weight-loss-plateau Atlanta Personal Trainer

The end of January is rapidly approaching.  As you continue to implement and hold to your new year resolutions, are you experiencing the success you had anticipated?? OR are you feeling frustrated and like you’ve embarked on yet another roller-coaster ride??  Check out AceFitness.org’s article below to learn some useful strategies in overcoming barriers to weight loss and to set you free from the dreaded roller coaster ride.

Weight loss-Tipping the scales in the right direction
Do you feel like you are on a roller coaster of losing and gaining those same unwanted pounds over and over? If so, you are not alone. Most people in your situation have lost count of how many diets, pills, shakes, and gadgets they have tried in hopes of finally losing weight for good. It’s time to stop searching for a magic cure and learn what it really takes to lose pounds and keep them off. These 7 steps offer a no-nonsense approach to losing the weight for good:

Understand weight loss. There is no other way around it—in order to lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume. One pound of body fat equals 3,500 calories. If you want to lose 1 pound per week you need to average a caloric deficit of 500 calories per day. Ideally, this is done by increasing physical activity and making some cutbacks in your diet. Realize that the weight will come off more quickly at first, but then slow down.
Calculate your daily caloric requirement. The amount of calories that you need in a day depends on your basal metabolic rate (BMR). This is the amount of calories your body uses at rest. BMR accounts for roughly 60 to 75% of all the calories you burn in a given day. Calculate your BMR and daily caloric needs.Set a realistic weight loss goal. A goal of losing no more than 1 to 2 pounds per week is realistic and attainable. Larger, quicker weight loss will most likely be regained.
Determine your strategy. No matter what your weight loss goal is, the best approach is to create a caloric deficit by decreasing your caloric intake and increasing your physical activity. For example, to create a 500 calorie deficit per day, cut back 250 calories from your diet and burn 250 calories doing a physical activity that you enjoy.
Find ways to cut back on calories. Some suggestions include:
-Decrease portion sizes
-Eat smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day
-Avoid skipping breakfast
-Don’t drink your calories (i.e. soda, juice, alcohol, coffee with cream)
-Substitute healthy fats for unhealthy saturated and trans fats
-Eat the “My Plate” way-load up on fruits, veggies, low-fat dairy, lean meats, and good carbs
-Be consistent throughout the week instead of dieting more strictly on certain days of the week
Burn more calories by getting active. Aim for 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week.  Adding strength training will also elevate your basal metabolic rate, so that you burn more calories even when you are resting. Check with your health care provider if you are not sure if you are healthy enough to begin exercising.

 

 

Source:

http://www.acefitness.org/fitness-fact-article/3588/weight-loss-tipping-the-scales-in/

 

Happy New Year! We welcomed 2015 just a couple of weeks ago, and with the turn of the year, many of us have set new year’s resolutions (many of which probably encompass bettering our health).  If working out or eating better was part of your new year resolution, you’ll want to read Brad’s article featured in Trainer Talk on WellATL.com.  The article (read below) was published January 7, 2015 and explains the best formula for you to follow post-workout to not only ensure you leave your workouts feeling your best but helps you recover quickly so you can hit the gym again ASAP!  And…if that’s not enough to motivate you to read the article, there are some great pictures of Brad (and Rocky, our labradoodle) to browse.

-Mandy

What Should You Eat After a Workout? Trainer Brad Kolowich Jr. Shares His Recovery Formula

Atlanta Personal Trainer - Brad Kolowich Jr

Ever wonder what workouts trainers do when nobody’s looking? What they eat after a tough workout? Or what their favorite exercise is? Wonder no more! WellATL’s new Trainer Talk column will get answers from coaches and trainers around the city. First up, Atlanta native and certified personal trainer Brad Kolowich Jr. shares his post-workout snack.

From his 3,000-square-foot training studio on the Westside, Brad and his team train athletes, celebrities, fitness competitors, and anyone else looking to take their health to the next level. His abs are so legendary they were featured in Exercise & Health magazine and praised by Men’s Workout as an example of “peak physique.” We asked him what he eats to help his renowned body recover after a workout. Here’s his advice:

“The post-workout meal is the most important meal of the day because the body is so depleted. Anything you consume at this time will be quickly absorbed by the body to help in the recovery process. My suggestion is to consume protein powder in a combination of a fast-acting (absorbed quickly by the body) and slow- and medium-acting (absorbed at a slower rate by the body in the sustained release of amino acids in the recovery process). For a fast-acting protein powder, I suggest whey protein. For the slow- and medium-acting protein, I suggest a plant-based protein powder and/or one that contains casein protein (slow-acting) and/or an egg-based powder (medium-acting) and/or soy protein powder (medium-acting). You can find protein powder blends of some or all of the above ingredients, or you can purchase each individually and make your own combination. I’m currently doing a natural whey protein powder which I blend with a plant-based powder. I suggest shooting for 24 to 50 grams of protein post-workout.

In addition to protein following a workout, I suggest adding fast-acting carbohydrates such as dextrose (corn sugar) for best results. If you prefer to add more nutritional value to your post-workout meal, skip the dextrose and go for a faster-acting fruit-based carb source such as a banana, watermelon, pineapple, cantaloupe, or dates (to name a few), which are higher on the glycemic index. Consuming these faster-acting carbs in addition to protein will ensure that the protein is shuttled into the muscles at a quicker rate, speeding recovery and minimizing down time between workouts. A good starting point is about 20 to 30 grams of carbs post-workout, then vary that based on goals and specific individual nutritional requirements (in addition to the above protein recommendations). It’s a good idea to eliminate fats immediately following a workout since fats slow the absorption of nutrients. A good rule of thumb is to consume your post-workout meal within 30 minutes of the workout for the best result.”

JANUARY 7, 2015 /BY KIMBERLY TURNER

EatWellATL.com

Atlanta Personal Training

We hope you have had a wonderful holiday season and a happy new year! It’s a new year and new beginning for Fit Chow Atlanta! Brad and I are excited to announce we have a new executive chef joining our Fit Chow team beginning this week. Chef Mark Rhoads has over 30 years of culinary experience, and most recently has been working as a private chef as well as the Cooking School Director/Chef Instructor at The Viking Cooking School in Atlanta. Mark will bring a new level of elegance and taste to the Fit Chow experience while maintaining our high quality of health. Chef Mark’s moto is to “put a smile on your face with every bite of Fit Chow you taste!”

To view Chef’s new menu, please visit FitChowAtlanta.com/menu. Please place all Fit Chow orders by this Thursday, January 8th at 3pm. Orders placed by Thursday @ 3pmwill be ready for pickup Monday, January 12th between 12pm and 7pm. As always, if you have any questions or need help placing an order, please contact Brad or Mandy at FitChowAtlanta@gmail.com.

A little background of Fit Chow and the food we will be providing:

Fit Chow provides healthy meals using the freshest and most natural ingredients available. All our foods are natural, never frozen, processed or pre-packaged, allowing you to enjoy freshly made, fully cooked food prepared to absolute perfection. All ingredients have been carefully chosen by Brad, Mandy, and our Executive Chef Mark. Each health-conscious menu has been designed and constructed using hormone-free and antibiotic-free poultry, grass-fed beef, wild-caught fish and pesticide free fruits and vegetables. No hydrogenated oils or margarine, MSG, fillers, white flour, white sugar, white salt or non-food ingredients are ever used! The focus of each menu is on quality, variety and health. We strive to take the monotony out of your dietary intake while also allowing you to invest your time into luxuries outside of the kitchen. Yet, rest assure you are eating a wholesome healthy meal that won’t keep you from reaching your desired health related goals.

Chow,

Brad, Mandy and Mark