Author: Coach Oz

Training Solutions For Everyday Pain & Stiffness

Coach Oz here,
For many of us, we have either experienced or are currently experiencing tightness/pain in our joints and muscles. This can be a result of acute injuries, chronic dysfunction, improper or over-training, and/or our everyday activities. Today I would just like to touch on some of the common issues I have seen with many of my clients over the past 10 yrs. For each problem area I will explain the probable cause and advise training solutions you should consider implementing to your weekly routine. (Please note if you experience discomfort that inhibits your functioning to any degree, you should have it assessed from a health professional such as a GP/physio/RMT/Chiro prior to initiating the suggested movements below).

Problem area: Tight neck / upper back & shoulders

Training solution: Strengthen the lower traps

The lower traps are most often lengthened and weak due to poor thoracic spine mobility and overactive upper traps. Think about it, if your day job involves prolonged sitting at a desk then, naturally overtime, you will develop a rounded upper back and shrugged shoulders as a result of completing your daily job tasks. This compensation creates unstable scapulae (shoulder blades) causing dysfunction in the shoulders and upper back/neck regions which can lead to pain and stiffness. When completing push-pull movements, ALWAYS RETRACT AND DEPRESS your scapulae before you initiate the movement. In terms of warm-up and strength exercises for the lower traps be sure to include the following: Scapulae wall slides, prone Y/W/L, chest-supported reverse flys, chin-ups, & cable lat pulldown.

Problem area: Poor posture & painful shoulders

Training solution: Focus on including more pull vs push movements

Most daily activities force us to have our arms/hands out in front of our chest (i.e., office work, driving, eating, yard-work) which causes tightness/over-activeness of the chest and shoulder joint muscles and weakness in the middle/lower traps and rhomboids. This imbalance draws the shoulders forward and causes misalignment of the shoulder joint and upper torso thus resulting in poor posture. From a training standpoint, most people tend to focus more on “pushing” movements like chest and shoulder style presses with limited attention placed on pulling motions like pull ups and rows. Perhaps this is because many people can’t complete a pull-up/chin-up or pushing movements are viewed the “norm” when it comes to resistance-based exercises. The key here is to first analyze your posture and shoulder function and then your weekly workout routine by assessing the percentage of pushing vs pulling-based exercises. If there is dysfunction then focus on a 2/3 : 1 ratio of pulling vs pushing-based exercises by including assisted band chin-ups/bodyweight chin-ups, TRX rows, seated one-arm rows, cable rows/face pulls, DB bent over rows, & reverse flys/ prone T & Ys.

Problem area: Lower back tightness/pain

Training solution: Strengthen core/gluts and increase hip mobility

I cannot tell you how many times clients/friends of mine have asked me “my back is tight, can you please show me a stretch for the low back?” A simple solution would be to show a few stretches such as a child pose, knee hugs or a cat/camel pose. However, doing this does not get to the root of the problem despite possibly reducing some mild form of tightness in the lower back. To understand the low back you must first know the role of the lower spine and hip regions. The stability-mobility continuum states that hips need to have ample mobility whereas the lower back (or core) should have sufficient stability (or functional stiffness). Having poor core stability, weakness in the gluts and/or tightness in the hips (hamstrings/IT band/hip flexors/quads/adductors/gluts) CAUSES lower back pain and tightness.

From a training standpoint, look to include variations of the front/side planks, stability ball bridges, cable pallof presses, squats, deadlifts, and hip thrusts to strengthen the core and gluts. To increase mobility in the hips, include foam rolling and movements such as striders, overhead squat, hip flexor movements as part of your warm-up in addition to static stretching of the hips (the band is optional) following your workout.

If you need demonstrations for any of the above listed exercises, just type the exercise into YouTube. If you are looking for a personalized program, please contact me directly as I offer online coaching/programming.

Hope this info helps you to train smarter and move more effectively. I ask that you please SHARE this post with your friends/family and to like my FB page “Wellness By Oz” – THANKS!!

Coach Oz

Functional training Strength Training

Dynamite Mobility

Happy Monday!

This week’s post is all about mobility, specifically dynamic mobility. We all know the benefit of having quality flexibility and mobility when it comes to our daily practices and exercise performance. I would hope most of you reading this practices “safe” exercise by including specific movements as part of your warm-up and some form of basic stretching following your workout. If you, however, are like most people that I see in the gym/outside and head straight to the group class/weight room/cardio equipment and jump right into your first set or run without any attempt to complete even the simplest or quickest warm up, then your an “exercise skeet” (haha, maybe a bit harsh but you get the point). And if your body appears to be pain/tightness free, don’t think you’re in the clear for any future muscular/joint issues as you definitely have developed compensatory patterns, joint dysfunction and muscular adhesions as a result of not doing your warm-up due-diligence when exercising.

I can’t stress enough how implementing some dynamic movement preparation as part of your warm-up can improve your performance for the upcoming workout and how much better you will feel/move on a daily basis (in conjunction with daily stretching, of course). Studies suggests that the use of dynamic movements, controlled movements through a full range of motion, are the most appropriate exercises for the warm-up (McNair (2000) and Knudson (2001)).

