5 Common Mistakes I See In The Gym
By Stacey Nolan Young
Okay so I will admit, it has been quite some time since I’ve stepped into a commercial gym. I take for granted the fact that I can workout anytime I want in the confines of our own space here at our private facility. But I do remember the days of gym-going very well. I remember watching people and what they were doing there. In conversations with many a client, these things have come up as well. And in thinking about this lately, I decided to write an article about the common mistakes that people make when they go to the gym. I spy with my little eye something that is errrr….wrong!
It is definitely a positive thing when someone makes the decision to put themselves and their health first and makes a commitment to join a gym. Whatever their reasons may be, they are certainly making great strides toward some sort of goal for themselves.
The unfortunate thing is that most people do not know what to do once they walk inside those doors. Have you ever walked into a gym, looked around at all of the machines and equipment, and walked straight towards a treadmill because at least you know how to work that?
It can be quite daunting when faced with machines you have no idea how to work, fit girls with their hair and makeup done to perfection strutting their stuff through the gym, and a bunch of meatheads pumping some serious iron. It is no wonder that a good chunk of people go once or twice and are never to be seen or heard from again.
Either that or these people are caught doing one of these mistakes.
1. Yes/No Training
How many times have you gone to a gym and seen a lot of the equipment abandoned while some pieces are in constant demand. One of the pieces I’m speaking of in particular is the adduction/abduction machine otherwise known as the Yes/No Machine.
While I am never one for criticizing exercise, come on girls! What are you thinking? Do you really believe that doing this one exercise for countless repetitions is going to help you shed those extra pounds? Do you think that this is going to help you get those shapely thighs that you see in workout videos?
Trust me, if you want to lose the pounds you are better off performing the staple exercises like squats and lunges that target the bigger muscle groups. These will make you burn more fat than opening and closing your legs. Then again…that in itself is a whole other article. So please do yourselves a favour and say NO to this machine!
The same goes for all of that abdominal training that you see people doing. Everybody has a six pack. Yes- they do. Doing 100 crunches per day is not going to get that six pack to come to light. The truth? Your diet will. If you want those washboard abs then I suggest making the necessary nutritional changes because exhausting yourself with abdominal exercises is futile. Same principle as above. Focus on bigger muscle groups to burn fat all over your body. Not to say that there isn’t a time and place for proper abdominal training, but less of a focus on it will get you to where you want to be.
2. Cardio Junkies
Running on a treadmill or spending an hour on the elliptical may seem like a good idea to you when trying to lose weight BUT ask yourself what it is REALLY doing to your physique. Sure, it’s great to burn fat BUT at what point do you stop burning fat and start burning valuable muscle? Muscle that aids in burning fat. Muscle that gives you your shape. Muscle that makes you look toned. And is there validity to aerobic training versus anaerobic- sprint type training? There is some research that suggests that an hour session on your treadmill pales in comparison to a total of 12 minutes of sprint-like cardio where you are only cycling or running intensely for 4 minutes and resting for 8 minutes!
The bottom line is that any good exercise program is going to incorporate both cardiovascular activity and resistance training because the ultimate goal is to look good. Unless you want to look exactly like a smaller version of yourself, with no toned definition then spending all of your time on the treadmill or elliptical is the way to go.
If you want to look your very best, balance the two. So instead of buying some newfangled, trendy piece of equipment that promises to give you your best physical shape, invest the money in a gym membership where you can take advantage of the best of both worlds.
Or (shameless plug inserted here) you could invest in a great personal trainer who can help you along your way!
3. “But I’m Afraid Of Bulking Up”
Let me begin by saying that this is complete and utter nonsense. Do not believe everything you hear. When those infomercials on TV promise to give you “toned muscle rather than bulk muscle” they are lying to you. Muscle is muscle. You cannot build muscle the way that you want to. Genetics will limit the amount of muscle that you will potentially have and unless you are specifically training and “supplementing” (and I write that loosely) to appear on stage at a bodybuilding show, you have nothing to fear.
Your muscles will grow as they are destined to and truth be told, the more muscle that you have, the more fat you lose and the more toned and lean you look. You do not do yourself a service to limit the amount of weight you are lifting. Our bodies are amazing machines that adapt to what we put them through. If you begin by lifting those 5lb dumbbells and this is difficult for you, why would you continue to lift those 5lb dumbbells once they become easy for you? Your body will adapt to this. You will gain strength. Your body will learn to NOT respond to this lift unless you are advancing in some way. When movements become too easy, adjust weight and technique accordingly. The key to change is exactly that. Change.
