Jersey Shore AIDS Walk

The Core

My interpetation of the "core" differs greatly from conventional thought. The core, for me, consists of the entire body from top to bottom, left to right and front to back. There aren't many activities - recreational, athletic or functional - that don't include the whole body to some degree so why just make one area a priority.

TrapBar Deadlift

This exercise works all the muscles of the body...and then some...no need for cardio training after a set of these babies.

GIve Up Some TV Time

According to Nielsen Media Research, the average person watches four hours, 35 minutes of television each day (275 minutes). To me, those numbers seem excessive, but I’m sure most people catch at least 60 minutes each day (and more on the weekends). If an individual were to give up 60 minutes a week (and I’m allowing for some drive time here as well) of their TV time and engage in a properly planned exercise program, they could achieve significant strength and cardiovascular benefits – as well as an all-important better shaped body.

Buddy Rows with Resistance Bands

Buddy Rows with Resistance Bands

This exercise works the muscles of the back, biceps, forearms as well as the legs and midsection.

Natural Interval Training

Sunday’s I usually darn my weight vest and take my dog, Angel, for a walk at one of the local parks by my home. I use a vest primarily because I gain no real value of just meandering along on a walk and prefer a little more of a stimulating challenge. It’s also a great reminder to me of how it felt when I was lugging around all that extra weight years ago….but that’s another story for another time.

At this time of year (winter) and because Angel and I go out so very early morning, there are very few people in the park and therefore, I let her off the leash to romp around as I walk the park. If it snows (which we’ve had a ton of this year), we’ll trudge through the accumulation and encounter one helluva an adventure. As we take in the fresh air and sunrise, I watch her innate behavior as she sniffs this and that, pees here and there, sprints to here next spot and just has a good ‘ole time being outside and moving around. Interesting are her instinctive movement patterns that enable her to do our 3+ miles without her ever really getting tired as she is now pushing 9 years of age. Because of her intermittent bouts of sniffing, peeing, walking and sprinting so naturally, she has a built-in capacity to handle this workload as she would otherwise not as proof of when my wife takes her for a two mile run and she’s “dog tired”. However, when we’re done, she comes into the house and heads right outside the back door to play around some more. It’s apparent that she recovers well from her exercise as she isn’t panting when we’re done and she is able to be relaxed and breathing normally as soon as she lay’s down. In addition to her ability to have this recovery ability, this exercise pattern is a lot less stressful on her joints, pads and of course, her heart.

Now don’t confuse increased heart rate as not being stressful, I’m referring to a good stress that strengthens the heart and not a pattern that add strain to the heart in an ineffective way. It seems apparent, then, that this stop-and-go pattern (from the research I’ve read) offers a greater value to strengthening the heart rather than adding unproductive stress to it. Those who partake in some type of high level effort, high intensity training are already reaping the benefits of this exercise pattern, those who are not may want to consider some form of interval training to enhance their cardiovascular and muscular systems to improve their heart, lungs and musculature. Hmm, I guess you could say that maybe an old dog can teach us new tricks.

Fred Fornicola

Fitness Professional

http://www.premierepersonalfitness.com/

Static Contraction Bench Press

60 Minutes a Week

“Heart attacks don’t occur because of a lack of endurance. They occur when there is a sudden increase in cardiac demand that exceeds your heart’s capacity. Giving up your heart’s reserve capacity to adapt to unnatural bouts of continuous prolonged duration only increases your risk of sudden cardiac death.” – Dr. Al Sears, MD

We’ve all been told to do our “cardio” to improve our hearts, but as Dr. Sears has suggested in the above quote, long duration/low intensity exercise may be counterproductive to one’s health. So how does someone go about improving the efficiency and effectiveness of their heart? Well, interval type training has been shown to have many positive results for building strength, improving the cardiovascular system, decreasing body fat and reducing the amount of time exercising. A very simple, yet highly successful approach can be found in using a high level or intensity when you exercise. For instance, when you train intensely (working at a very high level of effort), you can’t go for long periods as opposed to lower level efforts that may be found in endurance training. The key to interval type training is to significantly elevate your heart rate for a short time period then allow for your heart rate to come down a bit by taking a brief respite. This type of training has become more and more popular among elite athletes, high level recreational participants as well as body builders for purposes of improving their sport, activity and/or reducing body fat levels. You can find most individuals performing this type of work on a bike, elliptical, rower or via running/sprinting efforts for instance. There are many benefits derived from this type of training – most of which, however, does little for overall strength building in the traditional terms.

Interestingly enough, an individual can get the best of both worlds by strength training with a high level of intensity and moving quickly through their workout. When you train with a high level of effort your heart rate climbs as you are exerting more and more energy (effort) to perform an exercise. Once you terminate your exercise due to muscular exhaustion or fatigue you then take a brief reprieve (but not too long) and then proceed to the next exercise. This interval type manipulation benefits your muscular and cardiovascular systems to their fullest and can be accomplished in a very short period of time.

Believe it or not, many people thrive on two – three intense training sessions per week with each session lasting 30 minutes or less. This is exactly how we train at Premiere Personal Fitness and if you are interested in getting stronger, leaner and in really, really good condition, feel free to call to set up a free consultation with me.

Fred Fornicola,

Fitness Professional

Figure 8's with Kettlebell

A great way to work the lower body and abdominals...not to mention the cardiovascular benefits

XF 7000 Static Contraction - Bench Press

Here is a short clip of the Bench Press performed on the XF 7000 static contraction machine at Premiere Personal Fitness.

Top 12 Produce Foods You Should Buy Organic

Here is a ranking of the Top 12 Produce Foods you should buy organically (or locally from farmers) to obtain higher nutritional quality as well as less pesticides and chemicals

Coming Soon....

The official Jersey Shore Health and Wellness Group website is nearing completion and will provide you with more detailed information on what we offer.

Why We Need To Supplement Our Diet (PART 3)

The following are the 3 basic nutritional support modalities which include the following:

1. Prophylactic nutrition: This is using supplements in the prevention of health related problems along with dietary and lifestyle modifications. Prevention of disease is the real key to living a longer and better quality life.

2. Therapeutic nutrition: This is related to specific nutritional health problems or diseased states. By temporarily increasing the intake of specific nutrients we help to compensate for our bodies increased needs caused by trauma, disease, surgery, stress etc. In this way we supply the body with critical co-factors to stimulate the bodies healing mechanisms.

3. Accesory nutrients: These are the nutrients that our body already makes. In some people they become a conditionally essential nutrient when the body does not make enough to meet its demands as in a diseased state. In this manner they must be supplied to the body in higher dosages by supplementation. Some accesory nutrients include carnitine, inositol, co-enzyme Q10, lecithin, glutathione, glutamine, amino acids ,and many others.

Balanced intake: The most important rule in taking supplements is to use the proper balance of all the nutrients. The ratio of one nutrient to another is critical in maintaining a balanced intake and support of cellular function. The presence or absence of a nutrient may effect the availability, absorption, metabolism, or dietary needs for others. The form of the vitamin may also be importasnt, because some binding (chelating) agents help to absorb the nutrient and deliver it more efficiently. The cheap one a days advertised as the best multiple out there are the worst. You can not fit everything you need into a one a day vitamin. If you have health problems it is best to seek the advice of a healthcare professional trained in nutritional medicine.

Well folks this concludes my 3 part series on supplements. If you have any questions or comments please give me a call.

Tom Mantos
(732) 219-9636
www.MetabolicNutrition.Meta-ehealth.com

Static Contraction Machine

There's a new toy at Premiere Personal Fitness (courtesy of my buddy Joel). This machine allows you to perform static contractions (isometrically provide force) and gives a digital read out of your performance. Static contraction training will allow you to perform movements that you may not have otherwise been able to do due to orthopedic restrictions (joint problems, injuries, lack of flexibility).

Quotes and Books to Inspire

Getting All "Zen-Like"

Premiere Personal Fitness

PREMIERE PERSONAL FITNESS offers

*One-on-One Personalized Training in a Private Environment
*Group Conditioning Classes
*An Opportunity to Get Stronger, Leaner and Fit in 30 Minutes, Two Times per Week
*No Contracts, No Obligations - Just a Personal Commitment to Succeed

For a FREE Consultation, call Fred Fornicola at 908.433.4542 or email at fredfornicola@optonline.net.