So what exactly is dynamic mobility and which types of movements/methods should be considered when completing a typical warm-up? Aside from warming up the body’s temperature which allows joints and soft tissues to move more efficiently, dynamic mobility movements also primes the neuromuscular system and enhances coordination, speed, power and overall mechanical performance. In terms of the types of movements to complete you need to consider what your workout will consist of. If running then focus on hip and ankle dominant movements, if working only on upper body then consider scapula/t-spine/shoulder/chest specific exercises and if you plan to complete a full-body workout (group class/crossfit) then target your major joints and core/spinal regions.

Lastly, to enhance the effectiveness of your dynamic warm-up, I recommend using a foam roller or lacrosse ball prior to completing any dynamic movements. A study from the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research shows that myofascial release with a foam roller can dramatically increase your range of motion without any negative effects on strength. Therefore, the stages of a workout should be: foam rolling, dynamic mobility, strength/power/aerobic exercise and, lastly, post workout stretching.

Here’s a few great links (www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaR72bpjSa4 or www.youtube.com/watch?v=3B-3Khbht5sthat) that demonstrates a sample dynamic warm-up and includes plenty of different movements to incorporate into your warm-up. I don’t expect you to complete all movements prior to each workout but I do advise choosing a couple movements to target the lower body, upper body and spine/core regions.

As always, train smart but train hard!

Ryan

Please feel free to add any comments and like my FB page.

fitness functional exercise

Rewrite Your Fitness Journey

Happy Happy New Year!

Coach Oz here. Well, it’s been quite some time since my last post as “life” events sprouted up unexpectedly but I have made weekly blogging a key goal for me in 2016.

If you’re reading this, then your interest clearly tells me that improving your health & well-being (and the many aspects that encompass it) matters to you and I applaud you for making your health a greater priority in 2016!

This week, I want to cover a broader topic of planning & processes (in terms of long-term success) and will be providing specific actionable items below.

Rewrite Your Wellness Journey

Do you set goals in life? How do you measure success? Does setting goals for you mean guaranteed success? Does a clear and actionable processes accompany your set goals? What do you think is more important with respect to achieving success; the goal or the process?

If you regularly set goals then kudos to you for being a minority in today’s society – for the most part. If you don’t set goals then I highly recommend it being your GOAL of 2016. Setting goals is a proven way to achieve a desired and meaningful achievement(s). Whether it be financial, spiritual, physical or mental in nature, setting goals can provide purpose in life and immediate gratification once achieved. Don’t you agree?

However, if goals are the only thing you focus on in your journey towards happiness & success, then you may be missing out on the most important contributor to long-term success – that being the “Process or Systems”. Think of it this way: Once you’ve reached your set goal(s), what happens next? You commit to certain daily behaviours or restrictions for a set period of time, grind your way through daily temptations and punch will power in the face all to reach a desired goal, (and aside from feeling exuberant upon hitting your goal) I ask yourself: “what’s your PLAN now?”

This is where I feel most people struggle when it comes to sustaining healthy lifestyle practices for the long-haul as goals are primarily short-term motivational tactics whereas “the process or systems” facilitate routinely actions.

One of my key targets in 2015 is improving my mobility and daily functioning. I have set numerous goals to achieve my overall target but it’s going to be my established systems that I follow each day that will have the greatest impact on my long-term functioning/mobility. To be more specific, I have goals such as completing a certain number of mobility-specific workouts each week and scheduling a set number of therapy sessions per month for more of a preventative approach. Whereas the systems I will employ each week/month will be things such as workout exercises,types of preventative therapy, greater awareness of posture on a daily basis, etc.

I asked the question above: What do you think is more important with respect to achieving success; the goal or the process? In my mind, my weekly/monthly processes will have a greater impact on my long-term mobility.

If I don’t reach one of my goals such as miss a workout from time-to-time or forget to schedule in a therapy session one month, I won’t feel negative or bad about myself for not sticking to the plan as I know the majority of the time the processes that I’m following enable me to work towards hitting my overall target.

As you can see, system-based thinking is never about hitting a particular number each week/month, it’s about sticking to the process and completing specific exercises and becoming more aware of posture in order to feel and move better. I feel if people only focus on the goal itself (i.e., number of workouts/week) and they don’t reach it (i.e., miss a workout), then they feel like a failure. Having a strong positive mind-set makes sticking to plan much easier which obviously leads to overall success.

People thrive to see immediate results, hence why the health & fitness supplement & book industry is a billion-dollar business. Yo-yo dieting and monthly exercise fads are common place in society yet most fail to see that the true value and benefit of any healthy lifestyle-related program is sustainability and functionality.

Actionable Items For You to Follow:

1. Set some short-term & long-term targets PERIOD! (Examples can include):

What exactly are you not doing today that you feel you should be doing?
Number of workouts you want to complete each week/month? Number of brown bag lunches each week?
What key aspect(s) of your health needs to change immediately?
Consult with a health professional for specific guidance on any of your key health areas you wish to change/improve?

2. Set-up vital systems that will assist you in reaching your above goals

List the specific habits that you need to reduce or increase each day.
Make scheduling and preparation a top priority every day for sticking to YOUR plan.
Advise your family/friends/co-workers/social media of your goals for accountability purposes.
Following specific workouts or a manageable meal plan each week.

I have found that goals are good for planning your progress and systems are good for actually making progress. Goals are an integral part of any successful plan, however I highly suggest you consider establishing and committing to a weekly system/process of actionable tasks to make 2015 the year for sustaining a lifestyle that provides you with optimal health and vitality!

