Doing This Over Rated Exercise?

Overrated: Crunches

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This gym-class standard needs an update: According to research from San Diego State University, the traditional crunch is the least effective strengthener for both the rectus abdominus (6-pack muscles) and the obliques (waist muscles). What's more, because sit-ups require more strength from front ab muscles than obliques, this move can create a strength imbalance in the core -- setting you up for back problems.

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  Your Upgrade: The Plank

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  Not only does the plank require more muscle activation in the obliques than the traditional crunch, according to research, but researchers have also found that practicing this position can actually help lower the risk of developing lower back pain later in life, according to Matthews. Why? "The plank targets your abdominal muscles, helps to build muscular endurance and spares your spine in the process," she says.

50 Weight Loss Tips

 

1.    Train using the most “bang for your buck,” multi-joint lifts like squats, deadlifts, bench press, chin-ups, and Olympic lifts.

2.    Avoid isolation, single-joint lifts such as bicep or leg curls unless you have unlimited training time.

3.    Use very short rest periods (10 to 60 seconds) to trigger the greatest growth hormone response.

4.     Vary the tempo of lifting phases and rest periods to provide new stimulus for the body to adapt.

5.    To get lean fast, use a hypertrophy-type protocol (8 to 12 reps, more than 3 sets, 70 to 85 percent 1RM load).

6.    Use a longer time under tension to burn more energy and increase postexercise oxygen consumption—try a 4-second eccentric and 1-second concentric phase.

7.    Train to create an anabolic response. Increasing growth hormone is the priority because of its significant lipolytic (fat burning) effects.

8.    Perform circuit training with little rest between sets for maximal growth hormone response.

9.    For gradual fat loss over a longer period, include strength cycles that favor testosterone release with heavier loads (up to 95 percent 1RM), slightly longer rest (2 to 3 minutes), and lots of sets.

10.    Work harder. If you’re not getting results, you’re not working hard enough.

11.    Give priority to training the anaerobic energy system over the aerobic system when strength training and conditioning.

12.    Do high-intensity sprint intervals for conditioning. Two examples are 60 cycle sprints of 8 seconds each, 12 seconds rest; or 6 all-out 30-second running sprints on a track, 4 minutes rest.

13.    Be as active as possible in daily life. Move more: Take regular brisk walks during the day, always take the stairs, park far away in any parking lot, or do your own yard work.

14.    Do relaxing physical activity instead of sitting in front of a screen: yoga, stretching, foam rolling, martial arts, or walking mediation.

15.    Eliminate all processed foods from your diet—don’t eat them ever.

16.    Eliminate all trans-fats from your diet such as margarine and shortening—they MUST be removed from the diet.

17.    Don’t avoid fat. Research shows that people with diets with 30 to 50 percent coming from smart fats have higher androgens and lower body fat.

18.     Eat smart fat, favoring the omega-3 fats that come from fish and wild meats.

19.    Take fish oil to boost omega-3 fat intake and ensure your omega-3 to omega-6 fat intake is balanced.

20.    Eat a diet with high-quality protein—organic meats will provide the largest “bang for your buck” protein.

21.    Eliminate wheat and avoid grains in favor of vegetables.

22.    Raise resting metabolic rate (the amount of calories the body burns at rest) by eating a higher protein diet with 15 to 25 percent of the diet coming from high-quality protein.

23.    Eliminate all high-glycemic carbs and eat only low-glycemic vegetables and berries.

24.    Eat an antioxidant-rich diet to prevent inflammation, which leads to fat gain. Try kale, broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, berries, pomegranates, and cherries.

25.    Non-green veggies that help you lose fat are colored peppers, eggplant, garlic, onions, mushrooms, hearts of palm, spaghetti squash, and water chestnuts.

26.    Drink a lot of water (at LEAST 3 liters a day) to stay hydrated and help detox the body.

27.    Avoid alcohol, juice, soda, and sports drinks. Stick to water, tea, and coffee.

28.    For a radical approach, eliminate all alcohol. If alcohol can’t be eliminated, Sardinian and Spanish red wines are the best worst option.

29.    Try acupuncture—studies have shown it can aid in treating obesity.

30.    Make sure your vitamin D level is over 40 ng/ml. Take vitamin D if not.

31.    Take a probiotic to improve your gut health.

32.    Make sure your magnesium level is up to par. Scientists suggest 500 mg of magnesium a day.

33.    Take a liquid zinc test to see if you can taste zinc. If not, you are deficient and should take zinc to speed fat loss.

34.    Don’t buy cheap, poor quality supplements because they will do more harm than good if they are tainted with heavy metals or pollutants.

35.    Take B vitamins, especially if you eat a high-protein diet or take BCAAs because the extra amino acids take away from the pool of available B vitamins need for detox.

36.    Drink coffee or take caffeine before workouts to increase fat burning and work capacity—research shows we will self-select heavier loads if we take caffeine before training.

