Franny Goodrich: Fitness Author

[ttwarrior1]

Question: "Franny, Can I Make My "FLAT-ASS" More ROUND, With Exercise?"
Answer: Don't Shoot The "Messenger". It's Not ALL Bad News...
Women ask me about "Butt Exercises", all the time. Many women believe that if they perform certain exercises, they will be able to develop a “Round” Butt - even if theirs is currently as flat as a pancake... Sorry ladies, it's not that simple.
When you look at your naked-Butt in the mirror, there are "2" factors which determine how pleasant - or unpleasant - the reflecting Butt-image staring back at you looks...

1 - GENETICS: The actual “shape” of your glute-muscles is determined solely by your genetics. Remember, your butt is a “muscle”, just like your biceps, calves, quads, etc. It’s “shape” is inherent and unique to you specifically. If you train your glute-muscle – like others – it will become stronger and grow, but its shape will not change. In other words, whether you naturally possess a round-type butt or a flatter-version, you probably “always” will - you’ll just possess a stronger or more developed butt. No matter how much we want this to “not” be true, it just is. For example, young bodybuilders are often told that doing Lat Pull-downs with a wider-grip will further-widen their back, or that Preacher-Curls will add a "peak" to their biceps. Sorry, it's just not true.

2 - BODY-FAT (This is actually, the good news)
The amount of BODY-FAT deposited on your Butt is also a major factor in determining its physical-appearance. More importantly, this "is" a “changeable” factor. Yes, as fat is melted-away, curves suddenly begin to appear. So, although you cannot change the shape of a muscle, you "can' change the contours of a body-part, like your Butt or legs. So yes, you "can" change the shape of a body "area".

CONFUSED? Look at it this way; if you were to take a granite-statue of a perfectly sculpted human-body, and then, take handfuls of clay and begin to slap it one the statue, eventually the nooks n’ crannies of the sculpted granite would be filled with clay, causing the statue to look more like the “Michelin Man” than a Greek God or Goddess. “Body-fat” has the same effect on your “Butt’s” physical-appearance. It robs your Butt-muscle of some - or all - of its shape, by filling in your muscle’s nook n’ crannies much like the clay added to the statue.

BOTTOM-LINE: If you eat wisely and exercise intelligently, you won’t be able to ever change the shape of your Butt-muscles. However, the appearance of its shape “will” eventually change. This, you will love…and so will others.
~Franny Goodrich

[ttwarrior1]

How many REPS? How much WEIGHT? Would you believe me if I said, "Unless you are an absolute beginner, DON'T be overly concerned about it."

Experienced Gym Go'ers can STOP counting REPS, STOP filling out workout charts, and STOP getting overly concerned with how HOW MUCH WEIGHT to use. Okay, it’s easy to be thinking, “Yeah, but how do I know if I am performing the correct number of reps?” Or, “How do I know if I am using the correct weight?”
To this I would reply, first define “correct number?" Or, define “correct weight?”…

The truth is, science and the experts have NEVER figured-out the “exact number” of reps, or the “exact weight” we should all be using…and they probably never will. There are just too many variables existing from person to person. Instead, the experts agree on “parameters”. In other words, they agree that it’s somewhere between “here” and “there”…and there’s a lot of latitude, which makes the so-called targeted number (of reps and weight) pretty easy to hit. The real purpose of repetitions is to allow a targeted muscle to perform physical work continuously for an optimal amount of time to stimulate an adaptive response (get bigger and stronger). That amount of time is between 40-seconds and 90-seconds, depending “which” expert you ask. In terms of “reps”, these time parameters equal somewhere between 8-20 strict repetitions being the targeted number. Again, that’s a wide and therefore pretty easy target to hit.

The thing ALL qualified experts DO agree on is that the 2 MOST IMPORTANT criteria to increasing strength or stimulating muscle growth are:
1 - Reaching a high level of intensity of effort or maximal exertion during exercise.
2 - Exercising in a manner which is made progressively more difficult to perform and therefore challenges you current maximum capacity to perform work.

So, “how” does this all apply to never having to count reps, or, get overly concerned about choosing the correct weight, or not having to write down the weight and/or reps? Easy…

Say, you are on vacation and decided to hit the weight-room at your resort. Again we’re talking about a person who’s been working out with weights for a reasonable amount of time. You walk over to (say) the Lat-Pulldown machine. Not knowing the machine, most experienced lifters would just arbitrarily select a weight, and then perform a “test rep” or two. Based on your experience and knowing your own body, you would probably be able to immediately (and intuitively) assess if the weight was a bit too light, a bit too heavy, or just right....

