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You’re standing in the fitting room filled with dread. The harsh overhead lights don’t do anything to ease your fear of the garment clutched in your hand. You slowly strip down, peel on the suit. And scream. Yup, it’s bathing suit season once more.

It may seem a daunting task to fit into that suit (or swim shorts), especially if you have more than a few pounds to lose. There is no quick hacks to safely losing weight, however, but there are some simple steps you can take to get you there faster.

1.     The magic weight loss combo
You need to both firm up your muscles and burn the layer of fat over them to put your best body forward. Doing just cardiovascular activities (ones which raise your heart rate) will help with fat loss but won’t change your basic underlying shape. Strength training will help firm and sculpt your muscles, and burn some fat, but may not be enough to trim that pesky layer. Cardio and weight training together is the magic combination for a new and improved physique.

2.     Be a better body time-saver
Performing both aerobic exercise and strength training seems like it would take a lot of time, but it really doesn’t have to. The secret is working harder, smarter and being more efficient. Walking on a treadmill for hours on end is great for your overall health, but it’s not going to do that much to stoke your fat burning furnace. You need to work focused and targeted. Pick a challenging activity such as Spinning®, running, swimming or step aerobics (yes, that’s still around and better than ever). Or perform plyometric intervals like jump squats, knee tucks or side jumps. When you strength train, do exercises> that use multiple muscles at once – push ups, squats, lunges, walking lunges, planks and pull ups. These burn more calories and work more of your body faster. The best of both worlds? Kettlebell training. Kettlebells are incredibly challenging cardiovascularly, and also strengthens your muscles. Kettlebell training burns a ton of calories and turns you into a fat burning machine (read my column on kettlebell training to learn more).

3.     Supercharge your diet
Start your morning with a protein-rich meal to keep you fueled throughout the day. Low fat cottage cheese (without any sugary additives) is an excellent choice. Sprinkle some almonds and fresh berries on top to give you staying power and better heart health. Another benefit to eating a high-protein breakfast is you avoid the “afternoon slump” that plagues so many of us. This bout of fatigue often causes you to rush for a sugary, fattening snack to help keep you awake. Sugar in the afternoon does not help you fit into that bikini.

4.     Carbs: To eat or not to eat…that is the question
Carbohydrates (breads, pastas, rice, sweets, cakes, tortillas, chips, candy, even some vegetables and fruit) are often villainized. In truth, we need carbs in our diet. What we don’t need are processed foods high in simple carbohydrates with little nutritional value. Whole grains, fruits and vegetables are an important part of most diets. However, it’s easy to overdo “carbs” overall and if your goal is to lose weight quickly, backing off on the carbs might be a help.

What works for many is to limit “obvious” carbs to once per day (this does not include fruits or vegetables). You might have old fashioned rolled oats with your cottage cheese for breakfast and that would be your carb for the day. Or you choose an “extra fiber” bagel with lunch. Perhaps save your carb for dinnertime. The best time to eat a carbohydrate, by the way, is immediately before or after a hard exercise session. So if you really want that muffin, time it to correspond with your workouts.

It’s all a matter of finding what works for you. Too few carbs can leave you exhausted. Too many and you don’t lose weight. Chart what you eat and how you feel. Base your carb intake on that. There is nothing wrong with cutting back for a short period of time. But for the longer term, we all need the fiber and other benefits whole grains provide. Just use common sense and try to eat a balanced diet.

5.     It’s all in the ‘tude
One of the easiest ways to look good in your bathing suit? Wear your smile and a happy attitude. It sounds hokey, I know, but if you think you look good, other people will think you look good, too. Stand confident. Stand tall. Be happy. Think of all the things your body has accomplished. Every scar, every stretch mark tells the story of your life. Remember – you are your own harshest critic. Others don’t see the faults you do. Cut yourself some slack.

Work hard. Eat smart. Wear a smile. It really is that simple.

Helen M. Ryan is an ACE-certified trainer, Spinning® director, author and speaker. Follow her on Twitter & Facebook.

I used to be an avid weight lifter and hated anything cardiovascular. I would run, sure, but despised every minute of it. Sometimes I would ride my bike to school but only out of necessity because I didn’t want to take the bus. For the thrill of it, the power of it, the invincibility of it, I would always lift weights. Nothing beat the feel of cold, hard, heavy steel in my hands.

