Nutrition and Eating Healthy for Weight Loss

For years I have watched people have a hard time with their nutrition. Everyone has reasons (or excuses) for what they eat. And I used to feel like everyone knew the difference between good foods and bad foods, but I am not so sure anymore. One thing I am sure of is that no one is happy with where they are with their fitness. Everyone has a goal and 99% of people want to lose weight and tone up. In this post I am going to give you an outline of rules to follow. In the future I will expand on this topic and give you tricks of the trade that trainers use to help their clients lose weight.

The first thing we need to talk about is under eating in an attempt to lose weight. Your body needs food. Its like gas in the car. If you don’t have it, then you don’t go! The easiest way to judge whether you are getting enough substance (notice I didn’t say quantity) of food is your energy level. Why starve and feel horrible.

Next we need to discuss how many times a day you should eat. You have probably heard that you should eat small meals frequent throughout the day. That is correct but realize that if you eat once a day and tomorrow you plan on eating 7 times, it may be a lot to handle. Try this progression. Start by solidifying breakfast, lunch , and dinner. Proteins, carbohydrates, and healthy fats ( we’ll talk more about this later). After you can eat 3 meals a day that you would not be embarrassed to tell your trainer about start adding a small snack in between and lunch, and lunch and dinner.  When this is feasible, start making the calories of these meals equal and add a small snack before bed (usually very lean proteins with little carbs). This may take some time to accomplish feeling good with 6 meals a day but it is obtainable for all!

Realize too that no one is expected to eat perfect and never cheat. I use an 80/20 rule. Eat as perfect as you can 80% of the time, and be more relaxed with your choices 20% of the time. This is not a pass go, collect $200 free pass to freak out. This is a chance for you to get your cravings out of the way so you don’t cheat more often. If you need to lose a considerable amount of weight I recommend you have a cheat meal instead of a cheat day if possible. If you have been working on your nutrition for a while, I would structure your cheat day to be on events like birthdays, holidays, concerts, and other special occasions that will take you out of your norm.

What are good foods? Depends on who you ask right. Lets look at the basics. Proteins are typically but not limited to meat, fish, poultry, cheese, eggs, and milks. A serving of protein is assumably 3oz of meat, 1.5oz of cheese, and 8oz of milk. Each meal you eat should include a portion of protein. No excuses! We’ll talk about why more in depth in another post soon. Next, carbohydrates are broken into simple carbs (sugars) and complex carbs (starches and fibers). We prefer complex carbs like vegetables, whole grains, and legumes to simple carbs like cakes and cookies, sugary beverages, etc… You goal is to have 1 serving of carbohydrates at each meal as well. 1 slice of bread, 1/2 cup of oats, 1 cup of veggies, or 1 medium fruit. With carbohydrates, variety is the key to get a wide range of nutrients. Last but not least, fats are necessary to your diet. Try to limit fats to monounsaturated fats like olive oil and avocado or polyunsaturated fats like Soybean oils. Guess what, butter is fat, salad dressings and mostly fats, pizza has huge fat content. Be aware of what you put in your body!

Like many topics, we have barely touched on nutrition and eating healthy. But you have to have the basics before you can grow into something more. When you are looking at your options for meals, ask yourself what would Ryan pick or what would my trainer think about my choice. It will open your eyes. The worst thing you can do to yourself is to know better but do it anyway. Hold yourself to a higher standard. By doing this you will see results far beyond anything you can do in the gym alone. You MUST take actions today to be better tomorrow, but know that I don’t expect anyone to be perfect immediately. I just want you to improve everyday. So work hard, have fun, and thank you for making fitness your lifestyle!

Alcohol in energy drinks?

I was coming home from the gym a couple of days ago and someone called in to join a discussion about how energy drinks are bad for you. He said that there have been reports of major companies adding alcohol to their popular drinks. According to the caller, from 7 to 9% in some cases. This was to increase the euphoriaeffect while having the drink and also adding addictive capabilities to the beverage.

Now I couldn’t find these exact numbers online, however, there is quite a bit of information online about this. Most of it pertains to children being able to legally buy these drinks at any corner store. Now, I’m not even going to get started about how I feel everytime I see a 12 yr old child drinking a monster as big as his head. Anyway, I found this all very interesting and unfortunately not surprising at all.

Sports Drinks are not regulated by the FDA. A lot of people get confused on this one, so here we go. On the content list on regulated foods, there is a percentage of what is included in the item. Being regulated means that it is what it says it is. That it is randomly tested and contents are quality. Sports supplement companies have been getting around these regulations because supplements are not regulated. So these energy drinks can have a variety of levels and potencies of these supplements. In fact, the only testing done by these companies is by internal reviews. 

