I recently finished reading The New Rules of Lifting for Women by Lou Schuler and was pleased to find that he addresses many of the preconceived notions about what heavy lifting will do to a woman’s body.

For example, he debunks the idea that lifting heavy weight will make you bulky and lifting 3 pound dumbbells will give you “longer” or “leaner” muscles.  Sure, there is absolute appeal for a woman to want to create longer and leaner muscles, but the fact of the matter according to Schuler, is “muscles…have a genetically predetermined shape.  If you train and feed a muscle so that it grows, you can’t choose whether the muscle becomes ‘bulky’ or ‘long and lean, like a dancer’s’ any more than you can choose your own height.”

Embracing this idea, in my opinion, is the first step toward picking up heavier weights.  If you have no control over “shaping” your body and how your muscles are going to grow, then what is the point in wasting your time lifting light weights for hundreds of reps?  It may give you better muscle endurance, but how does that serve you in real life?  Pushing, pulling, twisting, and squatting encompass the four major daily physical activities, and unless your goal is to do one of these activities over and over, then high reps and minimal weight may be a waste of time.

So what is my point?  The only way to get stronger is by lifting heavier weights.  If you lift 10 pounds 5 times and then increase your reps to 10 times, you haven’t increased your strength at all, only your endurance.  And why would anyone want to be stronger?  Think about functional movement.

Lifting your child out of a car seat, pushing the box of Christmas decorations back onto the shelf, chopping wood (okay, maybe not) but you get my point.  Being stronger will only make these movements easier and prevent injury, and who doesn’t want that?

Long story short, pick up heavier weights already!  It’s the New Year and time for an exciting challenge.

Strong = sexy

- Linden

It’s mid-week and your energy and enthusiasm to get a workout in is starting to fade. You’ve done well the past two days, but you might have gone too hard and your mind and body are simply telling you to back off a bit.

So what do you do?

Well, you just need that extra motivation and inspiring workout to get you excited again. And, have we got the perfect workout for you. Just follow the advice of our friend from “Beefy’s Gym”, especially when he explains, “That was the pre-warmup, to get you ready for the warm-up, to get you ready for the pre-workout, followed by the workout, which precedes the post-workout, then we’re going into a 60-minute warm-down…”

Ok, better yet, I’ll just let you watch the video and you can follow from there, enjoy

This will be a quick post.  Just wanted to share with you examples of a high-carb/high-protein post-workout meal and a high-protein/high-fat breakfast meal on my non-workout days.  The first two meal pics were taken last Friday morning after my workout.  This was breakfast at Gilbert’s on Main Street in Old Bellevue.  I had a spinach and havarti cheese omelette with baby red potatoes, a blueberry bagel, a glass of all-natural Odwalla OJ, and a glass of water.

BUT, Rommel you said we should try to eliminate liquid calories, such as juices.  If you limit it to post-workout you’re usually in the clear, because your body can utilize the insulin spike to shuttle amino-acids into your muscle cells for recovery.  However, it shouldn’t be abused or it will backfire on you if your goals are fat loss.  There’s definitely a delicate ratio of carbs to protein that should be followed.

The photo below was my breakfast on Saturday at Hector’s in downtown Kirkland.  I think it’s called the “Protein Power” breakfast.  It’s a ground chuck and ground sirloin patty over a bed of steamed spinach, an egg on top, tomatoes, plus I added a small side-salad.  This meal has no starchy carbs, just antioxidant rich veggies, serious protein, and normal fats to go with it.  BUT, Rommel that’s a fatty meal!  Yes, but I didn’t combine it with starchy carbs, and according to Dr. Berardi and his Precision Nutrition system it’s all good!  More on his system next time.

90% of my nutrition adheres to “Protein plus Fat and Veggies/Fruit”  unless it’s post-workout, in which those meals are “Protein plus Starchy Carbs/Fruit”.  This is a system I’ve incorporated into my lifestyle since 2003, and for me this has been the most effective program.  The other 10%, well cheat meals of course!

Ok, this just made me hungry again, so see ya later, gonna chow on some muscle building protein!