Why We Need to Supplement Our Diet - Part 2

In part one I covered nutritional related diseases. In part 2 I will be focusing on factors that increase our need for supplementation. These include the following:

1. Biochemical individuality: Each person has a unique physiology, which sets us apart from anyone else in the world. A person's nutritional requirements can vary widely based on his particular makeup. We all vary in our ability to digest food, absorb nutrients into the body, transport nutrients into the cells and tissues, and excrete waste products. Due to inborn errors in metabolism, some people may require 100-1000X the RDI (Recommended Daily Intake) for optimal functioning. These inborn errors in metabolism are being documented more and more frequently.

2. Environmental factors: Our bodies become burdened and depleted by increased contamination of the food, land, and water. These chemicals (xenobiotics) can diorectly induce a disease state in the body and of course increase the demand of specific nutrients for optimal function.

3. Well balanced diet myth: A recent USDA survey involving 21,500 people over 3 days showed that not a single person consumed even the meager RDI (Recommended Daily Intake) of the ten nutrients studied.

4. Soil depletion: In farming, we replace the fertilizers and nitrogen compounds, which the plants need to grow. The essential nutrients of the soil are not replaced, leading to soil depletion. Couple this with the use of pesticides.

5. Food processing: The processing of foods has led to signifcant reduction in the essential nutrients, anti-oxidants, and fibers of the food.

6. Food cosmetic treatment: Consumers today must also cope with a broad array of colorings, waxes, and disenfectants whose long term effects only time will tell. We do know this that people react negativelyto colorings and dyes in the food. Many children with behavior disorders react to these agents, which is verified by doing IgG sensitivity testing and improvements in behupon avoiding the agents.

7. Trauma/stressors: conditions such as disease, impaired liver detoxification, physical, and emotional stress, alcohol, medications, electromagnetic fields are all documented to riob and deplete our bodies of essential nutrients.

8. Lifestyle choices: Each person's lifestyle also directly effects their needs for specific nutrients. Considerations include exercise, food and beverage choices, refined carbohydrate intake, food additive consumption, chemical adulteration of the water, alcohol use, drug use, air and water quality, and bioenergenics patterns.


Tom Mantos
(732) 219-9636
www.MetabolicNutrition.Meta-ehealth.com

You Have To Earn It First

If you’re just starting a dieting regimen, you need to stick to your plan for at least 30 days before taking any liberties – i.e. grabbing a cookie here or a piece of candy there. Keep the following analogy in mind next time you want to cheat on your diet: Let’s say you start a new job and after your first week you walk into your boss’s office at 3PM and tell him you’re cutting out early to get a jump on the weekend. How do you think that’s going to fly? You haven’t earned that reward yet – just like you haven’t earned the reward of cheating on your diet yet if you haven’t put the time in. Now let’s consider a week’s vacation from work. You definitely have to put in your time to be able to request time and take off from work – same holds true for a real “cheat meal” if you are newly into your new eating plan. The point is simple; be diligent in your quest to stick with your program, resist temptation and develop solid habits and then feel free to reward yourself every now and again as you should in every day life. – Fred Fornicola

Why We Need to Supplement Our Diet

The human body manufactures about 100,000 different chemicals. There are about 90 essential nutrients that the body does not make and must be consumed. Under certain conditions such as disease states the non-essential nutrients may become essential. These essential nutrients supply the body with enzymes and co-factors which run most of our biochemical pathways in the body. These nutrients include vitamin, minerals, essential fatty acids, amino acids, and specific plant compounds. The following contribute to nutritionally related diseases:

*Nutritional Deficiencies:
Deficiency disease states result from not consuming enough of a specific nutrient to prevent a nutrient dependent disease. This would include "scurvy" from a vitamin C deficiency, "beri beri" lack of thiamine (B1), and protein/calorie malnutrition as seen in starvation we see in third world countries called "kwashiorkor".

*Undernutrition/Overconsumption:
This results in diseases not only from nutritional deficiencies, but also the opverconsumption of too much saturated fat, sugar, alcohol, and white refined products. These disorders can manifest themselves as heart disease, diabetes, obesity, cancer, hypertension, osteoporosis, arthrtitis, etc.

*Genotrophic Disease:
This refers to poor nutrition which does not meet the unique demands of our genes resulting in poor function and disease. The way our genes express themselves in health or disease is mostly influenced by our environment (lifestyle, diet, exercise, stress) according to The Human Genome Project. Research is showing that genes can be turned on and off like a switch depending on what we do to them. We are all biochemically unique and require different levels of nutirents for optimal functioning. This new field of nutrition is called Nutrigenomics which is the study of the interaction of diet and genes.

Tom Mantos
(732) 219-9636
www.MetabolicNutrition.Meta-ehealth.com

Focusing on Fiber

With all the cockamamie diets and chemically processed food products available today, it’s no wonder that Americans are continuing down the path to poor health. With obesity (adult and child) and type II diabetes on the rise, manufacturers are zeroing in on how to alter their products to corner the market to keep up with the next trend in dieting. Unfortunately, this feeble attempt to encourage weight loss only furthers the decline of healthy living by encouraging “quick fixes” instead of focusing on eating well balanced, nutritious foods.

With people on the go and express meals at the ready, a lot of people are missing out on several important nutrients that supply the body the right type of fuel to build a strong immune system, fight disease and supply energy. Because many of these ready made meals and packaged foods are so highly processed they tend to lack the vital nutrients our bodies need. Unfortunately the consumption of these foods is merely offering a feeling of satiety and provides nothing more than what is known as “empty calories”. Empty calories are calories consumed from poor food sources that lack any kind of nourishment for the body. Items such as soda, chips, candy and the like offer no vitamins or minerals that can benefit ones health (and in some cases can even rob you of the vitamins your body needs) while still adding to your total caloric intake.

Due to the magnitude of this topic and the length at which it would take to discuss, I’d like to focus on one nutrient that seems to have lost focus over the years - fiber. With coronary heart disease being the number one killer for both men and women in America, fiber can play a critical role in helping reduce the risks. In fact, a Harvard study of over 40,000 male health professionals, researchers found that a high total dietary fiber intake was linked to a 40 percent lower risk of coronary heart disease, compared to a low fiber intake. Fiber intake has also been linked with the metabolic syndrome (high blood pressure, high insulin levels, excess weight (especially around the abdomen), high levels of triglycerides, the body's main fat-carrying particle, and low levels of HDL (good) cholesterol). Several studies suggest that higher intake of fiber may somehow ward off this increasingly common syndrome. Along with helping to reduce the risks of the above mentioned diseases, fiber has been found to be effective in helping to reduce adult onset diabetes – better known as Type II diabetes. With a well-rounded exercise program, fiber can be effective in reducing the risk of type II diabetes and possibly help reduce the need for insulin for those with diabetes. Other unhealthy related conditions fiber has been effective in helping are diverticulitis and constipation.
There are two types of fiber – soluble and insoluble. Both soluble and insoluble fiber are undigested, therefore they are not absorbed into the bloodstream. Instead of being used for energy, fiber is excreted from our bodies. Soluble fiber forms a gel when mixed with liquid, while insoluble fiber does not. Insoluble fiber passes through our intestines largely intact. The function of insoluble fiber is to move bulk through the intestines and control and balance the pH in the intestines whole soluble fiber binds with fatty acids and prolongs stomach emptying time so that sugar is released and absorbed more slowly. Sources of soluble fiber are: oatmeal, oat bran, nuts and seeds, legumes (dried peas, beans, lentils), apples, pears, strawberries and blueberries. Insoluble fiber sources are whole wheat breads, barley, brown rice, bulgur, carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, celery and tomatoes.
Current recommendations suggest that adults consume 20-35 grams of dietary fiber per day. Children over age 2 should consume an amount equal to or greater than their age plus 5 grams per day and yet the average American only eats approximately 15 grams of dietary fiber a day. So folks, it’s pretty simple, focus on at least 5 servings of fruits & vegetables as well as at least 5-8 servings of whole grain products per day and you are very well likely meeting your fiber requirements and improving your overall health.

