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What you need to know about cardio

20 August

You wanna lose fat. And you want to do it FAST!

To burn off that fat, you’ve got to burn some extra calories. There’s no way around it.

So the most common piece of advice you’ll hear is “do more cardio.”

Easier said than done, right? Especially when you consider that there is so much conflicting information out there. Some people say you need to do hours on end of cardio. Yet others say that long bouts of cardio are a waste of time. Instead what you need is HIIT cardio (high intensity interval training.)

So who’s right!? And more importantly, what should YOU do so you can start burning off that fat faster than ever before?

When it comes to what kind of cardio to do, it depends.

The main purpose of cardio in any fat loss program is to expend extra calories once you’ve ALREADY established a caloric deficit from your diet and are on a sound weight-lifting program. So in the end, the goal is to burn enough calories to create enough of a deficit that you’ll lose weight.

Both low-intensity and high-intensity cardio can do that.

The trade-off is time and efficiency. With low-intensity cardio (like walking) you have to do more of it to burn a decent amount of calories. This is why most recommendations for low-intensity cardio are between 45-60 minutes.

On the other hand, high-intensity cardio burns the same amount of calories in half the time (roughly).

So with just 20-30 minutes of intense interval training, you can burn the same number of calories as you do with 45-60 minutes of low-intensity steady state cardio.

So what’s the best advice? Mix it up.

Do 2 high intensity sessions a week.

If you still need more cardio than that, then add in maybe one or two extra bouts of low-intensity cardio. The only suggestion here is that you want to do this gradually. That is, if you’re out of shape, start by only doing low-intensity cardio.

Once you’ve lost a bit of weight and have improved your cardiovascular system, then start adding in one intense cardio session a week. Then build to two.

By mixing things up this way, you’re reducing the chances of overuse injury. And, you ward off over-training (5 high intensity cardio sessions a week plus weight training is overkill!)

So Start small. Then build up. Then mix in both HIIT type workouts with low-intensity workouts and you’ll see your fat loss speed up.

 

 

Please leave questions or comments below, i’ll be happy to answer them here. You can also call 719-640-0141 or email me at info@precisionfitnesstrainer.com if you need further help with your fitness program.

Comitted to you health,

Edward Scaduto

Colorado Springs Personal Trainer and owner of Precision Fitness

 

Happy Birthday Shannon!

11 August

On August 4th, Precision Fitness was honored to celebrate Shannon’s Birthday. Here is Shannon’s Birthday bash workout.

Two circuits of the following:

3 min running on the treadmill

50 Body weight squats

30 seconds plank

Cable squat to row 30 # x 20

DB Forward lunge with triceps extension

Medicine Ball squat to throw 6# x 20

Great Job, and Happy Birthday Shannon!

 

 

Colorado Springs Boot Camp For Women

08 August

Colorado Springs Precision Fitness

This Fitness Boot Camp Will Have You Laughing At Weight Loss And Make You Trim Down Practically Overnight…

Do you want to lose weight… tone your entire body … and become stronger and healthier? And you want to do it with-out wasting any more money on fad diets, bad supplements, and boring work outs.

Using the most advance and cutting-edge techniques, Precision Fitness Boot Camp for Women will have your entire body looking more toned than ever. You will lose the fat in every one of your trouble spots – from your hips, to your butt and your stomach!

This boot camp will have you working with the perfect blend of strength training and conditioning that will give you the ultimate fat burning workout in just 45 minutes, three times per week.

Simply visit www.PrecisionFitnessTrainer/Colorado-Springs-Boot-Camp.com or call 719-640-0141 for more information. Though before you do …

HERE’S THE CATCH…

Because we do not have unlimited space in our class we are going to limit this offer to the first 15 people that register. So if you are ready to take our challenge and get the body you deserve then visit www.PrecisionFitnessTrainer/Colorado-Springs-Boot-Camp.com

Classes start September 7th

Happy Birthday Larry S.

04 August

Larry warming up

On July 27th, Precision Fitness was honored to celebrate Larry’s birthday. Even though it was his special day, instead of slowing down or taking a day off, he came in and really worked like only Larry can, methodically and with a no surrender attitude. Here’s what he did after a thorough warm-up, and all in under 25 minutes.

All exercises performed for 30 seconds with a two minute break between each circuit. Two sets for each circuit.

Circuit One

A1. Dumbbell Step ups 15#’s

A2. Modified Burpee

A3. Dumbbell swings with 20#’s

A4. Modified Burpee

A5. Dumbbell Step ups 15#’s

Circuit Two

B1. Dumbbell Reverse lunges with 15#’s

B2. Pushups

B3. Dumbbell Romanian Deadlifts with 4#’s

B4. Pushups

B5. Dumbbell Reverse lunges with 15#’s

Circuit Three

C1. Dumbbell Bent alternating Row with 15#’s

C2. Single leg planks

C3. Dumbbell Goblet Squats with 20#’s

C4. Single leg planks

C5. Dumbbell Bent alternating Row with 15#’s

 

His workout was impressive to say the least.

