tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47080509362905157322024-03-13T16:25:15.320-07:00SmartPath Fitness BlogSal Crispohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14097958604332505881noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4708050936290515732.post-26076895289211997012012-03-31T10:19:00.001-07:002012-04-01T10:23:24.836-07:00Do Elimination Diets Work For Weight Loss?<div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">March 2012 – FAQ: Nutrition!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">For this month’s article, I will be answering a question I received from one of my Boot Camp members. Basically, the lovely young lady wants to know if there are any pitfalls to eliminating (or significantly reducing) certain macronutrient categories (such as carbohydrates) or food groups (such as fruits) from one’s diet for the purpose of losing unwanted weight. Elimination diets are a hot topic of discussion these days and have been for many years. Some experts promote one kind of diet (Protein dominant) and others swear the opposite (Carbohydrate dominant) is true. When the experts cannot agree, who are we supposed to listen to or follow? I will do my best today to guide you through the confusion.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><a name='more'></a><br />
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Elimination Diets for Healing and Weight Loss<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Elimination diets can be a positive tool for certain situations or conditions. For instance, I recently aggravated my lower back from doing some heavy Olympic lifts and to help reduce inflammation and speed recovery, I am following an anti-inflammatory diet. I have eliminated (or significantly reduced) foods that are known to increase heat in the body. Similarly, I have put clients on anti-fungal diets when they suffer from a fungal condition such as eczema. Then there are various types of fasts (i.e. water only, juicing only, water and teas) one can do to help rebuild digestion. However, with all the above examples, there is a specific purpose to using an elimination diet and it’s usually a temporary (short-term) way of eating. Therefore, the question remains – if elimination diets are effective for certain conditions, will they be effective for weight loss? <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoBNLvyTHKjWlLIXmC2lFDOK6-tqjCYaJJOmLl1y1we7s2ndyJ8yHVPXO9rK-E4fGdjr1nGnnei5gKmFZ5Z38jPLDGzlgZ_Qz5mk7p6daN-Fc8-2uPKw55zVCXs3Z1zNsA_rGoXBFMH6Nj/s1600/draft_lens17689657module148557847photo_1298945407blueberries.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoBNLvyTHKjWlLIXmC2lFDOK6-tqjCYaJJOmLl1y1we7s2ndyJ8yHVPXO9rK-E4fGdjr1nGnnei5gKmFZ5Z38jPLDGzlgZ_Qz5mk7p6daN-Fc8-2uPKw55zVCXs3Z1zNsA_rGoXBFMH6Nj/s320/draft_lens17689657module148557847photo_1298945407blueberries.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blueberries are a natural anti-inflammatory food</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">First of all, a lot of people do not understand the difference between weight loss and fat loss (to learn more about the difference, you can read this past article </span><a href="http://blog.smartpathfitness.com/2011/12/truth-about-weight-loss.html">http://blog.smartpathfitness.com/2011/12/truth-about-weight-loss.html</a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">). They measure their success by the amount of weight they lose instead of their body composition (lean-muscle tissue % vs. body fat %). Weight loss can come in several forms such as water, glycogen (stored sugar), body fat tissue, muscle tissue and even bone density. When people follow elimination diets for weight loss, it usually has negative consequences. In fact, it is often the people who lose the most amount of weight in the shortest period of time who, sooner or later, suffer the greatest downfall.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Macronutrients<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The 3 macronutrients are carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Each plays a VITAL role in our overall health. Together they form our bodily tissue (muscles, bones and organs etc.) and aid in all our everyday bodily functions (such as energy and hormone production). To eliminate (or significantly reduce) any one (or more) of these 3 major components to lose weight is a recipe for disaster. Even though you may lose weight, you will diminish your health and well being in the process. With that being said, you can manage the percentage of each of the macronutrients you consume to improve your body composition (decrease body fat %). As a certified Advanced Metabolic Typing Advisor, this is exactly what I teach in the ‘Metabolic Typing Diet’ program (by Dr. William Wolcott). <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I use the Metabolic Typing Diet with my clients to determine which macronutrient ratio works best for them. Remember, this ratio is unique to each individual. Some people require a higher percentage of proteins or fats and others require a higher percentage of carbohydrates. I cannot speak highly enough about the effectiveness of this program. Not only will it help you reach an ideal body composition, but it helps regulate hormones, increase energy and improves digestion just to name a few. And because it is an educational program, it empowers you to manage your own diet for the rest of your life. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE3WeQOeM5lWsTWgSiOq_qu8OsBKIrl5tUJFhbD7crXtQVHWtAFTeNJAiUPHmIQYkQnKd8TWqC1OKlGNYwRIcjtSKEwAwLU9fvR-PaE0XFCnYZnHXd6LQ3nluejjzgvH58QZxhGV7pPUhy/s1600/Image-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE3WeQOeM5lWsTWgSiOq_qu8OsBKIrl5tUJFhbD7crXtQVHWtAFTeNJAiUPHmIQYkQnKd8TWqC1OKlGNYwRIcjtSKEwAwLU9fvR-PaE0XFCnYZnHXd6LQ3nluejjzgvH58QZxhGV7pPUhy/s1600/Image-1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tired of guessing? Discover your Metabolic Type today!</td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Food Groups<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">As previously mentioned, eliminating certain foods is beneficial for healing some conditions. However, eliminating an entire food group, especially for the goal of weight loss, is ridiculous in my opinion. There are so many benefits of eating fruits for example that I could write an entire book on it (and there are lots already written). Again, there are some fruits that are better for some people than others for certain reasons (such as metabolic type or food allergies) but to eliminate them all suggests that all fruits are bad for your health. Suggestions such as these are made because people do not understand how the human body works. Unfortunately, a lot of people often act upon these suggestions in utter desperation. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Monitor Your Diet<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">How do you know if a diet is working for you? Again, most people measure their success by the amount of weight they lose which, more often than not, is hazardous to their health. Thankfully, there are several other methods to monitor progress which is much more safe and effective. The following are the 3 main ways I measure the effectiveness of a nutritional program. Please keep in mind that they are placed in a sequential order.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">1)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Digestion:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The first thing you should observe when introducing a new diet plan (or new supplement) is your digestion. Digestion is one of the key signs of health in the body. Whether your digestion improves or worsens is an easy way to determine the effectiveness (or deficiency) of your current eating habits (diet). Once you are on a diet that improves and supports your digestive system, you will begin to notice positive changes in various aspects of your wellbeing (body, mind and spirit). (Another reason I promote the Metabolic Typing Nutritional Program is because it teaches you how to properly monitor your digestion)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">2)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Exercise Intensity (performance): <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The next thing I check is exercise intensity. Are you able to train at the same, lower or higher intensity than normal? For instance, if you normally find a set of 10 squats with a 50 lb load to be very intense, you can use this exercise as a measure of your body’s output. After completing the set, you will get a sense of your output for that day. Food is our fuel. If you put in poor-quality food then your body will put out a poor-quality, workout performance. It’s really that simple. (Please keep in mind, there are other lifestyle factors that can contribute to performance changes such as sleep and stress but unfortunately, they are out-of-scope for this article)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 18.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">3)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Body Composition:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">When your digestion and performance are at optimal levels then you can focus on measuring body composition. I hope you can see the natural progression presented here. Your diet should first support the digestive system which will in turn, enhance your performance and finally, result in an improved body composition (less body fat and more lean-muscle tissue). In other words, eating correctly will regulate digestion and give you more energy. This increased energy will allow you to exercise at a higher intensity and get more out of your workouts. As a result, you will lose unwanted body fat and enjoy a healthier, leaner physique. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Final Thoughts<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The reason many experts argue over which diet is best is because there are several diets which work great for a large number of people. Some experts promote higher protein diets with good success and others advocate higher carbohydrate diets with good success. Notice that I said ‘good’ success. In this case, ‘good’ is not good enough. There are also a large number of people who fail miserably following these same diets. It is an inevitable outcome of placing the entire human race under the same generic diet (one way of eating for everyone). Furthermore, most so-called ‘experts’ use weight-loss as the sole measurement of success to determine the effectiveness of their diets. Is it any wonder why so many people still have not figured out this problem after all these years? <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sal Crispo<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Vaughan Personal Trainer<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">P.S. If you have any questions regarding this article or any questions about health and fitness in general, just contact me at sal_crispo@smartpathfitness.com or 416-452-1841 and I will be glad to answer them for you as soon as possible. If you think this article is valuable and can help the people you care about, feel free to share it with them. </span> </div>Sal Crispohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14097958604332505881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4708050936290515732.post-46085284669830097342011-12-31T09:19:00.000-08:002011-12-31T09:23:24.752-08:00A NEW Paradigm in 2012!<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">January 2012 – Goal Setting!</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In my last article (</span><a href="http://blog.smartpathfitness.com/2011/12/truth-about-weight-loss.html"><span style="color: #3778cd; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The Truth About Weight Loss!</span></a>), <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I discussed how measuring your success solely by the amount of weight you lose is very flawed. To prove my case, I showed a ‘before and after’ picture of a female who was leaner and thinner in her ‘after’ picture even though she <u>gained</u> weight. For this reason, I have put together another article so that you do not continue to make the same mistake in 2012! I will give you some better examples of goal setting and show you how to more accurately measure success so that you get on the right track this year toward transforming your physique! Enjoy!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><a name='more'></a><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Biomotor Abilities:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">When you look around in most competitive sports, you will find that a high percentage of athletes have this in common – they have <u>incredible</u> physiques. What can we learn from this simple observation? Athletes are the ultimate example of what it really takes to get that physique most people dream of. Can we compare ourselves to athletes? Yes! Below is a chart that I use to monitor an athlete’s biomotor abilities. However, this chart can be used by anyone. Allow me to explain. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableLightGridAccent5" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-themecolor: accent5; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;"><tbody>
<tr> <td style="border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 2.25pt; border: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 97.55pt;" valign="top" width="130"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Biomotor Ability<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 2.25pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-top: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 134.65pt;" valign="top" width="180"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Strengths/Weaknesses<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Score From 1- 10 <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">(1 weakest – 10 highest)<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 2.25pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-top: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 118.45pt;" valign="top" width="158"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Discrepancy<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">(Norm, Sport, Position, Specific Player)<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="background: #D2EAF1; border-top: none; border: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 97.55pt;" valign="top" width="130"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Strength<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> <td style="background: #D2EAF1; border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 134.65pt;" valign="top" width="180"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> <td style="background: #D2EAF1; border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 118.45pt;" valign="top" width="158"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
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<tr> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 97.55pt;" valign="top" width="130"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Speed<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
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</div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 118.45pt;" valign="top" width="158"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
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<tr> <td style="background: #D2EAF1; border-top: none; border: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 97.55pt;" valign="top" width="130"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Endurance<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> <td style="background: #D2EAF1; border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 134.65pt;" valign="top" width="180"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
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</div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 97.55pt;" valign="top" width="130"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Power<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 134.65pt;" valign="top" width="180"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 118.45pt;" valign="top" width="158"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="background: #D2EAF1; border-top: none; border: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 97.55pt;" valign="top" width="130"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Agility<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> <td style="background: #D2EAF1; border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 134.65pt;" valign="top" width="180"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> <td style="background: #D2EAF1; border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 118.45pt;" valign="top" width="158"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 97.55pt;" valign="top" width="130"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Balance<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 134.65pt;" valign="top" width="180"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 118.45pt;" valign="top" width="158"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="background: #D2EAF1; border-top: none; border: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 97.55pt;" valign="top" width="130"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Flexibility<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> <td style="background: #D2EAF1; border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 134.65pt;" valign="top" width="180"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> <td style="background: #D2EAF1; border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 118.45pt;" valign="top" width="158"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 97.55pt;" valign="top" width="130"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Coordination<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 134.65pt;" valign="top" width="180"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 118.45pt;" valign="top" width="158"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="background: #D2EAF1; border-top: none; border: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 97.55pt;" valign="top" width="130"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> <td style="background: #D2EAF1; border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 134.65pt;" valign="top" width="180"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> <td style="background: #D2EAF1; border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 118.45pt;" valign="top" width="158"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The first biomotor ability (BA) on the list is strength. Therefore, I would go through a series of strength tests (push, squat, and core etc.) to determine a person’s overall strength (Score out of 10). Once I am done assessing strength, I work my way down the list and determine the person’s overall fitness level. How does strength or any other BA relate to physique transformation? Well, I can assure that 9.99 times out of 10 a person who can perform 40-45 push-ups in 30 seconds has a better physique than the person who cannot complete a single push-up. In order to complete 40-45 full push-ups in 30 seconds, a person requires a combination of strength, speed and endurance. Therefore, if you wish to transform your physique, one long term goal (1-5 years) could be to achieve this range of push-ups in 30 seconds. Please keep in mind that this is only one example out of many; the following are some more BA goal-specific examples:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">-<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Meet all the normal ranges of motion for joint and spinal health (Flexibility/Mobility)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">-<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Complete a triathlon (Endurance)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">-<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Squat and deadlift your bodyweight or 2x your bodyweight (Strength)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">-<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Learn all the Olympic weightlifting movements (Coordination)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">-<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Run 100 meters in under 11 or 12 seconds (Speed)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">-<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Complete a set of bicep curls and overhead tricep extensions while kneeling on a Swiss Ball (Balance)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">-<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Complete an obstacle course (Agility)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">-<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Dunk a basketball (Explosive Power)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">For most people, the examples above will probably take years before they are achieved. For this reason, you must create a series of short-term goals to gradually increase your fitness level toward achieving your long-term goals. In addition, I recommend that you strive to improve as many of these biomotor abilities as you can. The more of these you develop, the more your physique will transform for the better. When I train my clients and boot camp members, I give them a lot of functional exercises which challenge and develop all of these abilities. Not only does this make them look better, but it helps make everyday tasks such as climbing stairs, carrying groceries or keeping up with children (or grandchildren) become much easier. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt;">Ø<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Goals for 2012:<i> Improve your Biomotor Abilities!<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Body Composition:</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">When you weigh yourself, what are you weighing? How much of your weight is fluid…organ tissue…bone…muscle…fat etc? If your ultimate goal is to lose weight then you actually risk diminishing your health. For instance, I guarantee that if you exercise hard enough to work up a good sweat and you do not replenish your body with enough fluids, you will lose weight. However, continue to do this and you will dehydrate your body which decreases your health and increases your chances of fatigue, injury and organ failure just to name a few. Therefore, your goal should not be weight loss but fat loss. Once you determine your percentage of body fat, you can set a goal to reduce this percentage. Remember, it is very possible to lose body fat (improve body composition) and gain weight! (Check out my previous article for proof) If you are serious about transforming your physique, hire a professional to take an accurate measurement of your body fat and have them re-test approximately every 3 months. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt;">Ø<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Goals for 2012:<i> Improve your Body Composition by Reducing your Body Fat Percentage!<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Measuring Success<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">If you wish to transform your physique there are many other ways you could measure progress and success. As a CHEK Practitioner, I also assess posture and movement patterns. This allows me to use the correct postural and movement pattern exercises to help my clients realign their musculoskeletal system. As a result of this realignment, clients often experience increased energy and productivity, decreased stress and pain (in back or joints) and much more. Using a scale from 1-10, you can also gauge your energy levels and your productivity or stress and pain levels. Finally, one of the ultimate measures of success is happiness. Are you happier when you are working out and bettering your health or are you happier when you are being lazy and neglecting your health? The more we improve our health and transform our body, the better we feel about ourselves. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt;">Ø<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Goals for 2012:<i> Increase Energy and Productivity, Decrease Stress and Pain, Increase Happiness and Feel Better about Yourself! </i><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Conclusion</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I know many of you would love to begin transforming your life in 2012 but what if you do not have enough motivation to actually do so? If you do not have the motivation to start an exercise regimen, a nutritional diet or any other resolution for 2012 then I recommend you take the first step and read my book <i>‘One Habit At A Time’</i>. In the book, I teach you how to develop simple habits which will give you the motivation you need to start any new resolution. Remember, motivation is mostly made up of energy and a lot of people do not have these simple habits I present in the book which can harness a great amount of energy. When you have an abundance of energy, you will naturally be motivated to use it toward creative means. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I wish you all a Happy and Healthy New Year and an Abundance of Energy in 2012! <o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sal Crispo<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Vaughan Personal Trainer</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">P.S. If you have any questions regarding this article or any questions about health and fitness in general, just contact me at sal_crispo@smartpathfitness.com or 416-452-1841 and I will be glad to answer them for you as soon as possible. If you think this article is valuable and can help the people you care about, feel free to share it with them. </span>Sal Crispohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14097958604332505881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4708050936290515732.post-85581724120672539302011-12-06T08:56:00.000-08:002011-12-06T09:04:56.190-08:00The Truth About Weight Loss!<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 21px;">December 2011 – Weight Management!</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I am often approached by people with the goal to lose weight. This is an appropriate goal for someone who is significantly overweight; however, it should not be the only goal they set. To focus solely on weight loss (as the only goal) has lead many people toward failure. Also, the goal to lose weight is not appropriate for everyone and yet, most people adopt this goal as their central focus. In this article, I will explain why this goal is not for everyone and how it can actually have negative consequences to transforming one’s physique especially when it becomes your main focus. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