Now that I’ve gotten older I have switched teams and am a die-hard cardio fiend (in the form of Spinning® and cycling). How and when this traitorous change happened I am not sure. All I know is that I’ve played on both sides equally and aerobic exercise is now my drug, I mean exercise, of choice.

This is the question debated hotly back and forth in the fitness world: “Which type of exercise – cardio or strength training – is best for weight loss?” Trainers and group exercise instructors fight over this at length. Both camps claim that “mine is better than yours,” with trainers leading the weight lifting charge and class instructors flying the cardio flag.

All the while, Pilates and yoga gurus probably stand quietly and Zenly by, with their tight cores and neutral spines,  laughing at our inability to come to an agreement.

In many cases, the weights vs. cardio camps are so intensely divided that it is almost like our political system. No matter what common sense (or the U.S. population) says, Republicans and Democrats agree only to vehemently disagree, not seeing any shared ground. Exercising for weight loss, like politics, is full of gray areas and again like politics the best answer is the common sense one: a little bit from both sides.

There are many variables and subcultures even in the respective camps (high intensity training, super slow training, aerobic zone training, interval training) and I am not going to get into those now. Like everything relating to losing weight, becoming healthier and living a full life, the letter B is our friend. B is for balance. No one wants a one-sided relationship, and that includes your body.

To lose weight, and maintain what you’ve lost, you need both aerobic exercise and weight training. It’s that simple. Weight training gives you a longer calorie burn after exercising, while aerobic activity burns off large amounts of calories instantly. They really are the yin and yang to each other.

If you were to ask strength training and aerobic exercise to sell you on their benefits, their answers would be this:

Captain of Team W -Weight training:

I…

• Give you a longer “after burn”post- exercise
• Increase your muscles’ size and strength (or “tone you up” as some, ahem, like to say)
• Help you burn more calories throughout the day since muscles need more calories to just survive
• Increase your bone density
• Help you look thinner as muscles, while heavier, take up less room than fat

Captain of Team A – Aerobic exercise:

I…

• Burn a lot of calories right off the bat
• Help you become leaner overall
• Increase your lung and heart size and function
• Release endorphins (the pain-killing chemicals)
• Put you in a better mood
• Circulate fresh oxygen throughout your body (and help you feel more alert)

As you can see from this very partial debate list, both types of exercise are essential. The trick is finding something that works for you and that covers both bases. Often, we are either “weight lifters” or “cardio freaks,” and our health truly is the sum of both. This is where we have to learn to play nice with the “other side” and not be so partisan.

Find an activity you love to do that challenges you…and mix in what you need but don’t necessarily love. My choices: Spinning classes and outdoor cycling for aerobic exercise (and mental health adjustment); body weight exercises with the TRX system for strength; kettlebells for a mix of both. This combination has kept me fit and happy and rarely do a I pick up an actual weight anymore. I choose my “poisons” wisely and am happier for it.

The right exercise to help you lose weight? Marry Camp A with Camp W, and produce cute little super fit Camp AW bodies.

What about you? Which category do you fall into? And what is your “acceptable” cross-training method?

Onward and forward.

~Helen

P.S. Not sure how much exercise you really need? Read my exercise post on that subject.

There are times, a day or so after a really hard workout, when I really do feel like saying, “Help, I’m alive!” Because a) I need help to get out of bed or even just sit and b) I feel alive. Sometimes, though, after a killer session with – say – kettlebells, I wish I weren’t alive to feel the muscle soreness. That’s when simply lifting my arms or closing my legs becomes a challenge and my body laughs at me.

That level of muscle soreness (DOMS – or delayed onset muscle soreness) is rare if you’ve been working out for awhile, but when you first start an exercise program or change up your workout it’s a familiar feeling. Good pain, as we are prone to say.

Why is the pain good? Because of one simple thing: You know your muscles have been worked. Who cares about the science behind it or why we feel sore? Who cares if it really means anything? The true value of DOMS is how it makes us feel emotionally:  we have done something for us, our bodies, and our minds. This one day, our muscles screaming with every movement, is a day that we have broken free of past patterns, defied the odds, and moved our bodies in a way they aren’t used to.

