Fat loss facts and strategies- and then some

I’ve gotten a few emails back with question’s regarding my fat loss facts and strategies issue, so I figured I would do another newsletter on how to further improve your processes in reaching your fat loss goals. I’ve gathered 5 strategies for you that will guide you in not only your exercise selection, but also in developing some theory behind your workouts.

5 Get lean strategies to adhere by when designing your workouts



1. Perform full body workouts- These result in a higher metabolic cost. When you work a lot of muscles at once, it creates a large demand on your metabolism. Simple as that.



2. Perform exercises with a high intensity (fast reps) - Exercising fast will burn more calories according to research. Obviously, I don’t want to sacrifice proper form. Keeping proper form is essential for safety and effectiveness. Improving speed has great benefits (see #4).



3. Eat Pray Love. Sorry, my creativity is lacking this week so this is my best attempt at a joke. Nonetheless, it helped me get to 5 strategies rather than 4. In my book, the number 4 should be retired anyway for obvious reasons-one being 285 consecutive starts for a quarterback. That’s as close to a physical phenomenon as you can get.

4. Use some form of resistance-that can be your own body weight, which is ideal as well as dumbbell’s, kettlebell’s, etc. Building strength is extremely important when the goal at hand is to get leaner. Building strength forces your body to recruit more muscle fibers which will ramp up your metabolic cost of the entire workout. This means you will burn more calories and fat while training. One last reason to build strength to get lean- research shows that boosting strength will improve speed, and being able to move faster allows you to burn more calories and fat during and after your workouts. Ever look at a professional sprinter, compared to a long distance runner?

5. Progression in your workouts is key- never perform the same workout. Ever. Every week should be a challenge to your body even greater than the last, do more reps, or less rest periods, or more weight, etc. Any way that you can bump up the metabolic demand is perfect. In other words, COWBOY UP as they say out west!

Final note-If there one’s thing you get out of this newsletter, I hope it’s that you never want to do the same workout over and over. It’s important to change it up and continue to challenge your body in ways it has never seen. Hopefully this process will also help make it less of a drag and more interesting, while keeping you more focused on the goal at hand. Granted, there will always be days, or weeks, where you need to “take it easy.” No I don’t give you all a free pass to your recliner and 12 pack. Again, switch it up and do something fun-kayaking, tennis, swimming, hiking. Even though you are taking it “easy” you will find that your body will respond a lot better than “pushing through” the mental fatigue and physical burnout. You will refresh not only your body, but your mind; both of which will thank you in the long run by helping you reach your goals that much sooner.

Tyler Hanson

AFAA certified personal trainer

Thanson42@live.com

Tips to consider when exercising for fat loss

This week’s topic is about an email I received recently. Maybe you can relate to it, I’m sure you will all at least find it helpful.

The email was from a girl whose goal was to shed body fat and lose weight. Her typical workout was basically going as long as she could (around an hour) jogging on a treadmill or elliptical. She thought that fat loss was directly related to calories burned in a workout. Well, don’t get me wrong, going for a jog (on a treadmill or outside) has its benefits- increased arterial compliance, decreased blood pressure, improved insulin sensitivity, improved glycemic control- that I don’t want to discourage you and I hope I don’t. But here are a few helpful tips to help you see the big picture of fat loss training (*assuming you are eating correctly*)



Fat loss Facts and Strategies



*Experts state that we need to think less about the metabolic changes (it’s complicated...) that are occurring during a workout and focus more on what’s happening after you leave the gym. (Hint: far more fat loss or gains than you think!)

*Going for a jog ONLY burns calories while you’re doing it, and it can be very hard on your hips, knees, and ankles.*

*High intensity training, on the other hand, will effect your metabolism to keep burning calories long after you stop training - if you know how to do it right.   This is possible through what is called Excessive Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC).

*Instead of running on a treadmill, focus on full-body circuits such as split jacks, jumping jacks, and burpees that are performed for numerous rounds with minimal rest (30, 60 or 90 seconds). This will shock your muscles, to induce a large metabolic demand on your body’s cardiovascular, endocrine, and nervous systems. Stoking the fire if I may!




Tyler Hanson

AFAA certified personal trainer

Thanson42@live.com

The Harmony between Hormones and your health

I know I haven’t been talking about the most appealing topics lately, but I’m trying to give you something from every piece of the puzzle, not just training. This week I want to talk about hormones. No not steroids, nor will I be talking anything about PMS-I barely know the difference between an ovary and a belly button.  Just kidding, but seriously.  Two more important hormones that weather you’re looking to get buff like Arnold to impress Maria, or loose the belly with Richard Simmons, this information will help you reach them a lot easier.


