cannedfitness.com http://cannedfitness.com Fitness So Simple, It Should Come In A Can! Mon, 12 May 2008 15:42:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 en Lose Weight, Save Fuel http://cannedfitness.com/2008/05/12/lose-weight-save-fuel/ http://cannedfitness.com/2008/05/12/lose-weight-save-fuel/#comments Mon, 12 May 2008 15:42:58 +0000 anwar http://cannedfitness.com/2008/05/12/lose-weight-save-fuel/  I just wanted to quickly highlight an article I recently read. 

Ecogeek had a great post on 6 simple things to do to save billions of gallons of gas. Among the great tips included advice for Americans to lose weight. According to the site, if Americans lost about 24 pounds each, we could save approximately one billion gallons of gas! Think about that for a second. One billion gallons. And all you have to do is get healthier. This is the number one tip on the site. More importantly, it’s one fo the fewthat we can personally control. We have no personal control on lowering the national speed limit to save gas, nor can we increase our MPG to 35. But we can control what we eat and how often we exercise. It’s not much, but it’s a start to help solve a national dilemma, but to help get us on track to a healthier life.

]]> http://cannedfitness.com/2008/05/12/lose-weight-save-fuel/feed/ The Dangers Of Dieting http://cannedfitness.com/2008/05/02/the-dangers-of-dieting/ http://cannedfitness.com/2008/05/02/the-dangers-of-dieting/#comments Fri, 02 May 2008 20:34:44 +0000 anwar http://cannedfitness.com/2008/05/02/the-dangers-of-dieting/
 photo credit: Apollo-Jack

When people want to lose weight, they immediately think of “dieting”. However, most dieting techniques are so unhealthy and dangerous, that it’s not even worth trying! listen, anything that requires you to starve yourself for an extended period of time, or promises that you will lose like 15 pounds in a week will undoubtedly have long term repercussions. Steer clear.

There is a such thing as a “good diet” and a “bad diet”. Bad diets are what you usually hear about in the tabloids and on the news when it comes to celebrities. They usually want to get thin quick, so they go to extreme measures to do so. A celebrity might eat a leaf every four hours, but if they manage to lose 10 pounds in a week, everyone will want to try it! What happens when you starve yourself in such a manner is that, in the long run, you will slow your metabolism and burn fat slower. When you eat, your metabolism converts the food into energy and the necessary nutrients that you need to survive. This process itself requires energy, so it burns calories. By starving yourself, you are actually storing the calories that you would be burning through metablism, and stored, unused calories turn into fat.

Instead, by eating 5 - 6 small meals a day, your body is constantly working to turn that food into productive products for your body. In other words, your body is constantly burning fat because it is constantly metabolizing food! This doesn’t mean you can eat crappy meals five times a day, though. This is where “good dieting” comes into play. “Good dieting” includes adding all the recommended food groups into your everyday eating habits. This includes your fruits, vegetables, grains, and the such.  By dieting smart, you can enhance your experience in the gym and create considerable gains in a shorter amount of time. Now, that doesn’t mean you’re going to lose ten pounds in a week. That’s just ridiculously unhealthy and potentially fatal. What it does mean, though, is that you can see that smaller waist and thinner arms quicker if you combine a healthy diet with a consistent workout regimen.

WebMD has a comprehensive list of healthy diets that you can read about and choose for your particular lifestyle and goals.

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]]> http://cannedfitness.com/2008/05/02/the-dangers-of-dieting/feed/ It All Starts With The Core http://cannedfitness.com/2008/04/19/it-all-starts-with-the-core/ http://cannedfitness.com/2008/04/19/it-all-starts-with-the-core/#comments Sat, 19 Apr 2008 01:46:28 +0000 anwar http://cannedfitness.com/2008/04/19/it-all-starts-with-the-core/ Think of your body as a house. If you were to have a house built for you, you wouldn’t start decorating before you have walls up, would you??? You’d start with the foundation, and work your way up, right? Well, the same came be said for your body as it pertains to fitness. You shouldn’t start with the other parts of your body until you have a solid foundation. And that foundation is your core, the very center of your body.