Yours in strength!

Coach Oz

Physical health Wellness

7 Highly Effective Health Habits For Summer 2015

Summer is finally here! Boo-ya!

No more excuses, it’s time to get out, get active and to enjoy this awesome place we call home. This is my favourite time of the year not only for the warmer weather and longer days but for the shift towards a more positive attitude and an increase in energy in people (especially after the long cold winter we had).

Whatever your goals are this summer with respect to your personal health and wellness, I highly recommend you consider the following habits/strategies. I personally challenge you to try and incorporate each one of these into your daily/weekly routine and that you are able to have sustained energy and a positive attitude not only for the summer months but beyond.

1. Ditch the gym for a local park/hiking trail

Sunshine, nature sounds and fresh air – all things you can’t experience with gym-based workouts. Switch up your regular routine by adding in some cross training in the great outdoors. Options are endless but here are a few suggestions:

– Participate in an outdoor bootcamp or do a full body (no-equipment required) workout in a park
solo. Try being creative by using the surrounding environment for your exercises (i.e.,
benches, trees, grassy hills, or monkey bars).

– Walk/run the Signal Hill trail and aim to start from either end (the battery and cabot tower).
Be sure to track your time and challenge yourself to beat it each time you run/walk. Try
carrying a weight backpack for an added challenge.

– Grab a group of buddies and play a team activity/sport in an open field such as ultimate
frisbee, flag football, soccer, dodgeball, etc. Commonrodery promotes positive self
confidence.

2. Start a garden

This has been a goal of mine for quite some time and this year I will finally build my own garden. I have been growing herbs (indoors) for a while now but have yet to venture to an outdoor sustainable veggie garden. Even with our relatively poor climate, we can still grow just about anything outdoors, especially with a well-thought out garden. Most veggie superfoods including broccoli, spinach, kale, peppers, tomatoes, garlic and berries can be grown and harvested in your own backyard (and even year-round). I highly recommend purchasing the book “The Year-Round Vegetable Gardener” by Niki Jabbour as it details all the steps needed to build and grow great veggies and the kicker is that she lives in the maritimes which is very similar to our climate.

3. Drink “more” water

I don’t have to list the endless benefits of water to our bodily systems but I am here to challenge you to up your daily water consumption. Grab your isolated water container (if you don’t have one you can buy one at almost any department or health store and makes sure it’s BPA free) and make drinking water a top priority this Summer. Here’s a few cool water challenges:

– To make daily adequate water drinking a natural habit, try increasing your intake each week for
8 weeks. Start by drinking 0.25 x your bodyweight (BW) in oz for the first week, then add 0.05 x
BW in oz each week for 8 weeks (0.30, 0.35, 0.40, etc).

– Why not challenge your family or co-workers to a two-week water challenge for a great cause.
The Water Project is an awesome initiative, simple to sign up and helps facilitate water opportunities in developing countries. Visit www.thewaterproject.org for the details.

4. Practice mindfulness in a remote/peaceful location

According to Harvard Medical School, mindfulness is the practice of purposely focusing your attention on the present moment and accepting it without judgment. Mindfulness has been found to be a key element of happiness as reported in numerous scientific studies. We live in a fast-paced and hectic world and we multitask many of our daily duties which in turn creates stress, mind clutter and a loss of self. Allowing yourself to refocus your thoughts and actions through mindfulness reduces this “life tension” and enables you to enjoy the here-and-now, become more engaged in activities, manage stress better and an enhanced acceptance of self.

If you’re not doing so already, start some form of meditation by sitting somewhere peaceful (a hiking trail, a lighthouse or a park) and focus on your natural breathing or on a word or “mantra” that you repeat silently. 10 mins is all it takes to reap the mental benefits.

5. Make a weekly visit to the St. John’s Farmer’s Market

This one is a no-brainer. Make a trip to the St. John’s Farmer’s Market every Saturday from 9AM-2PM beside the Remax Centre where local farmers/growers offer fresh produce, herbs and high quality meats amongst other things. Many products are raised/grown through organic, free-range, grass-fed, and animal humane methods. Get to know our local farmers and help support this amazing resource.

6. Be more adventurous with your physical activity

Summer is a great time to be adventurous while you get fit. Activities such as kayaking/canoeing, water skiing, mountain biking, and trail running burns plenty of calories while improving your aerobic capacity and muscle strength, endurance and balance. In addition, pushing yourself outside your comfort zone gives you a real boost in self-confidence. Get out and enjoy this place!

7. Sleep better

Lastly, even though the days are longer and many people increase their level of activity during the Summer months, you should never sacrifice the quality or amount of restorative sleep during this time period. If you currently are not getting 7-8 hrs of sleep per night, make it a challenge to do so. Aim to stay the course with your bedtime and morning rise. Trust me, being able to get up early and feel well rested provides you with the opportunity to accomplish great things each day. Here’s another challenge, why not try to get up much earlier than normal and head out for a morning run/walk a few times per week. This is something I do with my 3yr old Boxer. Enjoy the serenity of a peaceful morning and feel good knowing you’ve accomplished a great health boosting activity even before your day’s “official” duties begin.

There you go, I have provided you with a handful of challenges which should enable you to enjoy the great outdoors and improve your overall well-being both mentally and physically.

As always, I ask that you kindly share my posts/blog with your friends.

