The title of this blog may seem like an oxymoron, but it is true. You actually can lose weight by gaining some. Muscle weight that is. We are not talking about looking like Hulk Hogan here. Your muscles are your body's furnace. Your body fat is the coal reserves for your furnace. When you eat, you maintain a reserve supply of energy. When you eat too much, you add more to your reserves. Your muscles burn these reserves. The more muscle you have, the more energy they will burn. The best part is muscle burns fat while you sleep, as well as during exercise. Yep, you can lose weight while sitting on your butt.
How much muscle do you need? Well, let's look at it this way. 1 lb of muscle will burn 50 calories a day. 10 lbs of muscle will burn 500 calories a day or 3,500 calories a week without you lifting a finger. It gets better. 1 lb of fat stores 3,500 calories. In short, build 10 lbs of muscle and lose a pound a week by sleeping. After talking with a trainer at LA Fitness, he told me this takes about 10-12 months for the average person to accomplish. Obviously a commitment and a small expense in new athletic cut uniforms, but the health benefits can prolong your "active years" and lead to a longer life.
I do not have the stats for the ladies, but after 30, the average man loses 1% of their muscle per year. Not to scare anybody, but exercise can stop and reverse that lose.
This week’s workout
1) Stretch. Hold on to your toes for 5 seconds. No quick touch and goes.
2) Pushups. If you've been adding 1 a day, you should be able to do 60 by now.
For many, you are approaching the maximum for your age groups on the pushups. To help build confidence, continue on for 10 more past your PFP max.
3) Core exercises. Alternate between different types of core exercises to strengthen all your core muscles.
4) Cardio. Get up to at least 2 miles without stopping this week. "Wait a second! I only run 1.5 miles twice a year. We do not test for 2 miles." That is right, we do not. The concept is both conditioning and physiological. Two miles will give you a weight benefit and the confidence to know during the PFP, you can run farther than required.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009
How to Join a Big Gym for Little Money
This week my wife and I decided to give LA Fitness a try. One is being built just 2 miles from our home. We have been members at AnyTime Fitness for a year and a half now. When we joined, our work made the trip to AnyTime Fitness easy. Well, both work and life changed and now our old gym is about 15 minutes in the wrong direction. We toured another LA Fitness about 20 minutes from home to see if we would want to join. We were hoping to get a Grand Opening discount. Well, that particular location could not give it to us because they had been open for some time. Here is where you can save some money. Ask them to register you at a location that is offering some type of grand opening discount. Like most large fitness center chains, your membership at one, is good at all others. He simply took our information, faxed it to the new gym to be processed, and handed us our membership cards. The end result for our month-to-month membership saved us several hundred dollars over the course of the next two years. He said he actually processed a membership for a lady in Texas during his gym's grand opening special, saving her hundreds of dollars as well.
This weeks workout:
1) Stretch. You should be able to touch your toes by now.
2) Push ups. If you've been adding 1 a day, you should be able to do 54 by now.
3) Core exercises. Alternate between different types of core exercises to strengthen all your core muscles.
4) Cardio. Get up to at least a mile and a half without stopping this week.
This weeks workout:
1) Stretch. You should be able to touch your toes by now.
2) Push ups. If you've been adding 1 a day, you should be able to do 54 by now.
3) Core exercises. Alternate between different types of core exercises to strengthen all your core muscles.
4) Cardio. Get up to at least a mile and a half without stopping this week.
Monday, February 16, 2009
The Clock is Ticking
This last week, we meet some friends for dinner at a place that we have never been before. I'm a fan of the Mom and Pop operation. You usually get the best food at these places. What my wife and I were not prepared for is the smoke. The establishment was the client of our friends. They make it a habit at eating at the establishments of those who do business with them. From a business perspective, it is a smart move. Well, 2 days later, I'm still coughing.
