What You Need To Know About Probiotics

I've recently finished reading an article put out by the America Council on Exercise about the "claimed" beneficial effects of probiotics. Probiotics are live, active bacteria that are supposed to help ease gastrointestinal (GI) problems and other ailments. There are more and more products hitting the grocery store shelves that contain probiotics. Some of the more well known ones are Dannon Activia yougurt, Kashii Vive cereal, and Attune Wellness Bars. As with all supplements, these products claim to be able to make you healthier just by eating them.

So, are these foods able to do what they say?

Recent studies do support the ability of probiotics as treatment for rotavirus diarrhea and lactose intolerance. This is because probiotics from the lactic acid bacteria family can convert sugars like lactose and other carbs into lactic acid (ACE Fitness Matters, Nov/Dec 2008).

And while they may possibly aid with Crohns disease, irritable bowel syndrome, cholesterol metabolism, cancer prevention, etc.; research is inconclusive at best (ACE Fitness Matters, Nov/Dec 2008).

To be able to get any kind of benefits from probiotics, you must meet the following criteria:

1) Probiotics must be alive
2) They must be ingested in ample amounts
3) They must be capable of colonizing in the intestinal tract

If you have GI problems, then probiotics may be able to help. You can try eating probiotics regularly and see if your symptoms get better. If not, then you'll just have to decide for yourself whether or not to continue.

Fat Burning Workout

I've said before that the key to fat loss workouts is intensity rather than duration (i.e. quality vs. quantity). The best phrase I've heard to describe the type of workouts I'm talking about is "Metabolic Acceleration Training". I got this phrase from Alwyn Cosgrove, author of "Afterburn-Fat Loss Training System". Here is a great article Alwyn wrote on this concept.

Metabolic Acceleration Training
A better way

I'm a huge believer in using the "alternating set" system when training in the gym. For time management reasons, I tend to do exercise one for a set, rest 60 seconds or so, do exercise two for a set, rest 60 seconds or so, and continue. This allows me to increase work density while still getting "true" rest.

In other words, I perform a set of squats, rest 60 seconds, perform a set of push-ups, rest 60 seconds, and repeat. So in effect, I've almost tripled the rest period between squat sets (60 seconds plus the time taken for push-ups plus 60 seconds) as opposed to using a straight set system. And for fat loss training, it's unparalleled.

However, the biggest problem or complaint I get from clients who use commercial facilities is that it's really hard for them to tie up two pieces of gym equipment at peak hours. I have my own facility, but I realize this can be a real problem elsewhere. So I started experimenting with a few things--doing dumbbell lunges and push-ups for example or step-ups and dumbbell bench presses where I could use one set of dumbbells and one piece of equipment.

It was an okay compromise, but it started to somewhat limit my exercise selection. And to be honest, it still had the issue of people working in and possibly disrupting your rest periods.

So I went a step further. What if I created a fat loss or conditioning program based around one piece of equipment where you stayed in the same spot, using the same load for the entire duration? So I tried it. At first it was awkward, but after reading Istvan Javorek's work and talking with über strength coach, Robert Dos Remedios, I started to implement different variations of combination lifting.

I just hoped that it would work as well as alternating sets for fat loss and conditioning or at least close enough that it wasn't too much of a tradeoff. As it turns out, it worked better! In fact, it worked so well that it became a cornerstone of my conditioning programs with several athletes.

The rest of this article is filled with great information, but was to long to publish in this entry. If you want to read it, you can download it on the homepage of our website at www.fitnesswavetn.com.

Alwyn is one of the top fitness professionals in the world. To learn more about him and read some great articles click here.

#1 Reason You Should Measure Body Fat

As most of you know, my main business is fitness testing. One of the tests we perform is the hydrostatic body composition test (underwater weighing). This method is known as the "Gold Standard" as it is the most accurate way to measure body fat. People often ask me why they should get a body fat test done. Here is a response I gave to that question on the blog of a body transformation contest where we were testing the participants.


Mr. Harris, I have read all about this competition and wonder about the getting dunked (hydrostatic test). Why can't you just use the scale as a measurement of weight loss?