- Rommel

Last Saturday I held a grocery store tour for a few clients.  As we approached the meat section one client mentioned that they’ve pretty much cut out red meat from their diet, that people should stay away from meat, it causes a lot of problems, it’s linked to cancer, and the “China Study” reveals why.

I agree and I disagree.  But let me explain something first.  The “China Study” was written by Dr. Colin Campbell – a well known vegan.  Of course he’s going to be anti-meat.  As my business partner, Belton, and I have stated numerous times, please consider the source.

Now I’m not completely bashing Dr. Campbell, because there are very good and legitimate points stated in his book.  However, there are way too many factors to consider before concluding that eating meat is the devil.  Yes there’s definitive evidence that links meat with increased cancer risk, but some factors to question are,

• The type of meat that was eaten – is it hormone pumped, grain fed beef? Or, naturally grass fed beef?
• Were the meats processed?
• How was the meat cooked? Grilled or Charred?  (Charred beef contains cancer causing carcinogens)
• What was eaten in combination with the beef? More saturated foods like cheeses? Or heart healthy whole grains and fruits and veggies?

Do you see my point yet?  Again, there are way too many things to consider, but let me simplify what I’ve learned from my own research, and in discussions with numerous nutrition experts.  It’s more about the way you combine your foods that will dictate your overall health and your physique.

We utilize these simple methods in our fat loss programs from Jayson Hunter, registered dietitian and Director of Research and Development for Prograde Nutrition:

• For each meal fulfill one serving for each category: lean protein, fibrous carbs (any fruits or veggies), starchy (but high fiber) carbs
• For starchy carbs do your best to choose whole, unprocessed grains such as whole grain or whole wheat breads, or other complex starchy carbs, such as sweet potatoes, yams, quinoa, and brown rice.
• Consume more healthy fats in the form of nuts, cold water fish, or supplementing with heart healthy, fat blasting essential fatty acids (we recommend Prograde’s EFA Icon, and read this blog to learn more about how essential fatty acids helps beat the battle of the bulge).
• Drink more water! We recommend a minimum of 64oz per day.

These methods are not rocket science, and they’re definitely not new.  The problem is that most people are oversimplifying the concepts (considering how we Americans tend to react to information, this isn’t surprising).  Remember the KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) principle?  Take small steps by focusing on one bullet point each week.  Master that bullet point then move on to the next.  I guarantee you do that and you’ll be seeing results in no time.

Now back to the issue of eating meat, if you love it don’t avoid it, just make sure to eat the naturally raised grass-fed beef, and eat more fruits and veggies to go with it.  Eating the right amounts of meat can be helpful in an overall supportive nutrition regimen.  Not only is good quality meat high in muscle-building protein, but it’s rich in iron, and energy producing B-vitamins.  Again, just make sure to add in high quality fruits and veggies for added antioxidants, and lots of fiber to round out your nutrition plan.

Yours in health,

Rommel

PS – If you’re not a participant in one of our fitness and fat loss programs and would like more information about the nutrition guidelines stated above, please fill out the form on our home page and we’ll send you our “Nutrition Crash Course” guide.

**Disclaimer: I am not a dietitian.  The dietary recommendations are
not intended as a substitute for any treatment or dietary regimen that
may have been prescribed by your physician.  If you have high
cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, or any other metabolic
disorder please discuss all nutritional changes with your physician or
a registered dietician.

This morning I was in a rush to head out to teach bootcamp and didn’t have time to make my normal breakfast of an omega-3 enriched egg omelette and oatmeal topped with almonds and dried fruit.  So I had to reach for my trusty shaker bottle, filled it up with water and threw in two scoops of Prograde Lean.  About two seconds into shaking it up I made a huge mess, because I forgot to secure the cap and about a fourth of my shake went splashing all over the kitchen floor – AARGH!!!

I was so pissed, but calmed myself quickly knowing that I had to get to the club asap.  I noticed as I was cleaning my mess up that I really wasn’t in the mood for a meal replacement shake and wanted my REAL breakfast.

