Breakfast Before or After a Workout?

April 30, 2013 By 10 Comments

Dear Davey,

I’m switching my workouts from night to morning and was wondering when the best time to eat breakfast is? Before the gym? Or after?

Thanks,Jared

Muesli for Breakfast f4.0Hey Jared,

Great question! And welcome to early morning exercise. It’s such a wonderful way to start the day – and it’ll wake you up better than a cup of coffee.

As a fellow early morning exerciser, your question is near and dear to my heart. A number of studies have examined exercising before breakfast versus exercise after breakfast – and the findings have been split. One study found that exercising before breakfast resulted in muscle loss. Another study concluded exercise before breakfast resulted in fat being burned more efficiently.

Nonetheless, there are a few things to keep in mind.

  1. No one likes exercising on a full stomach. If you do eat a full breakfast before hitting the gym, it’s recommended that you allow 1 – 2 hours for digestion. If you plan on exercising sooner, something lighter will be a wiser choice. Otherwise you may feel sluggish or even nauseous.
  2. No one likes exercising on an empty stomach. Working out an empty stomach may not give you the fuel needed to power through an intense workout. If you’re hungry and feeling famished, it’s probably going to be a lot harder to get in that last repetition. The only thing worse than exercising on a full stomach is exercising on an empty stomach.
  3. Regardless of what you eat before the gym, know that you’ll still need to ingest protein and carbohydrates after the gym. If you ate breakfast before the gym, you’ll still need to eat something after the gym to give your body the protein and carbs it needs.

What do I recommend?

When I wake up, I eat a small protein shake and banana. Packed with carbohydrates, the banana gives me the energy I need for my workout. It’s just enough. After the gym, I eat a full protein shake and proper breakfast – usually consisting of cereal and almond milk. The shake and cereal give my body the protein and carbohydrates that it needs to rebuild and repair my muscles.

In the comments below, please share your morning workout/breakfast routine! I’d love to hear what you do.

Love,
Davey

Filed Under: Ask Davey, Exercises, Nutrition Tagged With: , ,

Is It More Important to Diet or Exercise?

April 22, 2013 By 1 Comment

Diet-Or-ExerciseHere’s a question that I often get asked: “I want to have a healthier lifestyle, but I don’t have time to both eat better and exercise – so which should I focus on for best results?”

I understand that schedules are tight. But exercising without nutrition – or vice versa – is like trying to drive your car with the emergency brake on. While you may experience results through diet or exercise alone, it’s the combination of both that will really put you life – and your body – into high gear.

But you don’t have to take my word for it.

In a new study published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine, researchers from the Standford University School of Medicine found that focusing on a proper diet and exercise simultaneously yields better results than changing either separately.

For the study, researchers divided 200 inactive participants, ages 45 and up, into four groups that each received phone coaching. Group one received coaching on both nutrition and exercise simultaneously. Group two received only dietary advice for the first few months – and then received additional coaching for exercise. Group three received only exercise coaching initially – and then dietary advice a few months into the study. Group four only received stress management coaching. The study lasted one year.

Even despite busy schedules, those participants who received coaching for both diet and exercise were more likely to meet national guidelines for exercise and nutrition than any other group.

It’s also worth noting that improving your diet doesn’t necessarily mean taking time out of your schedule. You have to eat regardless; it’s just a matter of making smarter choices. It doesn’t take any more time to ask for steamed vegetables instead of fries when you’re out to dinner. In other words, thinking that you only have time to either eat better or to move more is really a false choice. While exercise does require a time commitment, eating smart does not.

The bottom line: Don’t sell yourself short. For best results, focus on both eating smarter and regular exercise.

Filed Under: Exercises, Nutrition, Research Tagged With: , ,

5 Workout Mistakes You’re Probably Making.

April 12, 2013 By 7 Comments

_DTM3426There’s room for improvement in every routine – and these five workout mistakes are extremely common. Are you making any of them?