Great question! The simple answer is body composition. The scale can't tell you how much of your weight is fat mass and how much is lean mass. Body composition is a much better indicator of overall health than just scale weight. For example, two women are the same height and weight. After "dunking" them, we determine body composition for one to be 25% body fat and the other to be 35% body fat. While they both weigh the same, the one at 25% would be in the healthy category and the one at 35% would be in the poor category.

Here is a real life example. We just finished the first retest of the Healthquest participants. Everyone made a positive improvement, however the improvement was different for each participant.

Let's look at the numbers for two of them:

Participant #1: Scale Weight-lost 8 lbs (sounds great!) Fat Mass-lost 4.8 lbs (woo hoo!) Lean Mass-lost 3.2lbs (uh oh).

Participant #2: Scale Weight-gained 2 lbs (yikes!) Fat Mass-lost 1 lb (good) Lean Mass-gained 3 lbs (yeah!!)

According to the scale, one of them lost 8 pounds and the other one gained 2 pounds, however both dropped 1% from their starting body fat percentage. Both ladies made a positive improvement in body composition overall, yet what happened on the scale was totally different. Losing Fat Mass is important but retaining Lean Mass is very important as well. While the scale is a good tool to use as a relative measure of the changes that you are making, you need to “get dunked” to see what the number on the scale just can’t tell you.

FitnessWave Body Composition Challenge Results

The inaugural FitnessWave BC Challenge is over and the results are in! Each participant did a great job and our overall winner put up some amazing results. The main goal of this contest was to motivate people to start living a healthy lifestyle and it was definitely met.

Thank you to all of our sponsors for not only giving some great prizes, but also for giving the participants what they needed to do their best!

And The Winner Is...

Beth Todd - Nashville, TN

Beth was "all in" from Day 1 of the Challenge. She took the information we gave her and immediately went to work. She set her goal, followed her program, and achieved some of the best results I've ever seen in a 12 week transformation contest.

Weight- She lost 19 pounds in 12 weeks! (That's 1.5 pounds per week)

Body Fat %- She dropped 5.3% of her body fat!!

Overall Body Composition- The number that won it all for her...She changed her overall body composition by a whopping 11%!!!

Here is what Beth had to say about the BC Challenge:

"I can't do it." never accomplished anything. "I will try." has performed wonders. ( quote by George P. Burnham)

I have been struggling with obesity for almost 20 years.. I turned 50 this year and now more than ever I have a sense of urgency to get fit. When I went to FitnessWave I was embarassed to get dunked and feared facing the "numbers". David Harris said something to me that helped me get past this " You have to know where you are to get where you want to go." He was right. I am glad that I did not let fear hold me back from taking this challenge. One of the things I learned this past 12 weeks is that anyone that wants to make a physique change whether it is 5 pounds or 50 needs these tests. David helped me to set a realistic 12 week goal which was important so I would not get discouraged. I read his fitness blog www.FITNESSU.BLOGSPOT.com and found useful information that helped me be successful. I was given a calorie chart that showed what my intake needed to be to lose, maintain or at what point I would actually start to gain weight. It helped me plan my day to work towards gradual steady weight loss. I am so excited that I won this challenge! I plan to use my prize of free testing for a year to help guide me towards my ultimate goal of being healthy and fit. I can tell a difference all ready in how my body performs with just 19 lbs lost. I can't wait to reach my goal in 2009!

Beth worked very hard on maintaining a proper diet throughout the contest. She realized eating right every day is a difficult thing to do. She also now understands that you don't have to be perfect with your nutrition, but if you'll be consistent then you can still reach your goals.

Her exercise program was designed by one of the best personal trainers in Nashville, Stephen Taylor. It matched up well with Beth's abilities, goals, and available time to get maximum results.

Congratulations Beth! You did a great job!

The next FitnessWave BC Challenge will start soon. If you want to be a part of it give us a call at 866-391-9283 or email us at info@fitnesswavetn.com. Don't miss out!

4 Interval Workouts That Burn Fat

If you are struggling to lose fat with cardio, I have great news for you. Men's Health expert trainer Craig Ballantyne sent me these 4 interval training workouts to help you burn fat!

There are all types of ways to do interval training, and research hasn't shown us a best way yet. There is NO best interval training workout for fat loss, however, some of my favorites are:

a) 1 minute on, 1-2 minutes off, repeat 6 times.

b) 30 seconds on, 90 seconds off, repeat 6 times.

c) 45 seconds on, 90 seconds off, repeat 6 times.

d) 20 seconds on, 40 seconds off, repeat up to 8 times.

