This article, by Patrick Gamboa, Vice President of Education and Curriculum Development, was featured in the September issue of ISSA's Associate newsletter. To subscribe to the Associate, click here: http://ipost.com/issa/prefs

One of the most common questions I encounter when assisting students and trainers with issues of optimal fitness is "can I drink alcohol and reach (or maintain) my desired weight?" As football season begins, many of us will be debating over the added calories in a tall cool one. Whether you drink is up to you and your doctor, but here are some points on alcohol consumption as it relates to weight management.

Alcohol is not void of calories. Not only does alcohol contain 7 calories per gram (a close second to the caloric impact of fat), most drinks also have a fair amount of sugar. The sugar may be natural, such as in wine, or may be part of a mixer, like that used in margaritas and daiquiris. It is quite obvious that regular, excess consumption of alcoholic drinks can lead to weight gain.

Due to the many examples of excess, alcohol is frequently associated with the "beer belly." However, scientific evidence suggests that responsible, regular, moderate drinking may actually improve weight control and may assist with weight loss. (Moderate drinking is defined as 2 drinks per day for males under 65 and 1 drink per day for females and for males over 65--one drink is equivalent to 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits.) Though the evidence is conflicting, it appears that fermented beverages,1 such as wine and beer, have been shown to improve the body's ability to regulate weight through a variety of mechanisms including: improved hormonal status (DHEA), improved insulin sensitivity, increased energy expenditure, antiangiogenic effects, and PPAR-receptor activation.

Moderate alcohol consumption has been shown to increase DHEA (sulfate) 16.5%, which may account for some of its weight management effects. Among other roles, DHEA directly affects body functions related to weight gain. When DHEA levels drop, bodyweight and body fat increase.

Moderate alcohol consumption may also influence insulin sensitivity. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas, which drives sugar into the cells. Insulin also inhibits fat breakdown and promotes the storage of fat. As people age or suffer from obesity, they become less sensitive to the effects of insulin, requiring greater levels of the hormone to be released. High insulin levels, caused by reduced insulin sensitivity, lead to progressive fat accumulation. By improving the body's ability to respond to insulin, moderate drinking appears to reduce the risk of excess fat gain and possibly promote fat loss.

A third benefit of moderate consumption involves caloric intake vs. energy expenditure. Calories are burned by three main avenues: basal metabolic rate, thermogenesis, and physical activity. Alcohol may increase thermogenesis in moderate drinkers. Regular drinkers may also see a reduction in the available calories from alcohol consumption, as they up-regulate the microsomal ethanol-oxidizing system, a set of enzymes that dispose of alcohol without using it for energy.

Certain alcohols also possess weight management benefits specific to their composition. Red wine, for example, possesses components that have been shown in alternate uses to limit an increase in fat. "Angiogenesis" is a term that describes the growth of new blood vessels, necessary for growing or active tissue. Antiangiogenic compounds have been used as an adjunct treatment for cancer patients, and it has been observed that while blocking new blood vessel growth affects tumor size, it also prevents fat deposits from growing. As a result of this finding, antiangiogenics are being developed by pharmaceutical companies to combat obesity. Several antiangiogenic factors are present in red wine, including resveratrol, which may also explain some of the heart disease protection and lower cancer rates present in wine consumers. However, the antiangiogenic effect of wine is likely to be a less significant contributor to noted weight management effects.

An interesting final benefit of moderate drinking is linked to the hops in beer. The extract of hops, an ingredient used in the brewing of beer, has demonstrated weight loss effects in rats. Isohumulones are present in hop extract and have many properties that may lead to fat loss. By blocking the effect of digestive enzymes, hop extract appears to inhibit the digestion of dietary fat, resulting in decreased fat calorie absorption. Isohumulones have been shown to reduce fat cell size in rats, improve insulin sensitivity and lower blood fats (triglycerides). In addition, isohumulones also increase lipid oxidation (fat-calorie burning), decrease fat storage and have an antiangiogenic effect. Further, isohumulones also appear to activate PPAR receptors. Active PPAR receptors reduce blood fats (triglycerides), improve insulin sensitivity, and reduce appetite. It remains to be seen if similar effects are noted in humans, but the initial data shows promise.

