Get Fit for Spring: Exercise

     Ok, so last time we talked about nurtition, now we need to talk about the other side of the coin: Exercise.  This is a no-brainer, but it is much easier said than done.  I have already discussed at length the importance of exercise so I am not going to repeat myself, but rather give you some tips on how to effectively lose weight so you can shed the winter pounds you gained!

    I propose a 5 day routine.  The way I see it, you are on routine Monday through Friday, so why not just add exercise as part of the routine.  Saturday and Sunday are usually shot, at least for me they are, so take those days for recouperation time.  The week will be divided into Anaerobic and Aerobic exercise cycles.  Now before I lay out the plan let me briefly explain what those words mean so we are all on the same page. 

     Anaerobic Exercise: Defined as "muscle-building" by dictionary.com but more specifically it is when body tissue is absent oxygen.  When you exercise intensely, with a high heart rate, the body has a difficult time getting the oxygen to the tissues as fast as needed.  This forces the body to adapt to the more strenuous conditions, which is muscle building.  High intensity cardiovascular exercise strengthens the heart, just like supersetting chest and back builds bigger muscle.  An example of this would be weight training, or a "biggest loser: last chance workout" :-)

     Aerobic Exercise:  Defined as "exercise that increases the body's need for oxygen" by dictionary.com, but more specifically it is exercise that is able to properly utilize oxygen.  Exercising with a lower heart rate than the cardiovascular workout will allow the body to be able to use the oxygen, which helps the body with fat metabolism.  Your heart rate should be 65% of your maximum heart rate for your age. An example of this would be a steady, consistent jog on the treadmill.
     So what does all this mean to you?  My theory is that you do anaerobic exercise to increase muscle production, which in turn increases your metabolism; and you do aerobic exercise to burn the fat!  It's the 1-2 punch to get the body in shape. 
Here is a proposed routine for maximum results: **note: this is NOT an easy routine**

Monday:
     Morning: Aerobic 45 min
     Afternoon: Anaerobic45 min
Tuesday:
     Morning: Aerobic 45 min
Wednesday:
     Morning: Aerobic 45 min
     Afternoon: Anaerobic 45 min
Thursday:
     Morning: Aerobic: 45 min
Friday:
     Morning: Aerobic 45 min
     Afternoon: Anaerobic 45 min
Saturday and Sunday:Rest

     I understand the intensity may be a little much for some people.  I know that I, myself, have trouble following this specifc plan, but the truth is that it works.  Your body will respond amazingly quickly, and the results will come faster than expected, but if you do not have consistency, then you really are just waisting your time.  I hope this helps, and you experience great results!  If you have to modify, bring the time down a bit, but do not go under 20 minutes for any workout period.

In Good Health,

Dr. Ara

Get Fit for Spring: Dieting

     Ok, its February now and the first month of people pretending to go to the gym for their New Year's Resolution is behind us.  You probably still have those extra 5-10 lbs you gained during the Christmas holidays lingering with you as your pants are just a little too tight for comfort.  Well, Spring is just around the corner, which means warm weather, beaches, pools, sunscreen, and 95% of the population making a futile attempt to suck in their gut to look slimmer with their shirt off! 

    So lets just move on to how we can prevent what we all dread every year and start looking and feeling our best!.  Here is the plan, it is not going to be fun.  If it were easy, everyone would have abs like "The Situation" (actually I'm not impressed with his abs but that's what he's known for so I use him as an example).  Lets start with diet.  I am not going to reiterate what I've previously written about proper nutrition, you can go back and re-read them, but I will say that the key to losing the tire, muffin top, whatever you want to call it, around your waist is a good diet. 

     Here is my "diet plan" that I feel will help you reach your goal

Breakfast: 1 part Protein, 1 part Complex Carb
Mid Morning: 1 part Protein, 1 part Complex Carb
Lunch :1 part Protein, 1 part Complex Carb
Mid day: 1 Part Protein, 1 part Complex Carb
Dinner: 1 part Protein only

     Yes it's monotanous and boring, but it works.  Notice I haven't defined what indicates a "Protein" and a "Complex Carb", that's because I am going to let you fire the extra neuron in your brain and have you think about what they would be.  In general, stay away from the fried foods, sugar, and white breads.  Really you should stay away from bread period, but I leave that up to you.  Stick with the small, more frequent meals like described above and you will have one part of the puzzle to looking "beach ready" in a relatively short period of time. 

****Side Note: If you go breaking your diet too much, you will NOT lose weight.  I can't tell you how many times I have written diet plans specificaly designed for people to lose weight, then they complain to me that it is too hard.  Well I guess they didn't want the "beach ready" body they said they wanted! If Aron Ralston can suvive for 5 days with his arm crushed by an 800 lb boulder, you can go for a couple of days without Fast food and Coca-Cola! I'm just sayin'........

In Good Health,

Dr. Ara