Mental Masturbation

It’s been years since the inception of the Internet (thanks to AL Gore, right?) and through its capabilities; you can reach out with just a few clicks of a mouse and find pretty much find information on any topic of interest. Well, my interest is the field of health and fitness and God knows there is an abundance of information on the subject – in fact, I’d say there is probably too much. Of course, with all this information and interest comes a copious amount of discussion groups and boards which involve many interesting parties. Some are new to the field of strength and conditioning, some have “dabbled” for a while and are still in a learning phase and unfortunately, there are only a few who really and truly are authorities that disseminate solid information. The main problem, however, lays in the majority of the group who think they know what they are talking about. These people, who are usually regurgitating information based on what they were told and not what they’ve learned for themselves, are actively “assisting” others - sort of like Ray Charles helping Stevie Wonder navigate driving a car.

But thanks must be extended to the self-anointed authorities, who without their constant dedication for scientifically dispelling all aspects of fitness and graciously sharing their new-found discoveries, we would not know the “real truth.” WOW, thank goodness for these individuals who have analyzed the precise applications and exact timeframe in which the most favorable atmosphere could be provided to take full advantage of the most insightful breakthrough of the millennia.

Man-o-man, am I tired of reading and hearing about all this BS. That’s all it is too, just plain old bull. These people are constantly going back and forth with all their research and hypotheses, discussing the optimal this and the optimal that, using their weights and measures as if that is supposed to validate their information or impress someone – although it very well may to those who don’t know any better. But for those who truly “do know”, we realize that the banter that goes on, the jockeying for Internet supremacy is not much more than mental masturbation - a constant evaluation and re-evaluation of the wheel and the need to perfect what is already working . Sadly, they add nothing worth investigating, let alone even worth mentioning and yet, somehow these unique individuals, in their own minds, feel as though it is they who created a new and better concept of the wheel. Well, guess what boys – you haven’t. The time spent discussing and arguing over the most menial aspects of training are sad and yet I find myself rubber-necking to view the wreck on the side of the road by going back to these boards to see what analytical crap is being dealt out for questions like “how much time a weight should be lifted for”, ‘what time of day is best to exercise” and “is it ok to have sex the night before I workout?”. I guess on second thought, it’s pretty damn comical. Someone asking the world if it’s okay if he has sex before his workout is quite sad, but pretty damn funny when you think about it – even funnier is the host of responses being offered by these mental giants covering the “optimal times” and “time under load” for having sex prior to work out time.

Wow – how pathetic this has all become when someone takes something as simple and personal as training and makes it so complicated that all they do is spend all their time searching for perfection and the answer is right there underneath their nose the whole time - all they had to do was stop thinking and just start doing.

- Fred Fornicola

Haiti

For those of you who are struggling with "why" something like what happened to Haiti recently could happen, maybe THIS BOOK will help bring a littler perspective to things....maybe not, I'm just suggesting it might answer some questions.

A Note from Herb April

"Not many are interested in the goings on at Duncan Y back in the good old days. I guess that's progress. Personally I learned a firm foundation for lifelong gains, health, strength, and fitness from what I learned from Bob [Gadja], Irvin Johnson ( Rheo H. Blair ), and my first teacher, Jim Smith. Today's bodybuilders are so caught up in complex workouts, ridiculous supplements, and drugs, that it is a wonder they don't all lose their minds in the gyms. Training should be a sort of balance between serious and fun. The so-called "sport" of bodybuilding is the root of the problem. Being a "iron gamer" or "muscleman" is a thing of the past. Everything today is "plastique" and superficial." - Herb April

Where Does Fat Go When You Lose It?

The first thing to remember is that muscle and fat are two different substances, such that one can not be converted into the other. You need to lose fat and build the muscle. Fat is stored in fat cells (adipocytes) which are located all over the body. Depending on factors such as hormones, genetics, and blood sugar regulation you may have more fat cells in certain areas of the body. You have two different body types when it comes to fat cell location upper body heavy (apple shape)and lower body heavy (pear shape). You are born with a certain number of fat cells which you are stuck with. Having said that there are special occasions when these fat cells can multiply. This can happen first in the womb if mom gains way too much weight, you are overfed as a kid in the growing years, pregnancy, and in extreme obesity. So when we lose or gain fat we do not change the number of fat cells only there size. So the fat cells can increase or shrink like a sponge, but the number remains the same.
Lets take a journey and follow the fat to see where it goes when we lose it. The body primarily uses fat for fuel during our normal physical activities or during prolonged aerobic type activities. When the body needs fatty acids for fuel it is transported out of the fat cell and makes its first stop at the liver. The liver has to breakdown these long chain fatty acids (beta-oxidation) into short little 2 carbon fatty acids (Acetyl-CoA) so it can be easily used as fuel. The next step in our journey transports these short little fatty acids (Acetyl-CoA) to the area of the cell that uses these fats for energy or fuel. The part of the cell that does this is the mitochondria which is the powerhouse of the cell. The mitochondria produces all our energy needs for the muscles to work, brain and heart to function. We can increase the number of mitchondria by increasing muscle mass and aerobic capacity. Now we have more engines to burn more fat for fuel. Once the little fatty acid is transported into the mitochondria it goes into a system called the Kreb Cycle which burns up the fatty acids (oxidation) and produces energy. That's where the fat goes.


Tom Mantos
(732) 219-9636
www.MetabolicNutrition.Meta-ehealth.com

Boosting Your Immune System with Tea

Research has shown for years that drinking tea has many health benefits. Most people are aware that teas – specifically those that are green, oolong, white and black – supply antioxidants to the body, but what antioxidants are we referring to? Well, for the most part, these previously mentioned teas contain flavonoids (a class of water-soluble plant pigments), and they contain one in particular called catechins. So now you’re probably thinking, “what the heck is a catechin?” Well, catechins are one of the most powerful in the polyphenol family. Tea contains four main catechin substances, one of which is about 25-100 times more potent than vitamins C and E. In fact, research has stated that one cup of green tea provides 10-40 mg of polyphenols and has antioxidant effects greater than a serving of broccoli, spinach, carrots, or strawberries. The high antioxidant activity of these teas makes it beneficial for protecting the body from oxidative damage due to free radicals which helps the body ward off dis-ease (heart disease, cancers, inflammation, etc.).

Another consideration is quality. It is quite possible for store bought tea to be good. If a customer chooses loose leaf over tea bags, they greatly improve their chances of getting quality. Tea bags are generally bad because the quality of the tea in the bag is generally poor - having a significant impact on taste (flat, bitter). Shelf life is another matter of importance. If kept properly, tea leaves can be kept fresh for a long time - but quality does diminish - how long has that tea been sitting on the shelf? That's why I will use places likeAsbury Park Roastery who works with tea suppliers who are passionate about what they do - in turn, they are able to provide fine quality loose leaf organic teas to their customers. They handle and store the tea properly to maintain that quality and they also know how long it has been sitting on the shelf. Equally important is they are available to assist and guide - can't buy that at the store. Oh, and one more thing, organic is more significant when it comes to tea versus coffee. The image of someone spraying pesticide on a leaf, then saying, 'here, go put this in hot water for a few minutes and drink it.'

Here is a quick description of the four teas mentioned here in the article:

White Tea - buds are plucked before they are open, allowed to wither, then they are dried
Green Tea (unfermented) - leaves are dried, and then heat-treated to stop fermentation
Oolong Tea (semi-fermented) - leaves are wilted, then allowed to go through brief period of fermentation
Black Tea (fermented) - leaves are withered, rolled, fermented and then dried

Gluten Free Strawberry Muffins

Here's a very easy to make gluten free recipe that makes 12 nutritionally dense and tasty muffins.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

In a large bowl, mix the following dry ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of Arrow Mills gluten free pancake mix
1/2 cup of brown rice flour
1/2 cup organic ground flax seed
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2/3 cup raw sugar

After mixing well, add:

1 container (6 ounces) of Chobani strawberry yogurt
2 tablespoons of Smart Balance Butter
4 ounces of soy, almond or coconut milk
10-12 defrosted frozen strawberries (microwave for 2:30 minutes before adding to mixture)

Blend all ingredients in the large bowl until mixed well.

