Reasons why you're not losing weight. Exercise aspect

If anyone has read the 17 Aug 2009 Time Magazine article that exercise might actually might work against you for losing weight, please consider this argument.

The only thing I can honestly agree on in the article is that exercise alone will not help us lose weight. Diet and exercise work together in doing this cause. However the way that we approach our exercise routine, may honestly be working against you.

Exercise should feel good! No pain no gain is no longer applicable. Working out to strain yourself depletes you of your desire to continue, which can lead you to become lethargic throughout the rest of the day and make you crave fatty carb foods to regain energy. This is what the article argues, that you become more apt to become inactive by spending all your energy on a workout. It's not working out that's doing this, it's the incorrect way of approaching exercise.


Why exercising isn't working for you

You became a number- How many of you have a membership to a national gym? How many of you actually used it for a number of months and stop going? You have no accountability. You show up do your routine and leave. However what is your routine doing for you? Who taught you to do that routine?Most people mimic others, and decide for themselves that this must work for them. There is error in this way. If you watch a doctor put in sutures would you be willing to do them yourself? Most likely no. You're not a professional at doing sutures and you're not a professional at losing weight. However there are professionals out there. The reason why personal trainers are pricey is because they give you results. Same reason why doctors are. They are there to help you get healthy, though one is preventive health and by hiring a personal trainer it will you reduce you expenditures at the latter.


Your more worried about quantity than quality- I see it all the time at gyms. People go in there determine to lose weight quickly and they exhaust themselves by running on the treadmill or doing a million and one reps with weights. I know this is going to disappoint a lot of people, but the elliptical IS NOT A QUALITY WORKOUT. Honestly do you think anything that you attach a TV to is actually helping you?! Let me introduce you to the world of resistance and functional movement training.

Resistance training "is a form of strength training in which each effort is performed against a specific opposing force generated by resistance (i.e. resistance to being pushed, squeezed, stretched or bent). Exercises are isotonic if a body part is moving against the force. Exercises are isometric if a body part is holding still against the force. Resistance exercise is used to develop the strength and size of skeletal muscles. Properly performed, resistance training can provide significant functional benefits and improvement in overall health and well-being."

The goal of resistance training, according to the American Sports Medicine Institute (ASMI), is to "gradually and progressively overload the musculoskeletal system so it gets stronger." Research shows that regular resistance training will strengthen and tone muscles and increase bone mass. Resistance training should not be confused with weightlifting, powerlifting or bodybuilding, which are competitive sports involving different types of strength training with non-elastic forces such as gravity (weight training or plyometrics) rather an immovable resistance (isometrics, usually the body's own muscles or a structural feature such as a doorframe). Full range of motion is important in resistance training because muscle overload occurs only at the specific joint angles where the muscle is worked.

The study “Fat metabolism and acute resistance exercise in trained men” conducted by East Carolina University found that resistance exercise is more beneficial than aerobic exercise for fat loss. The purpose of the study was to see how resistance exercise may contribute to improvements in body composition. (Wikipedia)


Example:

Band training

Swimming

Kettlebells


Functional movements -are movements based on real-world situational biomechanics. They usually involve multi-planar, multi-joint movements which place demand on the body's core musculature and innervation. Functional movement usually involves gross motor movement involving the core, which refers to the muscles of the abdomen and spine, such as segmental stabilizers.

The key word is quality. No matter how long or how much you do an exercise if you're not doing it the right form, it can lead to injury. By hiring a legitimate personal trainer you can prevent yourself from again spending the money towards the doctor to fix your injury.

Overdoing exercising can have adverse affects. By pushing yourself too hard you can actually slow down your metabolism. For women it can lead to amenorrhea, which is defined by having 3 or less menstruation cycles per year. This interferes with estrogen levels and causes irregular metabolism of calcium which could lead to bone loss.

It's the same work out over and over- We've all reached plateaus while working out. By doing only one specific exercise you will reach a max of the benefits that exercise provides. Switch it up to manipulate the muscles in a way they haven't been before. Find alternative methods to reach the goal you are trying to achieve. Not only will this help you become stronger, but by changing your work out it will keep your interest longer. Though I love kettlebells, I still try to head to the pool to swim, and also there's nothing that can replace the serenity I receive from running next to the river.