Though the individual effects of increased DHEA, improved insulin sensitivity, increased caloric expenditure, antiangiogenic effects, and PPAR-receptor activation are likely of minimal potency, the combination may produce weight management benefits over the course of many years. Remember though: the amount is key. One to two drinks, depending on gender and age. More than that, and your body will have no choice but to store the calories as fat--not to mention battle all the other negative physiological effects of excess alcohol. So cheers!--to alcohol in moderation.

Have a specific question about proper training and nutrition? Drop me a line at AskTheTrainer@issaonline.com.

1. Though distilled alcohol does offer some heart protective effects, these beverages have not been studied as thoroughly for their effect on bodyweight.

This article was featured in the Sept/Oct 2008 edition of ISSA's Associate Newsletter. To sign up for this bi-monthly newsletter, please visit: http://ipost.com/issa/prefs

One word, one food, one macronutrient has seemingly caused more conversation and controversy in the past few years than any of the other dietary substances combined. This staple of the modern American diet is either being vastly overeaten, under-eaten, or completely abandoned all across the country, and I think that it's time we found out the truth about the infamous carbohydrate. Atkins and South Beach philosophies aside, we'll focus on modern research to learn more about the carbohydrate as a substance, as well as an appropriate and recommended intake.

Let us first identify carbohydrates as a substance. Carbohydrates are your body's primary source of energy. They can be found in grains, starches (pasta, potatoes) vegetables and legumes (beans and peas). They're also found in sugar and sweets, including fruit and candy, and even in dairy products. Each gram of carbohydrate contains 4 calories. During digestion, your body converts carbohydrates into sugar (glucose). The sugar enters your bloodstream, where it is transferred to individual cells to provide energy. Some of the extra sugar is stored in your liver and muscles as glycogen. Your muscles normally store only small amounts of glycogen--enough to support you during activities such as recreational biking or swimming, weightlifting, and 5- to 10-kilometer runs. But depending on your level of fitness, your muscles may run low on glycogen if you exercise intensely for more than 90 to 120 minutes. In turn, your stamina and performance may suffer. This can be an issue during activities such as long-distance running, swimming, cycling, soccer and triathlons.

Endurance exercise is not the only form of training and competition in which carbohydrate depletion can compromise performance; it can also occur during high-intensity exercise as well, especially during activities that involve high quantities of repeated anaerobic bouts. This depletion can then trigger a phenomenon known as gluconeogenesis, a process by which additional energy is produced by the synthesis of glucose from protein and fats. Unfortunately, a prevailing disadvantage of this compensatory energy-producing mechanism is the potential loss of muscle tissue. This fact, of course, flags the significance of adequate carbohydrate intake and its role in the maintenance of the body's protein stores.

Insufficient carbohydrate supplies can also affect the brain, since the primary fuel for the brain is glucose. Impaired central nervous system (CNS) function is apparent during starvation and prolonged endurance exercise, when depleted glycogen stores can induce feelings of dizziness and general malaise. In the case of low-carbohydrate diets, prevalent side effects are symptoms of fatigue, weakness, and hunger.

Conversely, excess carbohydrate intake can lead to undesired weight gain. Ingested carbohydrates are converted to muscle and liver glycogen, but once their carrying capacity is achieved, the rest is converted to fat--an unwanted result for those who want to lose weight and improve body composition. It is also critically disadvantageous for athletes engaged in events in which weight gain diminishes performance (e.g., distance running, swimming, etc.). This signifies the extreme importance of a dietary regimen that maintains a balance between adequate energy production and physique maintenance or improvement.