<a name='more'></a></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Muscle vs. Fat<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I know you have probably heard that muscle weighs more than fat but here is the truth – muscle weighs the same as fat. 1 lb of muscle is the same as one l lb of fat. The difference is not in the weight but in the mass. In other words, fat takes up more space than muscle. The picture below is a great demonstration of this statement.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxWE06Sb8SRfPjUn9NXpxNk8Q9elopIs9rRHQdbeTNTSWlnG23COwzTpoZpFtzlk-lKCDhgFFKTYkE53nctjpWjHShn1kSwfE148Q1gIM3jBX9Efm7H4-mHY9OfN0IsaNK5Xn6ICzasVO6/s1600/5lb-fat-muscle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxWE06Sb8SRfPjUn9NXpxNk8Q9elopIs9rRHQdbeTNTSWlnG23COwzTpoZpFtzlk-lKCDhgFFKTYkE53nctjpWjHShn1kSwfE148Q1gIM3jBX9Efm7H4-mHY9OfN0IsaNK5Xn6ICzasVO6/s320/5lb-fat-muscle.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">‘Skinny Fat People’</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Here is an example of a common conversation I have with female clients during an initial goal setting consultation:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sal: Ok, so what are your goals?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Client: <i>When I was in my early 20s, I weighed 110 lbs and I want to get back to that weight.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sal: <i>Do you really? </i><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Client: <i>Yes, I would give anything to look like that again.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sal: <i>What if I told you that the reason you weighed 110 lbs is because you were mostly water, skin and bones. I bet you had no significant muscle on your body frame at the time.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Client: <i>I am sure I had muscle, right?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sal: <i>Not necessarily. Could you perform a set of 10 full push-ups or pull-ups? Could you squat your body weight for 10 reps?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Client: <i>No, I was very weak.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sal: <i>Exactly, so why do you want to be at a weight where you are going to be very weak? Did you know that you were probably fat at 110 lbs?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Client: <i>What?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sal: <i>Yes, there are a lot of ‘skinny fat people’ walking around. Just because you weigh 110 lbs (or whatever) does not mean you are not fat. Whether a person is fat or not is measured by body fat percentage and not by body weight. Therefore, if most of your body tissue is made up of fat, you are fat, regardless of your weight or how skinny you appear to be.</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The above example is important because it should help you to understand that you can create different, more improved goals which I will show you how to do in the next, upcoming article. Often, I work hard to turn my client’s focus from weight loss to improving body composition or increasing core strength, etc. I find this message is difficult for most people to absorb because they have been conditioned (their entire lives) to focus only on weight loss. Therefore, I will emphasize the following; “DO NOT FOCUS SOLEY ON WEIGHT LOSS OR YOU WILL MOST LIKELY FAIL TO ACHIEVE THE PHYSIQUE YOU GREATLY DESIRE! YOU MUST HAVE OTHER SUPPORTING GOALS!” Please commit the previous statements to memory; place it in the deepest part of your subconscious mind. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Weight Scale vs. Fat Calliper <o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">There is an old saying I use about weight scales; “Give them to someone you do not like and let them pull their hair out.” If you base your progress on weight, I assure you, you will most likely quit the best of exercise programs. In fact, I bet the number one reason people do not follow a healthy lifestyle, exercise plan, and proper nutrition, etc., is because of this extremely flawed measuring stick. Just how flawed is this measuring stick? Take a look at the following picture.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOOaXNIn-KOiB2JZaqtJc3f794C8zXcECLpJefqDq8qfB2-xqnFDZLu7CH3s_uJ7Hi8fSyweqVFGgeauOWnWK3w6XjWPKKklttgCMz6leHu7qLDtIIuQb1H-fyiBCAFnS9mX2a9z-xtYdr/s1600/BeforeandAfterWeightGain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOOaXNIn-KOiB2JZaqtJc3f794C8zXcECLpJefqDq8qfB2-xqnFDZLu7CH3s_uJ7Hi8fSyweqVFGgeauOWnWK3w6XjWPKKklttgCMz6leHu7qLDtIIuQb1H-fyiBCAFnS9mX2a9z-xtYdr/s320/BeforeandAfterWeightGain.jpg" width="205" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>BEFORE AFTER</b></td></tr>
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</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px;">As you can see, the female above is in better shape (leaner) in her after picture and yet she weighs 9 lbs more! This is a great example of how fat takes up more space than muscle. What if her goal was to lose 10 pounds? In all likelihood, she would have quit the exercise program before she gained the 9 pounds and transformed her physique for the better, right? This is a perfect example why we must lose the old, outdated mentality that weight loss is the ultimate goal. How else can we measure progress? Body fat measurements, fitness level assessments, movement pattern and postural corrections are all great indicators of progress. Again, I will expand on this further in the next article.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVYoKtCKynnXQOvr9ZbiGlg8XkGS5zC0tvr9-J5zKNWV_2Dfy9Iv2mQ6-3PCiNk0wJsdkOteIelyyuZvo2VYwY_hcH9n5_2Y9n6e0CyZ7WKwRQX0w43oILjB2YlP41DMRD4PwFoQyTJoCf/s1600/AM-Skin+Fold+Calipers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVYoKtCKynnXQOvr9ZbiGlg8XkGS5zC0tvr9-J5zKNWV_2Dfy9Iv2mQ6-3PCiNk0wJsdkOteIelyyuZvo2VYwY_hcH9n5_2Y9n6e0CyZ7WKwRQX0w43oILjB2YlP41DMRD4PwFoQyTJoCf/s320/AM-Skin+Fold+Calipers.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">An inexpensive fat calliper (by Accu-Measure) you can use to measure your body fat but I recommend getting help from a professional who is skilled at using this tool for increased accuracy</span></b></span></td></tr>
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</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px;">One more thing, the female in the ‘before and after’ photo is NOT huge. She gained a lot of muscle (more than 9 lbs because she lost some body fat) and yet she looks thinner than before. Many women I speak to have this phobia with exercise (especially with weight/resistance training) about getting bulky. This is highly unlikely as women have 10 times less testosterone than men (which many actually struggle to add muscle bulk). And if you are still not convinced that you will not get bulky then I suggest you stay away from doing bodybuilding routines and focus on exercise programs that are designed for functional conditioning. If you are not sure what functional conditioning is exactly and how it differs from bodybuilding then I invite you to do a personal training session with me or join in on one of my boot camp classes and I assure you, you will discover the difference.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Conclusion<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">If you begin an exercise program, do not base your goals and progress measurements solely on body weight as doing this can be extremely misleading and demotivating. I have witnessed people who gained remarkable results on certain programs but because their weight had not changed, they quit striving for their goals. Therefore, do not fall victim to this old trap. Set a variety of goals that support each other and work toward them long enough to achieve them. If you do this, you will inevitably see the body you’ve always wanted emerge before your eyes. I cannot wait to write the next article as I feel it is important to share some different goals which will help you transform your physique. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sal Crispo<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Vaughan Personal Trainer</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px;">P.S. If you have any questions regarding this article or any questions about health and fitness in general, just contact me at sal_crispo@smartpathfitness.com or 416-452-1841 and I will be glad to answer them for you as soon as possible. If you think this article is valuable and can help the people you care about, feel free to share it with them. </span></div>Sal Crispohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14097958604332505881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4708050936290515732.post-37255835194922869212011-10-31T12:04:00.000-07:002011-11-01T10:31:46.452-07:00True or False – Spot Reduction Works!<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 21px;">October 2011 – Fitness Concepts and Strategies!</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Recently, while teaching one of my Boot Camp classes, a member asked me what exercise works best to get rid of the fat on (or reduce the size of) the outside of her legs. Unfortunately, I could not fully answer her question because I was in the middle of teaching a class. Therefore, I have dedicated this article to her and the many others who have asked this common question. Does spot reduction actually work? Let’s find out! <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Defining the Term<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">‘Spot Reduction’ is a fitness concept derived from the belief that exercising a certain area of the body will result in the loss of body fat in the (same) area; i.e., performing abdominal crunches to get rid of excess abdominal fat.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Human Body<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The human body is comprised of various, extremely complex systems, all of which are involved in what transpires in the body. In order for the spot reduction theory to be true, the formation of fat cells in the body would have to be an isolated function. For instance, the production or elimination of body fat cells in the back of the arm would be controlled solely by the tricep muscles. This belief implies that the metabolism, hormonal system, digestive system (such as what you eat) etc., play an insignificant role in the production or elimination of body fat tissue. This could not be further from the truth! Allow me to explain.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Syndrome X (a precursor to diabetes) is a prime example of why the spot reducing system is very flawed. If someone approaches me with a goal to reduce the size of their large belly and waist, which is primarily due to syndrome X, then I could make them do all the best abdominal conditioning exercises for hours a day and NOT get any results. Why? Syndrome X occurs when a person has trouble stabilizing their blood sugar levels. This is often because they have very poor eating habits such as consuming far too much sugar. Therefore, helping this person with their diet is a greater priority than doing abdominal exercise. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Metabolism<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The metabolism’s main role is to manage both anabolic and catabolic chemical functions in the body. In other words, it is responsible for both the construction and breakdown of various organic compounds (such as fat cells and proteins) in the body. Therefore, supporting this system will have more of an impact on fat loss than spot reduction training. Of course, there are many things you can do to support your metabolism but I would like to focus on the most obvious – exercise. How many people do effective exercise on a consistent basis? Only 5%! And no, this is not a misprint. It is funny how many people say exercise does not work for them. “Sal, I tried exercise and it didn’t work for me.” Well, that’s because exercise is not something you TRY, but something you DO and keep doing for your whole life.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">What kind of exercise is best for fat loss, especially in those trouble areas? All of our bodies are unique and store fat differently. Some people store fat predominately in their upper body, others in their lower body. In some cases, people have a very lean upper and lower body but posses a large belly. A lot of woman struggle with weight gain in their hips and thighs, however, this does not mean they need to only do leg workouts. Exercising your full body (not just certain parts) regularly will help reduce body fat in all places. An exercise program that evenly targets all areas of the body is best. In my boot camp classes, I make sure that I focus on every part of the body and often use exercises that integrate the whole body such as burpees.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbvDlrb5_5hXZbKtm2rUoh0nAS-52DQCCQwiFL45P-zgtbKXKmb6JaMJY-6tvJGG0jLypm0s3GFndsto8ve82Yztv8urCu7yEkoumPt3r5wbJXOQ1Xt8UnrPlLmFHAW19Cz700o_-XQp1M/s1600/Burpee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbvDlrb5_5hXZbKtm2rUoh0nAS-52DQCCQwiFL45P-zgtbKXKmb6JaMJY-6tvJGG0jLypm0s3GFndsto8ve82Yztv8urCu7yEkoumPt3r5wbJXOQ1Xt8UnrPlLmFHAW19Cz700o_-XQp1M/s1600/Burpee.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Burpee with Push-up</span></i></td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Digestive System<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Nutrition should be a major component of any fat loss program. We have all heard the saying; “You are what you eat”, yet most people tend to forget, ignore or just simply place minimal value on nutrition. Others are confused and do not know what proper nutrition and healthy eating actually are so they give up on it entirely. This is usually because they are not following a nutrition plan which is suited to their unique body type. Remember, any real, effective plan should always be preceded by a comprehensive assessment (which determines your unique requirements). <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Metabolic Typing Diet by Dr. William Wolcott is the one I use and implement with my clients. This program teaches you:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">-<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">how to build a relationship with food<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">-<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">how different foods affect your metabolism and body (which foods are best for your type – one persons’ food is another persons’ poison)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">-<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">what ratio of carbohydrates, proteins and fats you should be consuming at each meal (unique for every person, based on a comprehensive assessment)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">-<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">And much more (builds awareness, not a ‘diet’ per say just a way of eating to improve your health and vitality which leads to the normalization of body weight) <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Note: The Metabolic Typing Diet greatly supports your metabolism because you are giving your body the exact fuel it needs to function at its best; as a result, most of the foods you eat are used for energy and not stored as excess body fat!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Hormonal System<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I just recently gave a lecture on holistic stress management to some of the staff at the Centre of Addiction and Mental Health and I discussed the effects stress has on the human body. One of the effects is significant body weight fluctuations. We have all seen people either lose or gain a lot of weight while dealing with an extremely stressful event or situation in their lives. Although these are extreme conditions, a little too much stress on a daily basis will have a negative effect on your health and body fat percentage. Therefore, stress management should be another component of a fat loss program. In my book ‘<i>One Habit At A Time</i>’, I present 9 habits which will certainly help you reduce your stress levels and live a healthy, balanced lifestyle. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Conclusion<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The accumulation of excess body fat in any area of your body is not the result of weak or unconditioned muscles in that area. It is a holistic problem which means there are various factors involved in the fat gain. Therefore, no one thing on its own (such as spot reduction training) is going to reduce the size/fat of your trouble areas and this is why I teach and promote a holistic or multi-disciplinary approach to solve your problems. Eating right (for your type), exercising consistently, and reducing negative stressors support your body’s systems and increase your VITALITY! Remember, increase your overall vitality and you will decrease your body fat percentage – this is a scientifically proven formula! Follow it and you cannot fail; you will get the results you desire, even in those stubborn areas!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sal Crispo<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Vaughan Personal Trainer<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">P.S. If you have any questions regarding this article or any questions about health and fitness in general, just contact me at sal_crispo@smartpathfitness.com or 416-452-1841 and I will be glad to answer them for you as soon as possible. If you think this article is valuable and can help the people you care about, feel free to share it with them. </span>Sal Crispohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14097958604332505881noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4708050936290515732.post-40344777553105289752011-10-10T11:45:00.000-07:002011-10-13T11:47:47.217-07:00Performance Athletes: How Many Reps? (Intensity vs. Volume)<div class="MsoNoSpacing">The following is an article that I wrote for an up-and-coming website called <a href="http://performanceathletes.com/">PerformanceAthletes.com</a>. </div><div class="MsoNoSpacing">-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing">For over 10 years, I have witnessed many people (professional athletes, bodybuilders, fitness enthusiasts, etc.) training without a fundamental understanding of key exercise variables (including reps, sets, and tempo). Why is this significant? Well, it often leads to resources (such as time, effort and money) not being used effectively; decreased performance and/or injury. As this obviously does not contribute to your overall success, and is contrary to building yourself ‘body proud’, it is the last thing we want for you here at <a href="http://performanceathletes.com/">PerformanceAthletes.com</a>. For this reason, I feel compelled to help you gain a better understanding of these key exercise variables and get the most out of your training. As a matter of fact, once you understand how to effectively implement these exercise variables, your training and ultimately, your performance will rise to a whole new level. In order to give these exercise variables the attention they deserve, I will dedicate an article for each of them. In this article, I will present the basis of optimal repetition selection.</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b>The Science of Repetitions<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing">There are two terms which are important to understanding the science of repetitions – intensity and volume. </div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div align="center"><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="LightGrid-Accent11" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid #4F81BD 1.0pt; mso-border-themecolor: accent1; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;"><tbody>
<tr> <td style="border-bottom: solid #4F81BD 2.25pt; border: solid #4F81BD 1.0pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent1; mso-border-themecolor: accent1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 338.55pt;" valign="top" width="451"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">1RM for Squat = 225lbs (click <u><span style="color: #1f497d;">here</span></u> to determine your 1Rep Max) <o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Set # 1: 3 reps to failure using 190lbs (95% of 1RM)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Set # 2: 10 reps to failure using 175lbs (80% of 1RM)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="background: #D3DFEE; border-top: none; border: solid #4F81BD 1.0pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent1; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-themecolor: accent1; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4F81BD 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 338.55pt;" valign="top" width="451"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Table 1<o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;"><i>Intensity</i> is measured by using a percentage of a person’s one repetition maximum (<b>1RM</b>). The 1RM is simply the greatest amount of weight you can lift in a specific exercise for one repetition. When you perform a set, the closer the weight is to your 1RM, the higher the intensity. Take a look at Table 1 for example, if you complete a set of squats with 3 repetitions to failure (not able to perform any more reps with good form/technique), you would be training at a higher intensity (about 95% of 1RM) than if you completed a set of squats with 10 repetitions (about 80% of 1RM) to failure. </div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;"><i>Volume</i> (of a set) is calculated by multiplying the number of repetitions by the amount of weight lifted (reps x weight). In other words, volume equals the amount of total weight lifted during a set. Therefore, (using the Table 1 figures) if you multiply 3(reps) by 190(lbs), you have lifted a total volume of 570 lbs; whereas, if you multiply 10(reps) by 175(lbs), you have lifted a total volume of 1750lbs. As you can see, volume and intensity have an inverse relationship – when volume increases, intensity decreases and vice versa. Below I have included a chart which shows the inverse relationship between intensity and volume. This chart will also help you determine the intensity of your training and optimal repetition selection. </div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableMediumList2Accent5" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-themecolor: accent5; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;"><tbody>
