Here are some fun facts that aren’t so fun about detoxing and why we need to detox our bodies. There are over three new chemicals introduced into the planet each day.  In fact, we enter a world with over 200 chemicals in our body.  The environmental working group found that samples of blood taken from the umbilical cord of newborns contain an average of 200 chemicals that can cause cancer, brain damage, birth defects and other serious illnesses.  Now although our bodies do have a natural detoxification system, it is necessary to assist our liver and our body at least twice a year so that it can work more effectively to eradicate these toxins from our bodies.  I recommend 4 times a year on our 6 Week Beach Body program.

Step 1: Cleaning House. I want to talk about cleaning out your house, but I want to do it in a way that has you think about energy.  If you’re in a room full of people that are very happy and very positive, you know that you’re eventually going to feel happy and positive because you’re going to “calibrate” to the people around you because they’re going to lift you up.  You’re going to want to be at their level.  Not only because feeling good feels good and having positive energy feels good, but because you’re in the minority and the dominate energy in the room is happy.  So you will find yourself sort of sliding up the scale to feeling better just because of the people that you’re surrounded by.

Now on the opposite side of that of course if you’re in a good mood and you walk into a room full of very upset angry people you can pretty much guarantee that you, over time, whether you ever get to the level of anger and negativity as they are is not important but you will definitely slide down the scale from where you are which was happy to the dominate energy in the room which is negative.  It’s the same thing in your body and it’s the same thing in your environment.  When it comes to your space (office, home, work), de-clutter, move things around to shift the energy and identify any energy vampires in your environment and eliminate them!

Step 2: Your Kitchen. In your kitchen, I want you to be really honest with yourself and look in your kitchen and cabinets.  I want you to identify your stress-eating foods, your boredom foods and the snack foods.  If you were on my 6 Week Beach Body Program, I would be telling you to pack it all up and give it away. I’m not a big fan of wasting food and I definitely am not encouraging anyone to waste food.  You have the option of throwing out the things that you know you want to get rid of or the alternative choice would be to package it all up and take it to a friend’s house or donate it.

Step 3: How many days? How long should the detox last? The detox program I facilitate on our 6 Week Beach Body Program has a duration of nine days. Some detoxes last 14 days or even 30. I suggest starting with 9 and working your way up depending on your goals for a detox.

What is the cost? Of course doing a detox will cost something to get the proper products and supplements but you should think of this as your food budget for 9 days. You would need to eat for 9 days so use that money to invest in a good detox program. There are a few books out there about detoxing, one of them I used in helping me to create the one for our program and it’s called The 7 Day Detox Miracle by Bennett and Barrie.If you are doing this on your own, let me give you some tips.

Step 4: What to avoid?

• dairy,
• caffeine
• alcohol
• sugar
• meat
• fried foods
• packaged foods
• salt

Step 5: What to include?

• a protein shake
• eggs
• salmon and low mercury fish
• fruits
• vegetables
• rice
• kefir
• nuts,
• Seeds
• green tea
• and lots of water!

You want to sweat everyday for at least 10 minutes, sleep 6-8 hours and focus on something that keeps you inspired and your mind occupied.  When people do a detox for the first time, they often focus on a lack of food or restrictions causing unnecessary stress.  However, I am sure we can all find days in our lives where we didn’t eat because we were too busy- it’s all about the mental focus.

For more info on the 6 Week Beach Body Program, visit http://www.6weekbeachbody.com or call JJ at 800 571 5722 x 84 to find out how to get your detox started today!

Click here to view the embedded video.

