5 Signs That You Need to Do Something Different Now

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A Ridgeland personal trainer knows we all get older and expect some changes to occur in our bodies as we do. Not all changes that are brushed off as “normal aging” actually are though. In fact, there are many changes that people pass off as normal that are actually signs from the body that’s it’s time to do something different to avoid problems down the road.

In many cases, the so-called signs of aging are actually the body’s way of saying it is time to change diet, get more active and even learn how to manage personal stress a bit better, and a Ridgeland personal trainer can help you with all three. The signs to watch out for that are not “normal” and don’t have to go along with getting older include:

  • Consistent annual weight gain – Most people expect to gain weight as they get older. Expecting it is one thing; accepting it is another. Consistent annual gains are not necessarily normal. They actually signal a need to get more active, eat better and take better care. There’s no reason to accept weight gain with aging as a fact that cannot be changed.
  • Lessening of breath – Walking up a flight of stairs, taking a long walk, playing with kids and other activities that didn’t wind you when you were younger, should not wind you now. If you’re having trouble on this front, it’s time to make some positive changes. Getting more active can make a big difference and prevent problems later.
  • Loss of flexibility – Flexibility issues often go along with aging, but they are not normal. The body can remain very flexible even well into advanced years if stretching and exercise with a Ridgeland personal trainer stay a part of the routine.
  • Increase in blood pressure – This is a serious sign that it is time to change the daily routine. Blood pressure increases are not a normal part of aging and they can be rather dangerous if left unchecked. Changing diet and becoming more physically active can help stop this problem before it becomes a serious issue.
  • Increases in stress – Everyone deals with stress in their daily lives. Increases, however, are not normal parts of aging. Stress is a silent killer that can be battled effectively with a few minor changes in routine. Exercising, eating healthy, getting enough sleep and even learning how to meditate can stop this problem in its tracks. While stress will never go away, its impacts can be curtailed when the right measures are taken.

While some changes are expected with aging, many of the “symptoms” are actually signs that people should not ignore. When the right actions are taken, health can be improved and those nagging signs just might go away. Ask a professional at your gym or work with a Ridgeland personal trainer to devise a plan to stay on top of the signs.

About the Author

Clint Barr is the owner of Raising The Barr Fitness, Ridgeland’s premier private and small group fitness training studio. If you’re ready to begin your fat loss journey please call 601-414-3536 right now to receive a complimentary nutrition and fitness consultation (valued at $87).

If you’re not yet ready for our free consultation offer, download our free report “The Truth About Weight Loss” where we reveal the secrets the weight loss and fitness industry don’t want you to know.

Personal Trainer in Jackson Reveals Why Interval Training is Effective

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A personal trainer in Jackson will tell you that you can exercise day in and day out and still not see the weight loss results you want. If it’s time to get more from your effort, looking into interval training makes a whole lot of sense. This precision workout can provide the calorie-burning push you’ve been lacking in your routine.

Understanding Interval Training

Interval training involves a precision workout that combines intense, but brief, bursts of activity with less intense physical measures. The idea is to blend an aerobic and anaerobic workout into a single training session with a personal trainer in Jackson to maximize overall metabolic demands.

Let’s say a runner does great at 4 miles per hour on a treadmill, but starts to tire at 5 mph. An interval session might include a normal warm up period, several minutes of that runner working out at 4 mph and then a minute or two at 5 mph before the workout goes back down to the 4 mph range.

Essentially, an interval workout pushes the body farther, but not for extended periods of time. A short, but effective sprint in the case of the runner can maximize workout time and increase metabolic requirements significantly.

Does It Work?

The simple reality is interval training does work and can produce a number of benefits. While that 4 mph run does burn calories and helps trim the body, that burst of energy expended during the one-minute run can increase the overall effectiveness of the same amount of workout time without overextending the body in the process.

The benefits of interval training include:

  • Decreased chance of injury – It’s okay to push the body to its limits or near them, but not for too long. Interval training sessions help reduce the chance of injury and undo wear and tear because the burst of energy in the extreme range is very short and occurs after a person is properly warmed up.
  • More effective use of time – Where it might take 45 minutes to gain results running at a single pace, an interval training session with a personal trainer in Jackson can shave time off the routine. Basically, interval training makes for a more effective workout.
  • Increases fat burning – Interval training sessions put the body to work in the fat-burning sense. Studies have shown that interval sessions improve efficiency of mitochondria. These are tiny cells that use oxygen to help create energy. This more efficient use of them can increase fat burning properties of a workout.  And your peak metabolism rates will stay elevated significantly longer than the lower intensity steady state training will.  That’s calories burned for hours after the workout!

Interval training is a great way to get a bigger bang out of your workout time. Before starting a program, however, it’s a good idea to make sure you work with a personal trainer or check with a personal trainer in Jackson at your gym for assistance. This type of workout isn’t for everyone and you want to make sure you are working out appropriately for your fitness level and goals.

Read even more articles on this and other related topics by a personal trainer in Jackson…

About the Author

Clint Barr is the owner of Raising The Barr Fitness, Ridgeland’s premier private and small group fitness training studio. If you’re ready to begin your fat loss journey please call 601-414-3536 right now to receive a complimentary nutrition and fitness consultation (valued at $87).

If you’re not yet ready for our free consultation offer, download our free report “The Truth About Weight Loss” where we reveal the secrets the weight loss and fitness industry don’t want you to know.

How to Be a Social Butterfly without Gaining Weight

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You love going out for nights on the town, partying with friends and being a social butterfly with a packed calendar. You are also trying to lose weight, get in shape and improve your health.

Are the two desires mutually exclusive? While your Jackson personal trainer will want you to watch yourself as you dine and even avoid wine, you don’t have to become a shut in as you work on a program. There are simple tips and tricks that can help you stick to your guns and still have the time of your life.

If you want to lose weight and still paint the town red, consider:

  • Seeking support before you go out – Talk to your trainer, your spouse or the friends you intend to go out with and let them know you want to have a great time without suffering a weight loss setback. Your trainer can motivate you before you head out and your spouse or friends can provide you with the support you need to say no in the heat of the moment.
  • Not skipping meals before going out – Many people believe if they skip meals throughout the day, they can eat whatever they want while they are out on the town. While this sounds good in theory, it doesn’t work. Starve yourself until the evening and you’ll be more likely to splurge on anything that is available immediately upon arrival. Plus, you can slow down your metabolism, which is not good for weight loss. Instead of fasting and then binging, eat small, calorie-controlled meals and snacks leading up to a big event so you can enjoy a normal meal and even a treat while you are out.
  • Avoid the nibblers – If you’re at a dinner party, try to avoid the appetizers, especially if they are high in calories and fat. It is all too easy to let a bite of this and a bite of that add up to a whole lot of empty calories! Wait for the salad and the main course instead.
  • Order wisely – If you’re eating out in a restaurant, take time to really consider the menu options. Go for an entrée that fits in best with the nutritional program you are following. Most restaurants have very healthy and very tasty alternatives to calorie-laden entrees.
  • Be the designated driver – One of the worst things you can do while trying to lose weight or tone the body is to overdo on alcohol. If this is too much of a temptation, give yourself extra motivation to behave. Volunteer to be the designated driver and you’ll have two very good reasons to say no.

Going out on the town can be very difficult when you are trying to drop pounds and get into shape. Restaurants and parties present a lot of temptations. You can stay strong if you plan ahead and formulate a game plan. Ask a Jackson personal trainer or health club pro for additional advice on staying strong in the face of adversity.

Fun Aerobic Ideas

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If you think beneficial aerobic activity is limited to hours at a gym working out on a treadmill, think again! Exercises that produce excellent cardiovascular results abound and they don’t all call for equipment or even a trip to the gym.

While regular trips to work with a Jackson personal trainer are always smart, there are some fun things you can work into your routine on off days, when you are away from home or just don’t have time to make the trip. Chances are if you talk to the pros at your fitness center, you’ll even find your club has lots of options to offer that you might not have even considered.