<tr> <td style="background: white; border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 3.0pt; border: none; mso-background-themecolor: background1; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 104.65pt;" valign="top" width="140"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Percentage of <o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;">1 RM<o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td> <td style="background: white; border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 3.0pt; border: none; mso-background-themecolor: background1; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.3pt;" valign="top" width="142"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Number of Repetitions<o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="background: white; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border: none; mso-background-themecolor: background1; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 104.65pt;" valign="top" width="140"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif;">100<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="background: #D2EAF1; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.3pt;" valign="top" width="142"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif;">1<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="background: white; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border: none; mso-background-themecolor: background1; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 104.65pt;" valign="top" width="140"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif;">95<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.3pt;" valign="top" width="142"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif;">2-3<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="background: white; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border: none; mso-background-themecolor: background1; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 104.65pt;" valign="top" width="140"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif;">90<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="background: #D2EAF1; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.3pt;" valign="top" width="142"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif;">4<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="background: white; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border: none; mso-background-themecolor: background1; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 104.65pt;" valign="top" width="140"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif;">85<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.3pt;" valign="top" width="142"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif;">6<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="background: white; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border: none; mso-background-themecolor: background1; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 104.65pt;" valign="top" width="140"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif;">80<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="background: #D2EAF1; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.3pt;" valign="top" width="142"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif;">8-10<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="background: white; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border: none; mso-background-themecolor: background1; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 104.65pt;" valign="top" width="140"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif;">75<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.3pt;" valign="top" width="142"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif;">10-12<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="background: white; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border: none; mso-background-themecolor: background1; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 104.65pt;" valign="top" width="140"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif;">70<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="background: #D2EAF1; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.3pt;" valign="top" width="142"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif;">15<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="background: white; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border: none; mso-background-themecolor: background1; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 104.65pt;" valign="top" width="140"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif;">65<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.3pt;" valign="top" width="142"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif;">20-25<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="background: white; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border: none; mso-background-themecolor: background1; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 104.65pt;" valign="top" width="140"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif;">60<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="background: #D2EAF1; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.3pt;" valign="top" width="142"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif;">25<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="background: white; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border: none; mso-background-themecolor: background1; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 104.65pt;" valign="top" width="140"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif;">50<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.3pt;" valign="top" width="142"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif;">40-50<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="background: white; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border: none; mso-background-themecolor: background1; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 104.65pt;" valign="top" width="140"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif;">40<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="background: #D2EAF1; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.3pt;" valign="top" width="142"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif;">80-100<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="background: white; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border: none; mso-background-themecolor: background1; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 104.65pt;" valign="top" width="140"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif;">30<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.3pt;" valign="top" width="142"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, serif;">100-150<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: left;">Source: Bompa, T.O. and Carrera M.C. 2005. <i>Periodization Training For Sports</i></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b>Optimal Repetition Selection<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing">There are many variables when determining optimal repetition selection; however, I will discuss some of the most relevant factors. </div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">1)<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span>Periodization Phase – Anyone who is serious about their training should be following some sort of periodization program (plan). A periodization program consists of phases (such as preparation, competitive, macrocycles, and microcycles) which determine the amount of repetitions you should be performing for each workout. The diagram below is an example of an annual periodization plan and demonstrates multiple phases and their divisions. For instance, the first macrocycle of the ‘General Preparation’ phase consists of 4 divisions or microcycles. The macrocycle would be 4 weeks long and each week would be considered a microcycle. Each microcycle can have a different repetition target: week 1 – 60% 1RM, week 2 – 65% 1RM, week 3 – 70% 1RM and week 4 – 75% 1RM. Therefore, there is no repetition range that is perfect for you to follow all of the time. For instance, if you always performed 12-15 reps for every workout throughout a year, your strength gains would be negligible. It is highly recommended that you hire a reputable professional (strength and conditioning coach, C.H.E.K. practitioner, personal trainer, etc.) to design an effective periodization program. An effectively designed periodization plan will significantly increase your performance and ensure you peak at the best times during the year. (Please note that the periodization plan below is only one example; there are many forms of periodization, which form is optimal for you should be determined by a qualified professional.) </div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmjrOOyjS6r23-z6zPY5We-HnW7P5p21Bdl63CaHiFpBiEfz3AJTpbPAYwo9LS-F6MsRm3rvJiy7X_X86Im2Ojd4uQl0izcQTKZozpYDrzNwO1lY_WCzFAGMfY6aoAUaOACUhhS_FHisKw/s1600/AnnualPeriodization.jpg.w560h307.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmjrOOyjS6r23-z6zPY5We-HnW7P5p21Bdl63CaHiFpBiEfz3AJTpbPAYwo9LS-F6MsRm3rvJiy7X_X86Im2Ojd4uQl0izcQTKZozpYDrzNwO1lY_WCzFAGMfY6aoAUaOACUhhS_FHisKw/s400/AnnualPeriodization.jpg.w560h307.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Source: Bompa, T.O. and Carrera M.C. 2005. <i>Periodization Training For Sports</i></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">2)<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span>Specificity – Each sport has a dominating biomotor ability (such as endurance, strength or speed) which should be taken into account when designing and following a training/periodization plan. The diagram below, illustrates 3 different types of biomotor ability dominance – ‘F’ represents strength, ‘S’ is for speed and ‘E’ is for endurance. Some sports (Weightlifting) require the development of anaerobic training (predominately strength) shown in example (a), others (marathon) require aerobic training (predominately endurance) shown in example (c) and (b) is an example of speed training (anaerobic training). In each instance, optimal rep range will vary based on the specific sport and its dominating biomotor ability. </div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicvgW-xtjgWJxjJbigJIuI_yRXeeXflTKDYSw3IOusaHknrlPUy3Pgvw_0j7eVs6cK8GBzhzLVPys3CwuroFbu-Kt7X5Gsk2n0tvVO5Zohq629Db9rvLeD5IjUYBBWlIyLQEW6fkzpVFmC/s1600/BiomotorAbilitiesRelationship.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicvgW-xtjgWJxjJbigJIuI_yRXeeXflTKDYSw3IOusaHknrlPUy3Pgvw_0j7eVs6cK8GBzhzLVPys3CwuroFbu-Kt7X5Gsk2n0tvVO5Zohq629Db9rvLeD5IjUYBBWlIyLQEW6fkzpVFmC/s400/BiomotorAbilitiesRelationship.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">Source: Bompa, T.O. and Carrera M.C. 2005. <i>Periodization Training For Sports</i></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">3)<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span>Performance Goals – All performance goals are established by you and your coach. First of all, you need to know your strengths, weaknesses and discrepancies (compared to others in your sport, position, etc.). A complete assessment of your biomotor abilities is crucial at this point. This will help determine what areas your training must focus on most in order to reach your goals. For example, if your biomotor assessment results indicate a large discrepancy in strength your area of focus should be less on endurance training and more on strength training. In this case, your rep range will often be lower (high intensity) to increase strength. As you can see, performance goals will also have an effect on optimal repetition selection.</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing">Here is a chart you can use to record your current biomotor abilities status:</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableLightGridAccent5" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-themecolor: accent5; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;"><tbody>
<tr> <td style="border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 2.25pt; border: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 97.55pt;" valign="top" width="130"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Biomotor Ability<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 2.25pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-top: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 134.65pt;" valign="top" width="180"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Strengths/Weaknesses<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Score From 1- 10 <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">(1 weakest – 10 highest)<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 2.25pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-top: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 4.0cm;" valign="top" width="151"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Discrepancy<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">(Sport, Position, Specific Player)<o:p></o:p></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="background: #D2EAF1; border-top: none; border: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 97.55pt;" valign="top" width="130"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Strength<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> <td style="background: #D2EAF1; border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 134.65pt;" valign="top" width="180"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> <td style="background: #D2EAF1; border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 4.0cm;" valign="top" width="151"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 97.55pt;" valign="top" width="130"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Speed<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 134.65pt;" valign="top" width="180"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 4.0cm;" valign="top" width="151"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="background: #D2EAF1; border-top: none; border: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 97.55pt;" valign="top" width="130"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Endurance<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> <td style="background: #D2EAF1; border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 134.65pt;" valign="top" width="180"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> <td style="background: #D2EAF1; border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 4.0cm;" valign="top" width="151"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 97.55pt;" valign="top" width="130"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Power<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 134.65pt;" valign="top" width="180"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 4.0cm;" valign="top" width="151"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="background: #D2EAF1; border-top: none; border: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 97.55pt;" valign="top" width="130"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Agility<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> <td style="background: #D2EAF1; border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 134.65pt;" valign="top" width="180"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> <td style="background: #D2EAF1; border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 4.0cm;" valign="top" width="151"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 97.55pt;" valign="top" width="130"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Balance<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 134.65pt;" valign="top" width="180"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 4.0cm;" valign="top" width="151"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="background: #D2EAF1; border-top: none; border: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 97.55pt;" valign="top" width="130"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Flexibility<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> <td style="background: #D2EAF1; border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 134.65pt;" valign="top" width="180"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> <td style="background: #D2EAF1; border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 4.0cm;" valign="top" width="151"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 97.55pt;" valign="top" width="130"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Coordination<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 134.65pt;" valign="top" width="180"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 4.0cm;" valign="top" width="151"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="background: #D2EAF1; border-top: none; border: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 97.55pt;" valign="top" width="130"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> <td style="background: #D2EAF1; border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 134.65pt;" valign="top" width="180"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> <td style="background: #D2EAF1; border-bottom: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4BACC6 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent5; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 4.0cm;" valign="top" width="151"><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b>Conclusion<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing">As I have shown, there are a number of important factors that determine optimal repetition selection. However, I continue to see people guessing which rep range is best for them. The extent of their choices is – should I lift heavy or light today? In today’s highly competitive sports industry, this old-school approach will NOT give you the edge you need to separate yourself from the rest of the field. If you want raise your performance, be very successful and become a champion then you must raise the effectiveness of your approach, training and program. Fortunately, you have many great educational resources here on performanceathletes.com to keep yourself informed and up-to-date.</div>Sal Crispohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14097958604332505881noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4708050936290515732.post-47759847866628815002011-06-23T08:06:00.001-07:002011-06-23T08:18:09.997-07:00Just Do It!<div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">June 2011 – Goal Achievement!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Eat your vegetables.” “Sit up straight.” “Brush your teeth.” “Clean your room.” These are disciplines which most of us have heard from our parents. Why did they tell us to do these things? Quite simply, they loved us. They knew these actions would have a positive impact on us. As we get older however, our parents will no longer play the disciplining role in our lives. At first, we may feel a sense of freedom, but soon enough, we will realize that this role must be replaced. For without discipline, our lives will inevitably turn upside down. Therefore, there comes a time in your life where you must replace your parents discipline with self-discipline. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-weight: 800;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Defining the Term<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Self-Discipline</span></u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">: correction or regulation of oneself for the sake of improvement (Merriam-Webster)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">: the ability to make yourself do things that should be done (Merriam-Webster)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">We often hear or use words and forget to really focus on what they imply. Sometimes seeing the definition of a word can help you fully grasp its meaning. To summarize; by practicing self-discipline, you ensure that you do the things that should get done so that your life improves. Remember, the more disciplines you adopt, the greater your quality of life becomes. A discipline can be something as simple as brushing your teeth or something much more demanding such as living a healthy lifestyle.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: 800;"> </span></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">New Disciplines<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I have found that the most difficult of disciplines to adhere by are the ones which have not been enforced on us by our parents. For instance, my parents would discipline me in various aspects of my life but making sure to exercise was never one of them. This is probably because, as a child, I would never sit still. However, getting enough exercise is something that becomes more of a factor as we enter into adulthood. As adults, we are faced with more responsibilities, commitments, etc., which often distract us from important disciplines such as maintaining a consistent exercise regimen. Our parents did the best they could but now it’s up to you to govern the disciplines you wish to live by. Keep in mind, new disciplines will require the most inner-strength to follow and for this reason, I have included some helpful tips below on how to strengthen your self-discipline. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Start Small<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Since some disciplines require more effort, I would begin with ones that are easier to follow. For instance, if you have a terrible diet, I would recommend changing only one or two parts of it at first, instead of the whole diet all at once. A good start would be to eliminate foods with added sugars and replace them with fresh organic fruits, especially when you get cravings for something sweet. As your self-discipline strengthens then you may add more and more disciplines to your eating habits. Remember the saying; “Don’t bite off more than you can chew”.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Just Do it!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">A common question I receive is; “how do you stay so disciplined?” I believe it is a matter of controlling your mind. You cannot allow your mind to start questioning a discipline. For example, I know that if I brush my teeth in the morning, my breath will smell fresh. Most of us have developed this discipline and will brush our teeth without questioning it. Imagine yourself thinking, ‘Should I brush my teeth today?’ ‘Maybe I’ll do it tomorrow or start on Monday or wait to make it a New Year’s resolution.’ Fortunately, we just do it or else there would be a lot more people with bad breath. And there lies the secret to discipline – just do it! <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> The moment we begin to question whether or not we should do something that is good for us, we challenge our self-discipline. Therefore, do not make disciplines a matter of choice but a matter of duty. Should I quit smoking? Just do it! Should I exercise today? Just do it! No matter what it is, as long as you know it should be done, just do it! (no questions asked)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Note: To learn more about controlling the mind, I recommend reading part II of my book <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘One Habit At A Time’</i>, which is now available as a paperback. Get your copy at </span><a href="http://www.habitwatch.ca/"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">www.habitwatch.ca</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> or directly through me at <a href="mailto:sal_crispo@habitwatch.ca">sal_crispo@habitwatch.ca</a>. If you enjoy these articles, you may also want to read my other articles/blogs which I have posted on the Habit Watch website. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Make Your ‘NOs’ Big and Your ‘BUTs’ Smaller!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Self-discipline requires that you get acquainted with 2 words – ‘NO’ and ‘BUT’. If you are trying to quit smoking and someone asks you to go outside for a smoke, you must learn to say NO. Not ‘no’ but ‘NO’. What is the difference? The little ‘no’ can be changed into a yes but the ‘NO’ that is required for self-discipline is big; it is unwavering. There is no temptation that can change the big NO. The second word is ‘but’. I want to quit smoking but…I want to exercise but…I want to eat healthy but…I want to improve my life but…and so on. With self-discipline, your ‘BUTs’ get smaller and smaller. You will use this word less and less. Why? Excuses turn into action – you just do what should get done. Here is a basic example of a day full of self-discipline - you wake up to each day; thank the Universe for your life and everyone/thing in it, wash your face, brush your teeth, work out, shower, have a healthy breakfast, kiss your loved ones, review your goals, plan your day, work toward reaching your goals, and so on with no ‘BUTs’. Remember, practice making your ‘NOs’ big and your ‘BUTs’ smaller and you will soon live a self-disciplined lifestyle. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Use an Enforcer!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">If you really want to add a discipline to your life such as exercising regularly but cannot seem to build up enough self-discipline to do so successfully, get help. I built up my self-discipline with the help of my martial arts instructor, Martin McNamara of Twin Dragon. For me, he took discipline to a whole new level. After a few years of following his lead, I built up enough self-discipline to not only work out consistently for the rest of my life but to help others gain this self-discipline as well. Sometimes all we need is someone to push us (discipline) in the beginning and soon enough, you will be surprised at how much you start to push yourself. Over the years, I have witnessed this happen many times. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Conclusion<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">If we wish to improve our lives, self-discipline is a practice we need to incorporate on a daily basis. Our parents did this for us when we were growing up but we cannot rely on them any longer. It is up to you now to discipline yourself. You are the man or woman who must take control of your life. You must continue to do what your parents did for you out of love. Remember, love is the reason; the main guiding force. To discipline yourself is to love yourself; to care about your wellbeing. I hope you still care? <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sal Crispo<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Vaughan Personal Trainer<o:p></o:p></span></div>Sal Crispohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14097958604332505881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4708050936290515732.post-19391259449337913102011-04-01T07:00:00.000-07:002011-04-26T07:09:57.438-07:00How Much Cardio Should I do?<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">April 2011 – Exercise Q and A!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Should I go for a run or ride the bike? I wonder which one will burn more fat? How many of you have asked yourself this question? Today, I am going to address some commonly asked questions about cardiovascular training. There seems to be a lot of confusion surrounding this topic so I will do my best to clarify things for you. By understanding the way this system works, you will know how to make better use of your energy, money and time. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<a name='more'></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Which cardio exercise burns the most fat? </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">First of all, I would like to tell you something that I tell all my clients, “Nothing, or inactivity is the worst thing you can do.” Therefore, if you are having a difficult time deciding between doing one form of exercise over another, that’s a good problem. Most people struggle to simply get off the couch. Their decisions consist of choosing between which show to watch and which junk food to indulge in first. Therefore, if you are engaging in any form of exercise, you should feel great about yourself. You are giving your body something vital and you are sending your body the message that you care about it. Remember, take care of your body today and it will take care of you in the future. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I believe all types of movement, done correctly, have their benefits – running strengthens the legs; swimming strengthens the core and so on. As far as which cardiovascular exercise burns the most fat, in my expert opinion, it varies from person to person. There are too many factors that play a role in the loss of body fat. For instance, I have discovered that doing the activities you enjoy most, have the best overall effect on your health. When you are in a state of joy, stress is naturally reduced and anytime you reduce stress, fat loss is sure to follow. In my book, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">One Habit At A Time</i>, I share 9 habits that are guaranteed to reduce negative stress and ultimately, unwanted body fat. What’s more, most of these habits can be incorporated into your cardio activities, considerably increasing their effectiveness. If you are serious about reducing stress, losing body fat and living life to the fullest, I highly recommend you get a copy of this book at <a href="http://www.habitwatch.ca/">www.habitwatch.ca</a> or by emailing me directly. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Another important factor in cardiovascular training is periodization. Sooner or later, your body will adapt to whatever form of cardio you choose to do. Therefore, I suggest you alternate the activities you do. You should have at least 2-4 different activities that you can rotate. Personally, I like playing hockey in the winter and both tennis and soccer in the summer. The periodization of activities also has the added benefit of avoiding pattern overload – getting inflamed joints from doing the same activities unremittingly. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">How much cardio training should a person do in one week? <o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">This depends on your goals and your level of fitness. However, most people are looking to get lean and toned so I will focus on creating an effective program for this purpose. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<ul><li>Stress Reducing Habits: Daily<span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"></span></span>Optimal Nutrition: Daily </li>
