Deep Thinking about Nutrition

                                                                      

Most of my clients looking to lose weight, gained that weight by eating too little. Most people need over 2,000 calories per day but nearly all clients I see are not even close to that. The biggest problem is explaining that poor food choices was a part of how they got over weight but also lack of food is a big contributor as well. If you eat fast food twice in one day, not only are those calories bad for you but also too little, you'll be lucky to get 1200 calories for that day and you'll feel full and bloated so you think you ate way too much, in reality your body is starving and storing those terrible calories. When I tell clients they need to eat a lot more they look at me like I'm crazy. After all, "isn't food what got me here in the first place?" Figuring out your nutrition is the hardest part in fitness but once you do it's all down hill from there.  Visit one of our Personal Trainers in Lakewood CO to learn more about fitness and nutrition.

- Article by Luke Hand

Top 5 Bench Press Mistakes

YEAH BUT HOW MUCH CAN YOU BENCH BRO? BENCH PRESS IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR EXERCISES IN THE FITNESS WORLD, BUT IRONICALLY I HARDLY EVER SEE IT DONE PROPERLY. AVOID THESE MISTAKES TO HELP INCREASE YOUR MAX AND PREVENT INJURY. 


1.- ELBOWS TOO HIGH- WHEN YOU BENCH PRESS WITH YOUR ELBOWS IN A "T" POSITION IT PUTS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF STRAIN ON YOUR SHOULDER CAPSULES. THIS SHIFTS THE WEIGHT OF THE BAR FROM YOUR STERNUM TO YOUR COLLAR BONE, AND INCREASES THE DISTANCE THE BAR HAS TO TRAVEL. FROM AN OVERHEAD VIEW YOUR ELBOWS SHOULD BE AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE FROM YOUR TORSO. THIS ACTIVATES YOUR PECS TO THEIR MAXIMUM POTENTIAL AND HELPS TAKE YOUR ANTERIOR DELTS OUT OF THE EQUATION.


2.-ARCHING YOUR BACK- THIS IS ONE OF THE QUICKEST WAYS TO INJURE YOUR SPINE!! IF YOU ARE DOING THIS, STOP IMMEDIATELY! KEEP YOUR CORE ACTIVE BY TIGHTENING YOUR ABS AND KEEPING YOUR GLUTES ON THE BENCH. IF YOU HAVE TO LIFT YOUR HIPS UP TO FINISH THE REP YOU ARE LIFTING TOO HEAVY. DROP THE WEIGHT AND SAVE YOURSELF A VISIT TO THE CHIROPRACTOR. 


3.- BOUNCING THE BAR- BY BOUNCING THE BAR OFF YOUR CHEST, YOU ARE CREATING EXTRA MOMENTUM AND TAKING AWAY FROM THE EXERCISE. IT IS ALSO EASY TO HURT YOUR RIBCAGE IF THE WEIGHT IS HEAVY ENOUGH. LOWING THE WEIGHT IS BETTER THAN CHEATING YOURSELF OUT OF MUSCLE STIMULUS. 


4.-NOT SQUEEZING YOUR SHOULDER BLADES TOGETHER- BY FAR THE MOST COMMON MISTAKE WHEN IT COMES TO PRESSING MOVEMENTS. BY KEEPING YOUR SHOULDERS RETRACTED YOU ARE FORCING THE PECS TO DO MORE WORK, AND HELPING YOU SEE BETTER STRENGTH AD SIZE GAINS. ALWAYS KEEP YOUR SHOULDERS AND LOWER BACK DOWN.


5.- BREAKING YOUR WRIST- THE WAY YOU GRIP THE BARBELL WILL MAKE OR BREAK YOUR LIFT. DON'T GRIP TOO HIGH, OR AROUND THE FINGERTIPS. DOING THIS CAUSES THE WRIST TO BEND BACKWARDS AND CREATES TWO PROBLEMS. FIRST YOUR LINE OF FORCE IS ALTERED, CAUSING YOU TO LOSE STRENGTH AND FORCE PRODUCTION. AND SECOND YOU WILL HURT YOUR WRIST IF YOU START LIFTING HEAVIER WEIGHT. GRIP THE BAR IN THE CENTER OF YOUR PALM AND KEEP YOUR ELBOWS SLIGHTLY BENT.

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What is a healthy portion anyways?

What is a healthy portion of food anyway?

When it comes to food, it is important to know how much or how little of something you are eating.  You can always use scales or measuring cups, but did you know you can use your own hand to measure healthy portions of food?  You can simplify the often complicated measuring by keeping these tips in mind:

Fist = 1 cup - a good place to start for vegetables

Thumb = 2 Tablespoons - think serving of peanut butter

Thumbnail = 1 Teaspoon 

Cupped hand = 1/2 cup - good amount of carbs or starches

Palm of hand = 3 ounces - a good serving of fish, poultry or meat

Try this method the next time you are preparing dinner.  Simplify and enjoy!

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Sunshine For Weight Loss and Exercise

                                                                    Sunshine for weight loss

Research from the Northwestern Medicine neology shows that people who get 20 minutes of sunshine a day have much lower BMI.  The theory is that morning light, rather than afternoon light, synchronizes the body’s internal clock and speeds up the metabolism.

