Fitness Together Georgia » Fitness

Weight loss Myth: Burn More Fat at a Lower heart Rate

Kelly Huggins — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 12:25:11 +0000

You may have been told that doing cardiovascular exercise at a lower heart rate is better in order to burn more fat (look at the graphics on the treadmill and your will see “cardio zone” and “fat zone”). Though there is a degree of truth to this, it is really another myth that needs to be busted.

Somewhere, someone might have read an article or a journal stating that the ratio of fat that you burn while doing cardiovascular activity is higher at a lower heart rate. As you begin to increase the intensity by means of speed, resistance, or incline, your fat burning ratio will decline. While this is all true, this information can be severely misinterpreted.

At all times of the day the energy of which your body using is primarily aerobic (primarily fat). All this means is that you will utilize more fat energy as compared to carbohydrate energy (aka- glycogen that is converted to glucose). When you increase your aerobic output, you will begin to change the ratio at which you utilize fat and carbohydrate energy. No matter what, when you increase aerobic activity, you will increase your carbohydrate (glucose) usage. This is done by what is known as aerobic glycolosis (you don’t have to remember that).

There is a high correlation between your heart rate and increasing “carbohydrate burning”. So, when you read this you may think, “okay, if I want to burn more fat, I need to keep my heart rate down”. However, and this is a big however, notice that nothing is mentioned about the quantity of fat calories that is used at a lower intensity as compared to a higher intensity. All that is mentioned was the ratio.

When you increase your heart rate while doing cardiovascular training, you will use more fat than you would a lower intensity. Ratios don’t matter. It’s quantity of fat you’re after and it just so happens that your training will also be more qualitative. Even if you were to think, “well I don’t want to burn more carbs, I want to burn more fat”. Well, don’t worry; you’ll still be burning more fat than carbs at a higher heart rate, so as long as you’re not breaking what is known as anaerobic threshold (which you can’t sustain for long periods of time anyway).

So, when you go to do cardio, get a sweat going and do something more than a “mall paced walk”. Of course, this all depends on your current health and fitness level. At some time though, you’ve got to push it. Ideally, you want to eventually do cardio sessions where your heart rate reaches approximately 85% of target heart rate for 20 minutes or longer. One of the ways to do this is through interval training.

Written by Kelly Huggins
Exercise Science, B.S.
FTNorthBuckhead.com
Read more of Kelly’s Weight loss and fitness myths at the Mythbuster Examiner.com

Local Event: Common Weight Loss and Fitness Mythts

Kelly Huggins — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 20:02:59 +0000

It’s not often that you would find a fitness coach that endorses a fast food restaurant. However, when it comes to Evos, you can make an exception.

This is the reason why Evos and Fitness Together are partnering up to educate the public on making wiser, healthier choices as it relates to your health and fitness.

To kick off this partnership, health and fitness expert, Kelly Huggins is coming to Evos to discuss 5 of the Most Common Weight Loss and Fitness Myths! Event is FREE with purchase of Sandwich, Salad, or Wrap. FREE Air Fries and Drink with purchase. You must RSVP. You may bring a friend or significant other. RSVP at kellyhuggins@fitnesstogether.com.

What will you learn:

Why diets actually cause you to get fatter.
What type of exercise is best for fat loss.
How many times a week you should exercise.
and much, much more!

Date: September 21st, 2010

Time: 6:30pm-8pm

Location: EVOS Midtown, 855 Peachtree Street Northeast #2, Atlanta, GA 30308
(404) 347-3588

Only available for up to 30 participants.

Additional features:

Fitness Together North Buckhead

Healthy Shopping Tour

Kelly Huggins — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 21:43:55 +0000

Location: 5630 Roswell Road, Atlanta, 30342
Date and Time(s): September 8th at 10:30 am – 11:45am
September 8th at 6:00pm – 7:15p

Price $15 (FREE to Clients)
Receive FREE Gifts including
-Gift Certificate to Fitness Together and T-shirt
-FREE “Treats” Bag and Coupons from Publix

Learn
-How to read labels
-About making better selections
-About alternative foods
-Great for Vegeterian/Vegan Shoppers
…And much more
More info or RSVP at
-404.303.8305 or kellyhuggins@fitnesstogether.com
-Limited to 5-10 people

HERE”S WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID

“As Kelly took us on the grocery store it was fun to pick up products that we would normally buy for our family and see if it got the healthy stamp of approval from Kelly. It was amazing to learn how much sodium a lot of products have. We also learned how we can have some sweet things in moderation or diluted. We found some great options for ice cream. It was a great experience. Thank you so much Kelly!”
Sasha Rionda Randall

“I learned about new foods to incorporate in my daily diet. I am always
looking for healthy grains. I tend to omit grains because I get bored of
the usual brown rice.

