This past weekend I had the pleasure to attend the annual National Academy of Sports Medicine(NASM) Optima Conference and take classes focused on training, nutrition, and health! NASM is the organization I have my education which makes me a Certified Personal Trainer and Fitness Nutrition Specialist, and what I have built my coaching and the Sweat, Love, and Macros brand on! I’m happy to continue to learn and grow and (most importantly) SHARE what I think the MOST IMPORTANT and applicable things are for YOU to reach your fitness and health goals!
Below I share my big takeaways and have also linked the presenters information if you want to go check them out yourself! And if you have any questions on these notes or need guidance on your own fitness journey then please feel free to email me 🙂
The Case Against High Intensity Big Takeaways
Programs that are too intense for people leads to us needing to then create programs to fix them.Â
If a program is too intense that it leads to injury and/or giving up, then it can lead to weight gain or becoming unfit leading further away from health & fitness.
Do we need high intensity workouts when there’s safer & more effective ways to get results?
What’s my intent as a coach for training? To help clients gain strength & lose fat so that they enjoy their life feeling feeling powerful
Our training should support our living, not just us feeling like we’re barely surviving a workout
HIIT can lead to becoming an adrenaline junkie & a sugar junkie with needing that constant refuel
You have to start with where the client is at, if they don’t have strength & stability then they can’t safely do HIIT or plyos
It’s true that HIIT can lead to quick results, but sustainable strength & aerobic work leads to lasting lifelong results for health & fitness. Shouldn’t we want fitness for life?Â
Presentation by James Fitzgerald owner of OPEX Fitness and Inaugural Cross Fit Games Champion. Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/jfitzopex Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jfitzopex/
Emerging Science on Chrononutrition
Circadian rhythm: Having dark, sleep, & fasting be in line & light, wake, & feeding be in line has shown positive effects on hormones and fat loss
Having some type of fasting window is beneficial with 12 hours maybe being average
Having larger meals earlier & having breakfast in the day can be better for insulin and that we may burn more NEAT calories when we have larger meals earlier in the day.
Remembering what’s the goal: most of these are considerations for hormonal balance but macronutrients & calorie balance is most important for fat loss
Shift workers: skipping meals or high protein snack between 12am-5am
Ex: awake from 9pm-9am
Have first meal at 10pm
High protein snack at 2am
Second meal at 6amÂ
Presentation by Danny Lennon owner of Sigma Nutrition. Website: https://sigmanutrition.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dannylennon_sigma/
9 Tools to Manage Stress:
- Practice Optimism (are we focused on the problem or the solution?)
- Focus on Flexibility (cognitive & emotional- not focused on how things “should” go but adapting to what happens, challenging our “inner rules” & our expectations of our world ex: people should drive like me, but they aren’t
- Strengthen Our Social Network
- Practice Creative Problem Solving (don’t focus on why it’s happening, but asking “what now”) Be your own champion, become that heroic story!
- Develop Meaning & Purpose in Life (set achievable goals(short & long term) & adjust along the way)
- Give Service to Others (this gives us meaning & perspective)
- Get Uncomfortable
- Practice Gratitude (ask daily: what did I receive from others today? what did I give to others today? What difficulties did I cause others?)
- Practice Self Care through Meditation
Presentation by Angie Miller who is a Mental Health Therapist. Website: https://www.angiemillerfitness.com/meet-angie
Metabolic Adaptations to Dieting
Weight loss is outside of the gym (calorie deficit & NEAT) while Fat Loss is in the gym (Body Composition is improved through lifting weights)
NEAT (Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) is walking, talking, typing, housework, thinking, etc.
The amount of the deficit doesn’t matter when it gets past 500 calories per day. Someone in a 500 calorie deficit will lose the same amount as someone in the 1000 calorie deficit. So keeping the deficit manageable is what’s most important
BMR, NEAT, and TEF change when we diet, but NEAT seems to change the most as less energy in makes us move less. Study shows average NEAT went from 800 calories to 300 calories in dieting adults. This can lead to a stall.