<li>Resistance Training: 3 – 4 times per week </li>
<li>Cardiovascular Training: 1 – 2 times per week</li>
</ul></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
How much time is spent on each resistance and cardio training session will depend on fitness level but I suggest no more than 1 hour per session. Now, some of you may be thinking that once or twice per week of cardiovascular exercise is far too little to get lean and toned. However, what many people fail to realize is that you can get a great cardiovascular workout during resistance training as well. I use a variety of resistance training methods such as circuit training, supersets and full body exercises that will challenge anyone’s cardiovascular system. In fact, these methods will challenge (and improve) your cardiovascular system a lot more than your typical treadmill or Stairmaster workouts. Done effectively, resistance training will help you get lean and toned far more than your typical cardio workout.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The main problem with cardio training is that it does not challenge your muscular system enough. In fact, too much cardio will only reduce your muscle tissue. Yes, you will lose weight but a lot of it will be muscle. Many people who have lost a lot of weight will tend to be very flabby, even if they appear to be thinner. Therefore, if you want to be lean AND toned, you will need to incorporate both resistance training and cardio. During my boot camp classes, I usually do a 40/20 minute split – 40 minutes of resistance training and 20 minutes or cardiovascular conditioning. I have found this split to be the most effective for fat loss and toning. Remember, muscle is very important as it helps to burn fat and when it is properly conditioned, will give your body that toned look and feel. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Conclusion<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I believe that with the right type of resistance training one can get a great cardiovascular workout and at the same time, challenge their muscles enough to get them firm, toned and conditioned to burn fat. Therefore, one should focus on doing a combination of resistance training and cardiovascular training. However, if I had to prioritize the two, resistance training (not the typical bodybuilding type but the fat-burning type) is far more important than cardiovascular training for achieving a lean and toned physique. If you would like to experience this type of resistance training, I suggest you try one of my Boot Camp classes. In these classes, I bring together many of the best fat burning methods I have learned over the years. I use a combination of full body exercises, martial arts training, kickboxing, and calisthenics just to name a few. For more information, please visit www.smartpathfitness.com. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">By Sal Crispo</div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Vaughn Personal Trainer</span>Sal Crispohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14097958604332505881noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4708050936290515732.post-79837229317601477362011-01-01T06:57:00.000-08:002011-04-26T07:10:24.523-07:00New Year, New Attitude!<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">January 2011 – Happy New Year! <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The New Year represents new beginnings. It is a great time to create something new and wonderful in our lives. As a result, a lot of people turn to health and fitness at this time of year. Why? Well, everyone knows health and fitness will definitely increase the quality of their life. However, year after year, most people give up on their health and fitness goals or resolutions after only a few weeks. In this article, you will discover one of the KEY reasons why people lose their drive and quit? </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<a name='more'></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Health and Fitness Benefits</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In truth, the benefits of health and fitness are too numerous to list. However, I would be committing a huge injustice if I did not list at least some of these benefits. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">Physical Appearance – less excess body fat, look better, look younger than actual age (anti-aging), clothes fit better, more attractive, better looking skin, muscles look and feel firm or toned, etc.</li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">Emotionally – feel better about ourselves, more confident, not embarrassed to wear clothes that reveal our body such as beach wear </li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">Physically (Musculoskeletal System) – strengthen muscles, core and bones, back (spine) and joints are more stable which all reduce chances of pain, degeneration and injury</li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">Physically (Organ Systems) – strengthen heart, balance hormones, improve blood circulation, digestion and detoxification, increase metabolism </li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">Energetically – more energy to do the things you enjoy, keep up with (or even surpass) people younger than you, more productive, make love longer</li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">Athletically – increase athletic performance and abilities such as strength, flexibility, coordination, speed, agility, power, endurance and balance</li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">Longevity – manage stress better which decreases risk of ALL diseases (cancer, heart disease and diabetes etc.) </li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">As you can see, I have kept the benefits quite general and yet, the list is still quite long. Try completing this exercise for yourself and see how many benefits you can list. Once you are finished, create another list which includes all the benefits of NOT exercising, eating right and living a healthy lifestyle. You would be surprised what this simple exercise can do. It is a real eye opener for some people. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Need vs. Want<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">One of my favourite authors, the famous Napoleon Hill, wrote this about 100 years ago: “Desire is the starting point of all achievement, not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire which transcends everything.” In this quote lies one of the key reasons most people do not achieve their goals. The problem with a lot of people is that they ONLY want to achieve their health and fitness goals. In other words, it is only a wish or hope and not a true, burning desire. A burning desire is like a need, you must have it or soon enough, you will feel its burn.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Day after day, I hear people saying, “I want to lose weight”, “I want to get ripped”, I want to start working out” and they rarely follow through. Why? These statements are weak; they represent nothing more than a wish or hope. In order to succeed, you MUST need to exercise; you must need to eat healthy and live a healthy lifestyle. Do you notice the difference? Can you sense the difference in urgency, priority and importance? </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">A ‘want’ and a ‘need’ which are not fulfilled have a different level of consequence. When you want something and you do not get it, the consequences do not usually affect you as much as when you need it. For instance, not winning the lottery you want to win would not be as stressful as not earning the pay check you need to pay your rent. In the same way, when you NEED to achieve your goals and you miss a workout, eat an unhealthy meal or live an unhealthy lifestyle, you will FEEL the consequences (burn) a lot more. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Fit For A Champion Challenge!<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">This year (2011), I have established a new resolution for SmartPath Fitness. In the past, I welcomed everyone into my business without pre-qualifying them. Consequently, I took on some clients that were not conducive to my business model and success. How? Well, I measure my level of success not by the number of clients I coach/train, but by how many of my clients succeed at achieving (and surpassing) their goals. Therefore, if my clients are not successful, I am not successful. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Fortunately, I have been blessed to train some really amazing people over the years. These people are my success stories, my ‘Champion’ clients. I have realized that they are the reason why I love my job so much. As a result of this realization, I have made a special resolution to only take on ‘Champion’ clients from now on. And in order to do so, I will pre-qualify any prospective client and make sure they are ‘fit for a Champion’. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">How will I pre-qualify a prospective client? I have written a new report called “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Protocols For Success: 5 Principles That Separate Those Who Succeed From Those Who Fail!</i>” which you can get for free on the SmartPath Fitness website (or email me for a copy). In this report, I describe 5 principles that a person needs to become a goal-achieving machine or what I like to call a ‘Champion’. Over the years, I have discovered certain intrinsic values (principles) commonly present in the people who achieve their goals and at the same time, absent in the people who are not successful. Please note, that if you are looking for a quick fix, or ‘Band-Aid’ solution, then this report is not it. These principles are not easy to live by which is why the majority of people who set out to achieve their health and fitness goals fail. Instead, this report focuses on the root cause of success and it is intended for people who are looking for a realistic and permanent solution to their problems. After reading this report, if you believe that you can be a ‘Champion’ client then I invite you to take the ‘Fit for a Champion Challenge’. To find out more about this challenge, be sure to get your free copy of the report today. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Conclusion<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">It’s a new year and it’s time for a new attitude. I have been in this industry for over 10 years now and I am tired of carefully, tip-toeing around the truth. From this day forward, I am going to be less diplomatic and completely forward about every topic. This new writing style will help make my message (resolution) extremely clear; I will only work with people who are serious about health and fitness and who will become another one of my success stories (testimonials). Are you one of them? Are you my next success story?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">By: Sal Crispo</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Vaughan Personal Trainer</span>Sal Crispohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14097958604332505881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4708050936290515732.post-7618622464202292942010-12-01T06:54:00.000-08:002011-04-26T07:11:00.757-07:00Why Do People Continue to Fall for this Old Trick Each Year?<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">December 2010 – Happy and Healthy Holidays! <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Last year, I wrote an article called ‘5 Survival Tips For The Holidays!’ which you can read on my website <a href="http://www.smartpathfitness.com/">www.smartpathfitness.com</a>. The article gives some helpful tips you can follow during the holiday season. This year, I decided to write an article about a common mistake people make after the holiday season. When the season is over, a lot of people decide to lose weight and change their health which is fantastic. Unfortunately, most of them are deceived into purchasing products and services that are full of empty promises and false claims. Why does this continue to happen year after year? In this article, I will share the answer to this question and hopefully, by reading this, you will not be one of those people that fall for this old trick this year.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<a name='more'></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Holiday Season (How It All Begins)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The holiday season is a time to get together and celebrate with family and friends. It is truly a special time of year and people should enjoy themselves. However, as we all know, these celebrations can easily get out of hand. Typically, people over consume food and beverages that are not healthy. This is very troublesome as an excess quantity of low quality food stuff is very taxing on our health. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">[Tip: Remember, you can still have a good time without overindulging in unhealthy food choices. Make sure you eat according to your metabolic type as doing so will satisfy your hunger quickly and reduce the likelihood of overeating (and cravings). If you would like to know your metabolic type or are interested in more information, email me at <a href="mailto:sal_crispo@smartpathfitness.com">sal_crispo@smartpathfitness.com</a>] </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Aftermath<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Once all the festivities are over, we start to feel the consequences of our choices. We feel guilty, overweight and determined to do something about it in the New Year. And I am certain it is these feelings that make people so vulnerable to claims such as 'take this miracle supplement'…'do this easy 10 minute program'…'buy this exercise gadget' and so on. Do these things really work? Is losing weight, getting toned or building muscle actually that easy?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">If you asked a financial expert “What’s the best way to become rich?” and he or she answered, “Just play the lottery, it’s easy”, would you believe them? No, you probably would think it’s a joke, right? What if they had testimonials such as “Hi my name is Bob Smith, I played the lottery and I got rich!”, would that make you believe the lottery is the best way to get rich? I hope you get my point. We all know that, for the most part, becoming rich is not something which happens overnight. Well, much in the same way, becoming lean, toned and muscular takes time and effort. And effort means hard work, consistency, and discipline, etc. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Easy vs. Efficient<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Anyone who tells you that you can achieve the body of your dreams easily is deceiving you. I never have and never will promote such misleading information. However, I do believe in efficiency. To be efficient means to be well organized and capable of achieving desired results without wasting resources (money, time and effort). Efficiency is what I specialize in and promote. That’s one of the main reasons why I called my business SmartPath Fitness. One of my mottos is to train hard but always smart - efficient. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">You Get What You Pay For!<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Due to the economic downturn, many people are searching for the cheapest products and services. However, this is not usually the wisest approach, especially when it pertains to the health industry. There is an old saying “You get what you pay for”. And I am sure we have all felt the truth of this statement at one time or another. Yet, year after year, swarms of people buy useless and inefficient products in the vain hopes that they will magically transform their figure. Will you fall victim to this mistake this year? </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">A Budget Friendly Alternative <o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">If you are serious about transforming your health and you truly cannot afford personal training, I recommend getting some health and fitness coaching. Coaching is much more affordable than personal training, yet it still produces efficient results. With coaching, you get several of the same features as personal training, i.e. assessments (measurements, body fat %, etc.), customized programs (every 4-6 weeks), and program instruction (1-2 sessions). Actually, the only difference with coaching is that there are no ongoing sessions and you have to follow the programs on your own. However, it’s a great way to get expert guidance, stay on track and progress toward the achievement of your desired goals. With the right coaching, you will successfully achieve all of your goals. For your convenience, here is what some people are saying about my coaching services:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“I started going to Sal to try a different way of toning up, I was always playing lots of sports and seemed to be in good shape but wanted to look the part a little more. Now when I look in the mirror I pretty well accomplished my goal.<o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I've certainly gained in Sal's services by not only getting in shape but staying in shape. My favourite thing about Sal is how he caters to the client, he truly knows what you are more interested in. By doing this he sets up specific routines for you to follow and since you had some input, chances are you will stick with it like I did. I would also like to say that since I travel a lot, having someone as flexible as Sal has really helped. I highly recommend Sal to others.”<o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">S. G.<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal">Thornhill, Ontario </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I hired Sal because I needed a change in my workouts. What I like about Sal is that he first listens to what my goals and expectations are and then he responds in an efficient and structured manner that will best suit my needs. Sal has and continues to meet and surpass my expectations. His programs have and continue to reshape my physique. With Sal’s guidance I have gained confidence and a renewed sense of self. My mind, body and spirit are connected as one. I have recommended 3 of my friends - 2 for personal training and 1 for nutrition and I will continue to recommend Sal to others!</i>”</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">F. B.<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal">Maple, Ontario </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">"I went to Sal because I was suffering from lower back pain and joint stiffness in both right and left hips. These conditions worsened after playing a round of golf but today I am no longer suffering from these conditions and there has been nothing but positive results in using his services.<o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Through his services I have gained an understanding of the methodology behind the sequence of training programs and related exercises provided by Sal. Also, I learned the correct methods in performing all the exercises given. With Sal you never feel rushed during his sessions, and he is always available to entertain questions outside your scheduled sessions. But what I like most about Sal is his commitment to assist you in achieving your overall health and fitness goals."<o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">C.P.<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal">Vaughan, Ontario</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">(For more testimonials, visit <a href="http://www.smartpathfitness.com/">www.smartpathfitness.com</a>)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Conclusion<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I consider myself to be well informed when it relates to the health and fitness industry. Therefore, here’s a deal; I will be the first to let you know when a miracle product comes out on the market that actually does what it claims to do (smile). Seriously, if you are ever thinking of purchasing a product or service and you are not sure if it is worthwhile, please feel free to contact me and I will let you know if it is worth the investment. It may save you some time, money and energy. I wish you all a happy and healthy holiday season!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Happy and Healthy Holidays!</b></span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">By: Sal Crispo</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Vaughan Personal Trainer</span>Sal Crispohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14097958604332505881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4708050936290515732.post-35717615374844417062010-07-01T06:49:00.000-07:002011-04-26T07:11:18.040-07:00The Truth About Detoxification!<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">June/July 2010 –Health: Detoxification! <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">We have all been hearing more and more about detoxification lately causing many questions to arise so the purpose of this article is to clarify the meaning of detoxification. There are some common misconceptions about detoxification that, if followed, can lead you away from your health and fitness goals. On the flipside, by properly supporting your body’s detoxification system, you will move toward your goals very quickly. Therefore, the first course of action is to learn the right protocol for detoxification. When you begin implementing the following ideas, you will build a better looking, feeling and functioning version of yourself. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<a name='more'></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Defining the Term! </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary: Detoxification - 1 a : to remove a harmful substance (as a poison or toxin) or the effect of such from </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Notice how the definition ends with the word “from”. This means that detoxification can occur in anything and not just within the human body. Below I will show you how detoxification is as much an external process as it is an internal process. The key to detoxification is to ensure that both internal and external processes are supported. Here are 3 external and 3 internal aspects of detoxification: </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">External Detoxification <o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The idea behind external detoxification is proactive and preventative. The goal is to limit the amount of toxins that enter the body in the first place. Breathe, drink, and eat as clean as possible in order to reduce the amount of work the detoxification system has to do. In other words, the fewer toxins you put into your body, the less you have to remove. It really is a simple concept. