Top 5 Fat Loss Strategies by CHHRC Trainer Jon Haas

Top 5 Fat Loss Strategies

By Jon Haas

Today, let’s take a look at my top 5 favorite, no-brainer strategies for losing fat like a champ. If you are not seeing the results you want with your current fat loss plan, implement some, or preferably all of the following strategies and watch the fat literally fall off you!

1) HIIT

High Intensity Interval Training is something that I discuss a lot with clients. In fact, when it comes to conditioning, I can’t say enough good things about it. But let’s focus on its role in fat loss rather than conditioning for a moment. Long Slow Distance (LSD) type cardio is usually what people think about when they want to burn calories and lose fat. Things like running on the treadmill, exercise bike, elliptical, what have you. These are all good for “cardio” and burning calories during exercise. However, once you stop so does the calorie burning. HIIT is different. The high intensity protocol makes the sessions much shorter than traditional cardio, usually about half as long, yet the fat burning effect continues for hours after you stop. This makes HIIT much more efficient and the better choice for fat burning.

2) IF

Intermittent Fasting is key for quickly dropping fat, optimizing your body’s hormone profile, and increasing your daily energy. The cool thing about IF versus traditional fasting is that you can use it in various ways. Skip one meal a day. Sometimes skip 2. Other days set a certain time limit for fasting. 16 hours is usually the most recommended as anything longer than that begins to have a negative impact on muscle mass.

3) Forget Whole Grains

Go No Grain! This means no bread, cereal, rice, pasta, etc. If your goal is rapid fat loss, and I assume it is since you’re reading this article, then you should significantly reduce or remove grains from your diet. There is absolutely zero necessary nutritional content that we obtain from grains. I can hear the cries now – what about my fiber??? Don’t worry, the fruits and vegetables you will be eating to replace them are a much better source! The extra carb load we receive from them however does get stored as fat. Lose the grains. 

As a side note, make sure you also steer clear of all types of soda to drink, especially diet! Drink water during the day.

4) Sleep

Studies have consistently shown that getting under 7-8 hours of sleep per night is detrimental to your health. There are a host of problems lack of sleep can cause, being prone to weight gain is just one. Get your sleep!

5) Build Lean Muscle

This one is pretty self-explanatory. Strength training is an important factor in healthy body weight, and it also increases (or maintains, depending on your diet/intensity) muscle mass. Whole body strength training exercises also stimulates growth hormone production.
And a bonus,

6) Exhale!

This is one that we don’t often think about, but exhalation is the somatic trigger for relaxing the body. Take a few minutes a couple times a day to do 10-20 strong, deep, rapid exhales. This will lower your heart rate, lower blood pressure, and reduce stress. Since stress makes you prone to weight gain, this is a good thing! These sharp, deep exhalations also help in removing toxins and detoxifying the body.

Jon Haas is a certified Underground Strength Coach -Level 2, an ACE certified Personal Trainer, and has been involved in the martial arts for over 30 years. He has been training in the Budō Taijutsu arts of the Bujinkan for more than 22 years and is currently ranked as a Kudan (9th degree black belt) under Jack Hoban Shidōshi. He is the founder of Warrior Fitness Training Systems and author of the book, Warrior Fitness: Conditioning for Martial Arts. Jon Haas is also a certified conflict resolutions specialist through Resolution Group International (RGI.) In addition to personal training, Jon also teaches a one-hour Internal Strength class every Friday at 9:30 am. Learn more.

Surviving Cold & Flu Season: Part 2

Foods that are Immune Boosters:

I personally love kale, spinach, chard, broccoli, radishes, tomatoes, red skin onion, sweet potato, pumpkin, red & yellow squash, cranberries, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries. The list goes on and on. Even with veggies that I simply detest (like brussel sprouts), I try to find ways to disguise them and put them in my body. My body loves the nutrients and life’s more interesting this way.

Phytochemicals: What are they?

Phyto means plants. Chemicals are the naturally occurring vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and hundreds of other substances that science hasn’t even discovered yet. When vegetables and fruits are brightly colored, they pack powerful agents that deliver immune enhancing agents. This helps your body maintain balance and fight disease. We know that vitamins and minerals don’t work to their potential when they work by themselves in the body. When they are accompanied by broad spectrum phytochemicals, the body utilizes them more effectively. The kicker is, science is still discovering new phytochemicals everyday. For best health, eat a large variety of brightly colored fruits and veggies - the deeper the color, the more nutrient dense the phytochemical.

A Rule to Live By:

Pay careful attention to what you put into your body immediately following your workout. Remember the “Anatomy of Recovery” – your body is a proverbial sponge in that first 30-45 minutes following a workout. Many people hurt themselves physically, and slow down the ability to burn fat or gain muscle by not consuming a liquid meal during this time. The solution is to drink nutrient dense calories NOW and replenish what you have burned. Your body needs the natural glucose and fructose sugars from fruits to properly recover. Make every calorie count and make sure they are nutrient dense. You can do it with a green veggie shake and really boost your immunity! Because your body is a “sponge” at this time, the phytochemicals absorb quickly and helps you maintain good health.