Your hormones are controlled by what you eat and when you eat. Your workouts also affect hormones. Throughout the whole day, your body is like a furnace burning through calories. Your body’s furnace is hottest when you are working out, meaning it will burn through energy stores (or wood for a furnace) a lot faster compared to when your furnace temperature is cooler. This means that eating around your workouts is extremely important-even for weight loss! It’s not rocket science, but it can be very confusing for people, as far as what to eat. So, either you can keep reading this and find out some answer’s, or you can pick up your ninja turtles, G.I. Joe’s, or lincoln logs, and have a blast if this is too monotonous.

Glad you decided to keep reading, you had me worried! So, the hormones that I’m most concerned with are Cortisol and Insulin. Cortisol is a stress hormone released by the adrenal glands. Believe or not, your body is under a lot of stress when you exercise! So this means that when your workout, your cortisol levels are through the roof.  If these stress levels stay elevated, it can be counterproductive to recover from your workouts since it inhibits amino acids and glucose from entering the muscles. By not allowing your body to recover after your workouts, you will induce less lean muscle with a greater percentage of body fat in your body since your muscles are unable to replenish. Someone with more lean muscle tissue in their body will burn through more fat stores a lot faster, than, someone who has less lean muscle tissue. And yes, you can also be thin (not bulky!) with a higher amount of lean muscle tissue. If Cortisol is the bad guy, the hero is Insulin- IF he arrives within a half hour before and after your workout. Seriously, how many people do you know that use a hero and villain analogy when describing hormones? That’s a rhetorical question; I know, outstanding. You need to boost your Insulin levels surrounding your workouts, so he can use his super powers to offset the negative effects of Cortisol. These super powers are results from being able to provide your body with fast-acting amino acids (building blocks to protein) along with refueling muscle glycogen from being depleted-compared to someone who doesn’t fuel up before and after their workouts. What works best for me is raisins (1/4 cup to ½ cup) to replenish muscle glycogen, and a protein shake with amino acids (no, this will not make you “bulk up” women!!) before and after your workouts. Honey is also another great, low calorie, insulin booster. Also, Vitamin C before and after your workouts can also minimize the negative effects of Cortisol- try taking about 250mg.

So, there you have it. Your body will simply be running in circles, going no where-just like a hamster on a wheel if you refuse to fuel your muscles before and after your workouts (for both weights and/or “cardio”). What’s the point of working out if you’re not doing your body any good, am I right? You will not lose weight (or fat), gain muscle, get ripped, or improve your health without paying attention to your hormones!



Tyler Hanson,

AFAA certified personal trainer

Thanson42@live.com

Water: It's important, but WHY

After my first newsletter on water, I recieved a question about one of the water facts I posted in my first newsletter. Thank you for your inquiry!

I believe the question is about a reference to the fact stated: Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers. This can be referenced from a recent study conducted at the University of Washington. The study was performed on 20 subjects who suffered some form of either joint or back pain. It was an eight week study monitoring water intake for two 10 subject groups. One group of 10 subjects consumed no more than 7 glasses of water each day for 8 weeks. The other group of 10 subjects consumed 8-10 glasses of water each day for 8 weeks. The results indicated that the group of subjects consuming 8-10 glasses of water a day, 8 out of the 10 subjects stated some form of improved symptoms of joint or back pain. The other group only yielded 2 out of the 10 subjects improving symptoms. Granted, this study did not state any other pain management strategies each subject in the study applied, or how many ounces each glass of water contained, which both make this study as skeptical as any. But let’s look at the relevance of water on the human body for further closure.

Our body is made up of about 50-70% water, depending on our gender, age, and bodyfat. Our blood is made up of 83% water, our bones 22% water, our muscles are 75% water, our brain is over 75%, and our liver is over 96% of water! So, if our water intake is inadequate, you can see that our body is greatly affected by the deficiency. Blood is what brings nutrients to our whole body, including the connective tissues (which hold a lot of water) at each joint. The nutrients in blood are what repair the body from being broken down. There are five types of connective tissues, which are cartilage, ligaments, tendons, fascia, and aponeurosis. All types of these connective tissues are slightly different in their make up, but all have the common purpose of supporting and stabilizing each joint in our body to promote fluent movement at the joint.

Fact of the matter is, what I was hoping to accomplish with these facts was to generate thought on ways to improve your own healthy living capabilities. I hope to motivate you to improve your own health strategies, and to get you choosing healthier choices to fuel your body. Thank you again for your interest in my newsletter, and your health!


Tyler Hanson

AFAA certified personal trainer

Thanson42@live.com (cell): 715-507-0214