caloric expenditure comparing pump, combat, rpm, step and running

Not your usual samba!

I happened to come across a paper that scientifically compared the energy expenditure to complete various aerobic classes to running at different speeds. For those of you who has a distaste for reading journals, here's my summary and (personal thoughts) on the paper.

1. BodyPump rates lower in calorie burn compared to BodyCombat, RPM, Step and running at about 8km/h.

2. The abstract does not mention duration of running that was compared to the aerobic classes, but assuming the time was standardised, it would be 55 minutes.

3. For running to be as effective in calorie burning as RPM, BodyCombat and Steps, the running speed has to between 8.05 to 8.37km/h for 55 minutes.

4. Logically, the heart rate can be increased more while doing BodyPump by carrying more weights, and since this study was done on women, guys, add on those plates to burn more!

5. Not too happy that they labelled BodyCombat as a dance >;o(

Here's the abstract of the said paper.

Journal of Strength Conditioning Research. 2006 Aug;20(3):593-6.

Analysis of the assessment of caloric expenditure in four modes of aerobic dance.

Rixon KP, Rehor PR, Bemben MG.

Center for Human Movement, University of Tasmania (Newham), Launceston, Australia.

Abstract

Aerobic dance has been purported to help with weight management; however, it is not known if various forms of dance are as effective as traditional modalities. This study estimated energy expenditure by heart rate for 28 women participating in 4 modes of aerobic dance (Bodycombat [i.e., TAEBO]; Pump; Step; and RPM [i.e., spinning]) compared to 2 running speeds. Pump had significantly (p < 0.01) lower energy expenditure (8.0 +/- 1.6 kcal.min(-1)) compared to the other classes (RPM: 9.9 +/- 1.9 kcal.min(-1); Step: 9.6 +/- 1.8 kcal.min(-1); and Bodycombat: 9.7 +/- 2.0 kcal.min(-1)) and running at 8.05 km.h(-1) (9.16 +/- 1.53 kcal.min(-1)). Also, Step (p < 0.01), Bodycombat (p < 0.01), and RPM (p < 0.01) had significantly higher caloric expenditures than running at 8.05 km.h(-1) but significantly lower than running at 8.37 km.h(-1) (10.30 +/- 1.72 kcal.min(-1)). In conclusion, RPM, Bodycombat, and Step aerobics were equally as effective as jogging between 8.05 and 8.37 km.h(-1), and they met American College of Sports Medicine guidelines for weight modification and maintenance. Additionally, heart rate assessment provided a quantitative method for estimating energy expenditure and the effectiveness of different aerobic programs.

your enemy within: the visceral fat

In the year 1997, the World Health Organization (WHO) formally recognised obesity as a global epidemic. Just about 10 years after that, WHO has released the statistics that 1.5 billion adults (aged 20 and older) were overweight; and of these over 200 million men and nearly 300 million women were obese.

Being fat used to be determined by just how heavy a person is, however, health scientists have come to recognise that body fat, instead of body weight, is the key to evaluating obesity. This is one basis that points out the irrelevance of BMI in predicting level of obesity, for example, among people who are muscularly built.

The body fat content depends on the volume of fat tissue, or adipose tissue and it can be found under the skin (subcutaneous fats), in between muscles (intramuscular fats), in the breast, and in the spaces between the intestines and abdominal organs (visceral fats). The main function of adipose tissue is as reservoir for lipids, which can be burned to release energy when the body needs it, and as protection from excessive blood sugars by storing it after conversion by the liver.

Most of us pinch the flab of skin over our tummy and be annoyed by how fat we are. Subcutaneous fats may cover up our muscle definition, but truly it is not much more than just a cosmetic concern. It is just literally skin deep, and the true enemy, the visceral fats, lie deeper than that. High visceral fat level is associated Type II diabetes, coronary heart disease and colorectal cancers. Although subcutaneous fats and visceral fats may grow proportionately, current medical knowledge links diseases more to visceral fats.

