Studies have shown that individuals with visceral fat are more prone to cardiac problems, high blood pressure diabetes and stroke. Couch potatoes, those who smoke and drink have more intra-abdominal fat than active people that do not. Researchers have identified stress as a cause of stored visceral fat; and have done exhaustive research into why your body shape matters.

Visceral fat is harder to lose, because it is deep rooted in the body tissue. A person can also be within normal weight range, but have excessive fat around body organs. Sad to say, diet and exercise rarely eliminates the paunch. Reconstructive surgery is one option. This by no means implies that you should not go on a reducing diet and increase your physical activity. What it means is that surgery would not be an option until you lose extra fat on your body as you can, thereby qualifying you as a surgical candidate.

Let’s talk about why visceral fat is bad for you. Fat cells actually have a purpose, in maintaining triglycerides, fatty acid levels and determines insulin resistance, as well as determining insulin resistance. The opposite of too much fat is depletion of fat as in anorexia. Without fat, there is a gaunt unhealthy appearance to the body. Abdominal fat differs from other fats because it suppresses the production of insulin, which causes diabetes. Because of the nature of fat cells, they are not stored passively until needed. Instead, fat is constantly being stored and released from each cell. You have probably guessed except visceral fat, where the main feature is that it suppresses insulin levels more readily than other fats. In fact, the reason it is harder to lose this type of fat, is because the liver metabolises it and released into the bloodstream as cholesterol. “Bad” cholesterol that is low-density protein (LDL) is plaque that blocks the arteries. How much fat a person eats makes a difference as studies have shown that people who eat a diet composed of more than 30% fat usually have high amounts of visceral fat.

So there you have it the low down on “belly” fat. There has been uproar this holiday season about Santa. Health professionals have proclaimed that Santa Claus is giving the wrong message to children because he is too overweight. Also, notice that he has an unhealthy amount of visceral fat. From what we know now, Santa’s life expectancy is in question. So those, “in the know”, suggest we leave fruits and fresh vegetables for Santa instead of cookies!

Notice: This is a guest posted created by Lisa Roberts from www.slimmingresources.com for the Fitness Uncovered Blog. The entry above is the sole expression of the author.

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1. Eat enough protein

You may have gathered protein is important from looking at the vast array of protein powders available to purchase. Your staple protein source is not going to come from a supplement tub however, instead you should focus on consuming high protein wholesome foods such as chicken, red meats, oily fish, nuts, and eggs. Protein is important because it plays a vital role in the muscle repair process, providing the building blocks for muscle growth.

It’s not really possible to put an accurate figure on how many grams of protein you should aim for in a given day. Many sources talk about 1-2g per 1lb of bodyweight.

2. But don’t neglect the other macros

Much emphasis can be placed on the importance of protein, yet little is mentioned about the requirement for carbohydrates and dietary fats. A well balanced diet should include a spectrum of foods, including fruit and vegetables to ensure sufficient micronutrients are being consumed. Generally you would be in search of wholesome carbohydrates such as potatoes, granary bread, wholemeal pasta, sweet potatoes, rice, and so on. Oily fish, linseeds, olive oil spread, nuts etc can also be consumed to ensure sufficient fat intake, which is vital.

3. Eat enough, full stop!

To gain muscle mass you will generally have to consume a greater number of calories than you expel. This can come as a shock to many beginners who try to gain muscle mass whilst still eating the same quantity of food as they did before beginning bodybuilding. Eating plenty of wholesome foods (and varying your food sources) will ensure your body has the correct nutrients to sustain high intensity training and growth.

4. Post workout shake

The window immediately after a workout is the time when it may be wise to promote the use of supplements over food. If you can eat a meal directly after your workout then this would be equally wise, yet many people train at gyms where post workout time is sparse and there is no real means of eating a meal. In such a situation a post workout shake containing 40g of whey protein and 50g of maltodextrin mixed in water would be ideal for most people. This can be a quick and easy way of consuming fast acting protein and carbohydrates.

5. Forget wonder pills and powders, spend your cash on wholesome foods

The only supplements you may want to spend your cash on are whey protein, maltodextrin and creatine. These can be purchased relatively cheaply, so avoid the glossy supplement catalogues and advertising (who do you think ultimately pays for the advertising?), spend you cash on quality wholesome foods and your time reading quality web sites for free! Always consult your GP before you begin an exercise program and/or supplementary regime.