EAT WELL!

Check back next week for Issue 3.                   Brought to you from our partners at PROJECT: PFC

Surviving Cold & Flu Season: Part 1

Brought to you from our partners at PROJECT: PFC

Prevention Is The Best Medicine

Since there are no known cures for cold or flu, prevention is the best medicine. This year, it is more important than ever to take all necessary precautions to avoid getting the flu.

Healthy young people are at less risk for the serious complications, that can accompany the flu, but it could still mean a week or more out of work (not to mention the misery that goes along with that.)

10 Natural Ways to Reduce the Risk of Catching or Transmitting Colds or Flu

1. Eat smart. Eat a variety of brightly colored foods containing phytochemicals. These natural chemicals give the vitamins, held within the foods, a supercharged boost. 
2. Get enough sleep. Your body can’t recover without enough sleep. 
3. Don’t cover a cough with bare hands. Cough into the crook of your elbow or into a clean tissue and then dispose of immediately. 
4. Wash hands frequently. Viruses can live for hours and sometimes weeks outside the body. 
5. Don’t touch your face or the face of others. Cold and flu viruses enter the body through the eyes, nose and mouth. 
6. Manage your stress. It is well documented that stress can lower the immune system. 
7. Drink lots and lots of water. All of life’s functions take place in water and it flushes your system, washing out toxins as it rehydrates you.
8. Take a sauna. Studies prove that those who take two or more a week got half as many colds as those that didn’t. One theory is that viruses cannot live in temperatures higher than 80 degrees. 
9. Do cardio exercises regularly. Cardio forces the body to pump more oxygen-rich blood throughout the body. This helps to eliminate waste and produce more of the body’s natural virus-killing cells. 
10. Take nutritional supplements. Due to stress, food degradation, the environment and other factors, the foods you eat may be missing important nutrients.

Check back next week for ways to boost your immune system!

CHHRC Member Spotlight: George Loesch

Congratulations to CHHRC member George Loesch for winning the USTA 2014 National Men's 60 Grass Court Championships!

George was gracious enough to give us further information about the event. In his own words:

"I went into the tournament as an unseeded player. I played 6 matches, and defeated the 9th seed, 5th seed, 3rd seed and 1st seeded players, and did not lose a set the entire tournament. I defeated the #3 seed Carl Sechen, from Allen, TX in the Semi-Finals 6-3, 6-4 and #1 seed Tom Smith, from Alpharetta, GA in the Finals by a score of 7-6, 7-5 - - winning the USTA Men's Grass Court 2014 Singles Champion receiving a prestigious and respected USTA Gold Ball. An outstanding accomplishment! 

CHHRC has been my tennis club and fitness center of choice since moving to the Philadelphia Region in 1984. From September to May, and  I play doubles on Court #1 Saturday and Sunday, with local stellar and first-rate doubles partner George Norcross. We are always looking for good competition and challenges from any players."

Congratulations to George. Thanks for representing CHHRC, and South Jersey in such a grand fashion! 

View the official results of the entire tournament on the USTA site here.

George is pictured here with his wife LeeAnn and daughter Rachele.

"The Sport For A Lifetime" Offers Physical & Psychological Benefits

Why Play Tennis? You may have heard tennis called "the sport for a lifetime" -- is it really? The USTA teamed up with the Cleveland Clinic to educate people about the the numerous health benefits about tennis. According to the Clinic's Dr. Jack Groppel, tennis has both physical and psychological benefits. That article, which originally appeared here on USTA's website, is below.

Health Benefits of Tennis: Why Play Tennis?

By Jack L. Groppel, Ph.D.

Its historic moniker has been the “sport for a lifetime”.  But is this really true?  According to world-renowned scientists from a variety of disciplines, there is no doubt that tennis is one of the best sports for you to play.

Here are the facts:

1. People who participate in tennis 3 hours per week (at moderately vigorous intensity) cut their risk of death in half from any cause, according to physician Ralph Paffenbarger who studied over 10,000 people over a period of 20 years.

2. Tennis players scored higher in vigor, optimism and self-esteem while scoring lower in depression, anger, confusion, anxiety and tension than other athletes and non-athletes according to Dr. Joan Finn and colleagues at Southern Connecticut State University.

3. Since tennis requires alertness and tactical thinking, it may generate new connections between nerves in the brain and thus promote a lifetime of continuing development of the brain, reported scientists at the University of Illinois.

4. Tennis outperforms golf, inline skating and most other sports in developing positive personality characteristics according to Dr. Jim Gavin, author of The Exercise Habit.

5. Competitive tennis burns more calories than aerobics, inline skating, or cycling, according to studies on caloric expenditures.

With these results in mind, let’s take a look at 34 specific reasons why you should consider playing tennis regularly!

Physical Reasons to Play Tennis

Tennis helps your:

1. aerobic fitness by burning fat and improving your cardiovascular fitness and maintaining higher energy levels.

2. anaerobic fitness by offering short, intense bursts of activity during a point followed by rest which helps muscles use oxygen efficiently.

