I wanted to take some time out to talk about eating more meals, so you can lose more weight.
This is hard for many to accept, but SO true. Eating more frequently and more often, but the same or less quantity throughout the day is incredibly, incredibly helpful in getting yourself a great body.
So, a plan of action. Take what you typically eat and split up that big whompin' lunch and eat a quarter of it (calorie-wise) and eat it 2 hrs before lunch. Then eat half of your normal lunch at lunch, and then eat the remaining 1/4 of that meal 2 1/2 to 3 hours later. Then you'll have dinner again 2-3 hours after that.
This works because it gets your body in a groove so it doesn't need to store that extra energy, it keeps your blood sugar levels constant ALL day long, avoiding pitfalls and lack of energy spells, and in addition you actually burn calories by eating, so if you eat more often, you burn more calories!
Lastly, if you want to loose weight, a great signal that you didn't eat too much the previous day is that you wake up hungry.
Here's to a healthier you! Shoot me your questions at alan.zimmerer@leandream.com or visit LeanDream today.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
25yr. Woman Getting Started
Dear fellow blogger (and rookie "LeanDreamer"),
To quickly post your e-mail for those who may share some benefit from my response. "Hey I am starting a new gym routine, and I will probably start with only once per week..would you recomend that I start doing cardio or weights (i don't like doing both on the same day)." - 25yrs old female
First - thanks for posting, you're the first so you get some sort of prize. "It's in the mail." So if you don't get it, it's the post office's fault! Actually, given that you are about to start hitting the gym on a regular basis, you are going to give yourself a great reward! 25 yrs old is a great time to start taking steps toward being a healthier individual. Lots of women fail to recognize the CRITICAL benefits of resistance training (or weight training). A top one is prevention of osteoporosis. A word that is incredibly difficult to spell for us "meat heads" but one that is even harder to cure....so why not prevent it?
As women begin to age their bone density can significantly reduce leaving you with weak and brittle bones susceptible to breaks - who wants that? Also, it's been medically proven that women are much more susceptible to this disease than men (tough break ladies - no pun intended) Proper weight lifting is a fabulous way to prevent osteoporosis (again using the spell checker)....and women, DO NOT BE SCARED OF LIFTING WEIGHTS. You will not "bulk" up unless you pump testosterone in your body and eat like a horse, or simply eat a horse after each workout.
Given that you currently plan to commit 1x a week to working out I suggest you alternate weeks - one week of a full body weight training regimine, and one week where you do cardio. The weight lifting will maintain, and even increase your bone density and prepare you for the years ahead when "osteo" starts to creep in. The cardio training as most know, is critical to keep your heart healthy. Did you know, that like any other muscle in your body, the heart actually gets larger with cardio training? that's why it's good for you, as that big ole' heart can "pump you up" (with blood) much easier, reducing stress on that critical organ over the many years you are yet to live, pays off big time!
For the weight lifting routine, I would recommend high reps (12-15) of 2 sets for each exercise. Try to hit all the major muscles in each workout (chest, back, triceps, biceps, adominal, thighs(quads), hamstrings, and touch up those calves. For the cardio try to maintain an elevated heart rate (where you are breathing moderately, but still have enough energy to chat lightly if someone where next to you) for at least 20 minutes. If walking makes you breathe hard, then that is perfectly fine for you to get off and running, or walking in this case. As you adjust to the walking, go ahead and start jogging! If you are looking for gains, then you will likely have to workout more than once per week to see much difference, but 1x per week is certainly a start!
Of course, I would need to know more details to really give you custom advice, but this should get you going - glad to see you are now officially part of the LeanDream.........more on my definition of the "LeanDream" soon....
Feel free to contact me anytime at alan.zimmerer@leandream.com and perhaps my customized e-training program will really get you started on the right foot (or the left foot, which ever you prefer - j/k).
*Disclaimer - all advice given is suggested by a certified personal trainer, but in no way places any legal responsibility on those giving the advice.
Visit LeanDream today.
To quickly post your e-mail for those who may share some benefit from my response. "Hey I am starting a new gym routine, and I will probably start with only once per week..would you recomend that I start doing cardio or weights (i don't like doing both on the same day)." - 25yrs old female
First - thanks for posting, you're the first so you get some sort of prize. "It's in the mail." So if you don't get it, it's the post office's fault! Actually, given that you are about to start hitting the gym on a regular basis, you are going to give yourself a great reward! 25 yrs old is a great time to start taking steps toward being a healthier individual. Lots of women fail to recognize the CRITICAL benefits of resistance training (or weight training). A top one is prevention of osteoporosis. A word that is incredibly difficult to spell for us "meat heads" but one that is even harder to cure....so why not prevent it?
