Fitness Together Brecksville: September 2014

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Trainer Tuesdays: What is the Most Effective Way to do Cardio For Fat Loss?

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.

What is the Most Effective Way To Do Cardio For Fat Loss?

**Notice: Always consult your physician before beginning a cardiovascular program to make sure your heart is healthy enough for this type of exercise**

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Adam Teplitz: When it comes to cardio and fat loss, there are plenty of opinions and options out there. Here are some tips to follow to maximize your caloric burn during cardio. In general, low intensity cardio is better for building stamina, while short bursts of high intensity exercise are best for fat loss and burning the most calories. You can add a high intensity waking regimen to your exercise routine. Power-walk at a high speed for a minimum of 20 minutes, 3 alternate days per week. Incorporate hills and stairs into the walk so you can engage a combination of muscle groups.

Another option is to jump on the treadmill and engage in a high intensity 5 minute interval workout. Alternate between a high intensity run and a low intensity walk/ jog every 5 minutes. Aim for at least 20 minutes total. It's important to incorporate sprinting exercises into your routines. This will elevate your heart rate further and burn extra calories. You want to focus on the overall amount of calories burned instead of whether you're in the fat burning zone or not. Maximum calorie expenditure will lead to increased fat loss.

High intensity interval training is the optimum choice when it comes to fat loss. You burn calories during the workout AND after. This is due to excess post exercise oxygen consumption. Basically, your body burning calories to return to it's normal state. As for the best time to do cardio; you can dedicate a day for only cardio or complete it after your strength training session. Remember to switch up the type of cardio if you want to keep things exciting.

Bronson Rotaru: In my opinion the best time to do cardio is the time when you enjoy it most. Ignore the rules about doing it on an empty stomach, in the a.m. Etc. It's been said recently that those beliefs are not true. A very effective method for fat loss is the HIIT method. High Intensity Interval Training. Rather than walking slower for 1 hr. You should get your heart rate up and down frequently throughout your workout. Doing 20 minutes of this correctly will take you far!! Remember to push yourself. You are supposed to be at an 80%-90% maximum heart rate during this. A slow jog will not suffice, more like sprinting for 30 seconds than walking for 15 etc...

Taynee Pearson: Cardio is important when it comes to weight and fat loss, cardio combined with weight training is the most effective option there is to losing weight. There are many types of different cardio routines you may perform for fat loss but the most effective is high intensity interval training (HIIT). HIIT training should be done for about 20 minutes and it can be performed on any piece of cardio equipment. You want your heart rate to increase to an intense level and then drop it down again, so an example would be running on the treadmill for 60 seconds and walking for 60-90 seconds. Although HIIT training is important, constant cardio is also good for fat loss. An example of constant cardio would be running or going on the elliptical for at least 30-60 minutes, a combination of both types of cardio training would help you increase your fat loss. There are myths about when cardio is more effective for fat loss. There is no set time really that cardio should be done for the most beneficial fat loss. One myth used to be that cardio should be done in the morning before eating anything, well this has been proven to have the opposite effect on the body. Your body needs some energy before doing cardio, so first thing in the morning without eating anything is not the time to do it. If you need to do cardio in the morning, you should consume something small to eat at least 30-45 minutes before your workout. Another time cardio is not really recommended to be done is before a weight training session, this is because our body uses up most of it's energy for cardio and there are minimal amounts left for weight training which in turn could prevent lean muscle mass gains. Another reason to do cardio afterwards is because you don't want to experience fatigue during your weight training session. Cardio should be done after your weight training sessions or even better, it should be performed on days you are not weight training.

Steven Madden: When it comes to cardio, the best form for fat loss is something called High Intensity Interval Training, usually abbreviated as HIIT. I know a lot of people think spending up to an hour on the treadmill will be the best way to lose weight, but that is just not true. HIIT training, periods of short periods of intense cardio followed by short periods of rest, allows the body to burn more calories in a shorted period of time that Low Intensity Steady State cardio, or LISS.

There is an added benefit for people who are also trying to put on muscle mass with HITT. Traditional cardio can break down the amino acids in muscle tissue, making it harder to add more muscle mass. HITT can actually help you maintain muscle mass gains, and even help adding more by helping to stimulate the release of growth hormone while you sleep.