Spray a muffin tin with oil and fill 12 cups with the mixture and bake for 20 minutes. Let cool on a rack and enjoy.

Note: If you prefer, blueberries can be substituted for the strawberries both in the yogurt and fruit.

Grab one or two of these and add a yogurt and you have a great start to your day or a mid-day snack.

Fred Fornicola

Fast Food for Your Health

I bet you if I titled this article “Fast Food Kills” you probably wouldn’t have even attempted to look at it, but all you fast food junkies are here to see if in some small way I was going to justify eating at Mickey D’s, right? Well……………………..NO!

Let’s take a look at an average American meal at a fast food establishment such as McDonald’s (I just can’t call a place that serves what they serve a “restaurant”). A meal consisting of 1 Big Mac, 1 order of regular fries and a vanilla triple thick shake to wash it down. According to our food pyramid, it sounds like we have the makings of a solid meal here, right? We’ve got our meat from the burger, our dairy from the shake, bread & potatoes come from our bun and fries and some vegetables from the lettuce (which is ice berg and provides 0 nutritional value) and tomato.

Now, let’s evaluate what this meal entails as far as calories and the macronutrient breakdown. Not adding in any additional condiments like ketchup to dip the fries and extra “fixings” that may be added, this meal consists of the following:

Big Mac: 33 grams of fat, 47 grams of carbohydrates and 24 grams of protein = 580 kcals

Small Order of Fries: 10 grams of fat, 26 grams of carbs and 3 grams of protein = 209kcals

vanilla Triple Thick Shake: 12 grams of fat, 76 grams of carbs and 11 grams of protein = 430 kclas.

Total for this meal: 55g of fat / 140g of carbohydrates (mainly simple) / 38g of protein, totaling a whopping 1,219 calories!!!!

If you are one who frequents Mickey D’s or their equivalent, hopefully you are sitting back in your seat and thinking WOW! Do I eat that many calories at one time? Do I consume that much fat (which by the way totaled over 20 grams of saturated fat)? Do I eat that many useless carbohydrates at one time?

What most people fail to realize is that not only are they consuming way too many calories, but that most of what they eat provides very little in the way of any nutritional value. I learned a long time ago that eating healthy means more than just “not eating junk”. Your body needs to consume nutrient dense foods daily to assist in fighting diseases such as type II Diabetes, heart disease (the #1 killer in America), stroke, cancer, etc. By ignoring these facts and having the opinion that “it won’t happen to me” increases the possibilities of acquiring a disease due to poor eating habits and lack of exercise. Considering the likelihood that this would never happen to you has made these diseases intangible in your mind, merely a “scare tactic” to encourage you to eat for your health. Hey, we all where the big “S” (referring to Superman) on our chest at times and think that we are indestructible to some degree, but the reality of it all is that we are not and as soon as you realize that proper eating and exercise will benefit your overall health you will be better off.

Don’t keep trying to out run the bullet, it very well may catch you one day………


Fred Fornicola

Post-Workout Recovery

Intense workouts require proper nutrition for muscle recovery and
repair. Doing activities like weights or resistance movements use
primarily glucose (sugar) for fuel. Now this glucose comes from the
bloodstream but is also stored in the muscle and in the liver (glycogen).
More intense training depletes the muscles worked of its stores of
glycogen which most be replaced in order for the muscle to recovery
properly and be ready for the next workout. The ideal time to begin
re-fueling the muscle glycogen is within an hour after the training
session is over. In order to do this we must consume some easily digested
carbohydrate foods within an hour after training. The following are some
examples of foods to eat within an hour after training:

Protein shake with some fresh fruit
Endura electrolyte recovery drink 2 scoop in 16 oz water
Fresh fruit
Yogurt with fruit (Chobani Greek Yogurt)
Whole grain cold cereal with fresh fruit
Cooked cereal with fruit or fruit butter


Tom Mantos
(732) 219-9636
www.MetabolicNutrition.Meta-ehealth.com

A Creed to Live By

For some, the holiday season is a time for reflection so I leave you with these thoughts by Nancye Sims until the new year.

Don't undermine your worth by comparing yourself to others.
It is because we are different that each of us is special.

Don't set your goals by what other people deem important.
Only you know what is best for you.

Don't take for granted the things closest to your heart.
Cling to them as you would your life, for without them life is meaningless.

Don't let life slip through your fingers by living in the past or for the future.
By living your life one day at a time, you live up all the days of your life.

Don't give up when you still have something left to give,
Nothing is really over . . . till the moment you stop trying.

Don't be afraid to admit that you are less than perfect.
It is this fragile thread that binds us together.

Don't be afraid to encounter risks.
It is by taking chances that we learn to be brave.

Don't shut love out of your life by saying it's impossible to find.
The quickest way to receive love is to give love;
the fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly;
and the best way to keep love is to give it wings.

Don't dismiss your dreams.
To be without dreams is to be without hope;
to be without hope is to be without purpose.

Don't run through life so fast
that you forget not only where you've been,
but where you are going.

Life is not a race,
but a journey to be savored every step of the way.

Five Components - Part Three - Flexibility

Working to improve your flexibility increases the ROM (range of motion) of your joints and your muscles which can help improve posture, reduce muscle soreness/stiffness and relieve stress. Equally important is its ability in reducing the risk of injury and the potential of improving performance. A well devised stretching program, (one that encourages improved flexibility without contraindicating other joints) should be included daily as part of a complete program.

Fred Fornicola
908.433.4542
"TRAIN WITH A PURPOSE"

Happy Holidays

For some, the holiday's can add stress to an already crazy schedule and finding time to work out is the last thing on your mind, but in truth, it should be the first. Exercising just 10-15 minutes a day can help reduce - and in some cases, even alleviate - the stresses of the season. The simple task of performing bodyweight squats, crunches, pushups and some plank holds can add a new found energy to both mind and body.

Now, I know most people are questioning this idea - thinking that how can that little bit of exercise really be helpful? Well, instead of wondering, give it a shot. Are you afraid I'll be right and that it doesn't take a lot of time to benefit from such little amount of work? I don't know where the industry went wrong but they did when they imposed parameters on what someone needs to improve their health.

My philosophy is simple - work hard and efficiently on a consistent basis and make safety a priority. Remember, a little of something beats a whole lot of nothing any day! - Fred Fornicola

Happy Holidays......

Five Components - Part Two - Cardiovascular

Cardiovascular conditioning improves the efficiency of the heart, lungs and circulation and it also uses calories to help with weight management (body fat reduction).

The benefits of having a strong heart include increased endurance, decreased heart rate (resting and active), increased HDL levels, and increased bone density. In addition, there is a positive link between increased cardiovascular endurance and reduced risk of coronary heart disease. It also allows one to perform better by enabling a greater recovery rate from intense exercise and daily activities. If you can recover quicker and more efficiently you are able to perform more work – i.e. favorable activities.

Next time: Flexibility Training

Fred Fornicola
908.433.4542
"TRAIN WITH A PURPOSE"

Five Components - Part One - Strength

There are several benefits that come with a properly designed resistance program, such as injury prevention, personal appearance, and improved physical performance. The act of becoming stronger is accomplished by implementing a safe, sensible and productive strength program that is well advised and monitored. Strength training is probably one of the best insurance policies in helping reduce injuries associated with sports and daily activities.

There are, of course, physiological benefits as well. Resistance training can enable you to increase muscle size and strength as well as increase tendon, ligament and bone strength. And let’s not forget to mention a boost in self-esteem and confidence that can certainly give an individual that “mental edge”. There is also the probability of improved physical performance and appearance. Research indicates that unless we strength train regularly we lose more than ½ pound of muscle every year after the age of 25 so strength training does help prevent muscle loss that normally accompanies aging (a concern for us “older athletes”). Regardless of your age, a solid resistance program will benefit everyone.

