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Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
Why I do what I do
I absolutely love being a personal trainer! I am so glad God has given me this calling! I love connecting with people and helping them achieve their goals. I get so much positive energy from helping my clients reach higher levels of success! Every day is a thrill ride!
A few years ago while I was finishing school, I was trying to decide between career routes. I knew that my education could allow me to head in several different directions in the healthcare field. I was really struggling because I was trying to determine first what would give me the greatest financial benefit and second what I would be most happy doing. That's when God opened my eyes and pointed out that my priorites were backwards! I should have first been following what would make me and others the happiest and then second find ways to make the most money.
The "Dieing Test"
I know I am doing what God is calling me to do with my work because it passes what I call the "Dieing Test". This is what I mean: let's pretend you just found out that you have 6 months left to live. You are not physically disabled, so you could legitimately go back to work, if you decided. Now the real question, with 6 months left to live, would you go back to work?
For me, I actually would go back to work. Granted, I may not work 40 hours/week but I would still continue to work up until it was time for me to say goodbye. The reason is not because I am a workaholic, but because I absolutely LOVE what I do! Do you?
I love being positively involved in people's lives. As a personal trainer, I get to make a real difference. When I help transform people physically, it's not just the muscles that I am helping to change, but people's confidence in themselves.
Also, as a Christian, being a personal trainer is an opportunity for me to share the love of Christ. The bible says that people will know we are Christians by the love that we show. As a personal trainer, I deeply care for each and every client that I have. I try to show the love of Christ to each and every one of them. It's an opportunity for me to plant seeds that I pray, one day, will sprout!
I am so thankful that each day I get to wake up and make a difference! Do you feel that way? If you don't, what is stopping you? Don't let financial reasons stand in your way of working in the field that God is calling you to. If you know of a job/career that you would love to do but don't feel like you would make enough money, realize that when you love what you do, you will be far more productive than everyone else that is only working to "get by". Money will be attracted to you because you are following your calling! Life is way too short to not be involved in what you are supposed to be involved in!
If you don't pass the "Dieing Test", pray right now that God will direct you to the field that He wants you to really be involved in. When you do what's really in your heart, you can make a real impact! That is why I do what I do!
Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." John 6:29 (NIV)
A few years ago while I was finishing school, I was trying to decide between career routes. I knew that my education could allow me to head in several different directions in the healthcare field. I was really struggling because I was trying to determine first what would give me the greatest financial benefit and second what I would be most happy doing. That's when God opened my eyes and pointed out that my priorites were backwards! I should have first been following what would make me and others the happiest and then second find ways to make the most money.
The "Dieing Test"
I know I am doing what God is calling me to do with my work because it passes what I call the "Dieing Test". This is what I mean: let's pretend you just found out that you have 6 months left to live. You are not physically disabled, so you could legitimately go back to work, if you decided. Now the real question, with 6 months left to live, would you go back to work?
For me, I actually would go back to work. Granted, I may not work 40 hours/week but I would still continue to work up until it was time for me to say goodbye. The reason is not because I am a workaholic, but because I absolutely LOVE what I do! Do you?
I love being positively involved in people's lives. As a personal trainer, I get to make a real difference. When I help transform people physically, it's not just the muscles that I am helping to change, but people's confidence in themselves.
Also, as a Christian, being a personal trainer is an opportunity for me to share the love of Christ. The bible says that people will know we are Christians by the love that we show. As a personal trainer, I deeply care for each and every client that I have. I try to show the love of Christ to each and every one of them. It's an opportunity for me to plant seeds that I pray, one day, will sprout!
I am so thankful that each day I get to wake up and make a difference! Do you feel that way? If you don't, what is stopping you? Don't let financial reasons stand in your way of working in the field that God is calling you to. If you know of a job/career that you would love to do but don't feel like you would make enough money, realize that when you love what you do, you will be far more productive than everyone else that is only working to "get by". Money will be attracted to you because you are following your calling! Life is way too short to not be involved in what you are supposed to be involved in!
If you don't pass the "Dieing Test", pray right now that God will direct you to the field that He wants you to really be involved in. When you do what's really in your heart, you can make a real impact! That is why I do what I do!
Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." John 6:29 (NIV)
Monday, April 12, 2010
Group Personal Training
For many people, training in a group can be very motivating and fun! That is why large group exercise classes have done so well. It's a good opportunity for socializing with others that have similar fitness goals. In addition to large group exercise classes, a new trend in fitness is with smaller, more personalized group training. These types of groups range from 3-5 people in size and their work outs are guided by a personal trainer. The benefits to training this way include: cost savings, camaraderie and it can be more motivating!
Cost Savings of Group Training:
When you train in a group, the cost of personal training is shared between all the group members. So, even if the total cost of training is higher, because there are a larger number of people to divide up the price, each person pays less than what they would have if it were one-on-one. Typically, if there are 4 people in a group, the cost would be half the price compared to a one-on-one session.
Camaraderie and Motivation:
When everyone goes through the same hardship, friendships are often made! This can be easily compared to people who have gone through boot camp in the military or playing on a sports team. When a team is challenged together, everyone on the team begins to lean on each other for support. That's when the team collectively strengthens!
In addition, the strong players of the team are often a great example to the rest of the team members. Many of the weaker members will often try harder when they see their stronger teammate counterparts pushing themselves. Also, when one teammate begins to get results from their work, that's when the other members tend to start working harder as well. It's an inspiring cycle of team motivation!
Group training has many benefits. However, it isn't for everyone. Some of the cons of group training are: less attention than one-on-one training and the group tends to decide meeting times and days. Since it is group training, the group as a whole tends to make most of the decisions instead of individual decisions. So, if one person out of the group can't make it one evening because of a conflict, that person will typically just miss the session. Whereas one-one-one training can be based on individual schedules. In addition to this, the obvious point about group training is that it is a "group" so there will be less individual attention to every single person as compared to one-on-one training.
It is important to weigh the types of training options available: one-one-one vs. small group training. If you like a small group atmosphere and are excited about being challenged, then group training may be the ticket for you! However, if you think you need a little more individual attention than one-on-one training will probably work best for you.
"How many loaves do you have?" Jesus asked. "Go and see." When they found out, they said "Five--and two fish." Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. Mark 6:38-39 (NIV)
Cost Savings of Group Training:
When you train in a group, the cost of personal training is shared between all the group members. So, even if the total cost of training is higher, because there are a larger number of people to divide up the price, each person pays less than what they would have if it were one-on-one. Typically, if there are 4 people in a group, the cost would be half the price compared to a one-on-one session.
Camaraderie and Motivation:
When everyone goes through the same hardship, friendships are often made! This can be easily compared to people who have gone through boot camp in the military or playing on a sports team. When a team is challenged together, everyone on the team begins to lean on each other for support. That's when the team collectively strengthens!
In addition, the strong players of the team are often a great example to the rest of the team members. Many of the weaker members will often try harder when they see their stronger teammate counterparts pushing themselves. Also, when one teammate begins to get results from their work, that's when the other members tend to start working harder as well. It's an inspiring cycle of team motivation!
Group training has many benefits. However, it isn't for everyone. Some of the cons of group training are: less attention than one-on-one training and the group tends to decide meeting times and days. Since it is group training, the group as a whole tends to make most of the decisions instead of individual decisions. So, if one person out of the group can't make it one evening because of a conflict, that person will typically just miss the session. Whereas one-one-one training can be based on individual schedules. In addition to this, the obvious point about group training is that it is a "group" so there will be less individual attention to every single person as compared to one-on-one training.
It is important to weigh the types of training options available: one-one-one vs. small group training. If you like a small group atmosphere and are excited about being challenged, then group training may be the ticket for you! However, if you think you need a little more individual attention than one-on-one training will probably work best for you.
"How many loaves do you have?" Jesus asked. "Go and see." When they found out, they said "Five--and two fish." Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. Mark 6:38-39 (NIV)
Monday, March 22, 2010
Consistency and your MAS plan!
Consistency is what it really takes! Staying the course when it's not easy is what separates the champions from everyone else. Why is it so hard to stay on track with fitness and diet goals? If you have struggled with staying true to your goals, then you may find this article to be very helpful to you.
