Heart Rate Monitor

Let’s go through a couple of scenarios on how to properly use a heart rate monitor for losing weight. Again, if you desire to lose one pound of fat through exercise alone, this means burning 3,500 calories per week. If you workout 5 days a week, this means you will have to burn 700 calories each day (700 x 5 = 3,500). If you workout 6 days a week, you will still have to burn 3,500 calories, but when divided by 6, you only have to burn 583.3 calories per session.

If you really want to burn at one full pound of fat per week with exercise alone, I do not recommend working out less than 5 days a week — unless you are already at a high starting weight. The more you weigh, the more calories you will burn. Let me give you an example. A man who weighs 220 pounds running at 5 mph for 60 minutes will burn approximately 844 calories. A woman who weighs 145 pounds running at 5 mph for 60 minutes will only burn approximately 556 calories. This is a whopping 300 calorie difference and it is precisely the reason why weight loss can slow down the more weight a person loses. To compensate for this, I have my clients slightly increase the intensity and the time that they exercise, which can definitely help keep exercise time in check. To get a general idea of how much calories you burn based on activity, check out:

http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/cbc

I personally use a heart rate monitor daily. It helped me learn that my exercise intensity was a lot less than I had thought it was. I am a professional trainer, but like anyone else I had fooled myself into thinking that my training was intense because I was in such great shape. However, even during strength training I was only burning 300-400 calories a session. As I began to include more cardio sessions to bring myself up to burning 700 calories per session, I first noticed my abs got more defined. After a week, I realized the heart rate monitor gave me more motivation because I had a specific goal for each workout and I felt better both mentally and physically from getting in more exercise. If you want to get your fat burning down to a science, try out a heart rate monitor for yourself.

Just Say No Picture

●For some clients it actually can be beneficial to eat some “dirty” foods. This is because the body does need variety and “dirty foods” can temporarily boost metabolism. I’ve had numerous clients actually lose weight after a “big meal” the day before. However, for the rest of the week and all other meals, they stuck to the plan.

●Eating clean foods 100% of the time is unnecessary to lose weight. However, it is necessary to eat clean foods to lose weight most of the time. If you do splurge, it should only be for a social obligations, and even then, it should be controlled.

●If you do eat so called “bad” foods at a social obligation, then you should probably eat light for the meals before the social obligation and afterward.

●You typically don’t have to say yes to all the foods that a person offers you in their home. Just because you say yes to dinner does not mean you have to say yes to three glasses of wine, two servings of dessert, and a second helping of the main course. That’s overkill.

●In some instances, it is a very good thing to say no to a social obligation if you know you will over indulge. Let me give you an example which — however extreme it may sound — is actually applicable to many individuals who want to lose weight, including myself. If one is a gambling addict, you don’t go into a casino. In time however, social obligations all become manageable and even a normal part of life. But for now, you want to limit social events which could sabotage your health. I highly recommend you attend events or try to attend events which are conducive to both your social and physical health. One great strategy that many friends or family will respect is if you inform them ahead of time that you are watching your portions. This will prepare them to make the correct amount, and if they are your family and friends, they should respect this.

If you find you are a “social eater,” please give these methods a try and please let me know what you think.

Working with a wide variety of clients, I’ve learned that many out of shape people dislike gyms because of unpleasant memories dating back to physical education classes. If you were overweight as a kid, or always picked last for games, you might not associate gyms with good times.

This is why it’s immensely important that when a client begins a program, I encourage them to have confidence in themselves. I don’t do it just to be a cheerleader, I’m do it because positive reinforcement works, and it helps build camaraderie. I can’t preach the gospel of positive reinforcement enough — when a person is doing something right, tell them! And if they are doing something wrong, let them know in a patient and nonjudgmental way. I’ve also found that the more empowered a client is, they perform better and make a greater effort. I have a surprising number of clients who are 50 and older who perfectly execute push ups, barbell squats, seated rows, and rack pulls, even though they never tried any of these movements before training with me.

Fitness is about much more than just working out. It’s also about practicing positive mental hygiene, focusing on improving yourself instead of dwelling on past failures.

Sometimes when working on nutrition issues with new clients I will ask them to pour some cereal for me to see how much they actually use. The results are pretty surprising. I find nobody eats a standard serving size which is usually three-quarters of a cup to one full cup. Typically, most people will pour 2 servings or more into their bowls. Some people, however, will have two or more bowls of cereals which can be a lot of calories when milk is included. But, if you actually measure how much cereal you use, it’s possible to eat an appropriate amount that is supportive of your weight loss goals.

Another problem with cereals is that many people assume the cereals they eat are healthy. While some cereals are healthier than others, most cereals contain little fiber and few whole grains (which are more conducive to weight loss). Take for example my client’s favorites, “Cheerios,” “Special K,” ”Honey Bunches of Oats,” and “Total.” These cereals each contain more than 20 grams of carbohydrates per serving, yet only provide 2 grams of fiber or less. Worse, there’s very little whole grain or whole oats.