1. Family time does not have to mean sit and eat.  Quality time together can be spent doing other activities.  Try to clear the table while people are slowing down to take away temptations of over eating.
2. Traditional meals probably contain high calorie ingredients such as pasta, butter, oil, cheese and sugar.  Be creative and consult some low fat cooking sources on alternative ingredients that will cut several hundred calories per dish using items like egg whites, applesauce, fruit paste, lighter versions (not fat free) and etc.  No need to tell the family–they probably won’t notice!
3. Add some new dishes to the dinner table of salads, vegetable, fruits and broth-based soups.  These are generally healthier choices so you can fill up in these and eat less “empty calorie” stuff.
4. Schedule in your exercise in the mornings.  Ask a friend or family member to join, it will help with accountability/
5. Learn to say “No Thank You”.  You do not have to try every dish prepared or eat all that you take.
6. While in preparation, only sample the food that is necessary.  You could potentially eat 500-800 calories in sampling before you sit down to eat.  Save yourself for the meal only to save some unwanted calories that may sneak in!
7. Eat ONLY until you are satisfied, NOT full.  If you sit at the dinner table for more then 2 hours, you are probably going to eat more then you need to because it’s there.
8. Keep a log of ALL of your exercise and food.  The average amount of calories for an adult between the ages of 30-55 who participates in moderate activity of 2-3 hours a week is 1800 (women)-2300 (men).  The average holiday meal including drinks can average around 2800-3200.  Logging keeps you aware of why the scale goes up and down during this time of year.
9. Create a 15 min exercise routine that you can do every during the busy times. Add things like jumping jacks, jump rope, bridge, push ups, etc.  You want to have tools outside of the gym!
10. Holidays are stressful times and sometimes depressing for some.  Exercise boosts your body’s production of serotonin, the body’s “happy drug”.   Don’t let stress win!  If you need some support hire a trainer or a coach.  You’ll be glad you had the discipline and you will be ahead of the game for the New Year!

Get your FREE copy of the 30 Day JUMP Start program workbook and audio on my site!  http://www.invisiblefitness.com

This is the perfect time to print it and use it as a daily log til the end of the year.  It can motivate you as well as be a gentle reminder that the holiday is just a DAY, not a season.

In the last few weeks, I have been busy traveling around in meetings, business trainings and new clients. I have been on different time zones, I have had irregular sleep and I haven’t really slowed down all that much.

So I have adrenal fatigue.  It’s a mild case compared to when I had it last year after my wedding when I came home from the honeymoon and my body crashed literally for a month or more.  Taking a walk got my heart rate up!  I could tell by how my body was responding and acting that it had taken on too much stress and it would need some time to heal.

I haven’t gone that far this time but for sure my body was telling me to slow down.  I have actually started on some bio-identical hormones as well and will show you everything I am doing and why so you can get a first-hand look at it all.

The bottom line for most of us is- WE ARE NOT MACHINES.  And for us women, we are not MEN.  Men have more testosterone and can “hunt the deer” for many more hours than we are supposed to.  So when women push and drive like men, we burn out quickly.

I have always had a lot of energy but I do push myself mostly because frankly, I can.  But my body pays the price and at least I love myself enough to catch it early and be proactive about it.  If I didn’t, I’d have no one to blame in 5-10 years when I have chronic pain or a disease or sickness.  What you do now creates your future in every way.

Here is me getting needled!  It’s my #1 favorite way to take care of myself in addition to eating well and exercising!

Here is a list of all my favorite local acupuncturists!

Heather Lounsbury 310.259.5165  For anyone in Santa Monica, Hollywood, West LA

Maria Ravis: 310 640 2129  For anyone in Southbay area (El Segundo, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach)

Bill Flanagan: 949 244 5170 for anyone in Orange County (Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Laguna )

Shaheed Abdullah:  310 993 6903  for anyone in San Diego area

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A new study that was published recently by the American Journal of Epidemiology compares the density of fast food restaurants to a high walking traffic city. Click here to read the original article Link to original article.

The bottom line was not shocking- if you live where there are a high density of fast food restaurants, you are more likely to gain more weight and be “fatter” than the people who live in high walking traffic areas.

I was interviewed for Demo Dirt Gold about this article and I thought I would share some of the tips I gave to her.

“Personal fitness trainer J.J. Flizanes (www.invisiblefitness.com) advises people who live in high-density fast food areas to keep healthy, non-perishable snacks in the car. “Often if people are very hungry, they will say they are starving, and can’t think straight, and they will fall into the habit of not caring what they eat,” she explains. “They will get headaches, mood swings, and a desire for fat and sugar.”

“Get a shoebox, a plastic shoebox, that you can buy for a dollar, and fill it with nuts, dried fruit, and protein bars. If you’re feeling really hungry, you can maintain your blood sugar to get yourself by between meals,” Flizanes advises.

Whatever you do, she warns, “Avoid fast food. Fast food means fat people.”
The other key? Flizanes says that who, not just what, you are surrounded by will affect you. “Surround yourself with positive people who have the same goal,” she says.”