Starvation mode is real in the sense you can starve yourself to death, decreased adherence and less NEAT movement has been shown in numerous studies to be the determining factor for weight loss stall or weight regain after dieting.
Slower metabolisms with age has been shown to be due to lower NEAT.
Keeping NEAT up and adherence are MOST IMPORTANT for weight loss and weight management.
Presentation by Brad Dieter, PhD, is an exercise physiologist, molecular biologist, biostatistician, scientist, and entrepreneur.
Whats the deal with GMOS?
GMOs are Genetically Modified Organisms
The “fear” of them isn’t science based but instead a media hype of people thinking we need to be afraid of what’s “not natural”
Things that are “not natural” that we seem to perceive as good: organ transplants, dog breeding, and also we ourselves are genetically modified or we would all look the same,
Things that are “natural” that we seem to perceive as bad: plagues and HIV.
GMO corn and rice that shown to save countries from starvation.
Of course it could be taken too far, but GMOs in food are regulated so need to be less of a concern compared to the big picture of weight maintenance, food quality, daily activity, and water intake.
Presentation by Brad Dieter, PhD, is an exercise physiologist, molecular biologist, biostatistician, scientist, and entrepreneur.
Squat Progression
Those who can squat deeper have deeper hip sockets
Practicing box squats is the best way to improve proper squat movements through sitting back, bending hips to move first and then knees OR bending hips and knees at the same time, practicing controlled squatting (not dropping into the chair), keeping chest out when going into the squat and pushing it out as you come up.
Presentation by Jonathan Mike, PhD, who teaches exercise science and sports performance programs at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, AZ. Website: https://drjmike.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjmike/
Eccentric Training
The eccentric motion is when the muscle is elongated vs the concentric motion is when the muscle is shortened and under tension. Ex: Bicep curl- when curling the weight up you are shortening the bicep so this is the concentric motion, when bringing it down you are elongating it so this is the eccentric motion
Eccentric training is slowing down the eccentric movement which can lead to more strength and muscle development.
Can be done with pretty much any exercise. Can be good to incorporate in supersets.
Presentation by Jonathan Mike, PhD, who teaches exercise science and sports performance programs at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, AZ. Website: https://drjmike.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjmike/
Understanding the Science Behind Keto
For Fat Loss: Studies have been done on whether going low carb or low fat was better fat loss. Studies have concluded there’s no difference in fat loss, what mattered most was adherence.
For Performance: Most studies for performance were done in athletes who were eating at a high calorie intake so they were in keto but still eating 150g of carbs per day. Their performance wasn’t affected but they also weren’t in a calorie deficit. The body will adapt to the most consumed fuel source
When there’s a big drop on the scale from going keto/low carb it’s glycogen that’s getting depleted from muscle cells. Muscle weight IS HEALTHY WEIGHT!
Going too low calorie with keto or any diet can lead to cortisol increase and lower NEAT, which can make fat loss stall.
Bottom line: when dieting focus on balance and preference, there’s no magic diet except the one that you can stick to!
Presentation by Fabio Comana, MA, MS is a full time lecturer in the school of exercise and nutritional sciences at SDSU.
Did you find this post helpful? Comment below or contact me
Do you feel like you need support in order reach your fitness goals with balance? Having an outside perspective to keep you focused on the big picture of health and fitness (which is WAY more than just the scale) can be extremely helpful and it’s actually one my most rewarding passions to help women with this!
Check out my 1:1 coaching services to work with me on making fitness work with your life instead of consuming your life. Finally drop the “All or Nothing” Mentality and learn to be strong and balanced for life!
*This post was created by Ashley Cates who is not a Registered Dietician or a Medical Professional, nothing said should be taken as medical advice or replace any advice given by a Physician. This information does not in any way intend to diagnose or treat any health condition/disorder. The information provided is based on Ashley’s education and experience and shared with the intent to help and not harm.