Do you want to be skinny or fit? Do you know the difference? Did you know that there is a difference? There is! Ultimately, being content with one’s self is the most important aspect of your well being. No matter if you are short, tall, long, or something in between. With that being said, taking care of your temple is one way to live a long and healthy life. So, skinny or fit:

LET’S PAINT THE PICTURE:

Let’s say you have a room mate. Because you two live together, you pretty much eat the same things at the same times. At least 3 nights a week, you have a glass of wine together. You seem to be gaining weight but your friend does not. In fact, you even workout together at the local 24 hour gym for about an hour each day. The main difference is, your friend lifts weights while you run on the treadmill. While you are sweating it out on your jog, your friend is going through sets of weighted lunges, shoulder presses, and planks. Can you see where I’m going with this??

The difference between skinny and fit is LEAN MUSCLE. Your friend, has consistent strength training in her regimen while you have stuck to cardio. When someone performs progressive (regularly changes to stress the body differently) strength training, they build muscle. In fact, this person might even weigh more than you do but has more of a “toned” look. The more muscle you have, and I don’t mean body builder looking muscle, this will present differently in different people, the more calories you burn at rest. When you burn more calories at rest, it allows for a slightly more flexible diet. Now, I am by no means saying you can outwork a poor diet or that strength training gives you a reason to eat poorly, because it doesn’t. But, when you strength train regularly, lean muscle goes up, and so does your resting calorie burn or resting metabolic rate. BTW, we have a super accurate machine called the Inbody 270 that we can measure this number with over time. This allows us to take the focus off the scale, as your overall weight may not change but, your look and how you feel will and we can show you why!

BUT, I LOVE CARDIO! I WANT TO SWEAT AND BREATHE HARD FOR MY ENTIRE WORKOUT BECAUSE, WELL, CALORIES!

Cardio is great! Please don’t get me wrong. At BFP, we do not advocate 1 form of training over the other. In fact, we recommend a combination of the 2 for maximum results! That intense, high energy cardio you seek, has a place in your program right along side the strength training component! Cardio, when done correctly will indeed help you blast some fat but, remember the example above, it will not help you become more fit if it is the only form of training you do. Being more fit allows for more calories burned over the long haul which makes everything easier! In fact, there was an interesting study done back in 2012 in adults in their 30’s and 40’s where they compared cardio only, to strength only, and to a combo cardio/strength program. What they found was that the combo program lead to greater increases in lean body mass and similar losses in body fat mass over an 8 month period.

So, if you want to lose fat and get that toned look, we need to have a solid combination of both!

Here’s a the great thing about strength training, you don’t have to lift heavy and huge to get great results. The key here is that the program is progressive.

WHAT’S A PROGRESSIVE STRENGTH TRAINING PROGRAM LOOK LIKE?

There are tons of ways to implement a progressive strength training program! That’s what’s so great because it helps keep things interesting while also getting you results. A progressive strength training program will increase either the number of reps you perform, the amount of weight you lift, the number of sets you perform, or the amount of time you perform a movement during a set, over a specified period. For example, in week 1 you might do 3 sets of 8 reps of squats with a given weight. In week 2 you move to 3 sets of 8 reps at a heavier weight. In week 3 you may go to 3 sets of 6 reps at an even heavier weight.Over course, you can go the other way as well getting lighter with higher reps depending on your goals. There are a number of variables that can be changed but the key here is starting with a plan and sticking to it. Our bodies respond to change. But, our bodies respond more effectively with practice.What I mean is, having a random workout everyday of the week won’t actually lead to change. Having a planned program with changes at the right times within that program will. At BFP, this is how we structure our strength training.

WHAT MAKES STRENGTH TRAINING AT BFP DIFFERENT?

At BFP, everything we do is based on sound research in methods that are proven to work with our specific clientele. Our “Strength For The Everyday Athlete” sessions on MWF, utilize a method known as Weekly Undulating Periodization. With this method, we can challenge you in a different way every week but, still maintaining enough consistency to force your body to adapt. This, combined with our awesome cardio or Metabolic Conditioning Sessions on TTH and Saturdays, can truly help you be more FIT!

For working parents that want to feel and move like an athlete, BFP is a group training and accountability program that helps people lose that extra 20lbs and gain strength by employing a fun but results driven system delivered by a college educated staff.

If you’d like to try it out, check our 28 Day Jumpstart Program! It’s a great way to see what we have to offer and find out if we are a good fit.

Thanks,

Coach Joe