To vary your routine and increase your enjoyment level, consider mixing up your aerobic exercise lineup with such things as:

  • Cycling – Get a bicycle, a helmet and hit the open road. Stationary bikes do produce results, but the scenery can get boring fast! If you want to work cycling into your routine, it’s a great exercise that can even benefit your entire family. On off weather days, by all means, use the gym equipment. When the sun is shining, hit the open road for more enjoyment.
  • Swimming – This is one of the best holistic cardiovascular activities going. Swimming works the heart and lungs while also toning the muscles. If you don’t have access to a pool at home or in your neighborhood, take advantage of your health club’s if one is available.
  • Skiing – This is a great cardiovascular activity that can be a ton of fun, too. Cross country is the way to go to build up endurance and boost muscle tone and calorie-burning efforts. If it’s not possible to take the activity outdoors, cross country training machines are fun to mix into an overall cardio program. Check with your trainer for advice on getting started.
  • Sports – There are many sports that can serve very well in place of more structured cardiovascular exercises. Tennis, basketball, football, boxing and even baseball are fun to play and they can most certainly add diversity to your workout routine.
  • Dancing – Just get up and dance if you want to work your cardiovascular system and have some serious fun, too. Thirty or so minutes of moving to the beats of your favorite songs can really get your heart pumping and assist in cardiovascular conditioning.
  • Taking a class – Aerobic classes, dance classes, Zumba and other organized activities can increase the fun of cardio exercise and even add to the camaraderie level. Check with your trainer to see what classes are offered at your club or keep your eyes open for fun activities offered at neighborhood recreation centers.

While exercise machines will get the job done, a successful exercise program is one that offers room for flexibility and fun. If you want to increase the variety in your program, talk to a Jackson personal trainer for other fun ideas to mix things up a bit.

Myth: Thigh reducers and ab equipment can spot reduce body fat

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Let’s face it!  You know this to be true.  Doing only crunches to reduce your waistline simply DOES NOT work.  So why do so many people still fall for the late night infomercial touting sexy abs by using their new and improved abdominal trainer, fat melting creme, or fat eliminating pill?  Answer: desperation, convenience… and a lack of complete understanding of how the body actually works.

Think about it… you didn’t gain the body fat you currently have in just a few short weeks.  And you definitely didn’t tell it where you wanted it to be distributed when you gained it.  The opposite is also true.  It’s not going to go away in just a few short weeks from doing crunches or using a thigh trainer, nor will the body just burn abdominal fat while leaving all the rest to be used up another time.  Your body distributes fat evenly over the body and it burns it off evenly over the entire body.  Now… you may have more body fat in one area over another, but that trouble area is not the only place you have body fat.

The key to burning large amounts of body fat is working all the major muscle groups with complex, multi joint movements in a total body resistance training routine to dramatically change and effect your metabolic rate.  Combined with a good, healthy supportive nutrition plan and high intensity interval training cardio plan, total body resistance training done in this fashion will not only help improve the overall metabolic demand of the workout, but will also help build and maintain lean muscle tissue that will result in a higher resting metabolic rate (calories burned at rest).

Complex, multiple joint exercises are exercises that work more than one muscle group in the same movement.  In the video above, Drew demonstrates a squat press using resistance tubing which works the legs, glutes, abdominals, shoulders, and triceps.  That exercise is far more effective, and efficient, than working each of those muscle groups separately.  Supersetting that exercise with the pushup jackknife exercise and alternating each of them in a circuit fashion will help you complete a workout in far less time as well.

So, get up off those machines in the gym that isolate each body part and start exercising more effectively, more efficiently and more functionally!  If you need more help with designing your total body resistance training routine, request a consultation with a certified Jackson Personal Trainer today.

Myth: A Regimen of “Cardio” Will Burn the Most Fat

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Cardiovascular exercise is essential for overall health and fitness, but just doing “cardio” alone as part of a weight loss program will NOT produce the fat loss that most individuals expect. Long term, your ability to burn calories at rest by just doing cardiovascular exercise for fat loss will be greatly decreased.

As a fitness professional I have worked in various fitness centers and witnessed hundreds of people spend countless hours on a treadmill, elliptical, or stationary bike week in and week out, and never see any changes in their body composition. Why? Because cardiovascular exercise doesn’t do anything to build, or even maintain, lean muscle tissue which is a metabolically active tissue. In other words, by just doing “cardio” you will have essentially trained your metabolism to become slower.

Have you ever experienced a plateau effect in your weight loss? You work diligently for about four weeks and see some okay results. But as you continue over the course of several months you see less and less progress. Inevitably frustration sets in and you end up quitting all together. The problem is not that you weren’t working often enough, rather you were not forcing the body to adapt to any new form of stimulus. Over time the body adapts and becomes more efficient at performing tasks…that’s what we call “getting in shape.” So day in day out doing the same thing produces a smaller metabolic effect because the body is more efficient at performing the work.

Now, not only are you training the body to burn fewer calories at rest due to loss of muscle, but you are also preventing the body from being challenged to it’s maximum potential. Furthermore, in order to continue to see results from steady state cardiovascular exercise you have to either run/walk/bike faster OR longer. And unfortunately, there are not enough hours in the day. I think you will agree that spending more time exercising is not exactly what you had in mind when you set out to reach your health and fitness goals.

Quite the contrary. So instead of committing several hours a day to the same old boring “cardio” routine, incorporate the following to maximize the amount of body fat you want to lose:

  • Cross Training – use different kinds of stimulus for your cardiovascular conditioning days that will continue to challenge your energy system to produce maximum results.  Incorporate running/jogging, biking, swimming, playing basketball/volleyball, etc.  This will prevent your body from becoming accustomed to any one type of training stimulus
  • Resisitance/Strength Training – you absolutely must perform exercises that will challenge the muscle so you can build, or maintain, lean muscle tissue.  This becomes even more important as we age and our metabolism slows down.  Remember, one pound of muscle can burn up to 50 calories per day at rest.  Whether you’re male or female it’s essential to your overall fitness and weight loss goals.  You can even do resistance training in a way that is highly beneficial to your overall cardiovascular health.
  • High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) – performing high intensity bursts of maximal effort exercise followed by periods of rest cycled over and over has been shown to be the most effective form of cardiovascular conditioning for weight loss, and more importantly fat loss.  You’ll get maximum calorie burn, and what’s better is that it takes half the time!

It’s not about the amount of calories you burn during a workout…far from it.  You have to focus on what effect the workout has on your overall metabolic rate for several hours after the workout.  Research shows that combining high intensity resistance training with HIIT produces a very high metabolic demand where the metabolism operates at peak levels for up to 4-6 hours after the workout and doesn’t return to resting levels for up to 36 hours.  I’ll tell ya…working hard for 30-40 minutes a few times per week and seeing incredible results sure does sound better than busting my tail everyday for 60-90 minutes to accomplish far less results.

When planning your workouts, assess your goals and determine how much time you are willing to commit to your exercise program.  If you’re like most of us, including me, than time is usually a factor so make the most of it!  If you need help determining what kind of program is right for you just click here to request your fitness and nutrition consultation with a certified Jackson personal trainer today!

To your health and continued success,

Clint Barr

Fact or Fiction: “Dieting” Will Eliminate Body Fat

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Fiction!  “Dieting” will not eliminate body fat.  In fact, long term it will do just the opposite.  Let me explain…

The term “dieting” that I am referring to here is what most individuals call it when they say they are “on a diet.”  I’m referring to restrictive calorie dieting.  This is where you calculate the number of calories you are currently taking in on a daily basis and drastically reduce that amount to produce your desired weight loss goal.  You will initially lose weight implementing this strategy, but unfortunately it’s the wrong kind of body weight.

You see… the body cannot decipher between intentional calorie deprivation and starvation.  Rather than the body adapting to make up for the lower calorie intake by burning fat, it will actually slow the metabolic rate (the rate at which we use energy) and hoard any calories that are being ingested to store as fat to ensure survival.  Due to the lower caloric intake causing the body to hoard and store the calories taken in, the body needs alternative fuel sources and adapts by breaking down muscle tissue for immediate energy.

The overall effect of this is a slower metabolic rate because muscle is a metabolically active tissue.  Lean muscle tissue burns up to 50 calories per pound at rest each day.  If you were to add, and maintain, just two pounds of lean muscle in the course of a year, that would be the equivalent of ten (10) pounds of body fat in calories.  So, by restricting your diet it will effectively cause you to burn fewer calories at rest, making it harder for you to maintain a lean body weight.

Not only that, but because you are taking in less fuel for your body, you will become lethargic and lack energy.  Energy that you need to have effective metabolic enhancing workouts, and energy that you need to stay active. It’s a formula for failure, and one that many try to implement all to often.

The lower energy levels also lead to uncontrollable cravings.  The body senses that you need energy so it relays messages to the brain that you need high energy dense foods and fast absorbing foods.  Therefore, fats and sweets become foods that you crave.  This adds to the body’s natural hormone response to store these calories as fat.

So what do you do if you’re not supposed to “diet”?

