2014 BODYSMITH KICK-STARTER CHALLENGE!

Please make sure (if you haven’t already) that you …

#1  “Like” the BodySmith Personal Training Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/BodySmith-Personal-Training/308384782590673

In order to score points for the participation prize you will need to comment on the daily post, stating that you completed the days task.

#2 Email us your starting weight to scott@bodysmithkc.com.

Remember that the weight loss prize will be awarded to the participant who loses the largest PERCENTAGE of their initial body weight. Honor system on this one guys and gals.

Week 5: Sleep. Heal and recharge through ample rest.

Entering our fifth and final week of the BodySmith “Kick-Starter” challenge you can all finally get some sleep! Well, that will be the focus anyway. Hopefully, you have been finding some time to get the proper amount of rest so that you can recover from all those workouts, but if you have struggling in the sleep department (I often times do) then this week will be a great opportunity to fix some of those poor sleep habits.

As it pertains to weight loss, diet and exercise are extremely important but sleep tends to get sacrificed and/or overlooked. Studies have shown that those who are sleep deprived tend to weigh more. Why is that?

Lack of sufficient sleep tends to lead to increased hunger cravings due to a hormone imbalance between ghrelin, insulin and leptin.

Once again related to hormone regulation, lack of sufficient sleep can affect metabolism negatively by increasing glucose conversion to fat and breakdown of muscle proteins. This is often due to high levels of stress hormones (cortisol) that can be lowered through adequate sleep.

Sleep is critical for muscle synthesis (muscle growth, repair, and recovery) due to increases in human growth hormones.

Sleep is vital for improved cognitive function, mood, and energy which promotes healthy and productive activities during the day.

So how much is enough? Well, sleep needs can certainly vary from person to person but it is my personal belief that we tend to underestimate that true need. I often hear my clients, friends, or family tell me that they only need 5 or 6 hours of sleep a night. While they might be able to technically operate at those levels, I often wonder if their lives would be far superior if they routinely logged 7 or 8 hours.

I think we need to be honest and caring with ourselves when it comes to this important habit. Even 1 or 2 hours below your true sleep needs on consecutive nights can set you back into deprivation mode for many days. While the younger you are, the more sleep you tend to need, for adults the sweet spot is between 7-9 hours.

Tips for getting those hours…

Don’t watch TV or stare at an LED screen right before bedtime.

Limit caffeine intake to mornings only. Same goes for any stimulants (nicotine, ADHD meds, etc)

Go to sleep at approximately the same time every night (I have also found that using melatonin at the same time every night helps)

Plan your next day or write in a journal prior to going to bed.

Think about positive experiences.

Set a comfortable sleep environment (dark, cool temperature)

Don’t go to bed hungry but don’t eat a large meal. (I prefer protein heavy snacks right before bed time vs. carbohydrate heavy. For me its a casein or whey protein shake or glass of milk).

Challenges will need to be logged or commented on the following day that they are posted.

Monday Challenge: Log AT LEAST 7 hours of sleep. No TV or computer viewing within an hour of bedtime.

(1 POINT) for hitting your sleep goal and commenting on your sleep times. Example: “10pm to 6am. Woke up once at 2am. Read prior to bedtime, no TV.”

Tuesday Challenge: Log AT LEAST 7 hours of sleep. No caffeine, nicotine or other stimulants past 2pm.

(1 POINT) for hitting your sleep goal and commenting on your sleep times. Example: “10pm to 6am. Uninterrupted. Last cup of coffee at 12pm.”

Wednesday Challenge: Log AT LEAST 7 hours of sleep. Don’t eat a full meal past 7pm, only a small high protein snack or shake.

(1 POINT) for hitting your sleep goal and commenting on your sleep times and pre- bed time snack. Example: “10pm to 6am. Uninterrupted. Whey protein shake.”

Thursday Challenge: Log AT LEAST 7 hours of sleep. Plan out your next day before going to sleep.

(1 POINT) for hitting your sleep goal and commenting on your sleep times. Example: “10pm to 6am.

Friday Challenge: FINAL REFLECTION! (1 POINT) for reviewing your sleep log and talking about how you felt about the sleep exercises, and how you felt the following days after those nights.

BONUS 3: (2 POINTS) Complete at least two cardio workouts per week in weeks 4 and 5. Include your successful completion of this activity in your final weigh-in email. You should have been able to increase your intensity levels from week to week. Don’t just keep doing the same form of exercise at the same speed/level/interval week after week! Push yourself!

