Beware of Toning Shoes

23 07 2010

You should see my butt after wearing these shoes for 2 weeks!

The American Council on Exercise released results this week of an independent study on the effectiveness of toning shoes.  I know this will anger some of my readers because I know some of you wear these shoes!  The study showed no evidence that the shoes can help you exercise more intensely, burn more calories, or improve muscle strength or tone.   For the full study results go here:  http://www.acefitness.org/getfit/studies/toningshoes072010.pdf

The manufacturers tout their own studies that “prove” the benefits of their shoes, but really, how do you trust a study done by the maker of the shoe.  Do you think they would release a study that showed their sneakers did no more than any other sneaker?

A big problem I have with these products is that even if they did work there is no way to progress.  Let me explain- the human body responds to progressive resistance.  As you get stronger, you must challenge yourself more.  If these shoes did make your butt or legs stronger, then your body would adapt in a week or two and then no more benefit for you.

I’m just not a big fan of anything to alters your normal gait- this includes common running shoes that supposedly help with pronation, supination, flat feet etc.  In my mind, these shoes are just crutches.  If you really have a problem with your foot, don’t just put a shoe on it and hope it will get better.  Fix your foot.  Is it even a problem with your foot or does your foot flatten because there is a problem at your hip?  You would get better results and probably feel better if you explored the root of the problem and not just a symptom.

The study did reveal one positive attribute to the shoes- the ability to get some sedentary folks of their butts and moving more.  So, if you are in that group, great.  However, don’t buy into the marketing hype that these shoes will cure all that ails you.  You won’t miraculously lose weight and get stronger just by putting on a pair of shoes.  You do have to do some work, even if it is just walking more.  Sorry to be Danny Downer today but if it sounds too good to be true, it is.  Losing weight and getting in shape takes work, dedication and effort.   Beware of the quick fix, as they are all just marketing and promises.   To lighten the mood, I give you my newest favorite infomercial…..  The Shake Weight!


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Categories : Equipment, Exercises, Just for Fun, Motivation

My Workout

22 07 2010

This used to be a favorite of mine

I’m asked what my workouts are like all the time.  So I decided a good post would be to share what my workouts are like as of late.  Before I get into the details, I’d like to tell you some of the general principles I follow to design workouts for myself and my clients.

I don’t do bodybuilding type workouts.  Ex. Chest day, Leg day, Chest and Triceps, etc.  This style of workout is only good for one population- bodybuilders.  So unless you are preparing for a bodybuilding competition stop working out like this!

I don’t do long, slow bouts of cardiovascular exercise.  I don’t have the time and this style of exercise is very inefficient.

I very rarely do any isolation exercises.  I consider an isolation exercise one that only works one muscle group at a time.  Examples are most circuit machines at a gym, such as a leg extension or bicep curl.  Muscles don’t work in isolation in the real world so I don’t train them that way.

I break my workouts into very simple categories: 1.  Push  2. Pull   3. Core  and 4. Legs.  Each of these can be broken down into more detail but basically these 4 categories define my workouts.  Pushing exercises work chest, shoulders and triceps.  Pulling exercises work back and biceps.  Core exercises work the abs, back and hips.  Leg exercises work everything from the waist down.  Keep in mind this is a simplified description but you should get the idea.

I do high intensity interval training for cardiovascular exercise.  Interval training is simply alternating between periods of high intensity and low intensity.  You can vary the amount of time you are exercising and how long you are resting to create a number of challenging workouts.

These are just some of my guiding principles but with these guidelines I have built my current workout which is perfect for me now.  Here is a sample week:

Monday:  Lower Body

  • Squats
  • Deadlifts
  • Walking Lunges
  • Stability Ball Leg Curl

Tuesday: Intervals

Treadmill or Airdyne Bike (this bike has a fan on the front which is perfect for interval training since the faster I go the more challenging the exercise is)   30 second sprint followed by a 90 second slow recovery.  I repeat this 8-10 times which takes about 20 minutes.

Wednesday: Upper Body

  • Dumbbell Press
  • Bent Over Row
  • Pull Ups
  • Dips
  • Overhead Press

Thursday: Intervals

Treadmill   60 second sprint followed by a 60 second slower recovery.  Notice I increase the sprint time and decrease the recovery time to make this day more challenging.  Repeat 8-10 times.

Friday:  Full Body

  • Single Leg Deadlift
  • Side Squat
  • Planks
  • Side Planks
  • Push Ups
  • Pull Ups

Saturday: Intervals

Bike, Treadmill, Pool, etc.  90 seconds high intensity with 120 seconds of recovery time.  The longer high intensity period requires a longer recovery period.  Repeat 4-6 times.

Sunday:  Rest

This workout fits my life perfectly right now.  Strength training on one day and cardio on the next.  If I miss a cardio day I don’t mind tacking it on to the end of one of my strength training sessions.  The 3 day split for strength training (Lower Body, Upper Body, and Full Body) are broad enough categories that I can swap out exercises but specific enough that I work all my muscle groups at least once a week.