Remember, the use of the word “diet” in this article refers to restrictive calorie dieting.  Diet by definition is simply the food you eat on a daily basis.  In order to lose body fat you need to combine an effective exercise regimen, including resistance training, with a supportive nutrition plan that will produce a positive change in your body composition.  But for time sake, let’s cover some simple and effective tactics you can start applying to your diet right now to see results…

1) Increase meal frequency – in simplest terms, eat more often.  Studies have shown that eating 5-6 small meals each day is the most effective method for producing a lower body fat composition.  By eating every couple of hours you are preventing your blood sugar from dropping below levels that cause you to crave high energy dense foods (refined sugars and fats).  You also prevent yourself from overeating at each of those meals because you’re not as hungry due to the fact that you ate just a few hours earlier.  So, you’ll not only eat fewer calories at each meal, but it will be much easier to avoid the foods that are primarily stored as fat rather than used for energy.

2) Drink a lot of water – dehydration can slow your body’s metabolic rate by as much as 50%, making it difficult for you to burn significant calories at rest.  Water is calorie free and can make you feel more full as well.  Make sure you are drinking water throughout the day and especially when exercising.  To know whether or not you are drinking enough water, simply monitor your urine color.  The more concentrated (dark) your urine, the more dehydrated you are.  Conversely, the more diluted (clear) your urine, the more hydrated you are.

3) Eat Your Vegetables – research shows that individuals who consume vegetables regularly each day are significantly leaner than individuals who do not consume vegetables regularly each day.  The reason is because most vegetables are low energy dense foods with a high nutrient value.  Example: 2 cups of steamed broccoli is just 87 calories.  In contrast, just one glazed donut can be as high as 350 calories.  Moreover, the donut is composed of simple, refined carbohydrates that break down quickly and don’t sustain you for very long.  Broccoli is a complex, fibrous carbohydrate that takes significantly more time, and more energy, to be broken down by the body.

You don’t have to restrict your calories and starve yourself to get the lean, tone body that you’ve always wanted.  Quite the contrary.  Eat healthier foods more often and combine that with a structured exercise regimen that includes resistance training, and your goals can be achieved.

If after reading this you are still struggling to connect all the dots, you can (and should) seek help.  Reach out to us, that’s why we’re here.  Submit your questions in the comments section below and we’ll gladly respond as soon as we possibly can.  And feel free to request a no obligation health and fitness consultation.  You can also pick up a copy of our “True Success: Nutrition for FAST Fat Loss” DVD by clicking on the banner at the top right hand corner of this page.

To your success,

Clint Barr

Fun Strength Training Ideas

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Lifting weights is an excellent and proven way to increase muscle tone and strengthen the body. The problem is the routine can wear thin rather fast. If you want to enjoy your workout time even more, consider working with your trainer to come up with a plan to incorporate fun options into your routine.

If it’s your goal to increase muscle tone and strength, but not necessarily bulk up like a bodybuilder, there are tons of options at your disposal that do not call for barbells and dumbbells. When you work with a trainer or other professionals at your health club, chances are you will find it is easy to work some variety into your strength training routine.

When it’s time to set aside the weights for a while, you might want to consider such things as:

  • Pilates – Take a class or get a video that shows you the ins and outs of a pilates program. This type of exercise routine involves gentle resistance training that focuses on building flexibility and core strength. While it might not result in pumped biceps, it can help you tone muscles and boost overall strength. Plus, it’s a fun alternative to sitting on the bench!
  • Water aerobics – This is an unusual exercise routine that blends a bit of cardio along with some strength training. As you work through aerobic routines, the water adds resistance to your movements. This, in turn, helps with muscle development and toning.
  • Swimming – Just plain old swimming can help with strength training courtesy of that resistance just mentioned. Mix in a few laps a week to help with toning and strengthening. This activity does tend to impact most major muscle groups, so it provides a fun and refreshing change of pace away from those standard weights.
  • Yoga – Take a yoga class if you want to add an interesting twist to your strength training routine. This ancient art does involve muscle toning movements along with intense flexibility training. It’s a unique and fun way to address health through mind, body and spirit.
  • Boxing or kickboxing – This particular sport strikes a nice balance between endurance and strength training. Kickboxing classes can be particularly fun if you are tired of typical routines. If your health club or gym doesn’t offer these classes, check with your trainer on how you might work this activity into your program.
  • Kettlebells – Although similar to weights, this type of training can mix things up while also helping to improve endurance and flexibility. Kettlebells are fairly cheap to buy and they can offer adjustable weights so they grow with you as your body strengthens.

Strength training doesn’t have to call for chaining yourself to a weight bench. There are a variety of ways to mix things up and still realize some incredible results. If you’re ready to add fun to your routine, talk to your trainer about incorporating unusual and enjoyable activities into your routine.


The Benefits of Whole and Organic Foods

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If you’re working on losing weight and getting into shape, chances are you’ve heard a great deal about the need to eat right. After all, a balanced, low-fat diet that is calorie controlled is an essential component in any well-rounded weight loss plan. While you may need to reduce overall calorie consumption to shed pounds, you also want to think about making the foods you do eat count for more. This is where whole and organic foods can come into play.

Jackson personal trainers here at Raising The Barr Fitness, as well as other fitness professionals, will often recommend the consumption of whole foods and organic products to our clients. The reasons for this are not because they are trendy and fashionable. The reality is both types of food tend to be a lot better at fueling the body with the nutrients it needs without cluttering the system with unwanted junk.

If your trainer has recommended incorporating whole and organic foods into your diet, you need to know how to spot these items. They are not always one in the same.

A Look At Organic Foods

Organic foods are simply those that are grown or produced without the use of chemicals. This means harsh fertilizers, chemical pesticides and even growth hormones are not used in the production of fruits, vegetables, dairy and meat products that bear organic labels.

Organic foods can cost more than conventionally produced products, but many people feel the increase in price is well worth the benefits. While studies have shown that organic foods do not necessarily contain more nutrients than conventionally produced items, they are free of chemical residues and unwanted hormone levels. Although these things have been proven “safe” for human consumption by government agencies, many people worry about the cumulative, long-term effects of consuming food even with trace amount of chemicals and pharmaceuticals.

Finding organically grown foods is not difficult. Just look for organic labels in regular grocery stores or shop at organic or whole food markets.

Whole Foods Are A Little Different

Whole foods are those that undergo no or very little processing prior to their sale. While many whole foods are organic, as well, this is not a requirement for a food to be considered whole.

Whole foods include a variety of standard fare, including fresh fruits and vegetables. Other options include whole grains, unprocessed meat and milk that are not homogenized.

There are a number of benefits to consuming whole foods. This type of food product will not have added salt, sugar, fat or preservatives. This means there is nothing in the way of enjoying the full benefits of the food’s natural nutrients. Essentially, whole foods provide all the nutritional perks without any of the downsides of additives.

If your trainer has recommended incorporating organic and whole foods into your routine, you will find options on both fronts are readily available. They can give you an edge on weight loss by providing you with the nutrients you need, without the additives and chemicals you don’t.

 

Tips For Making Good Food Choices

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You’ve made up your mind to lose weight. You know you need to eat healthier and smarter to make it happen. Unfortunately, knowing and doing are two very different things. Temptations do lurk around practically every corner.

Can you resist and put yourself on a healthier path? You bet you can! These tricks and tips can help you navigate around temptations:

  • Make your home a haven – It’s probably not feasible to put yourself out of the path of temptations all the time. You can, however, give yourself one “safe place” where sweets and other treats are not found in abundance. Get rid of the junk food in your own home by giving it away or tossing it out.
  • Change cooking habits – Eating right doesn’t mean having to give up on flavor. When you opt to grill, broil, boil or bake your favorite foods instead of frying them, you can make a big difference in your eating habits. Replace heavy sauces and tons of butter with spices and healthy side dishes. Be creative on this front and you are likely to find making good food choices tastes quite good.
  • Don’t skip meals – Skipping meals and even planned snacks is bad for your metabolism. It can also make you so hungry at mealtime that you’ll be more likely to select faster, less healthy choices. Eat throughout the day and your hunger level won’t get out of control.
  • Order wisely – Even if you have to eat out, try to look for healthier choices on a menu. Even fast-food restaurants do offer alternatives to fried, calorie-laden foods on their menus.
  • Stock up on healthy snacks – Replace those bags of chips and chocolate bars with healthier snacks. Fresh fruits and vegetables, low-fat yogurt and other options can fuel your body and satisfy cravings, too.
  • Cut out sugary drinks – Don’t overlook the need to stop drinking sugary sodas or juices when losing weight is the plan. Opt for lower-calorie choices and your body will thank you for it.  Water is always the best option.  Feel free to add lemons or cucumbers to make it a bit more palatable.
  • Think before you eat – Before popping a doughnut or other unhealthy choice into your mouth, stop and think. It’s also a very good idea to read labels when shopping to make sure you know exactly what you are buying and putting into your body.