If you are sedentary and loss ½ pound of muscle each year after the age of 25 then that can result in a ½ percent reduction in basal metabolic rate. A reduction in BMR (BMR is the amount of energy (in calories) your body needs just to sustain its basic life processes) means we are less able to use food for energy and therefore have the potential to store more body fat, but with the inclusion of resistance training, in particularly with a high level of effort and at a fast pace can improve metabolic efficiency so you can be stronger, healthier, leaner and in better condition. This approach will benefit any individual, age not withstanding.

Next time: Cardiovascular Conditioning

Fred Fornicola
908.433.4542
"TRAIN WITH A PURPOSE"

The Five Components of Health and Fitness - An Introduction

The following information is based on my 30+ years in the field of health and fitness and what I've discovered to be the "tried and true" of what it takes to becoming physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually "fit". These components are the bricks to the foundation and will be lightly elaborated on over the coming installements. For now, here is your introduction to the Five Components to health and Fitness.

Becoming healthy and fit is a very personal journey and in developing a sound fitness program, a person has many things to consider. Getting “in shape” goes beyond the physical and should include mental, emotional and spiritual needs and goals as well. This personalized program has certain requirements then to help achieve those goals and after carefully evaluating ones medical history, current situation, goals and expectations, a program can be built on these five factors that I feel are needed for complete fitness.

Strength Training
Cardiovascular Conditioning
Flexibility Training
Proper Nutrition
Rest

In the next installment I will take an overall look at strength training.

Fred Fornicola
908.433.4542
"TRAIN WITH A PURPOSE"

Fueling Up Your Workout

The fuel systems being used for high intensity resistance and cardio training are different than they are for just cardiovascular or strength activity of lower intensity. Basically, intense training uses glucose for fuel - some of which is from the bloodstream - and the rest is used from glycogen stores (sugar) in the muscles and liver. Lower intensity activity primarily uses fatty acids for fuel which we generally have plenty. Muscle and liver glycogen have limited stores so we must make sure we fuel them properly for maximum performance. I am splitting up the times to eat in case you have limited time in the morning before you train. Here are some
sample meals you can eat before higher intensity workouts:

30-60 minutes before:
*Fresh fruit
*Yogurt with fresh fruit
*Endura electrolyte drink
*Protein shake with fresh fruit

2 hours before:
*Whole grain pancakes topped with fruit butter (apple)
*Multi grain cereal with fresh fruit
*Cooked cereal with fresh fruit
*Apple with Smart Balance peanut butter
*Van's organic waffles with peanut butter and some fruit butter

Next time: Fueling Post Workout for Maximum Gains

Tom Mantos
732.219.9636

Incline Interval Training – Just One Approach

Many people today are leaning more towards interval training to augment their conditioning programs – and for good reason. Interval training allows for many positive aspects when done safely, efficiently and with a high level of effort or intensity. When done properly, there’s a high output of energy which can enhance the cardiovascular system, help reduce body fat, improve athletic and recreational performance and improve anaerobic/muscular strength. Interval training is generally short in duration (lengthy sessions are impossible, actually) and does not need to be done more than one to two times per week. Interval training can be done in many ways using an assortment of modalities and as much as it is a solid means of training, it can have its pitfalls as well. Too often people abuse interval training – not realizing that such high levels of out put done for too many repetitions or too frequently can lead to overtraining or injury. Obviously, then, a person needs to approach interval training judiciously. For the sake of being somewhat concise, today I will only discuss one running approach that I have found to be beneficial in a number of ways.

This recommendation is nothing new under the sun (like most things aren’t) but a lot of individuals don’t place enough value on the benefits of the activity of incline or hill running. One of THE major advantages that I have found in performing incline/hill sprints is the reduction in compressive forces of the joints and soft tissue (muscles, tendons, ligaments) as opposed to running flat surfaces. There also is a less likely risk of becoming injured (even with a high output of energy) because stride rates (speeds) are reduced. Incline/hill sprints will give the lower extremities (legs/hips/hamstrings/calves/shins) a very good strength workout and will also stimulate the cardiovascular/cardio respiratory systems – and don’t be surprised how much the torso, abdominals and low back come into play as well.

Here’s a little “down and dirty”, quick interval workout that can be done on a treadmill, a hill (or an elliptical if it allows for an incline). Please keep in mind that this is just one of hundreds of ways to utilize incline/hill work. First, do an easy warm-up such as a light, ½ to a mile jog to get the blood flowing. Once you are ready to start your incline/hill work, set the speed and incline so that you can perform a 30 second hard run with a 30 second recovery that allows you to complete 10 solid reps with the last few reps being a good, solid challenge (your running form should not be compromised). For example, if you run a comfortable warm-up for ½ mile at a 10 minute mile pace (MMP) with a zero incline, bump the incline to 7 or 8 and push the speed so that you are running between 8:30 and 8:45 MMP. Once you complete the 10 reps, rest for 60 seconds. Now, using the same incline and speed, perform a 20 second sprint with a 10 second recovery for 3-5 reps. Depending on your warm-up time, this workout can be completed in under 20 minutes.

Should you choose to take this workout to the great outdoors, walk/jog to your destination – which should be a hill or sizeable hill - and perform a 30 second sprint then up the incline and walk brisk back to the start position, turn and do another rep until all 10 are complete. In this manner, you will get more rest due to the walk back but that will simply enable you to go at the hill harder so when it’s all said and done, the difference in the benefits will be nominal. After this segment is done go back to the bottom of the hill and do a 20 second blast up the hill walk for 10 seconds, sprint for 20, walk for 10 seconds etc. until 3-5 reps are completed. Don’t worry about walking back down the hill – just keep moving forward.

Interval training should leave you taxed, but not completely exhausted. Working yourself to a point where you can’t finish the repetitions in good form or you are flat on your back is not, I repeat, not a productive approach to improving your health and fitness. Consider taking one or both of these workouts for a ride as a change of pace to your lower body and conditioning training and remember to use interval training as just another tool in your overall fitness program.

Modified Mediterranean Diet

Clinical Nutritionist, Tom Mantos is a good friend of mine and has been for quite some time. There are few people that I know - wait - correction, there is NO ONE that I know that knows more than he does when it comes to nutrition. One of the best things about Tom is he isn't just a text-book kind of guy (although he is very well versed in his knowledge base) - he's a hands on, experienced nutritionist that found his life's work in helping people to get healthy. Suffice it to say that Tom has taught me pretty much all I know about the field of nutrition, so when Tom recommends something, I tend to listen.

For years Tom has been touting what he refers to as the "Modified Mediterranean Diet" (MMD). The Mediterranean Diet is one that is high in legumes, nuts and seeds, healthy and essential fats, grains, fresh fruits and vegetables while keeping items such as dairy, fish, poultry and eggs towards the middle of the pyramid and fats and sugars and red meat way at the peak. The MMD not only bases it's food selection on the above mentioned but also takes the Glycemic Index (GI) into account. The glycemic index takes the impact foods (carbohydrates) have on blood glucose (sugar) levels. A number of 100 is assigned to glucose (a simple sugar) and all other foods are rated accordingly on how they impact blood sugar levels. By combining these two methods (MMD and the GI), an individual has a greater opportunity to fight diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity, while reducing body fat levels and improving overall well-being. The Modified Mediterranean Diet is something well worth the time to investigate in greater depth for an overall healthier approach to eating.

Fred Fornicola
Fitness Professional
908.433.4542

Holiday Excuses

Don't use the holiday's as an excuse for eating poorly and not exercising. To help ward-off the downside to the "holiday physical funk" most of you experience, try and set some short term goals for the coming weeks like losing a few pounds, not missing any of your workouts, improving your pushup number or anything that may motivate you to stay on track. Am I suggesting you don't engage in some festive cheer - of course not, I'm merely suggesting that you don't abandon your health by using the holiday's as an excuse for your weakness to take better care of yourself.

What Are You Waiting For?