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Handy links

GoReuse homepage >
Second hand items on GoReuse >
List a second hand item >

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Oats, whey and fruit

Whey protein is an ideal protein source for first thing in the morning. 40g of whey protein, 6 ounces of oats and an item of fruit is a nutritionally sound breakfast. Each item can be consumed separately or all the items can be mixed together with water and milk to create an awesome, quick to consume breakfast.

Strawberry delight

Blend one and half cups of frozen strawberries with 2 cups of milk. Add in some strawberry flavoured whey to thicken up the mixture. 2 teaspoons of flaxseed oil can be added to the mixture to increase its nutritional benefits. Have a fiddle with different ratios until you find a mixture which suits your preference.

“James Super Smoothie”

The “James Super Smoothie” was developed by James Collier; nutrition consultant and co-owner of MuscleTalk.co.uk. It has appeared in fitness magazines and has been well received by many athletes and fitness enthusiasts. See James article over on MuscleTalk.co.uk for instructions on how to create the smoothie - articles.muscletalk.co.uk/article-super-smoothie.aspx.

Omelettes

Omelettes are a great breakfast choice for the bodybuilder as eggs have an amazing protein profile. Omelettes can be created using 4-6 large eggs, salt, pepper, cheese, onions, tomatoes, bacon and mushrooms. Yum!

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Training the traps with the shoulders

This may be the slightly more popular choice, and arguably more logical. However, training the traps for most gym goers will involve a shrug variation or an upright row exercise, with both targeting the upper region of the muscle structure. The middle and lower fibres of the trapezius tend to be involved during scapular retraction and depression, and are therefore recruited effectively during a back workout. The upper traps, responsible for scapular elevation, are involved in many shoulder exercises. So for trainers who tend to target their traps with shrugs and upright rows; after a shoulder workout seems like a reasonable time to do so as these exercises primarily targeted the upper region of the traps.

Traps with back

As briefly mentioned above, the traps are also responsible for scapular retraction and depression, so the full muscle structure will not be targeted from shrugs alone. Fortunately, if you follow a well balanced training program the lower and middle trapezius will likely be well exercised from popular back exercises.

The middle fibres will be recruited during row variations as the scapular is retracted. Pull up variations will effectively stimulate the lower portion of the trapezius, with the depression of the scapular. It is clear that a well balanced back workout will therefore exercise the middle and lower portions, but some trainers may decide to include an incline shrug (shrug performed face down on a steep incline bench) or face pull (row performed at head level) exercise during the back session if they feel their middle and lower traps require special attention.

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Core

The core will be well exercised from following a training plan which includes compound exercises, such as deadlifts, squats, over head presses and rows. The core is the foundation of most lifts as it stabilises the trunk. We can however specifically isolate the abdominals and lower back to ensure the core remains strong, well balanced, and stimulated.

Forearms

Again, the forearms will receive a lot of stimulus from following a training plan which includes exercises such as deadlifts and rows. The forearm muscles will be consistently contracting when a heavy load is gripped. Some trainers may find directly targeting the forearms with wrist curls will however provide an enhanced way of obtaining larger forearms.

Calves

The calves will receive some degree of stimulation from lower body exercises, but to really unleash any growth we must directly target the calves with calve raises. The calves can be a difficult body part to develop however, so isolating the calves and directly targeting them may be essential.

The workout

This workout goes against the grain of what we normally advise, yet it does address the desire of many trainers to specifically target the smaller notable muscle groups, moreover it can be tailored into an overall effective plan.

We would recommend this workout is performed once or twice per week (if performing twice per week please ensure there are at least two days between them). This/These workout(s) should be seen a supplement to your overall plan. So, when constructing a plan, something such as this may be suitable:

Monday
Squats
Bent over row
Over head press

Tuesday
Low priority workout

Wednesday
Deadlift
Dips
Pull ups

Thursday
Rest

Friday
Dumbbell squat
Seated row
Bench press

Saturday
Low priority workout or Rest

Sunday
Rest

So, what would our low priority workout compose of? We want to isolate the three muscles, so a workout such as the following would likely prove effective:

Standing calf raises 15 x 4
Superman 20 x 3
Crunches 25 x 2
Wrist curls 12 x 3
Wrist extensions 12 x 3

Rest between each exercise should be minimal, as fatigued calves do not affect your ability to perform crunches etc.

An important note to remember is overall muscle definition is not only achieved through a resistance training plan, but also a correct approach to dietary intake. It is essential you learn what is required to lose body fat so the hard earned muscle is well displayed!