Making healthy food choices isn’t easy, but it can quickly become a habit. Be creative in your food choices, vary your menu plans and seek advice from your trainer and you are likely to find that eating healthy never tasted better. Changing lifestyle choices doesn’t mean giving up on flavor or going hungry.

 

Lifted Spirit

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All to often I get caught up in the busyness of the day.  I am constantly swatting away whatever comes at me next.  Whether it’s the numerous emails I receive on a daily basis, or trying to meet my self imposed deadline on the current project I’ve outlined for myself or the business.  In all that, I fail to see things for the absolute blessing they really are, and in the process lose out on what is really important… LIFE!

And more so than that are all the little things in life that I find simple enjoyment in… my family, my exercise, time with my dogs, my quiet time in the morning with devotional in hand and heart steeped in prayer.  Those are the things I can lose sight of when I get caught up in the world that is rushing to and fro around me.

Last night I got home early (well earlier than I normally do) and for the first time in months I put on my running shoes and decided to go for a run.  It hadn’t been since before my hip surgery almost 11 months ago that I’d been on the road…alone…with iPod in ear and nothing to think about.  I felt a little awkward on my first couple strides.  Literally had to re-train myself how to jog, but before I knew it I was striding smoothly and consistently with a nice rhythmical cadence.

At first I felt invigorated.  I was moving at a relatively fast quip, but my time away from running on the road soon became apparent.  About a mile into it I started to struggle and my pace dropped off dramatically.  I was considering just walking the rest of the way back to the house, but I decided to press on.  I didn’t like the song that was playing on my iPod so I started surfing through the songs.

I landed on one of my favorite Mercy Me songs…”Sanctified”.  It’s such a powerful song that speaks an even more powerful truth.  As I was crossing an intersection in my neighborhood the song was building to it’s crescendo.  The music, gradually building in intensity, comes to a pause when Bart Millard (lead singer) sings the following: “Sanctified….I have been set free!”  The instrumental comes blaring back right at the point of ‘I have been set free’.  Powerful.

At that moment I could feel my spirit lifted, and it was as if my feet were not even touching the ground.  I felt a rush of warmth come over me and all I could do was smile.  A BIG smile!  The car that drove past me at that moment was probably wondering what was wrong with me…I mean, how can anybody enjoy running enough that it makes them smile?  Well, I’ll tell you I wasn’t smiling because I was running.  I was smiling because of who I was running with.

Wait a minute Clint…weren’t you running alone??

True.  I did start out on my run alone, but at that moment someone joined me…actually he’d been there the whole time.  GOD.  His Spirit came over me right there, right when I was about to “cash it in”.  He met me right at that moment and reminded me that He is always with me.  Sometimes we just have to step away from the world we get caught up in so we are aware of His presence.  After all, our time here in this world is merely a vapor in the wind…a wave tossed in the ocean.  Just a “blip” on the radar.  In the grand scheme of things, and I need to be reminded of this as much as anybody, circumstances in our every day lives are an even smaller speck on the map of time.  That project that seems so crucial… it can take one more day.  And you know what… work will be there tomorrow.

The rest of the run was a breeze.  Heck… I could have probably kept going, but my hip would not be happy with me today if I had.  I’m gonna go for another run tonight, and probably the night after that.  And I don’t expect to have the same experience every time, although that would be nice.  I know that when I take the time to “shake off” everything the world throws at me… I feel better, I act better, and I love better.  That is all the reason I need.

I hope you find that ‘something’ that lifts your spirit.  And I would love to hear your comments about that, or this post.

God bless,

Clint Barr

Super Foods for a Healthy Body

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We’ve all had days when we didn’t feel like we were ‘on our game.’ And as we age, both our bodies and our brains grow old as well.  By making smart food choices though, we can preserve our precious gray matter longer and improve brain function.  Here are some brainy choices for keeping our noggins in tip-top shape.

- Blueberries have been shown to shield the brain from stress, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease.   Research has also shown that diets rich in blueberries significantly improved both the learning capacity and motor skills.  They go great with a steamy, hot bowl of oatmeal too!

- Avocados contribute to healthy blood flow and decreased blood pressure, lessening the chances of developing hypertension, which can lead to a stroke.

- Deep-water fish, such as salmon, is abundant in omega-3 essential fatty acids, which are essential for healthy brain function.  Plus, research shows that individuals who consume fish are have 9% less body fat than those who don’t eat fish regularly.

- Nuts and seeds are good sources of vitamin E, an important vitamin needed by your brain to stave off declining cognitive functions. Cashews, peanuts, walnuts, sunflower and sesame seeds and almonds are all great choices.

- Whole-grain breads, brown rice, and oatmeal also contribute to a healthy brain by reducing the risk for cardiac disease.  By promoting a healthy heart and improved blood flow, the brain is sure to thrive via excellent oxygen and nutrient delivery through the bloodstream.

Complex carbohydrates also supply the brain with a steady stream of glucose that enhances brain function. It’s important to avoid simple carbohydrates often found in junk food because the glucose gives the brain a short-lived sugar high, often followed by a crash that makes you feel hungry and tired.

- Freshly brewed tea also has potent antioxidants, especially the class known as catechines, which also promotes healthy blood flow. Since black teas do contain caffeine it’s important to use it sensibly.

- Dark chocolate has powerful antioxidant properties, contains several natural stimulants, which enhance focus and concentration, and encourages the production of endorphins, which helps improve mood. Again, moderation is the key.

Why You Can Benefit from Madison Personal Trainers

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With Madison personal trainers you can improve your life through a healthier choices and fitness. Deciding where and how to begin your fitness journey are just as important as making the decision to begin in the first place. For those that have never traveled down this path before, it can be complicated and confusing. That’s why working with Madison personal trainers is a great choice for beginners and lifelong fitness devotees alike. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at how the personalized attention of a trainer can help you reach your goals.

You Don’t Have to Do This Alone

How many times have you started a new exercise routine and followed it faithfully for three weeks before you’ve found that your enthusiasm is long gone? Be honest – it’s easy to make excuses to avoid exercise. “I had a rough day at work,” “I’m too busy today,” “I didn’t get enough sleep last night,” the list goes on and on. But how quick would you be to make excuses if you know there was someone waiting for you at the gym?

And once you get to the gym, going through the motions alone can be equally intimidating. “How long should I do this exercise?” “Am I even doing this right?” Having Madison personal trainers by your side will help ensure that you can get instant feedback whenever you have a question, not to mention that they’ll monitor your progress and make sure you are working out safely and efficiently.

Focus and Motivation

Madison personal trainers are more than safety instructors in the gym; they can be your personal cheerleader – or even your personal drill sergeant, if you prefer – to help keep you focused on your goals and motivated to make them happen. A good personal trainer will keep track of your progress, and use this information to change or accelerate your workouts accordingly.

Before setting on your fitness path with a personal trainer, make sure that this is someone that you can see motivating you in the future. Do you feel comfortable with this person? Will you feel comfortable taking directions from this person? Being sure that you can form a good relationship with your personal trainer may mean the difference between meeting your goal and getting frustrated enough to walk away from your trainer and your goal.

Tailoring to Your Personal Needs

From the first day you meet with your personal trainer, he’s working to help you realize your fitness goals. The first meeting should include a full assessment, including your present weight, body fat index, and what you’re working towards – whether it’s losing weight or preparing for a marathon. This is also the time to let the trainer know if you have any problems such as joint or muscle injuries, are suffering from diabetes or are recovering from a heart attack. Using all of this information, the trainer will create an exercise program that is tailor fitted to your needs to help you reach your goals, and not the other way around. There is no better time than the present to hire Madison personal trainers to make your goals a reality!

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Getting Happy with Your Body With the Help of Madison Personal Trainers

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Madison Personal Trainers Report! Just as some people have to come to terms with the fact that they’ll always be of short stature, a lot of us also have to come to terms with the fact that we’ll never be a size zero. Madison personal trainers are in the same boat! Setting unrealistic goals in our fitness or diet routines can not only set us up for failure, but also a lack of self confidence and even depression. Even before starting on the path to a healthier life, it’s helpful to get focused on what you can achieve with the body you have. In this article, we’ll explore the pitfalls of comparing yourself to others, celebrity culture, and how you can get on the right track to making the most of what you have.

