How To Transform Your Body

You have body composition goals.  I am here to help.  Step 1: Education.  Step 2: Action.  Step 3: Patience.  Let's get to work on Step 1...

Gaining Muscle

Gaining muscle takes work. In order to build muscle, the body needs an overload stimulus, sufficient calories, optimal protein and carbohydrate macro ratios, nutrient timing and adequate recovery. Gaining muscle not only increases muscle tone and strength, but also improves metabolism so that we are burning a higher amount of calories every minute of the day. Strength training itself also burns a great amount of calories and results in a significant ‘after burn’ of increased metabolism for the hours following a training session. This combined increase in metabolic rate results in an improved body composition (as more fat is lost). If you want to lose fat- don’t underestimate the power of pushing hard in the gym- cardio alone is NOT the best way to do it. 

Gaining muscle takes time, consistency and patience – months and years (not weeks and days). Genetics play a role of course, women usually have significantly less testosterone than men and things get even crazier with menopause, which makes building and keeping muscle more challenging. Initial gains in strength (first few weeks weeks) come from neuromuscular co-ordination, or ‘smarter’ muscles. The neural pathways become stronger, the number of muscle fibres being recruited increases and the synchronicity improves first. Once this has been accomplished, muscles begin to grow (6+weeks) by increasing the size of the muscle cell fibres. Here are some tips to work on when your goal is muscle gain:

• Calorie budget – if you are at your ideal weight but want to lose fat and gain muscle, work with a maintenance budget. If you have signficant weight to lose, work with a moderate caloric deficit budget (-250-500 calories per day). If you are at or close to your ideal body fat percentage and only want to put on muscle then you need to create a calorie surplus of +250-500 calories per day along with optimal levels of protein grams/timing.

• Macros – hit those protein targets daily no matter what your goal is and aim to get 20-30 grams with each main meal (see Creating Your Own Nutrition Budget post to determine your own targets). Next, focus on your nutrient TIMING , because when you eat, not just how much, can make big differences in your gains. Women in particular (and older women even more so) should focus on getting a mix of protein (15g) and carbs (30-60g) before hard workouts to ensure there are adequate amino acids (protein building blocks) and energy ready to go. Nail your post workout refuelling window (within 30 minutes) – 15-25grams of protein mixed with 30-60 grams of carbohydrate in a liquid form if possible. Whey is more easily utilized by the body to build muscle - if you are vegan, you will want to aim for MORE protein or add BCAAs to your fuelling. Have a good carbohydrate snack or meal before your workout so that you can work HARD and make those gains. Research has shown that eating 10-15grams of protein before bed, can increase protein synthesis and help you get those gains (while you sleep! as long as you are doing the next step..).

• Get consistent- strength train 3 days per week and include exercises for all of the major muscles, focusing on compound exercises that use more muscle mass. Include exercises for each major movement 3 days per week- Hip extension (single and double leg exercises) Push (chest and shoulders), Pull (back and shoulders), Rotation (back/core) Extension (back) and Flexion(core). Variety can be beneficial to access different muscle fibres and in different movement patterns- so long as you include exercises for the entire body and add extras for the areas you want more gains in.

• Train smart - muscles are stimulated to grow through protein synthesis when they are challenged in a variety of ways: mechanical tension (muscular force ie GO HEAVY), metabolic stress (maintain constant tension on the muscles ie PUMP), and muscle damage (eccentrics, superslows, deep ranges). A variety of repetition ranges have been shown to effectively increase protein synthesis and muscle growth using the methods listed above. If you are working on creating 'tension' the reps will be lower and the weight higher, vs 'stress' the reps will be higher but no breaks between lift and lower vs 'damage' the reps will be mid range, but focus ondeep range of motion and/or slow lowering (eccentrics).

• Work hard- log your resistance training workouts and aim to beat your last workout numbers each week. It may not happen every time, but it will happen often, especially if you are new to consistent/smart strength training. Reaching to the next level = overload = adaptation = gains. This reaching can be accomplished by increasing reps or increasing weight or decreasing rest etc.

• Be patient! If you are pushing to fatigue/failure, completing multiples sets over multiple days and following optimal macro nutrition timing, you will see results. But including these techniques will cover all of the basis. Everyone responds differently to strength training, however, and so you need to experiment to find out what works best for you.