Getting derailed from your exercise/diet plan is never anyone's goal. Unfortunately, most of us have very busy lives and when another life priority comes up, fitness tends to take the back burner. However, I have discovered that most people could stay on track, with little difficulty, if they had the right mindset.
The Minimum Acceptable Standard (MAS)
I have noticed that most people have not developed a Minimum Acceptable Standard (MAS) for themselves in regards to their fitness plan. Having a MAS plan is what is necessary to keep yourself on track when life comes at you! For example, my MAS plan for cardio is 20 minutes. If I originally intended to do 45 minutes of cardio and then had more work to do then I was planning on, I always fall back to my MAS cardio plan of 20 minutes.
My MAS weight training plan is one body part. For example, if I was planning to train chest/shoulders and triceps but I didn't give myself as much time as I needed, I just do one bodypart like chest. My MAS diet plan is to eat 4 high protein foods each day. So, if my main plan is to eat well rounded meals with protein and then I realized I had to be on the road all day and I was going to be short on time, I would make sure to have enough protein for 4 meals (with 1 or 2 of those meals being Nutrilite protein shakes).
My MAS plan keeps me consistent no matter what! By being consistent, I can accomplish a lot more than most people who work harder sporadically. I am able to burn off 300-400 calories with just 20 minutes of cardio, by doing that over 5 days that's up to 2000 calories burnt just from my MAS plan! If I just followed my MAS plan for weight training, I would still train each bodypart every week. I also would get enough protein for my body by following my MAS plan.
Developing your MAS plan could make all the difference for you in helping you to stay consistent with your goals. Don't overwhelm yourself with thinking that you need to do so much when you don't have the time. It's your consistency of effort over time that makes the biggest impact! Be consistent by following your MAS plan! Consistency is key to helping you achieve your goals.
"Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect your decrees!" Psalm 119:5 (NLT)
Getting derailed from your exercise/diet plan is never anyone's goal. Unfortunately, most of us have very busy lives and when another life priority comes up, fitness tends to take the back burner. However, I have discovered that most people could stay on track, with little difficulty, if they had the right mindset.
The Minimum Acceptable Standard (MAS)
I have noticed that most people have not developed a Minimum Acceptable Standard (MAS) for themselves in regards to their fitness plan. Having a MAS plan is what is necessary to keep yourself on track when life comes at you! For example, my MAS plan for cardio is 20 minutes. If I originally intended to do 45 minutes of cardio and then had more work to do then I was planning on, I always fall back to my MAS cardio plan of 20 minutes.
My MAS weight training plan is one body part. For example, if I was planning to train chest/shoulders and triceps but I didn't give myself as much time as I needed, I just do one bodypart like chest. My MAS diet plan is to eat 4 high protein foods each day. So, if my main plan is to eat well rounded meals with protein and then I realized I had to be on the road all day and I was going to be short on time, I would make sure to have enough protein for 4 meals (with 1 or 2 of those meals being Nutrilite protein shakes).
My MAS plan keeps me consistent no matter what! By being consistent, I can accomplish a lot more than most people who work harder sporadically. I am able to burn off 300-400 calories with just 20 minutes of cardio, by doing that over 5 days that's up to 2000 calories burnt just from my MAS plan! If I just followed my MAS plan for weight training, I would still train each bodypart every week. I also would get enough protein for my body by following my MAS plan.
Developing your MAS plan could make all the difference for you in helping you to stay consistent with your goals. Don't overwhelm yourself with thinking that you need to do so much when you don't have the time. It's your consistency of effort over time that makes the biggest impact! Be consistent by following your MAS plan! Consistency is key to helping you achieve your goals.
"Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect your decrees!" Psalm 119:5 (NLT)
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Correctly Exercising
Recently, I passed the new "Corrective Exercise Specialist" certification exam through NASM (National Acadamy of Sports Medicine). A corrective exercise specialist is someone who (based on what NASM teaches): "provides the advanced knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully work with clients suffering from musculoskeletal impairments, imbalances or post-rehabilitation concerns." (NASM.org)
All of that sounds pretty clinical, like I will be working with people coming out of the hospital or physical therapy, and to a certain degree that is what it implies. However, people who suffer from "musculoskeletal impairments" affects far more people than you may first think. For example, I personally have a few muscle impairments. I have a very tight hip flexor complex along with an overactive erector spinae that causes my lower back to arch during many squatting exercises and creates a lot of pain.
