FITNESS 101: THE TRUTH ABOUT EATING BEFORE BED
Audra Yocom is a certified personal trainer based out of Los Angeles and Las Vegas, who brings you monthly fitness tips and helps us to disspell those myths we’ve all been subjected to regarding fitness at one point or another in our battle with the bulge. To learn more about Audra or to inquire about training sessions visit her site http://audrayocom.com.
As a personal trainer I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve heard people say proudly, “I always make sure I don’t eat after seven o’clock.” As if this, in and of itself, is some sort of critical piece of the puzzle to losing weight– and it always makes me chuckle. This concept plays a very minor role in weight loss and may even serve to hinder your fitness goals. What matters most for weight loss is consistently burning more calories than what you take in.
According to Nutrition: The Complete Guide by John Berardi, PhD and Ryan Andrews, MS/MA, RD, eating small meals every 2 – 4 hours stimulates metabolism, regulates blood sugar levels, and helps maintain body mass. It also explains that if the 2-4 hour time frame happens to fall right before bed, you should eat regardless of what you have heard to the contrary. PJ Glassey (author of Cracking Your Calorie Code) has some great suggestions on foods to eat before bed (see link http://pjfit.com/?p=123) that can actually boost your fat burning ability while you sleep such as whey protein and organic cottage cheese.
Studies do show people who eat infrequently and wait until late at night after eating little all day tend to eat more when they finally do eat. In addition, they tend to eat higher calorie foods that are quicker to get or easier to prepare such as: fast food, fried food, frozen pizza, or vending machine food. These behaviors are partly to blame for the misconception that eating right before bed can cause weight gain. Keep in mind that when your body thinks it’s starving (which it tends to do when you go several hours without eating) it stores fats and carbohydrates from your next meal to use as fuel later, because it’s preparing for another fast. Just imagine what this does to your body when you go for that greasy burger after seven or eight hours without food. The flip side to your body storing fats to use as fuel later is when your body depletes all its fat store reserves and starts using muscle in its place.
This brings us to the next argument: Muscle catabolism.
Muscle catabolism is when the body breaks down muscle for fuel. When the body doesn’t have enough fats and carbohydrates to use as an energy source it will then break down muscle in its place. Remember, the more muscle you have the quicker and more efficiently you burn fat, so when your body is burning up its own muscle there’s a slight conflict of interest. I know of trainers who actually have heavily-training clients wake up in the middle of the night to eat a lean snack just to avoid muscle catabolism. By eating the right foods before going to bed you actually help your body’s metabolism process continue using the fat and carbohydrate fuel sources instead of the muscle fuel sources during an all night fast. Eating the proper snack before bed time can also help you sleep better, which is proven to help your body maintain proper hormone levels and, in turn, helps maintain a healthier body weight.
Things to remember:
- For weight loss you must consistently consume fewer calories per day than you are burning
- Eat every 2 – 4 hours even if that happens to fall right before bed time
- Stay away from greasy and sugary foods before bed (go with more protein, less carbohydrate as it gets later)
- Avoid muscle catabolism
- Get the recommended 7 – 8 hours of sleep as consistently as possible
References:
Nutrition: The Complete Guide by John Berardi , PhD & Ryan Andrews, MS/MA, RD pg. 335-336
“Eating Before Bed and Gaining Weight”: http://www.livestrong.com/article/87749-eating-before-bed-gaining/
Pubmed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11255140
“Protein Foods to Eat Before Bed to Delay Metabolism While Sleeping”: http://www.livestrong.com/article/286044-protein-foods-to-eat-before-bed-to-delay-metabolism-while-sleeping/
“Sleep Yourself Skinny and Eat Yourself Thin”: http://pjfit.com/?p=123
FITNESS 101: MACHINES vs. DUMBBELLS
Audra Yocom is a certified personal trainer based out of Los Angeles and Las Vegas, who brings you monthly fitness tips and helps us to disspell those myths we’ve all been subjected to regarding fitness at one point or another in our battle with the bulge. To learn more about Audra or to inquire about training sessions visit her site http://audrayocom.com.
