HEALTH & FITNESS

By Brian Knavish | Photos by David Pinchot

Liz Eelkema (front) and Ron Marcum in the Resist-a-ball class at the Health Club at Southpointe.

But what about the novices? Some people want to know just the basics of exercise. What do they need to do to start working toward their goal?

We talked to some local fitness gurus about just that. Here are some tips to get the most out of your workout program.

SET A GOAL - This is always the first step in a workout program. Anyone attempting to get in shape has to establish a goal, then work toward that goal, say fitness experts.

For some, that goal is losing weight. For others it’s getting stronger, bulking up or increasing stamina. But no matter what it is, you can’t take the appropriate steps toward reaching that goal until you know where you want to get.

Lisa Troyer, the owner of Fitness Fanatics in Bridgeville, advises people to set “SMART” goals; these are goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-specific.

Workout gurus agree that a common mistake of would-be athletes is to set initial goals too high. Then, when they don’t reach that goal, they view it as a failure and give up. When a realistic goal is met, however, the athlete feels a sense of accomplishment which further increases motivation.

BE PATIENT - Getting into shape – whether it’s slimming down or bulking up – takes time.

“I see a lot of people who want results overnight,” said Pete Valentino, the head trainer at 84 Fitness Center, located just outside Canonsburg. “You have to give it time, at least two months, to see results. It takes time, especially for someone new to working out.”

BIG PICTURE - Working out, alone, won’t produce acceptable results. Nor will simply dieting. Experts say that you should emphasize both aspects of fitness when embarking on a program.

“It’s more than just lifting weights,” said Steve Nesbit, of Finelines Fitness, a personal training studio in Peters Township. “You have to learn about nutrition and cardio.”

LOSING WEIGHT - When embarking on a fitness regime, the goal of many people is to lose weight. Shedding a few pounds is relatively simple if you use some common sense, said area fitness experts.

“I’m a calories-in, calories-out person,” said Troyer. “To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you’re taking in.”

And just when is the worst time to take in these calories?

“Avoid eating a lot of carbohydrates at night,” said Nesbit.

Valentino offered another common sense tip. “One simple thing I can recommend is to drink a lot of water,” said Valentino. “Drinking water, alone, helps you lose weight.”

BULKING UP - Other people want to add bulk. For them, it’s important to add the “right kind” of weight.

This means eating more calories, but making sure those calories consist of mostly lean protein, mixed with a balanced diet consisting of plenty of vitamin-rich fruits and vegetables.

Lifting weights is essential to stimulating muscle growth, and with a goal of adding mass in mind, experts recommend lifting with heavier weights and fewer reps.

“Concentrate on the large muscle groups: chest, back and legs,” said Valentino.

TARGETING - Some athletes want to focus on one particular body part. This is difficult, said the trainers.

“It’s almost impossible to target a specific area,” said Valentino. “If you lift, your arms will get bigger, but everything else will follow.”

And how about that washboard stomach? There’s more to it than just doing endless sit-ups. You can have a superbly strong stomach that’s still buried under layers of fat.

“People say, ‘I want six-pack abs,’” said Valentino. “You have to do cardio like crazy, and good, quality cardio.”

QUALITY VS. QUANTITY - “I’m working out, but I’m just not losing the weight.”

That’s a complaint trainers hear frequently. The reason, they say, is because the workouts aren’t “quality” workouts. Exercise is supposed to be difficult and even a bit painful.

“Too many people stay in that comfort zone when working out,” said Valentino. “You won’t see any results if you’re comfortable while working out. It’s about going to the pain threshold and stepping over. A lot of people are afraid to push themselves.”

Troyer emphasizes increasing the frequency, intensity and duration of workouts; avoid stagnating.

CHANGE IT UP – Doing the same workout routine day-in and day-out won’t produce maximum results. Fitness gurus emphasize changing the routine frequently.

“Our bodies work up immunity to the same exercises,” said Troyer.

Changing a workout could mean using dumbbells to work biceps one week and a Hammer Strength machine the next. It can also mean simply changing the program on an elliptical machine or increasing the number of reps when working a particular body part.

“As trainers, we try to shock the body during every workout,” said Nesbit.

TREAT YOURSELF – When dieting, keep it realistic. As Troyer points out, you don’t have to give up any foods totally.

“Everything in moderation,” she said.

The trick is, making sure “treating yourself” stays just that, a treat. Candy, cakes, fried foods and the like need to be the exceptions, not the rules. Remember that every calorie you take in, you eventually have to burn off if you hope to lose weight.

“I say you can have one bad day per week,” said Nesbit.

Occasionally veering from a diet can actually help a fitness program from a mental standpoint.

“A lot of people who try to never have a bad day, diet wise, burn out in a month,” said Nesbit. “Nobody is perfect. You won’t be able to have a perfect diet. It’s better to allow yourself that one bad day a week, just make sure it’s only one.”


GET GOING – Whether you want to bulk up or slim down, get firm or be able to run faster, the ultimate key is to get on with the workouts.

Trainers repeatedly point out that people need to make more excuses to get to the gym, instead of coming up with excuses not to go.

“Stop procrastinating,” said Troyer. She said people always talk about getting in shape at this “vague time in the future.” Make that time now.

“Take that first step. Make that phone call or stop into a gym. Once you’re at the gym, you’re halfway there.” •