Through this course, I have found that I am not alone with my impairments. Many people tend to have lower back pain, knee pain and shoulder pain that is usually due to some type of muscle imbalance. For example, people who sit down at the computer a lot during the day may find that they tighten up their hip flexor muscles and pull their pelvis anteriorly which creates a lot of lower back pain. Also, people who run often may have iliotibial (IT) band tendonitis which causes them knee pain. With the proper stretching and self-myofascial release (kind of like a self-massage), these issues can be resolved.
Here is a simple self-assessment that you can do to see if you might suffer from a muscle imbalance. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and your arms overhead like this picture:
.
Then squat down like you were going to sit into a chair. Like this:
All of that sounds pretty clinical, like I will be working with people coming out of the hospital or physical therapy, and to a certain degree that is what it implies. However, people who suffer from "musculoskeletal impairments" affects far more people than you may first think. For example, I personally have a few muscle impairments. I have a very tight hip flexor complex along with an overactive erector spinae that causes my lower back to arch during many squatting exercises and creates a lot of pain.
Through this course, I have found that I am not alone with my impairments. Many people tend to have lower back pain, knee pain and shoulder pain that is usually due to some type of muscle imbalance. For example, people who sit down at the computer a lot during the day may find that they tighten up their hip flexor muscles and pull their pelvis anteriorly which creates a lot of lower back pain. Also, people who run often may have iliotibial (IT) band tendonitis which causes them knee pain. With the proper stretching and self-myofascial release (kind of like a self-massage), these issues can be resolved.
Here is a simple self-assessment that you can do to see if you might suffer from a muscle imbalance. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and your arms overhead like this picture:
.
Then squat down like you were going to sit into a chair. Like this:
Make note of any pain, movement of your knees, hips or feet that appear out of the ordinary. When this exercise is done properly, your feet should remain straight forward with your knees in alignment with your second toe. Your lower back should remain neutral and your arms should create invisible parallel lines with your knees. It's best to have a friend check your form as you do this.
If during the squat you find that you experience any pain, joint discomfort or any movement of your posture away from the above description, then chances are, you have a muscle imbalance and you need some corrective exercise. If you avoid these issues for too long, you may end up with much more costly health problems. Many types of surgery and physcial therapy can be avoided with proper corrective exercise.
Also, please keep in mind, this simple test is not all-encompassing. A certified corrective exercise specialist or physical therapist should watch as you perform this test and help you conduct a few other assessments. Just because you may not notice anything "out of the ordinary" yourself, doesn't mean you don't suffer from muscle imbalances. For further information about corrective exercise and if it is right for you, please email me at jonathanearnold@gmail.com
Also, please keep in mind, this simple test is not all-encompassing. A certified corrective exercise specialist or physical therapist should watch as you perform this test and help you conduct a few other assessments. Just because you may not notice anything "out of the ordinary" yourself, doesn't mean you don't suffer from muscle imbalances. For further information about corrective exercise and if it is right for you, please email me at jonathanearnold@gmail.com
"For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life" Proverbs 6:23 (NIV)
Monday, March 1, 2010
Curbing Your Appetite
If one of your main goals is weight loss, and you have been finding it difficult to keep your appetite under control, then this article is for you! Here are three ways to keep your appetite in check without starving yourself!
Eat more protein
Eat more often
Exercise more
Eat more protein:
Protein is the macronutrient that can be the most beneficial to dieters. Lean protein takes the longest to break down in your stomach, it will keep you feeling satisfied the longest compared to the other macronutrients (fat and carbohydrate). Due to the processing time of protein, it has a high "thermic effect". That means protein will actually burn off calories as you consume it. In fact, up to 30% of the protein calories that you eat will be spent just in digesting it! So, if you ate a lean piece of chicken breast that had 300 calories, your body is only going to use approximately 210 calories of that chicken breast! No other macronutrients have that high of a burn naturally.