Knowledge is power!
Ryan aka Wellness by Oz

Health & Wellness Well-being

Professional “Health” Development

Coach Oz here,

As I currently undertake some professional development of my own, I thought what a great topic for this week’s post. We all have periods in our lives where health matters more (or less) and we look to make sacrifices both for the good and the not so good. I believe professional development can take on many forms, not just as it relates to your career advancement or continuing educational training but also your healthy behaviours while working/at home, self-confidence, health impact on the people around you and key factors that enable you to do the best you can within your position (i.e., posture, flexibility/mobility, sustainable energy, stress management and work capacity).

Summer is in full bloom and for those of you who are in the “ready to make a change” stage but haven’t yet fully committed, consider a few of these great fool-proof strategies aimed at creating a better professional “YOU”.

1. Become more knowledgable in your personal health

Look to learn more about all the various aspects of health and wellness by reading books, websites/blogs, podcasts or attend health-based seminars/conferences on a regular basis. I have always stated that you are best doctor and nobody knows your mind/body more than you. By opening up your mind and body to new and different health methods you may just find your overall health changing for the better.

2. Focus on your physical/mental weaknesses

Whether its muscular or flexibility imbalances, poor stress management coping skills, unhealthy/inconsistent nutritional habits or poor health-related issues (BP, cholesterol, sugar levels) make it priority number one and address 1-2 weakness areas over the next few months. Baby steps foster significant gains.

3. Failure to plan – plan to fail

Set specific goals and timeframes and assess your baseline(s) prior to starting and every few weeks to analyze your progress. Post little notes with your goals/timeframes EVERYWHERE (workplace, kitchen, living room, cell phone, computer, dashboard of your car, etc). The old saying “out of sight, out of mind” holds true for many of us and when making lifestyle changes (which will be challenging) you need to be constantly reminded of your goals in order for adherence to your committed plans.

4. The ~~90%~~ 80% Rule

Be consistent 80% of the time with your nutritional and activity habits but allow yourself to have room for minor setbacks/time commitments and to reward yourself for achieving your goals and body composition targets. If you can be 90% then all the better in terms of further accelerating your results but for those of you who find it hard to be strict the majority of the time or cut out bad habits cold turkey then the 80% rule is proven to be more sustainable for making positive progress. The 80% rule for dietary habits forces you to be strict for the majority of your meals during the week, however, you can allow yourself a little leeway and reward yourself for your weekly commitment one day a week. (*I suggest choosing 1-2 meals one day on the weekend where you enjoy yourself with a moderation of your comfort “indulgences”, any more than 1 day of “cheating” increases the likelihood of prolonged cheating leading to nutritional failure and halting your progress).

5. Having social “health” connections just plain work

Are you looking to ensure progress? Need constant external motivation to stay on track? Do you work harder as part of a team rather than alone? Having social connections that directly relate to your professional “health” development is one of the best strategies you can establish. Such connections can include your workout buddies to provide motivation and guaranteed workout attendance, workplace “military sergeants” to watch over your every nutritional choice, and immediate family for positive reinforcement and motivation especially during any potential setbacks. Lastly, look to follow health-conscious people/groups/friends on social media such as twitter or facebook to further establish a health-changing mindset and for a community-like environment. @healthyliving, @greatist, @inspire_us, and @fitnesspsych are a few people I follow on Twitter and Real Food Market, Food Inc, and Mind Body Green are a couple of groups I follow on Facebook.

6. In the words of Nike – JUST DO IT! (nuff said)

Owe it to yourself to always never settle for status quo and aim to focus on your physical and mental weaknesses and enhance your “true” capabilities both personally and professionally.

Eat, move, live….better!

Coach Oz

Mental health Physical health Wellness

Functional Supplement Tool Kit

Happy Monday!
This week’s post is about a very common but highly debatable topic: supplements. Understanding the vast quantity of the available supplements on the market today, I am not here to write a book about the various research/arguments on every supplement known to man. Instead, I want to value your time in reading this and provide you with practical toolkit, of what I consider to be, the list of “functional” supplements which can be consumed on a daily to improve your fitness performance and boost your overall health. For each supplement, I will list what you need to know, need to do, and where to buy.

First, for overall general health implications here are the top supplements that you should consider (if you haven’t already done so):

Omega 3s:
What you need to know: Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids that are essential nutrients for health. Key benefits include the reduction of inflammation and improvements to the cell membrane in the brain as well as reduction to the risk of developing heart disease, cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, and other autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. From a weight loss standpoint, omega 3s have been shown to aid in better body composition by reducing cortisol levels (cortisol being a catabolic hormone).

What you need to do: Aim to eat fatty fish a minimum of twice per week but supplement 1000mg/day with quality omega 3 (specifically from sardine/herring/mackerel/krill sources) and look for higher concentrated forms.
Where to buy: All pharmacies and grocery stores.

