WODs

6 Steps to Fat Loss…and Superpowers  

Our modern western world is all about instant gratification.  Our society has turned into a constant flow of never finished, always changing distractions.  Distractions supported on technology and dictated by media fighting over eyeballs for no reason other than creating chaos.  This situation leaves folks wanting results yesterday.  Not now, not tomorrow.  This leads to crash dieting, zero carbs this, my macros that, special liquid elixir, starvation, mal-nutrition…you name it and these folks have walked through our doors looking for help.  Often times with wrecked metabolisms and facing an uphill trek to regain health and fitness. 

We always start with the basics.  The fundamentals are always the most important steps of any process, yet seemingly always ignored, discounted or forgot about.  Without the basics, results will always, always be limited.  What I mean is, no matter a persons’ level of success, that success in dependent upon the quality and level of development of the basics.  Imagine building a pyramid.  The pyramid’s peak can only be supported by the foundation.  The taller the peak, the wider and stronger the foundation must be. 

So let us focus on 6 basics.  These are not sexy, but they will definitely lead you to becoming sexier.  These 6 things always work for long-term success and should be part of lifelong journey to maintain/retain your health and fitness.  The Six Steps to Fat Loss…and maybe Superpowers. 

1. You got to move it, move it – MOVE MORE OFTEN 

• What? 
  • Low intensity movement throughout your day.   
  • Desk jocky?  Upgrade to a standing desk 
  • Walk at lunch and break-time 
  • Walking meetings 
  • Park away from the store and trek across the tundra of the parking lot 
  • Bike to the store/post office/ where ever 
  • Aim for 10,000 steps per day minimum 
• Why? Two big reasons 
  • Lymphatic flow and drainage 
    • A major detoxification pathway  
  • Blood and air flow and circulation 
    • A major detoxification pathway  

 

2. HYDRATE – Drink up! Water…the clear, clean, tasteless stuff 

• What?  Starting point is 0.5oz/#bwt/day (EX: 200 lb. person would aim for 100 oz./day) 
  • Optimal hydration levels are approximately 60% of B.W. for males, 54% B.W. for females 
  • Humidity, temperature, activity, timing and quality are all considerations for hydration 
  • Status of hydration important for muscles and blood – urine isn’t the only indicator 
  • Water upon waking is a great start to the day, including a pinch of sea salt for those with adrenal issues 
  • Liquids other than water are not optimal for hydration 
• Why? 
  • Optimal hydration means detoxification and improved gastrointestinal function 
  • Dehydration keeps you from operating at high efficiency including lack of mental acuity in late afternoon, increases in heart rate during simple tasks, and waking up groggy 
  • Proper hydration supports cellular function 
  • Supports weight loss 

3. CHOMP PROTEIN – Your teeth are made for chewing, not smiling 

A huge percentage of folks do not eat enough protein and definitely don’t chew their food adequately 

• What?  Generally, .8 g/#bwt/day is a good starting point (EX: 200 lb. person would aim for 160 g/day) 
  • Preferably animal protein.  Yes, I know, not everyone agrees with this, but this is science, not opinion or emotion.  Animal protein wins every time against plant protein in scientific nutrition density analysis.  It’s no contest.    
  • Adequately chew your food.  Sit down, smell and look at your food.  Put away any distractions; relax and chew.  Each and every bite.  Chew it up good.  It’s important to distinguish the difference between your mouth and a vacuum cleaner nozzle.  Chewing will help you do that.  Count the chews if you need to.  Aim for 32 chews for each bite (chew 32…easy to remember). 
• Why? 
  • Thermic Effect of Food- protein digestion burns a lot of energy throughout the day…if you chew it. 
  • Repair at the cellular level from stress 
  • Lean Body Mass Gain- protein is the most important macronutrient for this process 
  • Satiety- protein and variation within protein sources is important for the balance of energy and to reduce feelings of hunger 
  • Adequate protein digested effectively uses energy and repairs 
  • Hormonal response- protein regulates hormones like glucagon that control fat storage 

4.  SLEEP – like a Baby should 

• What? 
  • 7-9 hours of un-interrupted sleep 
  • Reduce your exposure to “blue light” throughout your day and especially after the sun goes down.   
  • Stop any and all stimulating activities 1-2 hrs. prior to sleep.  TV, internet, Face book, texting.  Try to relax, unwind, or do some easy reading (but not in your bed).   
  • Meditate, mindfulness practice or easy stretching helps to “de-stress” from your day.    
  • No eating after 8 PM.    
  • Bedroom must be COMPLETELY DARK, and COOL.  No ambient light at all.  Alarm clocks under something or inside a drawer, curtains blacked out, and all lights covered over with tape or something.  (except during 1 day before and after the full moon) 
  • White noise  
• Why? 
  • Allows for proper recovery, growth and repair of your body’s natural systems 
  • Brain detoxification
  • Supports healthy blood sugar regulation 
  • Protects against sugary, convenient “unhealthy” food choices 

