Slimming Body Wraps: Do they really work???

 As a fitness professional; its my job to teach people safe and effective exercise techniques. Also, being as though I personally lost a lot of weight; I feel that it is my duty to inform individuals about diet/exercise fads, misinformation or flat out lies.

One diet/exercise fad that I'm constantly hearing about lately is the "slimming/body wrap". At dinner one evening, my cousins fiance was telling me how wonderful the body wraps are; so I thought I would do a little research for myself.......I had to see what all the hype was about!!!
 
 After researching about 3 or 4 different body wrap distributors as well as a few "homemade" body wrap methods I noticed that they all promised the same things:

• lose weight, 
• shed love handles, 
• get rid of cellulite and stretchmarks 

All the promised benefits mentioned above are supposedly accomplished by placing the "slimming wrap" around ones "problem areas" and leaving it for 45 minutes or more...........Now, I know for sure that I'm not the "sharpest knife in the drawer" and I definitely dont have all the answers.......but these claims are not possible. And this is why:

• First of all, losing weight is all about basic math. One pound is equivalent to 3,500 calories. So, for one to lose weight and/or fat, calories must burned by exercising or simply reducing calories from the diet. 

•   Secondly, it is impossible to lose weight from one part of the body or shed love handles only". When weight/fat loss occurs; it will come from all over the body. The final outcome will largely depend on your genetics and how fat is distrubuted throughout your body. This process will be different for each individual.

• And lastly, the weight and/or inches that individuals seem to lose come from water weight. If one were to check their body fat percentage before and afterwards, it would be clear that no amount of fat was ever lost. Also, according to an article posted on ABC News.com........ This technique is similar to hot yoga: "You'll put back on any weight you lose once you start drinking," says Dr. Peeke............ Your skin might appear tighter for a couple of days afterward, as the caffeine in many of these wraps temporarily constricts skin, notes Elizabeth Tanzi, MD, a dermatologist in Washington, D.C.

  
I wrote this article knowing full well that eating healthy exercising is time consuming and sometimes frustrating for a lot of people. Every week at least one individual will tell me that "they simply dont have the time". However, my answer to that is always the same......"we make time for whats important"!! And I believe that it's a waste of time using body wraps for weight loss!!!!

With all the time spent on- buying/ordering the product, using the product ( 5-20 minutes) and sitting around waiting for the product to work (45 min or more)...........One could have been to the gym and back!!!! And on top of that save a ton of $$$$.

When it all boils down to it; eating healthy and exercise is the only weight loss method that that will last. If you want to just waste $$$ and time, keep trying all the "lose weight quick" methods. However, if you want to seriously improve your health..........you know what you got to do...........and always remember that:

 "Time is the only thing that we cannot make or buy, use what time you do have wisely"!!

 

 

Its all about habits!!

If you've ever started a diet or exercise program and after only a few weeks you felt like it was too difficult..............Remember these two things:

1.  It will get easier over time and
2. "To get the maximum benefits from eating healthy and exercise; you must get to the point where these actions are part of your daily life.........in other words; Eating "right" and exercising should be a habit!"

Watch the video below to see how long it takes to develop a habit........

The link below is the source of my information.

spring.org.uk/2009/09/how-long-to-form-a-habit-.php

How I became a Personal trainer......Before and After Photos!

240 lbs. !!

A lot of people don't believe  me when I tell them that "I used to weigh 240 lbs". Some think I'm joking or even exaggerating. However, those that really know me and the life that I used to live will tell you that I was  a "Big Boy"!!!

I wasn't always a big guy. Yet, due to a lot of bad lifestyle choices I gained about 70 lbs in 12 months. I was eating and drinking whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted; and even though my health was slowly declining, exercise never even crossed my mind.

I initially began exercising in 2003 when a few of my friends "persuaded" (or basically forced) me to. They knew just as well as I did that my health was terrible. Now that think back, I thank God for these guys because no matter how much I wanted to give up, they wouldn't take "NO" for an answer.........

 After a few months of exercising with my friends, I started to see MAJOR changes in my body. And on top of that, my love for exercise was growing stronger and stronger each time I went to the gym. At first working out was like swallowing bad tasting medicine. But after several months (and plenty of physical results) exercise became very therapeutic..........