In this case, callipers reading on your triceps or thigh skin folds won't tell you how much visceral fats you have. Body fat analysis can be done with elaborate and complicated measuring techniques such as underwater weighing and X-ray absorptiometry. However these measurement can be as cumbersome as they are tongue-twisting. One approximating calculation that gives off a fairly representative measurement of body fat content, is by using bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA) machine.

In BIA, a very low electrical current is sent through your body via your feet. The current should be harmless and too low to be felt. The mechanism of BIA calculation is complex, but can be simplified for our simple understanding.

Water lets electrical current through with little resistance, compared to fat. So if the machine reads high resistance, it will compute higher fat content for your body. Bear in mind also that when you are over hydrated, the machine perceives less resistance going through your tissues, therefore computing less fat content. The scales use this data, together with personal data you enter such as your height, age, sex and fitness level, to calculate your body-fat percentage using a formula corrected to reflect the general population.

However, some BIA machines warn against use for people with pacemakers as the scales' electrical current could interfere with the pacemaker. Many also warn the readings can be unreliable for children, athletes and bodybuilders, people with metal plates or screws in their bodies and pregnant women.

One machine that I am familiar with is the TANITA Body Composition Machine. On the print out, such as the one above (obviously not mine, hehe), look at the Visceral Fat Rating. For TANITA, it uses its own rating system from 1-59. Healthy visceral fat rating is from 1 to 12, while 13 and above is undesirable. Look also at the Fat Percentage, where a healthy fat range differs from men to women, and a desirable range is given. Take special note of the TBW (total body water) percentage, that may change the reading of your body fat composition. Compare body fat readings only when the total body water percentage is roughly similar. On that note, you should also compare readings at almost the same time of the day, or consistently before or after your workout because after you sweat out, the body water content may differ.

Fretting about weight-loss is so yesterday. You should strive for fat loss instead. Work on decreasing the total body fat and improving the visceral fat rating! The scary fact is: you don't have to look fat to be viscerally fat! Check your total body fat percentage and visceral fat rating to be sure. Is it possible to reduce visceral fat? Of course it is, however, no amount of crunches and sit-ups may help you do just so. 

Step 1

Get a healthy nutrition plan. Work with your doctor or your fitness trainer to design a nutrition plan for you that focuses on improving your health and helping you to lose weight. Remember, eating healthily and cleanly is the only method that will work!

Step 2

Exercise at least 30 minutes per day, which helps you lose and manage your weight. A weight loss of 5 to 10 percent of your total body weight can help reduce visceral fat stores. The only way to reduce visceral fat stores is to burn more calories than you consume. Engage in physical activity such as circuit training, brisk walking, biking and any activity that gets your heart rate up.

Step 3

Stay motivated. Don’t expect to lose weight overnight because you didn’t gain it quickly. Fat loss takes time and don't lose your sleep over it. Literally! Getting the right amount of sleep helps. In one study, people who got six to seven hours of sleep per night gained less visceral fat over 5 years compared to those who slept five or fewer hours per night or eight or more hours per night. Sleep may not have been the only thing that mattered -- but it was part of the picture.

Step 4

Stop practicing unhealthy lifestyle habits. Stop smoking, drinking, being inactive, and eating high-fat, processed foods. Choosing healthier lifestyle choices will improve your quality of life and will show up in inches lost. According to the Journal American Medical Association, just a modest amount of weight loss will improve your visceral fat stores and other medical complications you have. Use that as motivation to stick with your eating and exercise program.

References:

TANITA - FAQ

WebMD - Truth About Belly Fat

http://www.livestrong.com/article/173780-how-to-burn-visceral-fat/

do you bant?

Diet, diet, diet. That's the one thing that makes or breaks any effort to lose weight. Countless regime has been formulated and all carried their own promises of making you into a lean and slender, magazine cover material.