Vitamin D3
What you need to know: All I have to say is…RDF (rain, drizzle, fog). We all know vitamin D can be absorbed by the body via natural sunlight, however, we live in NL where our sunlight days are quite limited especially during the winter months. Vitamin D helps our bodies absorb and use calcium and phosphorous for strong bones and teeth. Beneficially, vitamin D deficiency has been linked with increased risk of a host of chronic diseases such as osteoporosis, heart disease, some cancers, multiple sclerosis, and infectious diseases such as the seasonal flu.
What you need to do: Choose foods with vitamin D such as certain types of fish, egg yolks and fortified milk. In addition, take anywhere between 1000-2000IU of vitamin D3 supplement per day.
Where to buy: Most pharmacies/grocery stores

Probiotics
What you need to know: Probiotics aid in digestion and support gastrointestinal health by improving your gut microflora and enabling the body to remove toxins more efficiently. In terms of managing weight, we know that probiotics reduce gastrointestinal issues such as bloating/gas/constipation which reduces feelings of lethargy and low energy when looking to exercise. In addition, having a good balance of gut bacteria allows for optimal absorption of key nutrients when eating nutrient-dense foods. Aside from digestive related benefits, probiotics have also been linked with reduction of elevated levels of cholesterol. One study found that implementing probiotics lowered LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) by 12% and total cholesterol by 9%.

What you need to do: Aim to include various strains of healthy bacteria by choosing probiotic-rich foods such as plain unflavoured yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, miso, pickles, kimchi/kombucha tea and taking a high-concentrated probiotic supplement on a daily basis.
Where to buy: All pharmacies/grocery/health stores

* With respect to taking multivitamins, the journal Annals of Internal Medicine (Dec, 2013), found that multivitamin and mineral supplements did not work any better than placebo pills in terms of reducing risk of heart disease or cancers. However, taking a MV could be considered if heavily deficient in key vitamins/minerals as a result of following a restrictive diet or have poor eating habits. In addition, women who are pregnant and/or breastfeeding should also consider taking a MV because of the folate and iron benefits.

From a training point of view, here are the 2 key supplements you should consider to improve performance, recovery and overall body composition.

Whey Protein (or plant-based protein)
What you need to know: It is widely understood that protein is a key macronutrient when it comes to improving body composition/losing weight and a primary factor involved in muscle building and maintenance. Numerous studies have reported that a diet rich in essential amino acids (i.e., whey protein) improves overall body composition by reducing body fat and preserving lean muscle tissue.

For those of you who have always questioned whey protein, here is the 411. Whey is a by-product during the process of making cheese. Whey is a complete protein meaning it contains all the essential amino acids that we must get through our diet. There is 3 forms of whey that can be created during the process; concentrate, isolate and hydrolysate. In terms of highest quality, you should always aim for whey powders which are primarily made up of isolate and/or hydrolysate as the protein % is much higher and metabolizing during digestion is the fastest as compared to lower quality powders with whey concentrate. In addition, the higher quality whey is virtually lactose free and fat free thus making a great choice for healthy conscious people. Always look for powders (both whey and plant-based) that are sweetened with natural sources like stevia or cocoa beans and are GMO/hormone free.

What you need to do: Aim to consume a protein powder-based shake 1-2 times per day. For those of you who live a busy life and request convenience try including a morning power shake (ingredients can include yogurt, almond milk, whey/vegan powder, veggie greens, frozen berries, chia/flax seeds, nuts, oatmeal, nut butters, etc) in addition to a pre-workout/post-workout shake.
Top brands:Kaizen all-natural isolate whey (what I currently use and can be found at Dominion)
Vega, Kaizen vegan protein or Genuine Health Vegan Protein+ (found in most
health/department/grocery stores)

BCAA
What you need to know: Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are made up of three essential aminos: leucine, isoleucine, and valine. BCAAs make up approximately 40% of the daily requirement of all essential amino acids. They are found in protein-based foods with the highest concentrations in beef, chicken, salmon, eggs and whey protein. In its simplified role, BCAAs help facilitate protein synthesis and inhibit the breakdown of muscle tissue, assist in hormonal balance during high intensity exercise, reduce muscle soreness as a result of intense resistance training, and improve glucose and insulin sensitivity (in healthy individuals).

What you need to do: For optimal training results, take 10-20g of combined BCAAs during or after training to promote enhanced amino acid uptake. (please note that dosages will depend on one’s overall goals).
Where to buy: Most health/grocery store, just look for higher concentrated forms.

I completely understand this is not the “be-all-end-all” list of proven supplements but I just wanted to provide a simple guide listing the essential ones for general health implications and performance enhancement.

I encourage comments / suggestions as to which ones you use and have found to be beneficial to your health or training.

Lastly, I kindly ask that you like my facebook page Wellness By Oz – big thanks!

Train smart but train hard!

Nutrition supplements

Fat Loss Secrets #3: Sustainable Nutrition Practices

Happy Monday!
Healthy nutrition is the last segment of this series on fat loss secrets, and by far, the single most important component regarding fat loss/body composition.

First off, I am a health and fitness coach a not a Dietitian/Nutritionist. Although I have the capabilities of supplying nutritional guidance within my scope of practice, I will be citing sound and functional practices from experienced nutritional professionals.

Ok, so you want to know the keys to fat loss with respect to eating right? Are you looking to have optimal body composition now and for the long-term? Would you rather follow healthy sustainable eating habits to manage your weight? Or would you prefer a calorie restrictive “non-sustainable diet” which over time you most likely will regain most of the weight lost in addition to negative impacts to your hormones/metabolism? Well, if you scour through the literature you will find that the simplest formula for enhancing your body composition is as follows: protein + complex carbs + healthy fats + water = awesomeness!

