Don't Make This Mistake At The Gym

Hey guys,

I hope you are having a great week. We have been super busy at the studio. Since summer is sneaking up and the weather is getting nicer we are getting a flood of calls from people trying to get in shape for the summer. This is always a great time of year for us. However, I don't get the place to myself to workout like I use to. This is a problem I am happy to deal with though. Since it has been so busy I decided to join a gym. I won't mention the name on here, but it is just like any other typical corporate gym.

It has been a very long time since I have worked out at a gym and unfortunately not much has changed. I am hoping I can hang in there awhile, but I have a feeling it will be tough. The gym is filled with the latest and greatest new machines, but there is very little area for body weight or free weight training. Luckily I know a variety of exercises and can improvise when needed. I have been trying to stick with a program the last few weeks though and I want to stick with the same exercises from week to week. When I walked in a noticed a couple working out together on one piece of equipment that I was planning on using. I wasn't going to start with it so I wasn't worried. I got through my warm up (about 10 minutes) and my first superset of 4 sets of 8 reps (about 10 minutes. When I finished all of that (about 25 minutes) I saw the couple was still on the same piece of equipment. It didn't look like they were ending anytime soon so I had to move onto something else. I finished my next superset (about another 10 minutes) and they finally were leaving.

They were on the same exercise for 35 minutes! When they left they went to another exercise that was essentially the same thing they were doing. I hate picking on people, but to spend that much time on one exercise is just a waste of time. Regardless of what their goal was they were not being efficient at all with their workout. I didn't see them for the rest of my workout, but I probably got through everything and they were on two exercises.

If you are trying to burn fat with your strength training I highly recommend switching from straight sets and moving to supersets. Superset means you perform one exercise then move immediately to an opposing exercise and repeating. Depending on your goal you will rest for different periods of time. For example the first superset I performed was Barbell Squats and Pull Ups with a 60 second rest.

A study in the April 2010 issue of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning found that compared to straight set training, superset training burned more calories during the workout and after the workout in a shorter period of time. There was also a high blood lactate level which can lead to a higher release in growth hormone.

The next time you are at the gym, take a look around. You can make it a game. See how many exercises you can get through before some people finish one.

Stay Healthy San Diego,

Mike Deibler MS, CSCS
San Diego Personal Trainer
My Workout Creator

My 5 Vegetable Musts

Hey guys,

I hope you are doing well and having a great week of workouts. Recently I was having a discussion with a client about adding vegetables into their diet. They never really enjoyed eating vegetables so they were basically getting none in. A few weeks ago I posted how you can add vegetables to your smoothies to get a serving in there without having to eat them. It will be tough to get all of your necessary servings of vegetables in smoothie form however. It is crucial to get your 3-5 servings of vegetables in each DAY. This may seem like a lot, but without them you are not getting all of the nutrients that your body needs to function. You can take a multivitamin or supplement if you are desperate, but I always recommend getting these vitamins and minerals from whole foods first.

When selecting what vegetables you should be getting it is important to pick dark colored vegetables. When vegetables are darker in color you can be sure they are filled with nutrients. Also, try and pick a variety of colors. It should look like a rainbow. Find green ones, purple ones, red ones, yellow ones... The more variety the better. Each with provide unique qualities that you will not get from eating the same thing over and over.

Here are my 5 Favorite Veggies that I will get each week:

1. Spinach

Spinach is very high in antioxidants when fresh or steamed. Spinach is also a great source of folic acid, iron, calcium, and vitamins A, C, E, and K. My favorite uses are to have it with an omelet or just in a salad.

2. Mushrooms

There are 100's of different types of mushrooms that have a variety of tastes and benefits. Even mushrooms that will make you hallucinate, but that is a discussion for another time. Mushrooms are a great source of selenium, riboflavin, potassium, and copper. Mushrooms have even been used in research for the possible ability to fight the development of breast cancer.

3. Zucchini

Zucchinis are a great source for manganese, vitamin C, and magnesium. Research is showing the possible benefits of zucchini and reducing the symptoms of benign prostatic hypertrophy or BPH. This occurs in men where the prostate gland becomes enlarged. When picking zucchini look for ones that are heavy for their size and have shiny rinds.

4. Cauliflower

Cauliflower contain a very high quantity of vitamin C as well as vitamin K and folate. They also contain sulfur containing phytonutrients which promote liver detoxification. These vegetables can help the liver's ability to neutralize potentially toxic substances in the body. One of my favorite dishes is mashed cauliflower. It's not quite the same as mashed potatoes, but a healthier alternative.
5. Sweet Potato

Sweet Potatoes are another great antioxidant due to there high doses of vitamin A and C. Sweet potatoes are almost like eating a healthy desert. Add a sprinkle of cinnamon to your potato to receive the amazing blood sugar regulating abilities of cinnamon for the ultimate side dish.

