Posted July 17, 2011
The well-intentioned can sabotage attempts to burn off calories by making common mistakes, according to fitness experts.
Topping Shaun Jones’ list is the myth of starving the body to lose weight. Jones, the head trainer at Onslow Fitness Center, believes many people underestimate the importance of diet when implementing an exercise routine.
Severely restricting caloric intake will slow the metabolism because of the body’s built in emergency system, he said. And exercise cannot make up for a poor diet.
“Simply because you are exercising you cannot let the diet go by the wayside,” he said. “Skipping breakfast and other meals merely slows down the body’s metabolism.”
Making healthy choices is key, he said. Having a minimum of three small meals, preferably more a day, and making sure the meals are nutrient-rich will help eliminate cravings and fuel the body.
“Find foods high in fiber and as you increase activity make sure to get proper amounts of protein and keep it low in saturated fats,” he said.
Meal timing is also important, Jones said.
“Get a high protein shake or high protein food within 30 to 40 minutes of exercising,” he said. “I often tell my people (to) get it while they are still sweating. And drinking plenty of water on top of that is very important.”
And at the end of the day, it all comes down to burning more calories than you eat, he said.
Skipping a warm-up and stretching tops Kelly Walter’s list of no-no’s. Whether walking, jogging, weight training or even lifting groceries out of the car, Walter, a physical therapist at Onslow Memorial Hospital, says a warm-up and some stretching will get the blood pumping, get the muscles warmed up, get the heart beating and thwart injury.
“Stretching is key — it only takes five to 10 minutes to stretch,” she said. “It should be a slow, static stretch, no bouncing, for a 30-second duration. And one should stretch before and after exercise … It will increase flexibility and decrease the chances for injury and just make you feel better.”
Both agree a mix of exercise is the best course of action. And to lose fat and firm up muscles, it is wiser to follow a whole-body workout.
“It is a myth that one long steady state cardio activity — that is using one mode of cardio for a long period of time — is good,” Jones said. “It does burn calories, but your body adapts to it faster.”
Instead, he recommends interval training as a much more effective means of exercise.
“Doing short periods of higher intensity exercise followed by rest and alternating through that is the best way, he said. “For instance, doing a one-minute sprint followed by a two minute jog or walk for three or four rounds … That way there is a warm up and cool down.”
And Walter said people underestimate the importance of weight lifting or resistance training.
“Weight training can make you strong,” she said. “And it can be as simple as lifting a can of soup up over your head. The general rule of thumb is use more repetitions and less weight when working the arms and use less repetitions and more weight when working the legs. And always lift with the legs and not the back.”
Jones said building muscle mass causes the metabolism to work at a higher rate. He also emphasized it is a myth that weight training will make one “bulky.”
“Unless you are really working hard to get that effect it won’t happen,” he said. “It comes down to muscle is more calorically expensive than body fat.”
Both also emphasize learning the proper way to do exercises. Mistakes and misconceptions increase the possibility of sports and exercise injuries.
“It certainly helps to get instruction of some kind rather than trying to wing it,” said Jones. “There are lots of resources out there from personal trainers … to good books.
Another myth both warn against is “no pain, no gain.”
“One should not be debilitated after a workout or sore for a long period of time,” Jones said. “If you are sore more than a couple days then you need to adjust the workout. You should not be suffering all the time due to the exercise intensity.”
Listen to your body, Walter advises.
“Make realistic goals,” she said. “Know where you are at, and learn to listen to the body; take heart rates. Always start out with slower reps, lighter weights and increase in increments. It’s a lot of commons sense really.”
For more information go to onslowfitness.com or call 910- 455-7274.
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Copyright © 2011, The Daily News, Jacksonville, N.C.