Simple right? Your probably thinking “that’s it, sure I knows that by’e” If your reading this then ask yourself the following; are you completely content with your body shape and overall health? Are you full of energy throughout the day? Would you be comfortable showing skin in the 2 months of summer here in Newfoundland? If not, your most likely not incorporating this formula on a daily basis?

Most nutritional sources recommend that you increase your daily intake of protein, fibre (complex carbs/veggies), healthy fats and water for the following reasons;

1. Quality Protein

I cannot stress the importance of protein for individuals looking to enhance their body composition. This macro-nutrient is essential in sustaining muscle during weight loss, improve muscular fitness and enhance insulin and leptin function – all of which contribute toward optimal weight management efforts over time. Only quality sources of protein should always be considered when looking to make changes to your body composition. Sources include whey/casein protein/plant-based protein powders, eggs, fish, dairy (cottage cheese, greek yogurt), seeds/nuts, lean cuts of poultry/meat and veggie protein options.

Quality foods that are high in fibre and/or protein create a high thermic effect which boosts your metabolism as your body has to use a high amount of energy (as compared to simple carbs or high fat foods) during the digestion process. The thermic effect of food is another way of saying the amount of energy burned above the resting metabolic rate due to the cost of food digestion for energy and storage.

Mark Tarnopolsky, M.D., Ph.D., who studies exercise and nutrition at McMaster University, recommends to consume between .4 and .7 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight on a daily basis for optimal results.

2. Complex Carbs

According to Brian St. Pierre, Certified Sports Nutritionist, a key component of complex carbs and protein-based foods is the regulation of the hormone insulin. Insulin becomes secreted once sugar enters the bloodstream where its main role is to transport the sugar to muscles and cells for energy processes. Daily consumption of too much sugar will cause the sugar to be converted and stored as fat and an increase resistance to insulin which can lead to type II diabetes. Since both protein and high fibre complex carbohydrates (aside from fruit) have little to no sugar, thus insulin release is controlled. Needless to say that controlling of this hormone is critical when looking to reduce body fat.

High fibre / complex carbs include foods such as green leafy and colourful veggies, sweet potatoes, legumes, whole grains (rice, pastas, oats, quinoa), hummus, fruit, etc. In terms of veggies, a simple way to up your daily intake is to include veggies in smoothies and/or start juicing with veggies. The average person’s daily veggie consumption is nowhere near where it should be; however, controlling the simple carbs and significantly increasing the complex carbs needs to take high priority for individuals looking to lose body fat.

3. Healthy Fats

In order to loss fat you need to reassess your healthy fat intake. Good fats are healthy for lowering the “unhealthy” cholesterol and reducing the risk for heart disease but also suppresses your appetite by making you feel full longer when eating meals with good fats. In general, we all need to reduce and/or eliminate the amount of saturated/trans fat we consume; think certain cuts of red meat, deep fried food, chips/cookies, most hangover food or comfort food.

From a fat loss and general health standpoint, you should look to increase the amount of good fat sources daily such as cooking with healthy oils (olive, coconut, walnut, grapeseed, etc) and consume more essential fats like omega 3s by eating fish on a weekly basis or taking a daily omega 3 supplement. I suggest adding foods like avocados, low-fat greek/kefir yogurt, and seeds/nuts to your smoothies, salads or snack options such as protein bars or yogurt parfaits.

4. Drink more water daily. Period. Water has a detoxifying effect and is essential for living and because our bodies are practically two-thirds made of water, staying properly hydrated is not only good for boosting our metabolism but functioning optimally on a daily basis. From a fat loss standpoint, a study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found that drinking water (approx. 17oz) increases our metabolic rate by 30 percent in healthy men and women. (Remember, high metabolism = fat burning machine). It’s been found that even mild dehydration will slow down your metabolism by as much as 3 percent. In addition, you can curb your appetite by consuming a tall glass of water approximately 20 mins prior to your meals.

Look to drink a minimum of 2-3L of water daily. Helpful hint: Always have a water bottle in sight. Out of sight, out of mind.

5. Nutrient Timing (optional)

If your serious about making significant changes to your body composition and is looking for a more advance diet protocol then I recommend you read up on nutrient timing. The concept is quite simple but implementing and sticking with it can be challenging. Understanding how and when best to include certain macro-nutrients (protein/carbs/fat) at various times of the day (morning, post-workout, evening) will optimize and speed up your results. I could go in-depth here but to keep you from finishing this article tomorrow, I found a great article on the topic with accompanying recipes which can be found here .

One final strategy when it comes to nutrition is all about food prep. You should take a few hours on Sunday and cook most of your meals for that week and have your veggies and snack options all prepared in separate containers and stored in the fridge. Remember, if you fail to plan then you plan to fail.

Other fat loss strategies can include intermittent fasting and supplementation both of which I will not divulge into for the purpose of this article.

So there you have it, my top 3 “fool-proof” fat loss secrets which MUST be implemented in order for you to not only lose your desired weight but also to keep the weight off. My philosophy is to look sexy and stay healthy.

As always, I encourage you to add any comments or feel free to msg me if you have any specific questions about this topic.

Until next time, stay strong!

Fat Loss Nutrition

Fat Loss Secrets: Part 2 (Resistance Training)

This is the second part of my fat loss secret series. If you haven’t already done so, you can read Part 1 here. Resistance training goes well beyond just the gym setting or having access to lots of expensive home-based resistance type equipment (machines, free weights, bands, med balls, etc). Resistance training is not rocket science but many active people omit such training as they have fears of what exactly to do, how much weight to lift and getting injured.