A drawback of course would be anyone with joint pain, as sprinting up a hill or box jumps can be hard on the joints. People who are just starting out, will probably require some time to build up their cardio strength before they can complete a full HIIT session effectively as well. However, it cannot be denied that HIIT is very effective for fat loss.

Lisa Clark: With all the fads out there today can become confusing to know the best way to lose stubborn body fat. Is it better to do HIIT? CrossFit? Long duration cardio? The most important part of cardio if your goal is weight-loss, is your intensity. It is a myth that working out harder and longer will burn more fat. Your body will burn more calories however you are using carbohydrates as the primary fuel source as opposed to keeping your heart rate at a lower rate. At that point your body is in an aerobic state and is using fat to fuel it. Wearing a heart rate monitor during activity will help you stay in an aerobic state. How do you know what the proper heart rate is for maximum fat loss? Take 220 and subtract your age. That will give you your maximum heart rate. To be in an aerobic state you want your intensity to be 65 to 85% of your maximum heart rate for 20 to 30 minutes. If you do this three times a week in conjunction with strength training and a well-balanced diet, you can maximize your fat loss.

Monika Cotter: To use cardio most effectively for burning fat I would suggest doing interval training. Interval training can be done in any interval ratio and with any method of cardiovascular exercise. (bike, treadmill, elliptical, swimming, etc.) One of my favorites is running at a faster speed for 2 minutes and then a slow jog for 2 minutes while also adjusting the incline. The best time to do cardio is usually in the morning before you start your day; that way you can have a sense of accomplishment and you can burn more fat when you workout in the morning on an empty stomach (or after you have eaten a light snack).

Kelly Bailey: (check back later for Kelly’s opinion)

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Trainer Tuesday: What is Your Expert Opinion On Carbohydrates?

Trainer Tuesdays

What is Your Expert Opinion on Carbohydrates?

Adam Teplitz: Carbohydrates are an important part of a healthy diet. It all comes down to good carbs versus bad carbs. Simple carbs versus complex carbs.

Carbohydrates are your body's primary source of energy. Carbs should never be avoided, but it's important to understand that not all carbs are alike.

Simple carbohydrates are composed of simple-to-digest, basic sugars with no real value to your body. The higher in sugar and lower in fiber, the worse the carbohydrate is for you. This is the main determining factor in whether a carb is good or bad for you.

Fruits and vegetables are actually simple carbohydrates, still composed of basic sugars, although they are drastically different from other foods in the category like cookies and cakes. The fiber in fruits and vegetables changes the way that the body processes their sugars and slows down their digestion making them a bit more like complex carbs.
The most important simple carbs to limit in your diet include soda, candy, artificial syrups, white rice, white bread, white pasta, and pastries.

Complex carbs are considered good carbs due to their longer series of sugar molecules. The body requires more time to break these carbs down. You'll get lower amounts of sugar released at a more consistent rate to keep you going throughout the day.
Picking complex carbs over simple carbs is a matter of simple substitutions when it comes to meals. Brown rice instead of white rice, whole wheat pasta instead of plain white pasta.

It's also important to consider the glycemic index of a food. This tells you how quickly and how high your blood sugar will rise after eating the carbohydrate contained in that food, as compared to eating pure sugar. Lower glycemic foods are healthier for your body, and you will tend to feel full longer after eating them. Most complex carbs fall into the low glycemic index category.

The bottom line is to just be sensible about the carbs you choose. Focus on taking in most of your carbs earlier in the day and around your workouts to fuel your exercise. Skip low nutrient dessert, consider the level of sugar and fiber in carbs, and focus on healthy whole grains, fruits and vegetables to get the energy your body needs for the day.

Bronson Rotaru: You hear a lot of opinions on carbs. My opinion is to consume them, but choose wisely. Vegetables and certain grains are fantastic sources of carbs. Eating small amounts of fresh fruit is also beneficial. You want to avoid white bread, white rice and choose things like sweet potatoes, 100% whole wheat breads and pastas. Pay attention to labels! The fewer the ingredients the better

Monika Cotter: Many of the diets out there are low carb and it seems that has made a lot of people afraid of carbohydrates. Don’t be! Our bodies need carbohydrates for energy and to make us happy! When we eat carbs they are broken down into glucose and sent to our muscles and most importantly our brain. Carbohydrates give us the energy we need to get through the day. Try to stay away from simple carbs like table sugar, white rice, pop and processed cereals. We want most of our carbs to be complex such as green veggies, whole grains, beans, peas and starchy vegetables to have a balanced diet.