BONUS 4: (2 POINTS) Complete at least two resistance training workouts per week in weeks 4 and 5. Include your successful completion of this activity in your final weigh-in email. You should have been able to increase your intensity levels from week to week. Don’t just keep doing the same form of exercise at the same speed/level/interval week after week! Push yourself!

 

You have this far, finish strong! Good luck this week!

Scott Smith
BodySmith Personal Training

Week 4: Hydrate: Drink water for maximum performance and weight loss

So we are now over the hump and only have two weeks to go!

Let’s recap our challenge thus far…

Week 1: Diet. There is no way to out work a poor diet. Our first priority in this week was to control our energy coming in, while still ensuring we were getting enough key nutrients to stay satisfied and healthy. If you have been logging your food from day 1, you still have the opportunity to cash in on 3 bonus points if you can keep it up through weeks 4 and 5!

Week 2: Aerobic exercise. One of the most efficient ways to increase your calorie output is to tap into aerobic exercise. This lower/moderate intensity form of sustained movement can use oxygen to convert fat into energy and improve our heart and lung health. If you can complete (2) TWO cardio workouts in each of the final two weeks you will receive 2 bonus points.

Week 3: Resistance Training. Increasing lean muscle in order to increase your metabolism and overall health is key to any fitness program. Overloading your muscles with this higher intensity mode of exercise can ensure you retain and build these calorie burning factories. If you can complete (2) TWO weight training workouts in each of the final two weeks you will receive 2 bonus points.

Now for week 4: Hydration

While this component may not be as interesting a topic as exercise or diet, hydration is vital for our performance, function, and recovery and therefore, gets its own week.

Our bodies consist primarily of water, and even a 2% temporary reduction in body water levels can be detrimental to our body’s functioning both in and out of the gym. Sufficient water intake is necessary to ensure our muscles and nerves can operate as needed for performance and can also aid in weight loss by …

… curbing appetite

… reducing temporary bloating

… aiding kidney and liver function (where fat is metabolized)

… regulating our metabolism properly

… aiding in digestion

… helping transportation of key nutrients and waste

While 20-30% of our daily water needs can be met by eating water dense foods, we will set targets each day this week in regards to fluid consumption. Caffeine and alcohol technically count, however, due to their diuretic nature will push fluids out of your body at a higher rate and should therefore be minimized. You will have to drink from containers that allow you to measure your actual intake.

Hint: Measure out your target water intake and put into one large container. Then throughout the day drink from this supply until you are out.

Also, to break up the monotony, I am going to put two static stretches out there this week to assist in maintaining proper posture and mobility of the hip joint.

Monday Challenge: Drink AT LEAST 64 fluid oz

(1 POINT) for hitting your hydration goal and commenting on your actual consumption. Example: “64 fl. oz”

Tuesday Challenge: Drink AT LEAST 64 fluid oz and complete the hip flexor stretch (preferably following your cardio workout or prior to your weight training workout).

– Video coming soon!

(1 POINT) for hitting your hydration goal, completing the stretch and commenting on your actual consumption. Example: “64 fl. oz”

Wednesday Challenge: Drink AT LEAST 80 fluid oz

(1 POINT) for hitting your hydration goal and commenting on your actual consumption. Example: “80 fl. oz”

Thursday Challenge: Drink AT LEAST 80 fluid oz and complete the hamstring stretch (preferably following your cardio workout or prior to your weight training workout).

– Video coming soon!

(1 POINT) for hitting your hydration goal, completing the stretch and commenting on your actual consumption. Example: “80 fl. oz”

Friday Challenge: Drink AT LEAST 96 fluid oz

(1 POINT) for hitting your hydration goal and commenting on your actual consumption. Example: “96 fl. oz”

Saturday Challenge: Drink AT LEAST 120 fluid oz and complete BOTH stretches you learned this week.

(1 POINT) for hitting your hydration goal, completing both stretches and commenting on your actual consumption. Example: “120 fl. oz”

Sunday Challenge: (1 POINT) Comment about what you felt you did well in week 4 or about what you learned on Sunday’s Facebook post.

 

BONUS 3: (2 POINTS) Complete at least two cardio workouts per week in weeks 4 and 5. Include your successful completion of this activity in your final weigh-in email. You should have been able to increase your intensity levels from week to week. Don’t just keep doing the same form of exercise at the same speed/level/interval week after week! Push yourself!

BONUS 4: (2 POINTS) Complete at least two resistance training workouts per week in weeks 4 and 5. Include your successful completion of this activity in your final weigh-in email. You should have been able to increase your intensity levels from week to week on this as well.