The best times are from 8am - 12pm, when light exposure was most efficient at hitting minimum goal of 500 lux.  Even on cloudy days you can still benefit from this, although sunny days can be upwards of 10 times more efficient.  

FYI - June 21st is the longest day of the year and coming up.  Don’t forget to wear sunscreen!

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Sean Sewell

Personal Trainer

Absolute Personal Fitness

Drinking Water Burns Calories

Aside from being necessary for survival and proper muscle function, water can also help burn calories! drinking ample water cuts hunger and helps create a feeling of fullness. 500mL of water per day helps increase your metabolic rate my 25%. That means an extra 20 calories burned per hour, thats 480 calories per day!  It does this by diluting the blood that travels to the liver which triggers the SNS (sympathetic nervous system) By activating this system, core body temperature is raised as well as energy expenditure. But BE CAREFULL, too much water intake can lead to hyponatremia ( low sodium levels) and this can be dangerous. Drink water first thing in the morning to stimulate metabolic function, and then consistently throughout the day. During workouts, drink water based on fluid loss (how much you sweat) After all muscle is 70% water, so stay hydrated and stay healthy. Learn more about your fitness by visiting our Gym in lakewood CO

Feel Good When You Exercise

Brain Derived Neurotropic Factors - Why you feel good when you exercise



Have you ever wondered why you feel so good when you work out? Why you seem to think more clearly, have positive thoughts and be more productive? Research shows that one of the most effective ways to increase Brain Derived Neurotropic Factors is through exercise. The secret lies within your brain and its reaction to exercise stimulation. It is possible to increase cognitive function via working out. Talk about a two for one!! Who does not want to think more clearly, feel better and look better?

BDNF is a sub-fraction of Neoroptrophin and effects the growth of new neurons and synapses in the brain. In addition to the wonderful cognitive benefits, BDNFs have been shown to help muscle fibers grow and repair. How do you get your BDNFs going and optimized? Consistent, challenging and new exercise programs that make you sweat! Come into our fitness center and join a class or get some personal training sessions and start to enjoy the rewards of your efforts!

Absolute Personal Fitness - Holiday Junk!

Holiday Junk Food can be bad for your Brain 

A recent study performed by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that just 5 days of eating holiday junk food (those delicious cookies your co worker brought in and the pecan pie your uncle made) can significantly deteriorate cognitive function - including memory, attention and mood.  The research indicates that the high sugar food causes inflammation of the hippocampus (the area of the brain that regulates memory and can effect how we perceive ourselves to be hungry, thereby eating more of the cookies). 

So not only are you getting extra calories that can hinder your healthy weight loss, but you get bogged down mentally.  Its a sticky situation.

We are not saying to completely stay away from the tasty treats that your loved ones made, but try to balance them out with inflammation reducing foods such as vegetables, legumes, beans and fish.  This way you can have your cake and eat it too! Visit our Gym in Lakewood CO!

Lakewood Gyms and Personal Training: What is HIIT?

What is HIIT and should I be doing it?

HIIT - High Intensity Interval Training - is a workout that alternates between periods of high intensity exercise followed by lower intensity exercise or even rest. There are several, effective ways to implement HIIT and the benefits are as impressive as the workout is challenging!

1) More efficient use of your time - Studies show that 15 minutes of HIIT can burn as many calories as an hour of traditional cardio.
2) Improved aerobic and anaerobic capacity - ACSM found that just 2 weeks of HIIT was more effective than 8 weeks of traditional cardio and doubled the users ability to maintain top effort.
3) Revved up metabolism - Not only do you burn calories during the HIIT workout, you also burn calories after the workout - up to 48 hours after!

So you burn more calories during and after, increase your ability to sustain effort, improve your heart and lung function and spend less time working out. Its a win all around! Come talk to our trainers about HIIT and get yourself (and your loved ones) in one of our group classes to see what it is all about!

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Lakewood Gyms Offering Personal Training: Sleep and Exercise

Sleep and its effects on your body 

Sleep is an often overlooked part of everyones fitness routine.  A good nights sleep helps the body and mind recover, keeps us leaner, happier, more focused and healthy.  But bad sleep increases body fat, messes with hormones, ages us faster, increases chronic illnesses and reduces IQ.  So why do we overlook this important part of the day?  It is easy to stay up late watching tv - the bright light actually interrupts the circadian rhythm and reduces sleep quality. Or maybe its the overwhelming projects at work keeping you up.  But whatever the reason, it is sabotaging your hard work at the gym and defeating your positive eating habits.  7-9 hours of sleep is recommended, you may find that you can get by on less, but it is short changing yourself and will catch up sooner or later. 

