Gravity Fx Fitness

Can eating a diet high in fiber increase your fat loss?  Let’s take a look.

Not long ago I wrote that I was trying to take in more fiber as part of my New Year’s resolutions to lose some bodyfat and eat healthier.  So I have been eating more fruits and vegetables, especially raw spinach, oranges, peaches, with some apples and pears thrown in.

A few years back I bought a book by Scott Connelly MD, the creator of the popular bodybuilding supplement Met-rx.  In this book Dr. Connelly promoted the typical bodybuilding diet of higher protein and small, frequent meals.

What caught my attention however, was his assertion of the fat burning effect of a diet high in fiber – something that I hadn’t remembered seeing before.

I’ve never been one for eating broccolli, cauliflower, green beans, etc., but at 6′4″ and 240+ it didn’t seem to stunt my growth.  Potatoes and salads with carrots, tomatoes and cucumbers has always been my best attempt at eating my veggies.

I recently added chia to my daily “diet” and have also started consuming ground flaxseed meal and raw almonds.  Besides containing plenty of fiber they also have other positive substances that are reported to enhance your overall health and immune system, such as Omega-3 fatty acids.

I definitely feel fuller with this new eating plan, but seem to be a little leaner even though I am eating plenty of food.  Maybe that’s the key to losing weight – eating plenty of the right kinds of foods and not so much processed garbage!

Just a thought.

I’ll admit that I enjoy my “comfort foods” just like the rest of you, I’m just eating a lot less of them recently and notice a difference in my physique and how I feel.

For what its worth, eating a diet high in fiber, Omega-3 fats, antioxidants, and lignans may reduce your risks of certain health issues like type II diabetes, heart disease and certain types of cancers – something you might wish to talk to your doctor about.

Just make sure you increase your fiber intake gradually to avoid any upset to your digestion system……and don’t forget to include plenty of movement into your week for optimal health and fitness.

Get moving!

Brian

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So what makes flex band resistance bands a great tool for core training?  Simple, every exercise becomes a “core exercise!”

Whether you are doing push/pull exercises in a standing position or some type of agility training, it stresses your midsection.  Instead of isolating your abs by doing crunches on the floor, you force your abs and back muscles to stabilize your spine while you are training your upper or lower body.

When doing a 1 arm pressing or rowing move you put a lot of stress on your obliques, strengthening your core in the process.  You are training all these muscles from every possible angle.

So whether you want flat abs, more yards on your golf drive, or a more athletic body, these resistance bands will get the job done.  They help to teach all your muscles to work together more efficiently.

Besides gaining a body that looks good and performs better, you achieve all this in the least amount of time spent – meaning a quicker, more efficient workout.

Training with them allows you to get more bang for your buck because they eliminate the need to do that 15 minutes abs class, then do seperate weight training and so on.

In most work or sports situations you are on your feet, so by training on your feet you will teach your abs to work with your upper and lower body.  It doesn’t matter how much force your legs can produce if your core can’t properly stabilize your spine.

Most of the time your midsection remains still or moves very little, while everything above or below is moving.  If you don’t care about being more athletic than you will enjoy the fact that the bands will flatten your midsection while spending the least amount of time exercising.

I personally like to combine them with sandbag exercises to hit them with plenty of intensity.  When you are pushing a band that provides 50-75 pounds of pressure, you have the same amount of resistance pulling you backwards.

This really trains all your muscles to work together as a unit – very efficient.

For more info on flex bands go to Resistance Band Training.

Get moving!

Brian

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So you’re wondering how exactly vibration training can help you lose fat?

Simple, the vibrations create reflexive muscle contractions of about 30 contractions per second.  That’s a whole lot of contractions! You also use exercise positions that involve several muscles at the same time, allowing you to work almost all of your muscles in a single session.

This allows you to get more work done in a shorter amount of time – which is the secret to getting fit for those who have busy lives and not a lot of time to exercise.

In most all strength (resistance) training, you are exercising your muscles  (using dumbbells, weight machines, bodyweight exercises) against the resistance of gravity, the exception is when using elastic resistance bands.

Whole body vibration platforms such as the Power Plate, increases the force of gravity through your body while your muscles are contracting.  This stimulates your metabolism, increases bone density, and increases the circulation of testosterone and natural growth hormone, which plays a large part in maintaining lean muscle tissue.

Lean muscle tissue usually decreases with age, if you don’t do some type of resistance training.  Less muscle = slower metabolism!  So obviously you need to do some resistance training to keep from gaining weight.