5. SUNSHINE exposure – the good Sunny D 

• What? 
  • Minimum 15-20 minutes of sun exposure per day 
  • 30-40% of bare skin exposed  
  • Allow sunlight directly to your retina 
  • No sunglasses 
  • Morning time is the best time 
  • Increase exposure by gradient means 
  • A slow steady linear progression of more sun exposure increases melanin production naturally building your protection against over-exposure to the sun. aka-sunburn 
• Why? 
  • Vitamin D production, you’ll likely die without it. 
  • Helps to balance your circadian rhythm with the sun and moon  
  • You may get a tan 

6. STRESS – balance the teeter-totter 

• What? 
  • Do something you love everyday 
  • Play for a few minutes everyday 
  • Adopt a healthy evening ritual to improve you sleep (see above), you’ll de-stress too 
  • Re-frame your “perceived stress” 
  • Shift your paradigm to what is stressful 
  • Change negatives into positives 
• Why? 
  • Eustress = positive (healthy) stress  
  • Parasympathetic nervous system can function (rest and digest) 
  • Distress = negative (unhealthy) stress 
  • Sympathetic nervous system (flight, fight, freeze) 
  • Balance (it’s always this) is essential to improved health, fitness and fat loss 

 

 

Here at High Definition Fitness OPEX Victor Valley, we have been providing exclusive individually designed programs for nearly three years.  Along the way, we’ve fiddled with how we explain the differences from our philosophies and implementation of health and fitness relative to others within the fitness industry.  Sometimes we nail the explanation, other times we fumble.  You’d think if we explained it to one person, we’d just repeat that explanation to each additional person and they would clearly understand.  Not always…

Here’s a neat little video illustrating how we help you improve yourself.

It turns out, often the explanation requires an individual approach.  Yes, we could repeat the same thing over and over exactly the same way, using the same words.  But folks learn differently.  Folks hear what they want to hear. People show up with preconceived prejudices or habits or experiences from all the things they have or have not done in their life.  The internet and media is flooded with misleading and half true “health” and/or “fitness” advice.  And we as coaches have our own biases and challenges to overcome.

“Fitness” means different things to different people.  And “healthy” is a spectrum also.  We asses your health and fitness in a “relative” manner.  This ensures that we are always coming from a place of “truth” and helps with realistic outcomes.

The bottom line is this, we are a place of health and fitness professionals working to help individuals improve themselves in a balanced (holistic) fashion.  Whatever your background, where ever you are coming from, if you are really ready for change, if you want the best fitness coaching from coaches who care about you long-term.  If you need guidance with or want to posses “fitness as a way of life”.  We are they place for you.

Why Regular Sun Exposure is Healthy 

Looong days, short nights mean it’s summer time around here.  When it’s hot out folks are either laying out for hours working on their tan or hiding out all day inside with the air conditioner.  Neither of these practices are healthy.  The idea, again, is balance between them.

Our planet orbits that red fireball up there in the sky.  This daily ritual helps to regulate many systems that occur in our environment including our sleep cycle.  Sunlight early in the morning helps balance our circadian rhythm improving sleep and recovery from exercise and life stress.  Another benefit of responsible sun exposure is the natural production of Vitamin D.

Vitamin D plays a significant role in our health.  Low levels of Vitamin D are associated with a host of health concerns*.  In short, if you have a symptom of X, and your Vitamin D level is low, raising your level of Vitamin D will likely reduce your symptom(s). Vitamin D is tremendously important.

But how much sun exposure is the right amount?  Great question that has no exact answer.  The correct answer is just enough but not too much.  Riiiiight…I know.  Lame, vague answer.  But it’s individual.

We each have different tolerances to the sun.  Skin pigmentation also plays a role.  In general, the darker a person’s skin is, a longer exposure time is required to produce the Vitamin D, and the greater natural protection against skin damage.  The lighter the skin, the less time required for Vitamin D production and less natural protection.

Health and fitness are more than just “going to the gym”.

Our professional coaches work with you to develop your own balanced program to become the best version of you.  We’d love to help you reach your health and fitness goals.

*Ref- Vitamin D3:  Holick MF. Vitamin D: importance in prevention of cancers, type 1 diabetes, heart disease, and osteoporosis. Am J Clin Nutr 2004:79(3):362-371

This huge flag lives at High Definition Fitness to symbolize opportunities that we have in our lives.

OPPORTUNITY to be a better you.

• Who do you want to be?  
• What do you want to accomplish? 
• Where do you want to go?  

You have the opportunity to improve yourself. You can become the best version of you with your own individually designed fitness program. Fitness and health involve much more than “spending time in the gym”.

We’d love to help you reach all of your health and fitness goals.

Celebrate your opportunity, your freedom, your independence and get help and guidance with your own coach, your own program, and get your own results.

Contact us today for your free 30 min Consultation.

We will be hosting CF Games Open Qualifier 17.4 Saturday morning at 0900 hrs.  We will have an awesome warm up, pacing recommendations matched to you and cool down suggestions.

We will be hosting CF Games Open Qualifier 17.3 Saturday morning at 0900 hrs.  We will have an awesome warm up, pacing recommendations matched to you and cool down suggestions.

We will be hosting CF Games Open Qualifier 17.2 Saturday morning at 0900 hrs.  We will have an awesome warm up, pacing recommendations matched to you and cool down suggestions.

We will be hosting CF Games Open Qualifier 17.1 Saturday morning at 0900 hrs.  We will have an awesome warm up, pacing recommendations matched to you and cool down suggestions.