Client Spotlight: Nathan

Nathan is probably one of the funniest clients that I’ve had the pleasure of training. He came to the Training Room with a specific goal in mind: lose 24 pounds in three months to reach a body weight of 196 pounds for his wedding in November. That was his main goal; his side goal (although he may contest that his side goal was actually his main goal) was to look like this guy from the movie Fight Club:

Fight Club

No; not Brad Pitt, but the extremely intense guy to the right of him.

THAT Guy

During his initial session, I took Nathan through a series of assessments. Being a computer engineer, his job required him to sit at a desk for the majority of the day. Not surprisingly, his flexibility was that of a 2×4. Before every single workout, I had him foam roll and perform various mobility and flexibility drills for at least fifteen minutes to help combat his sedentary lifestyle. Not only would this help him move better during the session, but also reduce the likelihood of developing  lower back pain, neck pain, or other ailments down the road.

Before starting at the Training Room, Nathan went from a peak weight of about 232lbs down to about 220 simply by eating better. Check out this scale that recorded and graphed his body weight  measurements online since December of ’09:

Note the sharp decline from August to November

After hitting a plateau, he enlisted our help and began to lose weight again. The very first thing I had him do was set up a food log and track everything he ate. This not only helps me to get a clearer picture of his diet, but it also serves as an eye-opener to him. All too often, I train clients who say they eat “pretty well” and can’t figure out why they’re not losing weight. Once we start recording their food intake, they realize that their eating habits could be a lot better.

Instead of going all Jillian Michaels on him after reviewing his food log, I had Nathan change just three things:

1) Drink a protein shake for breakfast instead of his usual sugary breakfast smoothie

2) Eat fewer carbohydrates in his meals and more veggies

3) Eat more fish and lean protein sources

After a couple of weeks of implementing these changes into his diet, Nathan noticed that controlling his portions became a lot easier because of the increased protein intake, which led to increased satiety. We then started to incorporate nutrient-dense foods like Greek yogurt along with various fruits and his diet gradually became very well-rounded. Salmon and roasted vegetables became a staple in his diet; I actually think there was a point in time where he ate salmon for dinner five nights in a row (note: I didn’t recommend this but, hey, the result was a four pound weight loss that week). By not completely overhauling his diet right from the get-go, I think the gradual changes really helped Nathan to stick to the game plan and not go crazy.

Salmon - delicious and nutritious

Nathan trained with me three times a week in the weeks leading up to the wedding. Contrary to popular belief, I did not have him perform steady, long distance cardio. We focused solely on strength training and followed a simple system that I use with all of my beginners called progressive overload. All it means is that with each workout you need to strive to become stronger at your main lifts (squat, deadlift, lunge, chin-up, chest press, etc.). Now, “stronger” could mean more weight or it could mean more repetitions with the same weight. Either way, if you don’t improve in either category you’re just maintaining your results from the previous workout.

Once or twice a week, I’d have Nathan go through some rigorous metabolic work for about 10 minutes at the end of his session. This was generally in the form of bike intervals with various work to rest ratios, and it’s main purpose was to burn as many calories as possible.  I prefer the bike to most cardio apparati, because you can work at a high intensity with a low risk of injury. Sure, I could’ve had him lose weight with just cardio and high intensity circuits alone like in the Biggest Loser (kill me now):

But I have no doubt in my mind he would’ve been completely burnt out and would have hit a plateau before he got to his target weight. Purely cardio/metabolic-based workouts do very little in terms of building lean muscle mass, which is crucial in terms of elevating your resting metabolic rate (the amount of calories you burn doing absolutely nothing).  They are; however, an extremely effective supplement to your fitness regimen if your goal happens to be fat loss.