The clock is ticking is not only a reminder that the PFA is in a few weeks, but also a reminder to our shipmates about the dangers of smoking. I was exposed for almost two hours to secondhand smoke and I'm still effected by the smoke of that night. Image your loved ones around you. Smoking is a personal decision, but I highly encourage everyone to breath smoke free. http://www.smokefree.gov/ has resources to help you get started in kicking the nicotine addiction and your doctor can also provide assistance.
From a financial point of view during this recession, lets look at the cost. In Indiana, a pack of cigarettes cost $4.10. One pack a day over a week is $28.70. Over the course of a year, that is $1496.50. For comparison, you can have a 4 night stay at the Shades of Green, 2 days at Disney Theme Parks, and round trip tickets from Indianapolis to Orlando for less then a year of smoking a pack a day.
This weeks workout:
1) Stretch. You should be able to touch your toes by now.
2) Push ups. If you've been adding 1 a day, you should be able to do 47 by now.
3) Core exercises. Do not forget your back. Even though we do not test for back strength, you need to have a strong back to support those six pack abs.
3) Cardio. Everyone should be able to do at least a mile and a half within the time required by your age. If not, you really need to be getting to work.
3 days a week. That is all you need.
The clock is ticking is not only a reminder that the PFA is in a few weeks, but also a reminder to our shipmates about the dangers of smoking. I was exposed for almost two hours to secondhand smoke and I'm still effected by the smoke of that night. Image your loved ones around you. Smoking is a personal decision, but I highly encourage everyone to breath smoke free. http://www.smokefree.gov/ has resources to help you get started in kicking the nicotine addiction and your doctor can also provide assistance.
From a financial point of view during this recession, lets look at the cost. In Indiana, a pack of cigarettes cost $4.10. One pack a day over a week is $28.70. Over the course of a year, that is $1496.50. For comparison, you can have a 4 night stay at the Shades of Green, 2 days at Disney Theme Parks, and round trip tickets from Indianapolis to Orlando for less then a year of smoking a pack a day.
This weeks workout:
1) Stretch. You should be able to touch your toes by now.
2) Push ups. If you've been adding 1 a day, you should be able to do 47 by now.
3) Core exercises. Do not forget your back. Even though we do not test for back strength, you need to have a strong back to support those six pack abs.
3) Cardio. Everyone should be able to do at least a mile and a half within the time required by your age. If not, you really need to be getting to work.
3 days a week. That is all you need.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
The countdown has started!
I would like to thank those individuals who commented about how much I ate this weekend while at NOSC Chicago. For the record, I lost another pound over the weekend. How??? Well let’s look at what I ate.
Prior to leaving for the airport, I made sure I had lunch. I also stopped at the USO and snacked on Power Aid and a trail mix bar. My wife also packed some nutria grain bars in my backpack to make sure I was not tempted by the overpriced goodies at the airport. Thursday night The Grubbster and I had dinner at the Rain Forest Café. My meal was the chicken fajitas. Now, I do not deny that I ate all the chicken and veggies. I did not touch the sour cream and only part of the cheese. In short, I had a relatively healthy meal. I also stocked my quarters with fruit and mostly ate Subway the rest of the weekend. My one vice was the pizza at Silo. But hey, you need a cheat day at least once a week.
I had hoped to get to the gym, but time only allowed for pushups and sit-ups every morning. I did take an hour and went hiking at O’Hare. Yes, I said hiking. I’ll be sharing that one in the next issue of our unit’s fitness newsletter due out in May.
Now is a really good time for a really good reality check. Ask yourself these questions:
1 – Are you in shape?
2 – Are you comfortable in a bathing suit?
3 – Can you go outside, right now, and get at least an Excellent on the PRT?
Most people will answer no to at least 2 out of 3 of these. Don’t put it off any more, get ready for the PFA.
This week make sure your run a mile at least twice. You can do a third mile or some other form of cardio. Don’t look at the minimum for your push-ups and sit-ups. Look at the maximum and build up to that goal. As the lesson above shows, you can still eat well, as long as you eat smart.