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">External # 1 - Air <o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">There is no substance we intake more of each day than oxygen, therefore the first step of external detoxification is to breathe high-quality air. What are some examples of airborne toxins that you should avoid? Cigarette smoke, hazardous cleaning products, and harmful beauty products (such as hairspray) are just a few examples of airborne toxins. I recommend changing all your cleaning products to non-toxic cleaning products. This also includes any substance that you apply to your skin such as soap, deodorant, and shampoo etc. A lot of people fail to realize that your skin is an organ and it absorbs anything that you apply onto it. Plants are great for improving the air quality in your home as they have a wonderful ability to purify the air we breathe. For this reason, it would also be wise to spend some time in nature on a regular basis. You could go on nature walks, do some hiking or take part in any other outdoor activities you enjoy. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">External # 2 - Water <o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The human body is made up of approximately 75% water, therefore the second step of external detoxification is to drink high-quality water. When we want to clean our body what do we do? We usually bathe or shower with clean water, right? Well, it is no different with the inside of your body. If you want to keep the inside of your body clean, you must drink plenty of clean water each day. Unfortunately, dehydration is a problem that is far too common and this is simply because people do not drink enough water each day. Instead of water, they consume beverages filled with sugar, caffeine and toxic substances (artificial colours/flavours, preservatives, etc.) These beverages actually augment dehydration and hinder detoxification, therefore try to avoid them as much as possible. I recommend investing in an effective water purification system because tap and plastic bottled water are also filled with many toxins. (If you have any questions about water purification systems, feel free to ask me for more information.) </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">External # 3 – Food <o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">We consume food on a daily basis in order to reenergize and nourish the body, therefore the third step of external detoxification is to consume food that is healthy and clean. Clean foods are foods grown without the use of toxic chemicals such as pesticides, hormones, and preservatives, etc. Unfortunately, most of the foods in your local grocery stores are grown and raised by these conventional (toxic) methods. How do you expect to detoxify your body when you are consuming toxic foods? If you are not eating organically grown (toxin-free) foods, your efforts to detoxify your body will be severely hindered. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Internal Detoxification <o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The idea behind internal detoxification is to remove the toxins that have already entered your body. Advantageously, the 3 aforementioned external detoxification processes all support internal detoxification as well. However, to further support detoxification, I will introduce 3 internal processes (occur within your body to aid the detoxification system). These 3 internal detoxification processes are exercise, meditation and emotional freedom. How they all assist in detoxification is described below. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Internal # 1 - Exercise <o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">There are several ways in which exercise supports detoxification but I will only mention one. SWEAT! As previously mentioned, your skin is an organ and toxins can be absorbed through the skin. Well, it’s not a one way street. Your skin can expel toxins from your body as well. Remember, every time you work up a great sweat, you are detoxifying your body. And when you sweat, you burn fat! Why? Well, because toxins are stored in your body fat. The more toxins you have in your body, the more fat your body will produce in order to safely store them away from your vital organs. (If you wish to experience a great detoxifying and fat-burning sweat, join me in one of my outdoor boot camp classes.) </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Internal # 2 - Meditation<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Meditation is proven to have tremendous healing capabilities. Why is this so? Well, meditation reduces stress. You may not be aware of this but stress is toxic! When your stress levels are consistently too high, your body will have a very difficult time functioning optimally in all areas (not just detoxification). In my newly released book, One Habit At A Time, I present 3 physical, 3 mental, and 3 spiritual stress-reducing-habits that anyone can easily integrate into their life. If you find my articles useful, then I cannot express enough, how life-changing and beneficial One Habit At A Time will be for you. Get your copy today at <a href="http://www.habitwatch.ca/">www.habitwatch.ca</a>.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Internal # 3 - Emotional Freedom<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Emotional freedom is a term used to describe a state of being where you are free of any stored emotions. Negative emotions from past traumatic experiences can linger within your being for years if they are not resolved. These stored emotions are very stressful (toxic) to your body and for this reason, resolving them is highly recommended. To learn more about Emotional Freedom Technique, look for an E.F.T. practitioner in your area. They can help you become emotionally free and balanced which will support your detoxification system. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Conclusion<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">You may have noticed that I did not mention any specific cleansing supplements. There are both effective and ineffective supplements for detoxification on the market. However, in my opinion, we should help the body detoxify daily using the ideas I have presented in this article. The idea of detoxifying once every 6 months (year, etc.) is flawed. Remember, your detoxification system is incessantly working to keep your body clean and free of harmful toxins. Would you take the garbage out of your home once every 6 or twelve months?</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">By: Sal Crispo</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Vaughan Personal Trainer</span>Sal Crispohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14097958604332505881noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4708050936290515732.post-52819599403525289102010-05-01T06:46:00.000-07:002011-04-26T07:13:04.234-07:00A Bitter Sweet Mistake!<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">May 2010 – Nutrition: Excess Sugar! <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In this article, I present some of the reasons why you should avoid the habit of eating excess sugar. No matter how many times we are told not to consume too much sugar, sooner or later most of us end up falling into this trap. It begins slowly by having a little here and a little there. Then the excuses start to escalate; I will have some dessert just to taste it; there is no harm in only having some; it’s a special occasion; I worked out hard today so I deserve it; so on and so on. Before you know it, you are having sugar everyday and several times a day. This is a very common occurrence today as the numbers below will indicate. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<a name='more'></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Sugar High! </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Average Annual Consumption of Sugar</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"> Year per person (in pounds)</div><div align="center"><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-table-layout-alt: fixed; mso-yfti-tbllook: 480;"><tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"> <td style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 95.4pt;" valign="top" width="127"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">1700 AD</div></td> <td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 132.0pt;" valign="top" width="176"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">4</div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 95.4pt;" valign="top" width="127"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">1800 AD</div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 132.0pt;" valign="top" width="176"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">18</div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 95.4pt;" valign="top" width="127"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">1900 AD</div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 132.0pt;" valign="top" width="176"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">90</div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 95.4pt;" valign="top" width="127"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">2000 AD</div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 132.0pt;" valign="top" width="176"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">145</div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The numbers above are more or less the overall average of various studies. I have seen some studies indicate the current annual sugar consumption to be as high as 190 pounds per person. In any case, the exact numbers are not that important. The main point here is that sugar consumption has increased dramatically over the years. Some people are consuming well above their body weight in sugar per year which is absolutely ridiculous! Obviously, a lot of us are failing to realize the consequences of excess sugar consumption. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Consequences<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Excess sugar consumption can lead to hypoglycemia, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, heart disease, and chronic tiredness. Why does consuming excess sugar lead to all of these diseases? Simply, all of these diseases develop because of the imbalance of blood sugar levels. Ultra high and low spikes in blood sugar levels are not conducive to your health. Remember, one of the key factors to maintaining a healthy and vital body is to ensure your blood sugar levels are stable or balanced. I have briefly described these consequences below. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Sugar)<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Hypoglycemia refers to the condition of having low blood sugar. Some common symptoms of hypoglycemia are headaches, irritability, depression, anxiety, blurred vision, excessive sweating and mental confusion. How does excess sugar cause your blood sugar to be too low? This is because the initial spike in blood sugar (from consuming too much sugar) eventually leads to a crash in blood sugar. Again, your blood sugar levels should not resemble a roller coaster ride. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Metabolic Syndrome (High Blood Sugar)<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Metabolic syndrome also referred to as syndrome X or pre-diabetes, is another consequence of eating excess sugar. This syndrome develops when your body becomes insulin resistant and your blood sugar level is too high. What is insulin? Insulin is a hormone released by the pancreas (organ) to help blood sugar enter cells in the body to be used for energy. As a result, insulin also helps to stabilize blood sugar levels. With metabolic syndrome, insulin loses its efficiency and the pancreas must release more of it to stabilize blood sugar. The extra release of insulin usually leads to complications such as excess body weight (usually around the stomach), high blood pressure, low level of "good" cholesterol in the blood, high level of triglycerides (fats) in the blood. Ultimately, metabolic syndrome increases your risk of diabetes, heart disease and stroke. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Diabetes (High Blood Sugar)<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Data from 2008 Stats Canada: 1.6 million children and adults in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Canada</st1:place></st1:country-region> – approximately 5% of the population – have diabetes. </li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Data from the 2007 National Diabetes Fact Sheet (the most recent year for which data is available): Total: 23.6 million children and adults in the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United States</st1:place></st1:country-region> - 7.8% of the population - have diabetes.</li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Pre-diabetes: 57 million people (<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region>)</li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">New Cases: 1.6 million new cases of diabetes are diagnosed in people aged 20 years and older each year. (<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region>)</li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">As you can see, diabetes is a rapidly growing issue. It is becoming more and more prevalent each year. Let it be clear, there is a direct correlation between the rising amounts of sugar people are consuming with the increasing prevalence of diabetes. If you know anyone that has this disease (Type 1 or 2), you will know just how terrible, uncomfortable, and freighting it can be. Remember, diabetes is a bitter consequence to a sweet habit. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Heart Disease<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Heart disease is a term that encompasses numerous conditions that affect the heart. Consuming excess sugar increases your chances of getting all of them. There are many reasons why excess sugar increases your chances of getting heart disease but I want to focus on one reason in particular. When the body cannot metabolize all the excess sugar you are consuming, it will turn the excess sugar into adipose tissue (body fat). For the most part, body fat attained from unbalanced blood sugar levels is stored around the waist, often referred to as the “spare tire” look. However, as aesthetically unpleasing as this body fat looks around the waistline, what is more important is how dangerous it can be to your health. Remember, this area is where most of your vital organs are located and the last thing you would want to do for your health is to congest your organs with body fat. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Chronic Fatigue or Tiredness<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I often hear people make the excuse of having no energy to exercise. And I assure you most of them, if not all, are consuming a diet consisting mainly of sugar, refined foods, processed foods, high glycemic foods and food stuff that is nutritionally deficient or dead. How do you expect to have optimal energy eating this way? Remember, if you put the wrong fuel into a vehicle, it will not move. If you put cheap fuel into your vehicle, it will move but it will lack in performance and soon enough, it will breakdown. In contrast, when you are on an optimal diet for your unique nutritional needs, your energy will be boundless and you will look forward to exercising. I cannot emphasize enough the difference proper nutrition can have on your energy, vitality, and life. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Solution is Old News<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Below is a link to an old video from the famous and extraordinary Jack Lalanne when he had is own television show. It may surprise you that the video was recorded in the early 1950s! This video proves that this message has been preached for a very long time. However, when are people going to start listening? I hope you enjoy the video as much as I do!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJVEPB_l8FU">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJVEPB_l8FU</a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Conclusion<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I have some last words of advice to share. Be careful not to fall for the following 3 myths about sugar:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><u>Myth # 1</u> - It’s healthy to eat sugar as long as it is natural such as raw honey or organic sugar cane. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><u>Truth</u>: This is a half-truth, although these sources are much better than refined sugar, excess sugar is always unhealthy regardless of the quality, therefore you should limit the amount of sugar you intake. You can get more than enough essential sugars from a healthy diet. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><u>Myth # 2</u> - I can have extra sugar because I exercise and my body needs it. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><u>Truth</u>: Another half-truth, you can get glucose from various healthy carbohydrates besides sugar. All carbohydrates turn into blood sugar (glucose) and can efficiently refuel your body after exercise, instead of sugar, use locally grown vegetables and fruit. Unfortunately, too many athletes have fallen for this myth which has lead to billions of dollars in annual sales for sports drinks manufacturers. Keep in mind, consuming excess sugar is one sure way to hinder the achievement of your fitness goals. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><u>Myth # 3</u> - Fruit juice is a great source of sugar. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><u>Truth</u>: Most fruit juices are loaded with added sugar and are simply sugar water, they go through several processes such as pasteurization, concentration, and refining which destroys their nutritional value, instead, eat organic whole fresh fruit that is locally grown (if possible) or make your own freshly squeezed fruit juice. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">There are other factors such as high-glycemic, refined and processed foods that contribute to hypoglycemia, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes etc. but due to the length of this article, I was not able to cover all of these topics. For now, begin by reducing the amount of excess sugar you consume in your diet. If you wish to learn more about balancing your blood sugar levels and creating an optimal diet, email me at the address given below for my FREE Report called: “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">10 SMART STRATEGIES TO A ROCK-HARD AND SEXY MIDSECTION!” </b>and I will send it to you immediately. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">By Sal Crispo</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Vaughan Personal Trainer</span>Sal Crispohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14097958604332505881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4708050936290515732.post-81945763869833568802010-04-01T06:43:00.000-07:002011-04-26T07:16:21.963-07:00Is Exercise Really That Important?<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">March/April 2010 – Exercise: The Dangers of Inactivity! <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I am not a huge advocate of using fear for motivation but sometimes it is necessary. I recently came across some shocking statistics that I felt I needed to share with you all. These statistics compare the dangers of smoking with inactivity. Inactivity is an invisible enemy that, at one time or another, seems to sneak up on most people. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to expose the dangers of inactivity and demonstrate the importance of exercise. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<a name='more'></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Some Interesting Statistics</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div style="margin-top: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">“<a href="http://www.cflri.ca/eng/statistics/surveys/pam2002.php"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">According to the Canadian Community Health Survey, 2000-01</span></a>, 22% of Canadians adults, 15 years of age and older, smoke daily, whereas current estimates of physical inactivity from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) are more than double that of tobacco use.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
Current statistics from CCHS show 52% of Canadian Adults (20+) are inactive. Over half the adults in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Canada</st1:place></st1:country-region> are not exercising which leads one to think that the importance of exercise is not taken seriously. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div style="margin-top: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">“Recent research in the <st1:country-region w:st="on">United States</st1:country-region> reveal that although smoking remains the leading cause of mortality in <st1:country-region w:st="on">America</st1:country-region> (435 000 deaths; 18.1% of total <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">US</st1:country-region></st1:place> deaths), poor diet and physical inactivity (400 000 deaths; 16.6%) may soon overtake tobacco as the leading cause of death in that country (Mokdad, A.H., Marks, J.S., Stroup, D.F., & Gerberding, J.L. (2004). Special Communication: Actual Causes of Death in the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United States</st1:place></st1:country-region>, 2000. JAMA; 291:1238-1245). (Sent to translation) “<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
Wow! Poor diet and physical inactivity are one of the leading causes of death and yet, so many people continue to live with these dangerous habits. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div style="margin-top: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">“In a 1996 paper published in the <em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Journal of the American Medical Association</span></em> (Vol. 276, No. 3, p. 205-210), Steven Blair et al. calculated the "relative risks of mortality from all causes" for a number of conditions. They found that the 20% least fit people had a relative risk of 2.10, close to the 1.99 for current or recent smokers. This means that the 20% least fit people were twice as likely as fit people to die prematurely from all causes. Likewise, current or recent smokers were twice as likely as non smokers to die prematurely from all causes. This study does NOT evaluate the "magnitude" of the health risks of smoking against the health risks of physical inactivity. In fact, no study has yet investigated the magnitude of the health hazards of smoking vs. inactivity. What we do know is that 56% of Canadians are not active enough for targeted public health benefits, roughly 22% smoke, and both behaviours are harmful.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
Inactivity doubles your chances of premature death from all causes! If this does not open your eyes to the dangers of inactivity, nothing will. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">What Is Inactivity?<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Here are the standards they used to determine whether or not a person was active: </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div style="margin-top: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">“Please note a classification of <em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">active</span></em> represents an average daily energy expenditure of at least 3 kilocalories per kilogram (KKD) of body weight during the previous 12 months. <em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Moderately active</span></em> represents average energy-expenditure values that are greater than 1.5 and less than 3.0 KKD. <em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Inactive</span></em> corresponds to average energy-expenditure values of less than or equal to 1.5. For the purposes of goal reporting, physical activity combines moderately and active categories (1.5 KKD or greater). <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">Active, if they walked at least 1 hour every day (3.0+ KKD);<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">Moderately active, if they walked 1/2 hour every day (1.5–2.9 KKD); and,<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">Inactive, if they walked no more than 1/2 hour every day (<1.5 KKD).”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