So I challenge you. I challenge you to be aware of what you put in your body on your way to becoming fit and healthy. Do the risks out way the benefits? Are you educated on what your body needs to reach your goals? If not I highly recommend you get yourself educated. Leave me a comment with your questions and I will be glad to get you started.

Pregnancy and Fitness

This post hits close to home for me today. My wife and I found out we are pregnant with our first child this week. We are very excited for the future and the child we have been blessed with. This kind of news does change many things about our lives and especially how our personal fitness goals change. The guys out there know exactly how I feel, but my wife’s goals are now mine. I do however, have the opportunity to train my wife in the gym and monitor our nutrition and lifestyle away from the gym. I am up for the challenge!

Now, I am not a MD. I am only giving a recollection of things that I have learned from clients, personal research and my certifications along the way. So consider this a disclaimer, talk to your Doctor and find out what is best for your needs. If you are willing and able to meet with me to discuss options in your gym training, I would be more than happy to help you along the way and make sure you are safe and proper. I feel confident in my abilities to train my own wife, and I can help you be pregnant and fit!

With all that being said, Training during pregnancy is complex. You didn’t need me to tell you that. But fitness during pregnancy can help mood, energy levels, sleep, self confidence, etc. etc. Above all its is about the new baby’s health and your own. As far as exercise routines go I have had clients that have been very active in the gym before their pregnancy and continued to do the same routines their entire pregnancy. Other clients feel almost immediate fatigue and its all they can do to make it to the gym. The important thing is reading your body and communicating.

Next, get a heart rate monitor! 140 beats per minute has always been the golden rule. Most women can tell when they reach the 140 number because they feel dizzy and out of breath. It is easier as a trainer to be able to have a heart rate monitor with a digital watch read out so it is easy to monitor.

Some of the technical things like exercise prescriptions are only properly done on a case by case basis. For example if I was training you and could see exactly how you move and assess the risks of the specific exercises. Yes, all exercises have risks! However, general rules are typically no squatting or activity that puts pressure on the cervix and crunches will be phased out in beginning of the first trimester. In fact, after the 1st trimester, absolutely no exercise where you are lying flat on your back. These floor exercises can decrease blood flow to baby and mom.

Some other things most people don’t associate with pregnancy are sprains and strains. The body is releasing increased doses of hormones that can make joints more susceptible to injury. Again, another reason to have a qualified trainer to monitor you workouts.

And here is the kicker, eating for two is only an idea. MOST suggestions say 300 to 500 calories extra a day is plenty for safe development and proper nutrition granted you are eating a healthy diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables. If you are not in the habit of eating a fruit or vegetable at each meal, now is a perfect time to start right! You know what healthy foods are, but above that, pregnant women need to stay away from raw meats (and cats, so I hear) because of a specific parasite that may cause baby to have heart trouble. Again consult your MD for details but no sushi or raw fish and wash thoroughly if you have any contact with raw meats.

When this is all said and done I have not even scratched the surface of what all is included about training during pregnancy. It is imperative that you listen to your doctors and listen to your body! If you have more questions about training during pregnancy please dont hesitate to leave a comment or contact the club to schedule a free session with me. I am here to help! In turn all advice those of you may have for me on my upcoming child would be greatly appreciated as well.

Ryan Dobbs, CPT

Why People Use A Personal Trainer

Over my 7 years as a personal trainer I have the opportunity to train hundreds of clients. Everyone has come to me by different means. Some were referrals from past clients, some were reffered by their doctor, and some walked into the gym because today is finally the day to make a change. Whatever the reason, they all signed up to train with me for the same thing, Results!

You see, as a trainer, I take the guess work out of the equation. I structure your workouts based on your goals and needs. The times are always convenient because I set my schedule around you. So when you come to your appointment everything is already done. You recieve hands on tutorials of exactly how to perform the exercise. Not to mention constant supervision of form. I monitor all your rest times and how hard you need to be working. In a sense, we are working smarter not harder!

One of the most overlooked aspects of the personal training experience is learning how to spend their time away from the gym. All my clients receive nutritional counseling and recipes of healthy food ideas. We find ways to eat properly no matter what the situation and at what restaurant you find yourself at. We also find fitness activities that the whole family can enjoy. Whether you family is 2 or 10, there are plenty of things that can jump start your success right outside your front door.

My clients pay for results. And those results include much more than just working out. To my clients success is a lifestyle. It is becoming fitness minded in everything that you do. So now its your turn, If you have a goal or a reunion or an event in your future, now is the time. Now is the time to leave the past behind and become better starting right now.  Martin Luther King Jr. once said “Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step. ” Take the first step in finding the new you! Call for an appointment today!

Ryan Dobbs, CPT