Given all of this information, let's take a look at how many daily carbohydrates are necessary but not excessive. This is a complicated question based on the various and particular needs of individuals. For the "average" person wanting to increase muscle and decrease fat, ISSA's 3-2-1 Rule--1 part fat, 2 parts protein, and 3 parts carbs--is a good general reference when deciding on your daily meals. Additionally, we also recommend that out of that 3 parts carbohydrates, no more than 25% be comprised of simple carbohydrates such as sugars and processed foods. For instance, if an individual required 2400 calories per day based on BMR and activity level, each "part" would translate to 400 calories (2400/6 parts = 400). Therefore, 1 part fat would equal 400 calories from fat, 2 parts protein would equal 800 calories from protein, and 3 parts carbohydrates would equal 1200 calories from carbohydrates. Of those 1200 carb calories, a maximum of 300 would come from sugars and processed foods.

ISSA's Zig Zag approach is another helpful tool when deciding what to eat and when. This approach focuses primarily on the manipulation of calories and carbohydrate intake on a day-to-day basis, emphasizing days of increased calories and carbohydrates (particularly on days of high intensity training) versus days of decreased calories and carbohydrates (particularly on rest days) to maximize nutrients for energy and recovery, but with the intermittent low cal days for stimulating metabolism and maximum recovery without overeating.

In reference to general carbohydrate intake percentage, I recommend that the average active individual ingest roughly 50% to 55% of their daily calories from carbohydrate sources, preferably complex carbohydrates. Mind you, this is a general recommendation based on low to moderate activity levels. For those who are more active or training rigorously for an event such as a triathlon or a sport, that carbohydrate percentage may need to be increased to 60% or higher to account for the additional energy needed to perform at maximal levels. If you are worried about carbohydrate intake affecting your physique, remember, the Zig Zag approach is a perfect remedy for this. On days that you plan to exercise or train at high intensity levels for an extended period of time, more carbohydrates are naturally required; but days that are going to be used for rest and recovery, cut back slightly on your calories and carbohydrates, and focus more heavily on lean sources of protein in your meals to reinforce muscle recovery. This way, you'll rarely have to worry about reaching a surplus of carbohydrates that your body can't process and use for fuel.

I know that most people reading this would love for me to offer a specific number of carbohydrates per pound per day as a scientifically proven recommendation, but that is just not the case, not yet at least. Our lives are just too different from one another to benefit from a precise recommendation. What I can say is that studies are being conducted daily on the topic of carbohydrate needs for both fat loss and performance enhancement all over the world, so new and exciting developments are sure to find us in the near future. In the meantime, our recommendation is to keep your carbohydrates around that 50% to 55% range, trying to derive most of your carbs from high quality, complex carbohydrates, which will inevitably supply you with adequate mental and physical energy to be successful throughout your day. Whatever you do, stay away from any diets or "experts" advising you to severely limit your carb intake for an extended period of time. This is both counterproductive and potentially dangerous, and for an athlete can be disastrous to performance. Carbohydrates are one of the most vital nutrients offered to us, so enjoy them, just not too much.

This article was featured in an archived edition of ISSA's Associate Newsletter. To sign up for this bi-monthly newsletter, please visit: http://ipost.com/issa/prefs

Summertime is approaching quickly and for most of us, that means days of fun at the beach, hanging out by the pool, and afternoon barbecues. It also means it's time to kick our training into high gear so that when the heat turns up, the clothes can come off with confidence, ready to show off that body you've worked so hard for all year long.

Certainly you've heard from at least a couple of fitness enthusiasts claiming high repetitions are key to getting "cut." However, science tells us just how accurate this common belief is: it's NOT! In fact, there is no logical or physiological reasoning for this type of training, and the masses that have spent hours of training time pumping out 30+ repetitions per set have been sacrificing some true fat burning, body shaping potential, and could be impeding their progress.