As women begin to age their bone density can significantly reduce leaving you with weak and brittle bones susceptible to breaks - who wants that? Also, it's been medically proven that women are much more susceptible to this disease than men (tough break ladies - no pun intended) Proper weight lifting is a fabulous way to prevent osteoporosis (again using the spell checker)....and women, DO NOT BE SCARED OF LIFTING WEIGHTS. You will not "bulk" up unless you pump testosterone in your body and eat like a horse, or simply eat a horse after each workout.
Given that you currently plan to commit 1x a week to working out I suggest you alternate weeks - one week of a full body weight training regimine, and one week where you do cardio. The weight lifting will maintain, and even increase your bone density and prepare you for the years ahead when "osteo" starts to creep in. The cardio training as most know, is critical to keep your heart healthy. Did you know, that like any other muscle in your body, the heart actually gets larger with cardio training? that's why it's good for you, as that big ole' heart can "pump you up" (with blood) much easier, reducing stress on that critical organ over the many years you are yet to live, pays off big time!
For the weight lifting routine, I would recommend high reps (12-15) of 2 sets for each exercise. Try to hit all the major muscles in each workout (chest, back, triceps, biceps, adominal, thighs(quads), hamstrings, and touch up those calves. For the cardio try to maintain an elevated heart rate (where you are breathing moderately, but still have enough energy to chat lightly if someone where next to you) for at least 20 minutes. If walking makes you breathe hard, then that is perfectly fine for you to get off and running, or walking in this case. As you adjust to the walking, go ahead and start jogging! If you are looking for gains, then you will likely have to workout more than once per week to see much difference, but 1x per week is certainly a start!
Of course, I would need to know more details to really give you custom advice, but this should get you going - glad to see you are now officially part of the LeanDream.........more on my definition of the "LeanDream" soon....
Feel free to contact me anytime at alan.zimmerer@leandream.com and perhaps my customized e-training program will really get you started on the right foot (or the left foot, which ever you prefer - j/k).
*Disclaimer - all advice given is suggested by a certified personal trainer, but in no way places any legal responsibility on those giving the advice.
Visit LeanDream today.
Monday, October 13, 2008
A healthier tomorrow starts today
So here it is...my first blog entry. I can't tell you how pumped I am to start this. I strongly believe that "a healthier tomorrow starts today." It's so true, the actions you take today affect your health tomorrow. I know exercise, nutrtion, fitness, the whole "shebang" can be quite daunting, but that's why I'm here.
I've been through just about everything from collegiate athletics, to injuries such as hernias and a ruptured spleen. I'm also an engineer and a part-time business student. Oh, and did I also mention, I started my own business about a year and a half ago and got married on top of it? Crazy huh? I say no. Some people are suprised most to find that through all this I've managed to continue to workout 4-5 times per week. In fact I attribute most of my success and energy to do this entirely to my fitness routine. I love it, and I'm finally here, out in the open to share with you what I've leared over the past decade.
A mission of mine is to make a difference in the world's health, and well by your contribution, questions, etc. I can start to achieve that personal goal of mine. So please, let me know your struggles, trials, and success with working out and I'm open to answer any and all questions you may have about nutrition and fitness - whether your a competitive athlete (I have trained with several professional athletes) or simply someone trying to get their health on track, I promise to give your question my undivided attention and care in answering it. I hope you learn from this blog, and I'm sure I'll learn from you - all in the name of better health!
Take care, and I'll check in soon as I try to get this thing some attention :o)
Visit LeanDream today.
I've been through just about everything from collegiate athletics, to injuries such as hernias and a ruptured spleen. I'm also an engineer and a part-time business student. Oh, and did I also mention, I started my own business about a year and a half ago and got married on top of it? Crazy huh? I say no. Some people are suprised most to find that through all this I've managed to continue to workout 4-5 times per week. In fact I attribute most of my success and energy to do this entirely to my fitness routine. I love it, and I'm finally here, out in the open to share with you what I've leared over the past decade.
A mission of mine is to make a difference in the world's health, and well by your contribution, questions, etc. I can start to achieve that personal goal of mine. So please, let me know your struggles, trials, and success with working out and I'm open to answer any and all questions you may have about nutrition and fitness - whether your a competitive athlete (I have trained with several professional athletes) or simply someone trying to get their health on track, I promise to give your question my undivided attention and care in answering it. I hope you learn from this blog, and I'm sure I'll learn from you - all in the name of better health!
Take care, and I'll check in soon as I try to get this thing some attention :o)
Visit LeanDream today.
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