Nobody makes a greater mistake than he who does nothing because he could only do a little. - Edmund Burke (1729-1797, British Political Writer, Statesman)

At some point in time, our society was convinced that being healthy and fit needed to be a complicated and lengthy undertaking. Unfortunately, this has paralyzed many people in their attempt to embark on a proper exercise and nutritional program and for some, it has just given them another reason - or better stated - excuse, for not doing some form of physical fitness and eating right. Here’s an example: I once had a brief (thank God) conversation with a doctor who was no longer exercising because his schedule did not allow him to continue with his normal 5 days a week, 2 hour per training session program. I posed the idea of reducing his 10 hours a week in the gym to doing some type of exercise 2 -3 times a week for 20 - 30 minutes and explained that this is an extremely efficient and effective way of becoming stronger and better conditioned (assuming particular parameters were met). His response was "that's not enough time; I need more than that to get any benefits." To which I responded "A little of something beats a whole lot of nothing."

It’s very simple folks; my recommendation of infrequent, short duration workouts is not a compromise but a productive approach to becoming stronger, healthier, leaner and more functional. - Fred Fornicola

Top 50 Healthy Living Blogs of 2009

Masters in Healthcare voted Premiere Personal Fitness one of the "Top 50 Healthy Living Blogs of 2009"

Endura to Re-Charge Your Battery

Endura is a "State of The Art" fluid and electrolyte replacement drink that was developed from the medical literature and studied at the Tour De France (world marathon bicycle championships). There are so many electrolyte drinks on the market, so what makes this one special? The first thing to take into consideration is that the sports drink contains all of the electrolytes: which include magnesium, potassium, chloride, calcium, and sodium. All of these electrolytes are lost during endurance training which greatly effects muscle contraction and performance. Magnesium, for instance, is involved in nearly 200 enzymatic reactions, many of which
involve muscle contraction and relaxation. Magnesium and potassium replacement is therefore critical for performance. The second fact to consider is the osmality of the sports drink. Osmality refers to how fast the fluid, electrolytes, and cabohydrates get into the bloodstream and working muscles. Endura has a low osmality and gets into the blood stream as fast as water. So Endura contains all of the electrolytes including high amounts of magnesium and potassium, has low osmality, and glucose polymers for sustained energy.

When comparing Endura to other sports drinks, the majority of them only have potassium and sodium with a high osmality (they sit in the stomach longer). A classic example of this type of sports drink is the highly advertised Gatorade (one the worst sport drinks on the market by the way). Now the best way to take a sports drink like Endura is to mix 2 scoops in 16oz of water only (this keeps the osmality low). Drink some before and during training. You need to replace 1-2 drinks per hour of intense endurance trainng, especially associated with heavy sweating. You can get Endura in some health food stored that carry it or you can go to my website and
order.

Tom Mantos - Clinical Nutritionist
732.219.9636

Training With Dumbbells - Fred Fornicola Interview

Hindu Pushups

Hindu Pushups are a great exercise because they create flexibility and strength throughout the whole body, they stimulate tremendous circulation from head to toe and can greatly improve cardiovascular fitness when done for high repetitions. the best part though, is they can be done anywhere, any time. Give Hindu Pushups a try and you'll see a tremendous change in your fitness and strength.



Fred Fornicola

The FoodBank

The FoodBank of Monmouth & Ocean Counties are looking for donations for Thanksgiving. Aside from the normal day-to-day items that you can give, they have given you an easy way to help by going to www.foodbankmoc.org and donating $10.00 online. Your $10.00 donation will enable the FoodBank to purchase a 12 pound turkey to feed a family in need.

Fred Fornicola
908.433.4542
www.PremierePersonalFitness.com

Using Your Body

I love to exercise outdoors at autumn time here in the North East - especially early Sunday mornings. The air is crisp and clean, no one's up and about yet in town and well, it's just invigorating as hell to me. And why not, I'm outside using my body to better my health and fitness.

I'm a HUGE believer in frequent, if not daily activity and also a BIG proponent of using your own bodyweight for exercise. Many "poo-poo" bodyweight activities unfortunately feeling that one cannot build strength and that one "must lift weights" to get stronger - nothing could be further from the truth. Strength is relative to the individual and should reflect their goals.

Exercises that you can do just using your body include various deep knee bends, countless versions of pushups, handstands, pull/chin-ups, plank holds, table makers, bridging, jumping rope, hill sprinting, crab walking, lunging, crunches, wall walks, etc., etc., etc. can seriously give you one helluva workout in a short amount of time that will build strength and cardiovascular endurance. - Fred Fornicola

Is It Time to Change Your Oil?

One of the most important aspects of optimal health and prevention of disease involves the kinds of oils you use in your engine (body). The types of oils or fats your eat plays a major role in your health. The actual chemistry of the fats is complex but I am going to make it simple for you by just saying there are essential fats and ugly fats. In the U.S. we are consuming major amounts of the ugly fats which can contribute to chronic disease. The essential fats are critical to our health and supply the following well documented functions:

*Used in brain cells, nerve endings, neurological development in children, and all cells of the body
*Maintains proper immune function
*Lowers triglycerides and increases beneficial HDL cholesterol
*Helps insulin work more efficiently and maintain proper blood glucose levels
*Makes a class of hormones known as prostaglandins which have an anti-inflammatory effect, lowers blood pressure, relaxes arteries, and prevents abnormal blood clots
*Produces energy form our food and helps transport oxygen through cell membranes where energy for the muscles, heart, and brain are produced
*They are growth enhancing and helps to improve the recovery of muscle fatigue
*Helps to carry toxins and other waste materials out of the body through the skin, intestines, lungs, and kidneys
*Promotes the proper cell division of cells called chromosomes
*In fact essential fats in the form of fish oil supplements are used widely in Europe by Doctors after a heart attack or stroke instead of the blood thinning medications we use in this country (aspirin, plavax, coumadin)

The best sources of these essential fats include wild salmon, mackeral, sardines, trout, herring, and flax oil. Other sources include hemp oil, ground flax seeds, olive oil, soybean oil, canola, soybean, walnuts, dark green veggies, and pumpkin oil. Taking fish oil capsules is one of the best ways to ensure the delivery of large therapeutic amounts of the good essential fats.

The ugly oils have the opposite effects of the above and include the saturated fats such as beef, red meat, organ meats, whole fat dairy products, butter, margerine, cocoa butter, palm kernel oil, fried foods, and hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils. Avoid these ugly fats at all costs and change your oil today!

Tom Mantos
(732) 219-9636
www.MetabolicNutrition.Meta-ehealth.com

NEW - Conditioning & Flexibility Classes

Now that I have more open space available (due to my 31st time rearranging this place), I will be offering some additional features here, the first being a conditioning and flexibility class. This class will be specific to improving your cardiovascular conditioning, improving your flexibility and focusing on helping you to reduce body fat levels through our approach. These sessions will be 30 minutes long and will be customized to each persons current fitness level. Your options are as follows:

One-on-One class - $40
2 People - $20/ea
3 People - $15/ea

I will only be taking a max of 3 people per session. If you (or have friends/co-workers that would be interested in doing these classes), please contact me via email or when you are in here and let me know the times/days that would work for you and whether you want to do a one-on-one session or would like to be involved in a group and then I will coordinate the rest.

I look forward to hearing from you,

Fred Fornicola908.433.4542
www.PremierePersonalFitness.com
"Train With A Purpose"

What's Your Resting Heart Rate?

An important aspect of health and fitness (and a good indicator of how the old ticker is doing) is to measure your resting heart rate. The best time to check your resting heart rate is when you first wake up and before you even get out of bed. Using your index and middle fingers, find your pulse via your wrist (radial pulse) or neck (carotid pulse). Have a clock or watch available that has a second hand so you can count your pulses and watch the clock. Take your pulse for 20 seconds and multiply that number it by 3 (3x20 seconds = 1 minute). For instance, if you have 22 beats in 20 seconds multiply that by 3 and your resting hear rate would be 66. Take this test for 2 or 3 consecutive days for an accurate reading.

A good pulse rate for Men ages 35-55 are as follows:

Average - 71-76
Above Average 67-71
Good 63-66
Excellent 57-63
Athlete 50-57

A good pulse rate for Women ages 35-55 are as follows:

Average - 73-78
Above Average 69-73
Good 65-69
Excellent 60-65
Athlete 54-60

Note: Keep in mind that beta blockers and other medications may alter your true reading.