I like to combine vibration training with different dumbbell exercises, sandbags, and flex band resistance bands.  So I will do a circuit, alternating from one upper body exercise to another, going from a pushing exercise to a pulling exercise.

I may do these in a circuit with lower body exercises to work all my muscles in one session, creating a fast, efficient workout that keeps my heart rate elevated the entire time.

This type of workout is the key to losing weight if you don’t have a lot of time to exercise.  Intense resistance training can boost your metabolism for up to 24 hours after you are done exercising!

Get moving!

Brian

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Never seen a shoe with individual pockets for each of your toes?  Well, I just bought a pair called the Vibram Five Fingers and I’ll soon tell you why.

Not long ago I was reading an article about a coach who used these “shoes” to reduce the hip pain that he had been dealing with for about a year.  During this time he saw doctors, massage therapists, and physical therapists, with noone really having any answers.

He decided to give them a try after going to a strength training seminar on kettlebells and seeing them on some of the other participants.  After a week of using these shoes, he noticed his baby toes were now gripping the floor and no longer “sleeping.”

At the end of the week his hip pain was significantly improved.  Your feet and ankles are linked to how your hips function.  The idea of wearing the five fingers is to strengthen the muscles of your feet, improving how well everything further up the chain works.

Shoes that are too rigid or too cushioned can weaken the muscles of your feet, as they don’t have to do as much work as they would otherwise.

I’ve had some problems with my right hip and have a slight bunion on my right foot.  I’m trying to see if these shoes will help.  My baby toes seem to always curl under the toes next to them and I have had some slight balance issues when standing on one leg, in the past.

So I bought my pair yesterday and have been wearing them inside for a few hours at a time.  Getting all your toes into the individual pockets can be a little tricky the first time, especially the last two toes.

The second day was a little easier to get them on.  I wore them during my workout today and they feel a little strange at first, but you get used to them.

The idea is that by stretching out your toes, they will all have to do plenty of work as you walk.  They could be used during yoga or pilates classes, joint mobility training, or weight (resistance) training.  Though, you might get some strange looks or whispers when lifting at the gym.

Since I don’t train at a large commercial facility it doesn’t matter – but I frequently do exercises outside of the mainstream, anyway, so I don’t care how silly these red shoes might look on my size 13’s.

I’ll keep you posted on any changes that might occur.

Get moving!

Brian

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A few days ago I decided to take a walk in the snow to change things up and spend a little time outdoors.  After all, it was a balmy 20 degrees – pretty warm compared to last weeks minus 20 degree temps.

While I love spending time in the outdoors, I would prefer to be walking on a beach right now, but that’s wishful thinking.  So I bundled up and went walking through a wooded area nearby.  Its kind of a “cool” experience walking through the snow with almost no noise to be heard.

Walking up and down hills in the snow is a pretty good workout, especially when you’re 240 lbs.  Despite the relatively cold weather I had a pretty good sweat going by the time I finished.  So I got my cardio in without the need for a long, boring walk on the treadmill.

Not saying that treadmills are bad, but there’s a reason that many end up collecting dust or as a clothes hanger in someone’s basement. Bottom line – find something to do that you enjoy or at least tolerate.

For a look at one of my recent winter workouts involving flex bands and sandbags, check out these videos.

Get moving!

Brian

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Not long ago, I attended a seminar with a top spine researcher. This doctor of spine biomechanics, Dr. Stuart McGill, has a lab where he does research on what causes low back pain.

He has people coming from all over the world to see if he can help them with their pain. Often, these people have been to several doctors prior to this, with few results.

In this lecture on spine stability, he brought up some interesting facts on exercise and back pain.

Have you been told that you should do your situps with your knees bent to take pressure off your back? Doesn’t make much difference. In fact, most people shouldn’t be doing situps at all!

Seems that several soldiers are coming back from Iraq with back problems. What is one of their physical training tests? Timed situps – how many can you do in a minute or two.

What is the problem? Simple, this is not what your abs (stomach) were meant to do. It creates an imbalance between the muscles on the front and back of the body.

Your abs are meant to help stabilize your spine and you need to train them to do that. Herniated discs can be a result of this repeated flexion (bending). So obviously, if you have had problems with your low back, you would want to avoid doing situps and crunches.

Another point was having adequate mobility. Some times your back hurts because certain areas such as your hips and pelvis lack proper flexibility.  Your hips need to be both flexible and strong at the same time.  A lack of flexibility in the hips can cause your lumbar spine to rotate too much.

