Kim's Fitness and Nutrition

Each body is very different in terms of how they metabolize calories. Genetics play a fairly large role in that; however, it is not the end-all, be-all. I am going to speak in broad, general terms, and hopefully you will be able to glean a few helpful tips.

Here is a really great and yet simple way to spice up your weight training routine ... pyramids. These are not for the novice. If you have been training for 6 months to a year or longer, go for it. A pyramid is a series of sets that begins with the first set utilizing a weight that you can perform with perfect form, 12-15 repetitions. The second set is often a weight that you have not yet ever used, usually increasing the previous weight by 20-30%. Expect to be capable of fewer reps while maintaining that perfect form (somewhere around 4-10 reps). If at this point you find that you could, in fact, perform 15 perfect reps, you simply were ready for an increase in your weight and could have started with that weight and gone up from there, 20%. If, on the other hand, you could only perform 2-3 reps on that second set, try increasing that second set by slightly less next time.

I am continually amazed by the number of people who are still very hooked into thinking "it's my way or the highway." Why is it so hard to see that there are many "right" paths? We have so many options for literally everything we desire. Take automobiles for instance. Mercy, not only are there dozens of manufacturers, but then within each, there are dozens of styles, colors, shapes and sizes. We can all seem to be just fine with everyone having personal preference when it comes to a car, but somehow it is very different when it comes down to spiritual beliefs and practices ... why?

It's summertime ... school is out and the temperatures are in the 80s. That makes it time to take beach or other types of vacations. Every year clients and friends come to me worried about what is going to happen to all the hard work and progress that they have been making in their health and fitness endeavors. They say, "I'm taking a week," or some more fortunate ones say, "I'm taking a month" off to go here or there. "Am I going to undo everything that I have worked so hard to accomplishing in that time?" The answer is "NO!" Our bodies retain their skeletal muscle strength for 7-9 days, and then gradually lose strength over a period of weeks. Our cardiovascular system takes the greatest hit, because the heart muscle does not retain its strength for more than a couple of days and diminishes in strength much more quickly. Please do not panic. There is a real upside here. First of all, our bodies need and love to take short breaks from their routines, and will often come back with a renewed vim and vigor, eager to get back in the grove. Secondly, the heart and lungs retrain very swiftly, so within a week or so, you will feel every bit as strong as you did before your vacation. However, be prepared to feel fairly winded, and if your vacation lasts a month or more, you need to think seriously about a "travel program."

I have to share a beautiful story that just makes my heart sing. I took my leased vehicle in to be serviced on a Saturday a few weeks back, and the finance officer happened to be working. It really isn't unusual for him to be there almost around the clock, because he is the proud father of six gorgeous children. Their photographs are literally all over his office, along with his very pretty wife. I would say that he is in his early 40s and easily weighs 325 pounds, if not more. Now granted, he was quite an athlete in his day, so he is a large man, but would be much healthy if he weighed more like 220. In any case, I will call him Jack, and he has always been especially kind and extremely fair to me. Two and half years ago I went to him, having realized that I was dangerously close to exceeding my miles limit and at .40/mile for every mile over, I stood to be in big trouble. He was so good to me, arranging for me to not only increase my limit, but he put me into the current model for that year. My hero!!!