3. ability to accelerate by practice in sprinting, jumping and lunging to move quickly.

4. powerful first step by requiring anticipation, quick reaction time and explosion into action.

5. speed through a series of side-to-side and up and back sprints to chase the ball.

6. leg strength through hundreds of starts and stops which build stronger leg muscles.

7. general body coordination since you have to move into position and then adjust your upper body to hit the ball successfully.

8. gross motor control through court movement and ball-striking skills which require control of your large muscle groups.

9. fine motor control by the use of touch shots like angled volleys, drop shots and lobs.

10. agility by forcing you to change direction as many as 5 times in 10 seconds during a typical tennis point.

11. dynamic balance through hundreds of starts, stops, changes of direction and hitting on the run.

12. cross-training by offering a physically demanding sport that’s fun to play for athletes who are expert in other sports.

13. bone strength and density by strengthening bones of young players and helping prevent osteoporosis in older ones.

14. immune system through its conditioning effects which promote overall health, fitness and resistance to disease.

15. nutritional habits by eating appropriately before competition to enhance energy production and after competition to practice proper recovery methods.

16. eye-hand coordination because you constantly judge the timing between the on-coming ball and the proper contact point.

17. flexibility due to the constant stretching and maneuvering to return the ball toward your opponent.

Psychological Reasons to Play Tennis

Tennis helps you:
18. develop a work ethic because improvement through lessons or practice reinforces the value of hard work.

19. develop discipline since you learn to work on your skills in practice and control the pace of play in competition.

20. manage mistakes by learning to play within your abilities and realizing that managing and minimizing mistakes in tennis or life is critical.

21. learn to compete one-on-one because the ability to compete and fight trains you in the ups and downs of a competitive world.

22. accept responsibility because only you can prepare to compete by practicing skills, checking your equipment and during match play by making line calls.

23. manage adversity by learning to adjust to the elements (e.g. wind, sun) and still be able to compete tenaciously.

24. accommodate stress effectively because the physical, mental and emotional stress of tennis will force you to increase you capacity for dealing with stress.

25. learn how to recover by adapting to the stress of a point and the recovery period between points which is similar to the stress and recovery cycles in life.

26. plan and implement strategies since you naturally learn how to anticipate an opponent’s moves and plan your countermoves.

27. learn to solve problems since tennis is a sport based on angles, geometry and physics.

28. develop performance rituals before serving or returning to control your rhythm of play and deal with pressure  These skills can transfer to taking exams, conducting a meeting or making an important sales presentation.

29. learn sportsmanship since tennis teaches you to compete fairly with opponents.

30. learn to win graciously and lose with honor.  Gloating after a win or making excuses after a loss doesn’t work in tennis or in life.

31. learn teamwork since successful doubles play depends on you and your partner’s ability to communicate and play as a cohesive unit.

32. develop social skills through interaction and communication before a match, while changing sides of the court and after play.

33. have FUN… because the healthy feelings of enjoyment, competitiveness and physical challenge are inherent in the sport.

Summary and Reason #34

Is it any wonder that scientists and physicians around the world view tennis as the most healthful activity in which you can participate?  There may be other sports that can provide excellent health benefits and some which can provide mental and emotional growth.  But no sport other than tennis has ever been acclaimed from all disciplines as one that develops great benefits physically, mentally and emotionally.

Tennis is a sport for kids to learn early in life.  What parent wouldn’t want their children to get these benefits through their growing years?

It’s not too late for adults and seniors too!  The human system can be trained and improved at any stage of life.

Here’s the key… you must begin playing tennis now to get these benefits throughout your lifetime.  And that brings us to reason #34:  Tennis is truly  the sport for a lifetime!  It’s been proven.

This article was originally posted on the USTA website, here.

Get Fit with Friends and Earn $75 - Now Extended!

How would you like to earn a cool $75?

You already know that in addition to being a premier tennis club, CHHRC offers sports and fitness programs for people of all ages and levels of ability.

And because we are a family-oriented health club, that’s how we treat all of our members – like family. 

We pride ourselves in providing such a high level of customer service to all of our members, everyone and anyone who walks through our doors is immediately welcomed and made to feel right at home.

So why keep that information to yourself?

In order to help our members spread the word about CHHRC and what a friendly, non-intimidating workout facility we have, we designed a unique Refer-A-Friend Promo exclusively for our CHHRC members.

Here’s how our Refer-A-Friend promo works: 

For each friend you refer, you will get $75 towards your Membership Fee. When they join, we credit your account.
It’s that easy. 


All you need to do is fill out the form on our site with your friend’s contact information.
Have a lot of friends to refer? That’s great.
There’s no limit on the number of friends you can submit for our limited time Refer-A-Friend Promo. So refer as many friends as you like because there are perks in it for them as well. 

Friend Perk: Free 3-day pass and 50% off of the enrollment fee and 2 months free. 

Don’t wait. We've extended this offer, but only through the end of this month! 
The Refer-A-Friend promo is only good until July 31. August 31.

$75 for current Members Only. Referral must join by August 31, 2014. Restrictions Apply. 

Call 856-429-1388 for details.

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