Prior to leaving for the airport, I made sure I had lunch. I also stopped at the USO and snacked on Power Aid and a trail mix bar. My wife also packed some nutria grain bars in my backpack to make sure I was not tempted by the overpriced goodies at the airport. Thursday night The Grubbster and I had dinner at the Rain Forest Café. My meal was the chicken fajitas. Now, I do not deny that I ate all the chicken and veggies. I did not touch the sour cream and only part of the cheese. In short, I had a relatively healthy meal. I also stocked my quarters with fruit and mostly ate Subway the rest of the weekend. My one vice was the pizza at Silo. But hey, you need a cheat day at least once a week.
I had hoped to get to the gym, but time only allowed for pushups and sit-ups every morning. I did take an hour and went hiking at O’Hare. Yes, I said hiking. I’ll be sharing that one in the next issue of our unit’s fitness newsletter due out in May.
Now is a really good time for a really good reality check. Ask yourself these questions:
1 – Are you in shape?
2 – Are you comfortable in a bathing suit?
3 – Can you go outside, right now, and get at least an Excellent on the PRT?
Most people will answer no to at least 2 out of 3 of these. Don’t put it off any more, get ready for the PFA.
This week make sure your run a mile at least twice. You can do a third mile or some other form of cardio. Don’t look at the minimum for your push-ups and sit-ups. Look at the maximum and build up to that goal. As the lesson above shows, you can still eat well, as long as you eat smart.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
10 Weeks to Go!
OK CPPD-MW. We have our drill wekend set for April 4th and 5th. The PFA will be held on the Track. Please be prepared for cool temperatures. For those of you who have either been following the blog for the last 2 months or who started on the catch up plan in January, you should all be in really good shape for the PFA.
t this point you should be spending at least two days a week dedicated to preparing for the PFA. You also need to be spending at least another day of the week in some sort of physical activity. In running we have a saying "Train he way you plan to race." In otherwords, do your PFA training in this order.
t this point you should be spending at least two days a week dedicated to preparing for the PFA. You also need to be spending at least another day of the week in some sort of physical activity. In running we have a saying "Train he way you plan to race." In otherwords, do your PFA training in this order.
- Warm up
- Toe Touch
- Pushups
- Curl ups
- Run
- Cool down
This will get you body used to the different stresses you will place on it. When I ran the PRT just a few weeksprior to a marathon, everyone expected an incrediable run. After all, I was running 20 miles every other day. A 1.5 mile run is nothing. Wel, before those 20 miles runs, I di not do 95 push ups. To complete those pushups, your body will redirect bloodflow to your ches and away from your legs. The 1.5 mile run was ood, but far from what it could have been. I was not training for a PRT at the time and it showed.
One last bit of motivation. Watch the "Biggest Loser." It is proof positive that no matter what your age or physical condition, you can improve your health and your qualityof life for the long term.
Below is the receipe posted by Chef Curtis Stone on last weeks "The Biggest Loser" as a way of making buffao wings for your Suppoer Bowl Party. I'll be taking this receipe over to a SUper Bowl party this evening to see how they go over.
Rosemary Skewered Chicken with Orange Glaze
Serves 6-->
INGREDIENTS
Juice of 3 oranges- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 6 large sprigs of rosemary about 10 to 12 inches long, with half the leaves removed
METHOD
Preheat a grill or grill pan on medium high heat.- Place the orange juice into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the orange juice has the consistency of a very thin syrup.
- Add the Dijon, honey, garlic, and ginger and continue cooking over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Remove from heat to allow flavors to meld and reserve.
- Evenly divide the cubed chicken among the rosemary sprigs and skewer the chicken onto the exposed part of the rosemary sprigs.
- Lightly brush the grill with oil and grill chicken for 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165F on an instant read thermometer.
- Remove skewers from the grill to a serving plate, drizzle with the orange sauce and serve immediately.
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