All posts by Mike Shannon

Did you know that 66% of adults 20 and older in the US are overweight; 133.6 million people? And of that number, almost half are obese! Feeling and looking their best are the two key motivators people most often share with me when they want to get fit. While these are both good reasons to get in shape, good health and wealth are the over-arching benefits of exercise and eating healthy; and in my practice these go hand in hand. You can’t really achieve weight loss without doing both.

So, what do I mean by wealth? Every year in the US obesity-related illnesses account for $117 billion (with a ‘b’!) in medical costs. Further, American workers and employers lose productivity time and money associated with obesity and overweight issues. Almost $40 million is lost each year in workdays and nearly $400 million is lost annually or paid out for doctor office visits, restricted activity days and bed-ridden days. When you consider these numbers, the costs associated of eating healthy and exercising are nominal, and are a phenomenal and smart investment for your long term health. Over time, maintaining a healthy diet and exercise routine will likely save you a fortune in both time and money.

And, we haven’t even touched on the illnesses associated with obesity and being overweight. While these maladies will cost you time and money, they also have painful symptoms and decrease your quality of life considerably. Here are just a few of the most common illnesses associated with long-term weight gain:

• Diabetes
• High blood pressure and cholesterol
• Cancer
• Sleep and breathing problems
• Osteoarthritis

In the US, 112,000 people die every year due to obesity and obesity-related illnesses. This is completely avoidable with a healthy nutrition plan and exercise routine – both of which are accessible at Full Spectrum Fitness. If you haven’t been to the gym in a while, make a commitment now to fall back into fitness. You can add healthy eating to your daily lifestyle with weekly Out of Thyme meal ordering service too. Recommit to treating yourself well for the long term, and encourage a friend to do the same. It will make for a much happier life now and in your future.

Source: All data points from fitnesshealth101.com

During these dog days of summer, it is important to stay hydrated. Cincinnati is experienced record high temperatures between the last week of July and the first week of August. Whether working out indoors or outside, it is important to stay hydrated. When we work out extra hard, or exert ourselves in the heat, our bodies are challenged to keep up with fluid loss. We lose fluids through sweat, respiration and urination. All of these factors can lead to dehydration if we don’t replenish lost fluids in a timely manner.

Water Wins!

Water is the best fluid to drink for hydration, although sports drinks do replace electrolytes lost during exercise. Electrolytes maintain the important balance of fluids inside and outside of our cells. When electrolyte balance is out of equilibrium it can cause muscle pain and cramping. Dehydration signs and symptoms include lack of concentration, and early fatigue (earlier than normal).  Trouble tolerating heat, as well as a perception of high exertion in training and delayed recovery are also common symptoms.

How much to keeps me hydrated?

The guideline we’ve so often heard is to drink 8 – 8oz glasses of water every day. This guideline has no research basis and has been largely debunked by the medical community. Instead, use this simple guideline – let your thirst by your guide. This can be a bit challenging for some, because we may fail to recognize when we are thirsty, often mistaking it for hunger. Personally, I have water, or some type of pre- or post-workout, water-based drink with me at all times. When it is in front of you, you’ll be more likely to reach for it when you are thirsty or hungry. Carrying a water bottle or tumbler with you at all times is the best way to stay hydrated.

Drinking water throughout the day will also assist with endurance during a workout, and help the fight against fat loss. This is especially important during times of intense heat and humidity like we are experiencing now. Other times to watch your hydration status are during travel, surgery, illness and (workout) recovery days.

The best kind of fat loss is steady fat loss. And while a slow-and-steady approach to weight loss will ensure that you keep the weight off for good, I have a few tricks to help you burn fat as fast as possible.

So if you’re ready to speed up your fat loss (and are willing to do the work necessary!) keep reading…

Rapid Fat Loss Habit #1: Bottoms Up! It’s not always easy to keep your water glass full, but if you’re going to shed pounds, you need to consume water throughout the day. The main benefit to drinking plenty of water is that it helps you feel full, which helps stave off overeating or thinking you’re hungry when you’re actually thirsty.

Drinking water instead of lattes, soda, lemonade or iced tea also keeps you from ingesting additional, unnecessary, and empty calories. And finally, if your body is going to perform at its peak, it needs to be well hydrated. Drinking plenty of water aids proper bodily functions operate well, prevents constipation, and provides sufficient hydration during exercise, especially the final stages of a difficult workout.

Rapid Fat Loss Habit #2: Be a Planner

Burning fat fast requires planning and organizing.

The beginning of discipline is a good plan. On Sundays choose which days you’ll go to the gym, make a meal plan for the week which includes calorie counts, and plan ahead for meetings or events that may tempt you with desserts or alcohol. Sunday is the easy part, and for some, the fun part if you like planning. Once you have your plan, if you stick with it, even through the tough times, your fat stores will burn away in no time.

Rapid Fat Loss Habit #3: Get Intense with Your Routine
Maintaining a steady pace on the treadmill will help you improve your overall health, but it isn’t the best tool for burning fat quickly. To speed up your fat-burning process, you’ll want to add some HIIT into your exercise regimen. During a HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workout, you mingle bursts of intense exercise with lighter exercise.

Running, cycling, swimming, spinning, or a HIIT class here at Full Spectrum are all great high-intensity, fat burning workouts. HIIT involves exercising hard for 30 seconds, take it easy for 60 to 90 seconds, and then going full force again for 30 seconds, repeating the entire cycle for 30 – 60 minutes.

Rapid Fat Loss Habit #4: Lift Weights
You can burn fat fast by doing only aerobic exercises, but you can do it faster and better by mixing in some personal training weight-lifting sessions. Adding weight lifting into your regular routine safeguards again muscle loss and atrophy. Increased muscle mass helps you feel better and perform the tasks of daily living with greater ease, while improving your metabolism and ultimately helping you burn more of that stubborn fat!

Rapid Fat Loss Habit #5: Eat Right
What you eat either fuels you through your day or adds pudgy inches to your waistline. Make sure your weekly meal plan includes correct amounts of vegetables, lean proteins, complex carbs and healthy fats. Combined correctly, these foods will give you the upper hand on burning fat.

Be mindful when you eat. Chew slowly, use a smaller plate, and leave the food dishes in the kitchen. After a meal, relax and give your brain time to figure out that your stomach is full, then take the cue and stop eating. These small steps may seem insignificant, but they will boost your fat-burning potential exponentially.