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May 26, 2009
Q: What is the difference between the “fat burn” and “cardio” settings on a treadmill? If I’m looking to lose weight, am I limited to only the fat burn programs?
A: I am asked this question at least once a day – no exaggeration. The truth is… Absolutely not. Exclamation point. The cardio machine programs were designed to give you options, to help you out if you are sans trainer, and to point you in the right direction. Each program was designed for a special purpose, sure, but there are health-related benefits and training advantages to each program no matter what your goals.
 The main difference between the fat burn and cardio settings on those machines has to do with heart rate. If you’ve tried similar programs in the past, you’ll remember that you probably had to give the machine your pulse – either by strapping something to your chest or holding your palms on the silver handles. Or by making up a number just to get the machine moving (yes, I’ve see you do it!). In all honesty, if you choose the fat burn program because you want to lose fat, then it’s to your advantage to give an accurate heart rate.
That being said, what is Heart Rate?
Literally, heart rate is the number of times the heart beats per minute (abbreviated bpm). Monitoring your heart rate during exercise allows you to monitor exercise intensity* and cardiorespiratory responsiveness. Tracking your heart rate over time can be an excellent way to reveal your fitness progress. In essence, the more fit you are, the lower your pulse will be for a given exercise intensity.
 Heart rate can be obtained by feeling the pulse at the neck (carotid artery), the wrist (radial artery), the head (temporal artery), or the chest (apical artery), although the wrist is usually more convenient. To measure, place two fingers (index and middle) on the underside and thumb side of the wrist, feeling for a pulsing sensation. You shouldn’t use your thumb to determine heart rate; it tends to have a pulse of its own. Without pressing too hard, count the number of beats in 30 seconds. Then multiply this number by 2 to get beats per minute (bpm). This is your heart rate.
You can observe the changes in your heart rate during various activities by taking your heart rate at different points throughout the day. To begin with, take your pulse first thing in the morning before you even get out of bed. This is your resting heart rate. For more accurate results, take your resting heart rate three mornings in a row and average the results. You can also choose to take your heart rate before, during, and after routine activities. The higher your heart rate rises above its resting pulse, the more difficult that activity is for your body to perform.
Heart Rate & Exercise Intensity
The optimum exercise intensity for fitness improvement falls within a range of 50-90% of your maximum heart rate (although this figure can vary by fitness level, gender, and/or age). Monitoring your heart rate (and thus your intensity) allows you to exercise at the proper intensity for your fitness level and goals.
Continue reading “Stuck in the Zone: Fat Burn v. Cardio Programs” »
May 18, 2009
Q: What is lactic acid? Why does it cause that “burn”?
A: The simplest answer is that lactic acid is a byproduct of anaerobic ATP production. But let’s backtrack a little and review some exercise physiology to put that definition into context…
A cell can produce energy in one of two ways: with or without the presence of oxygen. If there is an adequate supply of oxygen to your cells (regardless of your activity – sleeping, typing, walking, running, etc), then your cells are involved in aerobic energy production. Your cells are actively utilizing fat stores, sugar stores, and oxygen to produce ATP (short for the molecule adenosine triphosphate). Think of ATP as your cells’ battery power.
Example: You are attempting to lift a dumbbell into a bicep curl. First, your body needs fat, sugar, and oxygen in order to produce ATP molecules. The new ATP is used to drive the muscle contraction in the bicep muscle, allowing you to curl the weight. Realistically, this occurs on a much grander scale, but you get the idea…
 In aerobic energy systems, water and carbon dioxide are the byproducts of the chemical reaction that creates ATP. Both compounds are easy for the body to utilize or eliminate, thus aerobic energy production does not lead to muscle fatigue.
On the other hand, sometimes your body is unable to extract enough oxygen from the blood to continue the high demand for ATP production. Now you begin to exercise anaerobically, or without oxygen. This is often the case during vigorous workouts, sprints, heavy weight lifting – basically whenever the intensity at which you are exercising exceeds the available oxygen. This upper limit of sustainable aerobic exercise usually corresponds with a heart rate elevated above 50-85% of maximum heart rate, and is referred to as the anaerobic threshold (sometimes called the lactate threshold).