What I said was “Friends don’t let friends drive through”

If you live in a city where there is an overwhelming amount of fast food, you need to prepare yourself.

1.   Stick that plastic shoe box in your car filled with good, healthy, non perishable snacks.  This can  help curb your hunger in between meals so you don’t head to the drive through.  You should be eating something every 4-5 hours to maintain blood sugar so you do not crash.

2.   You are what you eat and what you are surrounded by. You are the sum of the 5 people you hang around most and you are the sum of the 5 habits you keep.  Iron sharpens iron.  If you want to change your habits, find people and places that support you in doing that because they want the same thing.  If your spouse or house-mate have opposite habits, it may be more challenging for you to stay disciplined. Find ways to have support , get new friends or move! J

3.   Vision Board: This is a place where you can paint the life you want and use visual reminders of it every day.  I have food on my vision board- Organic Produce Delivery!  I want to be delivered fresh, organic produce weekly to support my healthy lifestyle!

4.   Make a date to walk.  Find a place near home or work that you can walk to 2-3 times a week. It doesn’t have to be that far, just practice saving money on gas for an errand or two and walk.  You will save money on gas, help the environment, burn some calories and inspire others to do the same.

5.   Change the way to relate to junk food and fast food.  I was once in line for Del Taco late at night after dancing.  I had an apple next to me but I was in the mood for cheese.  I battled driving through but I had such a craving that it took over.  As I was in line, I saw a very large women walk out of the restaurant and THAT was all I needed to see to turn around and leave.  I had cheese at home.  Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.

Try our 30 Day JUMP Start Program FREE  – Workbook and Audio valued at $197

Sign in and get your copy!  http://www.invisiblefitness.com

For more info on programs and products that can help support you in changing your habits, please contact  info@invisiblefitness.com

by J.J. Flizanes, Director of Invisible Fitness

Named by Elite Traveler Magazine as their 2007 Global Black Book pick of Best Personal Trainer in Los Angeles , JJ has been lauded by Shape Magazine as one of the top 6 fitness trainers in 2003.

http://www.invisiblefitness.com

800 571 5722

Chocolate has antioxidants: I have to first explain to you what an antioxidant is and why it’s a good thing. Imagine your body is like your car-the engine makes it run.  The engine produces the energy for the car to run just like your body produces energy for you to run.  There is a bi-product of the engine when it is creating energy and that is the exhaust. Your body also produces “exhaust” called free radicals-they are a natural bi-product of your body.  Free radicals can be neutralized by antioxidants. Back in the day when we ate a Paleolithic Diet (from the earth: meats, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds), we got plenty of antioxidants in our diet. Now, we eat more processed foods, we have toxins in our air and products and our stress levels are so high that we create even more free radicals than before with less antioxidants in our daily diets. Free radicals cause oxidation in the body which is like rust for your car-it speeds aging.

Have you heard that joke that chocolate is a vegetable?  It’s not so far-fetched. Chocolate comes from the cocoa bean and because it’s a plant, it has phytonutrients, which are a “plant based nutrient”. Cocoa beans most important phytonutrients are several classes of polyphenols, which is a group of chemical substances that act as building blocks. These polyphenols are largely recognized as some of the most powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds.

Polyphenols are found in a variety of fruits and vegetables ranging from onions to apples, green tea, grapes and the cocoa bean. Tests showed the chocolate measured significantly higher than green tea and red wine in antioxidant content. That’s great news!  Chocolate is good for you!

Chocolate is gluten free: As you will learn later, most of us have a mild to severe allergic reaction to gluten, which is wheat, barley and rye.  Most pastries are made with wheat four. Cakes, cookies, pies are usually made with wheat flour so it makes eating dessert very risky for causing inflammation and holding on to a few extra pounds of water. Some molds for chocolate could contain gluten but at least the ingredients are gluten free-it’s a much safer choice.

Chocolate is an aphrodisiac: Now what more could you want?! The Mayans and Aztecs were the first to recognize the potency of chocolate, celebrating the harvest of the cacao bean with festivals of wild orgies. The Aztec ruler, Montezuma, reportedly drank 50 cups of chocolate each day to better serve his harem of 600 women. It’s been scientifically studied and found that chocolate contains PEA, or Phenylethylamine, which is the very same molecule that courses through the veins of people in love!  It’s fascinating!  Chocolate can promote intimacy and love-can’t beat that!