Types of protein:
Here is a list of lean primary protein sources to consider adding to your diet to help curb your appetite:
- lean meats like: chicken breast, turkey breast, most fish, leaner cuts of beef and pork (the loin)
- egg whites
- non-fat cottage cheese
- low-fat cheese sticks
- protein substitutes like: Nutrilite Whey Protein Shakes and Bars
How to get protein to fit your diet:
- Always have a lean primary protein source with your three main meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner. Examples:
Breakfast: eggwhites or cottage cheese
Lunch: turkey breast
Dinner: Salmon
- A great planning tip is to make a double portion of your dinner meal so you can eat it for lunch the next day
- For snacks consider: nonfat cottage cheese, cheese sticks and protein substitute like Nutrilite Nut Roll Bars (a tasty high protein treat!)
Risks of consuming too much protein:
Some dietitians like to believe that if you eat too much protein, you can create kidney damage. This is simply not true! This is only a concern if you already have a pre-existing kidney issue. If you have a familiy history of kidney stones or kidney disease, then you may need to be more cautious about increasing protein. I would recommend speaking with your physician if this situation pertains to you. However, if you have perfectly healthy kidneys with no family history of kidney disease, then increasing the amount of protein you eat will only make you go to the bathroom more (yet another reason to increase the amount of water you drink)! If you have any further questions about this, I can direct you to a handful of peer-reviewed journal articles that have shown people with healthy kidneys who considerably increase their protein consumption do not increase their risk for kidney disease.
Eat more often:
By increasing the frequency of your meals, you decrease the temptations of overeating. By eating smaller meals more often, you allow your body to never really go hungry. This allows you to purposefully eat nutritious meals instead of reacting to cravings! If you eat every 2-3 hours foods that are high in protein, combined with quality carbohydrates and either a fruit or a vegetable, you will keep your energy level up and keep your appetite down!
Example Meal Schedule:
6am Breakfast: Egg whites, oatmeal, berries and skim milk
9am mid-morning: Nutrilite whey protein shake with banana
Noon: Tuna, salad and brown rice
3pm mid-afternoon: Nutrilite chocolate nut roll bar
6pm Dinner: Turkey breast, sweet potato, broccoli, skim milk
8pm: non-fat cottage cheese, raisins
This meal schedule outlines how often you should eat and displays proper nutrient balancing. With this meal schedule you eat lean protein sources with quality carbs all throughout the day. You will have lots of energy to exercise and you never go hungry!
Exercise more:
During intense cardiovascular exercise, you really don't want to eat! In fact, 30 minutes to an hour after your intense cardio session, your body is bringing it's adreneline down and you may not be in a mood to eat a large meal. Now, it's true that once your body does calm itself down, you may become quite hungry, however by following the above guidelines, your appetite should be thoroughly curbed!
By keeping intense cardio and weight training as a part of your regular schedule, you can seriously decrease your appetite for at least an hour to two hours during the day (1 hour for working out, 1 hour for hunger recovery). If you workout about 2 hours after your last meal, than you will have up to 4 hours with no real serious hunger issues! That's about 25% of your day (being awake for 16 hours).
Eating more often high protein meals and vigourous exercise can significantly help you with keeping your appetite down. By keeping your appetite in check, you are able to keep your goal of weight loss with less stress!
"My child, listen and be wise: Keep your heart on the right course. Do not carouse with drunkards or feast with gluttons" Proverbs 23:19-20 (NLT)
Eat more protein
Eat more often
Exercise more
Eat more protein:
Protein is the macronutrient that can be the most beneficial to dieters. Lean protein takes the longest to break down in your stomach, it will keep you feeling satisfied the longest compared to the other macronutrients (fat and carbohydrate). Due to the processing time of protein, it has a high "thermic effect". That means protein will actually burn off calories as you consume it. In fact, up to 30% of the protein calories that you eat will be spent just in digesting it! So, if you ate a lean piece of chicken breast that had 300 calories, your body is only going to use approximately 210 calories of that chicken breast! No other macronutrients have that high of a burn naturally.