You give yourself no support- some can do it solo, however a study done by Oxford University's Institute of Cognitive and Evolutionary Anthropology have found that by socially working out you increases your endorphins which in result are a natural pain reliever and also give you that "high" you receive after working out, which makes you crave it more. Also you give yourself accountability. It's easier to talk yourself out of a workout than trying to make excuses to someone else.

The numbers on the scale- Do yourself a favor, THROW AWAY THAT SCALE!!!!! I will be honest, since kettlebells I have gained 10 pounds but I am in the best shape of my life. Those numbers on your scale are not telling you how your body composition is changing. Are you feeling better, more energized, are your pants getting looser? These are great signs to tell you that it is working!

It's not easy- The most important one! It's an entire lifestyle choice to decide to live healthy. Most American are looking for quick instant results and when it doesn't happen they give up. This is why diet pills, fad diet or exercises do not work. It is a day by day choice you make as an individual. You have to understand what you are trying to achieve. Redirect your goals. If you're sole purpose is based on image and weight, about 90% of the time it will fail. When you decide to live healthy and give yourself the proper information and tools to obtain this goal, everything else will only be a bonus.

Inspire others-by being a source of inspiration for other people can be a good reason to stay motivated. Your own stories of struggles can also make them motivated to do their assignment.

Reasons Why You're Not Losing Weight: The diet aspect

Diet

1) We delude our actual intake- We're often not honest in how much we eat. Just because we're not eating fast food we usually tend to over indulge in other areas. If you're eating a salad, but it has croutons on it or fatty dressing by the time all the condiments are added on, you might as well have opted for the hamburger, with out the bun of course.

2) We trick ourselves in to believing something is good for us- (this always gets my skin crawling) Just because it's fat free, diet, lean, 100 pack calories, or whatever absurd slogan the food companies have come up with DOES NOT MEAN IT IS HEALTHY FOR YOU!!! Those 100 calories frozen chocolate cakes are absolutely no good. They still loaded with sugar.

3) We skip breakfast- Skipping breakfast is not skipping calories. Choosing to eat a healthy breakfast will keep your hunger down through out the day. Don't over indulge though. Grain cereals oatmeal fruits and plain yogurt are a great way to start the day. *There is a diet that is very popular in the RKC community called the Warrior diet which is a complete contradiction to this. If you are burning considerable amounts of calories through intense training on a daily basis, this may be a diet for you to consider.*

4)We are not getting enough calcium- or correction we're not getting enough low-fat dairy. An article posted on Web MD studying three groups of mice on restricted calorie, high intake of low-fat dairy resulted "Body fat storage was markedly reduced by all three high-calcium diets,"

5) We eat way too much sugar- (this is a no brainer) The average American women consumes 158 pounds of sugar annually. The yogurt with the fruit at the bottom, the granola bars, the diet shakes, are packed with sugars. Again back to #2 don't be fooled by the gimmicks. Really understand what you are consuming.

6) We don't drink enough water- Besides curbing appetites, it also is shown to increase metabolism up to 70%. 8 glasses of 8 oz of water daily, more if you're highly active!

Foods we think are good for us, but really are not:

Diet Soda- you skip the calories, but your adding artificial sweeteners that are not naturally processed by our body. In addition caffeine in linked to hyperactivity, high blood pressure, and can affect your blood sugar. Drink flavored sparkling water for carbonation.

Granola bars- the only way those suckers are staying intact because they are bind with sugar and corn syrup, and once the chocolate is in there well you have yourself a candy bar. Make them yourself or just don't eat them at all.

Yogurt with the fruit at the bottom - 20 grams of sugar per half cup. Same with frozen yogurt. Get plain yogurt and add fruit yourself, if you need a little more sweetness add organic honey.

Fruit Juice- loaded with sugar! Eat or squeeze the real stuff on your own.

Fast food salads- anything fast you might as well consider not healthy. Some contain as many calories as the hamburger on the same menu. Cesar Salad dressing are 100% fat in most cases. Eat salads with olive oil dressings.