I’ve seen so many women make this mistake. I’ve heard from many clients about their fear of bulking and lifting heavy. They irrationally fear lifting any weights above what they deem okay for them. And to their surprise they do end up going beyond their psychological limitations that they have placed on themselves. And guess what? Their bodies begin to change. Amazing!
Do you ever wonder why certain weight loss programs out there only get people so far? Why they will do great at first and eventually reach some kind of plateau? The same principle is in effect. Our bodies stop responding to the same stimulus. We need to advance in order to get results. What started out as difficult for us will not remain difficult. The bottom line is to always push yourself. Don’t be too concerned with how much you are lifting but rather the level of intensity that your workouts are giving you. And no matter what you hear out there, you will not bulk up!
4. Training Your Ego
On the flip side we have those people that go to the gym to train their egos or in some cases do the most amusing type of training. These people train their lungs. You all know who I’m talking about. You can’t miss these people in the gym with their back belt strapped on, wearing their lifting gloves, straps and knee braces. These are the people that WANT you to stare. You see them loading plate after plate onto the leg press or Olympic bar. They huff and puff before sets to pump themselves up and make a huge ordeal out of setting up their lift. As a spectator you are enthralled and you can’t believe how much weight this person is about to lift in front of your very eyes. You watch as they get into that leg press and scream and grunt while they pump out a quarter movement of a press.
What was that????
Their knees barely bent.
Are they training their lungs alone?
Because there was no possible way that this would qualify as a complete repetition.
These people finish their “set” and step out of the machine while looking around to make sure that people are still watching. To those who didn’t have the “privilege” of seeing this ultimate display of masculinity and power, not to worry, this person will be spreading the word that they leg pressed over 900lbs! This, my friends, is what I call training the ego.
You have no business loading that amount of weight on a machine or bar unless you can complete your set number of repetitions. And while it is smart to have a spot while lifting heavy, your spot shouldn’t be helping you move the weight. They should be there JUST IN CASE. This kind of training takes place when people fixate on numbers rather than results. And what they don’t realize is that if they actually spent a good amount of time focusing on the proper movement that the gains would come. Real gains that would garner respect.
When it comes to real training, the ego needs to be left at the door. Improper training and cheaping out on the range of motion can actually hinder progress. You want to make certain that you are doing each exercise with the proper form and technique without worrying about the weight. For those of you who find this important, it will come. But you have to earn it.
5. Social Time
I’m one of those people who needs to have 100% focus when doing my workout. Back in my “gym days” my biggest pet peeve would be when someone would try conversing with me while I was under the bar or setting up for a squat. Or worse - mid squat!!! What are they thinking?
A gym is a place to train. It is a place to transform. To some it is a place to socialize. Not to me. And it shouldn’t be to the person who is serious about their physique. In order to perform most exercises properly, there must be concentration and focus in play. So please do everyone a favour and save the chit chat for after your workout!
Conclusion
I’ve given a few pointers about dos and don’ts when it comes to training. As I said before, I won’t knock anyone that makes the decision to join a gym, and even better, to actually go to it. The truth is that you will be successful if you are consistent. And consistency involves dedication, commitment and a plan. Plan your workouts. Treat your visits as appointments. Familiarize yourself with the facility and the equipment. Know what you are going to be doing before you get to the gym. Combine both resistance training and cardio. Bring a notebook and record your exercises and weights. And if you need help, just ask for it. The only way to get over your fear of the gym is to just go. Your body will thank you kindly for it!
September 26th, 2007
I have an amazing superpower. I can’t fly, run at the speed of light, or shoot laser beams out of my eyes, but when it comes to fitness I do have an uncanny ability to tell people the truth whether they want to hear it or not.
Now this might not seem like much of a superpower, but in the world of health and fitness it might as well be because nobody else seems to have it. Companies everywhere will tell people exactly what they want to hear to sell their products and usually it’s a load of B.S.
In this relatively lengthy article I’m about to unleash my powers in all of their glory on the breakfast cereal industry.
Beware of the Cereal Killer
First, I should start by saying that I think almost all breakfast cereals are total crap. With the selection available out there you’d think that there would be more truly healthy cereals but, as you’ll see, the options are exceptionally limited.
