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How to leverage Orangetheory’s instant bio-feedback technology for Rapid Fat Loss

Heart rate technology

Hello fitness minded fellow. Let me say that advancements in cardiovascular research have led to a surge in demand for tech in fitness. Just look at how many people come to Orangetheory Fitness in Capitol Hill Seattle to workout.

Behind the scenes heart rate training at first ever Master Class in Seattle

Behind the scenes heart rate training at first ever Master Class in Seattle

Sprint towards fat loss

You should progress towards higher intensity throughout a healthy period in your exercise regimen. In general, exercise specialists measure intensity by heart rate thanks to the cardiovascular and muscular demands of high intensity training.

Go heavier with resistance

When you are aiming for fat loss, increasing the intensity of your workout by using heavier dumbbells will accelerate fat loss. As you progress in strength, even if it is five pounds at a time, the excess energy will be eliminated from your body and lean replaces fat.

Orangetheory is enjoyable for me, I workout here often in addition to teaching classes

Orangetheory is enjoyable for me, I workout here often in addition to teaching classes

If you are in Seattle,

Whether you have been coming to OTF Seattle for a while or are thinking about trying out the hottest workout in Seattle, come talk to me about your fitness plan. For fat loss, health, conditioning & well-being you can’t beat this.

We’re all looking forward to the opening of Orangetheory Fitness in Lower Queen Anne as well. So are our members.

Orangetheory Fitness Seattle Orangetheory Seattle Physical Fitness by Dre
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What do you Eat before and After the Workout?

Brandon, Orangetheory group fitness coach, was sitting next to me

And then we asked. . .

Nutrition strategies revealed!

Nutrition strategies revealed!

Is it best to eat before or after the workout?

Lets just go over the perspectives for a moment.

Option 1: Exercise on mostly empty stomach before workout, with carb feeding within zero to sixty minutes of high intensity exercise

The idea is that you will burn significant body fat during the workout since, “there is nothing else in the system, so the fat burns off!”

Post-workout nutrition strategies such as this can support the preservation of lean muscle mass by feeding on dense carbohydrate sources immediately and within the hours of a workout. Thus burning more fat in a shorter time.

Option 2: Fuel the workout! Consume from a variety of food sources including carbohydrates before the workout

With the second option, the exerciser purposely consumes carbs 1-2 hours pre-workout with the goal of making fitness progression. By Powerrring through an intense training session (which itself can be addictive), the post-workout release of testosterone and many natural healthy hormones for both sexes activate Fat Burning potential.

A sandwich I once ate ate Marlene's in Tacoma before my workout at the nearby athletic club which I worked at

A sandwich I once ate at Marlene’s in Tacoma before my workout at the nearby athletic club which I worked at

Regular cycles of intense workouts will naturally promote healthy glucose management and is key in the activation of the hormone adiponectin — a powerful fat burning catalyst which fat cells themselves release!  This effect occurs more frequently and with better results by having the habit of eating nutrient dense foods and exercising vigorously for sixty minutes up to four times per week.

Eat post-workout in addition to pre-workout so that you may achieve full recovery sooner. Perhaps give somebody a massage or even yourself.

Everybody is different

It seems that Option 1 will burn fat more rapidly, but may hinder performance… so then it comes down to goals at this time in your training history.

Personally I do what I can to enjoy the workout and that means eating a rich energy source before my workout. Fresh vegetable juice (including some root) is my all-time favorite pre-workout. I also go for smoothies if I need something easy to digest.

Do something good for you

By reading this and considering nutrition choices you are on the right track. I hope this has made you think more about the benefits of timing nutrition. Every moment you take to be mind-ful about nutrition will take you greater places in health, longevity and of course fat loss.

Eat on people!

Nutrition, Immunity, and Digestion
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How does Group/Community help people Lose Weight and Burn Fat Faster?

Making a living with (other) people’s bodies.

Philosophers will continue to ask questions about the ways in which human minds and souls intertwine whether through thought or faith. What is clear to me is that all people share a fundamental foundation of the state of health and fitness. For most people, it isn’t until you get sick that you realize how much you value health.

Maslows needs

In order to produce as a higher being than before, one must support the physiological aspect.