I did not know that Publix had sprouted bread in their freezer section.

The shopping trip made me more aware of my sodium intake. Although I do not have an issue with sodium, I am going to try and not eat fast prepared rice mixes or frozen foods. The shopping trip made me more aware of the sodium I was consuming in a day! I would love to do it again soon.”
Wendy Hovancik
Robeks Smoothies Operator

Fitness Myth: It’s too late to get in shape!

Kelly Huggins — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:56:54 +0000

Why should older adults lift weights? There is nothing great about growing older. However, there are those out there who handle it better than others. Of course, those who engage in a regular fitness program are among those who age the best. Just ask Jack Lalanne.

Understandably, you may not want to become a health nut like Jack Lalanne (I say that affectionately), but you can definitely improve your quality of life. Let’s look at a few things that happen as you age that are impacted by resistance (weight) training:

Sarcopenia (loss of muscle): Starting at age 25 (somewhere around the end of puberty), you begin to lose muscle at the rate of .5% per year up to age 60. After 60, you can lose muscle at the rate of 1% per year. This is relevant not only from the standpoint of losing muscle tone, but a loss of strength, flexibility, and a lower metabolism.

Rest of Article

CNN Interview and Kelly Huggins, Weight loss and fitness myths

Kelly Huggins — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 11:26:04 +0000

Fit Fallacy- Carbs are bad for you

Kelly Huggins — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 11:22:35 +0000

Let’s get real about it; this fallacy was started by the most popular diet of all time, the Atkins Diet. Constantly, I hear people mention that they try to avoid carbohydrates. Though it seems that the marketplace is getting wiser, at the same time, this fallacy seems raise its ugly head.

First of all, let me begin by saying that you need carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are your primary source of energy. Without carbohydrates, your body will begin to do some crazy things in order for you to get your energy requirements. Here’s a closer look at carbs:

Carbs are fruits, vegetables, grains, and nuts. Would you argue that fruits and vegetables are bad for you? How about whole grains like oatmeal, and nuts like almonds? These are whole foods that have fiber, vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and antioxidants. They are good for you! You should at least eat fruit 2 times per day and vegetables 3 times per a day (the more the better). You should eat whole grains at least 3 times per day.

Avoid Processed Carbohydrates. The problem with carbohydrates is what we do to them. They are stripped of their fiber, stripped of their nutrients, we add food color, sugar, sometimes fat, sodium, and all kinds of crazy stuff and put them in a box, bottle, plastic wrapper, etc. In other words, we turn them in to junk food. As a result of processing, the glycemic index also goes up.

What is the Glycemic Index? The glycemic index is basically a value system based on a scale of 0-100. Carbs that are high GI break down much faster than those that are low GI. Thus, eating high GI carbs (close to 100) like a bag of pretzels (and most junk food) can raise blood sugar faster (aka “the sugar spike”), which in turn can cause a sudden rush of insulin overcompensation (an “insulin rush”). As a result, your blood sugar then dips. This is when you begin to feel groggy and crappy, thus leading you to pick up your favorite high GI snack to make you feel normal.

Carbohydrates power your brain and your muscle. You need carbs to fuel the brain. It’s the only source of fuel the brain uses. The only exception is a byproduct of fat called ketone bodies (this is the premise behind Atkins through a process called ketosis). Your body only uses ketone bodies as a last resort and is inefficient. It’s kind of like trying to use alcohol to fuel your car instead of gasoline. It works, but it’s really hard on the engine. Ketone bodies are hard on the brain.

Carbohydrates are Protein Sparing. Without ingesting carbs, your body will breakdown muscle protein if you do not get enough carbs. Why? You need glucose to fuel the muscle and other tissues. With exception to the brain, muscle is the most metabolically active tissue in the body. When you lose muscle, you decrease your metabolism. In other words, you hold on to body fat better. (Other things begin to transpire, such as hormonal shifts also occur. These shifts also decrease your metabolism.)

The Thermic Effect of Food. You actually utilize a certain amount of calories in digestion alone. Foods that require more energy require more caloric expenditure. Carbs that are high in fiber are the ones that have the greatest thermic effect. Usually, carbs that are low GI have the greatest thermic effect. Once again, these are real foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains, and nuts.