Most health and fitness professionals agree dumbbells reign supreme over machines. Each workout method does, however, serve its purpose. When training my clients I prefer using dumbbells or free weights over machines when possible, but I find I can’t eliminate machines altogether especially if my client has injuries to compensate for. Before we dive too deep into this though let’s first take a broad look at some of the advantages and disadvantages of each: (more…)
Fitness 101 with Audra Yocom – Finding Your Target Heart Rate (THR)
by Audra Yocom
Audra Yocom is a certified personal trainer based out of Burbank, CA and will be bringing you monthly fitness tips and helping us to disspell those myths we’ve all been subjected to regarding fitness at one point or another in our battle with the bulge. To learn more about Audra or to inquire about training sessions visit her site www.audrayocom.com.
Target heart rates and their use in fitness ignite a lot of controversy amongst fitness professionals. Some schools of thought believe you should forget your target heart rate altogether and concentrate on burning more calories in a day than you consume. Other schools of thought say to focus on staying in the fat burn zone (around 60 – 65% of your target heart rate) because a higher percentage of fat calories are burned in this zone. My experience as a trainer and as an avid indoor cyclist has led me to the conclusion that being mindful of my target heart rate (THR) is actually very important not only in losing weight but also in achieving multiple levels of cardiovascular fitness. I have been taking indoor cycling classes for several years. I thoroughly enjoy them, but I have to admit that I never really experienced much transformation in my outward appearance when doing these classes. I also noticed that most of my fellow cycling buddies in my favorite cycling class never changed much over the years we were taking the classes together. We didn’t mind much because most of us were just addicted to the endorphin high and euphoria we experienced during and after the class, but over time it did start to make me wonder. Eventually my love for indoor cycling led me to seek my spinning certification and that is where I first learned about incorporating my heart rate into my aerobic regimen and also about using energy zones. I started using a heart rate monitor and eventually even bought my own spinning bike. It wasn’t until I started incorporating these methods into my aerobic practice that I began to notice significant changes in my appearance and in my cardiovascular ability.
There are a few different ways to determine your target heart rate. I’m going to show you two different methods and you can decide for yourself which one you feel is best.
Method 1
Karvonen Method
220
-___ Subtract Age
____Predicted, age-adjusted maximum
-___ Subtract resting heart rate*
____ Heart rate reserve
x___ Multiply by exercise intensity of 60 – 80%
____
+___ Add resting heart rate back in
____ Target heart rate (beats/minute)
* Resting heart rate can be determined by taking your heart rate for a full minute upon waking up and before getting out of bed
Example:
220
-32 Subtract age
188 Predicted, age-adjusted maximum
-70 Resting heart rate
118Heart rate reserve
x .70 (heart rate intensity of 70%)
111
+70 Adding resting heart rate back in
181 Target heart rate bpm (beats per minute)
Method 2
Age-Predicted Maximum Heart Rate
Male:
220 (max HR)
-30 (age)
190 predicted max
Female:
226 (max HR)
-30 (age)
196 predicted max
Both examples in Method 2 show the maximum heart rate. To find the target heart rate you would multiply the predicted max by the level of intensity you want to achieve. So for the female you would multiply 196 by say 75%. To achieve 75% of her max heart rate she would need to stay around 147 bpm. The rule of thumb with cardiovascular exercise is to stay between 60% and 85% of your predicted maximum heart rate. As a beginner who has led a fairly sedentary lifestyle you will want to stay toward the lower percentage range to start. As you get stronger and build a cardiovascular base for yourself you will want to increase your target heart rate to match your fitness level. Once you’ve built a solid base for yourself it’s time to start playing around with different intensity or energy zones. This is a good way to shock your body so you aren’t doing the same routine every time. These are the different energy zones I personally like to switch between:
Endurance 65% – 75% of your predicted max heart rate
Strength 75% – 85% of your predicted max heart rate
Interval 65% – 92% of your predicted max heart rate
So for example Tuesday I might do an endurance run on a treadmill or spinning bike. On Thursday I would do a strength cardio workout and on Saturday I would do an interval session. When training at an endurance or strength level you want to pick a heart rate somewhere between the lower and upper percentage and stay within 5 bpm of that number, but with the interval training you will do a long burst at the higher range and then go back down to the lower percentage, recover and then push back up to the higher percentage and repeat throughout your cardio session. Some weeks I may even stick to doing endurance for the week and then switching to strength training the next week. I like to constantly change my routine so my body never knows what’s coming next.