According to this study, if you walk 1 hour a day, you would be considered active or fit. In my opinion, this study is very lenient to say the least and nonetheless, over 50% of Canadians still fail to even walk ½ hour or expend more than 1.5 KKD per day. This is extremely troubling and outright sad. To put this in perspective, I can make a person expend more than 1.5 KKD during a single set of squats! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Infancy Stage<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Because the most technological advances have occurred in the last 100 years, inactivity is still in its infancy stage. The more advanced technology becomes the more choices of comfort we will have to make. However, what is the price for too much comfort? I believe the statistics presented above are a good indication of this price. If we do not recognize this problem today, it will stealthily become more and more prevalent in our lives. In truth, this is already starting to happen. For instance, escalators were originally designed for the handicap and now everyone is using them instead of the stairs. As you can see, many of our decisions are based on being active versus being inactive. Which choices are you making? Are you an addict of comfort and inactiveness? </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Recognizing Inactivity <o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The first step to ridding a dangerous habit is to recognize and admit that you have a problem. Unfortunately, inactivity is not commonly recognized in today’s society as a dangerous problem. For instance, have you ever heard anyone say that they were addicted to inactivity? Most likely not and here lies the greatest challenge of this addiction. My belief is that inactivity should be ranked amongst the most severe of problems such as alcoholism, eating disorders, and drug abuse. Until this happens, inactivity will continue to quietly affect many people. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Help Expose Inactiveness<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">If someone you really cared about (mother, father, spouse, child, sibling, friend, etc.) started abusing alcohol, drugs, or cigarettes, etc., would you not do everything you possibly could to stop them from continuing this dangerous behaviour? Of course you would! It should be no different with inactivity. If you or a loved one suffer from the habit of inactivity, please get help. With the right help, you can rid this habit permanently. Your health and longevity depend on it! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">By Sal Crispo</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Vaughan Personal Trainer</span>Sal Crispohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14097958604332505881noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4708050936290515732.post-8456500820468485692010-02-01T06:41:00.000-08:002011-04-26T07:17:31.377-07:00Olympic Motivation!<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">February 2010 – Getting Back On Track! <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Isn’t it incredible how time passes us by so quickly? It is already the end of February which means two months have gone by since we made our new year’s resolutions. This is a critical stage for everyone as it represents whether or not your resolution is a failure or a success. If you have made it this far without breaking your resolution then you are most likely to maintain it throughout the year and hopefully your entire lifetime. Great work! On the other hand, if you have broken your promise or resolution I have written this article to help you get back on track. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<a name='more'></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Always Look Forward</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">If you have fallen off track do not be discouraged. The last thing you want to do is to dwell on the past. I have a motto and that is to always look forward. Focus on what you can do NOW to make your future brighter. Remember, a resolution can begin at anytime and you can recommit to your desired goals at any moment. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Now that you are looking forward, the first question you want to ask yourself is: </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">What Are My Obstacles?<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">What is causing you to fall off track or break your promise? Ultimately, the responsibility to stay on track is your own, however it is important to know what deters you from maintaining your resolution. A great exercise is to write down all the possible reasons or obstacles that usually cause you to fall off track. Once you have written down a list of obstacles, write down some possible solutions for each of them. For example, a common obstacle is – ‘I do not have <u>time</u>’. How can you organize your day so that you free up some time for a workout, a walk or some sort of activity? </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The second question you want to ask yourself is:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">What Are My Motivators?<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Anthony Robbins is a well-known motivational speaker and he believes that we make most of our decisions based on pain or pleasure. His theory is that when we are faced with a decision we subconsciously (or consciously) determine the amount of pain or pleasure we will feel with each choice. If the choice causes more pain than pleasure then we will most likely not choose that option and when the choice will cause more pleasure than pain we will most likely choose that option. I know this may be a little confusing so I will try to explain it further. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">From the years 2001 to 2003, I travelled to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Salt</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Spring</st1:placetype> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Island</st1:placetype></st1:place> a number of times to become a Master Power Program Trainer with the Colgan Institute. From this tremendous experience I learned a lot from one of my mentors Dr. Michael Colgan. He often said “Nothing tastes better than being lean and mean”. What this means is that no food gives him more pleasure than the feeling of being lean and in great shape. Therefore, when he had to make a decision to eat food, he would only choose the foods that would compliment the pleasure of being lean. In addition, the pleasure of eating unhealthy foods was not as great as the pain he would feel if he were to become unhealthy and fat. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The importance of this theory is that you can use it to become successful in all areas of your life. Here is one way to do so. Take your list of obstacles and create a motivator that is greater for each one. Please note that in the previous section I asked you to write some possible solutions for your obstacles. This was more of a mind-dominant exercise or a logical/left-brained solution. In this exercise, you want to use feeling or an emotional solution for each obstacle. Some examples are given below: </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">1) Obstacle: I love (pleasure) the taste of unhealthy food </div><div class="MsoNormal"> Motivator: I love (pleasure) the feeling of being lean and healthy </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">(Since both are pleasure-based statements, you must ensure that you choose a motivator that has greater emotional power than the obstacle’s emotional power. In other words, the feeling/pleasure of being lean and healthy must be greater than the feeling/pleasure of eating unhealthy foods.)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">2) Obstacle: I hate (pain) working out </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 15.0pt;">Motivator: I hate (pain) feeling uncomfortable about my body </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 15.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">(Since both are pain-based statements, you must ensure that you choose a motivator that has greater emotional power than the obstacle’s emotional power. In other words, the feeling/pain of being uncomfortable about your body must be greater than the feeling/pain of working out)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">3) Obstacle: I would hate (pain) waking up early to work out</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 15.0pt;">Motivator: I would love (pleasure) to feel good about my body in a bikini at the beach </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">(In this example, the feeling of pleasure must outweigh the feeling of pain.)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Last but not least:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Get a Coach and Some Fans<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Have you been watching the Olympic Games? Have you noticed how every athlete has a coach? Why is that? These are the best athletes in the world, why would they need a coach? It is because we are all human. We all lose focus, we all lose motivation and we all fall off track. Remember, even the best of the best need help to succeed. A good coach will be there by your side and they will do their best to bring out the best in you. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Finally, get some fans. Look at how successful <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Canada</st1:place></st1:country-region> has been in these Olympic Games. I am certain that a lot has to do with competing in their home country in front of thousands of cheering fans. Who in your life can you tell about your desired goals that would cheer you on? Surround yourself with these people as they will support you and help motivate you when you need it. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">GO <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">CANADA</st1:place></st1:country-region> GO! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">By Sal Crispo</div><div class="MsoNormal">Vaughan Personal Trainer</div>Sal Crispohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14097958604332505881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4708050936290515732.post-91250266411805331662010-01-01T06:39:00.000-08:002011-04-26T07:18:20.954-07:00The Number 1 Reason People Do Not Keep Their New Year’s Resolution!<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">January 2010 – A Successful New Year’s Resolution! <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Last year I wrote an article called “A ‘NEW’ New Year’s Resolution”. In it I describe some simple ways to create a resolution and then how to stick with it. This year I will tell you the most common mistake people make and how to avoid it. It is not what you are expecting. In truth, what I am about to tell you may be quite surprising! What will make this disclosure even more surprising is that it is coming from a personal trainer. So what is it?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<a name='more'></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Over-commitment!<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Yes, over-commitment is the number 1 reason people fail to keep their resolutions. What is over-commitment? The following are 2 simple examples of over-commitment: </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">1) A person decides to get a nice tan in the summer. The first day of hot summer sun they spend 3-4 hours outside in the sun. What do you think will happen to them? Of course, they will get a significant sun burn which is very painful to say the least. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">2) A person decides that they are going to learn how to swim. The first day at the pool they immediately jump into the deep end. What do you think will happen to them? They will most likely have a near death experience and become terrified of water. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">As you can see, the results of over-commitment are usually not positive. Well, it is no different with health and exercise. However, year after year at this time, I see people making the mistake of purchasing annual memberships at health clubs, going on crash diets, or even spending thousands of dollars on personal training sessions. If you are planning on making any of these decisions this year, I suggest that you take the following recommendations into consideration. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Recommendations<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Here is how to make more sensible decisions this year:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><u>Annual memberships at a health club</u> – Health clubs love this time of year as many people rush to buy annual memberships. The problem with this decision is that the majority of people who purchase annual memberships will only use it for no longer than two months. Therefore, I recommend that you only purchase a month or two of club membership usage. Conveniently, most health clubs offer a one month free trial so make sure you take advantage of this opportunity. After using the health club for a month or two, you will have a better understanding of whether or not an annual membership is a sensible decision for you. This recommendation can save you from wasting your money.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><u>Crash diet</u> – Crash diets are designed to make you lose weight quickly. However, there are many serious effects to this decision. In truth, crash dieting is terrible at any time of the year and like most, you will end up gaining all the weight back you lost anyway (often more!). Instead of crash dieting, choose to find a meal plan or diet that is right for you. I always recommend The Metabolic Typing Diet by Dr. William Wolcott. This is the best program I have found when it comes to customized nutrition plans and it is reasonably priced. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><u>Thousands of dollars in personal training sessions</u> – Why would I, a personal trainer, be telling you not to buy thousands of dollars in personal training sessions? Well, this is because of the way I measure success. I measure success not by how much money I earn but by how effectively I guide my clients toward achieving their goals. If I measured success by how much money I earned then I would be suggesting that you purchase as many sessions as possible. However, I want to see people succeed more than anything else. With that being said, here are some reasons why you would not want to purchase numerous training sessions. For one, you might not get along with the personal trainer or their training style. This is a common occurrence as every personal trainer is unique. Another reason can be that you immediately discover your lifestyle is too unpredictable to maintain your appointments with your personal trainer. This can cause you to be too inconsistent with your training which leads to minimal results and wasted money. Therefore, you should always purchase a trial package (no more than 6 sessions or $400) as this will help you determine whether or not the personal trainer and personal training will work for you. If you discover that it does work for you, then you can go ahead and purchase as many sessions as you prefer. Therefore, look for a personal trainer that offers trial packages. Remember, a personal trainer that is confident in their services will usually have trial packages available at a low cost. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">To give you an example of a trial package, below is one I am using this month that you may be interested in taking advantage of:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">For this month only, I am offering a Special New Year’s Resolution Trial Package. It is <u>50% less</u> than my regular Trial Package price!<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>6 (30 minute) sessions for only $120! <o:p></o:p></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">[30 minute sessions are a great alternative for people who cannot afford (financially, time, or energy) 1 hour sessions. I have clients who have taken advantage of this option and they love it. The sessions are short and sweet. And ‘sweet’ means very effective!] <o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">OR <o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>3 (1 hour) sessions for $100!</u></b><u> <o:p></o:p></u></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">If you know someone who may benefit from this offer, feel free to pass it on to them.<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I hope this article prevents you from making some bad decisions. I look forward to guiding you toward your health and fitness goals this year!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Happy New Year,</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">By Sal Crispo</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Vaughan Personal Trainer</span>Sal Crispohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14097958604332505881noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4708050936290515732.post-66647761363025074232009-12-01T06:37:00.000-08:002011-04-26T07:19:36.366-07:005 Survival Tips For The Holidays!<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">December 2009 – Happy and Healthy Holidays! <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Are you afraid of gaining some unwanted weight over the holidays? Do you want to know what you can do to lessen the load of the holiday season on your health? Well, in my opinion, the biggest problem during the holidays is the overconsumption of food. Therefore, I have written this article to help you prevent overeating and the unwanted weight (fat) gain that accompanies it. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<a name='more'></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">Here are 5 tips to survive the holiday season: </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1. Eat regularly!<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
You probably have heard the phrase “Don’t spoil your appetite” many times. Although mom or grandma mean well, they most likely do not understand how blood sugar functions in the body. If you wait too long in between meals your blood sugar levels will drop too low. Accompany this with the massive feasts we usually gorge on during the holidays and your blood sugar levels will resemble a roller coaster ride at Canada’s Wonderland. These significant drops and spikes in your blood sugar levels is a sure way to gain excess body fat. Therefore, make sure to spoil your appetite and eat regularly throughout the day so that you do not over-consume at the large feasts. Sorry Grandma!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2. Eat according to your Metabolic Type!<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">As many of you know, I strongly promote metabolic typing. When you know your unique metabolic type, you will know what foods your plate should contain. Furthermore, you will know exactly how many proteins, fats, and carbohydrates should be in your plate. This way of eating supports your metabolism in converting the food you eat into readily available energy instead of FAT. Remember, when you eat according to your metabolic type, you will get satisfied more quickly which reduces the chances of overeating. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">3. Eat Certified Organic Food<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">This may be extremely difficult for some of you but today, organic food is becoming more and more popular. Certified organic foods contain fewer toxins as they are grown or raised without the use of harmful chemicals (pesticides, fungicides, etc.). This is important because toxins are very stressful to your body and what’s more is that they cause unwanted weight (fat) gain. Also, certified organic foods are more nutrient rich and as a result, they will satisfy your appetite more quickly than conventional foods. Remember, when you eat high-quality foods, the quantity of food you need to eat, to feel satisfied, decreases. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">4. Drink Plenty of Clean Water<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">One symptom of dehydration is increased hunger. This occurs because the body hopes to get some water from the foods you eat. Drinking water regularly throughout the day will help keep your hunger levels down. When you choose to drink water over other beverages such as soda pop, juice, and alcohol, your blood sugar levels will be more stable. Remember, the more stable your blood sugars levels are, the more controlled your hunger levels will be. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">5. Limit Your Vices<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In life, we all have our vices that we need to control. During the holidays, it becomes increasingly difficult to do so as our vices are excessively available. Therefore, set reasonable limits on your vices. For example, promise yourself to have no more than 3-4 alcoholic beverages on party nights. I know this might sound too simple but it is better than having no limits at all. If your vice is desserts, then I suggest eating a little more protein and fats during your meals as this often decreases the craving for sweets. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Conclusion<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">If you enjoyed this article then you will love the free report I have recently written called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“10 Smart Strategies To A Rock-Hard And Sexy Midsection!” </i>In this report, I reveal 10 must know secrets to lose that stubborn fat from your midsection. Reports are lengthier than articles, therefore reports cater to people who want more detailed information on health and fitness related topics. If you are interested in receiving this information-packed report, email me at: sal_crispo@smartpathfitness.com and I will send you a free copy immediately. Consider this a small gift.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The holidays are a time to joyfully celebrate life, family and abundance. I wish you all a happy and healthy holiday season!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">By: Sal Crispo</div><div class="MsoNormal">Vaughan Personal Trainer</div>Sal Crispohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14097958604332505881noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4708050936290515732.post-12196363905113887082009-10-01T10:17:00.000-07:002011-04-26T07:31:47.548-07:00A Toxic Cure?<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">September/October 2009 – Understanding Immunity! <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">As of late, everyone is talking about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines. Simply, people want to know the truth about vaccines and for this reason, I feel the need to shed the light of common sense on this topic. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<a name='more'></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">A Hot Topic, But Is It New?<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The latest swine flu craze is just another battle in a long, long war. Yes it’s true; the controversy of whether or not vaccines are safe and effective is not new. In fact, there has been a great deal of controversy around vaccines since their inception in the 1800’s. Why is this topic so controversial? To begin with, there is a lot of confusion around the issue because of its complexity. To understand vaccination you must know about biology, immunity, viruses, chemicals, and DNA/RNA, just to name a few. It is purposely designed this way so that the general public have to ask an expert, mostly their doctors, for advice. This is not an ideal situation because doctors are being misinformed and misguided by the manufacturers of vaccines who obviously have invested interest in the distribution of their products. Therefore, as I usually do with all of my other writings, I will do my best to simplify this topic so that we can all gain a greater understanding of it. <br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Defining the Terms</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><u>Immunity</u> - the quality or state of being immune; especially: a condition of being able to resist a particular disease especially through preventing development of a pathogenic microorganism or by counteracting the effects of its products </div><div class="MsoNormal">(Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Our bodies have an immune system that is designed to fight and destroy any foreign substances it detects. The immune system is the most powerful defence we have against viruses. How do I know this is true? The human body has survived thousands of years without vaccines, chemicals, and other magic potions. And it is my strong belief that as of recent years, the human being has survived in spite of vaccines not because of them. In other words, the vaccine is the newest enemy that our immune systems have had to fight against and I will show you why in this article. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">- Remember, we are already born with the best defence system against disease. <o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><u>Virus</u> - Etymology: Latin, venom, poisonous emanation; akin to Greek ios poison</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">1 archaic : VENOM </div><div class="MsoNormal">2 a : the causative agent of an infectious disease</div><div class="MsoNormal">(Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Viruses have been around throughout human existence and yet the human being is still here. But don’t viruses still kill some human beings? Yes, but only when their immune systems are compromised. When the immune system is overly stressed and in a weakened state, viruses, fungus, parasites, cancer and many other diseases can easily take over the body. Therefore, the key to preventing any virus from taking over the body is to keep your immune system healthy and strong. With that being said, because vaccines are full of harmful substances it would be illogical to conclude that they can benefit the human body in any way.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The idea behind vaccines is that they send the weakened or dead virus (in other words, genetically modified virus) into the body so that the immune system can learn how to kill it. However, is this idea sound? Consider this, I advise everyone I know to stay far away from genetically modified or engineered foods because of their destructive nature to all living organisms. Therefore, if I (as well as the great majority of health experts) am so opposed to eating genetically engineered foods, what do you think I am going to say about injecting genetically engineered viruses and organisms directly into your blood stream (the vital fluid of your health)? The long term effects of genetically engineered substances on the human body are unknown and therefore, this topic is quite serious and hopefully more and more people will begin to question the soundness of vaccination. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">- Remember, the key is to keep the immune system working optimally.