With every wince we are reminding ourselves that we are strong, determined and alive.

THAT is good pain.

May the DOMS be with you.

Onward and forward.

Post any comments you might have about it. I’d love to hear your feedback.

Do I care? Not really. Because my core is strong and my body can do pretty much everything I ask of it. This Christmas, I found myself climbing up and down a ladder, hoisting decoration-filled boxes in and out of my tiny attic. Reaching overhead while balancing on a rung, lifting the boxes, rotating them across my body and lowering down (sounds like the “wood chop” exercise, doesn’t it?). All stomach muscles engaged, back taught, stabilizers engaged. THAT is why I work my abs…to be able to live my life without ending up in traction.

THE BEST WAY TO YOUR BEST ABS

Creating good, strong abs requires a one-two punch: 1) Strengthen the underlying muscle and 2) Burn off the overlying fat. How much exercise a week do you need to reduce fat? View my post on exercise time to find out.

Exercising your stomach (and back) muscles provides other benefits than just making you look good. Strong abdominals help support your back, causing less pain, and assists with your posture, resulting in less slouching and strain. It’s not all about how we look, but how we feel and how pain-free we are on a daily basis.

HOW TO DO IT

Move through these exercises one at a time, back-to-back, with no rest in between, circuit-style. Start with one set, three times per week. After a couple of weeks, move to two sets, then on to three. When these exercises get too easy, switch to more advanced moves. Stay with it and work slowly through each exercise. Exhale on the effort and work until your muscles are tired or you start to lose form. Click on the “>Learn how to” link where available to view the actual exercise on the American Council on Exercise web site (totally free, too!).

As with everything, be consistent. No one got better at anything by not practicing.

“One may go a long way after one is tired.” ~French Proverb

THE BEST ABDOMINAL EXERCISES

Plank (ACE)

1) Plank. Works back, main abs in front, deep abdominals that support spine from inside and keep your stomach sucked in. Beginner through intermediate: On elbows. Hold as long as you can. Advanced: Elbows on swiss ball (up to 30% more effective). Even more advanced? Gently draw circles on the floor with the ball. Ouch.

>Learn how to plank

Knee Tucks (ACE)

2) Stability Ball Knee Tucks. Works main abs in front, deep abdominals, fronts of thighs, sides of abdominals. Contract your abs and really focus on pulling with your stomach, not with your knees. You can also do these with the TRX system, Gravity Bar, or even paper plates (putting your feet on plates/Gliding Discs instead of a ball).

>Learn how to tuck w/ball
>Learn how to tuck with TRX/Gravity Bar

3) Cross body mountain climber. Works main abs in front, deep abdominals,front of thighs, sides of abdominals. On hand and feet in push up position, body in a straight line, abs engaged. Pull right knee under body towards opposite shoulder, keeping hips in a straight line. Return to starting position. 10-12 repetitions. Switch sides. Make sure to keep your body straight, hips in line (don’t lift when crossing under body), stomach engaged.

Roll Out (ACE)

4) Roll Out. Swiss ball (or TRX/Gravity Bar). Works main abs in front, deep abdominals,front sof thighs, sides of abdominals. Advanced: On paper plates/Gliding Discs, push/pull with your hands along floor.

>Learn how to roll out. Exercise shown is with TRX. Substitute Gravity Bar, or swiss ball where elbows are on ball.

5) Side Plank. Works sides of abdominals (waist). Lie on side, body straight. Gently push up onto elbow and feet, body in a straight line. Hold as long as you can, gently lower. Try not to slouch head into shoulder (think tall and long). Advanced: While body is suspended, reach top arm down and sweep under body (keeping body from rotating), then return, reaching arm up directly above shoulder and towards ceiling, hold. Repeat, switch sides.

Crunch (ACE)

6) Stability Ball Crunches. Works main abs in front. Position yourself comfortably, work slowly and deliberately. The more of your upper body is on the ball is easier, the more that is off the ball is harder. These can also been performed on the floor. Advanced: Hold a weight or barbel plate a chest level.