Comparing Yourself to Others

It seems like it’s almost ingrained in women to compare ourselves with each other, whether it is with our friends, co-workers, and even Madison personal trainers. We can always find something to admire in other women, whether it be their hair or waist size. The problem is that we don’t often take time to sit down in front of a mirror and discover what it is we like about ourselves. Sure, we know what we want to change, but when do we ever take the time to complement ourselves?

The most important thing to remember is that every body is different. Sure, there are plenty of women that are naturally thin, and others that have to fight tooth and nail to retain their size. Don’t get caught in the trap of focusing your energies on anyone’s body but your own. Madison personal trainers can help motivate and support you, and most importantly, help you recognize your strength and improve your health! Nothing is more important than ones health!

Celebrity Culture

Celebrities are everywhere these days – of course we expect to see them in movies or on music channels, but now they’re on the covers of women’s magazines, starring in commercials, and don’t forget the thousands of internet pages dedicated to favorite stars. It’s hard not to admire them for what seems like a fantasy lifestyle, and on top of that, they often seem to be absolutely perfect.

Just like comparing yourself to your friends and others, comparing yourself to celebrities is a dangerous trap, and there are three reasons why. First of all, it truly takes a team to make a celebrity look good on the red carpet. Wardrobe consultants and hair and makeup assistants all work together to make the celebrity look her best. Second of all, it’s true that many celebrities work very hard to maintain their figures, but a lot more than we could ever have time for, sometimes as often as two or three hours a day. It’s a part of their job to look the best they can, so they can afford to take the time. Finally, there is a not so secret weapon that magazines use to make celebrities look their best – the air brush. This tool is used very often to manipulate pictures of celebrities for the cover of magazines to make them look perfect, when the reality is quite different. Do yourself a favor and keep these reasons in mind the next time you admire a celebrity on the cover of a magazine!

What Can You Do?

It’s all very well and good to say that we need to focus on our own bodies when setting out to achieve a fitness goal, but sometimes it’s beneficial to have a second opinion, and that’s where consulting Madison personal trainers can come in handy. A personal trainer can use his experience and training to do a full assessment of your body and help steer you towards a goal that will have you looking and feeling your best. Remember, Madison personal trainers live in the same celebrity culture that you do! Madison personal trainers can help motivate and support you, and most importantly, help you recognize your strength and beauty!

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You Stand To Gain A Lot From Cross Training And Madison Personal Training

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Cross training is achievable with Madison personal training. No matter who you are, what your fitness goals are, or what your top targeted result for working out is, you can benefit from cross training. All you need to know to get you started is why cross training is a good idea for you and where you can learn more about the best cross training methods and techniques to enhance your fitness plan.

Cross Training—What Is It?

Cross training is, in simplest terms, diversification of your fitness program. Cross training happens when you mix exercises and/or types of training, or alternate training methods. Madison personal training can help, especially if you run out of ideas. This may be done in a single workout session or by the day. Here are a couple of examples:

  • Day one you go for a jog, day two you hit the free-weights, day three you go bikingOr
  • A third of your time you use the treadmill, a third you work on strength training, a third you use the stair climber

There’s really no one recipe for cross training, as the exercises will vary depending on your goals, focus, and interests. This means that there are endless combinations and possibilities for cross training, and that only you and your personal trainer can decide what will work best for you. Ideally, that will be a carefully chosen mix of exercises and activities that gets you where you want to be.

Cross Training—Why Do It?

Cross training is a good idea for many reasons, and there a number of benefits to cross training as enhancement to a fitness plan.

Cross training helps you by:

  • Breaking up the boredom—admit it, anything you do everyday gets old eventually; it is very motivational to be able to look forward to something new and interesting. Madison personal training can help you with new ideas.
  • Waking up your body—your body gets bored and used to the same movements over and over, too
  • Preventing injury—repeated use and strain of the same joints and muscles opens the door to use injuries; using new joints and muscles strengthens the body all around so that aggravation is minimized and peripheral support is increased
  • Increasing gains—again, this comes from presenting new challenges to muscle groups; cross training helps break and prevent plateaus. With Madison personal training, you can learn more about these advantages.

The reasoning behind cross training is fairly simple and straightforward, but the compound benefits are many.

Cross Training—Where Can I Learn More?

To develop an effective plan for cross training, rely on your interests, your goals, and Madison personal training. Figure out what is enticing to you, what you ultimately want to achieve, and then learn the right way to mix and match exercises and activities—and do them right (and safely!). The person most qualified to help you make those decisions and give you that education is a personal trainer.

The benefits of cross training are there for the taking. Look at the many ways you can spice up your fitness plan with Madison personal training and get started on a new route to better fitness results today!

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Madison Personal Training To Help Combat Cellulite

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Madison personal training experts know that cellulite is the bane of millions of women. Often appearing around the hips and thighs, cellulite has the appearance of dimples and it’s often characterized by the not very appealing name of “cottage cheese thighs”. Some people will experience this phenomenon while others may never have to worry about it. But understanding what cellulite is can help us better combat it. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at what cellulite is, why you should avoid quick fixes, and how Madison personal training experts can help get rid of that cellulite forever.

What is cellulite?

When you get right down to it, cellulite is nothing more than fat. We all have connective tissue that separates fat cells into their own compartments. Men typically have crisscross or horizontal patterns to these compartments, while women usually have patterns that resemble a honeycomb, increasing the changes that the fat cells will slip through, become trapped between the tissues and the skin, and create the “cottage cheese” affect. Whether or not you have cellulite isn’t just determined by the amount of fat in your body, but genetics also plays a part. Genetics determines where your fat cells are stored in your body, so some people may never be burdened with cellulite while others will have to increase their activity levels in order to help get rid of it.

Beware of the quick fix

Everywhere you look there are commercials offering quick fixes to get rid of cellulite, but they either don’t work or only work for a short period of time. Don’t believe the hype and fall for the temptation of creams or wraps to make the cellulite instantly disappear. Cellulite creams claim to dissolve the cellulite, but no cream can penetrate the skin and rearrange fat cells. Expensive surgeries like liposuction remove deposits of fat, but it can’t change the appearance of it. Body wraps may reduce the appearance of cellulite, but this is because they work to smooth out the surface of the skin. You can expect to see the cellulite return by the next day.

Finally, beware of exercise equipment manufacturers that claim that using their machine, which targets the hips, rear end and thighs, will help improve the appearance of cellulite. These machines will certainly improve the muscles in the target area, but they do little to help you reduce your overall fat, which you can only achieve will a well rounded fitness program.

Lower your body fat

The best way to fight cellulite is to start a Madison personal training program that will help you lose your total body fat. After all, cellulite is just fat, right? The best fitness program involves eating right, getting plenty of rest, and a combination of both cardio and strength training. Improve your eating habits, not by trying out the latest crash diet fad, but making a commitment to better health and eating a well balanced diet. Rest is important to make sure you use your muscles safely and effectively. This not only means getting seven to eight hours of sleep every night, but letting a muscle group rest for forty-eight hours before exercising it again.

Finally, Madison personal training combines cardio and strength training to best fight fat. Cardio not only improves your heart and gives you energy, but it helps raise your metabolism. Your metabolism will be further raised with strength training, as the more muscles you have, the more calories you’ll burn. These three components are all you need to get on the path to better fitness and getting rid of that cellulite! Contact a Madison personal training expert to begin a fat fighting program today!

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A Madison Personal Training Expert Reports! Why Water is Crucial to Your Health

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Madison personal training experts know that as many as seventy-five percent of Americans aren’t drinking enough water. As most of us learned in school, our bodies are made up of nearly seventy percent water, so doesn’t it seem natural that we need to stock up on this most important element? In this article, we’ll learn why staying hydrated is so important to your health, the dangers of not getting enough water, and what a Madison personal training expert suggests to incorporate drinking water into your healthy lifestyle.

Why we need water

Our bodies are nearly two-thirds water; it’s in our blood, muscles, brains and even bones. This water plays a very important part of keeping our bodies healthy. It helps the body absorb nutrients and vitamins, helps digestion, detoxifies the liver and kidneys, carries away waste, helps the blood circulate, and many other important jobs. But the level of water in our bodies doesn’t stay the same; we lose water through urination, sweating, and even respiration. A Madison personal training expert stresses that this is why it is so important to replace the water that we’ve lost.

