Atlas Fitness Center Health and Nutrition

Note: This section of the Atlas Fitness Center/Gino’s Gym web page will be devoted to providing sound information about Health, Fitness and Nutrition. A wide variety of topics (ranging from Benefits of Strength Training to What Causes Muscle Cramps to Nutritional Tips) will be posted on this page. Health and Nutrition articles and books will also be reviewed. (Sources will be listed.) Also included will be healthy recipes. Please submit your questions or comments pertaining to Health, Fitness and Nutrition to: ginosgym@yahoo.com.

Article #2, Feb. 2010 -- Think Before Starting Fitness Program

Prior to starting a fitness or wellness program, one may want to reflect on some, or all, of these variables: motivation, goal(s), age, current level of health and conditioning, active/inactive status (how long has it been since embarking on a fitness regimen?), availability of time/schedule, level of commitment to the program, and injuries and risk factors (if applicable).

For now, let’s focus on goal setting. The majority of folks who start a fitness program usually want to accomplish one of two things: lose weight (translates into shedding excess fat) or gain weight (associated with increase in strength, size, lean muscle tissue, etc.). Other reasons include physician’s recommendations (lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol readings, improve bone density, etc.), rehabilitate an injury, improve basic fitness and feel better.

In the initial stages of a fitness program (and that could be several months to a year) it’s important to have specific goals in mind before joining a health club or beginning a self-designed exercise program.

A hazy goal is an invitation to early failure. A "fuzzy goal" could be: "I need to lose some weight" or "I want to tone up." A well-thought out, specific goal would be: "I plan to lose 10 pounds in three months" or "My goal is to reduce my body fat percentage from 25% to 20% in four months."

Several tools and assessments are available to help you set goals. One of the easiest to perform is a circumference measurement. Using a flexible tape measure, the girth measurements of determined anatomical sites are recorded. Common sites measured include: chest, waist, thighs, calf and arm. The idea is to record the measurements on a start date with a follow up measurement in three to six months. In this case, a specific goal would be: "Reduce (or gain) the measurement in the thigh from x amount to x amount in a three month period."

Another simple assessment is body weight, although, at times body weight can be deceiving. A skinfold (body fat) test using calipers can be a powerful assessment for use in goal setting. A personal trainer or fitness specialist applies calipers at determined anatomical sites (back of arm, abdominal, thigh) and measures the skinfold. Using the measurements, the trainer then provides the subject an approximate body fat percentage. (Recommendations for ideal or healthy body fat are: 12-17% for men and 18-22% for women.) Once your trainer has provided you with your approximate body fat percentage, you can create your own goal: "reduce my body fat percentage from 25% to 20% in four months." Finding a reputable personal trainer or fitness consultant is recommended for assessments.

Once a specific goal has been identified ("lose 10 pounds in 3 months"), the next step would be educated implementation of the training regimen. Through either your own studies/research or the help of a personal trainer, it is important to consider the frequency, intensity, duration and mode of the intended training regimen. This means knowing how many days a week to train, types of exercises, length of training sessions, correct equipment and use of equipment, and how hard to train. Ignoring these guidelines could lead to injury, overtraining and burnout.

Individuals who start a program have a greater success rate if they can remain compliant with their program for at least three months. Once again, it boils down to going into an exercise program with a concrete goal and training intelligently. If you see and feel progress you will most likely enjoy and experience a sense of excitement and elation as days and workouts progress. If it feels like work and drudgery, something is wrong. As time progresses, your goals can become a bit more general: make it to the gym at least three times a week, run in a road race this summer, don’t gain back the weight I lost, set a new record in my bench press.

Keeping a fitness journal can provide you invaluable help as you start your exercise program and identify your goals. In your journal you can post your workouts, highlight new records and accomplishments, write down body measurements and other assessments, chronicle your ups and downs and analyze the nutritional component of your program.

Having mentioned nutrition, this is perhaps the most critical, yet often overlooked facet of a training regimen. Without sound nutritional habits, the efforts and time of exercise could be stalemated. It is worth your time to learn about the role nutrition can play in helping you reach your goals, keeping you healthy and fit and energizing you for grueling two hour workouts or brief 20 minute walks.

In summary, before starting an exercise program: have specific goals in mind about what you seek to achieve; if possible get a physical assessment, be educated about your program’s frequency, intensity, duration and mode; recognize that the ability to stay with your program for at least three months usually results in extended compliance; keep a fitness journal; and understand the role that nutrition plays in your overall health.

Consult your physician prior to starting a fitness program if you: have had recent coronary or metabolic problems, surgery, are a smoker or are 40 and over and have been sedentary for more than a year.

Article #1, Dec. 2009 -- To Eat or Not to Eat?

The first posting relates to Nutrition. One of the most pondered nutritional questions is: Should I eat before exercising and, if so when and what should I eat?

Nancy Clark, one of the country’s top sports nutritionists, has some valuable answers to the questions (Clark is the author of “Sports Nutrition Guidebook”. Check Amazon or your favorite bookstore for the book). In a recent article published in American Fitness (March/April 2009), Clark says that eating 100 to 300 calories of a pre-exercise snack, even 5 minutes prior to exercise, enhances performance; assuming your workout will be maintained for more than 30 minutes and that you can tolerate pre-exercise food (How much is 400 calories? That’s equivalent to a bowl of wheat cereal with milk and a banana).

In the article, Clark gave results from a study where athletes (bikers) improved their performance by as much as 20 percent with a pre-exercise meal/snack. Clark goes on to say that even if your workout lasts less than an hour, you should still eat a pre-exercise snack and drink water. What to eat and when? Clark gives several examples of fueling for exercise. If you workout in the morning, Clark recommends a banana before the workout, then refuel AFTER the workout with the rest of your breakfast (bagel, cereal, yogurt, etc.). If you exercise at lunch, she says, eat half your sandwich before your workout and the rest of lunch after exercising. For an afternoon or late evening workout, have a granola or carb bar or graham crackers pre-exercise and then refuel with chocolate milk afterwards. Pre-fueling (and post-fueling) works! If you’ve been struggling with limited energy during workouts, take a look at your nutritional habits. (Other problems could include overtraining, stress and not getting enough rest/recuperation time. Those topics will be covered on later dates.)

Again, if you have a question that you would like researched and answered, email: ginosgym@yahoo.com.