 

Week 3: Resistance Training: Lift to increase lean muscle and calorie expenditure

Okay, quick review of the science behind weight loss…

1. If you consume more energy (calories) than you expend, you will gain weight.

2. If you consume and expend the same amount of energy you will stay the same weight.

3. If you consume less energy than you expend, you will LOSE weight.

In week 1 we focused on the most important component of a weight loss program by limiting our calories coming in without sacrificing key nutrients. In week 2 we learned several different ways to vary and increase intensity levels in our cardio training in order to maximize the benefits of increased calorie burn and cardiovascular health. And now, in week 3, we are continuing down the path of increasing our metabolism through adding resistance training.

There have been a lot of myths regarding weight training and my hope is to dispel some of these. One thing I can assure you is that you are NOT going to get “big and bulky” from lifting heavy weights as long as you keep your calories from going into a surplus. It is in fact our goal to increase lean muscle by stressing the body with progressively heavier weight loads. You have to remember that muscle burns calories at a higher rate than fat mass and also takes up less space. With resistance training and the right diet it is possible to add fat free mass and still get smaller while also getting the key benefits of…

Increased metabolism

Reduced body fat

Increased muscle endurance, strength, and power

Improved muscle tone

Improved mood

Improved sleep

Reduced fatigue

Improved posture

Increase in bone density

Reduced joint pain

Better regulation of hormones and blood glucose levels

Prevention or control over chronic disease (diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, arthritis, depression, obesity)

There are lot’s of different ways to achieve these benefits with resistance training and once again, the most important thing is to find a style or form that you enjoy so that you can be CONSISTENT with it.

My personal favorite routine is to lift 2-4 times/ week using primarily free weights (bar bells, dumb bells, kettle bells) and doing compound movements (movements that work multiple joints and large muscle groups) with an intensity level or load that makes 6 – 12 repetitions feel extremely challenging.

If you are just starting a resistance training routine you will need to master proper posture, technique, core stabilization, and work with lighter loads (12-20 rep range) in order to set the foundation for the higher intensity programs.

In week 3 we will learn these fundamentals and set the stage for a new and improved you!

Monday Challenge: CORE DAY 3 sets in circuit fashion

20 “Floor Crunches”

Max 2 minute “Plank”

20 (10 each side) “Side Lying Hip Bridge”

20 “Prone Floor Cobras”

20 “Floor Hip Bridges”

Rest 1 minute and repeat

(1 POINT) for completing the workout and commenting how long you were able to hold your plank on Monday’s Facebook post. Example: “Elbow plank on feet. Held for 90 seconds 1st set, 60 seconds 2nd and 3rd set”

– Make sure to watch the plank instructional video!

Tuesday Challenge: LEG DAY – workout details to be posted on Facebook

(1 POINT) for completing the workout and commenting how you performed on the squat. Example: “Completed all of the reps at full depth using a 20 pound kettle bell.”

– Make sure to watch the squat instructional video!

Wednesday Challenge: PULL DAY – workout details to be posted on Facebook

(1 POINT) for completing the workout and commenting how you performed on the seated row. Example: “Completed all of the reps at 60 pounds on a seated cable machine.”

– Make sure to watch the seated row instructional video!

Thursday Challenge: PUSH DAY – workout details to be posted on Facebook

(1 POINT) for completing the workout and commenting how you performed on the pushup. Example: “Completed all of the reps using the modified pushup.”

– Make sure to watch the pushup instructional video!

Friday Challenge: Make up day or rest day. If you missed any of the previous workouts you have a chance to make it up here.

No bonus points for doing an additional workout today because after four workouts in a row this week you should definitely rest up for tomorrow’s circuit.

Saturday Challenge: Repeat / try progressions from Week 2 “Resistance Training Circuit” and evaluate improvement.

(1 POINT) for completing the workout and commenting how you performed versus last week. Example: “I was able to successfully progress my plank from knees to feet, increased my pushups from 8 to 12 on all three sets, and overall did not feel as exhausted while doing squats and wall sits.”

Sunday Challenge: (1 POINT) Comment about what you felt you did well in week 3 or about what you learned on Sunday’s Facebook post.

BONUS 4: (2 POINTS) Complete at least two resistance training workouts per week in weeks 4 and 5. Include your successful completion of this activity in your final weigh-in email. You should have been able to increase your intensity levels from week to week. Try tougher progressions, reduce your rest intervals or increase your weights, repetitions, and/or sets.