Why am I telling you this story?  Well, I wanted – yet again – to stress the importance of breakfast to you and how crucial it is to achieving great results, especially in regards to positively changing your body composition (or, in the words of most of my clients “lose belly fat”).

On my drive over I was like, “Gosh, this shake is so boring right now!”  So I figured my blog title would express that in some way.  But do NOT take this message lightly.

“You have to eat breakfast!”  I know you’ve heard it a many times, and this message is nothing new.  But do you have any idea how many people I talk to on a daily basis that DO NOT eat breakfast?  It’s a lot!  And the worst thing is that at least 70% of these people that admit this to me are overweight.

Look, I know a lot of people either don’t have much time in the morning or are just not that hungry after waking up, but you’ve got to find alternatives to feeding your body some quality nutrients in the morning.

Consider this analogy – You go to work every day, because you need to earn a good income, provide for your family with a comfortable home, food to eat, and enjoy other luxuries.  You do this because you NEED the RESULT of this effort, right?

Well, Ok, then IF you want to burn fat, feel better and have more energy you NEED to eat breakfast every morning. Period. End of discussion.

Some things are boring, such as the shake I had this morning. Some things just have to be done to get the result you want. For those of you that want to burn fat all day long, breakfast is just one of those things.

Yours in health,

Rommel

As fitness experts, you know we’ll never promise you a pill is going to be the answer to that “jiggle in your wiggle.” If you want six pack abs you’re going to have to work for them.

BUT…

There is some very promising research out there in regards to a dietary supplement you’ve probably been hearing a lot about.

Yes, I’m talking about Essential Fatty Acids. You probably have heard them called something like Fish Oil pills.

How’s this for good news?!

*University of Georgia researchers have found something pretty amazing about Essential Fatty Acid supplements containing DHA. Get this: The actually help STOP the conversion of pre-fat cells into fat cells by causing them to die out before they can mature.

Once a pre-fat cell becomes a fat cell, well, there’s no turning back. You’ve got that fat cell for life. Imagine, actually decreasing the accumulation of fat by taking an Essential Fatty Acid supplement containing DHA!

Now let us do our best infomercial voice for you…

“But wait, there’s more!”

Seriously, that’s not the only benefit of Essential Fatty Acid supplements containing DHA.

According to studies** done at the University of South Australia people that combined exercise with Essential Fatty Acid supplements containing DHA saw greater fat loss than the test group that only exercised and did not take the supplement.

How can you not be excited by these research studies??

Now, personally, we don’t like Fish Oil pills because they cause you to burp like crazy. If you’ve ever taken them you know exactly what we mean. And they aren’t always the highest quality.

We prefer EFA Icon from Prograde Nutrition because they use Krill Oil. It’s been found to be a superior source of Essential Fatty Acids containing DHA. Plus, with EFA Icon there are NO fish burps. And we haven’t even mentioned all the amazing health benefits from this dietary supplement.

If you’re looking to accelerate your fat loss results then we recommend you go with Prograde Nutrition’s EFA Icon. You can get it here, http://element5fitness.getprograde.com/icon

Yours in rapid fat loss,

Rommel and Belton – Element 5 Fitness

PS – Remember, EFA Icon is NOT a miracle solution. You will need sound nutrition and exercise. BUT the research is there. It’s definitely a supplement with powerful fat loss properties.
http://element5fitness.getprograde.com/icon

* Journal of Nutrition, Vol. 136:2965-2969
** American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 85:1267-1274

Do you keep a fitness journal?

Are you serious about your fitness goals? If you are and are maintaining some kind of journaling then keep it up! If not, what are you thinking? Seriously, let me ask you this. Within your occupation if you have an important deadline for a specific task you would formulate a plan of action and track progress wouldn’t you? Because if you didn’t you’d probably be in a world of hurt from your superiors and you can say goodbye to that possible promotion.