Both fiber and whole grains work synergistically to provide greater satiety and more nutrients. These nutrients are unavailable when even when they are “fortified” with added vitamins and minerals. Contrary to what you might think, it’s still possible to find great cereals in any supermarket. Personally, I like and use:

1. Arrowhead Mills “Amaranth Flakes Cereal” (organic)
2. Post “Shredded Wheat”
3. Kellog’s “Raisin Bran”
4. Archer Farms “High Fiber Cereal”
5. Kashi “GoLean”

Many people ask me, “Do you seriously eat these cereals without adding in any sugar?” If I do use a sweetenr — which is not always necessary with these cereals — I use either Xylitol or Stevia, which are both natural sweeteners. Both are great because they provide less calories and have a negligible effect on blood sugars.

While most cereals provide too much sugar and too little fiber, there are some cereals that contain valuable nutrients for weight loss, taste great, and are a great addition to one’s healthy food arsenal for weight loss. Please check some of these cereals out. Or, if you think you’re cereal is healthy, please share with me your favorites.

I learned some great principals for long-term weight loss during 2010 which helped many of my clients not only reach their ideal weight, but stay there as well.

1. Eat Foods You Like – Without focusing on foods that a client likes, it is difficult to create a long-term successful plan. Many bodybuilders eat clean and are lean during the training season. However, many will eat (and look) like crap in the off-season while gaining a significant amount of weight. This is not ideal for long-term weight management. It’s best to have a balance in which you eat foods you like (which are mostly healthy) combined with foods which might not be as healthy. The trick is in designing a plan which creates the right balance for you so that you can sustain a comfortable weight. One of my clients who lost 57 pounds and has maintained for about 4 months noted to me, “I will eat this way for the rest of my life. It’s just normal for me.”

2. Experimentation – Many individuals feel there is little hope for them because they may not like “healthy” foods. In my experience, there are an abundance of great tasting healthy foods that a typical client has probably not even tried. This is why experimentation is needed. In my cupboard, I don’t have any chips, cereals, sweets, or candies, but despite this I enjoy what I eat. Although I grew up with pizza, sugary cereals, and other not so good items, I no longer need or desire them.

3. Partnership – I’ve found that partnering, whether with a friend, a trainer, a team, or a coach, can be invaluable. If you’ve ever followed successful athletes, they invariably have a support team. Without proper support, full potential cannot be reached. One of my clients who’s lost over 50 pounds consistently lost when we weighed in every week. But in weeks we didn’t weigh in, little weight loss occurred.

These principles I’ve found make eating and losing weight not only manageable, but enjoyable. It is possible to eat healthy and like what you eat.

Many clients told me it was very helpful to have specifically recommended brand name foods (which was why I wrote “Brand Name Foods I Like.”) (Link) With something as simple as “egg,” “yogurt,” or “salmon,” there can be a wide range of quality. Several clients wanted even more brand names so I came up with this new list of great brand name foods I enjoy and highly recommend.

1. Archer Farm’s Cage Free Eggs with Omega 3 – Eggs (with yolks included) contain an awesome nutrient profile including Vitamin A, B2, B7 (biotin), B12, D (much needed in Minnesota in winter), heme iron, and phosphorus. These eggs also contain Omega 3’s for a protein rich breakfast favorite. (Location: Target)

2. Naked Protein Drink – Naked makes a great post-workout shake that contains faster digesting protein and carbohydrates for quicker recovery. Its wholesome ingredients include apple juice, strawberry puree, soy protein, whey protein, and blueberries. With no added sugar, it’s very pleasant on the taste buds too. (Location: Grocery Stores)

3. Trident Seafoods Wild Alaskan Salmon Burgers – If you get salmon, make sure it contains the word “wild,” otherwise, you will not get the omega-3 benefits. What can I say? They’re burgers and they are delicious. (Location: Costco)

4. Cedar Summit Farms Grass Fed Milk – Cedar Summit Farms milk (local to Twin Cities) tastes rich and includes more Omega 3’s than any other milk you’ll find. Actually, you probably won’t find any Omega 3’s in regular milk. Beyond that, there are no hormones or steroids. (Location: Twin Cities Coops)

5. Jicama Sticks – When I first began to eat healthier, I used to eat raw broccoli to get in my vegetables. I didn’t care about the taste, I just knew it was good for me. For those who actually care about taste, jicama sticks are delicious. Besides that, 1 cup of sliced jicama contains 46 calories, 6 grams of fiber, and only 16 total carbs. (Location: Byerly’s)

These products will cost a little extra, but if you consider the quality of food at an averaged priced restaurant where you’re probably overpaying for less healthy ingredients, my brand name foods are worth it.

I have had two recent clients who got extremely fast results that were beyond their expectations.

One client reached his weight loss goal and got his six-pack in just two months. He said to me, “What I achieved in about a year, I achieved with you in a month.” He lost about six percent body fat during our time together (so far) and now has a very visible six-pack. Along with that, his strength returned completely. An important thing to note is that during this process my client recorded everything he ate in his food log journal.