Thank you and good luck!

Scott Smith
BodySmith Personal Training

 

Week 2: Cardiorepiratory Training – Use aerobics to convert fat into energy!

Okay, quick review of the science behind weight loss…

1. If you consume more energy (calories) than you expend, you will gain weight.

2. If you consume and expend the same amount of energy you will stay the same weight.

3. If you consume less energy than you expend, you will LOSE weight.

Now that we have the most important component of a weight loss program dialed in (controlling our calories coming in) we are shifting our focus to the ENERGY OUT side of the equation in week 2. There are two types of exercise we will use to increase our body’s ability to burn calories while also reaping the health and fitness benefits. And the first of those two is aerobic/ cardiorespiratory training.

When you use the large muscles in your legs, hips, core, and arms in a sub maximal (65-85% of your max heart rate) manner for an extended period of time, your body will need to find a more efficient way to create the necessary energy to keep you moving. Enter: Oxygen.

Oxygen is the key ingredient to this sustained, usually rhythmic, series of movements and because the acquisition and delivery of it is higher, your heart and lungs will be asked to work harder.

Common forms of aerobics…

Biking, running, walking, jogging, swimming, boxing, elliptical, stair/step climbing, sprint intervals, jump rope, circuit training, rowing, calisthenics, dancing, skating, and skiing.

Key benefits …

1. Increased calorie expenditure

2. Increased mood and metabolism

3. Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes.

4. Increased bone density

5. Increased stamina

6. Increased mobility

My philosophy…

Keep your intensity level as high as possible (85% max heart rate) for 20-30 minutes vs. keeping it lower for longer. Unless you are training specifically for a long distance event, the fitness gains and metabolic charge you get from doing high intensity exercise is worth the discomfort. Your body will burn hotter for many hours after your workout if you push yourself harder, even if it for a shorter period of time.

Alright now that we have the basics, let’s get moving! Here are our WEEK 2 challenges…

 

Monday Challenge: Determine your routine/resting heart rate and training heart rate zone.

(1 POINT) for commenting your routine/resting heart rate and training heart rate zone on Monday’s Facebook post. Example: “180bpm = MHR, and 117-155bpm = training zone 1”

– Watch tomorrows video for further instruction on this one!

Tuesday Challenge: Use any of the above mentioned “forms” of aerobic exercise and complete 20 minutes of negative split training.

(1 POINT) for commenting what form of exercise you used, how long, and what your splits were on Tuesday’s Facebook post. Example: “Treadmill. 20 minutes. 6mph, 6.5mph, 7mph, 7.5mph”

– For negative split training, you will break your 20 minute workout into four 5 minute sections. Start your first five minutes at a really low intensity and increase your intensity (speed, resistance, grade, repetitions, weight, etc) for each of the next three sections so that you finish your last 5 minutes at the highest intensity level.

Wednesday Challenge: Use any of the above mentioned “forms” of aerobic exercise and complete 20 minutes of high intensity interval training or HIIT.

(1 POINT) for commenting what form of exercise you used, how long, and what your intervals were on Wednesday’s Facebook post. Example: “Stationary Bike. 20 minutes. 4 minutes at 90rpm and 1 minute at 110rpm”

– I would start with 4 minutes at a moderate intensity mixed in with 1 minute of a high intensity and repeat. You can increase the speeds of your top interval or the duration of that top interval as you get more conditioned.

Thursday Challenge: Use any of the above mentioned “forms” of aerobic exercise and complete AT LEAST 30 minutes of steady state aerobic exercise.

(1 POINT) for commenting what form of exercise you used and how long. Example: “Elliptical. 30 minutes”

Friday Challenge: Complete a resistance training circuit.

(2 POINTS) for commenting on details of which routine you used. I will post example routines for you to choose from on Thursday!

Saturday Challenge: Make up day or rest day. If you missed any of the previous workouts you have a chance to make it up here. No bonus points for doing an additional workout today because after four workouts in a row this week you should definitely rest up for next Monday!

Sunday Challenge: (1 POINT) Comment about what you felt you did well in week 2 or about what you learned on Sunday’s Facebook post.

 

BONUS 3: (2 POINTS) Complete at least two cardio workouts per week in weeks 4 and 5. Include your successful completion of this activity in your final weigh-in email. You should have been able to increase your intensity levels from week to week. Don’t just keep doing the same form of exercise at the same speed/level/interval week after week! Push yourself!

If you feel you are not ready to hit the 20-30 minute lengths of activity, keep your intensity level low and just work your way up over the course of the next four weeks! Just do your best!