Make sure to include a warm-up and cool-down after each.

And remember, you can use all types of interval training methods for these workouts.

You can do treadmill running, hill walking, stationary cycling, sprinting outside (if you do extra warm-up), kettlebell swings, medicine ball power woodchoppers, rope jumping, rowing, swimming, or even the elliptical machine (if you think it works).

One research study even used 8 seconds on, 12 seconds off for a total of 20 minutes, but these short intervals are almost impossible to do on regular gym equipment.

For more in-depth, step-by-step fat burning plans, visit:

Turbulence Training

#1 Way To Double Your Weight Loss

Write It Down...
Kaiser Permanente recently completed a six-month study of nearly 1,700 people who agreed to exercise and adopt a healthy diet. Results of the study show that two-thirds of the participants lost 9 pounds or more which is great. However, the study also showed that those who kept a food journal every day of the week dropped on average twice as much weight as those who didn't write everything down. Those participants who took the time to Write It Down lost 20 pounds or more over the same six month period.

Why does keeping a food diary work? The answer is simple--Accountability. The participants who kept food diaries consistently reported that they didn't want to write down in their journal the foods that they shouldn't be eating, so they just wouldn't eat them. The diaries helped them see where extra calories were creeping in and how some apparently "healthy" foods had much higher calorie counts than expected. In order to have the most success at weight loss, you must pay attention. So get your pen and paper, Write It Down, and turbo charge your weight loss!



For those of you who like to do things online, here are a couple of the better sites to go to:

Calorie Counter at MyFoodDiary.com


FitDay.com

The Right Cardio For Fat Loss

"What kind of cardio is best for fat loss?" This is one of the more common questions I hear day in and day out. Just about everyone I talk to thinks that the key to fat loss is more cardio, more cardio, more cardio, and even more cardio. I've met with clients who literally go to the gym everyday and spend two hours going from one piece of cardio equipment to the next trudging along minute after long, slow, boring minute until they finally reach that magic "calories burned" number that they just know is going help them reach their goals. However, they soon find this approach is not very effective, they're more frustrated than before, and they're asking "WHY?!".

Two Main Reasons

#1)Creates very little metabolic disturbance- long, slow cardio doesn't burn a lot of calories, doesn't work the body very hard, and is easily recovered from

#2)Body adapts to it easily- your body adjusts very quickly to long, slow cardio and so it loses its effectiveness; you will begin to burn fat more efficiently which sounds good, but actually works against you for fat loss as I've talked about in previous posts

Effective cardio for fat loss is more about intensity than it is about duration, more about quality than it is about quantity. In other words, you need to burn as many calories as you can in the shortest time possible. To do this, high intensity, short interval workouts are the way to go. Interval workouts cause a lot of metabolic disturbance (i.e. larger overall calorie burn) and you'll automatically go harder as your body adjusts so there is very little problem with adaptation. The bad news about these types of workouts is they are hard and they hurt, the good news is they are short (about 20-30 min) and you only have to do them 3-4 times per week. So get a certified personal trainer to design a proper interval training program and start burning the fat!

Strength Training For Fat Loss

By far, the question I get asked the most is "What's the best exercise for fat loss?". The short answer is strength training. Most people I talk to are doing either none or very little training using weights. How many calories a person burns each day is basically a function of how much muscle he/she has and how hard that muscle works. Strength (resistance) training creates more metabolic disturbance, which causes the body to burn more calories overall, than any other form of exercise. So strength training should be a part of everyone's exercise plan, but especially for those who are trying to lose fat.

Not all forms of strength training are created equal when it comes to training for fat loss. Intensity and duration are important as the following study shows.

Schuenke MD, Mikat RP, McBride JM

Eur J Appl Physiol. 2002 Mar;86(5):411-7

The study participants performed a three exercise circuit four times in 31 minutes. Intensity was high and duration was short. The study found that EPOC was significantly higher for up to 38 hours after the exercise session.

EPOC is Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption. Higher EPOC means the study participants were using more oxygen for 38 hours after 31 minutes of circuit training than other forms of exercise. Using more oxygen equals burning more calories and burning more calories equals greater fat loss.