Additional considerations are if your resting heart rate is really low, that could be an indication you may have issues with your adrenal system so if you have a low resting HR but feel fatigued, unrested or get lightheaded at times it may be a good idea to see a doctor or qualified nutritionist. For the most part, however, this little test will give a good indication of your current fitness.

Fred Fornicola - Fitness Professional

A New Layout to the Studio

A new layout for Premiere to expand services and new techniques.

Premiere Personal Fitness Webpage Updates

Updates to the Testimonials, Resources and Services pages of the Premiere Personal Fitness website with new pictorial shots of the studio.

Jersey Shore Health and Wellness Group

Nutritionist Tom Mantos and I are in the midst of developing a group to create a holistic approach to living. As we proceed, we will be bringing on more and more locally, qualified individuals in their field of expertise so as to provide you with additional resources to achieve greater health. Currently, we have developed a blog spot called "Jersey Shore Health & Wellness Group" to keep you up to date. Please visit the page often (or become a "follower" (see the bottom of the right hand side to sign up)) because the page will be updated frequently with news, announcements, information, rants and raves, thoughts and ideas and a host of other information to assist you with your health and fitness.

Concept 2 SkiErg Now at Premiere Personal Fitness

Premiere Personal Fitness gets the new SkiErg from Concept 2.

Premiere Personal Fitness Video Overview

Premiere Personal Fitness gets a new look

12 Weeks - Phase 4

Phase 4
3 Weeks

Phase 4 brings you into the home stretch for this intense cardiovascular program. This phase is important in that you build the ability to handle a volume of intense work. Keep in mind that all sprints, regardless of the distance, should be performed with a high level of effort.

Week 10: CV training 4 times this week. Days 1, 3 & 4 are Fartlek* interval days and day 2 is a recovery workout. Days 1, 3 & 4 are 20 minute sessions with a 10 minute warm-up then sprinting for random time/distance with as little recovery as needed for 10 minutes. Day 2 is a recovery workout for 20-30 minutes.

Week 11: CV training 4 times this week. Days 1, 3 & 4 are Fartlek* interval days and day 2 is a recovery workout. Days 1, 3 & 4 are 20 minute sessions with a 10 minute warm-up then sprinting for random time/distance with as little recovery as needed for 10 minutes. Day 2 is a recovery workout for 20-30 minutes.

Week 12: This is a back off week. CV training 3 times this week. Days 1 & 3 are 20-30 minute casual sessions and day 2 is a 30 minute workout with ratios of 1:1. This means you will perform a 10 minute warm-up then sprint for 1 minute, jog for 1 minute, sprint for 1 minute, jog for 1 minute, etc. for 20 minutes (10 cycles).

*Fartlek is a Swedish term that means “speed play” and intervals are random bursts of speed and recovery.

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

Week 10 Intervals Intervals Intervals 30 minutes
Week 11 Intervals Intervals Intervals 30 minutes
Week 12 30 minutes Intervals 30 minutes

Keep in mind that this is a generic type plan and that you should use this program to the best of your ability. Make alterations as you see fit to suit your personal needs and desires. Not completing all required days during the week should not prohibit you from continuing the 12 week cycle.

Remember, a little bit of something is better than a whole lot of nothing!


TRAIN WITH A PURPOSE!

Don't Become a "Train" Wreck

Over the years, the health and fitness community has become inundated with self-appointed and commercially anointed experts, making it increasingly more difficult for individuals to differentiate what they need to do to become healthier and more fit. With all the information available nowadays on exercise and nutrition (and all their many facets), it’s no wonder so many people either end up paralyzing themselves and end up doing nothing or they end up engaging in something totally inappropriate for what they need. Now, I’m not claiming to be an expert or one of the personally proclaimed gurus I was referring to just a second ago, but I can offer some advice so you keep on the right track (c’mon, you knew I was going to use that phrase with the title being what it is) and give you some simple, yet effective guidelines that will hopefully ad some clarity to what is needed to improve your overall health and fitness.

- Keep things “vanilla”: The basics work so don’t be afraid to do something as simple as pushups, situps and a 2 mile run as a workout for the day.

- You don’t have to train and hour a day, 5 days a week: 10-15 minutes a day of physical activity will do wonders for your body, mind and spirit. If you don't believe me, give it a try for a week and then re-evaluate.

- Be consistent: Exercising and eating properly is not a part time gig – it’s something that warrants constant attention if you want results, but then again, doesn't anything in life require the same attention?

- Don’t get caught up in trends: Health and fitness should not be trendy. Clothes, hair styles and music can be, but not your approach to better health. Stay with the basics - THEY WORK!

- Stop listening to the experts: They are usually talking out of their glute-holes and are just trying to sell you something you don't need. Everybody has a gimmick nowadays - listen to your own body.

- Make your fitness a personal venture: Exercise should be a very private and personal journey so make it one for yourself. Don't just go through the motions and follow others like an aimless sheep. Make your training a meditative experience.

12 Weeks - Phase 3

Phase 3
3 Weeks

Phase 3 starts the anaerobic/speed training that helps kick your conditioning in high gear as well as helps with burning more body fat. As with the other 2 phases, we will ease into this segment. Keep in mind that all intervals, regardless of the distance, should be performed with a high level of effort.

Week 7: CV training 4 times this week. Days 1 & 3 are interval days and days 2 & 4 are recovery workouts. Days 1 & 3 are 30 minute sessions with ratios of 1:1. This means you will do a 10 minute warm-up then do a series of sprints and recovery. For example, if you were running you would sprint for 1 minute, jog for 1 minute, sprint for 1 minute, jog for 1 minute, etc. for 20 minutes (10 cycles). Days 2 & 4 are recovery workouts and they will be regular CV training for 20-30 minutes. Perform days 1 & 2 “back-to-back”, take a day off and then do days 3 & 4 “back-to-back”.

Week 8: CV training 4 times this week. Days 1 & 3 are interval days and days 2 & 4 are recovery workouts. Days 1 & 3 are 30 minute sessions with ratios of 1:2. This means you will do a 10 minute warm-up then do a series of sprints and recovery. For example, if you were running you would sprint for 30 seconds, jog for 1 minute, sprint for 30 seconds, jog for 1 minute, etc. for 20 minutes (10 cycles). Days 2 & 4 are recovery workouts and they will be regular CV training for 20-30 minutes. Perform days 1 & 2 “back-to-back”, take a day off and then do days 3 & 4 “back-to-back”.

Week 9: CV training 4 times this week. Days 1 & 3 are interval days and days 2 & 4 are recovery workouts. Days 1 & 3 are 30 minute sessions with ratios of 1:3. This means you will do a 10 minute warm-up then do a series of sprints and recovery. For example, if you were running you would sprint for 15 seconds, jog for 45 seconds, sprint for 15 seconds, jog for 45 seconds, etc. for 20 minutes (10 cycles). Days 2 & 4 are recovery workouts and they will be regular CV training for 20-30 minutes. Perform days 1 & 2 “back-to-back”, take a day off and then do days 3 & 4 “back-to-back”.

Weeks 7, 8 & 9

Monday Intervals
Tuesday 30 minutes
Wednesday 0ff
Thursday Intervals
Friday 30 minutes
Saturday & Sunday off from running

The Final Phase Next.......

12 Weeks - Phase 2

Phase 2
3 Weeks

You should find your current workload to be easy by now and so the purpose of Phase 2 is to push your aerobic capacity a bit more and improve your time/distance with each of your CV sessions. Phase 2 has you working consecutive days. This will help you improve your aerobic capacity further.

Week 4: CV training 3 times on non-consecutive days. Days 1 & 3 train for 30 minutes, day 2 train 20 minutes.

Week 5: CV training 3 times this week. Days 1 & 2 will be “back-to-back” days. Train for 30 minutes on day 1 and 20 minutes on day 2. Take 2 days off and train 30 minutes.

Week 6: CV training 3 times this week. Days 1 & 2 will be “back-to-back” days. Train 30 minutes on days 1 & 2. Take 2 days off and train 30 minutes.

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

Week 4 30 minutes 20 minutes 30 minutes
Week 5 30 minutes 20 minutes 30 minutes
Week 6 30 minutes 30 minutes 30 minutes

Phase 3....