You can play around with these intensity levels and see what works for you. Every individual is different and it just takes some playing around to find your best strategy. I recommend buying a heart rate monitor so that at any given time you can look at it to see where your heart rate is instead of having to constantly stop your workout to check. Most monitors will allow you to set an upper and lower heart rate target. When your heart rate goes above or below the level you set it to it will beep to let you know you are no longer in your heart rate range. The best part about having a heart rate monitor for cardiovascular exercise is that it’s like having your own personal trainer with you at all times telling you whether or not you are working hard enough.
To learn more about Audra Yocom and her personal training services please visit her site at www.audrayocom.com.
FITNESS 101: Spring Cleaning w/Personal Trainer Audra Yocom
by Audra Yocom
Audra Yocom is a certified personal trainer based out of Burbank, CA and will be bringing you monthly fitness tips and helping us to disspell those myths we’ve all been subjected to regarding fitness at one point or another in our battle with the bulge. To learn more about Audra or to inquire about training sessions visit her site www.audrayocom.com
Spring cleaning? Yes, you heard me, spring cleaning. What’s that you say? You thought this was a fitness column? What’s spring cleaning got to do with fitness? Well, you cynics out there, you’re about to find out!
Let’s face it, New Years you resolve that this year you’re going to lose that extra ten pounds. Get organized. Answer all your e-mails in a timely manner. Send your thank you cards. Enter all those phone numbers you have written on little pieces of paper lying around. And of course, lose that extra ten lbs. Yes-sir-ree, this year your life will be running like a well oiled machine. And suddenly it’s March and your little pieces of paper are still scattered around the house. Your e-mails have started to pile up in your inbox again. The thank you cards are still in their store bought casing and that extra ten pounds on your body has turned into twelve. Sound familiar?
Don’t fret! It’s only March and you still have plenty of time to get organized and lose that extra weight in time to show off your new six-pack before summer is over. The best part is we’re killing two birds with one stone because your spring cleaning is incorporated into this fitness overhaul. We’re going to start with your fridge. Yep, clean it out. You know how all those “Get rid of clutter” books tell you to be relentless? This is no exception. GET RID OF IT. Yes, that means the regular mayonnaise, the leftover cake from your birthday, the sodium filled frozen dinners, and the left over pizza. Next you will do the same with the pantry.
Now it’s time to restock. You have probably heard before, or even noticed on your own, staying away from the aisles at the grocery store is key to picking out healthier foods. The aisles are where most of the junk, processed and starchy foods reside. Stick to the produce, meat and dairy sections to stock your fridge. Stay as close to nature as you can. Whole foods are always better than processed ones. Be sure you are getting a good mix of proteins, carbohydrates and healthy fats. Examples of good proteins would be chicken, nuts, turkey, tofu and eggs (without the yolk) while you are trying to lose the weight and lower cholesterol. New studies have shown that yolk is okay in moderation, but the key word is moderation. A couple websites to check out supporting this fact are as follows:
http://www.lhj.com/recipes/healthy/eating/eggs-tra-good-for-you/
http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/joe-weider/the-truth-about-egg-yolks.html
When searching for carbohydrates stick to ones that are lower on the Glycaemic index. If they are too high on the Glycaemic index they tend to lead to an increase in insulin levels and may eventually lead to an increase in body fat storage. There are many health books which contain Glycaemic indexes. It could be beneficial for you to check one out. You may be surprised at how high some foods (even vegetables) are on the GI index. A good source of carbohydrates would be baked beans, butter beans, chick peas, black eye beans, and whole meal spaghetti or porridge oats.
Finally, for fats try and stick to fats from omega-3 and omega-6 oils. A good example of these oils are; nuts, olive oils and fish oils.
Once you’ve finished shopping it’s time to go home, put everything away and make a nice snack for yourself. You’ll need your energy to keep you afloat for the next task.