Over the years I’ve noticed that 8 maybe 9 out of 10 people maintain a fitness journal successfully. I’ll admit it’s hard, but when it comes to your health and fitness it’s going to be your secret weapon to finally achieving your goals. Most of my clients respond with, “How can a fitness journal be my secret weapon?” Here are my reasons,

* Accountability
* Tracking and monitoring nutrition and how certain foods make you feel
* Tracking milestones such as measurements, weight lost, muscle gained, etc.
* Monitoring workouts that actually deliver results
* Monitoring recovery

As you take notes and monitor everything you will find that you will reach your goals in an efficient manner, which translates into achieving results without having to spend too much time on your fitness regimen. No matter what the goal you should never be without a fitness journal. Here are five tips to doing it right.

1. KEEP IT PORTABLE & SIMPLE – I keep a small spiral notepad in my gym bag at all times. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy like the ones you buy at the bookstores. Stick with a simple notepad and don’t try to overanalyze it.

2. RECORD EVERYTHING – I like to record all of my nutrition on the left or front side of the sheet, and my workouts on the right or back side of the sheet. I also record how I felt after each workout, and sometimes on specific sets that just seemed harder that day. Tracking the details allows you to monitor the need to change your routine, stress and the possibility of overtraining, or undertraining (which is the unfortunate reality of most gym goers, not enough intensity).

3. PSYCHE YOURSELF UP – It’s always good practice to look at your accomplishments from the previous week to decide how much more you’re going to try to do this week. Maybe it’s increasing your weights by 5-10lbs or using the same weight as last week, but doing more reps. Just as long as it still fits within the overall goal of the program.

4. YOUR WORKOUT ENCYCLOPEDIA – Using previous journals as workout encyclopedia’s in order to study which workouts produced certain results is key in maintaining a “fitness lifestyle”. The human body typically adapts within 3-4 weeks to most workout routines (some more, some less) so referencing previous journals, and then planning out which workouts to use over then next 3-6 months is a great way to accomplish new goals.

5. KEEP IT GOING – If you’re serious about achieving your fitness goals then this should be easy. Especially, when six months from now you read it and notice how much you’ve improved. Keeping it going won’t seem like such a hassle anymore.

So again I ask, “Do you keep a workout journal?”

Like/hate what you read? Have a reaction? Please share your thoughts below!

- Rommel

View my blog

I was asked a great question this morning from one of our dedicated male boot campers about doing extra cardio after the boot camp in order to burn more calories. I applaud him for wanting to do some extra work, but I cautioned him that it would be counterproductive in several ways. Now I gave him the cliff notes version, but I will provide you several reasons why extra cardio and just traditional cardio in general is counterproductive, especially in regards to losing bodyfat.

But before I go any further, please understand that I don’t completely dismiss cardio as a fitness tool. It’s a must for addressing metabolic disorders, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, and is a necessary tool when training for long duration events such as a marathon. However, for losing weight and body fat, cardio is just plain inneffective. Here’s why:

Studies have shown that results plateau after 8-weeks

When you apply stress to the body it tries to find a way to adapt to the stress as fast as it can. The human body hates to be energy inefficient so it will adapt accordingly to become energy efficient. Basically, if you used to burn 500 calories during a 30-minute run, after 8-weeks your body has adapted and you may now only burn 400 calories during those 30-minutes. Your heart health is improving and becoming more efficient, however the ability to burn calories is decreased.

It decreases muscle strength and power

This is associated with the type of stress put on to the working muscles. There are slow-twitch muscle fibers and fast-twitch muscle fibers. Slow-twitch muscle fibers are normally referred to as our endurance muscle fibers or Type 1 fibers, and fast-twitch muscle fibers are normally referred to as our strength/power muscle fibers, or Type 2 fibers. The more continuous cardio you do causes your slow-twitch fibers to dominate the adaptation process. Slow-twitch fibers produces the least amount of force, but are very energy efficient.

Fast-twitch fibers are classified under two types, Type 2a and 2b. Type 2a fibers are a hybrid of Type 1 and Type 2b. Because of the hybrid characteristics if more aerobic work is done then Type 2a’s will behave more like Type 1’s, and on the flip side if more strength is done then they will behave more like Type 2b’s. Type 2a fibers are also most responsible for increases in muscle gain. To illustrate, who has more body fat an Olympic sprinter or a marathoner? Most people would answer the marathoner because on the outside they look lean and thin. However, many strength coaches have demonstrated that when measuring the body fat of a sprinter versus a marathoner, the sprinters have less body fat.