Dangerous dehydration

Many of us wait until we’re thirsty to start drinking water, but our bodies are dehydrated long before we have the sensation of thirst. We all need to replenish the water level of our bodies over the course of the day, and this is especially important the more active we are. If we’re not drinking enough water, we can experience signs of mild dehydration like joint, muscle, or lower back pain, headaches or constipation. Another clue that you’re not getting enough water is urine that is yellow or amber in color accompanied by a strong odor. Because water helps keep the blood flowing smoothly, the blood can actually become thicker without enough water, leaving us feeling tired. These problems can only get worse over time and can cause complications with the liver and kidneys.

How to get enough water

A Madison personal training expert suggests that the best way to estimate the amount of water you should drink over the course of a day is to divide your body weight in pounds in half. This number is how many ounces of water you should be drinking in a day. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, you should be consuming 75 ounces of water a day. You can count on about twenty percent of your water intake to come from your food, so that leaves sixty ounces of water, or around eight glasses of water a day.

A Madison personal training expert understands that it can be difficult in the beginning to get used to drinking eight glasses of water a day if you haven’t been following this rule, but you can get your water from a variety of sources. Although the caffeine in your morning coffee is a diuretic, which can leave your body feeling like it has consumed more water than it has, your body has likely compensated for this daily dose of caffeine.

Just don’t make the mistake of replacing your entire water intake with coffee! You can also get your water from fruit or vegetable juices (as long as the juice indicates that it is 100 percent natural and not loaded up with sugar!) or flavored or sports drinks, as long as you keep an eye on the extra calorie intake. You can also get in the habit of carrying a small bottle of water with you on the go.

One other note on how much water you drink – there is such a thing as drinking too much water! Never attempt to drink all of your daily water intake in one sitting, and don’t try to overcompensate when you feel you need to catch up. Drinking too much water can result in a disorder called hyponatremia, which literally means “low sodium.” This can happen when too much water is consumed, which in turn overwhelms the kidneys that can’t process the water fast enough, forcing the sodium levels to drop. This can lead to seizures and even death. If you are interested in getting healthy with a Madison personal training expert, contact us today!

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Are You Too Busy to Exercise? A Personal Trainer in Madison Can Help!

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A personal trainer in Madison understands that among all the excuses one can make about avoiding exercise, claiming that you’re just too busy has to be the most often heard excuse. The truth is that this excuse just doesn’t cut it anymore. Everyone can find a way to incorporate an exercise routine into their busy lives, even if their lives are scheduled down to the last minute. Here are a few tips on how even the busiest among us can bring a little fitness into our lives.

Make Exercise a Priority

It seems that we can always miraculously find time for the things we really enjoy, like meeting a friend for drinks or catching our favorite team play on television. The trick with fitting in exercise is changing your attitude about it, and making it something that is important enough to warrant taking a second glance at the schedule. Sure it means that you may have to get up an hour earlier or sacrifice an hour of your precious evening leisure time, but think about how much better you’ll feel, not to mention how much better you’ll sleep! You may want to hire a personal trainer in Madison to ensure to stay on track!

Make a Schedule

Penciling exercise into your busy schedule is a great way to help keep you motivated and make time for fitness. Planning your fitness schedule a week in advance may be all you need to make sure you have time for all the responsibilities in your life. But sometimes even the best laid plans fail, so don’t beat yourself up if something comes up and you have to cancel one day. The most important thing is that you get back up on the horse the next day! Also, don’t forget that there are two days during the week that most of us don’t even consider when scheduling exercise – the weekend! If you are determined to meet your fitness goals, there is no better way than to hire a personal trainer in Madison.

Incorporate Exercise in Your Daily Routine

Just because you can’t fit time to go to the gym in your schedule doesn’t mean that you can’t incorporate exercise in your daily life! There are dozens of ways that you can get a short workout throughout the day. Some examples include using the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator, parking at the other end of the parking lot when going shopping, and when you get home, bring in your shopping bags one at a time. You could even permanently lose your television remote and get up out of your chair from time to time!

You Don’t Have to Do This Alone

Your secret weapon may be one you didn’t even realize that you had – your personal trainer in Madison. Let a personal trainer know what your goals are and you’ll be surprised at how easily they’ll help you reach them. If you’ve never considered working out with personal trainer in Madison, you’ll be surprised at how difficult it will be to cancel when you know you have someone waiting for you at the gym.

Don’t be afraid to seek out professional advice. A personal trainer in Madison can help you think of new ways to incorporate exercise into your daily routine, even if you can only get to the gym a few days a month.

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Injuries, Strains and Sore Muscles A Personal Trainer in Madison Can Help

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A personal trainer in Madison understands that experiencing soreness the day after a work out isn’t uncommon. After all, you’re pushing your muscles beyond what they’ve been used to doing. But sometimes we mistake injuries and strains as sore muscles and push through the pain, which can lead to lasting damage. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at why muscles become sore, what you can do to help prevent soreness, and why working with a personal trainer in Madison can help you avoid injuries and strains.

Why do we get sore?

If you’re exercising correctly, muscle soreness should be very minimal, but those that are just beginning or have recently intensified their work outs may experience muscle soreness the day after a work out. This phenomenon is called delayed-onset muscle soreness, or DOMS, and generally occurs twelve to 36 hours after an intense work out. There are two factors that contribute to DOMS; a build up of waste products in the muscles and miniscule tears in the muscles. Not only are the muscles sore, but symptoms can also include feeling stiff, weak and tired. A personal trainer in Madison understands DOMS and will know how to safely and effectively get you passed it without injury or strains.

Avoiding soreness

Working out shouldn’t leave you feeling tired and sore, but energized! You can help your body better recover by taking care of your body before and after your work out. Make sure you’re getting plenty of sleep, as exercise will only exacerbate the tired feeling, and take an appropriate amount of rest between work outs, so your muscles have time to recover. A personal trainer in Madison suggests always warm up your body for at least ten minutes before any kind of intense work out, because exercising “cold muscles can lead to strains and injuries.

Stretching after a work out is just as important, as it encourages the blood flow to return to the organs and discourages lactic acid from building up in the muscles, which contributes to soreness. Finally, make sure you’re getting enough fuel for your body. Food give your body the energy it needs to work out efficiently, so consider adding a small snack an hour before your workout and eating a healthy meal afterwards, to help your muscles better recover.

Getting the help you need

If you’ve already tried some of these techniques and are still experiencing soreness after your work outs, chances are that you may have strained a muscle. A muscle is considered strained when it has worker harder than its capacity and it actually tears. If you don’t notice significant improvement over a period of a few days, you may need to seek medical advice.

It is, of course, very easy to avoid injury by making sure you’re using exercise equipment safely and not pushing yourself beyond your limits by consulting a personal trainer. Working out with a personal trainer in Madison has many benefits for you, including designing a fitness regime that’s right for you, encouraging you along the way, but most importantly, making sure you’re working out safely and efficiently. A personal trainer in Madison will be able to advise you about your muscle soreness, when you should seek medical advice, and how to avoid injury all together.

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Why You Can Benefit from Madison Personal Trainers

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With Madison personal trainers you can improve your life through a healthier choices and fitness. Deciding where and how to begin your fitness journey are just as important as making the decision to begin in the first place. For those that have never traveled down this path before, it can be complicated and confusing. That’s why working with Madison personal trainers is a great choice for beginners and lifelong fitness devotees alike. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at how the personalized attention of a trainer can help you reach your goals.

You Don’t Have to Do This Alone

How many times have you started a new exercise routine and followed it faithfully for three weeks before you’ve found that your enthusiasm is long gone? Be honest – it’s easy to make excuses to avoid exercise. “I had a rough day at work,” “I’m too busy today,” “I didn’t get enough sleep last night,” the list goes on and on. But how quick would you be to make excuses if you know there was someone waiting for you at the gym?

And once you get to the gym, going through the motions alone can be equally intimidating. “How long should I do this exercise?” “Am I even doing this right?” Having Madison personal trainers by your side will help ensure that you can get instant feedback whenever you have a question, not to mention that they’ll monitor your progress and make sure you are working out safely and efficiently.

Focus and Motivation

Madison personal trainers are more than safety instructors in the gym; they can be your personal cheerleader – or even your personal drill sergeant, if you prefer – to help keep you focused on your goals and motivated to make them happen. A good personal trainer will keep track of your progress, and use this information to change or accelerate your workouts accordingly.

Before setting on your fitness path with a personal trainer, make sure that this is someone that you can see motivating you in the future. Do you feel comfortable with this person? Will you feel comfortable taking directions from this person? Being sure that you can form a good relationship with your personal trainer may mean the difference between meeting your goal and getting frustrated enough to walk away from your trainer and your goal.