Peanuts and peanut butter (even the organic)- Besides high in fat and calories, the omega-6 fatty acids distort the Omega- 3 fatty acid benefits. Go for organic but pour off the oil that is separated at the top. If the remaining is too hard pour olive oil over it to loosen it.

Anything made with soy (this was a shocker to me)- "soy is linked to lower testosterone and increased estrogen in males, and is also linked to increased breast cancer in women. Soy also promotes hypothyroidism, thyroid cancer, and infertility just to name a few additional disorders. Phytic acid, trypsin inhibitors, toxic lysinoalanine and highly carcinogenic nitrosamines are all highly present in soy products. Infants in particular can be adversely affected in many negative ways from exposure to soy, including premature development in girls, and underdevelopment in boys. "

Educate yourself in what you are putting in your body!

Going the Extra Mile

"The only measurable distance between success and failure is one's desire."


Running in the rain again and I had the inspiration to keep running, so I did. My first week back at running in almost a year and I had successfully ran 2 days at three miles each day. I wanted to push myself further. I didn't know if my body could make it but I was mentally determine to do so. I succeeded! Four miles in a little over 35 minutes, and at the end I felt like I had just conquered the world. As I was cooling down I started thinking to myself why is it that some people can succeed and others fail?

It's you.

You have to find it in yourself the reason that is going to keep you going. You have to believe in yourself. You have the strength inside of you to succeed if choose to find it and hold on to it with all of your being. Why is it that some people can lose weight and keep it off? Why can one person who's been smoking for 20 years can never pick up cigarette again? Or a person can go with out ever drinking? These people have decided that they no longer can make excuses for themselves. They found a reason, a burning desire to change their life and they do. Honestly that's the answer.

Don't Miss the Dance

Part of ASF is developing the person as a whole, including the spirit.

My workout
10 TGU 16kg
19 presses each arm 16k
12 squats 28k
80 swings 28k

Wasn't satisfied, so I put my running shoes on and went by the river to run. There was an evening thunderstorm and it was pouring down rain but I needed to keep going. So much had built up over the past weeks that I need to let it all out. It felt good to have the rain wash over me, almost as if it was God's way of cleansing my soul. I ran three miles, mulling through events of the past weeks, events of the past year. At the very end of my run my music player went to a song that put everything in the perspective.

The Dance Garth Brooks

Looking back on the memory of
The dance we shared beneath the stars above
For a moment all the world was right
How could I have known you'd ever say goodbye
And now I'm glad I didn't know
The way it all would end the way it all would go
Our lives are better left to chance
I could have missed the pain
But I'd of had to miss the dance
Holding you I held everything
For a moment wasn't I the king
But if I'd only known how the king would fall
Hey who's to say you know
I might have changed it all
And now I'm glad I didn't know
The way it all would end the way it all would go
Our lives are better left to chance
I could have missed the pain
But I'd of had to miss the dance
Yes my life is better left to chance
I could have missed the pain but I'd of had to miss the dance


My very good friend Jennie passed away last year of Leukemia and this is the song that she chose to play at her funeral. 37 years cut way too early. In her last six months she suffered through many long painful radiation treatments, she lost her hair, she lost extensive amounts of weight, became ill over and over again, and still the disease took her life. However, even through her last six months on earth, she wouldn't have changed it. These words that she chose to play at her funeral, conveys such deep feeling and emotions. All this pain, all the suffering was worth it, because in 37 years she lived a wonderful life, I know because I was able to share many wonderful memories with her. There are many times in our past and will be in the future, that the pain will become overwhelming. However if we hold on to what really matters, and we can see the blessing and the joys that we received, it will make any amount of pain worth enduring.

Awaken the strength to hold on to what is important. Many people and events will hurt you, but don't dwell on the anger. Remember the good times even if it's hard to do. Pain is beautiful because we only receive it by caring and loving so deeply. Once you overcome that pain, and you find the blessing in it, your soul will only grow and become stronger. You will find peace in yourself and become able to take on any obstacle life may throw at you.