Types of protein:
Here is a list of lean primary protein sources to consider adding to your diet to help curb your appetite:
- lean meats like: chicken breast, turkey breast, most fish, leaner cuts of beef and pork (the loin)
- egg whites
- non-fat cottage cheese
- low-fat cheese sticks
- protein substitutes like: Nutrilite Whey Protein Shakes and Bars
How to get protein to fit your diet:
- Always have a lean primary protein source with your three main meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner. Examples:
Breakfast: eggwhites or cottage cheese
Lunch: turkey breast
Dinner: Salmon
- A great planning tip is to make a double portion of your dinner meal so you can eat it for lunch the next day
- For snacks consider: nonfat cottage cheese, cheese sticks and protein substitute like Nutrilite Nut Roll Bars (a tasty high protein treat!)
Risks of consuming too much protein:
Some dietitians like to believe that if you eat too much protein, you can create kidney damage. This is simply not true! This is only a concern if you already have a pre-existing kidney issue. If you have a familiy history of kidney stones or kidney disease, then you may need to be more cautious about increasing protein. I would recommend speaking with your physician if this situation pertains to you. However, if you have perfectly healthy kidneys with no family history of kidney disease, then increasing the amount of protein you eat will only make you go to the bathroom more (yet another reason to increase the amount of water you drink)! If you have any further questions about this, I can direct you to a handful of peer-reviewed journal articles that have shown people with healthy kidneys who considerably increase their protein consumption do not increase their risk for kidney disease.
Eat more often:
By increasing the frequency of your meals, you decrease the temptations of overeating. By eating smaller meals more often, you allow your body to never really go hungry. This allows you to purposefully eat nutritious meals instead of reacting to cravings! If you eat every 2-3 hours foods that are high in protein, combined with quality carbohydrates and either a fruit or a vegetable, you will keep your energy level up and keep your appetite down!
Example Meal Schedule:
6am Breakfast: Egg whites, oatmeal, berries and skim milk
9am mid-morning: Nutrilite whey protein shake with banana
Noon: Tuna, salad and brown rice
3pm mid-afternoon: Nutrilite chocolate nut roll bar
6pm Dinner: Turkey breast, sweet potato, broccoli, skim milk
8pm: non-fat cottage cheese, raisins
This meal schedule outlines how often you should eat and displays proper nutrient balancing. With this meal schedule you eat lean protein sources with quality carbs all throughout the day. You will have lots of energy to exercise and you never go hungry!
Exercise more:
During intense cardiovascular exercise, you really don't want to eat! In fact, 30 minutes to an hour after your intense cardio session, your body is bringing it's adreneline down and you may not be in a mood to eat a large meal. Now, it's true that once your body does calm itself down, you may become quite hungry, however by following the above guidelines, your appetite should be thoroughly curbed!
By keeping intense cardio and weight training as a part of your regular schedule, you can seriously decrease your appetite for at least an hour to two hours during the day (1 hour for working out, 1 hour for hunger recovery). If you workout about 2 hours after your last meal, than you will have up to 4 hours with no real serious hunger issues! That's about 25% of your day (being awake for 16 hours).
Eating more often high protein meals and vigourous exercise can significantly help you with keeping your appetite down. By keeping your appetite in check, you are able to keep your goal of weight loss with less stress!
"My child, listen and be wise: Keep your heart on the right course. Do not carouse with drunkards or feast with gluttons" Proverbs 23:19-20 (NLT)
Monday, February 22, 2010
Measuring Your Success
In order for you to know how well you are or are not doing, you need to have a way to measure your progress. Most often people use the scale to tell themselves how they are doing. Unfortunately, a scale does not tell you the whole picture. A normal scale does not state how much of your weight is bodyfat and how much is muscle and bone. Here are some better ways to track your success:
Bodyfat measurement
Body circumferences
Strength and cardio progress
How you feel
Bodyfat measurement
Having your bodyfat measured is a great way to know how much of your weight is bodyfat and how much is muscle and everything else. It is really bodyfat that most people are concerned about changing when they are looking to lose weight. Having a regular bodyfat measurement taken, like every 4 weeks, is a great way to know if you are on track with your fitness goals or not.
There are many different ways to have your bodyfat measured. There is: underwater weighing, air displacement (The Bod Pod), bioelectrical impedence, DEXA scans and caliper testing. If you are looking to have a measurement taken from a local fitness facility, it will probably be with either calipers or bioelectrical impedence. Caliper tests can be very useful if the person taking the measurement has been well trained. I would recommend having the same person do your measurements every time, that way you will get more precise results.