Not all chocolate is equal however and I want to empower you with the differences so you don’t think you are getting good quality antioxidants from a bad piece of chocolate!  This is just the start.. more to come on chocolate!

What if I am just NOT motivated?

I have gone through some major life changes in the last few months and I myself have been extremely exhausted–sleeping 10-11 hours every night and still having no energy!  I was so UN motivated and tired to the point of wondering if it was mild depression!  I want to share my story with you for two reasons.

First, I am human too and feel ALL the same things you go through to the extent of my experience.  It’s always amazing to me to hear what clients think I am “like”. I am not super human. Secondly, through my pain and suffering, I hope to provide some hope, insight and maybe a new perspective on your own journey. I also want you to know that I truly understand.

As some if not most of you know, I got married in early August.  In the few months prior to the wedding, I was on “super overdrive” trying to get all details taken care of and successfully fund our event. I had a wedding planner (who was great) and that did help but the stress of this undertaking especially when we did it as a destination wedding was HUGE- more than I thought.  Well, more than I was aware at the time.

The wedding was fabulous and the wedding day was stress free thanks to all this planning! On our honeymoon, we got a call from Jeanne Peters who shared with us a “healer” named Ken that creates and works with flower essences.  Jeanne had encouraged us to have a session with him if we could before we left the island.  And we did.

To keep it short and simple, my reading was one of the deepest and intense readings he had ever done.  He said it 4 times in the 45 minutes we spent focused on me. I think he was relieved when my reading was over because he wasn’t used to delivering such powerful news.  Most flower essence readings are “kinda nice” as he described it.

The gist of my reading had to do with very early patterns growing up that I developed to compensate for something I didn’t want to feel.  There has been a feeling for 30+ years that I have NOT allowed myself to feel!  The flower essences were suppose to bring those up in order to balance them and dissolve them.

Let’s just say that for the past few weeks, since returning from the wedding, I have been not motivated, exhausted, depressed, and physically weak.   This phase went on for 3-4 weeks!!  ( I feel better now)  If I didn’t have to leave the house, I wouldn’t.  I even cancelled all my appointment one day because I was immobile and my body felt heavy and weak.  Even going for a walk would get me in my target heart rate zone!  Just WALKING!  I saw physical effects of my emotions.  I had plenty of rest, I ate fairly well (I am still gluten free) so the only thing it could be was emotional.

Wow.  What do you do when you feel this way?  I had no idea.  Normally, I just talk myself out of it! And choosing your thoughts is how to gain control of your life but I was doing it to AVOID feeling what I felt.  And so the feelings would get “Swept under the rug” so to speak and have built up over my life time.

So what if you are not motivated?  I wasn’t.  But what I was- was curious as to WHY.  Of course I have the desire to be as healthy and as fit as I can.  I didn’t like that I wasn’t working out.  I didn’t like feeling exhausted.  But just like a detox, I came to understand what was going on with me to except this “phase”.

Had Ken NOT explained that the emotions would be triggered, I may have not taken the whole prescribed bottle.  But I knew to expect a detox of sorts.  I also while really IN this, made peace with myself, forgave myself and tried to be as loving as I could.  And then it passed.  I didn’t fight it.

For some people, feeling unmotivated is the excuse to stay in that stage longer than you need to.  It could be fear.  Fear of failure.  Fear of success. Fear of lack of support or fear of the unknown.

What is the underlying reason of your lack of motivation?  I believe, once you can pinpoint that, it dissolves.

For all the ladies who have made it to the end of this story, Jeanne Peters Rd and I are hosting a women’s only workshop called LOVE YOUR BODY.  If you would like to get to the bottom of your lack of motivation or any other feeling that is stopping you from attaining the health and body YOU deserve, call or email to sign up.  We’d love to help you transform your relationship with YOUR body.

Written by JJ Flizanes, Director of Invisible Fitness

800 571 5722

http://www.invisiblefitness.com

Lasting change comes from 5 things:

1.    Beliefs

2.    Plan of action

3.    Tools

4.    Support

5.    Accountability

Most of us get gung-ho about New Years and say things like “I am going to lose 25 pounds in January” or something crazy like that.  Is that possible?  It might be but not for most people. But the bigger question is why do you keep making the same resolution every year?

