Exercise is Beneficial at Every Age

Last week, my family received some disturbing news about my 80-year-old mother's health — but exercise provided better treatment options for her and her doctors.

She was complaining of poor balance and loss of dexterity, and her doctor referred her to a neurologist. They did find some issues – but, instead of pursuing an invasive procedure, the doctor prescribed rehab and a regular yoga class.

As a result, my mother's neuromuscular functions have improved and the doctor has taken the procedure option off the table. Good news all around.

The moral to this story is: do not neglect your fitness at any age.

It's Not the Certification, It's the Trainer

There has been much debate lately on which personal training certification is better to have: A.C.E. (American Council on Exercise) or NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine).

Both of these certifications are excellent, but I find neither of them to be all comprehensive.
In my opinion, A.C.E.'s biggest weakness is in the organization's conservative program design. Most of their program design comes from the American College of Sports Medicine, which is a very safe path — and is exactly what a novice trainer needs.

NASM follows the stability, strength and power stages of fitness, progressing a client from one ability level to the next. This gives the trainer a bit more leeway in the program design process.

NASM is famous for using a squat test assessment to find muscular imbalances in clients. This is a great tool, and I use this test on a very regular basis. That being said, there is a major weakness in the way trainers present this test. Depending on the clients body positions or flaws, NASM philosophy is that the imbalance could be in one of two places in the body, making it necessary to perform more evaluations on the client to pinpoint the imbalance. (This process needs to be more refined in order for it to be used more effectively.)

ACE's tests of separate body parts may take some extra time, but there is no guesswork — or need for additional tests — to identify the imbalance. (I know I used really broad terms here, but that is so I don't bore anyone to tears —or worse, suicide.)

All of this information is for the trainer. Now, what does this mean for you, the client?
Absolutely nothing. Are you going to care how your trainer comes to the conclusion on which of your muscle are tight, or which ones need more strengthening? Probably not. What's important is not what process you use, but the results you obtain.

On two separate occasions recently, I was able to see firsthand two new trainers with the same certifications (though not all four having the same certification) apply their knowledge.
I saw huge differences in the trainers' abilities — which brings up an even more important rule for the client: talent, not certification, makes the trainer. Don't choose a trainer solely on education and certification alone. Watch how the trainers at your gym work out with their clients, and ask gym employees whose opinions you value which trainers they would choose. Give your trainer a chance, but if you aren't getting the results, don't be afraid to try someone new.

Bottom line is this: certification is meaningless if your trainer is not getting you results. The true test of a trainer is how that knowledge is applied.

The Yolk's on You!

I recently purchased The 150 Healthiest Foods on The Planet by Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., CNS, and there is so much good stuff in this book I can't begin to fit it all here.

One of the many things worth mentioning is that egg yolks are good for you.

That's right, you heard me: no more egg white omelets. You can have the benefits and the flavor. The essential nutrient in the egg yolk, choline, "actually prevents the accumulation of cholesterol and fat in the liver," according to Bowden.

Also, according to the book, choline forms a metabolite in the body called betain, which helps lower homocysteine, a risk factor for heart disease.

Homocysteine is an amino acid that is found in plasma. If these levels are too high in the plasma, this could cause an increased risk of coronary heart disease, stroke or peripheral vascular disease, according to the American Heart Association.

Eggs also are rated as "one of the best sources of protein on the planet," with the quality of the protein outranking milk, beef, whey and soy.

I was discussing this egg yolk story with a client friend of mine. His exact words were: "If the egg is where chickens come from and the chickens are good food for our bodies, then the egg has to good. The only thing healthier would be a stem cell smoothie."

So the next time you think, "Eggs," think, "Yolks, too."

If you think this is good, read the book and we'll discuss why dandelions should be in our salads.

Let's Try Golf

Okay, here is my story:

Last June, my family met in Florida for some R&R. My brother Martin and I wanted to play some golf — nothing fancy, just a pitch-and-putt golf course. I was embarrassed by how poorly I played.

So what I haven't held a golf club in 30 years. So what every time I swung, someone almost perished.

And the duck I hit: delicious.

Anyway, Chris and I were shopping at a local Salvation Army (which, by the way, is a great kept secret for books and movie buyers) (Chris says, "Not anymore....") and lo and behold, we came across a set of golf clubs for $60, including the bag. I thought, "Heck, for that money, even when I start to wrap them around a tree I won't feel too terrible."

After some practice, broken windows, horrified mothers and more dead poultry, I purchased the book Golf for Dummies. (I guess I should have done that first.) Magically, I acquired some mad golf skills. (When I say "mad golf skills," I mean "I actually made contact with the ball.") It helps to get some tips and tricks from a pro.

A few months later, I mentioned to a friend that I am trying to play golf. He mentioned that he had a set of clubs he hadn't used in 10 years, and generously offered them to me.

I took said clubs to the driving range.

My friend neglected to tell me the clubs had magical properties — or maybe he didn't know about that, otherwise he would probably still be playing. I teed up the first ball and really whacked the crap out of it.

I think I will keep his clubs — they fit me to a tee, so to speak. (I hope he doesn't read this or he may want them back.)

The moral to this story is: if you are going to take up golf, go the pro shop first and get clubs custom fit for you. This could save a lot of lives, poultry and frustration.

The True Effects of Exercise and Weight Loss

Today, two of my clients gave me an interesting article: "Why Exercise Won't Make You Thin" by John Cloud (Time, August 9, 2009), in which the author states that weight loss usually does not occur when people exercise.