> Learn how to crunch

Pike (ACE)

7) Pike. (Very advanced.) Works shoulders, deltoids, main abs in front, deep abdominals, front of thighs, sides of abdominals. Pike can be done either on a stability ball, on paper plates/Gliding Discs, with TRX or Gravity Bar. Keep stomach tight and imagine using your abs to pull feet towards hands.

>Learn how to pike on ball
>Learn how to pike with TRX/Gravity Bar

Resources:

Swiss ball – Sporting goods or major retailers
Paper plates – Anywhere
Gliding Discs
TRX – Fitness Anywhere
Gravity Bar – GoFit

The economy has taken its toll on everyone, and the fitness industry is not exempt. Every year ACE surveys its worldwide network of personal trainers, group fitness experts, lifestyle and weight management consultants, and advanced health and fitness specialists to see what’s hot, and what’s not, in exercise.

The top two trends reflect our current economic woes, but there is a definite positive element. Though people are cutting back on expenses, they are still thinking of their health as their best investment. For many, it’s simply time to get creative with their exercise routines. The following are ACE’s “Top Workout Trends” for 2009. See what other people are doing for their health and fitness.

• Boot Camp-Style Workouts: According to ACE, boot camps remain extremely popular because they provide a total-body workout that’s varied, fun and challenging. You burn a lot of calories each session, get a great cardiovascular workout, and strengthen your muscles. Theme: Saves money. Saves time.

• Budget-Friendly Workouts: Fitness experts believe that more people will cut costs to stay in shape. 48 percent of the ACE-certified professionals surveyed predicted that gym memberships will decrease in 2009, and 52 percent said they believe fewer people will hire personal trainers. This is where classes, small group and partner training will see greater growth. Theme: Saves money.

• Specialty Classes: Tired of the same old, same old and wanting an escape from reality, specialty classes such as Zumba, Bollywood, ballroom, Afro-Cuban and other exotic dance styles will grow in popularity. Theme: Saves money and offers an escape from reality.

• Back to Basics: Trainers say they are continuing to focus on returning to basic movements and techniques with their clients. Why? Probably because these basics are tried-and-true, they work, and we are all familiar with them. Theme: Simplifies your life.

• Circuit Training: Many studies have shown that the interval training combination of strength mixed with cardiovascular activity provides a more time-efficient workout than traditional aerobic and weight training sessions separately. Many gyms offer circuit training classes, or circuit training stations, to give their members a quick and easy “no brainer” way to get in shape. Theme: Saves time. Simplifies your life.

• Kettlebells: It’s more “back to basics.” Kettlebell training requires functional, whole body movements and provides both strength, endurance and flexibility training all-in-one. Kettlebell workouts engage multiple muscle groups, making it a great way to work your whole body in a shorter period of time. Theme: Saves time.

• Boomer Fitness: ACE professionals believe that the 50+ audience continues to push boundaries with respect to age, vitality and quality of life. AARP’s fitness initiative for boomers—aimed at providing a wide range of affordable fitness services to its 39 million members—is going strong and growing. Theme: Maintaining good health, preventing disease and increasing quality of life.

• Technology-Based Fitness: If you are part of the “back to basics” group, you may have missed this fitness trend. From iPods and Cardio Cinema to exergaming (i.e., Wii Fit, Expresso Bikes) the latest trend continues to merge fitness with technology. 2009 will provide more interactive video games with fitness benefits, as well as new inventions to make exercising a more engaging experience.
Theme: Escaping reality. Makes exercise more exciting. Gets younger people on-board.

• Event or Sport-Specific Exercises: Sports or recreational activities are predicted to remain a popular way to stay in shape. Participating in a game of basketball, training for a marathon, or bike riding with friends is a great way to get moving while staying connected to friends and family. Theme: Saves money. Saves time. Helps you incorporate exercise with socializing.

• Mixing It Up: As most weight loss professionals will tell you, mixing up your workouts provides the best results. Alternating your weight training sessions with higher reps and lower weights, lower reps and higher weights, for example; mixing intervals into your cardiovascular sessions; or alternating dancing, Spinning®, fencing, kettlebells, martial arts, aquatic exercise, and circuit training. Theme: Beats boredom. Saves your sanity.