Taynee Pearson: Most people think carbohydrates are bad for you and in order to lose weight, you will need to cut out carbs, but this is false. It is a common mistake that most people make. Carbohydrates are the body's main energy source. Carbohydrates are converted into glucose which is the primary fuel that the body uses to power all cellular activity, they are used to help the brain, kidneys and all muscles to function properly. Without carbohydrates in your diet, your body will start using your fat and protein as an energy source, once protein is used as an energy source, you are basically breaking down any muscle that you have gained through working out. It has a counteract effect, therefore if you do not consume enough carbs, all the hard work of working out and increasing lean muscle mass will be lost. The side effects of not taking in carbs or enough carbs are mood swings, dizziness, fatigue and weakness.
For carbohydrates to be most beneficial to your body, they should be consumed at appropriate times and the correct carbohydrate choice should be made. It is better to consume carbohydrates along with a protein throughout the day and not as much at night. A carbohydrate should be consumed an hour or two before a workout, and protein and a carbohydrate should be consumed after your workout to restore the glycogen stores your body lost due to working out. Good carbohydrate choices in general are slower acting carbs which mean they will be released into the blood stream at a slower and more regular constant, this includes oatmeal, brown rice, wholegrain bread, quinoa, whole wheat pasta and beans. Fruit is a faster acting carbohydrate but it is necessary for you to consume. The best time to eat fruit is during the day while being active and before a workout. Everything in moderation is the key. Make sure every carbohydrate is accompanied by a protein as well.

Steven Madden: I feel that carbs are much maligned these days. First off I do need to admit that there are good carbs and bad carbs. Potato chips and white bread are bad carbs, and all those vegetables you don't like are good carbs. Good carbs are high in dietary fiber that digest slowly and avoid blood sugar spikes.

Now there is a trend in nutrition that has people leaving carbs out of their diets entirely. From an exercise standpoint, this is very bad. You need carbs when you workout because they are your main form of muscular energy. On a low carb diet, the common remedy for low energy during exercise is to use large amounts of caffeine.

Also, people on low carb or no carb diets do mention that they do eat vegetables. It's part of that maligning of carbs I mentioned. Vegetables are carbs. It's that simple. And by all means, eat as many of them as you can. Just don't pretend they aren't carbs because you don't want to eat carbs.

Kelly Bailey: Recently, there is much confusion surrounding carbs, and everyone seems to have a different opinion regarding the subject. Carbohydrates are one of three macronutrients (the other two are fat and protein) that our bodies utilize for fuel. Our digestive system breaks carbs down into glucose, which is an easily utilized source of fuel for our bodies. Carbs typically fall into two categories: healthy and unhealthy. Healthy sources of carbs include un-processed grains, beans, vegetables, and fruits. Unhealthy sources of carbs include things like donuts, fries, chips, cookies, and cakes.

My opinion on carbs is just that: an opinion. I have personal experience with both low and high carb diets, and what I have found is that having a balanced approach to diet works best for me. When I have tried to go ultra-low carb, I feel terrible. I get fatigued and cranky. In addition, because I participate in endurance sports, my body needs carbohydrates to function at optimal levels. Low carb is not for me. On the other hand, if I eat too many carbs, especially the unhealthy kinds, I do gain weight easily. Most days, my carbs come from healthy sources like oats, sweet potatoes, vegetables, and fruits. I also like to combine the carbs in my meals with a lean protein source, like tuna or chicken, which helps to keep me full.

Lisa Clark: Carbohydrates have gotten a bad rap due to the popular Atkins diet and other low carb/high-protein diets. However carbohydrates are a vital part of our diet as they are the primary fuel for your body. But some carbohydrates are better for you than others. It is important to choose healthy carbohydrates. Carbs come in three main types: sugar, starch and fiber. You want to choose carbohydrates from whole unprocessed food sources such as fruits, vegetables, oats, whole grain breads and cereal and unprocessed grains like barley, quinoa, beans, whole wheat pasta, brown rice and yogurt.