After your snack, head to your bedroom and begin cleaning out your wardrobe. In the process find at least one outfit that’s been sitting there for god knows how many years. You know the one, the one you keep holding onto saying to yourself, ‘I am going to fit into that again one day.’ It’s the one you looked so good in at one time, but now every time you see it, it just reminds you of how you never lost the weight. Take that outfit and put it in your thrift store pile. 1) It isn’t doing you any good staring you in the face calling you a failure. 2) It’s probably out of style anyway. But the good news is that just like with your pantry and fridge you get to replace that failure outfit with a bright shiny new one. Assuming you like bright and shiny that is. This new healthy weight outfit is there to remind you of what you are working toward. We’ll wait on replacing the rest of the wardrobe until you’ve managed to reach your goal and get your new healthy self into your healthy new outfit.
Now that we’ve made a little extra room and cleared out some junk it’s time to redecorate. First thing is first. Start with the bathroom mirror or maybe a wall you will be sure to look at every day. Have a friend take a current picture of you and place a print out of it on the left side of that mirror, wall or space you have set aside for this exercise. Every two weeks take a new photo of your self and place it to the right of the previous photo. What we’re doing here is creating a visual timeline of your progress. If you want, you can even place an older healthier picture of yourself to the far right end of the timeline to keep you focused on your goal. If you don’t have one of those pictures take a photo of the body you are aiming for and place your face on it. Be realistic in picking the fit body, but also think aggressively. When I say be realistic I’m saying if you are 4’ 11” don’t use a picture of someone who is 6’ 1”. If you have a short torso, don’t pick someone who has a long one. There’s no point setting goals for yourself that are impossible to reach.
Now it’s time to take stock. Ask a friend or family member to help you with this next task. Find a tape measure, wear tight clothing and then have your friend or family member measure around your neck, bicep, bust line, forearm, waist, hips, upper thigh and calf. Invest in a small diary or notebook to write these measurements down. Next take that dreaded step on a scale and notate your weight here. Make sure to go through this same process every 2 weeks at the same time you take your timeline picture and notate the weight and measurement differences. In this journal you will also want to keep your daily food intake. The key with this part is not to cheat – you won’t be doing yourself any favors by leaving out that burger you ate at lunch! You will want to write everything in here and also write down what you are feeling when you decide to splurge and have that hot fudge sundae you weren’t suppose to. This will help you pinpoint triggers for your eating. You may just learn a few things about yourself in the process too!
Once you’ve gotten half way or even a quarter of the way to your goal reward yourself – within reason. Take yourself to a movie, get a pedicure, get a massage or just take time for yourself and read a book. If you notice I’m not mentioning high-calorie food rewards. Don’t get me wrong you have to allow yourself the occasional food reward. I’m just saying don’t go overboard otherwise you’re defeating the purpose! I can’t stress how important it is to reward yourself for your efforts along the way. Seeing your progress is definitely reward in and of itself, but the occasional small gift to yourself is always nice too. You would be amazed at how much positive reinforcement can help along your journey to success.
Finally, break out the planner or PDA and rearrange your schedule to make your fitness regime a top priority. Pick a minimum of 3 days a week and schedule an hour to an hour and half of those days to dedicate to training yourself. Below are a couple example training schedules:
3 day training schedule
|
M |
T |
W |
TH |
F |
S |
Sun |
|
20 – 30 minutes of cardio
Full Body Resistance Training |
OFF |
20 – 30 minutes of cardio
Full Body Resistance Training |
OFF |
20 – 30 minutes of cardio
Full Body Resistance Training |
OFF |
OFF |
6 day training schedule
|
M |
T |
W |
TH |
F |
S |
Sun |
|
Full Body Resistance Training |
20 – 45 minutes of cardio
|
Full Body Resistance Training |
20 – 45 minutes of cardio
|
Full Body Resistance Training |
20 – 45 minutes of cardio |
OFF |
Starting out, a lot of people find the 6 day training schedule works best for them. It’s less daunting than full body workouts followed or preceded by 20 – 30 minutes of cardio. Then again some of you may want to get it done in one go and don’t have enough time to go to the gym six days a week, hence, the three day schedule. Either way, find a schedule that works for you and stick to it! Treat it like an appointment with yourself. If you had an appointment with a trainer chances are you would get out of bed because you have made a commitment. Consider this a commitment you’ve made with yourself.