Here are the bodyfat percentage categories:
Classification Women (% fat) Men (% fat)
Essential Fat (Low) 10-12% 2-4%
Athletes 14-20% 6-13%
Fitness 21-24% 14-17%
Acceptable 25-31% 18-25%
Obese 32% plus 25% plus
*American Council on Exercise
Body Circumferences
This is another great way to see if you are making progress. A simple tape measure is all you need. A waist circumference measurement can tell you if you are losing bodyfat around your midsection, which is where most people typically store bodyfat. For women, another circumference that may be helpful to measure maybe their hips. For men, maybe a chest measurement to see if there is any muscle development.
Even without taking measurements, you can tell if you are losing or gaining inches by how your clothes fit. Your clothes can tell you how on track or off track you are.
Strength and Cardio Progress
If you are "making gains" in the gym by pushing heavier weight or running faster or are able to sustain a longer duration of cardio than you were when you first started, then you are definitely making progress! This is probably the best way to see if your body is moving in the right direction. You must first make progress in the gym (or whereever you exercise) to create external physical results. By consistently pushing yourself, you will achieve the results you desire.
How do you feel?
With exercise, you can increase the amount of energy that you have and accomplish much more in a day than when you don't exercise. So, if you have created the habit of exercise, then you should notice a greater sense of well-being and higher energy levels. Your body is less susceptible to illness and you often get much more restful sleep at night. Feeling great is a nice side-effect of exercise!
There are many different ways to track your progress other than just with a scale. Use the method that suits you the best. Stay on track with your plans!
"False weights and unequal measures, the LORD detests double standards of every kind." Proverbs 20:10 (NLT)
Bodyfat measurement
Body circumferences
Strength and cardio progress
How you feel
Bodyfat measurement
Having your bodyfat measured is a great way to know how much of your weight is bodyfat and how much is muscle and everything else. It is really bodyfat that most people are concerned about changing when they are looking to lose weight. Having a regular bodyfat measurement taken, like every 4 weeks, is a great way to know if you are on track with your fitness goals or not.
There are many different ways to have your bodyfat measured. There is: underwater weighing, air displacement (The Bod Pod), bioelectrical impedence, DEXA scans and caliper testing. If you are looking to have a measurement taken from a local fitness facility, it will probably be with either calipers or bioelectrical impedence. Caliper tests can be very useful if the person taking the measurement has been well trained. I would recommend having the same person do your measurements every time, that way you will get more precise results.
Here are the bodyfat percentage categories:
Classification Women (% fat) Men (% fat)
Essential Fat (Low) 10-12% 2-4%
Athletes 14-20% 6-13%
Fitness 21-24% 14-17%
Acceptable 25-31% 18-25%
Obese 32% plus 25% plus
*American Council on Exercise
Body Circumferences
This is another great way to see if you are making progress. A simple tape measure is all you need. A waist circumference measurement can tell you if you are losing bodyfat around your midsection, which is where most people typically store bodyfat. For women, another circumference that may be helpful to measure maybe their hips. For men, maybe a chest measurement to see if there is any muscle development.
Even without taking measurements, you can tell if you are losing or gaining inches by how your clothes fit. Your clothes can tell you how on track or off track you are.
Strength and Cardio Progress
If you are "making gains" in the gym by pushing heavier weight or running faster or are able to sustain a longer duration of cardio than you were when you first started, then you are definitely making progress! This is probably the best way to see if your body is moving in the right direction. You must first make progress in the gym (or whereever you exercise) to create external physical results. By consistently pushing yourself, you will achieve the results you desire.
How do you feel?
With exercise, you can increase the amount of energy that you have and accomplish much more in a day than when you don't exercise. So, if you have created the habit of exercise, then you should notice a greater sense of well-being and higher energy levels. Your body is less susceptible to illness and you often get much more restful sleep at night. Feeling great is a nice side-effect of exercise!
There are many different ways to track your progress other than just with a scale. Use the method that suits you the best. Stay on track with your plans!
"False weights and unequal measures, the LORD detests double standards of every kind." Proverbs 20:10 (NLT)
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