Working out ..... with no results.  

I feel compelled to write this blog because I see so many people like this at the studio day in and day out.  People that workout 3-5 times a week taking classes at the studio - then another 2-3 times a week at home or in another gym.  Yet, as fit as they are in class - they are still overweight.  This is what I call "fit fat".  Someone who is physically "fit" - has the endurance and strength to kick butt all the way through a R.I.P.P.E.D. or S.T.P. class - but it does not show it in their body.  I have also seen the frustration that can come from not seeing results from this kind of hard work in the gym.

Unfortunately, you can not lose weight through fitness alone.  Fitness has MANY benefits - both physical and mental - but without proper nutrition, will not help you shed pounds.  Let's talk first about the importance and benefits of physical fitness:

I.  Boosts HDL - "good" cholesterol!  Decreases unhealthy triglycerides!
II.  Improves Mood - that's right, feeling a little down?  Then exercise!  Exercise stimulates certain brain chemicals that improves your mood!
III.  Improves sleep.
IV.  Builds muscle - muscle burns fat - more muscle, more fat burning!
V.  Can prevent stroke, type 2 diabetes, depression, cancer, arthritis, injury due to falls - etc!

So you can see - there are MANY benefits to exercising - however, without proper nutrition, it would take a ton of exercise for you to actually see significant weight loss.

We've all heard the numbers - each pound of fat is 3500 calories.  So in order to lose one pound of fat, you have to have a "deficit" of 3500 calories.  Take a brisk walk for 30 minutes.....how many calories do you think you burn?  The average adult will only burn about 120-150 calories.  So in order to lose a pound, you would have to walk briskly for about 15 or 16 hours.  Who has time for that?  Plus, you would need to maintain the amount of calories you normally consume, adding the walking to your normal routine.

It is much easier to maintain a healthy and proper nutritional program and then utilize exercise to help burn fat and build muscle - then it is to try to play the "calories in vs. calories out" game.  I believe the key to proper nutrition is blood sugar stabilization.  That occurs when we maintain a blood sugar level of between 80-120 consistently.  By doing this, we reach a level of homeostasis in our bodies - where all our systems are balanced and working properly to keep us healthy.  In addition, our bodies stop storing that unwanted fat - and our fitness programs become more efficient, as we burn up the released fat - and we lose weight, tone, strengthen, and become healthier.

So how do we stabilize our blood sugar?  I believe the best program is by eating a meal every 3-4 hours throughout the day - balancing the macronutrients (protein, carbs, fat) in that meal properly, drinking plenty of water, supplementing properly with Omega 3s and vitamins, and choosing the best quality of food and supplements.

If you feel that your fitness routine is not giving you the results you want - please come see me!  I'm at Studio Fit regularly and offer FREE 30-minute health consultations to discuss our nutrition programs and options!  Susan Thayer - (303)660-2646  Susan.Thayer@VeniceNutrition.com