The Internet is saturated with fad diet entries, that a google search of the words fad+diet will return 5.5million, and believe me, it is still growing at exponential rate! Fad diets are defined as "a nutritional regimen, generally of an extreme nature, intended to produce results more quickly than a traditional diet-exercise combination; often of a dubious nature." (Medical Dictionary for the Health Professions and Nursing © Farlex 2012)

In 1974, an article in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Food Faddism: a challenge to nutritionists and dietitians by McBean and Speckmann) listed 3 categories of food fads:

1. A particular food or food group is exaggerated and purported to cure specific diseases.
2. Foods are eliminated from an individual’s diet because they are viewed as harmful.
3. An emphasis is placed on eating certain foods to express a particular lifestyle.

Food fads might have gotten more popular in the recent 50 years or so, but the first documented fad diet was evident from as early as the mid 19th Century, when a man called William Banting printed his weight-loss success with a regime of diet that limited intake of refined and easily digestible carbohydrates. The pamphletes were so popular, it was reprinted several times and the question "Do you bant?" was the rave of the moment, equivalent to our modern day "Are you following a Diet?"

While some researches conclude that low-carbohydrate diets are a "feasible alternative recommendation for weight loss", restrictive diet programmes for weight reduction by food groups restrictions are never meant as a life-long adjustments to the way we eat. Instead, there are a few other factors we may need to consider adjusting, not just the type of food alone:

1. The portion size of a meal
2. The timing of a meal

Some of us might have picked up the habit of looking at the nutritional table of food products, take a glance at the calories column and judge whether or not it justifies itself for consumption. A quick glance at a caramelized popcorn box, shows 122kcal per serving. Harmless, you'd think, 10 minutes run at 7km/h on the treadmill will take care of that. But one may overlook the fact that a standard portion for popcorn sold at the cinema is 85 oz, not 1 oz.

Here are some examples of healthy portion size, taken from WebMD:

• A cup of fruit should be no larger than your fist.
• One ounce of meat or cheese is about the same as the size of your thumb from base to tip.
• Three ounces of meat, fish, or poultry (a normal serving) is about the size of your palm.
• One to two ounces of nuts equals your cupped hand.

You must have heard of the adage: eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper. A study published in the journal Obesity, has concluded that timing the caloric size of your meals in a day is important for weight loss. The research divided  2 groups of obese women, both given the same total caloric intake per day of 1400kcal. In the first group, breakfast was 700kcal, lunch 500kcal and dinner 200kcal, while the second group was given breakfast of 200kcal, lunch 500kcal and dinner 700kcal. The types of food was same for both groups, and their weight changes were measured after 3 months.

Both the groups showed weight reduction at the end of the 3 months, because of the restricted caloric diet (1400kcal/day) but the first group showed greater weight loss and weight circumference reduction. Other than weight and size drop, the heavy breakfast group also showed:

1. significant drop of fasting glucose
2. greater drop of cholesterol level
3. greater level of satiety score (less hungry throughout the day)

So it might pay to have your main meal on the early side. However, don't lose sight of the fact that what works in the long run is cutting calories by portion control and not so much on food group restriction. 

Eating clean with the right portion and being more physically active, is the only diet that will work!

The best diet is not a diet at all but a way of life that includes food you enjoy, exercise, and healthy habits. Here are some tips to kick start a portion controlled clean eating habit, and physical activities:

• Eat a variety of foods -- lean protein; complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables; and "good" fats, like omega-3 fats from fish and monounsaturated fats from avocados, nuts, and olives or olive oil.
• Say NO to bad fats: minimize how much saturated fat you get from animal sources, and eliminate trans fats from the fried foods, snacks, and fast food products you eat.
• Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Choose different colors of fruits and vegetables to ensure optimal nutrition.
• Be careful about portion sizes. If you must have seconds, serve yourself vegetables.
• Exercise at least 150 minutes each week with a moderately intense activity like brisk walking. This can be divided into smaller blocks of time. For example, you could do a brisk walk for 10 minutes three times a day for five days to reach 150 minutes.  
• Clean out the kitchen and eliminate all junk food. Toss out high-calorie, high-fat, sugary foods that will tempt you to overeat -- chips, cookies, crackers, ice cream, candy bars, and the like.
• Fill your kitchen with lean protein, fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, good fats, and fat-free or low-fat dairy products.
• Eat smaller meals more frequently. Five to six per day may be best. Space your meals every three to four hours throughout your day. Try taking low fat cheese and whole grain crackers to school or work for a snack, or eat a tablespoon of peanut butter with one slice of whole grain bread. Find foods that are healthy and that keep you full.
• If you like lots of food on your plate, fill up with a large salad and a super serving of green beans, broccoli, cabbage, kale, or other low calorie vegetable.
• Snack on berries. Dark berries (blueberries, blackberries, cherries, and raspberries) are rich in healthy antioxidants. They are also low in calories and fat and high in fiber.
• Avoid "empty calories" including sugar-containing sodas and fruit drinks.