I will do this workout for 2-4 weeks and then change some exercises and tweak interval times but the skeleton will remain the same.  This is one of many ways to split up your workouts during a week.  This is a confusing topic so if you have any questions please ask me in the comments section.


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Smaller Plates = Smaller Waistlines?

19 07 2010

Pass the Carrots Please....

I read this post today on www.coreperformance.com and had to share it with all my readers.  If you want an easy way to lose weight, then put all your food on smaller plates!  Here is the post:

Switch to Small Plates

Joe Kita June 30, 2010

A month ago when I committed to eating every meal from 10-inch plates or 6-inch bowls, I was skeptical. Although there’s a significant body of research showing that downsizing dinnerware promotes portion control and weight loss, it seemed gimmicky.

But I stuck with it and, before long, the experiment gained momentum. My smaller dinnerware led to smaller silverware, which led to smaller glassware, which ultimately culminated in trying to eat drive-thru fast food in a SmartCar. In the end, I weighed in 4 pounds lighter for the month without having changed any other aspect of my diet. That’s right, I didn’t reduce fat, cut carbs, or swear off sweets. I simply used smaller implements to eat.

In the 25 years I’ve been reporting on health, this is one of the easiest, most effective small changes I’ve ever encountered for weight loss. In fact, I’m not going back. Everybody else in my house is doing it, and our big plates and bowls have now been relegated to the same cabinet as the Ginsu knife, Slap Chop, Fry Daddy, and other long-discarded kitchen items.

If you’re considering giving it a try, here are some things to keep in mind:

It’ll make you a more mindful eater. This was actually my top goal for the month—to slow down my shoveling and be satisfied with less. And although I still have a way to go to achieve this, it’s a great start. The more mindful you become of what you put in your mouth, the less you’ll struggle with weight control.

It’s easy to get carried away with the concept. You can take this strategy in all sorts of directions. Use smaller serving spoons in casserole dishes. Reach for smaller knives to spread cream cheese and butter. Grate your cheeses. Slice steaks and other meats into smaller pieces. Buy kids’ sizes of packaged food. A downsizing mindset is contagious.

Beware of tapas restaurants. At first glance, these trendy establishments where you share a variety of appetizer-size dishes seem to perfectly mesh with the small-plate strategy. But I found it’s actually worse than dining at a conventional restaurant. You’re with friends, you’re having cocktails, everything looks so good, and before you know it you’ve ordered even more than you normally would.

Unfortunately, a lot of stuff doesn’t come on plates. This is especially true of fast food, which comes in wrappers, boxes and cartons, as if intentionally trying to confuse our sense of proportion. If you absolutely must indulge, bring the sack home and eat only what fits on a 10-inch plate or, if that’s not possible, rip the wrapper into a similar-sized circle and do the same.

Correction: My Ford F150 has 8 cup holders, not 6. Since my last blog, I found two more in the door panels. Where else might they lurk? Under the hood for the mechanic?

I’m downsizing my dogs’ bowls next. I just read some advice that pets live longer and stay healthier if fed 30% less. So my fat Jacks (Jack Russells, that is) are next. I’ll be putting less food in smaller bowls from now on. If they’re anything like me, I suspect there won’t be any stomach growling.

Core Performance is another great resource for all your wellness needs.  Check it out!


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Categories : Behavior Change, Just for Fun, Nutrition

Biggest Loser Neighborhood Edition

14 07 2010

Neighborhood Edition

3 weeks without a blog post- this is long overdue!  I can see that occasionally my blog will take a back seat to family, work and just life in general and that is fine because family comes first.  I had a great vacation and fourth of July- very relaxing and lots of family fun time.

Today’s post is about a little friendly competition that a friend and neighbor of mine put together to spark some weight loss and healthy behavior between friends (Nice work Karen!) The idea is simple- all involved pay $25 to participate, we weigh in weekly and the winner in the end gets all the money.  Money is a great motivator!

I’ve seen this type of competition work in many different settings: work, family and between friends.  Besides the money involved, we now have a group of people committed to the same goal and a support group if needed to help us reach that goal.   The weekly weigh-ins add some accountability to the mix.   Pretty nice benefits for a program that took a few emails and a step on the scale to get started.

I am participating because I have some pounds that I’ve wanted to shed for about 3 years now but haven’t.  I gained some weight when my wife was pregnant with my son and it’s time for the extra weight to go.  I’m going to use the program as a little extra motivation to reach my goals.  Yes, even personal trainers need to lose some weight from time to time.

A competition like this is a great way for you to get your friends, family or co-workers together to be healthier.  Support is one of the key aspects to successful weight loss programs and this is an easy way to build support.  I’ll be curious to see how we all do and I’ll keep you posted!


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Categories : Behavior Change, Just for Fun, Motivation, Nutrition


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