In this article I’ll compare some popular “healthy” cereals with the only two cereals that officially receive my stamp of approval. Before we start though, I want to cover a few things that we’ll be looking at when it comes to comparing the different candies…I mean cereals. I may not discuss each issue for each cereal, but it is important that you’re aware they exist.
Serving Size
For the purposes of this article I’ll be comparing all cereals based on weight instead of actual amount of cereal. When comparing any product you should always be conscious the serving size as this can make them difficult to compare.
Have you ever had a something in your hand and tried to calculate the total number of calories for the entire bag. On most items it requires nothing short of an advanced degree in mathematics to figure it out. This isn’t an accident.
Calories
This isn’t the only consideration, but when comparing cereals, the lower the calorie count the better the cereal is likely to be.
Fat & Protein
Since most cereals contain negligible amounts of both fat and protein neither one really warrants any concern in this comparison.
Carbohydrates
When it comes to breakfast cereals, there are three different kinds of carbohydrates to observe.
- Dietary Fiber –
Other than taking potentially harmful Statin type medications like Liptor and Crestor, increasing your intake of dietary fiber is one of the very best things you can do to reduce your cholesterol.
If this isn’t an issue for you, consider that fiber is also a great way to keep yourself regular and reduce constipation instead of consuming things like Dannon’s Activia yogurt that contains as much as 17 grams of sugar per serving.
Since fiber is not digested it can be subtracted from the total carbohydrate count as it has little impact on blood sugar and fat storage. My general rule is that if you’re cereal doesn’t contain AT LEAST 7 grams of fiber per serving its glorified candy. For our clients we require 10 grams per serving or more.
- Sugar –
This one is pretty obvious. The less sugar your cereal has, the better. However, you should also pay attention to where the sugar comes from.
High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has become a popular sweetener in North America as tariffs on sugar (which we have to import) have made it more cost effective to use corn (which we can grow here).
Unfortunately, fructose sticks to red blood cells through a process called glycation which can be particularly dangerous for diabetics. In non-diabetics fructose increases triglycerides and some have proposed that it is more responsible for obesity than sugar. Be cautious. Companies are now aware that people are avoiding high fructose corn syrup so they list it on the label as glucose-fructose instead.
- Other Carbohydrates –
Usually the term “other” refers to starch. Starch is another type of carbohydrate that doesn’t fit neatly into either of the other categories. Unlike fiber it does not pass undigested and it does affect blood sugar levels and fat storage.
The sum of these three types of carbohydrates should always equal the total amount of carbohydrates listed on the box.
Glycemic Index
The glycemic index (GI) is a measure of how rapidly the carbohydrates (both sugar and starch) in your food reach your bloodstream. Usually sugar is assigned an arbitrary value of 100 and everything else is compared to this.
A high number (closer to 100) means that the carbohydrate enters the blood very quickly. When the carbohydrate enters the blood faster than the body can burn it off it is stored as fat. Of course, if you don’t burn it off it will stay there patiently waiting until you do.
Foods with a lower GI allow carbohydrates enter the bloodstream at a more manageable rate. The body is usually more equipped to deal with this and most are burned off. Few, if any, of the carbohydrates are converted and stored as fat.
The First Three
With the number of ingredients on the label these days you could easily spend hours trying to figure everything out. My suggestion is to quickly look at the first three ingredients. Some things will immediately jump out at you as unhealthy and since they make up the bulk of your food item you might want to put it back on the shelf.
Let’s get down to business. The cereal assassin is on the attack.
Special K
31g (1 Cup) Serving
Calories: 120
Fat: 0.5g
Carbohydrates: 22g
Dietary Fiber: Less than 1 gram
Sugar: 4g
Other Carbohydrates: 18g
Protein: 7g
First Three Ingredients: Rice, wheat gluten, sugar
Calories – Of the four cereals reviewed here, Special K has the highest calorie count at 100 calories per serving which is actually 10 calories more than a serving of Lucky Charms.
Fiber – With less than 1 gram of fiber Special K falls directly into the glorified candy category. It offers no specific health or weight loss benefits in this regard.
Glycemic Index – Special K has a glycemic index of 69 which classifies it as a medium GI food. This means that the carbohydrates enter the blood at a moderate rate and that the body can deal with some of them. The rest are stored as fat.
First Three – Part of the reason for the higher glycemic index of Special K is the first ingredient, rice. White rice has a particularly high GI which is why Rice Krispies have a glycemic index of 82. The added sugar probably isn’t doing wonders for your health or your waistline either. Wheat gluten is sticky and is probably used as a binder while making the flakes.