Another client had an initial weight loss goal of 10 pounds. She has lost 20 pounds so far. She had told me, “Nothing worked! I tried to lose 5 pounds and nothing worked!” One of the amazing things about working with this client was that she had a difficult time consuming enough food on her food plan. She was eating so many good foods which didn’t have a ton of calories (like vegetables, fruits, lean proteins) that she was consistently going under her calorie limit by about 100 to 200 calories.

We did address the problem, but I was pleased that she enjoyed what she was eating. She made entries in her food log religiously and improved mostly on her own! This client however used a different recording system than the previous client and recorded all of her food items online at www.caloriecount.com, then switched to http://www.livestrong.com/myplate. I like both.

What both of these clients possess is that they followed the plan and kept a food log. A food log is so powerful that the person who writes it improves the quality of foods eaten quite dramatically. I believe in it and I use it with all of my clients.

Many people think that if food is healthy, it can’t taste great. Well, I’m going to recommend a few of my favorite products which are both healthy and delicious.

1. Grateful Harvest Beef Jerky – This jerky contains no nitrites or nitrates and has great flavor. It makes for a nice, portable snack with no refrigeration required. Location: Coop.

2. Sahale Soledad Almonds – Wonderful snack, amazing taste. Each serving has 3 grams of fiber, 4 grams of protein, and 9 grams of fat, along with a pretty amazing nutrient profile and taste to match. Location: Coop.

3. Turtle Mountain So Delicious Coconut Milk – Traditional skim milk that contains 84 calories per 8-ounce glass. Each serving has 50 calories and is great for individuals looking to lose weight. Location: Target or Coop.

4. Fage 0% Greek Yogurt – In 1 cup you will get 20 grams of protein, 9 grams of carbohydrates, and healthy digestive bacteria all for only 120 calories. Need I say more? Location: Most large retail grocery stores and Target.

5. French Meadow Bakery Hemp Bread – This bread offers a whopping 6.5 grams of protein per slice as well as only 12 net carbs including 2.5 grams of fiber. Although this bread is expensive, it has tons of nutritious ingredients including organic wheat flour and flax meal. Location: Twin Cities Coops or French Meadow Bakery (in Minneapolis).

Trying new foods is risky. You risk spending money for something you might not like. Some may argue, “What if I spend all this money and don’t even like it?” My thinking is, “What if you never buy this and miss out for the rest of your life?” I have to admit, I was skeptical of all of the above-mentioned foods. But now, I feel great in knowing that I have many different healthy and great tasting food items to enjoy.

How many women do you personally know who have a six-pack? I haven’t seen many and there are many reasons why fewer women have six-packs than men.

One of the biggest differences has to do with body fat levels. Men traditionally have less body fat than women. This makes it more challenging for women to lose that last bit of body fat around the midsection. Contributing to this problem is the regular consumption of alcohol.

A small minority of women however do manage to lose a significant amount of fat around the midsection to achieve that flat look. So why don’t women have the kind of abdominal size and definition that creates the six-pack appearance? (Ironically, many women probably do work hard enought to get ab size and definition).

One of the biggest obstacles is that women simply do not lift heavy enough or intensely enough for ab hypertrophy to occur. Many women I observe still do cardio followed up by crunches, -ups, and knee raises. If you want a classic six-pack, this is not going to cut it. Take the example of some men who have six-packs (and along with that, a great diet). They will usually perform heavy exercises for the abs including weighted planks, heavy sit-ups with dumbbells, heavy squats, the ab wheel from the feet, and chin-ups.

Also, without proper nutrition to get a flat look, a six-pack is impossible.

Aside from these factors, I believe more women (and many men) can lern from individuals who have six-packs. Performing heavier and more intense exercises may be the last key for those women who want to go beyond a flat belly to a well-defined six-pack.

There are a couple of strategies I share with clients concerning holiday eating if their goal is to lose weight. These strategies assume you have a calorie goal in place.

Although it goes against many nutritionists’ recommendations, I strongly encourage either skipping meals or reducing the amount of a meal outside of the “big” meal. Why? Because at the end of the day, calories really do matter. However, this doesn’t mean it’s a free for all. For some of my clients, if their caloric goal is 1,200, they could quite easily consume more than this amount with just one meal. It’s still a great idea to keep count when you are consuming appetizers, main dishes, desserts, and alcohol.

Another strategy I encourage my clients to use is to eat less for the rest of the week if they greatly overdo it on one day. Let’s say for example that a client goes over their caloric goal by 500 calories. For the next 5 days, that client may wish to reduce their daily caloric goal by 100 calories to “average” it out.

I’ve seen clients consistently lose weight using these principles even after attending birthday parties, family events, and traditional holidays. While they might not fit within the framework of an ideal weight loss plan, they do work. If you have any questions on how to structure your holiday eating so as to remain in compliance with a realistic weight loss plan, please contact me at von@vongillette.com.