How do you fix this?  The body loves routines - get yourself in one asap.  Create a pre bed process of gearing down. Try to limit caffeine and alcohol intake - caffeine after 4pm can interfere with falling asleep and excessive alcohol intake can effect deep sleep cycles.  Stop use of all devices with a screen 30 minutes prior to sleeping. The brain produces melatonin as light levels decrease. Melatonin regulates sleep and metabolism, so it is crucial to do what you can to keep level. Exercise has been shown to normalize circadian rhythms, regulate endocrine function and tone down sympathetic nervous system.  So come down to Absolute Personal Fitness and get your fitness dialed in and sleep on track.  We have several group classes, one on one training, yoga and massage to get you on track.  We look forward to helping you on your fitness path!  Visit our Gym In Lakewood CO Offering Personal Training or call 720-389-9696

Lakewood Gyms: Keep your body guessing

Do you ever wonder why you see results when you start training and then those gains begin to taper off? Our bodies are amazing machines, they are designed to adapt to the stressors that are placed on them in order to protect themselves from injury. As important and necessary as this is, it also prevents us from seeing the gains we desire when we train our bodies the same way with the same routine on a regular basis. We can overcome plateaus by confusing our muscles using different training methods. Simple things such as: using free-weights versus machines, using a stability ball instead of a bench, changing your hand grip, performing more body weight exercises and changing the plane of motion will help you break through the barriers.
There are resources available at your gym that can assist you with designing workouts that will help you keep your routines fresh and fun! As important as it is to change your routine and take advantage of the many different methods of exercise, it is equally important to use proper form. When performing exercises incorrectly your potential gains will be decreased and the potential for injury will increase. Personal Trainers are a great resource to help motivate you, design a program tailored to your goals and most importantly, teach you proper technique so you will see the results you desire!
Most gyms offer a free initial consultation with a Personal Trainer. Take advantage of this opportunity the next time you’re at your gym! or visit our Personal Training Gym in Lakewood CO

To learn more visit us at www.lakewoodpersonalfitness.com or call 720-389-9693

Gyms Lakewood CO : Exercise and Fitness can be neat!

                                               EXERCISE CAN BE “NEAT”
                                         Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis

     If you’re not seeing your desired results, consider adding some small activities that can help you reach your goals more quickly. While exercise is important, equally as important is being active throughout your day! Recent research has focused on Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT), a phenomenon that represents one’s basic activities of daily living, which includes fidgeting, standing and moving around. It seems to be equally as important as exercise in burning calories, losing weight and reducing the risk of mortality. The research provides evidence of a need to not limit weight loss strategies to a few hours of exercise a week.


Examples of some simple strategies are:

> Parking farther away at the grocery store
> Walking to bathrooms farther away at work
> Taking the stairs instead of the elevator (something everyone has heard before, but very true)
> Taking a short walk around the block instead of watching TV or being on the computer,
> Taking a short walk on your lunch hour
> 10 push-ups, 10 squats, lunges or crunches each hour at work


You’ll notice that you have more energy and, who knows, it could be contagious!! Your co-workers might join in! If you have questions or comments, visit our Gyms Lakewood CO and Personal Training


The message is… MOVE!!

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720-389-9693

Gyms lakewood mood and exercise!

Exercise and mood

We all know it physically feels good to exercise.  But did you know that one of the most beneficial aspects of movement is how it improves how you feel mentally?  When a person exercises it not only improves many physical traits, but it improves cognitive functioning, improves mood, helps stimulate healthy insulin response and can help build confidence.

The phycological benefits are immense.  The release of Dopamine, Norepenephirine, Oxytocin (the love hormone) and reduction in immune system inflammation combine to make an exceptional combination of physical and mental well being.  When you are down, one of the best things you can do is get some movement.  It may not seem like first thing you want to do, but once you get moving and the feel good brain chemicals get released, you will immediately feel the positive difference.  So next time you feel down - do yourself (and your loved ones) a favor and exercise!

For more information or guidance please visit our gym in lakewood CO offering 24/7 membership specials and Personal Training. Or call 720-389-9693

Gyms In Lakewood CO Personal Training and Fitness - HIIT Training.

Almost everyone by now is familiar with the benefits of doing cardiovascular training, but do you understand which heart rate zone you should be in? Or how long you should be doing it? Most people we see at Absolute Personal Fitness tend to do around 45-60 minutes on a piece of cardio (treadmill, bike, elliptical) which is great for fat burning, healthy on the heart, and can prevent disease. There are however new ways that can not only boost your metabolism, but also burn the same amount of calories! I am talking about HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training). The concept is simple. You can burn 200-300 calories in as little as 20 MINUTES! Using a cardio piece of your choosing (running or incline walks tend to be most difficult) you want to start with at least 10 intervals. I would recommend doing a 1:1 ratio. (EX: 1 minute on 1 minute off) Cycling between the two for 20 minutes, you want to start around 65-70% MHR (you should feel like this is "somewhat hard" and should not be gasping for air) for the first minute, and 85-90% MHR for the 2ed minute (This should feel "very hard" and you should be unable to say a full sentence without talking a breath) 

    Its all about pushing yourself. You will be amazed at how great your body feels and adapts after only a few weeks, that's why its important to always try and up your speed or resistance to challenge yourself. HIIT is something I would recommend to my clients 2-3 times a week depending on circumstance, fitness level, and current goals. If you have questions or need guidance check out our Gyms Lakewood and Personal Training website or call us at 720-389-9693.

                                          www.lakewoodpersonalfitness.com