craigboydfitness.com

This person exercises 5 days a week and wants to lose a couple lbs of fat around the mid section. After my rant about the time magazine article http://craigboydfitness.com/?p=29 here is a clients food log for one day. Any guesses whether its the exercise or diet that needs to change.

Craig Boyd is one of Vancouver’s top personal trainers, crossfit and boot camp instructors. His company websites are http://www.precisionathletics.ca/  and http://precision-bootcampvancouver.com/

Great article at http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1914857-1,00.html that proves exercising makes you fat. Actually, the article says that you use up all your willpower forcing yourself to exercise so that you overeat afterwards. Therefore exercising makes you fat.

The article should have mentioned that 99% of the population eat too many refined carbs which spike the blood sugar and cause an insulin release. Insulin causes you to store fat and prevents you form burning fat while exercising. That is why drinking a gatorade before or after a 20 minute run is a bad isea, it’s all sugar (the research for gatorade was done on 90+ minutes of activity in Florida where its crazy hot). Unless you are doing a major endurance event you do not need the electrolytes or sugar that a sports drink contains.

How can you exercise and lose weight? Here are the top three things….

#1- Eat a balanced diet (of healthy fat , protein and carbs) devoid of sugar and grains (that is right no grain not even Ezekiel bread or sprouted ancient Kamut) at every meal. This will keep blood sugar level and avoid insulin spikes. No one has ever gotten fat eating fruits, vegetables, meat fish nuts and seeds.

#2- Do high intensity weights and cardio mixed- you need to push yourself in order to see results. Doing a 30 min run at 6 mph 4x a week will burn some calories but not make a major change in your physique (once you have adapted to the initial shock to the system). High intensity circuit  training has been proven to get the best results and the variety will keep you training longer.

#3- Alcohol- It’s not just the calories and the fact its all sugar. The alcohol get processed in your liver. Unfortunately, that is where fat gets broken down as well. Bad news is if you go out on the town then try to make up for it by training hard your body cannot burn any fat, its to busy detoxifying your blood. Cut down the total number of drinks  weekly as well as eliminate all alcohol Sun – Thurs (or another 5 consecutive days). That way your body will be able to de-toxify and be able to burn fat during/ after your exercise. 

Craig Boyd is one of Vancouver’s top personal trainers, crossfit and boot camp instructors. His company websites are http://www.precisionathletics.ca/  and http://precision-bootcampvancouver.com/

Two weeks ago I completed the Persona Desert 1/2 Ironman race in Osoyoos, B.C. I felt great from my training and ready to beat my time from Shawnigan lake. Everything was on course for a personal best (PB) until 18 km left in the bike. Had already biked 72 kn and the course finished with a 16 km climb. Killed my legs and I was cramping badly to start the run. It was cloudy and still 36 degrees (Celsius).Worked out in the end I finished but no PB. Spent the week after training in the heat. Did a 100km ride at the end of the week with no cramping so feel better about my changes in nutrition (switched to carbo pro which is like super concentrated Gatorade). Felt good to do parts of the Iron Man Canada Course and to be ready for the heat.

Craig Boyd is one of Vancouver’s top personal trainers, crossfit and boot camp instructors. His company websites are http://www.precisionathletics.ca/  and http://precision-bootcampvancouver.com/