When trying to shape or tone your body, there are a couple of things that are important to remember. First of all, there is no such thing as spot reducing. It is impossible to target a location on your body that YOU decide to pull and utilize fat from. Doing 20 repetitions of chest presses is not going to magically sculpt your chest or give it a harder look. The ultimate goal of a sculpting or cutting program is essentially to increase the percentage of lean body mass (muscle) and decrease fatty tissue so that the muscles will be more visible. The only appropriate way to do this is through a resistance program that promotes muscle hypertrophy (term for the growth and increase of the size of muscle cells) and a diet that promotes fat loss. Science has proven in both men and women, that only resistance training that is high in intensity, utilizing 8-12 repetitions, moderate to heavy resistance and a maximum of one minute rest between sets will maximize serum testosterone and growth hormone levels, thus allowing for successful recovery, adaptation, muscular growth and hypertrophy.

Since we have established that a primary focal point of getting toned is body fat reduction, than obviously nutrient and caloric intake are paramount. Consider that 1 pound of fat is equal to 3500 calories. In order to lose 1 pound of fat per week, logically you'll have to expend or burn 3500 calories through diet and/or exercise over the course of that week to achieve that objective. As suggested by the ISSA's zigzag diet method, the ideal way to lose fat while preserving muscle is to consume fewer calories on non-exercise days and slightly increase calories on days of moderate to intense activity to provide the body with fuel it needs for the workout. Some other helpful hints include consuming 5 to 6 smaller meals throughout the day. This will ensure that your metabolism stays elevated at all times and will your body will remain in a constant fat-burning state. Also, limit your intake of saturated fats and simple sugars, and focus instead on consuming lean sources of protein and low glycemic carbohydrates. It is also very important to keep your water intake high at a level of around 0.6 ounces per pound of body weight.

Finally, what would an efficient fat-burning program be without some good old fashion cardiovascular exercise? If you want to maximize your body's fat burning capacity and also minimize muscle loss (catabolism) that inevitably accompanies a fat-burning cycle, I suggest that you do your aerobic work directly after your resistance training at less than 75% of your maximum heart rate. If you are doing cardiovascular work on your off (non-resistance training) days, then I recommend that you train at 85% to 95% of your max heart rate for the first 30 minutes and drop the intensity to 75% for the last 20 to 30 minutes. These types of workouts will shoot your resting metabolism through the roof and will allow you to burn maximum amounts of fat even when you are at rest. That's the skinny folks. Take the "light weight and higher reps" philosophy and throw it away with the multitude of other training myths you've heard through the years. Following this misguided method will only put you at risk to lose strength and muscle mass, and will not assist you in burning fat or defining your physique. Stick to the basic principles stated above and you should be well prepared to shed fat, and eventually clothing, come summertime!

As always, we want to cover fitness topics that you want to read about. If you have a topic of interest that you'd like to see in the next issue, send me an email at FocusOnFitness@issaonline.com.

This article was featured in an archived edition of ISSA's Associate Newsletter. To sign up for this bi-monthly newsletter, please visit: http://ipost.com/issa/prefs

Question:

"Clark, firstly I should congratulate you on your successful career in fitness. I've just read your first article in The Associate newsletter and am inspired, but hesitant. I love fitness and have been involved in fitness in some way or another for all of my adult life...but I've not been getting paid for it. Although I'd very much like to make my living in the fitness field fitness, I have a hard time deciding whether I can afford to leave my full time job to give my fitness career the time and dedication required to be successful. I'm 38 and live in Hawaii with my husband and 3 kids. Living in Hawaii is expensive and we depend on my income as a sales professional. I've been looking into fitness certifications, but first need to figure out whether I can make the fitness business work for us financially. What advice do you have for someone trying to get started but who needs to make money in the field? Do you have any suggestions for a business plan that would include a profit of $100K+ in the first year? Whatever suggestions you have would be appreciated."