To truly value health is to commit to a better tomorrow

In my five year career in health / fitness around the Puget Sound, I’ve become acquaintance with many people who have struggled with health. Actually, there are a lot of people on the front lines of natural health who themselves have experienced pain or tragedy. They re-learned how to treat their bodies and re-emerged from their struggle to share meaningful stories and information with people going through something similar.

Health must have a preventative focus

At the same time, health must also require urgency. The most important act of health are those which nourish or empower the entire person. Holistic health has a focus on preventing disease of modern society. Every day is extremely important in the function of all human systems including the heart and mind.

Communities with shared health values succeed more often

You’ve heard the saying, “you are what you eat.”

Perhaps you should adopt a new one…, “you are who you spend your time around.”

The quickest way to reach your goals is to surround yourself with people who are experiencing the journey already. Health and fitness, they say is also like success, as in it is more about the journey than the destination.

I see these things as… A healthy constitution, a vessel which is rewarded by ongoing detoxification, a real human person with the thoughts and feelings of empowering their most important asset.

Burning fat is best done in the company of others burning fat

If your goal is to burn fat, aligning yourself with other people who share these values will have a profound positive effect on daily behavior. Yes we are influenced by others, so use it to your advantage.

Maybe you already are on the journey. Then, reader, I solute you. Continue to inspire the people in your life to make choices that benefit the foundation of their needs as a human. Yet, help those who want to be helped.

Finally, the benefits of group fitness summarized

  • Accountability
  • Fun
  • Motivating
  • Effective
  • Positive social outlook
  • Team aspect,
  • Yet individually competitive
  • What humans have known forever:

WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER

Weightloss Now
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Technique for Novice Deadlifters

Deadlifts provide valuable training stimulus

They also go to show how strong you REALLY are.

That is because true strength requires muscles throughout the entire body to work at the most efficient joint angles. Technique is incredibly important for injury prevention and performance.

Deadlifts are for strength

Deadlifts are for strength

Like any exercise, deadlift is a skill which requires the lifter to learn the deadlift movement pattern.

Deadlift Fundamentals

For the deadlift, you should take note of these

1. Full body tension

2. Legs and hip drive

3. Squeeze the butt aggressively

4. Bar is as close to the body as possible during the entire lift

Deadlift Critique

Setup
Need to correct – Leaning forward
1. Chest Up
2. Hips back
3. Drive through the heels
Sit back into the rep, focus on using glutes as the power player.
Mid-Range
Need to correct – Hips rise too fast
1.Focus on Leg Drive
2. Push heels into the ground
3. Spread the floor with your feet
Lockout
Need to correct- Stopping short
1. Pull the bar towards the body
2. Squeeze glutes forcefully
Lowering
Need to correct – Too much lower back on way down
1. Keep the chest up
2. Let the hips drop as soon as bar passes the knees

How to Improve your Deadlift

Main ways to improve the Deadlift

  • Practice the deadlift (train the deadlift)
  • Get stronger in all key areas (upper back, lower back, core, glutes, hamstrings, quads)
  • Practice the deadlift!!!

More reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LhYspMFUmY

More reference 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4qRntuXBSc

Keep at it y’all. Cuz you realize that when you’re deadlift technique is good, you WILL have a strong, strong, strong back and legs. Your spine will be protected by slabs of muscle and you will feel the strength in all the other areas of your life!!

(Comments disabled for this particular article due to spam — ask a question elsewhere or participate on another page!)

Physical Fitness by Dre
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End Scrawny: 5 Fixes to Gain Muscle Mass for the Skinny Guy

How to Gain Lean Bulk for the Skinny/Underweight Male

Guys who are skinny are skinny for either one of two reasons.

1. They are young, somewhat active, and still experiencing growth

OR

2. Most skinny guys haven’t learned how to eat properly

The author with a 50 lbs difference in body mass

The author with a 50 lbs difference in body mass

Consuming food is easy, while consuming nutrients takes dedication.

Because most underweight males are at their weight due to lifestyle choices, we should focus on certain quick fixes to help gain some success and confidence. First I will discuss a few quick fixes, then I will relate the reasons why it is fundamental to create new eating habits.