Great job Larry and Happy Birthday!

(Larry has worked out for several years in order to train at this advance level. His program is not recommended for everyone. If you do have any questions, or would like to take your training program to the next level please give us a call at 719-640-0141)

Are you eating often enough?

24 July

Are you eating often enough?

Frequent eating can help you stabilize blood sugar, prevent cravings and increase your metabolism. 

Eating frequent meals is one of the habits that we teach here at Precision Fitness. You can read more about it here.  It consists of eating small meals 5 to 6 times per day or every 2 to 4 hours.

Eating in this manner assures your body will have the nutrients it needs when it needs it. This provides your body the environment to increase metabolism, allowing you to get better results from your program.

How does this happen?

The popular theory is that by eating frequent meals you convey to your body that it will not starve. Knowing that it will not have to go long periods of time with out eating the body then feels safe enough to burn up calories rather than conserve them. 

According to Dr. Dan Benardot, a professor and Head Division of Nutrition Director at Georgia State, “There is an enormous amount of research that shows eating smaller meals more frequently through the day results in a leaner, more muscular body”.

One of the earliest studies supporting these types of results involved two groups of boxers.

The two groups of boxers ate the same amount of calories and performed the same workout routines. The only difference is one group ate the calories in three large meals and the second group ate 6 smaller meals.

The 3 meal a day group did not change much, neither losing body fat nor gaining any muscle. Can you guess what happened with the 6 meal a day group?

They lost more body fat and even gained lean body mass.

All this on the same amount of calories.

So what happened? Same calories and same training yet two different results. It’s an example of increased metabolism in the group that ate 6 times per day.

It’s easy to see why eating frequent meals remains the foundation for good nutrition. It’s a habit that I strongly recommend especially if your goal is increasing your metabolism.

If you have any questions on how to implement this habit or need more information on how to create habits that can improve your health, fitness and performance please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Eat Well ~ Live Better

Edward Scaduto

34th Annual NSCA National Conference…

12 July

I just got back from spending a view days in the city that never sleeps. I spent my time endlessly gambling away my hard earned money and consuming far too many free drinks. Well thats not entirely true, what really happened is I got to spend a few days learning from some of the best exercise scientists and strength and conditioning coaches in the world. Trust me, this is much better than gambling and drinking any day. These great presentations have always left me thinking about ways to make our training programs here at Precision Fitness more effective. I will be sharing some of those insights with you here on the blog in the next few days so check back soon.

Ed Scaduto

 

Colorado Springs Personal Trainer Talks About The Benefits Of A Controlled Carb Diet …

25 June

(This is re-post of an article written earlier by Colorado Springs Personal Trainer Edward Scaduto of Precision Fitness. It has been modified and updated. It’s covers an important topic for all those in search of better health and weight management.)

Have you been to the book store and looked in the Diet and Nutrition section lately? There are a plethora of Diet books that promise easy weight loss and of course the latest and greatest way to a slimmer mid-section. The problem is, if you’re not working with a Colorado Springs Precision Fitness Trainer, you won’t have the knowledge to choose which diet book works for you and which one may be a waste of time and money.

A study in the New England Journal of Medicine confirms what many of us in the fitness field have known for quite some time. A low carb or Mediterranean diet is a healthy and more effective way to lose weight and achieve greater cardiovascular benefit.

Here’s what the Wall Street Journal said about this study:

The study, which tracked 322 Israelis for two years, surprisingly found that a low-carb diet, often associated in the U.S. with high levels of meat consumption — was better than a low-fat diet in boosting blood levels of “good” cholesterol, or high-density lipoproteins associated with cardiovascular health benefits. It also determined that the Mediterranean diet, which includes wine, olive oil, whole grains and fruits, was better than the low-fat diet in controlling glucose levels.

The number of studies that prove a low carb diet is more effective for weight loss is really adding up. Take this study for instance: the low carb dieters lost 12.3 lbs., the Mediterranean dieters lost 10.2 lbs.,  and the low fat dieters lost 7.3 lbs. Though the numbers aren’t astounding, five pounds is a considerable amount and can make most anyone feel or look better.

The real kicker here is that all three groups ate about the same amount of calories. How can this be? According to Colorado Springs Personal Trainer, Edward Scaduto, “It simply takes energy to make energy. This process in your body is called the Thermic Effect of Food or TEF”. TEF is the amount of energy it takes your body to break down the food that you digest into smaller pieces that your body can use. Your body expends more energy to break down protein and vegetables than it does carbohydrates and fats that you consume. Thus, your body burns more calories  from digesting certain type of food items. The more calories you burn the easier it is to manage your body weight.