 

Week 1: Diet/Nutrition – Abs are made in the kitchen!

Regardless of whether or not your primary goal is to lose body fat or gain muscle, there is nothing more important than being CONSISTENT with healthy diet practices. 300 calories you just burned off by doing 60 minutes of cardio can be negated in 1 minute by consuming one donut so don’t lose your mind on the hamster wheel thinking that’s where you are going to get the most bang for your buck.

While there are lot’s of interesting and differing strategies out there, we will focus on the most important piece of science WE KNOW TO BE TRUE.

1. If you consume more energy (calories) than you expend, you will gain weight.

2. If you consume and expend the same amount of energy you will stay the same weight.

3. If you consume less energy than you expend, you will LOSE weight.

In the third (weight loss scenario), it is my philosophy to increase your ENERGY OUT by moving more (cardio) and increasing your resting metabolism through building muscle (weight training)  IN ADDITION TO decreasing your ENERGY IN through moderating/restricting your food intake.

For week 1 let’s focus on the ENERGY IN side of the equation and more importantly, stay consistent in maintaing our chosen caloric balance until we are satisfied with our results. There are some techniques we will use to give you an edge in maintaining that balance and I will give more details about the “why behind the what” for each daily challenge when I post it that day.

Until then… here is what we have on the agenda for our first week!

 

Monday Challenge: Sign-up/start food log, determine your goal weight and needed caloric balance, log ALL your food/drink for the day.

(2 POINTS) for commenting your goal caloric balance on Monday’s Facebook post. Example: “500 calorie deficit”

– If you don’t already have a preferred way for logging your food, I would recommend going towww.myfitnesspal.com and signing up for their free food logging app. You can even download their app for your tablet or phone.

– The maximum recommended amount of weight you should try and lose on a weekly basis (without sacrificing lean mass or excessive water) is 1% of your current body weight. Also, for every 3,500 calories per week that you are in a negative calorie state, you will lose approximately 1 pound of body fat. So, in theory, if you weigh 200 pounds and want to lose 2 pounds of body fat per week you will need to maintain a 1000 calorie deficit per day. In other words if you burn 2,600 calories a day (myfitnesspal will help you determine this) you can consume 1,600 calories and expect to lose 1 pound per week.

– So get started on your food log today and LOG EVERYTHING. It may be a pain in the beginning due to the learning curve and time it takes to enter, but you will learn a lot about what you are putting in your body.

 

Tuesday Challenge: Hit protein target without going over daily calories

(1 POINT) for commenting how much protein (in grams) you consumed on Tuesday’s Facebook post. Example: “120 grams”

– You can find this number already calculated for you in most food logging apps, but if you need help I like to shoot for 30% of your total calories (1 gram of protein equals 4 calories so … for a 2,000 calorie diet it would be 2,000 x .3 = 600 calories. 600 calories divided by 4 = 150 grams). Or on the higher side and more simply, eat your current weight in grams of protein (180 pounds = 180 grams of protein).

 

Wednesday Challenge: Hit fiber target without going over daily calories

(1 POINT) for commenting how much fiber (in grams) you consumed on Wednesday’s Facebook post. Example: “30 grams”

– Use 15 grams as a minimum and strive to be above 25 grams. If you aren’t used to consuming a lot of fiber, you may want to slowly build up to these numbers to minimize possible digestive discomfort.

 

Thursday Challenge: Eat 6 meals without going over daily calories

(1 POINT) for commenting how many meals you consumed on  Thursday’s Facebook post. Example: “6”

 

Friday Challenge: Make breakfast your largest caloric meal

(1 POINT) for commenting what you had for breakfast on Friday’s Facebook post. Example: “1 cup oatmeal, 3 egg whites, half banana, half cup coffee no creamer”

 

Saturday Challenge: Achieve a 1 to 1 sodium (in mg) to calorie (kcal) ratio

(1 POINT) for commenting how many mg of sodium you consumed and how many calories you consumed on Saturday’s Facebook post. Example: “1600 mg sodium, 1600 calories.”

 

Sunday Challenge: (1 POINT) Comment about what you felt you did well in week 1 or about what you learned on Sunday’s Facebook post.

 

BONUS: (1 POINT) Post screen shot of a healthy food you have prepared to eat throughout the week on the BodySmith Personal Training Page.

BONUS 2: (3 POINTS) Maintain a complete food log for the entire 5 weeks. When you send your final weight to me in an email after week 5, just make sure to include an honest note that you did this.