The Vlog

Some people think they work hard when they work out. Others read their newspaper while doing their cardio.

How do you know when you’re working hard? In my experience, doing intervals at 90% of your maximum heart rate for 20-30 seconds is a good test to see if you’re really working hard. How do we figure out what 90% of your maximum heart rate is?

I recommend an exhaustion test. Steadily increase the speed and incline of a treadmill until the heart rate remains unchanged after about 10 seconds. I recommend taking about 10-15 minutes to reach this point with intermittent slower periods. In this way, you can make it a training session too.

Once you have this number, just multiply it by 0.9 and you have 90% of your maximum heart rate. Now you can use this as your target number for your interval training, as mentioned in the second paragraph above. Good luck!

Let’s say you work a job. After work you go buy some groceries, put gas in the car, and go rent a movie. But what if I told you that you didn’t know how much you were being paid. I think you might wonder, “Do I have enough to buy the things I want?”

This is like not knowing exactly how much you are eating — if your goal is weight loss. You will have no idea how much you should be losing. But if you do a little math, you can figure out how much you should lose.

A pound of fat is 3,500 calories. If you can burn 3,500 calories, you will lose one pound of fat. So if you lower your calories by 500 calories per day for seven days, you should lose one pound of fat. But don’t forget you have to figure out your maintenance level, i.e., how many calories your body needs each day to maintain its weight. My favorite method is the Katch-McArdle formula (http://www.freedomfly.net/Articles/Nutrition/nutrition14.htm). Once you figure this out, you will be able to count your calories from foods to make sure you are eating 500 calories less than your maintenance level.

For my clients, I tell them exactly how much they should lose. In this way, they know exactly how much they need to eat and train in order to lose that amount. If this sounds complex and you think you need some help, feel free to ask. You can e-mail me at von@vongillette.com.

Von

Analysis Paralysis

There is so much good (and bad) information about dieting that it can be difficult to decide which diets are actually worthwhile. I would like to go over a few bottom-line points any good diet should have.

1. Balance – A diet needs a fair amount of daily protein and fat (30g. or more). These are critical for basic survival. Carbohydrates are not necessary for human survival. This doesn’t mean that carbohydrates shouldn’t be included in your diet. It does mean, however, that carbohydrates should probably not make up the bulk of your diet — even though the FDA still recommends just that.

2. High Quality Foods – No dietary advice would be complete without emphasizing highly nutritious foods like vegetables, fruits (optional), and good fats like nuts, seeds, and organic dairy. Protein that is also grass-fed, free range, and organic are preferred. Without first taking care of your health, no diet can be carried on long-term without ill effects.

3. Long-term Plan – A long-term plan is critical for any diet. Most people will resort to convenience. A solid long-term plan develops good habits and enables people to stick with it without thinking about it.

4. Realistic – A good diet plan must be realistic. Without this component, you could never succeed with a diet requiring you to cook five meals a day when you work 9-5. Unless you’re a chef, it won’t happen. Find a realistic plan that works for you.

Although finding the right diet plan can be challenging, if you follow these guidelines I’m confident you’ll find a diet that works for you. If you want more information or help in finding the right plan for you, contact me at von@vongillette.com.

I am Oglala Lakota and during tribal ceremonies I’ll often hear about healing one’s spirit.

In my experience, when one take’s a hard look at themselves and begins to “train” their spirit with the dedication and honesty that they employ in their fitness and nutrition lives, miracles happen.

What am I talking about? For some, it might mean forgiveness of a loved one who has really hurt them. For others, it can mean re-experiencing all the pain they’ve grown up with and loving their way back from it. For some, it can mean sharing with another the true pain involved in what they’re dealing with now. For some, it may mean battling depression or an addiction.

All of these things will have huge effects on one’s health, weight, and fitness. I believe, however, that good health and fitness and the proper weight can help with spiritual healing. Your mind and body are mirror reflections of each other. Improving one can help the other.

In my nutrition course one of the sessions focuses on the spirit and making sure the feeding of our spirit is aligned with the good things we are doing physically, as well. I invite you to join our group and share your story as these stories seem to help other’s in their journey too.

Thanks.

Von