12 Weeks - Phase 1

Phase 1
3 Weeks

The purpose of Phase 1 is to get you up and doing some cardiovascular training if you aren’t already. If you are, that’s fine; this will give you some time to focus on a specific program. This cycle is geared to getting you on a steady schedule so you can develop a solid aerobic foundation. Through this phase, you will develop an efficient heart and lung system which will increase your endurance and improve your recovery capabilities.

Week 1: CV training 2 times on non-consecutive days for approximately 20 minutes.

Week 2: CV training 3 times on non-consecutive days for approximately 20 minutes.

Week 3: CV training 3 times on non-consecutive days. Days 1 & 3 train for 20 minutes, day 2 train for 30 minutes. A sample week is below.


Week 1 Monday and Thursday 20 minutes each session
Week 2 Monday, Wednesday and Friday 20 minutes each session
Week 3 Monday and Friday 20 minutes each session, Wednesday 30 minutes

Next time: "Phase 2"

12 Weeks - Conditioning Guidelines

Conditioning Guidelines

As you embark on your CV program over the next 12 weeks, I encourage you not to be over zealous and start out slowly so you don’t get injured. I also recommend getting a training partner as well. Having someone counting on you makes you more accountable and you will have a greater rate of success at adhering to your program. Over the course of several weeks, you will build up your cardiovascular system to withstand longer durations and more intense bouts of conditioning.

A note to those who’d like to use running as their means of conditioning: whenever possible, try to run on soft or forgiving surfaces – grass, treadmills or flat area beach sand are some better options. If you are going to run on the road, be sure to change your route often to save your shins, knees, hips and ankles from the repetitive stresses incurred and make sure you are wearing good running shoes appropriate for you. ROAD RUNNER SPORTS in Shrewsbury does a great job in matching your shoes to your running pattern and is a safe bet when selecting the right running shoe (they have a great return policy as well). Mention that you are a client of Premiere Personal Fitness.

Heart rate is an issue that is often misinterpreted in my humble opinion. I’m not entirely concerned at how high you get your HR but more importantly, how quickly you can bring your heart rate down. The standard method is to use 220 – your age and use 60 – 80% of that number so if you are 50 years old your max HR would be 170 and you would work within a heart rate of 102 beats per minute – 136 beats per minute. If you’ve been training with me for any time, your heart rate has surely exceeded those figures on any given day so as I stated, I don’t sweat those figures. If you want to monitor yourself, take your pulse immediately when you finish your training, 60 seconds from when you got done exercising I’d like to see a drop in HR of about 15% so if you elevated your heart rate to 150 then 60 seconds after you terminated your exercise your HR should be about 128 give or take a few beats. Another minute later it should have dropped another 15% roughly. Of course, it goes without saying that if you are having labored breathing or pains you should stop immediately.

The following is merely an example of what can be done. I understand time parameters are tough for some so if you cannot follow this protocol to the “T”, don’t sweat it (no pun intended), doing something is better than nothing, just try and understand the concepts and work within your limitations.

Coming up: "Phase 1"

12 Weeks - Continued

Components of Physical Fitness

Muscular and Bone Strength: Definition: The amount of tension that can be created by a muscle when it contracts; or in the case of bones, tendons, and ligaments it is the amount of tension that can be withstood before an injury occurs.

This means that a safe, efficient and effect strength training program should be adhered to 2-3 times each week and should be performed with a high level of effort.

Cardio-Respiratory Endurance: Definition: The ability of the heart and lungs to provide oxygen and nutrients to the working muscles during intense exercise in an efficient manner.

Aerobic and anaerobic fitness requires a solid foundation as well as a strong, healthy body.

Nutrition: Definition: Eating nutrient dense foods that will aid in repair of the bodies many cells as well as fuel an active lifestyle.

What you put in your body is what fuels your performance and health so you need to eat very nutritious foods. As the old saying goes “garbage in, garbage out” so choose your food sources wisely.

Flexibility: Definition: The range of motion around a specific joint as well as the surrounding muscles and connective tissue.

Improving flexibility helps prevent injury, increases performance and helps reduce muscle soreness.

Rest/Recovery: Definition: The need for the body and mind to recuperate from hard work.

Having “down time” is a factor in helping achieve your goal of a high level of fitness and should not be taken lightly. It is not, however, a license to just hang around for days doing nothing.

Keep this in mind - the level of fitness that you attain is directly linked to the effort you put into ALL areas mentioned above.

Next up, "Conditioning Guidelines"

12 Weeks - What's the Best

In Part 1 I give an overall look at cardiovascualr training. Now let's look at.....

What’s the Best?

I am often asked what the “best” type of cardiovascular equipment is that someone can use. My usual response is simply, “the one that is safe for you to do and one that you enjoy”. It makes little sense to me to use, for example, the elliptical machine if it is contraindicating to your body or you don’t enjoy it. The former being a recipe for disaster as it may lead to injury and the latter will only give you more reason for not doing CV work. The same question arises as well with regards to steady state training versus interval training – but I will get to that a bit later. So, as with many aspects of life, finding what fits you physically and emotionally is a “trial and error” process that you will need to experience on your own. Some straightforward and simple options a person can choose from usually involve major involvement from the lower extremities. The legs are much more capable of withstanding a larger volume of work than that of the upper body and therefore, most cardiovascular type exercises are better suited if they include the lower body as a primary mover. This is not to say that boxing, rope climbing and other movements aren’t effective, you just won’t find yourself doing as much work or time. A good place to start might be biking, running, swimming, walking, elliptical machine, rowing, jumping rope, the “stepper”, etc. Personally, I recommend activities that can be done outside because the benefits of being in fresh air and the sun go beyond improving the heart and lungs. Also, keep in mind that you don’t have to stick with just one exercise each time you train or even within the same workout. There’s no problem going for a run and finishing up with some rope jumping or rope climbing work, as an example. The options are endless if you spend some time figuring out what works for you and what you enjoy.
Ok, so I could spend a lot of time explaining the many different applications, protocols and approaches that one can do to improve their cardiovascular health, but I can tell you that a mixture of aerobic and anaerobic type cardiovascular training will help you “cover all your bases”. Improving both of these capacities will give a well-rounded level of fitness, help improve performance and allow for more functionality in life. Right now, I am going to give you a 12 week program that will help you exceed your expectations of cardiovascular health and possibly give you a goal at maybe doing something above and beyond with your results. First, I want to address the following components which I feel should be focused on to help you achieve peak, physical condition.

Next time, "Components of Physical Fitness"

12 Weeks to Better Cardiovascular Health

Getting Ready
An Overall Look

When it comes to improving cardiovascular health, many people tend to “wait till tomorrow” and somehow, tomorrow never comes. Many fail to realize the value and importance of improving their cardiovascular/cardiorespiratory systems through direct aerobic and anaerobic type training and therefore, don’t fulfill their overall fitness needs. A misnomer about cardiovascular improvement is that all you need to do is raise your heart rate and you will elicit cardiovascular benefits. To a great extent, this is true, but it’s more about the “how” and “why” you go about it that makes a difference. Allow me to explain. Let’s take a serious scenario such as a person being held at gun point. Obviously, this dangerous and life-threatening situation would surely elevate a person’s heart rate quite a bit, but it isn’t exactly the kind of increased heart rate we were looking for to improve fitness. The reason is this; just elevating the heart rate is only half the battle of improving cardiovascular/cardiorespiratory health (and by the way, I loathe the term “cardio” and will refer to improving one’s cardiovascular/cardiorespiratory system by referring to it as such or use the term “conditioning” or simply, “CV”). A lot of “things” go on when you are moving and breathing heavy such as the improved effectiveness of the circulatory and respiratory systems. Our most important muscle, the heart, becomes enlarged, enabling more blood to be pumped with each stroke. There is also improvement in the amount of oxygen and nutrients that are inhaled and distributed to body tissues. This, coupled with the increased ability to burn calories, reduce tension, lower the risk of coronary heart disease, etc., etc. warrants a good look at doing some “CV” work I’d say.

In part 2 I will discuss the "best" type of CV equipment. - Fred Fornicola