Are you ready to find a permanent solution?

5 Steps to Making, Getting and Keeping your Weight Loss Resolution

1.    Set 1 goal in January- not 3.  Be realistic and be honest.  If you haven’t been working out at all, don’t commit yourself to 5 days at the gym.  You set yourself up to fail when you commit to something drastically different than your current habits. Don’t try to tackle it all at one time (there is a reason you aren’t doing it now), just choose ONE!  Let’s use taking your vitamins regularly as an example for this.

2.    Plan of action- what would make it easier for you to take your supplements every day?  Create a strategy that makes sense for you and your schedule.  Take them to work?  Take them with breakfast?  Take them at night before bed?  Whatever the plan is write it down.  Also, make sure to position this goal (the vitamins) in the place where you know you will remember.  If you want to take them at work, take them to work and stick them on your desk.  If you want to take them at night, stick them in the place you are right before bed.  For me, that would be my night stand OR my computer.

3.    Tools- With our example goals of taking vitamins every day, I would classify tools for this as a pill box, baggies, chart or daily log to write down every day what I am taking, etc. I am doing a Mercury detox right now and needed to take supplements to prepare my tissues for 5-7 days before the cleanse.  I made separate baggies for each day with the vitamins I needed to take.  There are tools available to help you with any goal.  Figure out what yours are and use them.

4.    Support- If you want to commit to those vitamins but you have a hard time with discipline, ask a friend or partner to ask you every day. Find someone else who has the same goal and decide to email once a day to check in. I have been playing an “affirmation game” with a friend on the phone for over a month. This ensures that I will do it because we both want the benefits and it makes it more fun!

5.    Accountability- In the case of the vitamins, I would announce to someone that this is my goal and this is how I am going to commit to it. I would create a calendar and stick it on the frig or somewhere other people who live with you can see it. Being accountable to someone else is how we can see our habits and patterns if we are looking.  Our 90 Day Health and Body Makeover Program is centered around accountability. Every week you work with a coach who you have committed certain things to- it’s your decision what to commit of course.  But it’s always amazing how we either over commit or make excuses over and over for the same behaviors without examining them for change. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Is this you?  We can help!

Bottom line- change one habit at a time- use the 5 steps to create a NEW habit and then move on to the next one.  And most importantly- ask for help if you are serious about change.

Happy New Year!

Written by JJ Flizanes, Director of Invisible Fitness.  800 571 5722

www.invisiblefitness.com

2. Traditional meals probably contain high calorie ingredients such as pasta, butter, oil, cheese and sugar.  Be creative and consult some low fat cooking sources on alternative ingredients that will cut several hundred calories per dish using items like egg whites, applesauce, fruit paste, lighter versions (not fat free) and etc.  No need to tell the family–they probably won’t notice!

3. Add some new dishes to the dinner table of salads, vegetable, fruits and broth-based soups.  These are generally healthier choices so you can fill up in these and eat less “bad” stuff.

4. Schedule in your exercise in the mornings.  Physical activity will start the day off right and help you to make better food choice all day long.

5. Learn to say “No Thank You”.  You do not have to try every dish prepared or eat all that you take. Starving children around the world will not benefit from the extra pounds of body fat you will accumulate after you clear your plate several times to be polite.

6. While in preparation, only sample the food that is necessary.  You could potentially eat 500-800 calories in sampling before you sit down to eat.  Ask your family to taste and give feedback as well.

7. Lite hot cocoa with marshmallows prepared using water is about 50-80 calories per serving (depending on brand). Regular hot cocoa with whole milk can run you 200 calories for an 8-10 ounce serving.  There are ways to alter small things that make a big difference.

8. Eat ONLY until you are satisfied, NOT full.  If you sit at the dinner table for more then 2 hours, you are probably going to eat more then you need to because it’s there.  Pay attention to when your body feels good, not when you need to unbutton your pants!

9. Keep a log of ALL of your exercise and food.  The average amount of calories for an adult between the ages of 30-55 who participates in moderate activity of 2-3 hours a week is 1800 (women)-2500 (men).  The average holiday meal including drinks can average around 2800-3200.  You don’t need to count the calories, just pay attention to it and be honest.  Logging keeps you aware of why the scale goes up and down.