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More reps

This may sound like a simple concept, but performing more repetitions with a given weight is an effective way of increasing the demand placed upon a muscle. If you can just about perform 8 dumbbell curls with a 15kg dumbbell, you are more than likely going to be bigger and stronger when you can perform 12 reps 2 months later.

The advantage of adding more repetitions to the exercise opposed to more weight is the retained form during the movement. Moving up to 17.5kg or 20kg dumbbells may cause your form to slacken as the assisting muscle groups find it more difficult to keep your body in position. Standing dumbbell curls may not pose a direct danger if you fail, but exercises such as dumbbell pressing do. It is inevitable that you will have to increase the poundage some day to continue to progress, but increasing the repetitions until you can hit 15 perfect reps may be a good idea for those without a spotter.

Unilateral training

Lifting unilaterally is often quite a lot harder and challenging than training both sides of the body simultaneously using a barbell. If you can bench press 100kg for 8 reps, you will find it more challenging to knock out 8 reps using 50kg dumbbells in each hand instead. It is therefore possible to lift less weight yet still place a similar demand on the target muscle (great news for your connective tissue too).

Unilateral training is also great for preventing or resolving muscle imbalances. A barbell exercise may allow your stronger side to overpower the weaker, therefore leading to an imbalance. Unilateral training demands equally from both sides of the body, therefore ironing out any strength and size differences.

Negatives

Negative repetitions are not a common sight in most gyms. In fact, the negative (eccentric) phrase of a normal repetition is often drastically neglected by many gym goers who simply drop the weight from the top of the exercise. The portion of the exercise when the target muscle elongates is referred to as the negative phrase, and it is this phrase which is specifically targeted during the negatives training principle.

Take an exercise such as the pull up, a great exercise for the back and arm flexors. Without a training partner it may seem difficult to perform more than 6 or so reps. However, we can perform negative repetitions without a training partner to increase our strength levels and place great demand on the muscles. To do this we forget totally about the concentric phrase of the exercise (i.e. when you are pulling yourself upwards) and instead we use a chair to place ourselves at the top of the exercise movement. From here we hang freely and very slowly lower ourselves until we are fully outstretched. We then get back on the chair and repeat for a number of repetitions.

Rep and pause

A rep and pause technique is performed by many trainees as a way of pushing past the usual capabilities of your muscles. You may have already done this in the past. Let’s take the seated dumbbell press which targets our shoulder muscles. We may be able to perform 10 repetitions with the weight, but would fail at the eleventh attempt, so we pause for 3 to 5 so we recover just enough and perform another rep. We may repeat this a few times, until we have performed an extra four or five reps more than we would usually.

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Whey protein

Whey protein is a quick acting protein which is ideal to take after a training session (often mixed with Maltodextrin which we mention shortly). Other times when it would be suitable to consume whey protein are at breakfast and before a workout. You will find two main types of whey protein available; whey isolate and whey concentrate. The isolate tends to be more expensive because of its superior quality (it contains more protein on a per gram basis compared to concentrate), although this comes with a higher price tag. In reality the difference between the two types is going to be hardly noticeable to the end user (you can after all add a little bit more concentrate to your shake!).

How much can you expect to pay? 2.5kg (over 83 30g servings) of unflavoured whey protein at the moment would cost around £25, with flavoured costing between £27-30. Shop around, you may find cheaper, but do remember that very cheap protein powders may taste bad and may be more likely to cause stomach upset. Asking on forums for the latest deals and reviews would be your best bet.

Creatine Monohydrate

This is a very popular supplement among all trainers. Creatine is cheap and often notably effective. Creatine works by replenishing energy, therefore allowing you to work harder in the gym. Creatine can also cause muscles to become fuller in appearance, which is obviously a favourable trait for trainers who are focused on muscle building and their aesthetics.

5g before or after a workout is a common dose, and with 100g costing no more than £2 online it’s easy to see why creatine is so popular!

Maltodextrin

Maltodextrin is a complex carbohydrate but behaves otherwise. Absorbed quicker than sugar, Maltodextrin is used in many sports to keep energy levels high. Being quickly digested can worry many people who are concerned about possible fat gain, yet this supplement would be ideal in a post workout drink when a quick acting carbohydrate is needed to replenish the body. How much you consume will depend on your goals, but 30-40g mixed with 40g of whey protein would make a great post workout shake for most bodybuilders and weight trainers.

Again, this supplement can be bought very cheaply. Don’t expect to pay any more than £3.50 for 1kg.

