From IFPA President Jim Bell, MS

I know all IFPA Certified Fitness Professional have already been educated on “cellulite” so this is a simple reminder designed to help you combat the manufacturers of the cellulite removing creams, gels, pills, lotions and magical potions.

Cellulite is not an abnormal type of fat. Cellulite is the same fat, it looks different than fat in other places on the body for several reasons: (1) Lack of “toned” muscles in the hips and thighs, (2) increased fat deposits in those area (many people have the propensity to deposit fat in their hips and thighs), (3) the arrangement of the underlying muscles, (4) the sagging of the skin in those areas (again caused by lack of activity).

Now, fat is the problem, cellulite is a visibly unattractive display of fat, so what’s the solution? In the IFPA Personal Fitness Trainer Certification you learned that for every decade that goes by you lose approximately five pounds of muscle. You also learned that for every pound of muscle you lose, your metabolism decreases by approximately 40 calories a day. The simple solution then is to increase the metabolic rate by increasing muscle mass. You were taught to increase muscle; you know how to do it, DO IT!

Imagine a completely sedentary 40-year-old women coming to you for a “fat loss program.” Even if you haven’t taken the new IFPA Weight Loss Certification, you can do this. Increasing her lean body mass by 10 pounds = 400 calories/day, increase in metabolism = 400 calories/day x 365 days = 146,000 calories/year divided 3,500 (calories in 1 pound of fat = 41.7 pounds of fat in 1 year). Waa-Laa! You are this women’s HERO (HEROINE)!

Dr. Wayne Westcott, longtime friend of the IFPA, has given us some additional techniques to quickly put on the muscle and thereby remove fat.

1^st SUPER SLOW: Super slow is a tough but very effective technique for putting on muscle. Super slow is 10-second concentric contractions and four second eccentric contraction; 4-6 RM sets; One set per exercise, this is a high intensity program, in general you will perform one exercise per body part (the exception I personally use is one or two extra exercises for chest and back due to the broad nature of these body parts).

2^nd Follow each strength exercise with a stretching exercise for that specific body part. Examples: Chest Press is followed by chest stretch. Seated Row is followed by lat stretch. Do the stretch one time and hold each stretch for 30 seconds.

3^rd Remember what you learned in the IFPA Sports Nutrition Certification, fat loss is simple mathematics, if you consume less calories than you expend, you will lose weight. So forget the magic formulas or “ZONES,” simply follow the basics: 20% of your calories Protein, 65% of your calories: 

COMPLEX Carbohydrates (high fiber, low glycemic index foods, the better you are at limiting sugars (simple carbs) the better your results; 15% of your calories: fats (try and keep your fats healthy, non-processed, unsaturated fats).

BASICS: Minimum 64ozs of water a day (8-8oz glasses); 25-35 grams of fiber a day; eat 6 smaller meals throughout the day; use squats, dead lifts, chest press to increase muscle and growth hormone production; watch the scale – one per week – keeps you focused; use a motivation system (check the IFPA website – www.ifpa-fitness.com, the IFPA recently added the IFPA Certified Exercise Motivation Specialist to help you keep your clients “on-task”).

Inspirational thought for today:

“I am only one. But still I am one. I cannot do everything,

but still I can do something. I will not refuse to do

something I can do.

- Hellen Keller 1880-1968

Contracted a severe illness at 19 months of age and lost her sight and hearing and soon became mute. Through miraculous perseverance graduated with honors from Radcliff College in Cambridge and went on to become an author and educator.