  1. Warming up with static stretching. As I wrote earlier, static exercises – like touching your toes and holding it – decrease speed, reduce strength and increase injury risk. Dynamic stretching – like jumping jacks or arm circles – are a much smarter choice.
  2. Holding onto the treadmill. Or the stairmaster. Holding onto the sides of a treadmill makes the exercise easier – which translates to fewer calories burned. It worsens balance, increases injury risk and doesn’t translate to real world running. Moreover, holding onto the treadmill negates the incline. You’re better off decreasing the speed and letting go.
  3. Bench pressing with your legs up. Watching people bench press while keeping their legs lifted, elevated or resting on the bench is one of my biggest gym pet peeves. While exercisers may believe this makes the bench press more challenging, it’s actually incredibly unsafe – and it cuts your results short. Much of the lift in bench pressing is created by pressing into the floor through your feet. By keeping your feet flat on the ground, you’ll actually be able to press higher levels of resistance and obtain better results.
  4. Not resisting the pull on cable exercises. Cable exercises are a popular choices because – unlike traditional free weights – they provide constant resistance. Free weights, on the other hand, only provide resistance when you’re lifting them against gravity. However, many exercisers forget to resist the pull when returning the cable exercise to the starting position. Instead, they just let the weight drop back down without control. In the process, they lose half the exercise and half the benefits.
  5. Resting too long. Resting between sets is important – but seconds can quickly turn into minutes. If you’re a bodybuilder looking to make serious gains, resting for a few minutes makes sense. But for the rest of us, keep an eye to the clock and limit your rests to no more than 45 – 60 seconds. In fact, decreasing rest time is a great way to intensify your workout. Or, you can introduce supersets to make your workout more efficient.

If you’re guilty of these mistakes, there’s no shame. They’re all extremely common and certainly easy to overcome.

In the comments below, please share some other common workout mistakes that you see at the gym.

Filed Under: Exercises, Tips Tagged With: ,

Static Stretching is Bad For You! [Study]

April 8, 2013 By 10 Comments

diagonal-hand-toe-touch-b-exThink back to elementary school physical education. Chances are, your instructor warmed up the class with a number of static stretches… like touching your toes and holding it for 30 seconds. Now, a growing body of evidence suggests that static stretching has the opposite effect that we intend; it decreases speed, reduces strength and increases injury risk.

The New York Times recently cited two studies in the case against static stretching. One study, published in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, has demonstrated the negative impact of static stretching on weight lifting. A separate article published in The Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports has added additional fuel to the fire by analyzing more than 100 previous studies.

Here are a few of the key findings.

According to researchers, static stretching reduces strength by almost 5.5%. In a different study involving squats, static stretching was found to reduce strength by 8.3% – and was linked to increased feeling of instability. Researchers noted that the impact is greatest when muscles are stretched for 90 seconds or more – and somewhat reduced for stretches under 45 seconds.

But it doesn’t end there. Power is a measure of a muscle’s ability to produce for during contractions, and muscle power generally falls by about 2% after static stretching. Explosive muscular power – like bursting into a full sprint – was reduced by 2.8%.

While reducing output by a few percentage points doesn’t sound like a big deal, every pound or nanosecond counts – especially in the world of competitive sports. When races are won by hundredths of a second, reducing power by 2% is a game changer.

The bottom line: Skip static stretches. Instead of warming up by holding poses for a given length of time, most trainers recommend dynamic stretching. Dynamic stretching involves moving your muscles – like arm circles or jumping jacks – to properly warm up your body for a given exercise.

Filed Under: Exercises Tagged With: , ,

What Are Supersets Good For?

March 1, 2013 By 1 Comment

77290978_XSIf you’ve done any exercise-related research, you’ve probably come across the term superset. A superset is when you perform two exercises back-to-back without stopping.

In doing supersets, you have two options. You can either superset the same muscle group or you can superset different muscle groups. For example, you could superset pull-ups with barbell biceps curls to really hit your biceps. Or you could superset an exercise like the bench press (that works your chest) with dumbbell rows (that train your back).

If you use supersets to target the same muscle group, you may discover that it’s a really effective way to break through a stubborn plateau. Because supersets performed on the same muscle group will mean hitting that muscle deeper and harder, you’ll probably make some impressive strength gains for subsequent workouts.