Whatever exercise methods you choose, the most important thing to remember is consistency. Put in your 150-250 minutes per week (see this post on exercise time recommendations) with activities that you enjoy, entertain you, save you money or save you time. Even better, look over the above list, get out of your comfort zone and try something different. Fitness hooping, anyone?

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Q: Do you agree with the ACE professionals’ view of 2009 trends? Anything you see that they might have missed? Feel free to discuss it here.

Celebrities often claim to exercise two hours a day. On TV, weight loss shows feature people exercising more than four hours each day. Health advocates say 30 minutes of daily activity is enough to keep you healthy.

So…how much exercise do you really need?

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, it’s more than previously thought.

With 66% of the U.S. adult population either overweight or obese, weight management has become an urgent issue. It seems the more we obsess about weight, the fatter we become. Where “thin is in,” we are not…thin. Or healthy.

An updated “Position Stand” just published in the February 2009 issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise®, the official journal of the American
College of Sports Medicine features revised exercise time recommendations for three categories:

Preventing weight gain
Weight loss
Preventing weight regain

PREVENTING WEIGHT GAIN

It’s easier to keep your weight down than to try to lose what you’ve already gained. 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity exercise, i.e. walking, is enough to do just that. Roughly translated, 150 minutes is about 30 minutes a day, five days a week.

Think that’s too much? How much time do you spend watching TV? Surfing the web? Talking on the phone? Sitting at a coffee shop? It’s probably more than 30 minutes each day. But the good news? Studies have shown that breaking your exercise session up, for example into three 10-minute bouts, is just as effective as one longer session. So walk during your morning break, take the stairs, or walk the kids home from school. Baby steps. 10-minute baby steps.

WEIGHT LOSS

More than 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity physical activity is recommended for modest weight loss benefits. However, more than 250 minutes per week provides significantly greater amounts of weight loss.

250 minutes per week – how much is that per day? Hmmm. That’s about 50 minutes per day, five days a week. Still not that bad. 20 minute walk in the early morning, 10 minute walk during a break, 20 minute walk after dinner. Or a 1-hour group exercise class four days a week, plus one short walk.

Significant weight loss is worth it, isn’t it?

WEIGHT LOSS MAINTENANCE

ACSM states there is evidence that more than 250 minutes per week of moderate intensity physical activity will prevent weight regain.

One would hope so, and yes, that is a lot. But for those of us who have lost a large amount of weight, our bodies will always fight to regain it. We have to work harder than “non-previously fat people.”

THE BOTTOM LINE

These are ACSM’s recommendations for “moderate-intensity physical activity.” But as many experts will tell you, there are ways to exercise less and still reap weight loss and health benefits.

Exercise at a higher intensity to burn more calories overall. Perform intervals while walking, running or cycling (work very hard for 20 seconds, then recover for at least three times that amount, work very hard again, then recover)

Do multiple-muscle or large muscle exercises (squats, lunges, side steps with bicep curl, full pushups, ball rollouts), kettlebell training, bootcamps, or circuit training.

Strength train. Like most fitness professionals, ACSM also recommends strength training as part of a health and fitness regimen in order to increase muscle mass and further reduce health risks.

My general rule of thumb? If you can read a magazine or book while exercising, it’s too easy. Focus on the work, and exercise harder, but for a shorter time period. Make each minute count. Walk and chat with your friends, sure, as part of your “30-minutes a day” general rule. But work with intensity for weight loss.

“Some people dream of success… while others wake up and work hard at it.”
~Author Unknown

Precisely.

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Q: So, where do you fall in all of this? Do you think it’s possible to get that much exercise? Do you have any tips to share on how you fit it in? Let us know!

Now that temperatures are soaring, exercise may be the last thing on your mind. That hot, sticky feeling is often a great workout de-motivator.

However, we have an opportunity to turn this de-motivator into a motivator: exercising in the pool. Using water as a way to get in shape is both effective and fun. No longer associated only with seniors, aquatic fitness allows us work our bodies hard, yet stay cool and comfortable.

Athletes, housewives, rehabilitation patients and even children are catching this next wave in fitness, and a wide variety of workout options are now available.

(continue reading at LAs the Place)