Now, after making a weight adjustment, let’s say you then strictly performed as many repetitions as physically possible. Because you performed the exercise to a point of momentary muscular familiar, it’s then a certainty that you reached an appropriate level of “intensity”, and performed the work to the limit of your own physical abilities. Therefore the exercise would be “both”, intense enough and progressive enough to produce an adaptive response within the working muscle. As long as the weight wasn’t ridiculously too light or too heavy, does it really matter how much weight you used, or how many reps you performed? Not really. Again, it’s because the target number of both is wide, therefore pretty easy to hit.

In Summary: The next time you go to the gym, instead of using a machine you are familiar with - try a new one. Make an educated guess at the starting weight, try a test rep or two to confirm, make the adjustment (or not), and then perform - in strict form - as many reps as physically possible. If you do this, there’s 99% chance that you will have met ALL the criteria to make that muscle grow and become stronger. Using this training protocol, you will continue to get stronger, and experience a variety in training that will help you avoid staleness or training plateaus. Give it a try!
~Franny Goodrich

[LostBankroll]

I swear this shit is motivating me to go back to the gym ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh ugggggggggggggggggh damn

[ttwarrior1]

LOSING WEIGHT in 2013? Go Ahead, Put this TO-DO LIST right on the fridge door. These are the 10-THINGS that matter MOST...

1 - DON'T SAY IT, MEAN IT!
Of all your past attempts to lose weight, how many times did you truly, and with conviction, totally commit to succeeding? You must declare your commitment to this “new” way of living your life. Write the date on your calendar. Make it a big deal. Challenge yourself to not give-in when it becomes difficult; and more importantly, to get right back on track when or if you (occasionally) falter

#2 - EMBRACE THE CHANGE.
The attitude YOU bring to this plan is EVERYTHING! Don’t complain to others that you “hate” having to eat this way. Instead, speak glowingly and confidently about your weight-loss plan. Perhaps use self-talk positive affirmations. Your body responds to your thoughts, and your thoughts create your reality. Remind yourself that you “love” this new “you”. Remind yourself how great you feel, and how much greater you are becoming.

#3 - GOTTA HAVE A SUPPORT SYSTEM.
Amidst all the positives, the last thing you need is somebody dragging you down with negative thoughts and comments. It is crucial that the people closest to you; your spouse, friends, co-workers, etc., become a positive and supportive force. Have a heart-to-heart chat with any and all of these people. If they are simply hell-bent on dragging you down - re-think the relationship. Just sayin'

#4 - HOW MANY CALORIES YOU SHOULD EAT.
Multiply Your “Goal Weight” by 12. This will provide you with an approximation of how many calories you need to consume daily to reach your target weight. For example, if you currently weigh 185 lbs., and are trying to reduce your weight down to a healthier - say - 140 lbs., you would then multiply 140 X 12. The total is 1680 calories daily…pretty simple. When you take-in this many calories you’ll see change almost immediately. One important thing to remember is that you should never go below 1200 calories per day, no matter what the math says.

#5 - LEARN ABOUT "NUTRITIONAL DENSITY".
I know you are used to me saying a “calorie is a calorie”, or that you can get just as fat on 3500 calories of apples, as 3500 calories of bacon fat. It’s still true. However, because you only have a limited number of daily-calories to nourish your body adequately, it becomes important that your food selections be from mostly healthy-foods. Plenty of fruit, vegetables, whole-grains, lean cuts of meat, etc. On occasions, when you want to enjoy - say - lasagna with your family, that’s fine. You could then use a portion-control strategy.

#6 - IN WEEK #1 WRITE DOWN EVERYTHING YOU EAT.
Nobody wants to live their life writing down everything they eat, I agree. That said, it is a great success tool for the first week of your new eating, mostly because it makes you conscious of everything you’re putting in your mouth, and you are less likely to grab a nibble of this and just a taste of that if you have to write it down. Do not skip this step, it is such a powerful eating deterrent, you’ll see.

#7 - DO NOT EXCEED 500-700 CALORIES PER MEAL.
This is important for a couple reasons. First, meals much bigger than this will use up a bigger than necessary amount of your daily calorie allowance. In other words, you don’t want to eat most of your daily allotment of calories in just one meal. Secondly, these smaller-type meals will help keep your blood-sugar stable, therefore helping control excessive blood-sugar fluxuations, which can lead to binging eating.

#8 - DO NOT WAIT MORE THAN 6-HOURS TIL YOUR NEXT MEAL.
Again, this has to do with keeping your blood-sugar stabilized and not setting yourself up for binge-eating. Simple, but important, because it is so easy to get caught in the "I'm not going to eat" trap. It ALWAYS Fails!

