Exercise Profile : The Upright Row

The upright row targets the upper trapezius, middle deltoid and anterior deltoid.

1) Start standing straight with your knees slightly bent to keep pressure off your lower back. Chest out and shoulders back. Hold the barbell with palms of your hands facing your legs. Keep your hands about 10 inches apart, but feel free to vary your grip to allow you to "feel" the exercise.

2) Extend your arms fully down so they are just above your thighs.

3) Make sure your legs are hip-wide with toes slightly pointed out. This will keep you stable and in balance.

4) Inhale as you pull up to the upper chest area. Keep your abs tight.

5) Keep your head in a fixed position. Keep your eyes forward and find a spot to concentrate on.

Start with three sets of 10! Have fun!

A.J. McAlendin

Losing Fat - Part 4

Try not to eat carbs by themselves. When you are trying to lose fat, insulin control is key. The release of insulin is governed not just by how many carbs you eat, but also how easy they are to digest. If you have no choice but to eat fast digesting carbs (white bread, white pasta, white rice) you can still slow down absorption to maintain somewhat stable insulin levels. One way is to eat your carbs with a small amount of fat (flax oil or olive oil) and some protein. So, white rice, lean steak cooked with a small amount of canola oil is an example. Your insulin release will be better than with just eating the rice by itself.

You can also eat a heafty serving of vegetables (hard to digest) and slow down the absorption of all carbohydrates. Stir fry your heart out!!

A.J. McAlendin

Losing Fat - Part 3

Dietary fat is more fattening than protein or carbs. It is less likely to be used as energy to fuel your body. It is not without saying that carbs and protein can also be turned into fat and stored in the body when taken in excess, but they are more likely to be burned as fuel.

Protein builds muscle. Fat does not, but moderate amounts of necessary dietary fat supports vitamin uptake and helps manufacture hormones in the body.

If you are trying to get lean, stick to mono and polyunsaturated fat sources. Keep the fat as low as you can, but don't drop below 60g per day or so.

We all know we need protein to add muscle. As you add muscle your metabolism increases and this means you burn more calories at rest. The more muscle you have, the more you can eat without worrying too much about it. Also, protein takes more energy to process in the body, this is called the "thermic effect of food".

This is also why high protein diets work so well at initial fat loss. However, if you have preexisting liver or kidney problems you may need to stay away from a high protein diet. If you do not have any problems, then you should really try it. A high protein diet works, plain and simple!

Start with 1g of lean protein per kg of bodyweight.

A.J. McAlendin

Losing Fat - Part 2

Not all carbohydrates are the same. Fast digesting carbs tend to spike insulin and lead to extra fat gain. White rice, white bread, sugary cereals, candy, chips, rice cakes and white rice are all fast digesting carbs. The only time you really want these products is after working out aid recovery. Your body wants them after working out, it needs to heal and recover quickly!

Slow digesting carbs (whole grain bread, whole grain pasta, oats, sweet potatoe, legmes) do not make a huge rise in insulin and are preferred by the body. Your body likes a constant supply of energy, about 100 calories an hour on average. So eating every three hours (300 calories) allows you to eat 5-6 smaller meals throughout the day and not gain weight. Keep active and you will not have to worry.

The complex, slow digesting carbs should make up the bulk of your carbohydrate intake.

To drop bodyfat, you can try eliminating fast digesting carbs for a few weeks and see the effect on your body. If you find you are very tired, lethargic and weak, add in a quarter cup of white rice three times a day and then try that for a couple weeks.

The body is all about balance and trial and error. There is no perfect solution for everyone. You have to try it for a length of time, look at the result and tweak it until you achieve your goals.

In general keep carbs to 2g per pound per day.

200lbs x 2g = 400g per day for a 200lb person
120lbs x 2g = 240g per day for a 120lb person

A.J. McAlendin

Losing Fat - Part 1

Most active men or women require about 18 calories per pound of bodyweight per day. This is of course dependant on your activity level, but for simplicity, 18 calories per pound per day is a good number to start with.

To reduce bodyfat you must reduce calories and increase exercise. Anyone telling you otherwise should go back to school. Drop your calories to 14-16 calories per pound on exercise days and drop to 12 calories per pound on non-workout days.

200lb man x 12 - 2400 calories for the day. Stay at this level until you stop losing fat and your weight stabilizes. 2-3 months should do the trick. Once you reach a stable weight, re-evaluate and make new goals.

WARNING: NEVER DROP BELOW 1500 CALORIES A DAY!! Starvation is below 1200 per day. Your body will stop producing vital hormones and use muscle tissue to keep alive. After a while you look like a skeleton! YUCK!

The easiest way to cut calories is to reduce dietary fat. Reduce butter, oil, salad dressing, remove chicken and turkey skin, use 3 egg whites to one whole egg, use lean cuts of meat with no visible fat.....but.... LOW fat, NOT no fat. We need fat to survive. Cut back, but not below around 60g per day. Your body needs it to produce hormones and vital body processes.

A.J. McAlendin