10.Holidays are stressful times and sometimes depressing for some.  Exercise boosts your body’s production of serotonin, the body’s “happy drug”.   Don’t let stress win!  If you need some support in getting the gym or doing your home workouts, hire a trainer.  You’ll be glad you had the discipline and you will be ahead of the game for the New Year!  Or you can hire a coach- like me!  No matter where you live, we can help.  Check out www.90dayhealthandbodymakeover.com    We give a 100% Money Back Guarantee!

J.J. Flizanes, director and founder of Invisible Fitness, was one of a select group of six featured personal trainers in Shape Magazine for 2003 and has recently been named The Best of the Best in Los Angeles by Elite Traveler’s Black Book for 2007. She has also been a local spokesperson for the American Heart Association and has been featured on NBC, KTLA, CBS, FOX 11 and has appeared in many national magazines such as Fitness, Muscle and Fitness HERS, Elegant Bride, E Pregnancy, among others. In 2004 she was acquired as an expert source and frequent contributor to the new magazine by IHRSA called Get Active! Visit online at www.invisiblefitness.com

800 571 5722 / www.invisiblefitness.com

I am realizing that I need to take my clothes off.  I am writing a book.  It’s very exciting.  It’s all about how I live and maintain (and even lose) my weight over the past 10 years.

The first picture with Mom and Dad was in Kauai in August before the wedding.  I had been Gluten Free at that point for over 1 month, lost 4 pounds of water and weighed less than I did in this second photo which was in 2000.

I did the Body For Life program in 2000 basically to compete against my male roommate (and good friend who was also a trainer) at the time.  He was going to do it and we lived together- so why not?

I lost 10 pounds and 7% body fat in 7 weeks.  He lost 5 pounds and 2%.  So at that point I had won.  But the next 5 weeks I became easy on myself because what I realized is that I don’t want to WORK THAT HARD.

You heard me- I want to do as little as possible to maintain a body I love.  And that’s what I have figured out over the last 8 years.

I weight less now but I have to admit my bodyfat went up 2-3%.  And I am ok with that.  I get to indulge in wine, cheese and chocolate ALL THE TIME, enjoy my food, enjoy my workouts but not overdue it in any sense.  Once you know the tricks- it’s easy!!

I think I might have to go get a fake tan and do some new pictures…. hmmmm, fun!

If you need help losing weight WHILE enjoying your life- call me.  I can help

800 571 5722  x 84

http://www.90dayhealthandbodymakeover.com     call us- do not click through site

http://www.invisiblefitness.com

Resistance training is adding force to movement to build strength and muscle. Building muscle is the key to long term success because muscle is active tissue that requires energy (calories) whereas fat does not. If you have more active tissue, your body requires more energy. (You get to eat more!) Building muscle is key in raising your resting metabolism and vital in slowing down the effects of aging!

Not all resistance training is equal! Biomechanics, physics, mechanics and physiology are guidelines for creating any program. Genetics, age, and hormone optimization will play a role in how fast you build muscle.

Just because you exercise, doesn’t mean you are doing it right. Biomechanics is used to make sure you are not applying force to your joints that will wear them down faster. Physiology is used to make sure the time and intensity of the tension/force is appropriate to stimulate muscle growth.

Benefits of Resistance Training:

• Build muscle
• Increases bone density
• Increased strength
• Increased flexibility
• Decrease risk of injury
• Can improve joint stability
• Increase resting metabolism
• Can improve posture
• Fights aging
• Improves confidence with strength capabilities
• Look and feel better
• Improve sexual performance

Most people think they need to set aside 1 hour at the gym to do resistance training.  For some, this may be the best use of their time and make the most sense.  What I have found over the years of training people in their homes is that we often use the excuse of not having enough time. If you take 10 minutes out of your day 3 times a day, this equals 30 minutes.  On the flip side, if you wait to just find an extra 30 minutes in your day, I am sure you will not.  We all have the same 24 hours in the day.  I can help you fit it in under ANY circumstance.

Recommendations for Designing a Resistance Training Program for Novice to Advanced Level Clients

Goals: To focus on the ability of the nervous and muscular system to adapt to exercise. We will discuss how these systems change and progress toward the ultimate goal of changing body composition.