So, there you have it. Carbohydrates are good for you. One of the errors of the low carb myth coincides with just about every diet. That is, they do not include exercise as a part of the equation and they are quick weight loss gimmicks. This is flawed and misleading. Instead of going on a diet, get active and change your lifestyle. Quick fixes never work for the long term and usually make your situation worse.

Written by Kelly Huggins
Exercise Science, B.S.
FTNorthBuckhead.com

Cardio- Before or After Weight Training

Kelly Huggins — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 23:07:32 +0000

Somewhere years past, you might have been taught to do cardiovascular exercise before your weight lifting. Most likely, no reason was given; it was just what you were told to do. So, you accepted it because it came from someone else who exercised, a health club representative, or even a fitness trainer.

Now we know that it is best to do your cardiovascular exercise after your weight training. Even right now you may be saying, “that’s not what I was told”. To understand why it’s the other way around is to understand how the body utilizes different sources of fuel (energy in the form of carbohydrates, fat, and protein) as energy. Lets look at why:

Glucose (carbohydrates) is your body’s primary source of fuel- While doing cardiovascular exercise, you are in an aerobic state. You are not only using fat as energy, but glucose, which is stored as glycogen in the muscle (think of it as stored carbohydrates). During cardiovascular exercise, you are increasing the intensity and need quick energy. Though fat will be utilized, it will be utilized very slowly and steadily. Think of it this way, a candle burns slowly (like fat), but a stick of wood burns quickly (this is like carbohydrates).

Glycogen is needed in Anaerobic (weight/resistance training)- Now, in weight training, you will only utilize glycogen as a source of fuel because it is anaerobic. So, if you use all of your glycogen stores during cardiovascular exercise, you not only run the risk of losing glycogen as energy, but also something else more detrimental. You can lose muscle. Glucose can only quickly become available from stored carbohydrates (which is glycogen) and guess what else- protein. So, what is the most ready available source of protein in your body? Answer- muscle. You do not want to lose muscle!

Muscle protein breaks down to create glucose- Your body will use muscle protein as a source of energy (as a last resort), as it will break it down into amino acids to create glucose (this is known as gluconeogensis – say that real fast 5 times). Because weight lifting is anaerobic (without the use of oxygen), it can’t use fat as energy. As a result of losing muscle protein, you are effectively decreasing your metabolism. To put it simply, if you want to burn more calories and fat, then you want to preserve muscle.

It can be argued that this position is not always true. However, the over-riding evidence demonstrates that doing cardiovascular exercise after weight training makes most sense. It’s basically erring on the side of caution.

Do not confuse cardiovascular exercise with a warm-up before weight training. At a moderate intensity between 5-10 minutes it is advised to use a treadmill, bike, or elliptical. For such a short period of time and moderate intensity, it will not deplete your glycogen stores.

written by Kelly Huggins
Exercise Science, B.S.
Fitness and Nutrition Expert
FTNorthBuckhead.com

Fitness Together encourages that you do cardiovascular exercise after your weight training sessions. We are methodical to our approach to fitness, using only proven concepts that work. Go to your local Fitness Together Georgia studio to learn more.

Self-defeating Weight Loss Thoughts

Kelly Huggins — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 11:49:57 +0000

In my never ending saga to convince people that what they might be doing could be making things worse, they sometimes will create new ideas that are not serving them very well even when they are doing the things they are supposed to. Does that sound confusing? Let me explain two of the most common I hear:

“Now that I am exercising, I can eat anything I want” – This hits the top of my list, as it is the one that I most often I encounter with most clients. If your goal is to lose weight, you can’t just eat anyway or anything you want. At first I believe most people realize this, however, once they have lost a little weight they go back to their old habits and the fat becomes stagnant. This leads to frustration. (Some people flat out refuse to make a change and still get frustrated). You have to remember that there are a whole lot of calories in a pound of fat (3,500 calories to be exact). So, even when you are exercising and you burn 2,500 calories in a day (combined with exercise), and you eat 3,000 calories, that fat weight is not going to go. The worse part though, is that most of those calories are coming from empty calories like alcoholic beverages, late night snacks, and ice cream. To have any long-term success, you are going to have to learn how to eat supportively. Sure, every now and again, you should be able to eat a piece of pie or have a hamburger. You just can’t do it everyday, but very sparingly.