<o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><u>Toxin</u> - a poisonous substance that is a specific product of the metabolic activities of a living organism and is usually very unstable, notably toxic when introduced into the tissues</div><div class="MsoNormal">(Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Once again, the job of the immune system is to fight against any foreign substances and that especially includes toxins. Therefore, my question to you is, if a toxin is a poisonous substance then how can it be used to help the immune system? When you research the ingredients of vaccines, you will not only find genetically engineered viruses and organisms, but a host of toxic chemicals used to stabilize, assist in efficacy (adjuvants) and preserve. According to medical authorities, this toxic brew of ingredients is supposed to help the immune system in the case of future virus exposure. That is analogous to sending in the Joker, Riddler, and Scarecrow (genetically-engineered substances and toxins) to help Batman (immune system) defend <st1:place w:st="on">Gotham</st1:place> (body) against the Penguin (specific virus). I have one word to describe this – ridiculous! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Below is a list of only some of the common ingredients (many are highly toxic) found in vaccines:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Aluminum hydroxide, Aluminum hydroxyphosphate; aluminum hydroxyphosphate sulphate; aluminum phosphate (linked to Alzheimer’s disease, neurotoxins) </div><div class="MsoNormal">Formaldehyde (banned by the F.D.A., known carcinogen, used to embalm dead bodies) </div><div class="MsoNormal">Hydrolyzed gelatin </div><div class="MsoNormal">L-histidine </div><div class="MsoNormal">Mannitol </div><div class="MsoNormal">Mercury (in the form of Thimerosal, speculated to be linked to autism, neurotoxin) </div><div class="MsoNormal">Monosodium L glutamate </div><div class="MsoNormal">Neomycin (antibiotic)</div><div class="MsoNormal">2-phenoxyethanol (used in skin creams, perfumes, and dyes, restricted use in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Japan</st1:country-region></st1:place>)</div><div class="MsoNormal">Polyethylene glycol p-isooctylphenyl ether (Triton ® X-100) (used in detergents)</div><div class="MsoNormal">Polymyxin B (antibiotic, neurotoxin)</div><div class="MsoNormal">Polysorbate 80 (neurotoxin)</div><div class="MsoNormal">Potassium chloride (used in lethal injection to execute criminals) </div><div class="MsoNormal">Potassium phosphate monobasic </div><div class="MsoNormal">Sodium borate </div><div class="MsoNormal">Sodium chloride </div><div class="MsoNormal">Sodium deoxycholate </div><div class="MsoNormal">Sodium phosphate; sodium phosphate dibasic; sodium phosphate dibasic & heptahydrate; Sodium phosphate monobasic monohydrate </div><div class="MsoNormal">Sorbitol </div><div class="MsoNormal">Sucrose </div><div class="MsoNormal">Urea</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Note: A neurotoxin is a toxin that attacks the central nervous system. Is it a coincidence then that many people end up with neurological disorders such as autism after receiving vaccines?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Please keep in mind that this list does not include many other harmful substances present in vaccines such as genetically engineered viruses and organisms. Also, if you wish to verify that these ingredients are actually in vaccines, check the Health Canada vaccine guide and you will find them listed there. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">- Avoid foreign substances that weaken the immune system. <o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Another War<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Why is it that so many people believe in vaccination? Well, it’s the same reason people once believed that cigarettes were not hazardous to human health – money influence. The companies that manufacture these hazardous products use their money to convince the general public that they are safe. First, they pay off scientists (usually their own) to create studies (falsified ones) that show the safety of their products. Secondly, doctors read these studies and reassure their patients about their safety. The final step in the plan is to pay the media large sums of money to spread messages that support their lies. Basically, it goes as follows – WARNING!! Swine flu is spreading and it can cause death, so take the vaccine. This is called effective advertising - tell people the problem, create an emotional urgency (in this case fear of death) and then sell the solution. Remember, when people are emotional they tend to make irrational decisions – sales people commonly use this technique to get their customers to buy their product/service on impulse. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">What’s worse about vaccines is not only have scientist manipulated or falsified data to show that vaccines are safe but they also go as far as saying they save lives. And that is by far the biggest lie at the moment. I (along with many other researchers) have researched this topic thoroughly and I have yet to find any valid statistical data that shows this statement to be true. It’s not a risk for a reward type of decision as you are led to believe. There is no reward for taking vaccines. The only rewards are found in the bank accounts of the people manufacturing and selling these dangerous products. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Please, just because a scientist, doctor, or the news says that something is safe do not take it at face value. Remember, less than 50 years ago many doctors said that cigarettes were safe and that went for pregnant women too! If we learn to use our common sense and look deeper into these important issues, I believe these tyrannical companies will be exposed just as they have been in the past with cigarettes and hormone replacement therapy. Fortunately, we (the general public) have better means today to fight back against these fear mongering tyrants. Through the use of the internet we can spread vital information quickly and effectively to our friends and family. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">- Question everything! Do not take any information for granted, regardless of where it comes from.<o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Solution<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">What is the solution? Once again, the solution is a vital immune system. We have to live a healthy lifestyle that supports our immunity. We must limit the things that suppress or weaken our immune system such as stress, toxic chemical exposure, and so on. Furthermore, we can aid the immune system by giving it sufficient sunlight (vitamin D), exercise, a healthy diet, clean water, and adequate rest/sleep to name a few. Remember, our best defence is already within us. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Conclusion<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In the end, we only have two choices. To trust in whatever you believe got us here today – God, Universe, Nature, Evolution, Immune System etc. or to put our faith in the hands of people with a corporate agenda and an annual quota.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Unfortunately, due to the length of this article, I was not able to supply any of the factual information I posses that strongly supports my position. Therefore, feel free to contact me for this or more information about this topic.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">By: Sal Crispo</div><div class="MsoNormal">Vaughan Personal Trainer</div>Sal Crispohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14097958604332505881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4708050936290515732.post-6401796387166274132009-08-01T10:14:00.000-07:002011-04-26T07:26:16.569-07:00This Can Make All The Difference!<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt;">July/August 2009 – The Value of Technique! <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">The Most Underrated Aspect of Exercise <o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">I decided to write on the topic of technique because it is too often ignored or taken lightly. To be honest, this is not something that surprises me because most people tend to take the path of least resistance. However, there are many disadvantages in not making technique a priority in your workouts. These disadvantages can lead to a lack of positive results, pain and even injury. Allow me to explain. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<a name='more'></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">I Can Do It Myself!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Yes you can. You can do anything yourself. However, what will be your results? For instance, you can cut your own hair, represent yourself in court, or even perform emergency surgery on yourself, but just try to imagine what your results would be. These images should be quite amusing and outright scary, right? Well, it is no different with exercise. Because of this ‘I can do it myself’ mentality, I often see the most amusing and terrifying exercise technique imaginable. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Another common occurrence I see in the gym is people copying others. They watch others do certain exercises and then they try and do it the same way. I call this the ‘blind leading the blind’ strategy because most people at the gym are not well versed in exercise technique. Keep in mind, just because a person is in great shape does not mean they know proper exercise technique. In addition, another misconception is that someone who has many years of workout experience knows effective technique. In truth, some of these people have the worst workout technique and are often riddled with pain and injury. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">I have been in this business for about 10 years now and I am always improving the application of technique. In truth, I consider myself a professional because I have the ‘I can always learn more and improve my service’ mentality. That is why I find it strange when people think that they can exercise on their own (without any professional guidance) <u>efficiently</u>. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary: <u>Efficient</u>: 2. productive of desired effects; especially: productive without waste </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Remember, it usually takes the same amount of time to do an exercise wrong as it does to do it right, however, the positive results you will get from doing exercises correctly may never come when doing them incorrectly. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Drop That Weight!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">I made a gentleman drop 25 lbs in 5 minutes! No it’s not what you’re thinking. He was doing an exercise called the bent-over reverse flye with two 35 lb dumbbells. Once I corrected his overall technique, he had to use the 10 lb dumbbells to maintain proper form throughout the exercise. And may I add that he struggled with those 10 lbs (chuckle and grin). This is only one story, out of many, where I have humbled people using exceptional technique.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">I am a huge advocate of raising workout intensity by increasing weight, but not at the expense of technique. I recommend perfecting your technique first, as this naturally raises exercise intensity, and then progress to lifting heavier weights while trying to maintain the same form. Most people do not understand the true power behind raising the level of intensity by using improved technique. I believe this is something that is best understood when experienced, just ask the individual doing the reverse flyes with the 10 lb dumbbells. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">If you want positive results from your workouts, make sure you are applying exceptional technique to your exercises! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">By: Sal Crispo</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Vaughan Personal Trainer</span>Sal Crispohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14097958604332505881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4708050936290515732.post-27886427680372479612009-06-01T10:12:00.000-07:002011-04-26T07:29:04.432-07:00Stop Looking for the One!<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt;">May/June 2009 – Understanding Results! - Part 3<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">In part 1 of this series, I defined the meaning of results, and in part 2, I addressed the one question I am asked the most – “How do I lose weight?” In this part, I am going to discuss the importance of individuality and customization for results.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<a name='more'></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Individuality<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Extraordinarily, everyone is unique. For this reason, results will vary between individuals following any given exercise program or diet regimen. This is important to understand because it means that no <u>ONE</u> specific exercise program or diet will help everyone achieve their desired results. Of course each program or diet may help some people attain results, but many people will not. In truth, when you randomly choose an exercise program or diet, you are gambling with your health. This is because some exercise programs and diets can have a negative impact on your well being. I have seen people get injured from exercise programs that were not suited for their bodies or level of fitness. And I have also seen people have unfavorable results with diets such as gaining weight instead of losing it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">What is the solution?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Customization<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> “If you are not assessing you are guessing” is a motto that I strongly believe in. As a professional, there are many things I must know about a person before I can give them an exercise program or diet regimen. I do not believe in gambling with peoples’ health and well being. Therefore, I have searched for methods that focus on thorough assessment and program customization. Provided that they were followed as instructed, these exercise programs and diets have proven, over and over again, to give the best results. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Periodization<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Human beings are creatures of habit and thus many people have a tendency to do the same program for months or even years. This regularly leads to a lack of positive results and can lead to a multitude of negative results. A properly designed periodization plan will periodically alter your exercise program to ensure constant progression toward your goal(s). Since everyone is unique in physicality, level of fitness, and goals etc., each periodization plan should be custom tailored around the individual. You can learn more about periodization in a past article I wrote - Breaking The Plateau Affect For Amazing Results! (Periodization for Results!)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Step – 1 Get a customized periodization plan based on your unique requirements.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Metabolic Typing Diet <o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The best customized diet regimen that I have come across is the metabolic typing diet by Dr. William Wolcott. Unlike countless other diets, this diet involves some thorough analysis before determining your dietary suggestions. Too often people fall victim to these “one size fits all” diet regimens that only work for a few individuals. What I like best about the metabolic typing diet is that it increases your awareness about cooking, eating, food, grocery shopping, digestion, and much more. Once your metabolic type is determined, you will know which diet regimen is best for you. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Step – 2 Follow a customized diet that will lead you toward health, beauty, and vitality. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Cardiovascular Conditioning<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">There is so much controversy over which type of cardiovascular activity is best for attaining results. Again, do not fall into the trap of trying to find the ONE or single best kind of cardiovascular exercise. There are plenty of options to choose from which can give great results. The key is to find the best cardiovascular activities for you. I suggest you choose to participate in activities that are safe, challenging, fun and will work up a great sweat. Also, I believe that it is extremely important to cycle your cardiovascular activities. This will decrease the chances of getting inflammatory pain from overusing certain muscles and joints. This strategy of cycling activities is also advantageous for attaining results as it helps to negate the plateau effect. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Step – 3 Find a variety of activities to participate in that are right for you</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">In closing, if you want results make sure you choose customization. Feel free to contact me for further information regarding either program design or finding out your metabolic type. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">By: Sal Crispo</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Vaughan Personal Trainer</span></div>Sal Crispohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14097958604332505881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4708050936290515732.post-34232491703965078512009-04-01T10:08:00.000-07:002011-04-26T07:30:40.510-07:00How Do I Lose Weight?<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt;">April 2009 – Understanding Results! - Part 2<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">In part 1 of this series, I defined the meaning of results and in this part, I will answer the one question that I am asked the most – “How do I lose weight?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<a name='more'></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Don’t believe the hype!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">New gimmicks come out practically every single month claiming to be the ONE AND ONLY product you will need to completely transform your body. Simply use this wonder product and you will look like the models used in the infomercial. Yeah right! What they fail to tell you is that the models were in great shape before the products were even invented. Besides, if the products are really as effective as they claim to be, then why are more and more products being put on the market each month? The truth is that the majority of these products are useless. And even if a product is useful, it should not be viewed as the end all and be all for weight loss. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Why do these gimmicks continue to sell? Today, society has been conditioned to believe that there is a simple solution for everything, a ‘use this (product) for that (problem)’ approach. For this reason, billions of dollars are spent and wasted annually on weight loss. The philosophy that a <u>single</u> product, food, exercise routine etc., is the only thing you need to lose weight and transform your body is certainly flawed. Unfortunately, many people fall victim to this idea and repeatedly FAIL to reach their desired results. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Step 1 – Please understand that the ‘use this for that’ approach benefits only the wallets of the people who are selling these proclaimed ‘miracle’ products.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">A different philosophy</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">If you really want to lose weight you need a new philosophy – a multi-disciplinary approach. A multi-disciplinary approach is one that views the human being holistically – body, mind and spirit. I strongly believe that this approach is what everyone should adopt if they want to achieve their desired results. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Here is the real ‘SECRET’ of weight loss: </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">“When you effectively nourish your physical, mental, and spiritual self, you will be a completely healthy human being that will never have any weight loss issues”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Weight gain, amongst many other health issues, is the result of not being healthy. Therefore, the question should not be “how do I lose weight?” but instead, “how do I become more healthy?” or “how do I effectively nourish my body, mind and spirit?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Step 2 – Adopt a multi-disciplinary approach if you want to achieve the results of your dreams.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">How do you effectively nourish your body, mind, and spirit?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Everyone is unique so answers to this question will vary. Below are just a few general ways to enrich your being: </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">- Eat organic whole foods</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">- Drink plenty of purified water</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">- Laugh often</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">- Express yourself through creative means that you love – singing, dancing, painting, etc.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">- Participate in regular exercise that you enjoy</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">- Read </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">- Meditate</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">- Pursue your dreams</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">- Create wonderful relationships</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">- Serve others</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">- Maintain a positive attitude</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">- Travel</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The bottom line is that there are a multitude of things you can do to lose weight but it is the integrated use of many of these things that will ultimately lead to health and weight loss.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Note: This list is completely random and is not in any specific order of importance. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Step 3 – Live a healthy lifestyle by integrating many healthy choices. Do what you love, with the people you love, as much as possible and enjoy your life! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Not a fan favorite!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">I know that I am disappointing those people who were expecting a shortcut answer to weight loss. However, in my 30 years of life experience, I have discovered that there is a significant difference between what people WANT to hear and what people NEED to hear. I believe people are told what they want to hear far too often and in the long term they are frequently disappointed. Therefore, I hope you will question someone the next time you hear them claiming to have the ultimate weight loss product because it may save you from wasting your time and money. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Last but not least<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The articles I write will lead you toward becoming a healthier person and thus by following the advice given, you will begin to conquer your struggles with weight loss. You can do it! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">By: Sal Crispo</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Vaughan Personal Trainer</span></div>Sal Crispohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14097958604332505881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4708050936290515732.post-76404396471391843802009-03-01T09:58:00.000-08:002011-04-26T07:33:31.284-07:00I Want Results!<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt;">February/March 2009 – Understanding Results!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Defining the Term<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Result: to proceed or arise as a consequence, effect, or conclusion (Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Allow me to simplify this definition - a result is a consequence of action.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">I guarantee results!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Actually, the Universe guarantees results. <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Newton</st1:place></st1:city>’s third law of motion is: for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Therefore, no matter what you do you will get results (constructive or destructive). The question is - are you getting the results you want?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">What are the results you want?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">You need to be able to define the results you want. The clearer you are about your desired results, the easier it will be to determine whether or not you are on course towards them. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">How do you know if you are headed towards or away from your desired goals?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Most people only use a weight scale to monitor changes but this method alone is not enough. In fact, only using a weight scale can sometimes be misleading. I recommend using an effective measurement system which is usually given by fitness professionals. (Please feel free to contact me for more details) </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">How long should it take to achieve your desired results?