a licensed dietitian.

Jessie Regula: No!!! Combining a diet with exercise is the perfect recipe to losing some pesky pounds. In order to lose 1 pound, you need to have a deficit of 3,500 calories. This would take much longer when just dieting, because you can't cut more than 500 calories per day. However, when exercising you can create a larger deficit each day, because you are consuming less calories and burning more calories. So, don't eat all of the calories you just burned if you are trying to lose weight!!! Be sure to fill up on some protein after your workout, but don't overdo it.

Adam Teplitz: When it comes to replenishing calories burned during a workout , it all depends on your health and fitness goals.
If your main goal is weight loss , you need to create a caloric deficit. Burning 3500 calories more than you consume in a week helps you lose 1 pound. If you burn 500 calories during a workout , replacing them will slow your rate of weight loss. If you are eating fewer than 1200 calories per day , the minimum amount you need to get adequate nutrition , you should replace at least some of the calories burned during exercise to prevent muscle loss and nutritional deficiencies.
If your main goal is to build muscle , it's a must that you replace the calories burned during a workout , and then some. Eating an additional 250 to 500 calories beyond what you burn daily facilitates muscle growth. It's important to choose lean proteins , whole grains and healthy , unsaturated fats to make up these calories.

Monika Cotter: Exercising is a great way to burn calories and to give yourself a reason to eat more food—That is, if you’re trying to maintain your current weight or even trying to gain muscle. In my opinion, if you are exercising you should definitely add in more nutritious, wholesome, beneficial calories; but not to the point that you are taking in the same amount of more calories than you burned while exercising. Weight loss simply comes down to creating a deficit in calories. Burn more calories than your body is taking in. If you are working out your body needs fuel to grow stronger but you also want to keep track of how many calories you’re putting into your body so that you know that you are creating a deficit.

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Trainer Tuesdays: What do you like most about being a personal trainer?

Trainer Tuesdays

What is your Favorite Part About Being a Personal Trainer?

http://www.fitnesstogether.com/brecksville

Adam Teplitz: When it comes to my favorite part of being a trainer, it's hard to narrow it down to just one aspect. If I had to choose just one, it would be the positive and life changing impact that I can have on clients. I love being along for the ride on their journey to a healthier lifestyle.
Another reason that I enjoy being a personal trainer is that I can feed off the energy of my clients, which in turn, leads to me being more motivated to stay in top shape.
It's my selfless side that led me down the path to become a personal trainer and it has been extremely fulfilling.

Bronson Rotaru: My favorite part of being a trainer is when working with clients who are really motivated and together we accomplish great results. Different people have different reasons to train. I thoroughly enjoy watching the inspired individuals taking their fitness to new heights.

Jessie Regula: There are so many things I love about being a personal trainer! Fitness and health are passions of mine and I love that I get to share my passion in order to help others. My favorite thing about being a personal trainer is getting to know my clients. Everyone is so different that it's always fun to see personalities, training goals, and overall, just having a conversation with them. Building these relationships is very important to me and I always look forward to coming back to train and hope that my clients feel the same way! Working out Canberra fun and enjoyable! I also LOVE celebrating results with my clients! There's nothing better than hearing how pants are getting loose, muscles are feeling stronger, confidence and self-esteem are increasing, or someone's now able to walk up a flight of stairs without having to stop and catch their breath. I love seeing the look of determination, dedication, and satisfaction throughout the process-us trainers will always be one of your biggest cheerleaders and supporters!

Kelly Bailey: I decided to become a personal trainer because I have a passion for fitness. It makes me feel great, keeps me healthy, and I know that it will keep me active well into the later years of my life. This passion and drive are what I want to share with others. While I enjoy working with all people, I most enjoy working with older adults. They can so drastically improve their quality of life by engaging in cardiovascular exercise and strength training, and it's very rewarding to assist someone on that path.

Monika Cotter: Being a personal trainer is the best job in the world! There are so many reasons I love my career. Besides the fact that I get to work out all of the time (okay, that may not seem like fun to everyone but it is fun for me!) I also get to help people reach their goals and find their self-confidence…what is better than that?! One of my favorite reasons for being a trainer is that I get to share my love for fitness with people so hopefully they can learn, grow and come to love fitness from what I have taught them, apply it to their own lives, and become happier & healthier.