Fast forward 2 years later and I went from exercising 2 times a week, to 5-6 times per week. At this point, exercise was a part of my everyday life. I had also begun to study/read about exercise and nutrition; which was what lead me to get my first Personal Trainer Certification in 2006.........

As I reflect back on everything that lead me up to this point, I cannot help but thank God for allowing me to go through everything I've been through. My health issues have actually helped me to become a more humble person and a better trainer. As a Personal Trainer; I'm able to:

• relate to the person who smokes cigarettes (been there)
• understand the person who over-eats. (see photo)
• easily sympathize/relate with the individual who is overweight and wants to get the excess weight off and keep it off. (see photo)

   156 lbs!!

I hope my short testimony will inspire someone to get started on the path to health and fitness. If you need help, or simply dont know where to start, feel free to contact me at:  mackwayne1980@gmail.com  or
http://www.facebook.com/reon.mcilwain

The raw uncut truth about 6 pack abs!!!

I work with many, many individuals whose goal is to:

• tone/tighten up their waist line
• get ripped abs
• or as one woman stated "I just want to get rid of this "muffin top"!!! (LOL)

These are all good goals and definitely achievable. However, one must be smart about the work involved in reaching these goals.

Many individuals try to tighten up their waist line by doing the most obvious thing, which is abdominal exercises. 

Performing ab exercises is a great start, but at the end of the day its just not smart and they wont get you to your goal any faster. Before one can trim/tone up the waist line it's important to understand one simple fact: You and (everyone else) already have ab muscles. They're just covered by a  layer of fat!!!  Performing a ton of abdominal exercises will do nothing for getting rid of the layer of excess body fat because these exercises don't cause one to expend a significant amount of calories.

If your goal is to tone up your waist line (or "get rid of that muffin-top"), it's smarter to attack the root of the problem.....which is excess body fat. Getting rid of excess body fat can only be achieved by following the steps below:

1. Eating a proper diet that's spaced out into 5-6 smaller meals throughout the day. I personally like to  eat foods with one word ingredients. For example; Apple, Orange, Green beans, Tomato, Fish, Chicken, etc). I then combine several of these foods together to make my meals.  Click this link for healthy eating tips and meal preparation.  http://exercisesmarter.blogspot.com/2013/02/how-important-is-good-eating-habits.html
2. Each week perform at least 3-4 (30-45 min) sessions  of cardiovascular exercises (walking, elliptical, stair master) in your *target heart rate zone..
3. Each week perform  3-4 sessions of **resistance training (lifting weights or calisthenics).

Follow these three simple steps and you should be on your way to trimming/toning up that waist line. It will take some work, but at least you'll know how to work smarter, so you can reach your goal safely and effectively.



*Target heart rate: 220-age=_______x 60-85%
** Resistance training: Or lifting weights is not complicated. However, if you've never done it before, it can seem like a lot to learn. I suggest that if you've never lifted weights before, please get help from someone who knows what they are doing. Preferably, a competent Personal Trainer.  Feel free to contact me by email  mackwayne1980@gmail.com or leave your contact info in the comment section. I will promptly respond and help you in any way I can...........

Nutrition 101: 10 points to keep in mind when reading food labels.

In order for one exercise smarter, one must eat smarter. Reading and understanding food labels plays a  major role in making smarter eating choices. It only takes one or two minutes to read a label, yet it pays off  big time for overall health and fitness and even more so when you're trying to reach specific goal. Below is a food label from a bag of chips (terrible food choice). Keep these 10 key points in mind when trying to decipher the information on a labels.