Neurological factors:

• neural adaptation affect activation levels and patterns of nerve input to the muscle.
• Strength gains related to learning, coordination, and recruitment
• Fiber type conversion
• Agonist/Anatagonist relationship

Hypertrophy: changes in strength can be caused by mechanisms that increase muscle size

Factors affecting hypertrophic response:

• age
• individual’s functional capacity
• nutritional status
• behavioral factors
• hormonal stimuli
• mechanical stimuli
• metabolic factors
• optimal adaptation appears to be related to use of specific resistance training programs to meet individual training objectives.

Also related to hypertrophy:

• Eccentric Contraction
• Muscle Damage: why and how
• Muscular Failure
• Psychological Failure

SAID Principle: Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands- What you work on is what will change.

Novice: less than 3 months:

1.      Experiences difficulty stabilizing movements.

2.      Tends to perform new movements too quickly

3.      Requires only one exercise per body part to learn the movement

4.      Can only feel/control the contraction through limited ranges (if at all)

5.      Is not physiologically capable of fatiguing muscle (only loses neural control)

6.      Makes quick strength gains due to rapidly increasing neuromuscular control.

7.      Cannot differentiate fatigue from failure: good or bad pain?

8.      Has difficulty focusing on a task

Intermediate: 3-12 months:

1.      Loses stability on the last repetition only-fatigue resistant

2.      Able to increase the number of sets and/or exercises per muscle

3.      Learns new muscle movements while remaining stable from previous exercise, able to incorporate compound movements while focusing on one muscle

4.      Capable of increasing intensity

5.      Capable of perceiving proper muscle contraction through a full ROM with adequate resistance

Advanced: more than 1 year

1.      Capable of performing last rep and remain stable

2.      Capable of focusing on the muscle and the weight moved rather than form due to neural patterning or the habit of maintaining form

3.      Able to incorporate compound movements and all other aspects of intensity manipulation

4.      Workout routine is the most physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding

Number of Sets: for a goal of muscle hypertrophy at intermediate or advanced levels the number of recommended sets varies depending on proper execution of four factors.

1.      Ability to mentally focus on the target muscle

2.      Ability to execute the proper biomechanics of the movement

3.      Ability to control the exercise through both concentric and eccentric movement

4.      Ability to produce and maintain high tension to the point of muscular fatigue with the eventual goal of muscular failure

Sets:

• 6-12 sets for large body parts
• 6-10 sets for small body parts
• 4-6 sets for miscellaneous body part

Number of Reps: It has been suggested that the hypertrophic response depends on the intensity if the exercise as well as the length of time the muscle is under tension (time under tension)

Reps:

• Novice= 15 reps per set
• Intermediate/Advanced = 6-12 reps per set

Rest:

• Novice =rest time is 1-3 minutes between sets
• Intermediate/Advanced = 30 seconds to 2 minutes

Since unaccustomed stimulus helps to sustain an adaptation period, the amount of rest time should be varied from set, workout to workout or both.

Other factors:

• Speed
• Rest between body parts
• Lifestyle

* It has been reported in the past that an average 61% of new health club members drop out of the first six weeks because they see no significant change in their physiques.  If a program is designed and followed properly, everyone should experience significant advancement toward their goal within thirty days.

Modes of Exercise

1.      Selectorized equipment- good for beginners, requires less balance, artificially stabilizes load and movement, less probability of weight falling on person, range of motion is pre-set most of the time so could wear on the joints with more negative force.

2.      Cable exercises- constant resistance, body stabilizes movement, range of motion unlimited

3.      Bodyweight exercises- good for beginners, functional.  Great for home exercisers and all exercises can create a foundation for any level.

4.      Free weights- requires use of stabilizer muscles to maintain form, ROM is unlimited, requires motor skill and balance

5.      Open chain- foot is not in contact with surface, ex. Leg curl or leg exten. Better choice for uneven body or joint issues

6.      Closed chain- foot is in contact with floor, for ex. Leg press or squats, sometimes seen as more functional but not always

Increase workloads in strength training program by no more than 5% per week.

Confused yet?  Hopefully not.  I have given a ton of recommendations but have not explained WHY.  I would love to be able to help you- please email or call!

800 571 5722

www.invisiblefitness.com

Written and compiled by J.J. Flizanes, Director of Invisible Fitness.  Named Best Personal Trainer in Los Angeles for 2007 by Elite Traveler Magazine.

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