Using supersets to train different muscle groups is extremely popular. The advantage here is simple. If you’re planning to do a chest and back workout, using supersets allows you to do more in less time by cutting out extra rest periods. Instead of sitting around for 60 seconds during a rest period, you’re able to go on to another exercise for a different muscle group. You’ll still get the recovery you need, but you’ll be working another muscle group in the meantime.

Regardless of how you use supersets, they will certainly make your heart pump harder. In fact, you’ll probably break a sweat; supersets can be something of a cardio workout and you may test your endurance – but you’ll quickly adjust in a few weeks.

To get the most out of your workout in the least amount of time, give supersets a try! And take a look at drop sets and negatives for additional training techniques.

Filed Under: Exercises Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Crazy Two Person Ab Workout! [Video]

February 26, 2013 By 2 Comments

Screen Shot 2013-02-25 at 4.52.53 PMGrab your nearest friend or gym buddy and take 10 minutes to try this amazing two-person partner ab workout.

It doesn’t require any fancy gym equipment – but it does take some real stamina and dedication to power through! Fortunately, Ashton and I have plenty of that :-P

Check out the video.

Filed Under: Abs, Exercises

9 Fitness Tips That Will Change Your Life.

February 19, 2013 By 4 Comments

281685_10151307342800742_1934251453_nPutting a good tip into practice can go a long way in transforming your life.

Today, I’d like to share a few of my favorite exercise and nutrition tips. They’ve worked for me and I know they can work for you, too.

  1. Don’t drink your calories. Most beverages are calorie bombs and often devoid of nutritional value. Save your calories for real food that nourishes your body with the nutrients it needs.
  2. Instead of focusing on long workouts, focus on quality workouts. Unless you’re training for the Olympics, no one needs to spend two or three hours at the gym each day. Use strategies like high intensity interval training and supersets to make the most of your gym time. Be efficient at the gym; it’s quality and not quantity.
  3. Eat carbs. Carbs get a bad rap but the truth is our bodies need them. Instead of eliminating carbs, focus on eating mostly complex carbs like those found in brown rice or whole wheat. Opt for products that list “whole wheat” in their ingredients.
  4. Be consistent. The secret to transforming your body is to consistently combine exercise and nutrition. It’s the little steps – day after day – that add up into a huge change. Think of each workout as a single stone block that you’re using to build a pyramid.
  5. Replace excuses with reasons. All of us can think of excuses to skip the gym or to avoid exercise (i.e., it’s too expensive, too busy, injuries, etc.). Excuses are the nails used to build a house of failure; they prevent us from achieving the results we want. Rather than sabotage your life with excuses, shift from a mindset of can’t to a mindset of can by thinking about the reasons to live a healthier lifestyle.
  6. Buy healthy food. It’s really as simple as that. If you don’t stock your pantry with toxic, unhealthy foods, then they won’t be an option to eat. Out of sight, out of mind.
  7. Make exercise fun. Think outside the weight or cardio room by taking class, going rock climbing or engaging in a sport. A healthy and active lifestyle is so much more than the elliptical or free weights – and if you enjoy it, you’re much more likely to keep with it.
  8. Pay attention to ingredients – not packaging. Product packaging is strictly marketing – and words like “fat free” or “reduced calories” or even “multigrain” are extremely misleading. Pay attention to the nutrition information and especially the ingredients. In particular, stay away from foods with added sugar (or sugar in disguise).
  9. Don’t just make goals, evaluate your progress against them. Having a specific goal is great, but routinely measuring your progress against it is even better. If you’re not making headway, change your approach.

What’s your favorite fitness tip? Share it with us in the comments below!

Filed Under: Exercises, Nutrition, Tips Tagged With: , ,

How to Sit Less at Work: 7 Tips!

February 1, 2013 By 4 Comments

Dear Davey,

I’m an engineer and it means that I spend 6 to 8 hours a day sitting at my desk. You mentioned that sitting has been linked to early death, even for people that exercise. Since I feel so chained to my desk, what are some tips for sitting less at work?

From,
Alex

dynaflexballchairHey Alex,

It’s true. Researchers have found a link between sitting and early death – even in otherwise healthy folks who exercise regularly. Our bodies are clearly meant to move.

The good news is that there are a few simple changes that you can make to reduce your daily sit time.