Justin Traft: I would have to say my favorite thing about being a trainer is? How you are helping other make a healthy sustainable change in their life by showing them how to workout and how to challenge themselves to strive to be a better person. Nothing is more rewarding then having a client come up to you after all said and done an say " You changed my life for the better". Best feeling in the world you knowing the journey they had to take to get there.

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Trainer Tuesdays: February is Heart Health Month. What is Your Favorite Exercise for Cardio or to Get Your Heart Rate Elevated?

Trainer Tuesdays

February is Heart Health Month. What is Your Favorite Exercise for Cardio or to Get Your Heart Rate Elevated?

www.fitnesstogether.com/brecksville/cardio

Justin Traft: I would have to say one of my favorite exercises to get my heart rate up is one we all have done at sometime or another. That is burpees! The exercise itself gets the heart going but also comes in many different forms. I love the variety of combos you can do with burpees to keep it fresh and not so boring.

Jessie Regula: My absolute favorite cardio activity is the elliptical. A lot of people think it's boring to stay on the same machine for so long, but they are so wrong!! First of all, there are usually a wide variety of programs already on the elliptical, some of my favorites are the intervals and glutes programs. If there aren't set programs on your elliptical, I make up my own all the time! For instance, you can create your own intervals based on commercial breaks or your ipod. If I'm starting to lose fuel, then I decide to go fast every other song until my workout is up. Also, if you only pedal forward, you are missing out! Pedaling backwards really works your glutes and you can feel a great burn in your quads! If you really want to switch it up, do intervals while switching the direction you are pedaling.

I've also recently been getting into rebounding for cardio activity. Rebounding is jumping or jogging on a small trampoline. It's easy on the joints and is a great way to get your heart rate up if you suffer from inflammation, arthritis, or other joint issues. My advice: keep trying different cardio activities until you find one that you enjoy--if you hate running, keep looking; you don't have to suffer through cardio--it CAN be enjoyable and FUN!!

Bronson Rotaru: My favorite method to ensure my heart health is running outdoors. This time of year I slow it down a lot but I stay pretty active with it the rest of the year. Lately I have been more focused on how fast I can complete 2-3.5 miles at a time. Interval running on the treadmill is my second choice.

Monika Cotter: My favorite kind of cardio to do is running! It may not be everyone’s cup of tea but for me it is an escape. Not only is it good for your cardiovascular health but it is also good for the calves, quads and the booty. If you are not into running long distances there is always interval running: Running (or sprinting) at a fast pace for a short period of time and then walking or a slower jog for a period of time. The point of an interval is to raise the heart rate and then slow it back down. The fun part is that you can make the intervals whatever you want---in example, 2 minutes at a fast pace then 2 minutes of walking; Or 30 seconds of sprinting followed by 90 seconds of walking. Even if you don’t want to run you can use this same method with walking, biking or on the elliptical. Everyone is different and likes different things so find what works for you and have some fun with it!

Adam Teplitz: My favorite cardio activity would have to be swimming. Treadmills are a great option, but can get monotonous after a while. Swimming can be a great alternative. There are endless benefits to it. It enhances cardio conditioning, develops core strength and improves overall endurance. Above all else, it is extremely effective for burning calories.

Lisa Clark: One of my favorite types of exercise to do for cardio is interval training called Tabata training. Tabata is a system of short, high intensity intervals developed originally to train Olympic speed skaters. The basic formula for tabata training is 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated 8 times. Because this exercise strategy is a formula for training, not a specific workout, the possibilities are almost endless! Choose any exercises you want, from upper body, lower body, alternating upper to lower, you can use bodyweight exercises or incorporate some weights into your intervals. Have fun with them....😊

Sean Sullivan: Jumping rope is my favorite activity to get my heart rate up! I will typically do some jump rope as part of my warm-ups before lifting weights. Not only does it elevate the heartrate, but it also gets your shoulders, hips and knees loosened up and engorged with blood to help prevent injury during the workout. That being said, how could I forget the phenomenal cardio activity that is Irish Dancing?!