Weight gainer

Weight gainers are popular among new weight trainers because many begin weight training to gain size and weight. It is important to choose a suitable weight gainer, however. Cheap weight gainers will often contain inferior proteins, simple and cheap carbohydrates (maltodextrin is not always a bad choice here if you have a fast metabolism) and a silly number of calories per serving.

A decent weight gainer will provide 500-600 calories, up to 50g of protein from a mixed source, and 50-100g of carbohydrates (barley and/or oats in some weight gainers) per serving. A quality weight gainer will be more expensive than the supplements already outlined. Expect to pay over £30 for a 2.25 tub, which may contain 20 servings. Please read the next point before rushing out and buying, however.

But what’s more important than any of these?

I am not trying to sell you anything so my answer is a bit boring. But, on the other hand, it’s the truth. Diet. By diet I mean the various items you eat during the day, this is what your body has access to when trying to repair and build muscle tissue. By all means try some of the supplements which are outlined above, but none of them are going to correct any short comings in your diet. If you plan to build muscle and gain size you will need to consume a plentiful amount of protein, carbohydrates, dietary fats and calories. Micro nutrients from fruit and vegetables are also essential.

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Exercises

Below are a handful of effective strength training exercises which can be performed.

Bench press

The bench press is a popular upper body exercise which primarily stresses the chest, but also incorporates the shoulders and triceps. A narrow grip bench press can be used to increase the strength of the triceps to a greater degree.

Strict over head press

The strict press ensures the shoulders and triceps are the only body parts responsible for the over head press. Understandably, you are going to tire on this exercise pretty quickly compared to the push press (mentioned next) as the triceps and shoulders are relatively small and weak muscle groups compared to the lower body

Push press

This exercise is similar to the script over head press except (and as you may have already guessed) it is not as strict. Instead, the movement incorporates the lower body as a partial squat is performed at the start of the exercise to increase the drive as the bar is pressed above the head.

Bent over row

A under hand or over hand grip is suitable for the bent over row. The bent over row exercises the back and arm flexor muscles and can be performed using a dumbbell (one arm dumbbell row) or with a barbell. Whilst improving our strength requires a high load, it is important to retain sound posture and minimise hip movement during the lift.

Deadlift

The deadlift is a great test of raw power. Lifting a dead weight off the ground requires strength from the entire lower body, grip, the core, and many muscles of the upper body and torso. New trainers, as with all exercises, should seek help regarding how to safely perform the deadlift from a qualified PT.

Squat

The so called King of All Exercises! The squat effectively targets the entire lower body, as well as the core. Focusing on the squat will ensure massive leg strength increases.

A sample workout plan for strength

We could use the 5 x 5 rep/set scheme (5 reps for 5 sets for each exercise).

Monday
Squat
Push press
Bent over row

Wednesday
Deadlift
Bench press
Chin ups

Friday
Front squat
Strict press
Selection of core exercises

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1. Lateral dumbbell raise

The lateral dumbbell raise is a common shoulder exercise as it directly isolated the medial head of the deltoids. The medial head is located to the side of the shoulder, and is therefore responsible for the width of the shoulders. We perform the dumbbell raise first to tire the head prior the seated dumbbell press which follows. Start with one or two warm up sets before starting the working sets.

Stand erect grasping a set of dumbbells. With a slight bend in the knees and elbows, raise your arms to either side until your elbows are level with your shoulder. Do not allow the dumbbell or wrist to travel higher than the elbow during the exercise. Slowly lower the dumbbells and repeat for repetitions.

2. Seated dumbbell press

Many people prefer over head pressing exercises than isolation shoulder exercises due to the increased poundage which can be used. Heavy over head pressing is very effective for muscle building purposes, hence the inclusion of the seated dumbbell press here.

Sit on a fully inclined weight bench which supports your back. Grasp a set of dumbbells and press them up so they are level with your shoulders. Now, begin the exercise by pressing the dumbbells above your head by extending your arms. Slowly lower the weight until the handles are level with your ears, and repeat.

3. Incline reverse dumbbell fly

The reverse dumbbell fly is designed to specifically target the rear head of the shoulders, the posterior deltoid. We must remember to exercise all aspects of the shoulder joint to ensure overall balance and stability.

Set a weight bench to a (est. ~) 30 degree incline. Grasp a set of light dumbbells and lie face down on the incline bench. Keep a slight bend in the elbows whilst raising the dumbbells upwards. The movement will appear to be the reverse of hugging a large tree. Once the upper arms are level with your torso, reverse and repeat for repetitions.

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