Kelly Launer

Answer:

Thanks for the compliment on my career; I have been very blessed to make a full time living doing what I love. My first bit of advice would be to reinforce your decision to 'keep your day job.' If your current lifestyle depends on you working, then I say, stay working...for a while at least. We all know as personal trainers we are somewhat limited in our earning potential because many of us fail to think 'outside the box.' I had an interesting and very inspiring conversation with a gal in the gym just the other day and this was my advice to her and I'll suggest you consider it as well as it may be something that can help you transition without sacrificing financially. If I were you, here is what I would do.

Think about what makes you special for a moment. What is your niche and what can you exploit about your personality that would cause a group of women to want to train with you? Let's say, for example, that you are a "spiritual" person. You are in the perfect environment (Hawaii, expensive location and all) to create a weekend group personal training/spiritual empowerment fitness camp. See where I am going with this? You could charge up to $100.00 per participant and put an attendance limit on the enrollment to create a sense of urgency as you market the camp.

There is something else I would do to separate you from the masses: offer a money back guarantee to anyone who doesn't see a measurable result in 90 days or so. You know, as well as I do, that if these women comply with at least 70-80% of your suggestions, they will get results and you'll never have to return a penny. On top of the physical results you'll be enriching them spiritually and emotionally as well. This idea can obviously be brainstormed even more, but this should be an excellent start for you to begin to segue into a full time career as a personal trainer. I hope this helps.

Clark

Question:

"Hi Clark:

For a couple months, I've been debating whether or not to pursue a career in the world of professional fitness and I'm hoping that you may have some information and/or advice that could finally help me to decide whether or not to go for it and join the ISSA. I'm very interested in nutrition and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, both for myself and for others. However, I'm less sure that I'm interested in working with others as a personal trainer. I also fully believe that exercise is the key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and I absolutely love going to the gym. I would love to shift my interest into a career but I'm finding it difficult to find career opportunities in the fitness world other than becoming either a nutritionist/dietician or a personal trainer. After reading your article about fitness modeling, I'm wondering if you could suggest other careers that are out there in the fitness world. At some point in time, I would love to be a writer for a fitness magazine and possibly own my own health center. But, as you can imagine, I've no idea where to begin and what my career path should be to make these dreams come true. I'm not sure what credentials I'd need to be a writer and/or owner of a health center, and was hoping you might have some insight.

Anything you could share would be very much appreciated!

Thank you." Amy Balosie

Answer: I understand your frustration in thinking that being a personal trainer is your only option here, Amy, but that couldn't be further from the truth! The opportunities are endless when it comes to enjoying a career in this ever-expanding industry. My career has been pretty multi-dimensional to say the least. I've been a:

Trainer Model Writer Supplement manufacturer Gym owner Consultant Product endorser Actor (because of my physical prowess) Producer Web marketer Motivator Infomercial spokesperson Product developer (for fitness equipment) Designed and owned a clothing line for "athletic bodies" Promoter ( I have my own fitness and bodybuilding show) Sales Counselor Gym manager

If you are serious about starting a writing career, here is what I would do. Like the first question I answered above, you first need to figure out what makes you special and different from everyone else out there and use this to start a web log (blog). I've seen some crazy ones out there like, "The Fat Guy's Guide to Fitness." Create a following and then parlay that into writing for a magazine. This is something you could easily do.

Another idea is to find someone inspirational who has done something noteworthy in fitness, write a smashing article about them, and approach Oprah magazine or some publication like that. For example, when I met a guy at the gym who had lost 160lbs, I thought to myself, "I need to write an article about this guy and shop it around to a variety of magazines." Magazines need content and you could provide it...if you are motivated enough. I cannot begin to tell you how many million dollar ideas I have given away and most people never follow through! Very sad how people expect to have opportunities handed to them. You need to make opportunities happen and never wait for them to happen to you.

Or start a web site and sell something on line. Anyway, with a little hard work, creativity and persistence, who knows where you'll be in a year from now.

Clark