Weight loss is food.....not exercise.

One of the biggest challenges I see day in and with individuals looking to lose weight is that they are focusing too much on exercise, and not enough on food. Weight loss is food and fluid intake, period. Yes of course exercise helps, and we should obviously be exercising regardless if we have weight too lose, but the majority of individuals who take out gym memberships, they’re looking to lose weight, and they’re driving their energy down the wrong road.

When one joins a health and fitness club, for the most part they’re looking to lose weight. What happens though is that they sit down with a trainer and talk about their exercise habits. Sure there is talk of diet and nutrition, but most of the trainers don’t know too much about diet or simply don’t address it enough. The basic advice is usually, “Try and be careful with what you’re eating.” There usually isn’t any food diary administered and an accurate assessment of calorie intake as well as carbohydrate, fat, and protein analysis.

This is why dieticians and nutritionists should be employed in health clubs as it is food that is the problem. Let me give you an example. If you look at food and exercise in terms of calories you’ll see why food and fluids should be address first. If you ate a snack such as a chocolate bar and a coke, that averages about 350 calories. To expend that many calories through exercise, you would have to run for about 25mins, depending on the intensity. Which is easier? Running for 25mins or not eating a chocolate bar and coke?

Men and women are consuming too many calories above their recommended daily allowance; they’re eating approx 1000 kcals more daily. It is for sure easier to reduce your calorie intake than it is having to exercise more. Always think about food in terms of exercise calories, it will put things into perspective. Three pints of beer is about 600 kcals, a few glasses of wine will be over 300 kcals. Some of the meals were consuming are over an incredible 1000 kcals!

If weight loss is your goal, it will all come down to your food and fluid intake and the types of foods you are eating, bottom line. Remember even if the food is small, it may well be energy dense and hold a lot of calories. Control what you’re eating and you will reach your ideal weight.

Remember you create you habits, and then your habits will create you!

How Strength Training can Reduce or Eliminate Back Pain!

There was an interesting study published recently in the American College of Sports Medicine journal that looked at how strength training reduces or eliminates back pain. The study looked at 240 men and women who didn’t have any major problems with their backs such as injuries to the vertebrae or surgery etc. but they did have back pain associated with muscular injuries, I’ve had a few clients come to me with this type of problem before. Normally people with back pain take pain killers and rest, but rest causes muscles to become weakened and if you stay in bed they will become stiff. In this study people who had back pain started a strengthening program exercising the back, chest and legs. Back pain was reduced and strength increased through all three exercises which is an important factor worth considering. By strengthening the muscles in your body you can then tolerate daily physical activities much better and fatigue will not be produced as quickly. Stress will not be placed on your back if your legs are strong and your upper body is strong.

The take home message from this study is that if you injure the muscles in your back do not stop exercising. Keep strengthening the major muscle groups with lighter weights and lower repetitions and progress throughout the weeks. Obviously you wouldn’t start lifting heavy weights with a back injury, the key is progression.