Quick Fix# 1: Breakfast 

This is simple and it should be happening at least 6 out of every 7 days. Sure I can speak for days as to how breakfast enhances human metabolic processes… but you just need to do it.

  • Smoothies (berries / milk / protein)
  • Oatmeal (milk / whey / almond butter or peanut butter / or coconut oil)
  • Shake (fresh juices, vegetables, fruits, powders)
  • Eggs + vegetables
  • Many possibilities

Quick Fix# 2: Allow yourself a minimum of 20 minutes for breakfast

Okay, so the first two MOST IMPORTANT THINGS YOU CAN DO are both related to breakfast. That should give you a glimpse as to how extremely valuable this time is for your body.

You cannot rush through breakfast and expect to have healthy digestion and consumption.

Go to bed 20 minutes earlier the night before if you must.

Quick Fix# 3: Eat Big Carbs before / after workout

To gain muscle mass, you want to increase the energy storage within the muscle. Carbohydrates, particularly glucose or food that readily converts into glucose are the muscles preferred sources of energy.

This guy understands the benefits of healthy carbs.

This guy understands the benefits of healthy carbs.

As muscles adapt to training stimuli, the overall amount of glycogen stored within the muscle will be increased.

Let me put it this way: The more lean, athletic muscle you possess, the more carb-based energy will be stored within the muscles. This is one reason that gives the muscles a larger physical size/appearance. It also means you have the potential to be more powerful than most other people.

Quick Fix# 4: Consume Protein before / after workout

Protein contains bonds of amino acids which are essential for the body. Powerful body-strengthening mechanisms are activated by protein.

After your workout, your muscles will be increased sensitivity to uptaking carbohydrates and glucose. When the muscles uptake glucose more readily, it has a carryover effect of uptaking protein as well. In other words, carbs help attract muscle building amino acids into the actual muscle tissue.

Quick Fix# 5: Take Omega-3 Fatty Acid supplement 

Some people eat Wild Alaskan Salmon three times per week — and they might not need an Omega-3 supplement. However, most people, especially skinny guys NEED the nutrients and will utilize Omega-3’s to support anabolic processes.

You will cripple your progress unless you consume adequate omega-3s.

You will cripple your progress unless you consume adequate omega-3s.

A lot of people talk about the health benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids — I know all about them. If you want to know more, google that. Let’s talk about the MUSCLE BUILDING and ANABOLIC properties that omega-3’s possess.

  • Improved insulin sensitivity (translates to –> more protein/glucose IN your muscles)
  • Joint lubrication (translates to –> less achy joints, quicker recovery time from exercise)
  • Supports Inflammatory process (translates to –> inflammation is regulated to improve adaptation to exercise)
  • Brain health (translates to –> you learn skills /exercise form quicker and can progress faster)

Gaining Lean Mass requires Lifestyle Alteration

Regardless of genes, your lifestyle is the reason for why your body looks the way it does. In order to enhance the muscularity of the body, you must also enhance the internal health.

I take a strong holistic approach towards gaining weight in a healthy way. You must pay attention to the bio-feedback and signals from your body in order to truly achieve a state of wellness.

A few things to consider during your journey:

  • The role of gut health / bacteria in nearly all realms of human health condition
  • Sleep and other cycles
  • Hormones, how to optimize male / human hormones to exist in a muscle building state
  • Stressors — your ability to adapt to everyday stress
  • Coping strategies. Example… health = exercise. Unhealthy = smoking / drinking.
  • Antioxidants and intracellular optimalization

Muscle mass must be earned, every day. every week. and every month. 

The best things in life don’t come for free. The requirements to achieve greatness will always come with sacrifice and character building opportunities.

You can choose to make excuses… or you can force mental adaptation (lifestyle change).

Some perspective…

Exercise: 3-4 hours per week

For the other 164 hours of the week, you need to be owning up to habits which promote healthy metabolic functioning. And in your case, that means forcing physical adaptation through recovery methods (sleep, nutrition, unstress, and soft tissue work).

Stay tuned for the next post for an Exercise Routine to help the skinny guy. 

Nutrition, Immunity, and Digestion Physical Fitness by Dre