By definition, resistance or strength training is any type of physical exercise specializing in the use of resistance to induce muscular contractions resulting in improvements to the strength, anaerobic endurance, and size of skeletal muscles – and to all you females who think lifting weights will produce a “body builder” image, time to get over that myth and jump onto the sexy train. Most females want “toning” with their new body but what they really mean is they want more lean muscle tissue and a reduction in body fat. Please understand that (significant) muscle size is determined with YEARS of structured strength training and heavy lifting.

Strength Training Benefits
When performed with correct technique, strength training exercises can provide significant functional movement benefits and improvement in overall health including increased muscle, tendon and ligament strength, improved joint function and stability, increased bone density, reduced potential for injury, improved cardiac function and insulin sensitivity, and elevated HDL (“good”) cholesterol.

With respect to body composition benefits (i.e., fat loss), incorporating a variety of resistance-based exercises into your weekly routine has also been shown to increase your resting metabolic rate (how much energy you burn at rest) via increased lean muscle tissue in both men and women. In other words, the more lean muscle one has the lower the body fat percentage. In addition, muscle (vs fat tissue) burns more calories at rest which is a huge advantage when trying to maintain an ideal bodyweight.

Muscle contraction is a primary engine of fat loss. Strength training workouts that target large muscle groups will increase the release of anabolic hormones such as testosterone, human growth hormone, and insulin-like growth factor (varies across both genders) that aid in reducing body fat. Strength training produces the most significant hormonal responses compared to traditional styles of exercise like running/biking. There have been numerous studies that have demonstrated that strength training in conjunction with healthy nutritional habits burns fat much more effectively than dieting alone or dieting in conjunction with aerobic exercise (i.e., running/biking). However, by combining strength training with interval anaerobic training and sound nutrition practices, you have the holy grail recipe for making the most significant body composition changes to your body. Remember, strength training preserves and enhances your lean muscle mass whereas aerobic training or dieting alone allows you to lose bodyweight through the loss of both body fat and muscle mass.

What Should You Do?
As I mentioned above, I feel strength training has a bad reputation that society has solidified. A fear of “bulking” or “getting too big” along with questions about what exercises one should do and how much weight is appropriate is common. Well, I’m here to simplify your strength workouts and recommend that you give resistance-based exercises a try (if you already strength train then please try some of the workouts below, and congrats for being so awesome!)

A simple yet highly effective training protocol is to try and include a pushing, a pulling, a leg, and a core exercise with each workout. This allows for all the major muscle groups to be challenged during each workout resulting in better balance and high caloric expenditure. For those with no access to resistance equipment, you’re in luck as you do not need to purchase any equipment since bodyweight exercises has been shown to produce strength gains. However, purchasing basic equipment like a few sets of dumbbells/kettlebells (light-moderate and moderate-heavy weight for your current capabilities), a medium resistance band, and/or a stability ball will go a long way to allow for versatility in your workouts (all these can be found in most department stores such as Wal-Mart, Sportcheck, and Spartan Athletic Products for approx. $120-140)

Another smart fat-loss practice is to do mostly compound functional exercises (working multiple muscle groups in a functional manner). This method allows for more energy to be utilized and with quicker strength gains overall. Examples include squat and shoulder press, push up rotations, single leg deadlifts and burpies.

How Much Weight Should You Choose?
That will vary from one exercise to the next but a good rule of thumb is enough weight to enable the set reps/time to be challenging. Also, you should be able to distinguish what muscle group(s) you just worked (i.e., muscle burn). I recommend starting with a manageable weight and then look to increase it by 5lbs with each set. For example, while completing goblet squats you can choose a 15lbs dummbbell (DB) for the first set then 20lbs for 2nd set and 25lbs for 3rd set. In order to increase muscular strength you need to have a progressive load. Remember, your goal is to reduce your body fat % and enhancing your lean muscle mass is a key factor for doing so.

Beginner Bodyweight Workout
(each exercise is completed for 30-60 secs with no rest in between each exercise. Rest 90 secs once all are completed and complete 3-4 times.)

1A Reverse Lunges (15-30 secs per leg)
2A Push Ups
3A Sumo Squats
4A Front Plank

“Minimal Access to Equipment” Workout
(all exercises are completed in a pyramid style in a 5 set sequence; 5-10-15-10-5 reps with no rest in between each exercise. Rest 60 secs at the end of each set)

1A Push Ups w feet on ball
2A Squats & Row w resistance band
3A Single Leg Deadlift w dumbbells
4A Side Plank Row w resistance band
5A Mountain Climbers

Gym-Based Workout
(complete each exercise for 45-60 secs resting 60-90 secs after each round. Repeat 2-3 times)

1A Flat Bench Barbell or Dumbbell Bench Press
2A Barbell Back Squat
3A Pull up or Assisted Pull up w bands
4A Stability Ball Plank
5A Treadmill Sprint or Rower sprint

(complete each exercise for 45-60 secs resting 60-90 secs after each round. Repeat 2-3 times)
1B Squat and Press
2B Renegade Rows
3B Walking Lunges
4B Crawling Planks
5B Burpies

Try out some of the sample workouts and let me know how they felt.