Reference:

http://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/the-truth-about-fad-diets

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dieting

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23512957

arteo's preferred cardio workout: BodyCombat

I'm a self confessed Combat junkie and I am proud to admit that if I don't get my Combat fix for a few days, I'll get all the withdrawal jitters and restlessness. As a tribute to this programme that I am so thankful for in helping me shed pounds, here's an excerpt from the LesMills website about BODYCOMBAT™

LesMills BODYCOMBAT™

This fiercely energetic program is inspired by mixed martial arts and draws from a wide array of disciplines such as karate, boxing, taekwondo, tai chi and muay thai. During this ultimate warrior workout, you'll strike, punch, kick and kata your way through calories to superior cardio fitness. 

Duration

55 minutes

Average Calorie Burn

737 kcal

Benefits of joining BODYCOMBAT™:

• Gets you fighting fit and looking ripped
• Improves heart and lung function and reduces the risk of heart disease
• Tones and shapes key muscle groups
• Maximizes calorie burn during and after your workout
• Develops co-ordination and agility of a mized martial arts warrior
• Teaches you the moves of an elite martial arts expert
• Improves bone density
• Improves posture, core strength and stability
• Builds self-confidence, strength and power
• Keep pushing your limits with quarterly new releases

The Group Effect

Working out in a group gives you the confidence and support you need to unleash yourself - to enjoy your experience so it becomes addictive! Group exercise suits all fitness levels, no matter how fit you are. You'll gain strength from exercising with others and you'll motivate each other to work harder, and push yourself just a little more.

Visit the LesMills Webpage here.

I'm not fat, I'm just big boned

I have a t-shirt that says that.

To a certain extend, that is true. The built of a person depends on his skeletal structure, and also his muscular and fat and pretty much everything else to compose his stature.

The purpose of this write-up is to explain the categorisation of human body type, loosely classified into 3 somatotypes: endomorphs, ectomorphs and mesomorphs. Bear in mind that this categorisation does not scale a person into what is good or bad, but merely a description of types. Not any of the somatotypes are better or worse than another. Knowing your somatotype also helps you to make realistic target, especially when you workout to improve your appearance which will lead to a feeling of better well-being and health.

An endomorphic person is generally stocky, with a large round body, a short thick neck, short arms and legs, and with a tendency to store body fat. Generally, extreme endomorphs rate poorly on physical fitness tests and so make poor athletes in sports that require agility and speed. Still, it is possible that someone who is rated as an endomorph can modify their rating though diet and exercise to improve on physical performance and sports. With proper training, it is relatively easier for endomorphs to pack on muscle mass.

A mesomorphic person would be strongly built, with broad muscular chest and shoulders, muscular arms and legs, and relatively little body fat. An example of a mesomorphic person in the sporting world would be a typical weightlifter or shot putter. In general, mesomorphs rank high on strength, endurance, power and agility.

An ectomorphic person would generally be tall and thin, with a narrow body, thin arms and legs, little body fat and wiry muscles. They are the ones usually seen doing catwalks on fashion shows. An example of an ectomorphic person in the sporting world would be a typical long distance runner or basketball player. In general, ectomorphs rank high on endurance, flexibility and agility. 

It is important to remember that somatotyping is expressed as a sprectrum rather than clear-cut entities, and the majority of the population would have a mixed trait of the forms. The expression of somatotype gives a 3-digit code x-y-z, x being endomorphy rating, y for mesomorphy and z for ectomorphy. The rating ranges from 1 to 7, where 7 is the strongest expression of that particular attribute and 1 being weakest.

