On behalf of gym owners across this great land, thank you for your non-charitable donation..Your monthly membership fee keeps the lights on so people like Thor can maintain their 500 pound bench press. By the way, can Thor use your locker to store his supplements? Its just you’re never here and he’s got a lot of important stuff..Gym not working? Of course, you could always hop on the next diet bandwagon. And we all know how that turns out — 10 pounds down, 20 pounds up, three times as hungry..Hey, maybe you’re fine just the way you are! After all, 20-pounds up from a svelte 140 in high school is pretty good … right?.Sorry, after the age of 30 you lose up to 5% muscle mass per decade. Unless you weight train, increases in body weight are all fat, plus whatever displacement has occurred due to muscle atrophy. Twenty unwanted pounds quickly adds up to 50 when you do the math..To top it off we’ve gone from mocking overweight people to celebrating them. Neither works. Obese populations require support and understanding — not humiliation or celebrity. Demeaning is never a good strategy and despite good intentions, the ‘fat is beautiful’ movement is only making matters worse. Sure, it shores up much needed self esteem, but at what cost?.If you’re happy with the status quo, knock yourself out! I respect anyone who has come to terms with their body image and simply enjoys life. Other people’s weight is none of my business — nor is it yours..Positive affirmations aside, obesity isn’t healthy. Yes, you’re a great person, a stellar employee, a wonderful parent and a respected community member but those extra pounds are weighing you down, straining your heart and making you sick..Fitness Gurus, diet experts and shows like The Biggest Loser confuse and confound. They mislead the public and hock false promises, all in the name of profit. Accelerated weight loss at any cost is unsustainable and extremely unhealthy. Once released from the security of treatment or the restrictions of the latest fad diet, the ‘addict’ is plunged back into a secular world, defenseless against temptation..And let’s be clear, the Standard American Diet (SAD) is killing us — much like cigarettes and alcohol. But there are way too many people making money off poor eating habits and sedentary living. Obesity is big business. No one profits from responsible, healthy living..In the end, you are the way you are for a multitude of reasons — upbringing, stress, trauma, genes, hormones, culture, addiction, marketing ... fill in the blank..The good news is, it’s not all your fault. But, it is your problem. Time to put the blame game aside and start thinking about realistic solutions that stick..Want to lose weight and improve health without dropping a ton of money on the latest unsustainable diet? Google the Blue Zones Food Guide. No gimmicks. No measuring. No micro-nutrients. A healthy, time tested, proven lifestyle template..There, nutrition done! Seriously, stop searching. It's all you need. (Eating a little less could help as well.).Now for exercise..Go for a walk. Yes, I recommended walking last time. Boring! OK, fine — be that way. Stack three or four blood-curdling Tabatas on a spin bike until you pass out or throw up. Is high-intensity cardio better than walking? Depends on how you define ‘better.’ As they say, the best exercise is the one you are willing to do..Should I weight train? Absolutely. All in good time. Tackle diet and basic cardio first..So, how hard should I exercise? Well, you weren’t exercising before, now you are. Let’s not scale the mountain when a hill will suffice. Make it easy and sustainable. You can always make it hard down the road..Real health and fitness is simple. Boring, but simple. If you want boring, you know where I am..Paul Robinson has enjoyed 35 years in the fitness industry as an executive, personal trainer and speaker. He offers private, virtual sessions to clients across Canada. You can reach him at paul@krpersonaltraining.com
On behalf of gym owners across this great land, thank you for your non-charitable donation..Your monthly membership fee keeps the lights on so people like Thor can maintain their 500 pound bench press. By the way, can Thor use your locker to store his supplements? Its just you’re never here and he’s got a lot of important stuff..Gym not working? Of course, you could always hop on the next diet bandwagon. And we all know how that turns out — 10 pounds down, 20 pounds up, three times as hungry..Hey, maybe you’re fine just the way you are! After all, 20-pounds up from a svelte 140 in high school is pretty good … right?.Sorry, after the age of 30 you lose up to 5% muscle mass per decade. Unless you weight train, increases in body weight are all fat, plus whatever displacement has occurred due to muscle atrophy. Twenty unwanted pounds quickly adds up to 50 when you do the math..To top it off we’ve gone from mocking overweight people to celebrating them. Neither works. Obese populations require support and understanding — not humiliation or celebrity. Demeaning is never a good strategy and despite good intentions, the ‘fat is beautiful’ movement is only making matters worse. Sure, it shores up much needed self esteem, but at what cost?.If you’re happy with the status quo, knock yourself out! I respect anyone who has come to terms with their body image and simply enjoys life. Other people’s weight is none of my business — nor is it yours..Positive affirmations aside, obesity isn’t healthy. Yes, you’re a great person, a stellar employee, a wonderful parent and a respected community member but those extra pounds are weighing you down, straining your heart and making you sick..Fitness Gurus, diet experts and shows like The Biggest Loser confuse and confound. They mislead the public and hock false promises, all in the name of profit. Accelerated weight loss at any cost is unsustainable and extremely unhealthy. Once released from the security of treatment or the restrictions of the latest fad diet, the ‘addict’ is plunged back into a secular world, defenseless against temptation..And let’s be clear, the Standard American Diet (SAD) is killing us — much like cigarettes and alcohol. But there are way too many people making money off poor eating habits and sedentary living. Obesity is big business. No one profits from responsible, healthy living..In the end, you are the way you are for a multitude of reasons — upbringing, stress, trauma, genes, hormones, culture, addiction, marketing ... fill in the blank..The good news is, it’s not all your fault. But, it is your problem. Time to put the blame game aside and start thinking about realistic solutions that stick..Want to lose weight and improve health without dropping a ton of money on the latest unsustainable diet? Google the Blue Zones Food Guide. No gimmicks. No measuring. No micro-nutrients. A healthy, time tested, proven lifestyle template..There, nutrition done! Seriously, stop searching. It's all you need. (Eating a little less could help as well.).Now for exercise..Go for a walk. Yes, I recommended walking last time. Boring! OK, fine — be that way. Stack three or four blood-curdling Tabatas on a spin bike until you pass out or throw up. Is high-intensity cardio better than walking? Depends on how you define ‘better.’ As they say, the best exercise is the one you are willing to do..Should I weight train? Absolutely. All in good time. Tackle diet and basic cardio first..So, how hard should I exercise? Well, you weren’t exercising before, now you are. Let’s not scale the mountain when a hill will suffice. Make it easy and sustainable. You can always make it hard down the road..Real health and fitness is simple. Boring, but simple. If you want boring, you know where I am..Paul Robinson has enjoyed 35 years in the fitness industry as an executive, personal trainer and speaker. He offers private, virtual sessions to clients across Canada. You can reach him at paul@krpersonaltraining.com