Stay Healthy San Diego,

Mike Deibler MS, CSCS
San Diego Personal Trainer
My Workout Creator

Does Running Burn More Fat?

VS.


I often get asked what is the best type of exercise for fat burning. Obviously there are many great fat burning workouts that you can do. If you have been reading this blog for awhile you know that I am a big proponent of strength training for fat loss. Even though I feel that strength training is far superior at fat burning than traditional cardio, that doesn't mean that traditional cardio exercise is a waste.

In fact if you can combine your strength training and your cardio programs you will see even better results with fat loss. So what is the best type of traditional cardio? I really believe that any type of exercise you enjoy is going to be the most beneficial. If you hate doing something you probably won't stick with it. But if you can handle it, running may be one of the better forms of exercise.

In a study in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism in the February 2010 issue, researchers compared fat and carbohydrate oxidation between running and cycling. This study showed that at the same intensity running actually burned more fat than cycling did. I know spinning classes have become extremely popular, but they may not be the best way to burn fat. However, if you can train harder on a bike then you could running you can make up that difference. The drawback is you have to train more intensely on a bike than you do running.

The bottom line still remains the same. If you hate running you don't have to start running now. It is a great way to burn fat, but if you hate doing it you probably won't be able to stick with it. If you enjoy running or at least don't mind it then you are performing a great fat burning exercise. Remember whatever type of traditional cardio exercise you choose, interval training is still the most efficient way to burn fat.

For the most effective fat loss combine your running workout (or other cardio program) with high intensity strength training workouts. For great workout ideas sign up for a free account with My Workout Creator. Here is a great example of one Fat Burning Strength Routine.

The DB Fat Loss Workout (you must sign up for a free account to view this page)

Have a good workout.

Mike Deibler MS, CSCS
San Diego Personal Trainer
My Workout Creator

How To Make a Smoothie

One of my favorite ways to start the day off is with a smoothie. I am like most people. It is not always easy to eat breakfast in the morning. Especially when you have to wake up at 4:30am to meet your first client. I want to sleep as late as possible and get out the door. If I don't eat breakfast though I am screwed for the rest of the day. I know I will be starving in a few hours and I will have no energy.

To make sure this doesn't happen I often have a smoothie for breakfast. I can make it in minutes and I can have it on the go. I was searching for the perfect formula to making a great smoothie. After searching everywhere I finally found it. John Berardi with Precision Nutrition has done it again. He has laid it out step by step how you can make the perfect nutritious smoothie. Here is what you need:

1. Add a liquid
This can be a variety of different things. Pick what you would prefer. Some examples include water, green tea, cow milk, goat milk, almond milk, rice milk, soy milk....

2. Add Frozen Fruit
Again you really can't go wrong with what fruit you choose. Some of my favorites include blueberries, raspberries, mango, and banana.

3. Add a Veggie
I know you are thinking this is a gross thing to add to a smoothie, but you really won't even notice the taste of it. Just a small amount of veggies can add nutrients that you really need. Pick green leafy veggies like spinach. Pumpkin is also a great choice.

4. Add Protein
Any meal or snack we have should include adequate amounts of protein. If you use water, almond milk, or rice milk you will not have a lot of protein in your smoothie so you should add some protein powder. Again there are many varieties including whey, soy, egg, and casein. I generally recommend finding a protein powder that is a blend of a few sources.

5. Add Nuts or Seeds
With the fruit, veggies, and protein power we have plenty of carbs and protein in the smoothie. Adding nuts and seeds will give a great serving of essential fatty acids to our smoothie. A few examples are almonds, walnuts, and flax seed.

6. Add a Topper
A topper will add flavor to your smoothie as well as some other powerful benefits. For example sprinkle cinnamon onto your smoothie. Cinnamon has been shown to regulate blood sugar levels and even increase your metabolism. Coconut is also a tasteful topper.


Mike Deibler MS, CSCS
San Diego Personal Training
San Diego Boot Camp Classes
My Workout Creator

San Diego Boot Camp Class

If you are looking for a great workout without even stepping foot in a gym you must check this out. Boot camps are growing in popularity for a reason. They are fun, challenging, and they get results. If you are interested in trying out our boot camp class for free you can email me at info@sandiegopremiertraining.com. Enjoy the video.




Sincerely,

Mike Deibler MS, CSCS
San Diego Premier Training
My Workout Creator
858-752-4561