37.    Drink organic green tea to elevate fat burning and aid in detoxifying the body.

38.    Take carnitine to help the body use fat for fuel and increase time to exhaustion when training hard.

39.    Take the amino acid taurine because it lowers the stress hormone cortisol and helps the body digest fat.

40.    Take R-form alpha lipoic acid because it supports detox and recovery from training.

41.    Use the herb fenugreek with meals to improve insulin sensitivity and energy use.

42.    Remove body piercings to lose fat fast, especially belly piercings.

43.    Limit fructose in the diet because it gets in the way of losing belly fat.

44.    Never eat fructose before workouts because it blunts fat burning and lowers metabolic rate.

45.    Avoid milk before workouts because it is very “insulinotropic,” meaning it causes persistently high insulin levels that make you burn less energy.

46.    Don’t drink caffeine after workouts because it may raise cortisol at the point where you need to clear it for the best fat-burning and recovery effect.

47.    Eat high-quality protein for breakfast. Avoid cereal and all processed foods.

48.    Eliminate all sugar from your diet. It’s way more trouble than it’s worth if you want to lose fat.

49.    Make an effort to get enough sleep. An early-to-bed, early-to-rise sleep pattern has been shown to improve body composition.

50.    Know that you have complete control over what you put in your mouth. No one ever ate anything by accident.

Holiday Fitness Program (Don’t lose focus just because it’s Holiday Season!)

You're busy, you're stressed, it's chilly out ... so why not just take a break from your fitness program until the New Year? Sure, you can always come up with an excuse not to exercise. Slacking off on your fitness program during the holidays will only leave you with more pounds -- and more stress -
- come the New Year. Trying to stick to an exercise program this time of year is difficult for many people, so here are some suggestions to keep you motivated and disciplined.

The first step, is acknowledging the holidays probably will affect your exercise program to some
extent so make adjustments that will help you stay fit during the season. For example, if you usually
take exercise classes only offered at a certain time, skip the classes and take a hike or go to your
local gym and work out on the treadmill, elliptical or do circuit training. Any amount of exercise is
better than none at all.

Take an honest look at your schedule, and instead of trying to squeeze exercise into your schedule,
take other things out. The goal is not to do more (as we all have a tendency to do this time of year),
but to do less, but do it all well. Squeezing too much in at this time only leaves you frustrated,
anxious and then not sleeping well. Whether or not you already have well-established exercise
habits, make sure you actually schedule time into your day for your exercise. Physically add it to
your calendar so that you don’t lose site of your workout routine. Missing a work out is like missing
an important meeting with a client.

Eating more than usual around this time of year is typical, but it also means staying with your
exercise routine is especially important. Strive to add an extra workout session or two whenever
possible. Not only will this make a difference physically, it will mentally remind you that your No. 1
objective is to lose weight and to stay healthy.

Be Flexible and Mix It Up

Here are some tips for staying fit during the time-crunched, temptation-packed holiday season:

Be flexible when your days get busy, Instead of simply blowing off your 5 p.m. trip to the gym
in favor of an office party at the same time, wake up an hour early and walk or jog before work
or fit a brisk walk into your lunch hour.

Mix up your routine to avoid boredom. If you usually run four days a week, try running once,
doing the elliptical once, and lifting weights twice. The novelty of the new exercise will hopefully
be a stronger motivator than the 'need' to do something else during your normal exercise time.
Muscle confusion also burns more fat.

To save time, combine exercise and family commitments. For example, hauling the kids up a
hill a few times can make a sledding trip as beneficial as a jog. Taking the family cross-country
skiing, or on a hiking will provide exercise as well as quality time.

Book a long weekend getaway at a warm destination for January or February. This will
motivate you to keep exercise a priority. When you're tempted to slack off, envision yourself
looking good on the beach.

Create a holiday wish list for one or more improved body area(s), Keep your discipline
constant.

Be ready for the mistletoe!!! People are attracted to a strong, healthy body. Your confidence
will show if you've been keeping up with your eating and exercise habits. PUCKER UP!!!

Creating a home workout routine for those times you can't make it to the gym. Crunches,
push-ups, and many other exercises can be done without any gym equipment.

Increase your time management skills over the holiday season. Organize your day the
evening before. Prioritizing your tasks beforehand will help you find time to exercise. Each
week, make it a priority to fit in three exercise sessions.

Walking is an exercise that can go anywhere, from the woods to the mall. Always have a pair
of running or walking shoes with you, and a clean pair of socks.

Ask for Personal Training for Christmas. valeriestrunk@yahoo.com or 860-928-9218

Until next time, stay fit, stay strong and stay healthy.

Val is a certified personal trainer at Midtown Fitness and Martial Arts in Putnam    
(www.midtown-fitness.com for more information)

Explode!

Explode Through Every Rep

The "slow lifting" trend should be confined to the eccentric, or "lowering" portion of any exercise. During the concentric portion, where you push, pull, press or jump, move the weight (or your body) as quickly as possible. Even if the weight doesn't move that fast, the intention of moving the weight quickly will turn on your fast-twitch muscle fibers, which will make your body more athletic and train it to use more fat as fuel.