The Three Keys to Staying in Shape Through the Holidays

by Doug Jackson, M.Ed.,CSCS

December 9, 2004

(Quick note: I am now accepting personal training clients in Weston, Florida. Limited spots available. Fill out online consultation form to inquire.)

The three keys to staying in shape over the holidays (and all year long).

I couldn't sleep last night. I was tossing and turning. I guess stuff that goes on in everybody's head was going on in my head. I was thinking about what I had to do today, how many client session I had, my exercise program, my nutrition program, women, women, wom... I'll leave it there.

So I decided that it was about time to write another newsletter...this time with some general concepts that are the keys to fitness...the three keys to staying in shape over the holidays (and all year long).

Here's the deal: the fitness solution is simple, but requires hard work and discipline. About four years ago, I became familiar with Phil Kaplan, a trainer from Fort Lauderdale who had become known for his clients' amazing body transformations.

Phil preached threes simple rules to getting in shape and staying there for a lifetime. According to Phil, the rules were:

1) A concern for muscle

2) Moderate aerobic exercise

3) Supportive nutrition

Four years later, his simple advice is clearer to me now than it's ever been. It works. I've worked with a lot of clients over the last few years and I’ve continued fine-tuning the art of implementing those three rules with my clients. The more my clients follow these rules, the more impressive their results are.

Here's how those three rules breakdown:

1) A concern for muscle: Anyone interested in long-term fitness would be a fool not to include some form of resistance training into their program. It can be body weight exercises, free-weights, or machines. My clients utilize each of these. The exercise must induce muscular overload so the body senses a stimulus (overload) and reacts to the stimulus by becoming stronger. Of course strength training has many benefits, but the one that is the most underappreciated is its impact on metabolism. Under proper conditions (ie. adequate calorie intake and proper exercise program design), strength training will develop muscle. Your muscle mass is the primary control of your metabolism. The more muscle you have, the more fat you will burn. Unhappy with your metabolism? Put a few pounds of muscle and your metabolism will increase. No need for dangerous diet pills.

2) Moderate aerobic exercise: Most people already know that aerobic exercise is good for the heart. People also consider aerobic exercise to be the exercise of choice for fat burning. But did you know that the wrong type of cardio or cardio under the specific circumstances can wreak havoc on your body transformation? If you would like a full explanation I guess you'll have to hire me (or wait until another newsletter), but let's just say that cardio can lower your metabolism if it lowers your muscle mass. But if you do the cardio right, it can enhance fat loss, strengthen your heart, and help you recover from your strength training workouts.

3) Supportive nutrition: Ahhh...the controversial topic that everyone is obsessed with. (Grin). Its fun getting people fired up about nutrition. Here's what I can say: All the gurus try to say that their diet is the best. Best for what? I doubt any diet is best for everything. Building muscle? Losing fat? Improving heart health? Improving cholesterol profile? I try to eat a diet that will support muscle growth, minimize fat gain, and promote health at the same time.

Based on a combination of scientific research and real-world application, I try to stick to the following nutritional concepts to help me stay in shape.

-6 meals per day (we get a metabolic boost every time we eat...however this doesn't mean eating at McDonalds six time a day!)

-Include lean protein at each meal (there is a positive thermogenic effect from proteins)

-Minimize refined sugars (they are simply empty calories!)

-Include a vegetable or fruit at each meal (these are a good source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals as well as helping to minimize any acidity created by my protein intake)

-Include an additional starchy carbohydrate or piece of fruit at each meal (this allows me to increase my carbohydrate intake so I have enough energy to train hard)

-What I do not want to do is eat TOO FEW calories. I have a file of research articles explaining how a diet that is too low in calories would slow down my metabolism and end up making it harder for me to reach my goals.

Conclusion: Each of the three rules that I learned from Phil, a concern for muscle, moderate aerobic exercise, and supportive nutrition, are synergistic. They work together to create body transformations. All aspects are necessary. If you can apply all three in a general manner, you will probably be doing 80% of what you could to keep your body healthy and fit. The last 20% will be achieved by fine-tuning these rules to your specific situation.

This article was general in concept. But apparently these concepts are not being followed by the majority of our culture. Too many people are confused because they are bombarded by the latest fad diets, misleading infomercials, and unscientific exercise programs. Hopefully this article will stimulate you to make better food and exercise choices through the holidays and help you start 2005 better than ever.

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