Tailoring to Your Personal Needs

From the first day you meet with your personal trainer, he’s working to help you realize your fitness goals. The first meeting should include a full assessment, including your present weight, body fat index, and what you’re working towards – whether it’s losing weight or preparing for a marathon. This is also the time to let the trainer know if you have any problems such as joint or muscle injuries, are suffering from diabetes or are recovering from a heart attack. Using all of this information, the trainer will create an exercise program that is tailor fitted to your needs to help you reach your goals, and not the other way around. There is no better time than the present to hire Madison personal trainers to make your goals a reality!

Read even more articles on this and other topics by Madison personal trainers…

Three Diet Success Keys to Maximize Your Fat Loss

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You’ve probably heard about how important diet is to the overall fat loss equation. In fact, it is just as important as your workouts. The combination of both proper nutrition and exercise ramps up the body’s ability to burn fat. So, what are the most important factors to focus on in order to maximize your fat loss? Three simple things:

1. Increased Meal Frequency

Recommended 5-6 small meals a day.

Every time you eat, the food you ingest has an effect on your metabolic rate. This process is called the Thermic Effect of Feeding (TEF). What this means is that your body has to expend energy to chew your food, swallow, move the food through the digestive system, etc. The amount of energy used comes nowhere close to the amount of calories that you are eating at a given meal, but it does “spike” your metabolic rate.

Why is that important?

Because your resting metabolic rate is responsible for 80% of the calories you burn on a daily basis. So anything you can do to keep that elevated will benefit you. Furthermore, the more often you eat the less you will eat for each meal, which will keep the total number of calories ingested each day at lower levels.

2. Consume Low Carbohydrate Foods

Be aware of the high starch foods that you consume. You should continue to eat non-starchy carbs in the form of green vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, spinach, bell pepper, tomatoes, etc.). Please don’t confuse these statements with the “Atkins Diet.” I am not saying that you eat just protein and fat. Carbohydrates are still important to your diet and supply you with much needed energy to maximize your efforts during a workout. You simply must discontinue consuming foods that convert to sugar rapidly in your body. The main reason for doing this is insulin.

Whenever your blood sugar is high, insulin is secreted by the pancreas to remove the sugar from the blood. It does this primarily by converting the sugar to fat and storing it in the adipose tissue. More importantly, insulin inhibits the body’s ability to use stored fat as an energy source. Thus, when you consume a high carbohydrate, starchy diet your body is storing excess sugar as fat, and preventing you from burning that stored fat. In other words, you could be exercising daily and still not seeing any results from your hard work.

3. Eat More Fish or Use a Fish Oil Supplement

Recent studies show that individuals that consumed fish oil lost significantly more body fat than those that were given a placebo. Researchers have not determined the mechanism that facilitates accelerated fat loss, but all the evidence supports the fact that it does improve the amount of fat loss in those individuals that consume fish or a fish oil supplement. It is important to note that both groups in all studies also exercised. They made sure that all subjects did the exact same amount of physical activity. Remember exercise combined with proper nutrition is still extremely important for reaching your goals.

Start implementing these three simple steps to improve your diet and you will start seeing some visible results. The ball is in your court now. Remember that exercise is equally important to your goal, and especially resistance training because it helps promote lean muscle gain and increases your metabolic rate. If you’re not currently exercising or using resistance training in your exercise routine a fitness professional can help you design a safe and effective resistance training program.

Exercise In A Pill — Don’t Believe The Hype!

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At least that is what researchers are calling it. But is it really exercise?

The drug is called AICAR. It is a drug that they are calling the ultimate workout for the couch potato. You’re going to be hearing a lot about it, if you haven’t already.

AICAR was originally developed as a means of preserving blood flow to the heart during surgery. To date, it is only one of two studies that testing has been done in human trials relating to the drug. The other was a diabetes study in England.

The current study, recently published in the Journal Cell, showed that sedentary mice increased their ability to run on a treadmill 44% farther when administered AICAR. The doses were significantly higher than those in the human studies.

The drug appears to change the physical composition of the muscle transforming sugar-burning fast twitch fibers to fat-burning slow twitch fibers. This leads the researchers to believe that the drug possesses fat burning qualities which could help reduce weight, ward of diabetes, and prevent heart disease.

Don’t believe the hype!

Look at what Dr. Ronald Evans, the lead researcher said about the drug— “It’s tricking the muscle into ‘believing’ it’s been exercised daily.”

Let’s put it this way. One expert said, “believing that you’ve exercised using a pill is like being placed on third base and thinking you hit a triple.” It doesn’t add up.

Why?

Because exercise not only involves skeletal muscle, but the muscle we depend on most, the heart. The actual act of exercise helps improve cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, reduce stress, and build strong bones. Exercise in a pill cannot do any of that.

As far as the fat reducing properties the drug may or may not have. Fat requires oxygen to be used as an energy source. Therefore, you must exercise to get oxygen in the body and muscle. This process is known as fat oxidation which occurs during the recovery process. Exercise requires recovery, and it is during the recovery process that the body adapts and uses stored fat as an energy source.

Think of it like this: if you went to the gym to see how much muscle you build during a workout and measured immediately after that workout, you will have gained absolutely no muscle. That is because the body must recover and adapt to see the effects of the exercise.

It’s no different when we talk about fat loss. During a workout the goal is to create such a metabolic disturbance that your body takes up to 38 hours to recover. During that time you have an elevated metabolism in which you are burning calories at a higher rate. This process done consistently is the only tried and true method for long term results.

Exercise in a pill cannot simulate this process!

Look. It’s HUMAN NATURE to seek the path of least resistance. But, if you want lasting, permanent health and fitness results, exercise is still the only proven method.

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.”

Robert Frost

Rather than taking the path of least resistance, take the path less traveled. That path requires hard work and consistency. There is no substitute for a sweat drenching, muscle fatiguing workout. It does wonders for your health — physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Clearly the benefits of exercise can not be packaged in a convenient pill. Get up, get moving, and most of all have fun!!!

Eat More Fish…Lose Body Fat!

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Baked citrus orange roughy and fresh green beans

Baked citrus orange roughy and fresh green beans

Orange roughy is definitely my favorite white fish.  Great flavor and texture, with little to no “fishy” scent.  Tonight I combined my fish with some fresh baked green beans….  Mmmm!  Another easy, clean, and healthy meal.  Won’t you join me?!

To your health,

Clint Barr

Raising The Barr, Inc.
103 W. Washington Street #B4
Ridgeland, MS 39157

Baked Salmon and Asparagus…Clean eating at it’s finest!

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My Sunday lunch... clean eating at it's finest!

My Sunday lunch... clean eating at it's finest!

Ingredients

  • (2) 3 oz Salmon fillet
  • 3 cups of fresh asparagus
  • Juice from one half freshly squeezed lemon
  • 2 tbls extra virgin olive oil
  • Sweet basil
  • Ground pepper
  • Sea salt

Preparation

Preheat oven 400 degrees.  Place salmon fillets in a baking dish.  Drizzle 1 tbls of olive oil over the salmon, season with basil, pepper, and sea salt.  Set aside.  Place the asparagus in a separate baking dish, drizzle with the other tablespoon of olive oil and season with pepper and sea salt.  Bake the asparagus initially for 5-10 minutes before you put the salmon in the oven.  While the asparagus is cooking, prepare the salmon by cutting 1 lemon in half and squeezing the juice from one half over the fish.  Place the salmon in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.  The asparagus and salmon will finish at the same time. Remove from oven, serve with a lemon wedge.

Enjoy!

Servings: 2-3

Calories: 300 per serving

Clint Barr
Raising The Barr, Inc.

Change, The Secret to Your Success

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Have you ever noticed how you pick up on things in the most unexpected places?  This past weekend I had to make a trip to Orlando for a business conference.  It was fabulous! (Orlando’s not so bad either.)

The conference was held in a brand new Hilton in Point Orlando right next to the convention center.  I was just a few short miles from Disney World, but unfortunately didn’t take any time to go see my good friend Goofy…

…that’s right, I said Goofy.  Mickey is great, but Goofy’s my “dawg”!  Haha.

disney_characters_goofy_a

The weather was as near perfect as it could get (70 degrees, dry and breezy).  But I only know this because of my morning routine of watching The Weather Channel… I love that channel, and all they do is repeat the same thing over and over.  I like ESPN’s Sportscenter too.  Huh! Go figure, they’re both on repeat.

Anyway, enough about the weather and the different TV programs I like to watch.  One of the presenters at the conference was talking about current trends in the fitness industry and something he said resonated with me.  He said, “If you want to see a change, you have to make a change.”  A pretty obvious statement, but it got me thinking…

…It doesn’t matter whether it’s your personal life, your work, or your health and fitness.  Everything comes down to these two choices–you can either make excuses or you can start making changes!