“I haven’t lost any weight, so I guess it isn’t working. I might as well give up!” – Ask anyone who has been working out (using synergy) for more than a year, they will tell you that weight doesn’t magically disappear. They will also tell you that it will go in spurts. The good news is, when you lose weight the right way it stays off. When it comes to losing weight through diets, you will gain the weight back (with interest). There are a couple of things you have to remember. One is you have to remember how long it took you to gain the weight. It took longer than a couple of weeks to gain; it will take more than two weeks to lose it. Besides, the weight loss on these diets is primarily water loss and muscle loss, not fat. Second is weight is nothing more than gravity pulling an object toward Earth. It is not a true measurement of your body composition. You can have positive changes in you body composition, your flexibility, your health, energy, etc. So, don’t just throw it all away because of what the scale says.

Here’s a thought for you. Investing into a mutual fund is not something that you can get rich quick off of. Over time, it builds and grows. It may even lose some money. But in the end, you have got that $250K+ you were waiting for. Weight loss is not much different. True, safe, effective FAT loss and maintenance occurs not in the course of one week, or one month. In a year’s time you will see a dramatic difference. Yet, it never stops. You must always continue to invest in yourself, just like a mutual fund. The good new is, it doesn’t take 20 years to lose weight like most interest bearing accounts or properties. The point is, it takes time.

Written by Kelly Huggins
Exer. Sci., B.S.

Healthy at any Age (from Newsweek)

Kelly Huggins — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 11:58:45 +0000

It’s a cliché that we’re living in the too much Information Age, and if you Google anything related to health, it’s plain to see why. Plug in “breast cancer screening” and you’ll get 7.39 million results, including guidelines from the National Cancer Institute, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, the American Cancer Society, the Centers for Disease Control, and the Mayo Clinic, all on the first page of links. There’s also PubMed, where anyone can access 19 million scientific papers that otherwise might be confined to journals in the musty stacks of academic libraries. A PubMed search for “breast cancer screening”

Newsweek Photo

Rest of Article at Newsweek.com

High fructose corn syrup vs. Table Sugar

Kelly Huggins — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 17:26:53 +0000

You might have noticed a new commercial to lighten the tarnished image of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). If you’re not familiar with it, let me give you the gist of the commercial.

Two women are at a party. One of them is pouring what looks to be some sort of fruit punch into a glass. The other one calls out to her in a non-approving tone (paraphrasing), “that’s got high fructose corn syrup in it!” The woman pouring says, “so, like with everything it’s okay in moderation and it’s no worse than table sugar.” Then the ad proceeds to lead you to a website called Sweetsurprise.com.

On the website, it continues to explain that the dangers of HFCS is no worse than table sugar. It explains that the physiological breakdown between the two are not any different. Similar to the lady pouring the juice in the ad, my response is… “so…”

I couldn’t agree more that just about anything is okay in moderation. Question is, what is moderation? I also agree that table sugar is no better than HFCS. However, this diverts from the real issue that Americans are over-consumers of HFCS. As a whole, we do not consume it in moderation. It’s no wonder, because it’s in everything from juice, to snack cakes, and protein bars. Just because HFCS no worse than table sugar doesn’t mean it’s okay. However, let’s be real about it, the aim of the ad is to make you feel that it’s okay to continue to buy HFCS laden foods.

Now one may ask, “why is HFCS in so many products?” The answer is simple. It’s cheap and easy to mass produce in a timely manner. Table sugar, which comes from sugar cane, requires more time, has less yield, and requires warmer environmental conditions. Corn is easy. We can grow at an even faster rate than before through genetic engineering. The real reason though, the market likes sweet stuff. The sweeter something is, the more likely you are to buy it again (the greater the addiction).

When you dig a little deeper, you will notice that the ad and website is funded by no other than the corn lobby itself, The Corn Refiners Association. I can’t blame them for running the ad. HFCS has been getting a lot of bad publicity. With the recent report of obesity rates going up in 28 states, there is no question that you have to take a deeper look at what you eat. HFCS is not the only thing you have to watch.

Any product that comes in a cardboard box or plastic wrapper is bound to have too much sugar (in any form), fat, sodium, and/or preservatives. At the end of the day, no matter how sweet the ads from the corn lobby may be, the statistics aren’t so sweet.

written by
Kelly Huggins
Exercise Science, B.S.
Fitness and Nutrition Coach
Fitness Together North Buckhead
Men’s Health Examiner writer