Circuit resistance training has to be a part of your routine if want to lose fat. And if you have very little time for exercise, then it should be your number one choice. Get with a personal trainer and have them design a full body circuit strength training program that you can perform 3 times a week and can be done within 40 minutes and you'll be burning fat in no time. If you like to do things yourself, then check out Turbulence Training or Afterburn in the right hand margin. These are the best programs I've found so far that do exactly as I've talked about in this post.

My next post will be how to add the right cardio for fat loss.

More Cardio Doesn't Equal Fat Loss

Have you noticed how most health clubs and gyms have become mega loaded with cardio equipment? I've seen clubs that are jam packed with treadmills, ellipticals, stationary bikes, treadclimbers, rowers, and so on and so on. There'll be an area with a huge bank of TV's up front for people to tune into their favorite station, an area called a cardio "theater" where movies are played all day long, and another small corner in back with yet more cardio machines. "Why is this?" you may ask. Because 90% of everyone who goes to a health club or gym has bought into the myth that you have to do more cardio to lose fat. Yes, I said myth and here are the reasons.

1) "Fat Burning Zone" Doesn't Exist-It is true that the body burns a greater percentage of fat at lower intensities than it does at higher intensities. However, low intensity cardio burns very few calories when compared to high intensity cardio. Real world example: Sprinters carry less body fat than Marathon runners

2) Increased Efficiency-Long, slow cardio workouts are great for increasing the body's ability to burn oxygen and fat. This is good for cardiovascular fitness but not so good for fat loss. As you become more fit you'll burn less fat just like a fuel efficient car burns less gas. So you'll have to workout longer and longer to burn the same number of calories as when you started.

3) Adaptation-The body will actually change itself to handle the work being done. In other words, if you perform the same workout at the same intensity over and over, then the body will adapt, the workout becomes easy and loses its effectiveness. You must have variety.

The question now becomes "What is the best program for fat loss?". An effective fat loss program includes both strength training and the "right" cardio. The next few posts will talk about the best way to use these tools to maximize fat loss.

Help Your Willpower

I just finished reading an article published by the American Council On Exercise entitled "Why Willpower Isn't Always Enough". The basic idea of the article is that most people trying to lose weight usually fail because they tend to impose strict rules about eating that lead to feelings of being deprived. Strict eating rules and feeling deprived are actually associated more with weight gain than weight loss. Why? Because the more someone deprives themselves of "forbidden" food, the more he/she is going to crave it and eventually give in to the temptation.

The key is not to impose strict rules, but to work on changing actual behavior or lifestyle. The people who have the most success at losing weight and keeping it off are the ones who change actual eating habits. When you are able to intentionally make a permanent change it is usually going to be a positive change. Positive change will always bring you greater success at reaching your goals than negative change.

How do you change behavior/habits? The article lists 5 ways to help change behavior. These are mostly common sense, but I've found in my own life that sometimes it takes seeing "common sense" written out for me to be able realize it and follow it.

1) Avoid Tempting Situations- This one pretty well explains itself. If it isn't in the house, you can't eat it. If you don't go to the donut shop, you won't eat donuts.

2) Self-monitor- If you want to know what your intake is, Write It Down. Using a food journal is strong predictor of successful change. (Check out Meal Plans 101 to the right-it does this for you)

3)Set SMART Goals- Goals should be Specific-Measurable-Attainable-Relevant-Time bound. If you set your goals properly, then you will have a game plan to follow. Example: "I would like to lose 12 pounds in the next 3 months. I will do this by exercising for 1 hour 4 days per week and limiting dessert to one meal each week."

4)Practice Behavioral Substitution- Things like boredom and stress cause people to eat. If you find yourself starting to eat something for any reason other than hunger, then try substituting another behavior. Example: go for a short walk when bored

5)Retrain Your Brain (and taste buds)- Find healthier food choices that you enjoy. The key is make healthy eating something you look forward too. The more you eat healthy food that you enjoy, the more you are going to "crave" it. Which increases the likelihood of reaching your goals.

When it comes down to it, you're still having to use "willpower". The difference is making it a positive thing (i.e. develop enjoyable healthy eating habits) as opposed to a negative one (i.e. severe restricted eating).

Lose Weight Sitting On The Couch

Writing my previous post got me to thinking about how people, in general, view exercise and weight loss/management. I've had more than one client come to me in recent times wanting to lose weight, but making the statement "I hate to workout!". So the obvious question is "Can you lose weight without exercise?".