If you aren’t sure where to start when it comes to a full body work out, check in the area for a personal trainer near you for guidance. There are also some great books and videos for beginners. You can even find some videos on You Tube. Here’s a simple yet great beginner’s workout I found online:
http://exercise.about.com/cs/exbeginners/l/blbegstrength.htm
If you find it hard keeping yourself on a schedule or making yourself commit to your workout it may be time to sit down with a trainer. If you are strapped financially and can’t afford a trainer, see if you can negotiate a better price with one. If you have the time, maybe even offer a trade in services with the trainer or to assist them in gaining some clientele by advertising for them. Many trainers, including myself, offer a discount if you refer a client who signs up with them. In these tough economic times, you are likely to find trainers who are willing to negotiate a better price as well.
The main thing to remember when starting a new program is making it a habit. Many experts say it takes 21 days to make or break a habit. Others say 30 days to form a habit and 60 to break a habit. I prefer the idea of trading a bad habit for a better and healthier one. If your habit is to sleep in, make a new habit and get up a half hour earlier and take a jog. Just like forming a bad habit you can form a new and healthy one too. So put down that donut and go for a jog! Do your best and if you ever fall off your program don’t beat yourself up. There’s no point. We’re only human after all. Just stick to your schedule. If you miss a workout appointment, skip it and go on with your next scheduled workout appointment. Remember you are doing this for you. If you get bored with your current schedule switch it up. Instead of doing cardio in the gym get a group of people together and arrange a session of football or join a league for whatever sport you might be interested in. Chances are if you are bored, so is your body. Changing it up can help you get past a plateau in your weight loss. So make it fun and don’t give up. Your hard work (or play for that matter) will pay off in the end and when all is said and done you’ve got a clean house to boot!
Losing a Buck Twenty Five: Reinventing the Wheel
Losing a Buck Twenty Five is a weekly column that will document Cinderella Undercover’s quest to lose 125 lbs. You may also keep track of her progress at http://www.weightitout.com
Reinventing the Wheel
by: Cinderella Undercover
Nearly two months after my initial meeting with my trainer, and after a month of working out with her, it is now time to fully solidify the other portion of the diet and exercise program—the diet.
Most people on a rigorous weight loss program have to stick to a low calorie, low fat, and balanced diet– which is hard enough with a busy schedule that leaves room for little else besides fast food—but add a few medical maladies and you have a daily struggle with food that seems hopeless.
Because I have a digestion disorder known as Candida, and a medical condition which causes hypoglycemia, I have to be more concerned with what I eat than the average dieter.
Candida is a digestion imbalance of the yeast and good bacteria that aid digestion in the stomach. Without a balance, the yeast infects the digestion tract and prevents absorption of nutrients; spills toxins into the blood stream infecting other organs; and causes the sufferer to gain weight and crave sugars and starches on which the yeast feeds. Candidais most often caused by prolonged use of antibiotics, or large consumption of foods which contain large portions of the Candida albicans—such as breads, wine, beer, and other fermented products.
At age six, I suffered from cold and allergy symptoms that were caused–unbeknownst to my pediatrician–by pinched nerves from scoliosis. I was put on a heavy regimen of antibiotics for two years, after which I gained weight immediately. I remained a chunky kid into puberty where it was discovered I had another medical condition that caused hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia—or insulin resistance– is a condition where the body produces too much insulin.
Insulin is produced by the body to eat any excess blood sugar that has not been burned by activity. With hypoglycemia too much insulin is produced and stores sugar as fat. The blood sugar—the gasoline of the human body engine– remains low, causing hunger and fatigue. Eating foods high in sugar on the glycemic index causes the insulin to be produced in greater quantity, overworking the pancreas and thereby making senile diabetes more likely. Hypoglycemia requires frequent meals—about every three hours–made of balanced proteins and carbohydrates to maintain healthy blood sugars that keep the body functioning properly.
So where does this leave me? As far as food is concerned, the diet seems a bit bleak. Because of the Candida I cannot eat any foods with wheat (gluten), yeast, sugar, or fermentation—this means no breads, no wine, no beer, no nuts (except almonds); and no inorganic vegetables or meats. Dairy and fruit, because of their sugar content, are also limited to one serving a day. Because of the hypoglycemia, I have to eat constantly! Who has time for all of this?!