#9 - GETTING HUNGRY WITHIN 3-HOURS OF YOUR LAST MEAL?
If yes, it may be an emotional-eating issue, i.e., boredom, stress, etc. studies have shown that 75% of the time we reach for something to eat, it’s for reasons other than our body actually needing nourishment. If you do not suspect that emotional eating is the culprit, try eating a higher amount of protein, fat, or fiber as part of your meals. This will help slow the absorption-rate of foods through your digestive system and into your blood-stream, keeping you fuller, longer.

#10 - DO NOT OVER EXERCISE (HUH!)
Often, nothing screws-up a diet more than over-exercising. It will put you in a rundown state, which very often leads to lack of motivation, or even binge eating. There is no need to plod-along on the treadmill 7-days/week for an hour or more, or to attend high impact exercise classes every day, or even multiple times per day. That’s just crazy. I would rather see you doing strength-training 3-times per week. If you do decide to go strictly cardio, such as treadmill, elliptical, power walking, or even running - limit it to no more than 3 times per week - which is plenty if done correctly. Think of going harder, rather than further. In other words, 20-minutes of interval-type cardio is far superior to constantly attempting to exercise longer. The fat-burning effect is greater with shorter, more intense cardio sessions (For a better understanding, read my past “exercise” posts).


There you have it, a successful weight-loss strategy. Can other strategies be as effective? Sure they can, but this one is as good as any, and better than most. Now, just DO IT!


Franny

[ttwarrior1]

A Few Strips of BACON or a Bowl of ICE CREAM has NEVER made Anybody FAT!

Here is something EVERY “Dieter” should realize, and EVERY Fitness Professional should be passing along to their “Weight-loss” Clients...

Many people don’t seem to understand is that “food” is not fattening; “excessive calories” is fattening! You may be saying, “Isn’t that the same thing? No, not really. It’s more the portion-size of any food that gets us in trouble, not the particular type of food.

For example, one-half stick of butter is “less” fattening than - say - a large bowl of oatmeal and raisins. Why? Because the butter equals 400-calories, yet the large cereal-bowl of oatmeal and raisins equals approximately 600-calories.

In other words, Butter and Bacon are two foods that are certainly viewed by most of us as “fattening”. However, one Tablespoon of butter has only 100-calories; the same for a small strip of bacon; about 100-calories. NOBODY CAN GET FAT ON 100-CALORIES OF ANYTHING. However, if you load-up on butter too often, the your overall calorie-intake then becomes excessive, and so does the fat on your Butt.

By the same token, if you eat too much low-fat yogurt, oatmeal, or raisins, the calories begin to add up too. Again, it's the "AMOUNTS of FOODS" that gets us in trouble, NOT a particular food. Make sense? The “amount” of food you eat, or more specifically, the number of “calories” you eat over the course of a days, weeks, and months. This is what results in weight-loss, or weight-gain, not the fact that you ate a hot-fudge sundae today.

Of course, common-sense dictates that we should ALWAYS strive to eat primarily healthy foods. However, it's crazy to think that you can't mix in “high-fat” or “sugary” treats here n’ there. Or, as they say: “Everything in Moderation”.

I cringe when people say “I’m cutting out butter, cream, and all desserts…they’re so fattening!” I realize that they probably don’t “get it”, therefore they needlessly over-deprive themselves, and make their own weight-loss strategy one that’s harder to stick-to.

Bottom Line: Common sense and an occasional strip of bacon or bowl of ice cream here n' there will allow ANY diet to be more bearable, and therefore - in the long run - more successful.

~Franny Goodrich

[ttwarrior1]

PERSONAL TRAINERS: "Tell Me Again WHY You Can't Make a Living as a Personal Trainer? Funny, nobody ever says, "Because I Suck!"

True Story...

Recently, I had an opportunity to observe 3 Personal Trainers conducting training sessions with clients. I am absolutely certain these clients were thinking, WTF! Yet, not one of them spoke-up. Here's a list of things they should have said to their "Trainer":

DO NOT share “My” time with anyone else! I’m spending $75/hr. for your full attention. Goof with your friends and flirt with that cutie on your own time.

DO NOT keep talking on your cell phone! No texting and no phone calls on “my” time. My goodness, it’s only one-hour. Don’t give me “I really need to take this call…it’ll only be a few seconds” - bull crap! Manage your work-schedule more efficiently.

DO NOT Be late for “My” training-session. For starters, it’s rude and unprofessional. Unless you’re willing to take 50% off for being a few minutes late, I’m not interested in excuses.