And oh yes, posture! Poor posture places unnecessary stress on the joints, as your muscles are fighting against gravity, working harder than they need to. Good posture places you in a more mechanically efficient position.

While he didn’t go into too much detail on flexibility and mobility, you should already know my philosophy – we each need a proper blend of mobility and stability – the ability to be flexible and strong at the same time. The researcher believes that your lumbar spine (low back) isn’t meant to be flexible, but stable.

One other interesting note, he said that back strength doesn’t necessarily prevent you from having back issues. The endurance of the muscles surrounding and stabilizing the spine is more important.

A good exercise to strengthen your abdominal wall is the front plank.  “Brace” your abs as you hold this position for 10-30 seconds without letting your stomach sag towards the floor.  You can do the modified version from your knees to make this exercise easier.

Get moving!

Brian

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Never heard of chia seeds before? They are high in antioxidants, fiber and Omega-3 fatty acids, making them a great supplement to your diet. In fact, they are the highest plant source of Omega-3 fats, which are important for your brain and heart health.

Essential fatty acids are also beneficial to your immune system and overall health. This plant was cultivated by the ancient Aztecs and considered a “power food.”

For those trying to lose weight in the New Year, their high fiber content can help by adding a feeling of fullness, possibly keeping you from overeating.

It slows down the digestion of carbohydrates which can help you avoid sugar spikes and the “roller coaster” energy levels that occur when you eat too many carbs.

I’d heard of them before and someone recently mentioned them to me, so I decided to give them a try. I mix them in with my protein drink and let them sit for a few minutes before drinking this mixture.

They have kind of a soft, gelatinous feel and don’t really taste like much of anything when consumed in this manner. They make you feel full and within a few hours you might be heading to the restroom, if you know what I mean.

If nothing else, this high fiber addition should add some healthy benefits, but you can’t overlook the high antioxidant content, either. One label I read stated that they contain more antioxidants than blueberries.

As I mentioned before, my New Year’s resolution is to eat better. I’ve got a pretty good handle on the exercise part, but this has always been a weakness of mine.

As I’ve added more fruits and vegetables into my diet, I’ve also added more fiber and healthy fat sources. Don’t be scared of consuming fat from a good source like chia seeds, fish, flaxseeds, olive oil, coconut oil, or avocadoes.

We need to take in fats, just try and concentrate on making them healthy choices, like those high in Omega-3’s.

Oh yeah, since I’ve cut out most of the processed sugar (high-fructose corn syrup) from my “diet” and made better choices, I’ve noticed I feel better and have better energy levels. Now if I can just get a little more sleep, everything will be great.

Get moving!

Brian

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In light of Oprah’s much publicized weight gain, maybe she should follow the lead of fellow celebs like Madonna and Martha Stewart.

What am I referring to…….using whole body vibration training for a fast and efficient workout.  These vibration platforms, such as the Power Plate, are used by Heidi Klum, Hillary Swank, George Clooney, and Clint Eastwood, among others.

Already big in Europe, this cutting edge training device allows you to get a full body workout in 30 minutes or less.  They are being used in rehab and wellness clinics, healthclubs, and in athletic training centers, including use by professional and college athletes.

Ultimately, most of us, including Oprah have busy lives and limited amounts of time to exercise – which makes it difficult for most to stick with an exercise routine that requires several hours a week to get results.

These platforms send vibrations through your muscles, creating reflex muscle contractions that occur around 30 times per second, depending on the frequency setting.  These muscle contractions can increase strength and bone mass, as well as increasing your levels of fat burning hormones and increasing your circulation in the process.

Basically, these time efficient machines produce a number of fitness and wellness “effects.”

I’ve had mine for over a year and combine it with the use of dumbbells, resistance bands (flex bands), sandbags, and bodyweight exercises.  It can help with your flexibility and is a great warmup tool.  Clint Eastwood likes to use his before playing golf.

In fact, it is being used by several pro golfers and currently is available in the fitness van on the PGA tour.

But with a nation of aging Baby Boomers and ever expanding waist lines, its use as a fat loss and wellness tool may be its greatest potential.  For those who despise exercise, it offers the ability to get in a quick workout so that they can get on with life and doing things they enjoy.

I enjoy training and get restless if I don’t get enough movement in my day.  I realize however, that not everyone else shares my love of exercise, yet they still need the health and fitness benefits that are part of an active lifestyle.