  1. Pace or walk while on the phone. Take calls on your cell phone or wireless headset. Use that time to pace the hallways of your work or even your office/cubicle. If you don’t have much room, simply stand and shift your weight from side to side. It’s better than sitting.
  2. Stand at your computer. If you have a laptop, place it on top of a set of filing cabinets or on an elevated desk. If you’re really committed, you can even purchase a standing desk.
  3. Take the long way. Whether it’s walking to the printer to trekking to the bathroom, take the scenic route. Maybe even opt for a bathroom on a different floor. Whenever you can, sneak in a few extra feet of walking time.
  4. Replace chairs with exercise balls or other exercise equipment. Silly as it sounds, inflatable exercise balls make for great chair alternatives. You can even purchase a wheeled base for the exercise ball. Because exercise balls require balance, your muscles will fire constantly to help keep you stable. They’re also really fun to take bounce breaks on. Alternatively, I’ve seen people use other types of exercise equipment – even stationary bikes or treadmills – as chair alternatives.
  5. Walk to lunch. Instead of eating at your desk, get off your butt and walk to a nearby park or cafeteria. Not only when you help keep your body moving, but the change of scenery can be refreshing and rejuvenating.
  6. Walk more. Call and email less. Instead of communicating over the phone or electronically, opt for face time. Walk to your coworkers’ offices or cubicles if you have a question. While these 30 or 40 second walks may seem insignificant, they add up over time.
  7. Take a five minute break and turn your chair into a workout station. Don’t believe me? Try my 5-minute chair workout.

I hope these tips help cut some of your sit time. And if you have any additional tips, please sure them in the comments below!

Filed Under: Ask Davey, Exercises, Tips Tagged With: , , , , , ,

5-Minute Awesome Chair Workout!

January 31, 2013 By 5 Comments

Screen Shot 2013-01-30 at 4.44.15 PMOf all the uses for a chair, sitting in one is the least conducive to a healthy lifestyle. In fact, studies show that sitting more means dying sooner – even if you exercise.

So let’s turn the tables on chairs (pun intended) by putting them to work for us! To that end, I put together a quick, 5-minute chair workout that you can do from the comfort of your home. While it may not leave you looking like Arnold Schwarzenegger, it will certainly get your heart rate up and your blood pumping.

Give it a try and let me know what you think in the comments below. Cheers to chairs!

Filed Under: Exercises, YouTube Tagged With: , , , , ,

What is Pre-Exhaustion Training?

January 11, 2013 By 3 Comments
Exercisers commonly use pec flys to

Pec flies before bench press is commonly used for pre-exhaustion training.

There are a many different workout techniques that can help jump-start the effectiveness of your workout. Like drop sets. Or negatives. Or pyramid sets.

Another common workout technique is termed pre-exhaustion training.

In a nutshell, the technique involves per-fatiguing a given muscle with an isolation exercise – and then finishing things off with a compound exercise. For example, exercisers commonly perform leg extensions before squats to practice this technique. The theory is that fatiguing a muscle with an isolation exercise before a compound exercise will lead to greater muscle recruitment.

Unfortunately, most bodybuilders would be surprised by pre-exhaustion research. Instead of increasing muscle activity, several studies have determined the technique to be no more effective than traditional strength training.

A recent study published in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research divided young men into two groups. The pre-exhaustion group did a set of pec flies and then performed bench presses until failure. The second group only performed the bench presses. Researchers found no greater activation of the chest muscles when using the pre-exhaustion technique. However, they did find an increase in triceps activation by 17.8%. As the chest muscles became fatigued, the triceps activated to help complete the movement.

It’s also worth noting that pre-exhaustion exercises can impact form. If, for example, your bench press form is compromised from pec flies, you may be setting yourself up for injury – so caution (and spotting) is definitely advised!

Personally, pre-exhaustion training isn’t something that I implement or that I’d recommend, but let me know what you think in the comments below. Have you tried it? Does it work for you? Let me know! And if you’re looking for gains in muscle size with strategies that work, check out my workout program – Size Matters: Davey Wavey’s Foolproof Guide to Building Muscle!

Filed Under: Exercises, Research, Tips Tagged With: , , , ,
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