DO NOT repeatedly tell me your personal problems! I have plenty of my own. If you’re not in a good mood - fake it! Welcome to Customer Service 101.

DO NOT Offer to “Sell” me anything other than exercise-sessions. I’m NOT interested in increasing your paycheck with Supplement commissions. You’re a Personal Trainer, NOT a Registered Dietitian - so stop trying to sell me an “Eating Plan”.

DO NOT repeatedly tell me I’m Pretty, Sexy, Good-looking, etc. If you have to ask “Why”, you’re either an idiot, or you’re watching too much Jersey Shore. I don’t mind hearing that “I’m making nice progress” or, that you are “impressed with my dedication”. Save the “lines” for your night-club act.

DO NOT seem disinterested. I get it, you are a 20-something, physically-attractive Personal Trainer. I am a middle-aged fatty - too bad! I’m sorry if your Personal Training career is different than you pictured it. At least “try” to appear to give-a-shit!”

AND FINALLY: At the end of “My” training session - smile enthusiastically -tell me I did a great job, and then, while you're still beaming with enthusiasm, tell me that you are looking forward to our next session - and then thank “me”.

"Professionalism" is the foundation that any successful Personal Training career is built on. Make sense?

[ttwarrior1]

QUESTION: "I've Been Lifting for Years, and I STILL Get Confused About HOW MANY REPS and HOW MUCH WEIGHT?"

ANSWER: "Unless You Are a Beginner, You'd Be Surprised How Little it Matters". If that statement sounds silly, keep reading...

Experienced Weight Training Enthusiast can STOP Counting REPS, STOP Filling out Workout Charts, and STOP getting overly concerned with HOW MUCH WEIGHT to use. It’s easy to be thinking, “Okay, but how do you know if you’re performing the correct number of reps?” Or, “How do you know if you’re using the correct weight?” To this I would reply, first define “correct number”, or “correct weight?

The truth is, science and the experts have NEVER figured-out the “exact number” of reps, or the “exact weight” we should all be using…and they probably never will. There are just too many variables existing from person to person. Instead, the experts agree on “parameters”. In other words, they agree that it’s somewhere between “here” and “there”…and there’s a lot of latitude, which makes the so-called targeted number (of reps and weight) pretty easy to hit.

The real purpose of repetitions is to allow a targeted muscle to perform physical work continuously for an optimal amount of time to stimulate an adaptive response (get bigger and stronger). That amount of time is between 40 and 90-seconds, depending “which” expert you ask. In terms of “reps”, these time parameters equal somewhere between 8-20 strict repetitions being the targeted number. Again, that’s a wide and therefore pretty easy target to hit.

The thing ALL qualified experts DO agree on is that the 2 MOST IMPORTANT exercise criteria to increase strength or stimulating muscle growth are: 1 - You MUST exercise at a high enough level of intensity. You must reach a point of maximal effort during such exercise. By the way, It’s a mistake to confuse “heavy weight” with intensity. 2 - You MUST exercise in a manner which is progressively more difficult to perform and therefore challenges your current maximum capacity to perform work (i.e. Progressive Overload).

So, HOW does this all apply to never having to count reps, being overly concerned about choosing the correct weight, or not having to write down the weight and/or reps? That's easy, say, you are on vacation and decided to hit the weight-room at your resort. Again we’re talking about a person who’s been working out with weights for a reasonable amount of time. You walk over to (say) the Lat-Pull-down machine. Not knowing the machine, most experienced lifters would just arbitrarily select a weight, and then perform a “test rep” or two. Based on your experience and knowing your own body, you would probably be able to immediately (and intuitively) assess if the weight was a bit too light, a bit too heavy, or just right....Now, after making a weight adjustment, let’s say you then strictly performed as many repetitions as physically possible. Because you performed the exercise to a point of momentary muscular familiar, it’s then a certainty that you reached an appropriate level of “intensity”, and performed work to the limit of your own physical abilities. Therefore the exercise would be “both”, intense enough and progressive enough to produce an adaptive response within the working muscle.

As long as the weight wasn’t ridiculously too light or too heavy, does it really matter how much weight you used, or how many reps you performed? Not really. Again, it’s because the target number of both is wide, therefore pretty easy to hit. The next time you go to the gym, instead of using a machine you are familiar with - try a new one. Make an educated guess at the starting weight, try a test rep or two to confirm, make the adjustment (or not), and then perform - in strict form - as many reps as physically possible. If you do this, there’s 99% chance that you will have met ALL the criteria to make that muscle grow and become stronger. Using this training protocol, you will continue to get stronger, and experience a variety in training that will help you avoid staleness or training plateaus.

Give it a try,
~Franny Goodrich