Not only do I want my clients to lose weight, I also want them to gain lean muscle mass in order to improve their overall body composition. In just three months, Nathan got pretty strong. He went from not being able to do any pushups to doing 15 of them at the end of a workout with a 45 lb. plate on his back:

He also went from not having a prayer to pull himself up to performing 5 neutral grip pull-ups:

The key to Nathan’s success was his dedication and determination. He never missed a workout. He slammed down “not so delicious” protein shakes in the mornings and after his training sessions. He sacrificed some foods he really enjoyed for healthier options. Even if he had some slip-ups at social events, he got right back on track the next day instead of losing control. He went out of his way to make sure he cooked his meals, even though takeout or a Lean Cuisine would have been more convenient. There is very little room for error if you want to knock out 24lbs. in three months. Nathan took off 26.

 

Before dieting at around 23olbs and ??% body fat:

Nathan Being Extremely Happy

 

Before the Training Room at 220lbs and ~26% body fat:

Nathan and Liz in their engagement photo, along with their dog, O'Malley.

 

After at 194lbs and 18.9% body fat:

Nathan after his final workout before the wedding - note how much happier he is with his Christmas tree than with me.

Nathan and Liz's Wedding Photo

Train hard!

Jason

Take The Training Room home with you for Thanksgiving

At The Training Room we strive to make fitness accessible to anyone, anywhere and at any time.  So move the coffee table aside, get a piece of floor and prepare to burn some calories and work up a little sweat.  Only equipment needed for this workout is you.

Complete 2-4 sets going from one exercise to the next.  After completing the fourth exercise take as little rest as needed before beginning your next set.  By limiting the rest between sets you will increase your heart rate working your cardiovascular system.

1. Body Weight Squats: 10-20 repetitions

With your feet placed shoulder width distance apart, and your toes slightly turned out, squat down like you are trying to sit back in a chair.  Remember to keep your weight distributed on your heels as you want your glutes and hamstrings to fire more than the muscles in the front of your legs.  Maintain the alignment with your knees over your toes (not in front) and keep your chest tall by looking forward throughout all the reps.  Feel free to place a chair, bench or ottoman behind you as a target for your squat.

2. Push-ups: 10-15 repetitions

The push up is probably one of the most under rated, misunderstood exercises that is often performed with incorrect form.

To perform the push up correctly, you must maintain a straight body or plank position. holding the body tight throughout each repetition.  The muscles of the back, abdominals, glutes and legs work together to maintain the proper plank position.  Push ups may look easy, but there is technique involved in performing a correct push up.  Some common mistakes seen with push ups are: looking up or hyper extending the neck, allowing the head to drop towards the floor, or leading with the chin, allowing the hips to drop or sag, elbows out, shallow range of motion.

With that in mind, the correct way to do a push up is:

-Lie face down on the floor with toes pulled under
-Keep elbows at about a 45 degree angle
-Press up to the starting position and slowly lower yourself toward the floor
-Keep a neutral neck – don’t look up and don’t allow head to drop to the floor
-Keep chin tucked
-Keep your abdominals tight and squeeze your glutes

 

 

3. Body Weight  Lunges: 8-12 repetitions per side

-Stand with your feet approximately hip-width apart and your arms at your sides or behind your head, squeezing your shoulder blades together.

-Take a long enough step to keep your knee behind your toe and in proper alignment.   Weight should be equally distributed between both feet.

-Keep your torso erect as you bend your front leg so your thigh is parallel with the floor.  As you do this, bend your back leg, bringing the heel off the floor so your knee almost touches the ground.  Your shoulders should be over your hips or just slightly in front of them, depending on your flexibility.

-Return to the starting position stepping backwards if you are completing forward lunges, or stepping forward if you choose reverse lunges.

4. Plank and Side Plank Position

Feel free to switch between the prone plank and the side plank to focus on different muscles groups.

Plank on elbows:  Hold for 30 seconds – 1 minute

Cues: Low back should look exactly like it does when your standing (slight arch), glutes squeezed tight, and brace core.

Side Plank:  Hold for 30 seconds – 1 minute

Straight Leg

If the straight leg version is too difficult, drop down to your knees to reduce the long lever position.

cues: Hips are pushed forward and keep them high; elbow should be directly below the shoulder.

Bent Knee – Beginner Version