Cheerios
28g (1 Cup) Serving
Calories: 100
Fat: 2g
Carbohydrates: 20g
Dietary Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 1g
Other Carbohydrates: 16g
Protein: 3g
First Three Ingredients: Whole grain oats, modified corn starch, sugar
Calories – Cheerios have less calories than Special K, but still more than the other two cereals listed below.
Fiber – Having only 1 gram of fiber Cheerios sit right alongside Special K in the category of over-processed candy.
Glycemic Index – Cheerios have a glycemic index of 74 which puts them in the high GI category above Special K. This means that the carbohydrates enter the blood rapidly and that the body can’t deal with them very well at all. Much of what is ingested could potentially be stored as fat.
First Three – While General Mills has made claims that the whole grain oats in their breakfast cereals can reduce cholesterol, it is important to note that it is the soluble fiber in the oats that is actually responsible for the heart healthy effects. As noted above, Cheerios is woefully low in fiber and how the government actually lets them get away with these claims is beyond me. Since oats don’t contain gluten and don’t bind well the corn starch is most likely a thickener and binder. The sugar is obviously just for taste and it falls within the top three ingredients which means it accounts for a large proportion of what is inside the box.
All Bran Original
31g (1/2 Cup) Serving
Calories: 80
Fat: 1g
Carbohydrates: 23g
Dietary Fiber: 10g
Sugar: 6g
Other Carbohydrates: 7g
Protein: 4g
First Three Ingredients: Wheat bran, sugar, high fructose corn syrup
Calories – All Bran Original has less calories than the other two cereals already listed so we’re on our way to a better choice already.
Fiber – In a single serving you’ll get 10 times more fiber than you’ll get in a bowl of Special K or Cheerios. Keep in mind that most of the fiber in All Bran is insoluble which means that it is excellent for digestive health and keeping you regular.
Glycemic Index – The glycemic index for All Bran is 50 which makes it a low GI food and an excellent breakfast option. Most, if not all, of the carbohydrates can be managed by the body and little fat storage should result.
First Three – Wheat bran is solely responsible for the high fiber content of All Bran and will do wonders to restore regularity to a clogged up digestive system. Sadly, the second and third ingredients are high fructose corn syrup and sugar which we know we should limit. Despite this obvious downfall, All Bran is still a better option than both Special K and Cheerios due to its low calorie count, large amount of fiber, and low glycemic index.
I should note here that the above statements only refer to All Bran Original. Flakes don’t cut it as they only have 5 grams of fiber. All Bran buds with Psyllium have additional soluble fiber which helps battle cholesterol. If you’re taking cholesterol lowering medication you might want to make this cereal part of your breakfast routine.
Fiber One
30g (1/2 Cup) Serving
Calories: 60
Fat: 1g
Carbohydrates: 25g
Dietary Fiber: 14g
Sugar: 0g
Other Carbohydrates: 11g
Protein: 2g
First Three Ingredients: Corn bran, whole grain wheat, wheat bran
Calories – Fiber One has only 50 percent of the calories found in Special K and is the lowest calorie cereal in our comparision.
Fiber – With the exception of All Bran no “healthy cereal” mentioned above can even come close to the 14 grams of fiber packed in to Fiber One cereal.
Glycemic Index – According to many resources Fiber One is classified as a low GI food although the absolute value is never given. With the high amount of fiber and absolutely no sugar it only makes sense that this is the case.
First Three – Corn bran, whole grain wheat, and wheat bran are all excellent sources of dietary fiber. In fact, the whole ingredient list is free of any added sugars which makes Fiber One the best breakfast cereal yet.
Again, I should point out that the points above do not refer to the other flavoured versions of Fiber One that are now available.
The Survivors
After the superpowers have been unleashed and the cereal massacre is over only two breakfast cereals remain.
Despite a few of the ingredients All Bran Original still makes the cut as one of our recommended cereals. However, Fiber One is currently at the top of the healthy breakfast cereal category and this should be the selection of anyone who really wants to make drastic changes in their physique.
Of course, you’re probably thinking that both of these cereals look like little rabbit poops in a bowl. Perhaps you’re right. The transition from candy-like breakfast cereals to high fiber cereals is a tough one, but after getting used to it you’ll be glad you did. Your body and your bowels will thank you for it.
September 14th, 2007