Needless to say, I take exception to this.

The author cited multiple medical studies in support of this conclusion. In a nutshell, the studies showed that weight loss was not typical for people in three different groups: sedentary people, fairly active people and those working with a personal trainer for an hour or more a day.

The author noted that, in many cases, people who regularly work out feel more hungry — which is true — and people who are hungry naturally eat. However, he concluded that if exercise makes you more hungry, you will eat more — and if you eat more, you won't lose weight.

This is not necessarily an accurate conclusion.

There are two important keys to weight loss the author did not seem to take into account:

• Calorie deficit — 3,500 calories equals a pound. You will gain one pound for every 3,500 calories you ingest above what you burn. Burn 3,500 calories more than you take in, you lose a pound.
• Raise your metabolism — eat five times a day, get enough sleep and drinking sufficient fluids.
  

I suspect the people in the studies were not monitored for sufficient sleep and fluid intake. They also probably ate three bigger meals, rather than five smaller meals. They might also have failed to eat light snacks after their workouts, which lowers the number of calories eaten at meals and cuts down on total daily calorie intake.

The author states that doctors recommended exercise to their patients for weight loss. With such dismal responses from the exercise study, why would doctors be so in favor of exercise for their patients? Drum roll please: because in addition to burning extra calories (remember that whole 3,500 calorie thing?), it's good for developing balance, building strength and improving overall daily living. In addition to recommending exercise to their patients, I am sure the doctors also discussed lifestyle changes and diet.

No doctor believes exercise alone is a prescription for weight loss. Even infomercials for exercise plans and fitness devices post disclaimers that include a nutrition plan and (subtly) remind viewers that the more fantastic results are not typical for most consumers.

In this Time article, the author correctly states that the people in the studies who filled out diet journals lost more weight than those who didn't keep a journal. Thinking about what you eat before you eat it definitely aids in cutting down on calories.

Trainers and doctors agree: exercise by itself is not the be-all and end-all to weight loss. (If it were, I am sure everyone would have gym memberships and personal trainers.) Without controlling calorie intake, getting enough sleep and drinking enough water, you most likely will not lose weight, no matter your exercise level.

Trainers assist you in this endeavor by providing more interesting and intense workouts than you would most likely provide yourself, which helps burn more calories and hopefully provides a calorie-deficit situation that allows for the possibility of weight loss. They also help you monitor your fluids and sleep, as well as other habits that might not be conducive to your goals.

In conclusion, the article was interesting, but misleading. Weight loss depends on multiple factors that need to all be considered for success.

Total Body Workout vs. Splits

This is a great topic for debate, and a question I am asked quite often:

What is more effective: total body workout three or four times a week or training different body parts on different days of the week?

I am not sure if one is necessarily better than the other.... but they are different.

I am a huge fan of the overall body workout when I am hard-pressed for time. This also is great for weight loss and is a great way to train for overall fitness. When done at a good pace with no rest between sets, it really elevates the heart rate.

Where this type of workout falls short, however, is when people stick to one set of exercises per muscle group. For muscle hypertrophy (muscle enlargement), lifters need to overload their muscles. I personally feel that true gains in muscle mass come from different types of exercise for any given muscle group.

The more exercises we do, the better the neuromuscular response and the more muscle fibers are activated. Once we do that, we become stronger. When that occurs, we can lift more weight. Lifting more weight makes us bigger.

This being said, I prefer body splits for size because it allows lifters to be more thorough with each body part.

This does not mean you can't get bigger on a whole body workout. However, personally, I find it less effective.

Both workouts have their place. Just be mindful of what you are trying to accomplish so you can get the results you want.

Keeping Your Eyes on the Client's Goals

Sometimes trainers get caught up in what we think is best for our clients.

The clients may have poor balance, or we may notice an imbalance in their backs. It is our job to design programs that correct these problems.

However, we should not be arrogant enough to place what we think the client needs above the client's goals.

There are different protocols for exercise programming depending on the trainer's certification, and trainers should not lose sight of that. I don't advocate ignoring our teachings, but instead, trainers should take take that book knowledge and meld that to the client's needs.

Here is an example: the client is sedentary and his only concern is weight loss. The trainers will recognize that the client needs core work and will try to prioritize core work for the first few weeks before moving on to the weight loss portion of the program. In all likelihood, this may not please the client, who will feel slighted and very well could get upset.

One solution would be to implement core based circuit training. Many exercises that center on the stability ball or Bosu ball are multi-muscle group, muti-planer exercises. While doing these exercises, the client's heart rate will, no doubt, be elevated. They will definitely perspire and no doubt will lose weight.

Crunches on a stability ball may not impress to your client that you are getting the job done — but one set of crunches mixed with bicep curls, chest press or a medicine ball toss followed by one set of stability ball squats will get the job done.

Clients also need to be clear and communicate with their trainers. Clearly state your goals, and discuss how the two of you can meet them together. Never assume the trainer can read your mind, or knows what you think your work areas should be. We may be all-knowing, but giving us a clue gets us to your goals quicker.

The same rules apply for those of us who train ourselves. Don't get hung up on the same old, same old. Keep in mind what you need to accomplish. Are you after fitness improvements or are you going for the sexy? Before you even step into the gym, plan ahead and figure out what you need to accomplish. Then ask yourself, "Am I getting the results I want?" This will help keep you on track.