Finding a reason NOT to do something is no way to live, trust me I’ve been one of the best at doing this in the past.  And I bet if you examined your life there are areas where you too have made excuses for why you couldn’t do something or make the change you wanted.  Fact is we all do it.

So I’m issuing a challenge, not only to you, but to myself as well.  I want to challenge you to make the change.  Look at the things in your life that you want to change, take a step forward, and make the necessary changes to get the result you want.

A positive approach to life and a “CAN DO” attitude can take you far in life.  Just look at my good friend Goofy.  No matter how tough the obstacle or impervious the task, he attacks it with zeal and exuberance.  He never makes excuses.

Start saying I Will and let that empower you to bring about real life change.  You may just find that you had it in you all along.
To making the change,

Clint Barr
Raising The Barr Fitness
103 W. Washington St #B4
Ridegland, MS 39157
www.bestjacksonpersonaltrainer.com

P.S.  If you’re ready to start making changes with your health and fitness but need some direction I would be glad to help.  You can schedule a no-obligation fitness consult by calling me at 601-201-3823 or visit www.JacksonFitnessConsultation.com.

The Benefits of a regular stretching routine…

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The Benefits of a regular stretching routine…

Whether you’ve trained with me in that past or you are currently training with me then you know that I don’t put you through a lot of stretching exercises during our workouts.  What I like to do is put you through the full range of motion of an exercise so that we can increase the mobility of a joint.

But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t stretch!

Stretching your muscles regularly can give you many benefits and should be a part of your daily exercise routine.  Some of those benefits include:

  • Improved circulation
  • Better posture
  • Relaxation and stress relief
  • Enhanced muscular coordination
  • Reduced risk of injury

There are several ways to incorporate more stretching into your physical fitness program including yoga and pilates, which will also strengthen the muscle.  At a minimum you should be stretching at least 3 days per week, and especially after a strenuous resistance training session.

Take 30 minutes every day to stretch your muscles and see how much better you feel.

Need help with a stretching routine?  Give me a call at 601-201-3823.  I would be glad to answer your questions.

Yours in health,

Clint Barr
Raising The Barr, Inc.
www.bestjacksonpersonaltrainer.com

When Life Gives You Lemons…Make Lemonade

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As a professional athlete I was at high risk of injuring myself.  The thing is, for the 2+ years that I spent playing in the New York Yankee farm system, and four years of college, I merely had minor injuries.

By minor I mean a broken thumb, broken ring finger, broken hand, 10 stitches in my chin, and two concussions… Whew!  Maybe I was more injury prone than I thought.

But none of those injuries were serious in the sense that they required surgery.

Little did I know that during my years as both a college and professional baseball player I had a developing injury all along that wouldn’t rear its ugly head until now.

In just 9 days I will be having arthroscopic hip surgery to remove a bone lesion on the neck of my femur and repair a torn labrum.  And I have to tell you…I’m worried sick about it.

Recently a client of mine asked me if I was excited to finally get my surgery and have the pain in my hip gone for good.

I can’t say that I’m enthused about the actual surgery itself, nor would I say I’m excited that I am having surgery.

But she reminded me of something that I teach all my clients which is when things such as these present themselves you have the choice to decide how you are going to react to such obstacles.  Your attitude towards how you approach “road bumps” in life can be all the difference in turning them into a spring board for making you stronger.

The Student becomes The Teacher!

And I am forever grateful that she reminded me of this very important fact.

You see, no matter what obstacles life puts up in front of you, you have the power to make the best of it.  Your attitude and outlook on every situation can make or break you.

You can sit on the sidelines and sulk…or you can get your butt in the game and rise to the occasion.  Its simple!

“Nothing worthwhile ever happens quickly and easily. You achieve only as you are determined to achieve… and as you keep at it until you have achieved.”–Robert H. Lauer

So when life gives you lemons…make the sweetest tasting, most refreshing, and outright BEST lemonade you can!

Yours in health,

Clint Barr
Raising The Barr, Inc.
www.bestjacksonpersonaltrainer.com

What's for Dinner?… (follow me into my kitchen)

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Spaghetti Squash a.k.a. “Squaghetti”

  • Cut in half lengthwise and remove the seeds from the center
  • Place face down in about a 1/4 inch of water in a baking dish
  • Cook at 350 degrees for 35 minutes
  • Remove from oven, drain water and turn squash over
  • Fill with your favorite marinara or meat sauce
  • Sprinkle with some fresh Parmesan cheese
  • Put the squash back in the oven at 350 for about 15 minutes or until the sauce is warm and cheese is melted
  • Remove and serve!

To eat just take your fork and start to scrape the squash away from the rine.  You can eat straight from the rine or scrape your squaghetti straight into a bowl.

Enjoy!

Yours in health,

Clint Barr
Raising The Barr, Inc.
www.bestjacksonpersonaltrainer.com

Top 5 Resistance Tubing Exercises (Home Gym Series #4)

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Alright everybody.  Today I am here to share my top 5 Resistance Band Tubing exercises.  This is a great piece of equipment.  It is very versatile and its resistance profile matches the strength profile of your muscle tissue.

What do I mean by that?

Well, when you are at your weakest, or when the muscle is at its maximal length, the tubing is at its shortest length.  Conversely, when you are at your strongest (muscle fully contracted), the tubing is fully elongated and thus has more tension or resistance.

You can use this tubing to create different types of adaptations in the muscle than you could with a dumbbell.

OK.  Let’s get to the Top 5:

  • Squat & Press
  • Standing Y
  • High Pull with a Side Shuffle
  • Resistance Band Push Up
  • Squat/Lift/Twist

You’ve seen the video and learned the exercises.  Now you have to take action and put them to use or they just don’t work.  Get to work and have fun!

Yours in health,
Clint Barr
Raising The Barr, Inc.
www.bestjacksonpersonaltrainer.com

Why You Should Ignore All The Government Warnings About Exercise

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Hi Everyone,

Today I want to communicate to you the truth about exercise. I want to explain to you why you need to ignore all of the gvernment warnings about how much you should be moving. As MD Henry Lodge states in his powerful and provocative book, “Younger Next Year” the government’s recommendation to exercise 3 or 4 days per week is only a bare minimum. A desperate plea from the medical profession to a nation of couch potatoes.

Remember this…

Your body literally craves the daily chemistry of exercise. Henry Lodge also puts it this way…”When you get in shape, when you exercise, when you dance, you are sharing the ancient chemistry of movement with every other animal on the planet.” Think of how happy a dog is when he is set free from the leash at the park. You can almost see him smiling. He will run for days if you let him. When you find this universal instinctive truth, there will be no stopping you.

Nature’s rule is simple, do something every day. It doesn’t have to be the same thing over and over either. And really, it shouldn’t. A new stimulus on the body means new adaptations, a new you every day.

You absolutely MUST connect with this truth and this reality. Yes, I know, you might be saying right now that you are busy, life is crazy and “I just don’t have enough time or energy to exercise that often.” These are only excuses and a confusion of priorities. Exercise at least 6 days a week is no longer an option. Especially when you reach the age of 50. Because at that point you literally have two choices. You don’t exercise, grow old and wear out, or you start moving on a regular basis and live a long, healthy, fit and energetic life into your 80s and beyond. I know which one I’m choosing.

Believe me, I’ve heard all the excuses and misconceptions about why people can’t exercise on a daily basis. Helping people work through these is a big part of my job. And regardless of whether or not you ever consult with me on how to make it happen in your life, I want to communicate something very clearly…

Making excuses about how you are too tired, busy, or unorganized to exercise reguarly is just denial. It’s thinking about the whole thing backwards. You are tired and lethargic during and at the end of your day and even in the morning, because you don’t get enough exercise and are not eating well and taking your vitamins.

People become mentally, physically, and emotionally drained from being sedentary. Yes, it’s true. And I know how that can sound to someone who is sitting right now reading this passage. But it really is true, even if it sounds to you like an oversimplification. Arriving on your doorsetp exhausted every night is not living. It is merely surviving, and a really really long way from thriving. I choose to thrive!

Remember, as Deepak Chopra puts it, “Your body’s natural state is to be healthy.” When you are worn out, put out, and stressed out, feeling as though you don’t have the energy to physically move every day and love it, something has gone terribly wrong. The good news is that you can do something about it.

Yours in health,

Clint Barr
Raising The Barr, Inc.
www.bestjacksonpersonaltrainer.com

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