Continue reading “A Burning Question About Lactic Acid” »
May 1, 2009
This article is the last strategy in my weight loss series, “10 Ways to Make Weight Loss Work for You.” I hope you found some useful advice, and were able to share your own tips and weight loss routines in the comments section.
 Weight loss is a slow process, and depending on how much you’d like to lose, it can take a long time. I’m dedicating this last article to the principles of patience and persistence, because you just can’t succeed in losing weight without these attributes.
Goal-Setting to Stay on Track
This is one reason goal-setting is so important. Before beginning your weight loss journey, take a minute to write down what your goals are – whether it’s a particular weight or dress size, or a race you’d like to complete, or simply having enough energy to play with your kids on the playground. Write down as many goals as you can think of.
Now take another piece of paper and write down ALL the reasons you want to lose weight. Some of these might be similar to your goals, but this list will encompass a lot more about why you’re seeking to change your lifestyle. Again, write down as many as you can think of and keep the list accessible because you’ll want to add more as you think of them over the next few months.
This second list is my favorite simply because it can give you the patience and persistence to reach your goals. Since weight loss is such a long process, you will most likely hit more than one obstacle along the way and think about giving up. At these points, it is absolutely critical to have something to remind you of all the reasons you began this process in the first place and how far you’ve already come. Any tricks you can find to keep yourself motivated will work too. Some people like to take circumference measurements (waist, hip, chest, arm, thigh, and calf) and body fat percentages along the way to track their progress; others take before and after pictures of themselves for motivation.
Being Realistic With Yourself
It is important to be prepared for what is to come along this journey, and that includes dispelling unrealistic expectations. Often (quite honestly, TOO often) I see clients get discouraged early on in their weight loss efforts and give up entirely – all based on what they see on the scale. I can tell you from personal experience and from coaching hundreds of people through this process: it can take 8-12 weeks for you to see any change on the scale when you first start a weight-loss program (that’s two or three months of a stationary weight despite all your calorie counting and working out!).
I know what you’re thinking – why bother, right? What’s the point of putting in all that effort if it’s not doing anything? But it IS doing something – you just can’t see it yet. I promise! Remember when I said that the point of weight loss shouldn’t be just to cut calories, but to change your body? That’s what the initial changes are. If you haven’t exercised consistently for a few years, then your body is going to be in for a shock those first few months. It will be working hard to adjust to this new energy expenditure. And if you’re including some strength training, as you should, you’ll be building muscle too (which could also add a few pounds to your frame, but don’t worry about that – remember you want muscle because it will help you burn the fat you want to get rid of!).
So here’s what you can expect (in general; remember, every person’s body is different):
Weeks 1-12: These first two or three months will feel like a lot of work. During the first couple of weeks you might feel like you’ve been hit by a bus if you’re doing all the exercise I suggested. Don’t worry – that will pass after the first month and in its place you’ll find you have more energy all the time. Have someone take your circumference measurements, and check them again every four weeks. This is where you’ll see the initial changes – in inches lost. You’ll also feel different – stronger, fitter, tighter, and your clothes will start to loosen on you even if the scale says you’re the same weight. The first months include a lot of internal changes, so focus your mind on all the positive changes you’re making in your life, how you feel, and the goals you’re working towards. Don’t pay attention to the scale!
Weeks 13-24: The next three months will be where you start to see the scale go down. At this point, you can expect a weight loss of around 1-2lbs per week, depending on your daily calorie deficit. Your circumference measurements will continue to decrease and your clothes will fit looser. You’ll begin to see the difference on your body. Your strength will have increased significantly if you’ve been including strength training exercises in your program. By the end of six months, other people will begin to notice your weight loss. This is actually the part that takes the longest, so be patient – it might be hard for other people to notice all your hard work until you’ve lost a significant amount of weight.
The bottom line is that eating well and working out is a lifestyle, not a quick fix, so patience and persistence are key. The scale will drop in time and by then you’ll have found a thousand other ways fitness has positively influenced your life. Be proud of all the work you are putting into your body and your health, and pay attention to all the ways your new habits are improving your life!
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