Having to constantly think about what to eat, what not to eat, and when to eat is utterly exhausting! Why do I have to have such regimented diet when others can just cut some calories?! My love/hate relationship with food is so exhausting that sometimes, I just say: “Screw it! I will eat whatever I want!”
I realize, however, I cannot have this attitude at this stage of the game if I want to actually lose weight, keep it off, and live a long, healthy life. I have to embrace my freakish diet needs if I truly want to become a fit, healthy person with a healthy weight. Everyone has his or her own crosses to bear in life, and this is mine—and it could be a lot worse, I tell myself. But, there are many, many days when I lament having freakish maladies that make me less than “normal.”
One such day, I was vociferating my disdain for “being different” and having to follow a diet that wasn’t “normal” when my nutritionist stopped me. She reached into her attaché, and pulled out a laminated sheet with the picture of what looked like a caveman on it. On the opposite side it showed in a cartoon, the progression of man from his cave dwelling days on up to his days behind the computer with a fast food drink in hand. The progression of man showed how man has gotten distinctively fatter over time, and finally obese due to our diet and inactivity.
My nutritionist raised the picture to show me and said “You see this guy? Anything he had to eat, you can eat—anything he didn’t, you can’t.” Great—I was going to eat like a caveman. I pictured horrible feasts of virtually raw bison—and, for the record I hate beef, so its cousin didn’t sound so appealing either. I sighed with disdain.
She went on to explain that man’s digestion—nay, man’s whole body system—has not changed since his early days, about 10,000 years ago. We as humans are not made for processed foods, chemicals, and preservatives. We are made for meat, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. We are not made for dairy, and sugar, and alcohol. We are made for water, and lots of it. She also explained that the caveman worked all day physically and awoke with the sun’s rise and slept with its set.
I looked at her with disbelief and slight disgust. No cheese? No Diet Coke? No Grey Goose? I tried to convince her that early man did in fact ferment potatoes and grain to make vodka for martinis—she was disinclined to concur. How was I supposed to eat nuts and berries and meat and go to sleep at sundown?! I couldn’t—I can’t! Sigh. We compromised.
I am to get at least eight hours of sleep each night and must work out each day. I have to eat five, three hundred calorie meals a day, made of lean protein and green veggies—two of which also need to include a serving of legumes. I can have dairy, fruit, and a whole grain once a day. I can drink organic green tea, and water—and that’s it—alcohol very, very sparsely.
Although this diet seems limiting, cumbersome, and hefty, I am somewhat relieved to know that I am not the freak of nature I thought I was—just a victim of man’s ingenuity, convenience, and gluttony gone awry—for 10,000 years!
In this modern world of convenience and comfort foods, this diet will be difficult to maintain, but I look forward to looking and feeling as nature intended—and after all, I’m keeping in mind that I am not reinventing the wheel—just myself.
Losing a Buck Twenty Five: Just Another Day, Part II
Losing a Buck Twenty Five is a weekly column that will document Cinderella Undercover’s quest to lose 125 lbs. You may also keep track of her progress at http://www.weightitout.com
Just Another Day Part II: Cinderella Undercover Meets Her Trainer
by: Cinderella Undercover
So it was only a few hours away from my twenty ninth birthday, and even fewer hours away from meeting the person who would hopefully save me from myself—my personal trainer.
I was excited, nervous, and intimidated about this whole idea, so naturally, I ate everything in sight, and smoked a half of a pack of cigarettes. I anxiously wondered if she would be one of those pretentious fitness types—you know the type—the skinny ones who don’t need to wear any make-up at all and still look fabulous—those types.
I wondered if she was used to working with affluent clientele that wanted to keep their bodies geared up for their next action thriller; or poolside holiday; or party at P-Diddy’s; and would shudder at the thought of training a poor, working stiff like me.
I wondered if she was one of those judgmental fitness-fanatics who would lend credence to stereotypes and preconceived notions of /about fat people—you know the type–the buff “hottie” who looks scathingly at overweight people while glibly ruminating how all of the stigmas fat people have to combat could be eliminated if fat people were to just put the fork down—one of those fitness types—they’re at every gym, fitness facility, yoga retreat, spin class, karate dojo; Pilates center, or kickboxing boot camp. They really are.
Preconceived notions aside, I mostly wondered if this trainer—my new super heroine—could reverse twenty four years of fatness? (more…)