Type 2b fibers are most responsible for generating all out power, but are highly inefficient and depending on the type of strength training you are doing Type 2b’s can convert to Type 2a’s. Let’s compare again a sprinter and a marathoner, who has more strength and power? This should be obvious in that sprinters are explosive and have good muscle mass.
Simply put, cardio can make your body slow and weak.

It increases oxidative stress

Oxidation is a process in which free radicals form in the body. With adequate amounts of antioxidants in your nutrition this shouldn’t be a problem, because you’re body will normally neutralize the effects of free radicals. However, if the body is exposed to too much free radicals, which is produced by excessive cardio then you’re body will have an extremely difficult time combating this process. Too much oxidative stress has shown to accelerate aging!

Can impede proper hormonal function

First, too much cardio can stress your adrenal glands, which are responsible for the delicate balance of hormones. Fatigue the adrenal glands and you’ll quickly experience symptoms such as chronic fatigue, insomnia, decrease in ability focus on tasks, anxiety, and decreased immunity just to name a few.
Secondly, it can negatively affect testosterone and cortisol ratio’s. If the testosterone/cortisol ratio is lowered your ability to build muscle is decreased. Why? Because, muscle is essentially your metabolism. The more muscle you have the more calories you can burn. The inability to build more muscle simply makes your ability to lose weight harder.

Are you experiencing any of the negative effects stated above? Are you finding your hitting a fitness plateau? Take a good look at your workouts and observe the ratio of cardio to strength training. You might just be wasting your time and efforts if you’re trying to lose weight.

Goodness gracious!! Element 5 Fitness clients are psycho! I’m afraid as a trainer. Be very afraid if you plan on joining our fitness minded group. I don’t think my safety is compromised, but let me tell you why I think our clients are psychotic!

It all started on Thursday snow day at 4:45 a.m. There was ALOT of snow. It actually started early that morning and filled up the landscape and caused numerous problems all over the Northwest. I received numerous emails and texts about concerns whether class or training sessions are still on that morning. Never mind their safety, these people are fitness focused and passionate about working out! They wanted their Strong and Sexy Bootcamp to continue. Wow! I was impressed. Although we did cancel our class as the gym eventually closed, I was keeping people up to date like a weatherman/fitness newscaster. These people were determined.

It reminds me of a phrase I saw at my martial arts training studio…”SEVEN DAYS WITHOUT TRAINING MAKES ONE WEAK!!!” It sure seemed like they absorbed that mantra as their motto for the week. (Feel the pun?)

On Friday, I sent out a home-based workout for those who wanted to stay active while they were cooped up. They had their mini at home Strong and Sexy Bootcamp. I called it the P (1/2 of) 90X workout. (Hehe, must be because it was only 45 minutes instead of 90 and just as hard if not harder) Finally, Rommel and I gave in to the peer passion pressure and decided we were going to brave the weather and road conditions to fulfill our clients’ fitness cravings for Saturday 8am Strong and Sexy Bootcamps.

As saturday rolls around, and previously closed roads in Redmond and Bellevue open up and the chaos SLIGHTLY clears up, I decide to roll out with my All Wheel Drive to the gym for the 8am class. It was slick, icy, and scary watching others try to attempt to drive beside you, in front of you, and behind you around turns, and up or down hills. I honestly did not expect that many people to show up on that dreadful morning, but six people turned up! It was quite the morning. Let me explain:

Out of the six people, Theresa who was pregnant, worked out with galoshes for the first 30 minutes due to forgetting her shoes. We had her friend Sandra drive from Seattle, swing by her house, and pick up her shoes before coming to the gym to join in on the workout. Heather walked to the gym as a warm-up to get her workout in and walked home afterwards. Dena came in slightly sick, but dedicated herself to taking on the workout. Molly came in to join the fun, and later switched vehicles with her husband and the kids so he can then workout with me after her bootcamp class. Matt braved the snow to be the only gentleman representing the males and kept up with these hardcore females!