The core isn’t just your abdominal and lower back muscles. It also includes the muscles in your pelvic region as well as your hips. The majority of these muscles are hidden since they are deep within your torso, so they are often ignored. Doing a million crunches is not going to give you a stronger core. In fact, it will be counter-productive to just focus on one are because that means the opposite area will be weak! This is a major source of lower back pain. The muscles in your core include:

abs.jpg

1. Rectus Abdominus

2. External Obliques

3. Internal Obliques

4. Transverse Abdominus

But a strong core has numerous advantages, such as better posture and even increased energy levels. The muscles attach to the spine, pelvis and muscles that support your shoulder blades, so a weak core is going to visibly affect your posture. If you play a sport, the benefits are endless. You can jump higher, throw farther, run faster. . . the core is truly the “magic” button; if it’s pushed, you’ll notice better performance in almost no time! In order to get the best out of your core exercises, you need to focus on the quality rather than the quantity (as is the case with ALL exercises) and make sure that you breath regularly. I’ve seen too many people holding their breath while they do any type of stomach exercises, and that could lead to injury.

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]]> http://cannedfitness.com/2008/04/19/it-all-starts-with-the-core/feed/ Introducing Functional Training http://cannedfitness.com/2008/04/09/introducing-functional-training/ http://cannedfitness.com/2008/04/09/introducing-functional-training/#comments Wed, 09 Apr 2008 18:50:55 +0000 anwar http://cannedfitness.com/2008/04/09/introducing-functional-training/ Before I begin, I must discuss an important aspect of anatomy for everyone interested in fitness; the three planes of motion. The human body is divided into three planes, as illustrated below:

bodyplanes.jpg

The sagittal plane divides the body into left and right halves, the frontal plane divides the body into front and back halves, and the transverse plane divides the body into top and bottom halves. All of our movements are multi-planar; in other words, we do not live in just one plane. Unfortunately, most of our training regimens (specifically, weight training) are single planar. Although it feels good and has some benefits, single planar training is not ideal since we have in all three planes! Enter functional training. . .

Functional training is essentially training the body using movements that one would encounter in his or her everyday life. The goal is to condition the body in an unstable environment. After all, life is full of unexpected moments which require sudden movements, and we’re not always prepared for those movements. Thus, it is necessary to train the body to be balanced. Its movements reflect the fact that people live in all three planes; we rotate and twist along the transverse plane, we walk forward and backward along the sagittal plane, and we bend along the frontal plane. If we don’t train in those planes, we are at more risk for injury.

One of the foremost authorities on functional training is Juan Carlos Santana, Director of The Institute of Human Performance in Boca Raton, FL. I watched a video of his on functional training, and was immediately hooked. As is the case with most men, I was merely concerned with getting bigger; I would go to the weight area and just go HARD! Functional training completely changed my way of thinking. I still strive for size, but now I usually incorporate balance training and core strengthening techniques into my workouts.

Some people call functional training “integrated training” because the techniques involved require multiple muscle groups on multiple planes. As mentioned before, this is how we live our everyday lives. Rarely do we use one group on one plane. For example, if you’re cooking, you may stand stationary at the countertop, but rotate to the left to pick up a pot. You’ve just rotated along the transverse plane, and used your core, arms, shoulders, and maybe chest. Functional training mimicks this natural movement in order to strengthen those muscles and prevent injury. Noticing the benefits yet?

If you’ve ever played a sport, then you are already familiar with functional training to some degree. I’m a basketball player, and all the drills we did were functional training. The lay-up drills, the slides, the backboard touches. . . . all were designed to improve my performance on the court. The neurological transfer of skill (or muscle memory) was evident because these drills mimicked the EXACT movements I performed during games. We can apply this same concept to everyday life, too. You will notice that everyday tasks like pushing objects, squating and pick things up and even turning around become 10x easier.

The great thing about functional training is that it’s economically efficient. Some may not be able to afford a gym membership, and I know for a fact that not may people have a few extra thousand dollars laying around for a personal trainer! You can spend about $25 - $30 TOTAL to get an exercise ball and resistance cables. From there, you can perform various squats, lunges, chest presses, pushups, bicep curls, tricep extensions. . . these are just a few of the techniques you can incorporate into your training regimen! If you are looking for specific programs, please don’t hesitate to email me and I can tailor something to your specific needs.

 anwar@cannedfitness.com

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]]> http://cannedfitness.com/2008/04/09/introducing-functional-training/feed/ 5 Reasons To Hire A Personal Trainer http://cannedfitness.com/2008/04/07/5-reasons-to-hire-a-personal-trainer/ http://cannedfitness.com/2008/04/07/5-reasons-to-hire-a-personal-trainer/#comments Mon, 07 Apr 2008 16:29:45 +0000 anwar http://cannedfitness.com/2008/04/07/5-reasons-to-hire-a-personal-trainer/
 photo credit: PT-Pics

I’m not going to be naive about it; many people see personal trainers as an unnecessary expense. That’s so far from the truth, it’s not even funny! Everyone who works out (or would like to begin a fitness regimen) should consult with a personal trainer. The money that you spend will not only include a certain number of intense sessions to help you reach your fitness goals, but you will also receive knowledge that can be used for the rest of your life. My gym offers a free first workout for new members, and complimentary fitness assessments for everyone else. If you are teetering between whether or not you should finally hire a personal trainer, let me give you FIVE good reasons why it’s a great idea.