So what if I told you that you can lose an extra 5 pounds without eating  less calories but through eating more whole and lean protein, fresh vegetables and fruits and healthy fats, would you be interested? I thought so …

My goal as the owner of Colorado Springs Precision Fitness and also as a personal trainer is to educate our clients through the fitness maze and empower them to make choices to meet their personal goals. If you have any questions related to the topic of weight loss, nutrition or fitness contact Edward Scaduto of Precision Fitness, Colorado Springs Premier Personal Training program at info@precisionfitnesstrainer.com.

 

“I have lost 15 pounds and now my Cholesterol is 178…”

09 June

I am a 56-year-old woman who weighed 197 lbs when I started working with Ed Scaduto. My cholesterol was 245. I was not in any kind of shape but round!

I had come into a little money and had to decide what to do with it. My first thought was to put it away for retirement. But with exertion asthma, fatigue, and other health issues, I decided to use it to make sure I make it to retirement.

Ed brought me along slowly after evaluating my capabilities. Even the basics were a challenge at first. But soon, I was pumping iron, engaging in cardio, and looking for more challenges. Ed advised me on my dietary intake and coached me constantly. He took the time to discuss health issues and the latest research findings and how they apply to me. He is a very patient trainer!

Now, I’ve lost over 15 pounds and my cholesterol is 178! I am in great shape now and my stamina is awesome! I look forward to working out with Ed – he keeps me motivated and moving!

Nan

Looking To Hire A Personal Trainer In Colorado Springs?

26 May

Are you in the market for a Colorado Springs Personal Trainer? Here is a list of six qualifications you should look for when hiring a Personal trainer.

1. Education – Your Colorado Springs Personal Trainer should have a solid education in Biology, the Exercises Sciences or related field. Knowing your trainer has invested an immense amount of time and money into becoming a fitness professional gives you the peace of mind of knowing your trainer has the basic understanding of how the body works and moves to improve overall health.

2. Certifications – Ask your Colorado Springs Personal Trainer for a list of any current certifications completed. A certification from NASM, NSCA, or ACSM is good start. These are three of the top certification programs in the fitness industry. A good certification provides more of the hands-on knowledge a trainer requires to provide an effective exercise program. A personal trainer who holds more than one certification has a wider range of knowledge and experience thereby providing more personalized routines, exercises, etc.

3. Role Model – Your Colorado Springs Personal Trainer should also be a role model. This simply means a trainer should look like they exercise and live a healthy lifestyle. This doesn’t mean he or she should look like a runway model but they should provide you motivation and inspiration to accomplish more. It would be difficult to accomplish your goals if they do not model the aspects being taught or if they do not take care of themselves.

4. Experience – Your Colorado Springs Personal Trainer should have several years of experience of working with clients in a fitness setting. This is the time where they develop the “in the trenches” techniques and methods that can’t be learned anywhere else. Learning certain mannerisms, how to wear different hats depending upon client’s personalities, and the difference between effective and ineffective techniques is crucial to client success. These are aspects of training that can’t be learned in a textbook. Look for a trainer with at least two to three years of experience.

5. Coaching – You need a trainer who does more than count reps and gives you pep talks. You need a Colorado Springs personal trainer who is also a good coach. A coach should meet you where you currently are and inspire you to move forward to meet all your fitness goals. Coaches are there to help provide the education and accountability you need to consistently improve. They personalize your exercise and nutrition strategy working with your current level of fitness and not theirs. They also know when it’s the right time to push you to do more or when it’s time to back down and provide words of encouragement. Ultimately a coach knows how to push you past your current levels of fitness so that you can accomplish more than you thought possible.

6. Success – This is the most important part in hiring a good Colorado Springs personal trainer.  Ask you trainer for a list of their success stories. If they use a good system, they will be able to duplicate successful results with many if not all of their clients. A great personal trainer has the education, experience and coaching ability to take any client to the next level. It’s more than just about counting reps and putting together a random series of exercises. It’s really all about getting results over and over again and your trainer should have the evidence to prove it.

The above list is not all inclusive but it provides six basic qualifications that you should look for when hiring a personal trainer in Colorado Springs. If you have any other questions or would like to speak to a trainer that has all of the above qualifications then give Precision Fitness a call. We have Colorado Springs best personal trainers.

In health and fitness,

Edward Scaduto

Precision Fitness

“Colorado Springs Sisters Both Lose 30 pounds Each…”

10 May

Sofie and Monica before

We are sisters and the very best of friends. We do everything together. We even each have 2 kids the same ages in pairs, 1 boy and 1 girl each.

We used food as a social thing. Always thinking of what “fun” thing we could eat while watching movies or soaps. We were members of another gym and went at least 4 times a week with no results. I guess we were just going through the motions.

That all changed when we decided to work with a personal trainer and started working out with Ed Scaduto (Precision Fitness).

 

Monica and Sofie after

We both have so much more energy and we have both lost 30 lbs each so far and feel great. Now instead of rewarding ourselves with food, we go out and buy a cute outfit several sizes smaller than before. This is a total lifestyle change for us. We will never go back to the way we used to be.

Thank You Ed!

Sofie & Monica