And for those of you who need help adding calories to make those gains...

• Tips For Increasing Calories In:

• Boost the calories in your meals by adding healthy fats (nut butters, homemade dressings, dairy, avocados).

• Increase portion sizes slightly and add min-meals containing protein and carbohydrates as snacks.

• Consume a meal containing 50-100grams of carbohydrates combined with 15-25grams of protein within 30 minutes of your workouts to assist with recovery and protein synthesis.

• Add healthy ‘liquid’ meals to boost daily calories – smoothies with fruit and yogurt or skim milk/natural protein powder. Add milk, juice and healthy liquid calories to your daily menu.

• Create your own calorie and macronutrient budget using the steps in this post or call me and I can do it for you (Nutrition services!)

Losing Fat  

Losing fat takes time, consistency, time and consistency and time.  We know that lasting results come from gradual weight loss over the long term.  We know that dramatic changes and drastic caloric restrictions rarely result in long term weight loss and maintenance.  And that IS the ultimate goal. In fact, the slower it comes off, the longer it usually stays off.

We also know that there are just as many health risks associated with being underweight as there are with being overweight.  Learn what a healthy body weight and body composition is.  Learn how many calories and nutrients your body needs to thrive and perform the way you ask it.   If you haven't already, be sure to read this post about weight management, healthy body composition and creating your ownnutrition 'budget' to reach your goals in a safe and healthy way.  When focusing on fat loss through nutrition and exercise, there are a few keys things to work on: 

• Calorie budget- eat a little bit less each day and each week, over the long term. Too drastic a deficit and the changes will not be sustainable.  You must be able to maintain this budget a year from now...and beyond.  Start with a small caloric deficit andsee how your body responds when followed consistently (2 weeks).   A 250-500 calorie deficit per day is a good place to start. If you have more to lose, you may be able to create a larger deficit but if you have only a small amount to lose you will need to be careful not to cut your calories to low (see the risks of caloric restriction in this post).

• Macros – hit your macro’s. Protein, Fat and Carbohydrates are the foods we eat that provide us with calories, energy, buildingblocks and more.  Again, read this post to find out how to do this.  Make sure you are consuming enough PROTEIN and eating real, quality food 80-90% of the time to stay within your budget and get as much nutrient density as possible. 

• Do the 'YOU' Diet.  I don't write meal plans or recommend rigid diets for my clients.  The key to long term success is learning to include portions of the foods that you and your family enjoy within your budget. Use a food log to learn the caloric and nutrient value of the foods you commonly eat- you may be suprised.  Find a balance that works for you and learn to include portions of the foods you LOVE within your budget.  

• Work HARD in the gym. Read about the benefits of strength training in regards to body composition, above. If you want to lose fat and keep it off over the long term, pushing hard in the gym/home with your strength routine is one of the secrets to success.

• Move – how many minutes you spend sitting versus moving every day will have a great impact on your caloric expenditure. Get a FitBit. Track your steps. Get up every 30 minutes from your computer. Get a stand up desk. Avoid sitting for hours on end. Go for a coffee walk rather than sitting down with a friend. Make more time for movement and park as far away as possible. Any time you are not sitting is a good use of your time.

Tips for decreasing calories in: 

• Follow the Nutrition Keys daily and weekly. Set a daily intention and visualize the nutrition keys that you will use each day.

• Log your food ‘live’ as the day goes, rather than waiting until the end of the day. Or, even better, enter your meals before you eat them, to see how they will fit into your budget

• Increase the size of your breakfast and lunch-never skip or skimp on these meals. Research repeatedly shows that this will prevent overeating later in the day.

• Choose high protein snacks, quality (natural) fats and fibrous fruits and veggies to keep you feeling full longer.

• Use most of your carbohydrate calorie budget for the meals before (and during endurance sessions over 2 hours) and immediately after your workouts to make the most of this fuel. You will be able to work harder during your training sessions and see even greater results with correct nutrient ‘timing’.

• Limit ‘liquid’ calories- alcohol, lattes, sugary drinks and sports drinks and choose water, herbal teas or whole fruits and vegetables alongside protein for snacks.

• Emphasize nutrient rich food choices and plan your meals around lean protein and vibrant, colourful vegetables and fruits-5-10/day.