1. Serving Size- always keep mind how many servings are in the container. In the example here; one serving = 9 chips!!
2. Servings per Container- this is how many portions are in the entire bag. 11 portions in this one bag of chips.
3. Calories-  amount of calories for each portion. Each serving (9 chips) has 150 calories. So that means if one ate this entire bag of chips that would be 1650 calories!!!!
4. Total Fat- amount of fat and what type of fat each serving contains (9 chips =2 grams saturated fat). Always remember saturated fat kills!! Unsaturated fats are better, yet still should be consumed in moderation.
5. Cholesterol- too much leads to clogged the arteries.
6. Sodium- The average persons salt intake should be no more than 2,400 mg per day. *Most processed foods and drinks don't taste salty, yet the contain tons of sodium.
7. Total Carbohydrate- the amount and types of carbs (sugar/fiber) each serving contains. Food high in sugar based carbs contribute to larger waistlines. While foods high in fiber based carbs assist with weight loss and maintenance.
8. Protein- protein helps rebuild muscles and leave you feeling satisfied longer.
9. Nutrient/Daily Value section- the amount of essential nutrients (vitamins A,C,calcium,iron) the product contains as well as how the food item fits into an average 2,000-2,500 calorie per day diet.
10. Ingredients- food manufacturers list ingredients on labels in order from greatest to least. The first ingredient is the most prevalent or dominant. *If you're trying to shed pounds, and you notice that a food label lists sugar as the first ingredient; be aware.......

 

What makes a good fitness plan- Part 4

While resting doesn't involve much movement; this fitness component plays the biggest factor in your ability to perform your best during exercise as well as everything else you do throughout the day. This component can be separated into two categories: nightly rest and rest from exercise.

Core fitness components

1.Cardiorespiratory training
2. Muscular strength training
3. Stretching/flexibility 
4. Rest.



.

Nightly Rest (sleep)- most healthy adults need between 7-9 hours of sleep each night to function optimally. Yet, according to The National Institute of health; "the average adult sleeps lesss than 7 hours per night".

If you get 7-9 hours a night; good for you. But if youre one of the "average adults" who sleep less than 7 hours; BE CAREFUL!  Even though it may seem as if you're getting by; in the long run you may be headed for trouble. Side affects from chronic lack of sleep include: frequent colds, fatigue, forgetfulness, and increased appetite for fats and carbs (junk food)!!!


Rest from exercise- many people are under the impression that "exercise alone" is responsible for strength gains and improving overall fitness. In actuality, exercise is only part of the fitness process. Exercise puts the stress on the body and causes muscles to tear and break down. Yet, it is the rest from exercise that enables your body to rebuild and become stronger.

Over the years I've trained and met many individuals (I'm guilty too!) who felt it was necessary to train everyday .Training everyday "may" be possible for a a short period, however, its impossible to maintain this level of activity year in year out. Exercising for prolonged periods without taking rest days will eventually lead to burning out and/or overtraining.


Consistently getting the proper rest each night and taking days to rest from exercise will:

• help your body and mind recover from the stress of day to day activities
• increase productivity and mental sharpness
• help regulate the hormones (ghrelin and leptin) that affect and control your appetite.
• and reduce your risk of burning out or overtrainig.

Follow these tips to ensure that you get the proper nightly rest and rest from exercise:

• Go to bed at the same time each night
• Do not exercise within 1-2 hours before going to bed
• Do not consume large meals, large amounts of caffeine, or alcohol 2-3 hours before bed
• Take at least 1-2 days off each week to completely rest from exercise

What makes a good fitness plan- Part 3

This post focuses on the flexibility component of an ideal fitness plan.......... 

Core fitness components

1.Cardiorespiratory training
2. Muscular strength training
3. Flexibility (stretching)
4. Rest



Flexibility is defined as the ability to move joints, ligaments, muscles and tendons through their full range of motion. When we exercise (cardio and strength training) on a regular basis; our tendons, joints, ligaments, and muscles have a tendency to become tight/and or stiff. If left unchecked, that stiffness will decrease our range of motion and increase the risk of injury during exercise as well as everyday activities.

Improving your flexibiliy by consistently stretching will:

• enable your body to move more efficiently during exercise
• reduce muscle soreness/tension
• and most importantly reduce your risk of injuries during exercise and everyday activities.

Use the following guidelines to make sure that you stretch safely and effectively:

1. Always warm up before stretching. Preferably a few minutes of light cardio to get your blood circulating.
2. After an exercise session (cardio or strength training); stretch the muscles that you used. For example, if you do shoulder exercises stretch your shoulders. http://youtu.be/biguBPP3p00                      
3. Inhale and exhale normally during your stretch. Never hold your breath. 
4. Hold your stretch position for 10-30 seconds.

 

*Avoid intense stretching before strength training. Research shows that intense stretching before strength training can temporarily reduce strength levels. Light stretching can be performed everyday. More intense stretching should be spaced out every other day to allow you muscles time to heal.