1. Knowledge - personal trainers do this for a living. Remember that. I never truly understood the benefits of having a personal trainer until I became one. I remember that during my first week, I learned so much information on how to train correctly that I had to take a week of to re-assess my workout regimen! And they can give you so much advice on a range of subjects, such as strength training, functional training, dieting, muscle endurance. . . I could seriously go on for a while.

2. Motivation - it seems that there is always a “two week fallout” at the gym. That means that someone will be motivated on their own to go to the gym for two weeks, at max, and then never return! They may see a little result and be content, or they just may get bored. Whatever the case may be, personal trainers are the remedy. People are more likely to stick with the program past two weeks if they know someone is waiting on them at the gym. It’s like having a workout partner. . . except you’re the only one that’s working out!

3. Reliability - this ties in with the first reason, knowledge. Personal trainers are a reliable source of information. My fitness director to told me to think of myself as a doctor. A doctor that prescribes fitness. If you get sick or something hurts, your doctor is your reliable source for treament, right? Think about personal trainers in the same way.

4. Techniques - let’s just say you should never get bored. An associate of mine (who has earned the internal title of “super trainer”) is certified in almost everything you can think of: yoga, pilates, kickboxing, stretching. Those are just the couple that I remember! Of course, he implements all of his certifications into his workout programs for his clients, and they love it! The reason he is so successful is because he can assess a clients goals and tailor a dynamic, fun program specifically for his or her needs.

5. Attitude - attitudes are infectious. Your personal trainer is (or should be) upbeat and energetic every session! If you come in and you’ve had a long day at work or things aren’t going right in your life, we’ll make sure that you leave a little happier than when you come in. Of course, you’re body will hurt, but that will go away in a few days, and you’ll, physically, feel even better!

If you have any more questions about personal training that I have no addressed, feel free to drop me an email

anwar@cannedfitness.com

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]]> http://cannedfitness.com/2008/04/07/5-reasons-to-hire-a-personal-trainer/feed/ How To Care For Your Ankle Sprain http://cannedfitness.com/2008/04/02/how-to-care-for-your-ankle-sprain/ http://cannedfitness.com/2008/04/02/how-to-care-for-your-ankle-sprain/#comments Wed, 02 Apr 2008 19:21:28 +0000 anwar http://cannedfitness.com/2008/04/02/how-to-care-for-your-ankle-sprain/
 photo credit: Marc van der Chijs

I remember it like it was last week:

It was my junior year in high school, and we were playing a basketball game in New Jersey. The game had just started, and I was feeling extra, extra good. I was bigger, stronger, and quicker than the man that was guarding me; it was going to be a good night. Three minutes into the first quarter, I caught the ball and made a quick move to my left. The whistle blew, and I got called for a travel. However, instead of just stopping, my momentum carried me into my jumpshot, and when I landed, it was on the side of my right foot.  I had never felt so much pain in my life! I collapsed to the court clutching my ankle, and had to be carried to the bench. Just like that, my season was over.

 I just came back from Vegas, and I sprained my ankle again. But this time, I was just walking a lot, and wore the wrong shoes.  It was a lesson that I had to learn the hard way that I want to pass on to you:

If you’re going to be walking for a while, the proper shoes are necessary! If not, you’ll be sidelined for a few days like me. . .

But it also reminded of a time tested method to caring for your ankle sprain. It’s called the RICE Method, and it can help you get back on your feet in no time!

R (Rest it) - if you’ve sprained your ankle, you definitely don’t want to try to walk on it for a few days. All that will do is slow down the healing process, and possibly make the injury even worse.

I (Ice it) - putting ice on an ankle is to keep the swelling down. But you want to make sure you ice it immediately; icing is most effective within the initial 48 hours of the injury. If you don’t have acces to an abundance of ice, get creative with it. You can use frozen foods (lol, put that steak back and reach for the frozen vegetables!) for the same results. And don’t ice for more that 20 minutes every 3-4 hours.