• Decrease the amount of empty calories in your diet: limit processed foods, fast foods, junk food and alcohol. This is one of the the easiest ways to create a deficit (or surplus!). Eat 80-90% REAL food every day.

• Keep the ‘non real’ foods that you enjoy in your diet in the 10-20% range rather than cutting them out entirely (it won’t work long term, I promise). Learn to choose smaller, snack sized portions of these foods so that they fit within your budget. Cutting them out entirely is a sure fire way to set yourself up for ‘breaking’ and failure down the road. Enjoying them in small amounts, takes away some of the lure and doesn’t make them seem so ‘special’ and tempting. Finding a healthy balance over the long term is the secret to success, happiness and ‘guilt free’ eating!

• Focus on portion control: Avoid overeating by eating slowly, using smaller plates, and starting with a smaller serving size. Put your fork down between bites and pay attention to the taste and smell and experience of eating your meals. Do not eat until you are full, eat until you are no longer hungry.

• Set yourself up for success: Plan healthy snacks that contain protein and fruits and veggies to avoid overeating later (busy days, on the road etc). Yogurts, cheese, hard boiled eggs, bananas, mandarin oranges, cut veggies, home made energy bars etc.

• Drink plenty of non-alcoholic fluid per day- water, herbal tea, soups etc all count as fluid. 

• Pay attention to ‘why’ you are eating, as part of your logging. Are you hungry? If so, how long has it been since your last meal? Did you eat a good sized breakfast and lunch? Did you have enough protein, fruit & veg and water? Are you eating because you are tired? Stressed? Emotional? Food is for fuel. It will not solve problems, although it may seem like a remedy in these difficult moments. Create a list of healthy alternatives to help you move beyond emotional eating habits - so that you can nurture your body AND mind and feel good about your choices in the future. Emotional? Practice mindful breathing, take a 5 minute walk outside, pour a hot bath, call a friend or do a 15 minute yoga practice. Leave the kitchen and go outside if you need to. The more you practice these alternatives, the more they will become automatic choices. 

Ultimately you are in charge of the nutrition and activity choices you make each and every day and you can choose to stay within your budget or go over or under it, any day you like. No stress needed, at all.  You are in charge and no one says you have to be a slave to your nutrition or your fitness plan.  But do please remember that YOU are making choices every day that effect the direction, speed and ultimately the destination of your health journey.  The more frequently you choose to take actions are inline with your nutrition and training plan, the faster you will reach your weight and body composition goals. But you don't HAVE to do it every single day.  It really is, up to you.

PS: I often hear people saying 'It isn't FAIR' that so and so can eat XYZ and reach their body composition goals'...or 'so and so NEVER works out and...' or ' I used to be able to eat XYZ and I had no problem.'.  Don't waste your energy, time or emotional resources comparing to others or the past.  Get clear on your goals, look to the future,  figure out your current budget and take consistent steps to stay within it.  Focus on YOU, and what you can do each day to work towards your personal health goals.  Because, you really can reshape your bodyby personalizing your nutrition and training plan...to YOUR needs.  Forget about what everyone else is doing...DO YOU.

Let me know if I can help!
Cheers,

Sarah x

Key Training Principles: “Overtraining”

You have been rocking your workouts and adding extra training sessions to your week, just because you are feeling so damn great!  You almost feel invincible!  Now is the time to find out what you are capable of and push even further, harder and faster, right?

You have been doing all of your training sessions but you felt slower on your last couple of runs/rides.  Easy pace didn't feel easy and your heart rate is too high.  You couldn't get your speed up to target pace during your last couple of interval sessions.  You are training so hard but your performance is stale or getting worse.  Now is the time to push further, harder and faster, right?

You are beyond stressed out at work and home life is just as crazy right now.  You can't get to bed before midnight but you still have to get up early and do it all again tomorrow. You feel like you are burning the candle at both ends and man, now your throat is a bit sore. You missed your key workouts last week because of 'life' and exhaustion.  Now is the time to make up those workouts and push yourself to squeeze even more in, right?

Wrong!

Do any of these scenarios sound familiar to you?  If you are human and training for an event to reach your goals, then I'll bet you can relate to at least one of them, in some way.  These are all examples of straddling the fine line between Overload and Overreaching, the gateway to Overtraining.  And when you find yourself on this fine line, you are in a very serious position.  Push beyond the limits of your body's adaptive capabilities and you risk diving into the serious condition known as Overtraining.  One thing is for certain, when you cross that line and don't back off to give your body the recovery time it needs to adapt, then your body will just go ahead and do it for you. 