In theory, the answer to that question is "yes". If an individual were to simply take in fewer calories than he/she burns just going through normal daily life, then he/she should lose weight. For example, Joe Anybody goes to work everyday, sits at a desk all day, comes home, watches the news and SportsCenter, and goes to bed. As you can see, his day would not come anywhere close to being called active. Assuming he knows how many calories he's burning, he should be able to eat less than that and lose weight. In theory.

However, this never happens in real life. I've worked with hundreds of clients and the ones who are actually reaching their goals are the ones who are exercising in some shape, form, or fashion. Why doesn't just eating less work? If you eat less than you burn, then shouldn't you lose weight? Simply put--No.

You see, exercise provides the stimulus the body needs to make changes. In fact, regular physical activity helps the body maintain and regulate just about every system it has. And I don't mean walking for 30 minutes 3 times a week either. I mean good, physical exertion 5-6 days a week for a minimum of 30 minutes and preferrably 45-60 minutes. When the body goes through physical exertion on a regular basis it sees a need to adapt and make changes that are going to allow it to continue. Excess fat gets burned, bone density increases, muscle increases, and the cardiovascular system improves. Physical activity forces the body to change.

When it comes down to it, there just are no magic pills for weight loss. It takes hard work and commitment. You have to persistent and consistent. If you want to change your body, then quit watching SportCenter, go outside and DO SOMETHING!

Want Quality of Life--Do This

We are lucky to be living at a time when just about anything we want is within easy reach. If you take a look at society in general, nearly everyone you see is able to obain all of their needs and most of their "wants". Technology has advanced exponentially, even to the point that things that were a dream a mere fifty years ago are now reality. While all of these gains are great, there do seem to be some unintended consequences.

Society in general is far less active than it used to be. Kids spend most of their free time text messaging and playing video games, adults are tied to work through their blackberries, and people who used to care less about computers now can't go one day without internet access because the're afraid they'll miss something on Ebay.

Now don't get me wrong, I like the value the internet brings to my life. I like the way I can use technology to make my business run more efficiently. Yes, I would be bothered if I couldn't check my email when I wanted to. The point I want to make is that we have to be careful not to let the things that are supposed to improve our "quality of life" actually ruin it.

Humans were not made to be sedentary. Our bodies are wonderful machines that, like most machines, need to be used in order to function properly. In fact, the number one thing I would recommend to improve your "quality of life" is get active. Ride a bike, swim, walk/run, play a sport, lift weights, just DO SOMETHING. How many times have you seen or heard a news story about a ninety something year old person who still lives on their own, goes wherever they want, and has a mind that's as sharp as a tack. You know why? Because they're always going and doing.

So, to summarize what I'm trying to say, I don't care if you eat cheeseburgers and donuts everyday. If you want to feel better and have more energy, then get moving. I'm not condoning poor nutrition. Everybody should eat properly and I'll cover that topic in later posts. What I'm saying is that if you only choose one thing to improve your health, wellness, and "quality of life", then it should be get as much physical activity as you can.

What is practical?

Today there are tons and tons of information about human fitness available from more sources than any one person could ever hope to go through in a lifetime. It seems every week brings a new infomercial about a product that promises to be the end all be all answer for everyone's fitness and fat loss needs. With so much information and misinformation floating around these days it can be extremely hard to figure out what to listen to and what to ignore.


That's where I come in. You see, I'm a fitness nerd. I love to check out anything and everything fitness related. Whether it's a new gadget on the latest infomercial or a recent study in the Journal of Exercise Physiology. I love talking to anyone and everyone about exercise and human performance. My goal with this blog is to help you wade through all of the "stuff" that's out there and then figure out what is useful, what is not, and how to apply it to your exercise plans so you can reach your fitness goals.


There are some great products out there for fat loss, muscle gain, nutritional plans, and endurance performance. There are a lot of great fitness professionals out there who really know how to get results. I want to share everything I've learned and am still learning about fitness, fat loss, etc and how you can apply it in a "practical" manner. I'll post interviews from top fitness pros who know what they're doing. I also want to answer your specific questions. I want to give you the information you need in simple, straightforward terms. So please check this blog often and feel free to send me your comments and questions.