Wasn’t I right? Our clients are Psycho…in a good way! Maybe I should say Psycho Passionate! It was fun and quite the laughs.
Here is that workout I sent out. It may be somewhat modified but here it is. On a sidenote, did you know back at Oregon State University we did a segment on home workouts? We took some film and radio class to learn how to produce a show. Originally we were going to call it the Beaver show spinning off that Comedy Central ”Man Show”. We sent out the proposal but it got turned down. Weird… But we created a fitness show instead. Anyways, on with the quick workout:

- A1 Pushups 20 reps

- A2 Bent over Rows using Gallon jugs of water or milk

- A3 Tabata Squats 20 seconds fast, 10 second rest, and repeat 3 times

- Repeat the above three A exercises 3 or 4 sets…its a nonstop fast sequence

- B1 Step out alternating lunges 30 total 40 max with water jug vertical press

- B2 Plank hold 60 seconds

- B3 20 Crunches

- B4 Reverse crunches aka butt lifts aka reverse curls aka you know!

- Repeat B exercises 3 or 4 sets Nonstop fast sequence!

- A and B should take 30 minutes

Cardio Time:

- 30 seconds split shuffles

- 30 seconds ice skaters

- 30 seconds jumpsquats

- 30 seconds in place high knee runs

- 30 seconds jumping jacks

- 30 seconds slalom hops

- 30 seconds wideouts (jump in feet together and jumpout wide while staying low and hands behind head)

- 30 seconds wall sit

- Rest 30-60 seconds and repeat 3 times the whole cardio series ALL 8 OF THEM IN A ROW!!!

Be Safe, Have Fun, Happy Holidays, and the next time your indoors…Try the above workouts. No snow can stop you! In fact you might burn so much calories and core temperature reach a pretty high level you can stand out on your driveway and melt the snow!

Belton Lubas

I’ve been a fitness professional in the Eastside since 2004 (with 10 years in the industry), and many of my clients and people who know me well understand that I don’t agree with most people’s New Year’s Resolutions in regards to their fitness goals.

There are many reasons why I don’t agree, but I’m going to share my top three with you today. First, allow me to ask you a really big question: What is honestly going to be so different in your life next year that you cannot take action today? Maybe I’m being a little harsh during the holidays, but seriously, I think most resolutions are an excuse and a means to justify and delay action steps that we all know deep down should be acted on today.

Here are my reasons:

1. Psychological justification.
Most people will do whatever they want for the rest of the year in order to justify that next year they’ll be focused and finally achieve the fitness goals they dream of. The unfortunate reality is that the average weight gain from Thanksgiving till Christmas is 12lbs. That’s enough weight gain to ruin your whole year’s efforts. Is it really worth it?

2. Not revisiting your health and fitness goals every 2-3 months.
It’s a good idea to make the necessary adjustments to your health and fitness routine with the changing of the seasons. We tend to decorate our homes with the change of the seasons and it’s great for the psyche to do the same with your health and fitness goals. Restructure and reorganize your routine to meet the daily needs of the upcoming season.

For example, just about everyone is out and about during the summer months reaping the rewards of our efforts in the earlier part of the year. When fall comes we tend to slow down because the year is winding down and then when winter hits we pretty much proceed into a mental hibernation. However, this mental hibernation is usually not supportive of their fitness goals. This is why it should be a priority to revisit your goals with each season to make sure you restructure it accordingly for you to manage and engage appropriately so that you always stay on track.

3. Because you ALWAYS have an opportunity this very moment.
It really doesn’t take much effort to make a dramatic difference in your health right now. If you haven’t exercised in a while, start with a 15-minute walk three times per week for 2 weeks, and then crank it up to 30-minute workouts including strength training starting the third week. Don’t be fooled by the “Exercise at least 5 hours/week of cardio and 2+ days of weight training”. Anyone can easily become more fit in just 15-30 minutes three times per week. That’s 1.5 hours per week at the most! Who wouldn’t want that kind of fitness schedule?

Anyway, there really is no reason to wait until the New Year . You’re good enough RIGHT NOW, and you’re worth it!

PS…Click here to learn some damage control strategies for the rest of the holidays.