Overload is a good thing. Challenging our body bit by bit over weeks and months and years, is how a good training plan works. Coupled with adequate recovery, progressive overload is the way that we adapt, grow stronger and nail those PRs.  And, ultimately, adaptation is the goal of any results based training plan.  

Overreaching is different.  This is the delicate place between overload and overtraining.  Overreaching can be a very good thing or a very bad thing.  Peak weeks, breakthrough workouts and setting PR's are all examples of Overreaching. These training sessions have a high risk/reward ratio.  Respond with adequate recovery between these sessions and the rewards are massive.  Failure to adhere to an optimal recovery plan between these sessions, however, and the risk is also massive.  Cross that line and enter the land of overtraining.

Overtraining: Also referred to as staleness or overstress. Overtraining is caused by a loss in the body’s adaptive capabilities. This can occur after chronic high-volume training or ‘too much too soon’, when the work/rest ratio is not sufficient to allow for adaptation. Remember, it is not just 'training' that contributes to 'too much too soon', but the accumulation of all sources of stress in our lives.  Stress is stress in the body and too much too soon may come from home, work, illness, poor nutrition, inadequate sleep, injury etc.  Failing to create the optimal balance between total stress and recovery sets the stage for Overtraining.

Some fatigue is a normal part of every training plan and you are not going to launch into Overtraining at the first sign of mild aches pains and fatigue.  There are normal signs of fatigue following a progressive overload training session- sleepy or tired for the rest of the day or the next day after a big endurance run or ride, tired or tight after a speed or hill work session, moderate muscle soreness for 24-48 hours after a breakthrough workout at the gym.  

How do you know if you are getting close to the line? The first sign that you are straddling the line between Overload and Overtraining is an increase in the duration, intensity or frequency of these normal training symptoms.  You shouldn't be bagged or sore for a week after your hard workouts.  And your symptoms should get better, not worse as the days go on.  Additional signs that you may be pushing your body's limits include frequent illness (why am getting sick so often?), injury (why do I keep getting these injuries?), excessive fatigue (why am I always so tired?), irritability (why am I emotional?), change in sleep (why can't I sleep?  or why am I sleeping for 10 hours and still tired when I wake up?) and the big one- decreasing performance.

Once you cross the line into Overtraining land it can be a long journey home.  

True Overtraining Syndrome is a comprehensive disruption of the body's systems and can require months to rebound from. Hormonal, neurological, musculoskeletal, mental/emotional imbalances need time to return to homeostasis.  The fatigue associated with overtraining is very different than that resulting from a hard workout and the body does not bounce back from this state with days or weeks of recovery. Once overtraining status has taken hold it can take months or even years to dissipate. Symptoms of Overtraining Syndrome include:

• Inability to sleep or excessive sleep 

• Loss of energy/lethargy/apathy  

• Loss of appetite or increased appetite

• Weight loss or gain 

• Chronic muscle soreness  

• Chronic fatigue 

• Frequent illness, injury, poor healing time

• Declining performance 

• Increased resting heart rate 

• Irritability 

• Depression 

• Anxiety

Everyone experiences different warning signs that they are pushing beyond their limits- but you can be sure they are always there. Overtraining does not happen overnight. That is the good news. When we listen to our body's feedback and respond to the early signs of breakdown, we will have plenty of time to modify our stress/recovery balance. But that is the trick. We must listen and we must respond by adding more recovery time and decreasing stress, in order to support our body and to allow it to adapt and grow stronger.  

Keep a journal of your training, note how you are feeling and respond to these changes and you will stay well ahead of any risk of Overtraining.  Identify and remove any unnecessary stressors that you can control, in your life.  Check your Ego at the door, and give your body the respect it deserves- it is an amazing machine, but you must work within your limits of adaptation.  Patience, persistence AND flexibility are the keys to reaching your fitness and performance goals feeling strong, healthy and stoked!

If you want support with your training and recovery so that you can rock your goals feeling healthy and stoked this year, I'd love to help!  Check out my Online Training Plans and let me know if you have any questions:). 

Happy Trails!

Sarah x