For these people, vibration training might be the solution.

Get moving!

Brian

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Are your workouts keeping you on the right path to weight loss so far?  I’ll share some tips to help keep you on the “straight and narrow” road.

Recently I was talking with someone about her exercise program.  She said that she went to the healthclub and had to wait for 15 minutes in order to find a parking space!  Apparently many people had taken their New Year’s resolutions seriously.

Then someone else commented to just wait another month and there will be more available parking spaces as people “fall off the wagon.”  Meaning that most people won’t stick with their new found exercise regimen.

So why is it that so many well intentioned people fail to meet their goals?  Let’s take a look.

One of the biggest issues in my opinion is the time factor.  You go to the gym or healthclub and you are usually told that you have to do your weight training.  Very good advice.  Gaining lean muscle tissue through strength training is crucial to elevating your metabolism.

When you do resistance training, your muscles incur microscopic damage and the repair that follows can keep your metabolism elevated for several hours afterwards, sometimes for 24 hours or so, depending on how intensely you worked them.

Obviously, this increased metabolic rate will burn more calories and more fat!

So doing weight (resistance) training is pretty good advice. Next you will hear that you need to do cardiovascular exercise to burn fat. You are told that you need to spend 30-60 minutes on the treadmill, stationary bike, stepper, or elliptical machine at a steady pace in your “fat burning zone.”

While this mythical fat burning zone is greatly overrated, you will burn calories while doing this cardio exercise.

So let’s add up the amount of time spent so far.  You may have spent 5-10 minutes doing a “warmup.  Then you have 30-45 minutes spent doing the weight (resistance) training.

Then add in 30-60 minutes doing the cardio portion and your “cooldown.”  Throw in the 10-20 minutes time spent commuting back and forth and you’ve got anywhere from an hour and a half to two hours or more!

It’s no wonder most people don’t stick with their exercise plan or why so many don’t even bother in the first place.

So what’s the answer?  I’ll give you a hint – it involves getting more work done in the shortest amount of time possible – working hard, but working smart.

Stay tuned as we dive deeper into this important issue and also discuss the pro’s and con’s of  reality TV weight loss shows in a two-part series.

Get moving!

Brian

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…..and the best way to lose fat!

A study involving seniors showed that exercise, specifically resistance training, can reverse the aging process. Researchers at McMasters University Medical Center in Ontario, looked at the effects of strength training on 25 older men and women, with an average age of 70.

These healthy seniors were able to rejuvenate muscle tissue and reverse cell aging, attributed to age. Researchers looked at mitochondria function. The mitochondria are referred to as “the powerhouse” of cells. A decline in mitochondria function was shown prior to starting this exercise program.

The strength training actually reversed this cell decline to levels similar to those of younger adults. The participants also improved their strength about 50 % in this twice a week, 6 month program. They had never done any formal weight training.

An interesting note, 4 months after the study ended, most of them were no longer exercising at a gym, but were doing resistance training at home with simple objects, including resistance bands. They were still as strong with the same amount of muscle mass.

Another study has shown that older adults with muscle atrophy are associated with functional impairment and physical disability. Sarcopenia – reduced skeletal muscle mass in older people – may be an important and potentially reversible cause of morbidity and mortality. Older women may be more susceptible to these ill effects. This study was reported in the Journal of American Geriatrics Society.

A third study found that physical activity and leg strength were important predictors of mobility decline in older persons. Meaning, for best prevention results, you need to be physically active and do strength training for the legs.

You’ve heard me say it before – “move it or lose it.” Not only do you need adequate movement for prevention, but you need to do some resistance training to maintain lean muscle tissue.

The good news is that this can occur at home with basic exercises and little equipment.   Bodyweight exercises such as squats, stepups, and pushups can be done by most anyone.  These exercises can be modified to adapt to individual conditions.

Pushups can be done off the knees or against a wall to start and then progressed to a more demanding version.  Stepups simulate the motion required to go up stairs, something that can be challenging for many seniors.  You can start with a low step and then progress to a higher one as your strength improves.

Bodyweight squats will help strengthen your lower body and make it easier to get up from a chair.  You can hold onto something for balance if you need to.  Dumbbells are a simple, but effective way to increase your strength.  They can also be used at home.  Combine them with the bodyweight exercises mentioned and you too can turn back the clock on aging.

Combine bodyweight exercises with dumbbells, tubing or bands, and joint mobility training and you just might find the “fountain of youth.”

Get moving!

Brian

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