Though it is fairly unnecessary to know, the calculation of somatotype numbers takes into consideration these parameters, and computed using a formula.

1. Sex, Age
2. Height and Weight
3. Biceps and Calf Girth  
4. Femurs and Humerus Breadth 
5. Triceps, Biceps, Subscapular, Supraspinale, Abdominal, Thigh, Calf and Suprailiac Skinfolds
6. Chest Skinfold and Forearm Girth - for Males
7. Gluteal/Hip Girth - for Females
8. Waist circumference

The most important thing about somatotyping, I'd like to stress again, is just to know what type of stature we have, and that should guide us towards a more realistic and achievable goal-setting. And remember, there are no good or bad somatotype.

Health and fitness goals should instead, focus on parameters that matters such as our body muscle / fat composition, visceral fat rating, cardiovascular endurance, progressive strength training and physical fitness. A good gym would have it's own programme to keep track of these parameters and advice its members accordingly.

Next most important question is perhaps: What is the reason you exercise?

referrences:

http://www.topendsports.com/testing/somatotype.htm

http://somatotypecalculator.blogspot.com/

clean eating is meal to meal battle

A reminder to self. Nobody said it is easy.

photo credit: columbiacommunique.org

back for more?

Back pain, or specifically lower back pain, is a condition that affects any gender and age. While certain lifestyle and occupation predisposes one differing levels of risk for getting low back pain, up to 60% of people would experience low back pain at any point of their life.

Your first instinct when having an acute lower back pain is probably to retreat to the bed and lay still as much as possible. This would probably be beneficial in helping you to cope with the initial pain, but studies have shown that beyond 48 hours, bed rest and total inactivity may undermine healing, reduce muscle tone and worsen flexibility.

Once the worst pain has subsided (meaning pain is now more bearable without the help of painkillers) you can try out these stretching exercises as suggested by our exercise expert, James.

Cat / Camel back stretch

Kneeling down on all fours, gently curve the back up until you feel the stretch, hold it for 5 seconds. Then gently curve the back down and hold for another 5 seconds. Repeat 3 times.

Supine back flexion

Lay on your back, and begin by raising both knees toward your chest, by actively contracting your hip muscles. Hold for 5 seconds. Now grasp both knees with your hands and pull towards your chest. Push the small of your back into the floor while doing so. Hold for another 5 seconds.

Trunk rotation

Bring both knees towards your chest by actively contracting your hip muscles.Then, keeping your shoulders on the ground, roll both knees across to the other side. Hold for 5 seconds, then return to the midline. Do the other side and repeat three times each.

Hamstring stretch

Sit on the floor and tuck one foot into your centre. Then, keeping your back straight, lean forward with your chest. You should feel a stretch in the rear of your thigh. Remember not to bend out of your back muscles, but rather lean forward. There are several variations of the hamstring stretch, which can be done on your back, standing, and with the assistance of a towel.

Quadriped arm/leg raises

Kneeling down on all fours, with your head pointing straight ahead, lift the opposite arm and leg, keeping them as straight as you can. Hold for 10 seconds. Do the other side, and repeat three times each.

Muscle sprains generally takes up to 2 weeks for full recovery, and the sooner you resume your physical activities, the better the circulation will be at your back and hopefully, faster recovery. But remember not to take painkillers to mask the pain, just so that you can go back to the gym, because you could be doing more damage without even realising it.

There are, however, some exercises that you should not do, according to James. Try to avoid these when having acute pain:

1. Straight leg sit-ups
2. Bent leg sit-ups or partial sit-ups (curl-ups) when you have acute back pain  Lifting both legs while lying on your back (leg lifts)  
3. Lifting heavy weights above the waist (standing military press or biceps curls)
4. Toe touches while standing

Point to remember: most back pain can be prevented with proper postures, and good form during weight lifting exercises. Physical activity may promote blood circulation, tone muscle, increase flexibility and speed up recovery of back sprains. All the best!