Part 3 of this series will focus on the most important component to reaching your fat loss goals: nutrition. Stay tuned.

As always, train hard but train smart!
Oz

References
Kraemer WJ1, Ratamess NA. “Hormonal responses and adaptations to resistance exercise and training.” J Sports Med. (2005);35(4):339-61.

Pratley et al. “Strength training increases resting metabolic rate and norepinephrine levels in healthy 50- to 65-yr-old men.” J Appl Physiol, (1994) Jan;76(1):133-7.

Ryan et al. “Resistive training increases fat-free mass and maintains RMR despite weight loss in postmenopausal women.” J Appl Physiol, (1995) Sep;79(3):818-23.

Fat Loss Strength Training

Fat Loss Secrets: Part 1 (Interval Training)

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Happy Wednesday!
This is a 3 part series in which I will be sharing the top 3 secrets for fat loss and enhanced body composition. Part 1 is centred around “Interval Training”. Now before I go ahead and supply you with a few sample exercise protocols below that you can start immediately (I came across a great illustration from greatist.com that I wish I could take credit), first I want to drop some knowledge bombs.

Interval training (IT) involves multiple bouts of exercise with coordinated rest periods. All IT methods revolve around work-to-rest ratios that can vary in duration, intensity, and frequency all depending on one’s fitness level. IT is suitable for beginners looking to start a fitness program or even high endurance runners/athletes looking to increase their aerobic and muscular endurance.

Low intensity interval training (LIIT) incorporates bouts of low-moderate intensity exercise with intermittent rest periods. Examples include a power walk for 60 secs either on a treadmill or completed outdoors with 60 secs or a light paced walk. On the other end of the spectrum is high intensity interval training (HIIT) whereby a mixture of high intense exercise like sprinting or resistance training with moderate weight is combined with scheduled rest times or consecutive exercises thereby minimizing and “down or rest” time and maintaing a higher heart rate for a set duration.

LIIT & HIIT has been shown to induce the following benefits when implemented in one’s weekly routine:

1. Aerobic Capacity (i.e., Healthier Heart)
A study found that participants incorporating IT produced similar muscular endurance adaptations despite exercising much less than individuals completing long duration endurance type training. According to a 2011 ACSM study, just 2 weeks of high-intensity intervals improves your aerobic capacity as much as 6 to 8 weeks of endurance training.

2. Burn More Calories
A key component in analyzing the effectiveness of total calories burned in a workout is the time period once the workout is concluded whereby energy expenditure is still higher than say at rest. This effect of exercise, regardless of intensity, is called excess post-exercise oxygen consumption or EPOC. Basically, the more intense a workout the greater the EPOC or longer duration following a workout where you are still burning more calories.

A 2006 study concluded that the additional calories burned from EPOC for a steady-state (lower intense) endurance exercise was approximately 7% of the total calories expended during the workout. Conversely, calories from EPOC for HIIT workouts were almost double, approximately 13% of total calories during the workout.

3. Lose Weight Not Muscle
When dieting and completing traditional cardio type exercises (i.e., jogging) alone, one can lose bodyweight but will illicit no significant change to their overall body fat % since lean muscle tissue will also be lost. By completing IT that incorporates both aerobic and resistance training type exercises, you can reduce your total body fat % while preserving, or more importantly enhancing, lean muscle tissue. Remember, preserving your lean muscle mass is critical as you age as muscle can assist with the prevention of chronic injuries, maintaining joint health and reduction in metabolic diseases like obesity, hypertension, and diabetes.

4. Increased Metabolism
Your metabolism plays a major role in the rate your burn energy and store nutrients from your food. Another powerful benefit of IT, specifically HIIT, is that this type of training stimulates production of your human growth hormone (HGH). A 2002 study in the Journal of Sport Science has shown that HIIT increased the production of HGH by up to 450 percent during the 24 hours after you finish your workout. A key thing to note is that HGH is not only responsible for increased caloric burn but also slows down the aging process – check and check!

Other physiological benefits of LIIT/HIIT include where highlighted by a 2011 study:
– Improved insulin sensitivity in the muscles
– Higher levels of fat oxidation in the muscles
– Post-exercise appetite suppression

Without further adieu, here is a kick-ass illustration that summarizes things and supplies you with some simple interval protocols for both beginners and season vets.

Stay tuned to next week as I will continue this series and discuss the second fat loss secret (hint: it has something to do with lifting things).

As always, I appreciated feedback – both positive and negative – so don’t be afraid to share your thoughts. Lastly, please share via FB, twitter or LinkIn – big thanks!

Until next time – stay strong!

HIIT Interval Training

Eating Healthy on the Go

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Happy Monday,
Over the past 9 yrs I have coached and trained countless clients ranging from common weight loss folks to special populations that have been diagnosed with one or more of the metabolic syndrome diseases. March is National Nutrition Month and one of the common problematic areas with respective to nutrition is eating healthy “on the go”. The stigma of healthy eating/cooking continues to be misguided since many feel in order to prepare healthy food one must have either a ridiculous amount of time or be a top executive chef to make nutrient dense food takes palatable. That’s just plain wrong. It’s time to re-think how you eat and prepare healthy food.

Click here for great “on the go” recipes that are both super nutritious and convenient for when time is tight. The recipes are courtesy of Natalie Muth (RD for the American Council for Exercise).

Stay strong!

healthy food