Why cardio is NOT the only answer

I know it has been forever since I have posted anything on my blog so here we go!

I just started a new personal training job in a gym here and I feel inspired to write a little blip about cardio.
When women (and some men) come to the gym, the majority of them have a goal of weight loss and muscle toning. So, thinking that this will help, they go and jump on a treadmill or elliptical for 30 minutes to an hour, if not longer. They think the longer they are on there, the more calories they will burn, the more weight they will lose, and the more muscle tone they will gain. What would you say if I told you that cardio is not giving you the results you want and that you are doing it all wrong?

Well, I am telling you... cardio is not giving you the results you want!
 I know it is hard to believe but let me just explain. When you start to do cardio, your body gets put into a starvation mode. It's natural survival method tells your body to store the fat because it is a liability and to burn the muscle because it is an asset. When you are running, you are using what is called your "Type I" muscle fibers. These muscles are engaged through low force, power, and speed production, but high endurance. These muscle fibers are also known as your "slow twitch muscles". The goal to fat burning is to turn your Type I muscles into "Type II" muscles. These fibers are also known as your "fast twitch muscles" and are engaged through high force, speed and power production, with low endurance. The more Type II muscles you have, the more fat that you will burn because it's more muscle and more calories burned, and with this you need to consume more good calories to sustain that built muscle.

Yes, cardio is extrememly important for several reasons and it does help maintain your body fat and/or decrease your body fat. However, lifting weights is key to fat loss as well. There have been studies to prove that the more Type II muscle you have, the less fat you will have, and how you change that muscle is by lifting weights and increasing your power, speed, and force production.

So...jump on the treadmill to warm up. Maybe run a mile or two, but then hop off and hit the weights! Try doing 3 sets of 12 reps with a 30 second break in between each set. You want to choose a weight that is challenging so that once you hit 8 reps you are very tired, 10 reps you are almost exhausted, and push yourself to do 2 more reps to hit failure. Those last 2 reps are key! Give your muscles time to rest, at least 2-3 days in between each muscle group you are working so that it has time to repair and grow. By all means, do some cardio! I am not telling you to quit it if you love it, or do it if you hate it. Cardio is NOT BAD but it isn't the only answer to fat loss. It is so important and so key to include both resistance training and cardio. Just give it a shot and see for yourself :)

Mix it up and have variety in your workout to make it fun!

"Abs are made in the kitchen"

I always see both men and women alike, in the gym working on their "abs." I see them doing all different kinds of crunches and exercises that they think are strengthening their abs and helping them obtain their goal of a 6 pack. Well, I am here to tell you and reiterate the phrase that "abs are made in the kitchen." Have you ever felt sore in your hips after a "hard core ab day" at the gym? That's because that constant movement of flexion at the hips, where you bring your upper body towards your lower body, is tightening your hip flexors and causing them to work much harder than needed. We want strong, but loose hip flexors. We tighten our hips enough by sitting in a chair, driving, or anything causing you to sit down, so why add to it by doing "hip flexion exercises" or in other words...crunches. Tight hip flexors can also result to poor posture and compensation of other muscles. If you really want to target and strengthen your core without tightening up your hips, try doing plank holds, push ups, side planks, push to planks, hand stand holds, etc. But, you use your abs in everything so you don't need to drop to the ground and do 100 crunches. Just keep your core tight as you go about your other exercises such as squats, shoulder press, lunges, tricep dips, and even bicep curls! You need your core for all of those!

People think that by doing excessive amounts and variations of crunches is the ticket to a flat stomach or a 6 pack but in reality, it's all about what you eat. Choose to eat healthy, incorporate variety in to your diet, consume less sugar, eat protein at the right times, consume proper fats and carbs don't eat late at night, avoid snacking, eat more fruits and vegetables, etc. THAT will help you achieve your goal. I am not saying that you will have the stomach of your dreams and will look like you belong on the front cover of Shape magazine, but it will help you with your goal.

Along with eating right, everyone is genetically made different. Some people are practically born with abs and some will never have them in their life. That's because they just aren't made that way, and it is okay! Do what you can to become the best YOU. Refrain from idolizing the abs of models, body builders, or people who you just wish you could look like because they just aren't you. All you can do is accept your genetic makeup, eat well by especially cutting down, or cutting out, sweets and sugars, and just be the best YOU!

Set your goal not to become or look like a certain person, but to look the the best you by treating your body right.

**TIP: Breathing has everything to do with your core! As you are working out, breathe out hard out of your mouth as your muscles move concentrically. Then, breath in through your nose as your muscles move eccentrically. This will engage your core constantly throughout the exercise. In other words, breathe out on the most difficult part of the exercise and breathe in on the easier part.
Ex) When doing bicep curls breath out as you curl the dumbell up towards you, breathe in as you let the dumbell back down.
       When doing squats breathe in as your body moves towards the ground in to the squat, breathe out as you pop up out of the squat.