C (Compress it) - compression is used to also minimize the swelling, and your best bet would be to wrap an Ace bandage around the area. Ace bandages are cheap (I bought one in Vegas for just under $5, and it’s reusable. Here’s an excellent wrapping technique I found at Revolultion Health.

E (Elevate it) - simply keep your injured ankle above your heart. I would suggest you just lay in your bed and place some pillows underneath your foot.

I have found that following the RICE technique for the first few days after your injury seriously helps to alleviate a lot of pain. However, it will take you at least a full week to recover from simple to moderate ankle sprains. Anything else (as long as it doesn’t require surgery) will take a bit longer.

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]]> http://cannedfitness.com/2008/04/02/how-to-care-for-your-ankle-sprain/feed/ Looking At Staying Healthy At Work http://cannedfitness.com/2008/04/01/looking-at-staying-healthy-at-work/ http://cannedfitness.com/2008/04/01/looking-at-staying-healthy-at-work/#comments Tue, 01 Apr 2008 00:44:58 +0000 anwar http://cannedfitness.com/2008/04/01/looking-at-staying-healthy-at-work/ I was on one of my favorite sites the other day, Diethack, and I discovered an incredible article about staying healthy at your workstation. The article was excellent, and it definitely got me thinking. One of the biggest reasons that adults have trouble staying in shape is that staying on schedule with exercise and nutrition might be the hardest thing in the world! And if you have kids, that complicates matters even more because you have less free time. So what is today’s professional supposed to do? Well, you can try alternative exercises if you don’t have time to go to the gym, or you can try to take advantage of some of tips from Diethack. One of the biggest tips I can give, that I’m surprised isn’t on the list is this:

PACK YOUR OWN LUNCH!

As you probably know, diet is about 70% of the fitness equation. No matter how often you workout or what types of exercises you do, if you don’t burn more calories than you take in, you’re going to gain weight. It’s that simple. Eating at work is always an issue because there is always the temptation of the “quick bite”. You know the conversation:

You: Hey guys, I gotta finish this report, so I’m going to grab a quick bite. Anybody want anything?

Yea, usually, that “quick bite” is the nastiest, greasiest fast food item you can grab to minimize your eating time. If you start packing a lunch, you might save more time because you won’t have to go anywhere! You can grab your water and your turkey sandwich right out of your paper bag right there at your desk. Easy as 1-2-3. And if you need more incentive to pack a lunch, just think of the cost savings. Instead of spending about $7 or $8 dollars a week on unhealthy fast food, you would probably spend half of that by bringing healthier food!

With all the money you’re going to save, why not buy those personal training sessions you promised yourself for your New Year’s resolution?

;o)

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]]> http://cannedfitness.com/2008/04/01/looking-at-staying-healthy-at-work/feed/ Sorry Guys http://cannedfitness.com/2008/04/01/sorry-guys/ http://cannedfitness.com/2008/04/01/sorry-guys/#comments Tue, 01 Apr 2008 00:44:32 +0000 anwar http://cannedfitness.com/2008/04/01/sorry-guys/ Sorry for the lack of updates. I’ve been in Vegas for the past week losing all my money on the blackjack table, and I conveniently left my laptop at home! I’m back now, so I’ll be updating regularly to continue helping everyone reach there fitness goals!

]]> http://cannedfitness.com/2008/04/01/sorry-guys/feed/ What Do Women Want http://cannedfitness.com/2008/03/24/what-do-women-want/ http://cannedfitness.com/2008/03/24/what-do-women-want/#comments Mon, 24 Mar 2008 18:43:49 +0000 anwar http://cannedfitness.com/2008/03/24/what-do-women-want/
 photo credit: José Miguel Serrano 

It’s a question that all men want to know. If you type that phrase into Google, you’ll get over 26,000,000 hits in under 1 second! A lot of the pages that turn up are in reference to the Mel Gibson movie, and you’ll also get some about women in the workplace, buying a car, and even hormone replacement therapy! But the majority of the sites pertain to offering men insight on exactly what it is that women want.

Unfortunately, what women want and what men think women want are at two totally opposite ends of the spectrum. Men like to flaunt their material wealth around for women. It’s no secret that women like shiny things just as much as men, and men use this to true to snag as many women as possible. If this is what you want, that’s fine. I’m not here to judge. But the truth is that you’re probably going to attract a lot of shallow women with more issues than you’ll want to deal with!

