(some information referenced from Phil Kaplan’s article 2011 Mistakes)

Here are the fitness and nutrition mistakes most people will make in the first 2 weeks of January and beyond.

1. Going On A Fad Diet
Every New Year comes and people seem to start a diet. Whether it’s an extreme fad diet like detoxing your body, eating only soup or crackers or doing something that restricts calories like Weight Watchers, or South Beach. Following a “DIET” is a flawed approach. Most people fail to realize after all these years that any diet that restricts calories, or certain foods is doomed for failure! “BUT it worked for me before David! I lost 25 pounds on the Weight Watchers program.” My answer is well if it worked so well why aren’t you still doing it? And why are seeking me for help? Sure maybe a low calorie diet will help you lose weight temporary but how will it effect your body long term? And can you maintain it for the rest of your life? Most diets will destroy metabolism. All restrictive diets will fail What people need is a balanced supportive nutrition plan with the right amount of calories, that includes real natural foods. The most successful plans to follow are those that will not restrict calories and will provide everything your body needs to build lean muscle, increase metabolism and BURN fat like a machine.

2. They will overtrain or not train properly
Overtraining is extremely common.. It’s the curse of most New Years Resolutions. For most motivation is quite high, yet the body’s recovery ability is low. The first few days of January, most will arrive at the gym, lift weights, bust out a few rounds on the treadmill or elliptical, and then do a few crunches or pushups before bed. For a few days you’re motivated and sore. Then . . . just sore. Then . . . you skip a few days and the soreness retreats, but so does the motivation. You need recovery to see results yet you must also train correctly to see the best possible results. This bring us to mis-training. Mis-training is a little different.

I am amazed how many people I see or talk to who have certain specific goals of losing weight or building muscle yet they are doing all the wrong things to reach their goal. If your goal is fat loss (not just weight) you need to create the correct environment to burn fat. Balancing on a bosu ball, taking 2 minutes rest periods between sets, and doing 2 hours of cardio a day is the not the answer. Yet, people are doing/trying this methods everyday with no results. It’s about following the right amount and type of resistance training, moderate aerobic exercise, and eating the right foods to increase your metabolism. Creating the right calorie deficit (not excessive) and then getting adequate rest is crucial. One of the best you things you to get better results is to get off the weight machine circuit at the gym and start to use all your muscle groups like you move in the real world. You should be training your body how it moves in the real world and burning more calories. You don’t live in a stationary position so you should NOT exercise that way.

3. They will buy the latest fad supplement or weight loss drug on the market.
I will make this very clear there is not a drug or supplement that will burn fat without the help of the right exericse and the right nutrition. If anyone says this supplement “WILL WORK” they are lieing because no supplement or drug will work on it’s own. Don’t waste your money on drugs like “Alli” or stimulants that contain caffiene. Most supplements that contain caffiene or stimulants (fat burners) that are highly addictive and can actually increase body fat long term do to increasing your cortisol levels (stress hormone) The only supplement that most people need to aid them in losing weight is a good whole food vitamin. The reason? Most fail to get all the nutritients they need from their nutrition so a good whole food vitamin will fill in those gaps. What whole food vitamin do I recommend? You can find it by clicking here: Whole Food Vitamin

4. They’ll cut carbs and calories
What are Carbs? Are carbs even carbs anymore? There are so many things labeled ‘healthy that are not” Carbs are our bodies preferred energy source. Yet, most people think they need to be eliminated completely to lose weight. This is not a good idea carbs are used for fuel to give us energy and help spare our proteins for muscle recovery. Our body is a machine and carbs and are fuel for that human machines. What are calories? Calories are a unit of energy! Meaning if you are not eating enough your body will actually feed of your own muscle to supply it with the energy it needs. Most people do not realize how many calories they need to eat in order to lose fat and keep it off. Don’t cut carbs or calories if you are looking for a long term solution for fat loss.

5. They’ll still expect aerobic exercise to be the answer
Most physcians still tell their patients the best exercise is to “walk.” Women still tend gravitate toward aerobic exercise classes and shy away from weights. Men and women find biking, rollerblading or running enjoyable and they mistakenly assume it fully takes care of the exercise component. Unless your only goal is to get more effecient and running or biking, then aerobic exercise will never be enough you to reach your goals. Aerobic exercise though important is still just a piece of the fat loss puzzle. One needs to challenge and protect muscle (even building a little bit won’t hurt) through resistance training. Resistance training is the key to maintaining/increasing muscle and increasing ones metabolism. Not to mention increasing bone mass and strength.

6. They’ll make too much of a drastic change and step a little too far outside of their comfort levels
Maybe this is you……, You went out on New Year’s Eve knowing it’s going to be “the last time.” January 1st, or perhaps January 3rd (Monday), you’re going to stop drinking beer, stop eating pizza and desserts, workout every day, and think only positive thoughts. The positive thinking is a good step, but you’ve developed habits that are with you until they’re replaced by new behaviors. Trying to change everything all at once is most likely gonna set yourself up for failure. You need to have solid structured plan of progressive steps in place or most likely you will not move forward effectively. For most cravings try to drive you to what you’re body is used to. Reduction in caloric intake leads to energy compromise, and then, before you know it, you’re failing to recover.

What you NEED is a properly balanced nutrition and exercise plan where you can set realistic goals, and from there continue to progress with the lifestyle change you need. You’re health fitness should just not be a 12 week program or 60 day journey but a journey that includes the rest of your life.

Your Fitness and Nutrition Coach,

~David Modderman