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">First and foremost, I believe that the best results are realized by the individuals with the right mind frame. When you decide wholeheartedly to persistently move towards achieving your goal(s), you are already half way there. This is because you will need to choose to act towards your desired results every single day. The better your daily choices, the faster you will achieve results. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">However, you should not worry so much about achieving your desired results in a certain time period. The key is to understand that each day you choose not to act, the further you get from your desired results and conversely, each day you act towards your goal(s), you are creating a better version of yourself. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Therefore, your worst enemy is INACTION. Inaction is failing to act when you are supposed to or acting in a manner that is counter productive to achieving your desired results. Inaction is also considered an action. To choose not to act is an action. Every choice has a consequence or result therefore, every choice is an action. You must understand that choosing to do nothing has its consequences too. For example, if you choose not to eat, you will lose weight, however, there are a lot more consequences accompanying this choice than just losing weight. For instance, many diseases such as bulimia and anorexia can result with the choice of starvation. Remember, if you want results, you must not allow inaction to run your life. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Finally, I believe the best strategy for achieving your goal(s) is to have a life-long ideal in conjunction with your short-term goal(s). Here is a simple example of a life-long ideal:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“I, ___________ (your name), pledge to do my best to live each day in a healthy manner. I am committed to making the choices that I believe will improve my health and well being. I know that the summation of my actions determine my results therefore, I will avoid inaction by taking constructive action when necessary.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">If you are unsure about making a life-long commitment to your health and well being then hopefully the quote below will motivate you!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">"If you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrible warning." <o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">~ Catherine Aird <o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">By: Sal Crispo</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Vaughan Personal Trainer</span></div>Sal Crispohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14097958604332505881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4708050936290515732.post-82815926022198580592009-01-01T09:54:00.000-08:002011-04-26T07:34:22.527-07:00A ‘NEW’ New Year’s Resolution!<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt;">January 2009 – The Resolution Solution!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Defining the Term<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Resolution - 1: the act or process of resolving (Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Write It Down<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Take out a piece of paper and answer the following questions.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">What Problem(s) Are You Resolving? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">This is the first question you need to ask yourself. You need to be able to clearly define the problem before you can resolve it. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Why Do You Want To Resolve This Problem?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">This step is important because it involves introspection. Introspection will allow you to connect to the emotional reasons as to why you want this problem resolved. When harnessed correctly emotions can be powerful motivators. For example, a common reason for<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b>people to begin a resolution is because they are fed up with the way they are living their lives. Sometimes we need to hit rock bottom before we can say “That is enough! I am tired of all the excuses! I am going to change!” It is important to understand that negative energy can be redirected toward a positive aim.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">What If This Problem Remains Unresolved? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Another great emotional charge can come from foreseeing your own future. What will your life look like 5 years from now if you continue your current lifestyle? How about in 10 years? On the television show “The Last 10 Pounds” they use a computer software program that analyzes a current photo of a person. It then simulates what they would look like in the future after several years of continuing their current lifestyle. The expression on people’s faces when they see their photo morphing into a fatter version of themselves is a real eye opener. Although this software program is a great tool, the most sophisticated computer is between your ears. Therefore, use your own imagination to envision the changes. Remember, by visualizing the repercussions of not resolving this problem you will increase your emotional desire to change. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">What Is the Solution To This Problem?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">You can either be the problem or the solution. You can either be unhealthy or healthy. The choice is yours. This is the main secret to success. The moment you decide wholeheartedly to be the solution is the moment you shall know success. I do not care how unhealthy you have been throughout your lifetime, you can change that at any moment. Whether it is in the New Year, the middle of the year, or the end of the year, any time can be the right time to change. Do not focus on who you used to be (the problem). Instead, focus on who you are now (the solution). Make the choices that a healthy person would make. For instance, would a healthy person…take the stairs or escalators, exercise or have an excuse not to, cook their own organic meal or eat at a fast food restaurant? For every situation, ask yourself, “what would a healthy person do?” and THEN DO IT! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">BE THE SOLUTION!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">By: Sal Crispo</div><div class="MsoNormal">Vaughan Personal Trainer</div>Sal Crispohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14097958604332505881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4708050936290515732.post-51435874218272609172008-12-01T09:53:00.000-08:002011-04-26T07:35:21.479-07:00The Organic Switch!<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt;">December 2008 – Understanding Organic food!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 72.0pt; text-indent: 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt;"> Part III: Change<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Welcome to part III - Change: Make the transition to organic foods a successful one!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Slow and Steady Wins the Race!</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Human beings are often referred to as creatures of habit. Therefore change is not something easy for most people to do. This difficulty to change is mostly caused by fear. Fear must be slain slowly. For example, if you want to teach someone how to swim the last thing you would do is push them into the deep end. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">You must keep in mind that change often takes time. Too often you see people trying to rush change only to see it backfire. For instance, many people have made the mistake of trying to get a tan the first sunny day of the summer season. Their skin has had no significant sun exposure for months and they decide to stay in the sun for hours. The end result is quite obvious – sun burn. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Therefore if you are interested in making the switch to organic foods, do so slowly. Start by purchasing organic foods from only one food category i.e. fruits, vegetables, meats or dairy. Eventually you can add more categories to your grocery regimen. You can also look at your purchases as a percentage. Begin with buying 10 - 20% organic foods and then increase the amount slowly over time. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Any Differences?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">See if you can notice any differences in the taste, smell, or how organic foods make you feel, etc. If you do decide to make the switch to organic foods or you already have made the change please feel free to tell me the differences. People like to hear about results because it helps them make changes. I will post any of your responses on the discussion board in my SmartPath Facebook group. I look forward to your responses. Remember you can make a positive contribution to the planet by switching to organic foods and by influencing other to do the same. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">By: Sal Crispo</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Vaughan Personal Trainer</span></div>Sal Crispohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14097958604332505881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4708050936290515732.post-2724338723527067462008-11-01T09:50:00.000-07:002011-04-26T07:36:11.840-07:00Is It Really Organic?<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt;">November 2008 – Understanding Organic food!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 72.0pt; text-indent: 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt;"> Part II: Ideology<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">This is part II of a series of articles that will uncover the truth about the foods we are eating. Part I: Clarity – focused on changing the way we view the labels put on organic and conventionally raised foods. (Illustrated below)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Food Re-labeled: Organic food = food Conventional food = toxic food </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">In this article an answer will be provided to one of the most commonly asked questions about organic. This question seems to be used as a common excuse for people to avoid buying into the organic industry. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“How do you really know if it’s organic?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Trust Nature!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">It is unfortunate but it is true. There are companies out there who find loop holes in order to sell conventionally raised foods as organic foods. But this is no excuse to avoid supporting the organic industry as a whole. You would not throw away a whole bushel of apples because there are a few bad ones in it, right? Of course not! So we must learn to pick out the good ones. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Have you ever seen the difference between a natural bodybuilder and a Mr. Olympia bodybuilder? If you put the competitors side by side the difference in size would be really obvious. Likewise, you will often see this same size differentiation between organic and conventionally raised food. Simply, the ones with drugs are noticeably bigger. When purchasing food you need to use some common sense. For example, if you see an apple the size of a watermelon and is labeled certified organic, you should think twice before spending your money on it. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Size is just one of “Mother Nature’s” signs for distinguishing real food from the fake. For instance, eggs have a variety of signs to verify their authenticity. What are they? First, the shells should not break too easily. Second, the liquid in the egg should be viscous. And finally, the yolk of an egg should be bright orange/red colour. If an egg has a fragile shell, runs easily, and has a pale yellow yolk, Mother Nature is telling you that it is weak and nutritionally deficient. Fortunately, many of these signs appear within all foods and I would recommend learning what they to avoid wasting your money. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">If you wish to learn more about Mother Nature’s signs, you can take some courses on proper gardening and organic farming techniques. Another great help can be a family member that has been raised on an organic farm. They also recognize the signs that I am referring to. This wisdom is priceless. I have been blessed with parents and grandparents who have passed on some of this wisdom and I am forever grateful. I look forward to passing this wisdom on to the next generation. Do you?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">A Karmic Idea!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">In the previous article, the difference was made clear between organic and conventionally raised foods. Therefore, I want you to keep in mind that when you purchase organic food you are not just buying food but you are supporting an “IDEA”. You are supporting the idea that food should be grown and raised without the use of toxic chemicals. You are supporting a cleaner environment and an improved planet Earth. Conversely, if you are supporting the "IDEA" of conventionally raised and grown foods then you are supporting the idea of polluting the environment by adding toxic chemicals to "Mother Nature's" soil, water, air, plants, animals, people, etc. Which one are you going to support?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">In conclusion, the organic idea is constructive and the other is destructive to our planet. There is a karmic law in place in this Universe, that is “you reap what you sow”. This planet is alive. That’s right! It is a living organism. Therefore the karmic law applies to the planet as it would with another human being. If it is mistreated, neglected, and not loved the same will return to the one(s) doing so. And the same principle applies to our bodies too. If you mistreat, abuse and neglect to give your body what it needs; clean air, food, water, exercise, rest and sleep, etc. then your body will soon neglect you. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Coming soon in December – Understanding Organic Food! Part III <o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">By: Sal Crispo</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Vaughan Personal Trainer</span></div>Sal Crispohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14097958604332505881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4708050936290515732.post-62885990863175787082008-10-01T09:48:00.000-07:002011-04-26T07:37:25.801-07:00Re-labeling Organic food!<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt;">October 2008 – Understanding Organic food!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px;"> Part I: Clarity</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">This is part I of a series of articles that will uncover the truth about the foods we are eating.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Clarity First!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">What is Organic?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<a name='more'></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The Merriam-Webster Online definition of Organic: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(2): of, relating to, yielding, or involving the use of food produced with the use of feed or fertilizer of plant or animal origin without employment of chemically formulated fertilizers, growth stimulants, antibiotics, or pesticides <organic farming> <organic produce><o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">I would like to add without fungicides, herbicides, and genetically altered or modified food methods. Basically it means growing foods naturally or the way nature intended to. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">What is Conventional?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The word conventional means ordinary or common. This word does not completely convey what it represents in the food industry. Yes it may be more common, especially in <st1:place w:st="on">North America</st1:place>, for people to purchase this type of food. However, it implies that this food source is the norm and everything else is not. In fact, conventionally raised food has become so “normal” that no one even calls it that anymore (conventional). People just refer to it as “food”. This surprises me because conventionally raised food is food that is opposite to the organic definition above. It uses chemically formulated fertilizers, growth stimulants, antibiotics, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, genetically altered or modified food methods and so on! Basically there are very few rules and restrictions when it comes to the conventional food methods. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Why is this important?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The labels are misleading. Let me give you an example. A person goes shopping and comes across two heads of lettuce – Conventional and Organic. The Conventional one is labeled as “head of lettuce $0.99” and the Organic one is labeled as “Organic head of lettuce $1.99”. Many people do not know the difference between the two and usually the price decides the purchase. Why are they going to pay twice the amount for a food they can get for half the price? It does not seem like much of a choice. However, what if instead the Organic head of lettuce was labeled as “head of lettuce $1.99” and the conventionally raised was labeled as “chemically or toxically sprayed food $0.99”. At least now the shopper would know why one is less than the other. And they would know exactly what they were purchasing. They would also know that the cheaper food can be hazardous to their health because of the added growth hormones, antibiotics, and other drugs etc.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">I will use an analogy to further clarify my point. Many people knew the exact dangers of smoking and for this reason they fought extremely hard to ban the substance from indoor use. Before it was completely banned from indoor use some places had designated rooms – smoking and non-smoking. Now that is very clear labeling. Everyone knew what choice they were making when entering either room. However, this is not the case with the food industry. They would have labeled the two rooms this way “air” and “organic air”. How ridiculous does that sound? Air filled with toxic chemicals (smoke) should not be labeled as “air” or “conventional air”. And the same should be in the case with food. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">In conclusion to this section, we must change our perspective to the current labeling of food. We must realize that Organic food is simply food and Conventional food is not “normal” food but toxically sprayed and hazardous food. If we change the labeling around in our minds we can make better choices, not only for ourselves but for our loved ones too. The next time you are out grocery shopping, ask yourself this question. Would I buy my child a pack of cigarettes? Of course not! Then why would you buy them conventionally raised or farmed food? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Food Re-labeled: Organic food = food Conventional food = toxic food </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Coming soon in November – Understanding Organic Food! Part II <o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">By: Sal Crispo</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Vaughan Personal Trainer</span></div>Sal Crispohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14097958604332505881noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4708050936290515732.post-60951295189107138952008-09-01T09:43:00.000-07:002011-04-26T07:39:30.888-07:00Breaking The Plateau Affect For Amazing Results!<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt;">September 2008 – Periodization For Results!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Stop The Insanity!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Albert Einstein’s definition of insanity was doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results. Most people fall into a set routine which they do over and over again for many consecutive months and even YEARS! This is the number one reason people plateau, get bored, and eventually quit exercising. So, how do you prevent this from happening? The answer to this can be summed up in one word – Periodization! </span><br />
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<a name='more'></a>Periodization is a scientific approach to exercise where a variety of phases (programs) are designed and utilized to reach a specific goal(s). Sports and conditioning coaches use this scientific approach because of its effectiveness to train and prepare their athletes for competition. Since periodization has been proven to work for athletes, why not adopt this approach for yourself? Not everyone is an athlete and so they might not need a highly scientific periodization plan. However, the important thing is to utilize its key concept and that is the changing and cycling of programs. My general guideline is that you must change your program approximately every 4 – 6 weeks. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">If you want results change your program every 4- 6 weeks!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">“Pattern Overload”<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Changing your workout routine every 4-6 weeks will not only get you results but it also greatly reduces the chances of inflammation, pain and injury. When you perform a movement too frequently and repetitively you will end up with ‘Pattern Overload”. Some common everyday examples of “Pattern Overload” are carpel tunnel syndrome from overuse of the computer mouse and tennis elbow from playing too much tennis. Likewise, doing the same routine for long periods of time can actually begin to have a negative affect on the body. This is even more so if the routine has imbalances (and they often do!). Imbalances in the routine will pull your joints and spine into sub-optimal positions causing unnecessary strain and stress to the musculo-skeletal system. This then leads to unwanted inflammation and PAIN! And pain is far too common. I get approached by exercise enthusiast almost everyday for pain related issues that would have never manifested if they were on a proper periodization plan.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">If you wish to read more about “Pattern Overload” Paul Chek wrote a GREAT article about it which can be found at www.chekinstitute.com!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Shock Your Body<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">If you do a program for too long your body will quickly adapt and you will plateau (get minimal results). Periodization plans are designed to constantly stimulate your body. Exercises and exercise variables (repetitions, sets, tempos, circuits, super sets, rest periods etc.) are continuously manipulated, changed, and cycled. I often surprise people that think they are in shape by simply changing and utilizing different exercise variables. This is because I challenge them with exercise variables they are not used to. For example, I will give higher repetitions to people who only do lower repetitions. The bottom line is that there are thousands of exercises to choose from and thus there should be no reason for someone to be doing the same exercise routine for extended periods of time.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Stimulate your body with a constant change or cycling of exercises and exercise variables!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">It’s Fun!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Sometimes the body isn’t the only thing that needs stimulation. Boredom is a common culprit of the plateau affect and thus the mind also needs to be stimulated. Learning new movements or new ways of doing known movements can be really fun and invigorating. One example of this is doing a bicep curl while standing on a Bosu ball or kneeling on a Swiss ball. Again the possibilities are endless. Please keep in mind that the most important aspect of an exercise is that it is safe for you. Safety should always precede fun. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Stimulate your mind with safe and fun exercises!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Don’t Walk Empty Handed!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">A common motto that I often repeat is - “if you fail to plan you plan to fail”. I have worked at a large public fitness centre for over 8 years and it is extremely rare for me to come across anyone who has a program in hand. It is even rarer when someone tells me that they are on a periodization plan. A periodization plan is a series of programs that are designed to achieve a specific goal(s) i.e. hypertrophy, strength, speed, endurance, fat loss etc. If the plan is effectively designed you will achieve the intended results provided you stick with it. There is a lot of science behind periodization plans so you may want get some professional help when developing one. If not you should still see better results by just changing your program every 4-6 weeks.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">For the best results hire a professional to design a periodization plan for you!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 207.0pt;"><br />
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</div><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">By Sal Crispo</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Vaughan Personal Trainer</span>Sal Crispohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14097958604332505881noreply@blogger.com0