There are numerous books, websites, newsletters, and even services which offer to help men deal better with women. They offer suggestions on how to read body language, how to stand out from the rest, and some “consultants” will even go to bars and clubs with men to show them techniques to use “in the field”. But none of that is necessary. Sure, women send out subliminal signals and it helps to be able to identify them. It is important to note, however, that if you follow what you read, it will usually lead to quick, fleeting relationships that may leave you emptier than when you first started.

In 1982, Dr. Edgar Gregarson conducted a study entitled Sexual Practices: The Story Of Human Sexuality. In this study, Dr. Gregerson

. . . concluded that whereas the female body is off “pre-eminent” concern for mate selection, the male status is an afterthought to his economic status and socials skills [for a woman]. (Source)

Why do women judge on the basis of money and social skills? It’s simple: women instinctively judge men on their ability to provide for offspring! It’s no secret that beautiful women are attracted to men in powerful positions (former Gov. Spitzer, anyone?), and the reason is that it could possible lead to a better life not only for her, and her children.

If you are pursuing a woman, it is important to make that first interaction something memorable (this is when all the books and advice come in handy). But in order to keep her interest, it is not recommended that you lavish her with gifts and try to flaunt your wealth and status. If a woman wants it, she’ll go get it. Trust me. If you give expensive gifts, she’ll think you’re trying to buy her goodies, or even worse, she’ll just string you along until the gifts run out. Your best bet is to give what Playboy Magazine calls a “costly but worthless gift.” A perfect example is a night on the town, which may cost you, but won’t do her any good unless she genuinely likes you. Try it. And if she’s worth it, offer to drive her home in your new BMW.

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]]> http://cannedfitness.com/2008/03/24/what-do-women-want/feed/ Your Scale Is Lying To You http://cannedfitness.com/2008/03/19/your-scale-is-lying-to-you/ http://cannedfitness.com/2008/03/19/your-scale-is-lying-to-you/#comments Wed, 19 Mar 2008 12:32:56 +0000 anwar http://cannedfitness.com/2008/03/19/your-scale-is-lying-to-you/
photo credit: skampy

Scales lie. There, I said it!

Sure, you’ve probably used that same phrase before, but now you have my whole hearted support. If you follow your diet and exercise, the worst thing you could do at the end of the day is step on a scale. It won’t give you an accurate account of how close you are to reaching your goals. If you have a goal, you need to stick to it. It’s that simple. But I would not suggest you make that goal be to lose weight. Instead, focus on losing fat. Weight loss is a fickle subject, and it is possible to actually get healthier without losing the dozens of pounds that light the end of your fitness tunnel.

Before I begin, I just want to say that weight loss is a good thing! I’m not suggesting that you stop trying to lose weight. Please, continue down that path. But don’t focus on your weight. Muscle cells actually weigh more than fat cells, so you could be [tag]burning fat/tag], but still gaining weight. If you step on a scale, and it tells you that you’ve lost 4 pounds in a month, you might get discouraged. All that healthy eating and exercising 4 - 5 times a week, and only 4 pounds! But what that scale won’t tell you is that you’ve burned off 15 punds of fat and have replaced it with heavier muscle, thereby distorting what you see as “results”.

If you are a bodybuilder (or just looking to add mass), then you’ll probably welcome this increase in weight. Personally, I have been trying to get up to 200lbs for the longest time, and I just can’t do it! So if I notice my weight increasing, I’m ecstatic! However, if you are trying to get tone (maybe by doing yoga), you will burn fat, but your muscle mass will only increase slight. You may still, however, notice a slight increase in weight, but you will definitely see a difference in the mirror. A positive difference!

What you should do instead is focus on your body fat percentage and various body tape measurements (such as around your arms, waist, and legs). Body fat is composed of your essential fat (what you need to survive) and your storage fat. Men should have between 8%-12%, whereas women should be have about 20%. The disparity is “due to the demands of childbearing and other hormonal activities”. Although there are numerous ways to, I prefer to use a body fat caliper, which basically measures your skin folds. Measuring various body parts is easy. Remember how Hulk Hogan used to brag about having “24 inch pythons”? Ok, maybe not. But he was talking about his biceps; his biceps were 24 inches in diameter. Whoa! To get measurements like that, you simply have to take some measuring tape, and measure the appropriate body part. These girth measurements help by telling you “where you are growing or shrinking, which muscle groups are responding, and which may need to be attacked in a different way.”

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