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Studio: 6809 Cascade Rd SE, Suite A, Grand Rapids, MI 49546

Supporting You During Covid-19

March 24th, 2020 by Debbie Martilotta

My biggest priority is keeping clients safe and strong during this #Coronavirus stay-at-home order. The effects of this pandemic are changing the world and we can only control what we can control, so with that in mind…

I’m taking workouts virtual and bringing DBM Strength Training to you! Let’s stay strong together by joining with our friends and training as together as we can right now.

Strength training classes are scheduled every Tuesday at 6 pm and Sat at 9 & 10:30 am EST. Cost is $10 per person, my preferred payment app is Venmo. You can pm or text me for details and the Zoom link.

With the mandated at home order, watch for exercise videos and virtual classes! Three weeks is a long time to be away from the gym.

While we are at home temporarily here are a few ideas;

Look for opportunities over the course of every day to put your body under some kind of brief resistance load. Even if you only work hard for one minute (or less) at a time but are relatively faithful to incorporating these “micro” opportunities into your daily routine, the cumulative effect will still be incredible.

If you don’t have exercise equipment in your house, there is still a lot you can do to stay fit, active, and sane during these trying times. Online streaming services, the internet, and mobile app stores are loaded with a variety of free and low-cost at-home workouts for all fitness levels and workout preferences, and many don’t require any equipment.

Turn up your favorite tunes and dance like nobody is watching! Whether you are solo or with your fam, this can be such fun. Challenge yourselves to keep adding one more song and keep moving longer every day.

If you have the luxury of a yard (and many do not right now), get your rake out and clean up from winter. Your spring yard will thank you and so will your body.

Hit your local trails! Many of them are pretty quiet right now so dress for the temp and go exploring. Maybe meet a friend at the trailhead and keep a 6′ distance while you hike together. The app Alltrails is great for exploring.

Staying socially engaged during a stay-at-home order requires creativity! Some good ideas are being shared on social media and this article has several.

Watch your diet! Eating nutritious food is best during times of stress. Let’s support your immune system with great recipes that will also support your fitness goals.

How many ideas can you share with the DBM community? We welcome your suggestions and tips.

How Much Protein Should I Eat Daily For Weight Loss?

February 5th, 2020 by Debbie Martilotta

Decades of scientific research on weight loss have uncovered a few key pieces of information on what helps people successfully win the battle of the bulge.

  • First, we know that while exercise is important, a person’s healthy eating habits likely matters more for weight loss than the hours they spend in the gym.
  • Second, when it comes to dieting, there is no single best one for losing weight; many diets can work quite well as long as total calorie balance is accounted for.
  • Third, dietary protein is one of the key “levers” in a diet that increases the likelihood of someone’s ability to lose weight.

This article is going to cut through a lot of the noise surrounding protein and tell you how much protein you should be eating to lose weight and some of the things you should consider when planning your diet.

WHAT IS PROTEIN?
Protein is an important macronutrient that is involved in nearly all bodily functions and processes. It plays a key role in exercise recovery and is an essential dietary nutrient for healthy living. Protein and amino acids are primarily used to create bodily tissues, form enzymes, and cellular transporters, maintain fluid balance, and more.

HOW MUCH PROTEIN PER DAY TO LOSE WEIGHT?
If you want to lose weight, aim for a daily protein intake between .73 and 1 grams per pound. Athletes and heavy exercisers should consume 1-1.5 grams per pound if aiming for weight loss.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF PROTEIN IN WEIGHT LOSS?
Dietary protein can be an important part of a diet that is intended for weight loss. While there are many benefits to dietary protein, there are four main areas that have direct effects on weight loss:

  • Satiety
  • Lean mass
  • Thermic effect of food
  • Storage as body fat

Let us take a deeper dive into each of these topics.

PROTEIN HELPS YOU FEEL FULL LONGER
One of the biggest things that impede weight loss is hunger.

People are far less likely to stick with a nutrition or diet plan if they experience high levels of hunger.

Protein is the most satiating of all the macronutrients.

Several different lines of research have all pointed to the same thing: higher protein intakes tend to provide more satiety and less hunger.

For example, in one study, high protein snacks allowed people to go longer between eating and also caused them to eat less at subsequent meals.

Another study showed that including protein into a glass of water decreased hunger compared to water alone.

Depending on the source of protein, there does appear to be minor differences in the exact amount of satiety that protein provides, however these differences are minor and don’t really make a meaningful impact for most people.

Currently, there is no consensus on the optimal level of daily protein intake in one’s diet with regard to staying full. However, roughly .82-1.32 grams of protein per pound appear to provide substantial benefit on satiety.

PROTEIN PRESERVES LEAN BODY MASS
In addition, protein has another benefit on weight loss: it helps preserve lean body mass during periods of caloric restriction.

One study compared the effect of low protein intake (1.0 grams per kilogram per day) to high protein intake (2.3 g/kg per day) on lean body mass over a short term caloric deficit. On average, the low protein group lost about 1.6 kilograms (3.5 pounds) of muscle mass while the high protein group only lost 0.3 kg (0.66 pounds) of muscle mass.

Currently, most evidence suggests that .73 grams of protein per pound are a recommended daily target for protein intake to spare lean body mass loss during periods of weight loss.

PROTEIN INCREASES THE THERMIC EFFECT OF FOOD
The thermic effect of food is the “cost” of digesting your food.

Essentially, it takes some energy to break food down, digest it, and turn it into energy. Protein has the highest “cost” of all three macronutrients.

While the total effect that the thermic effect of food has on daily energy expenditure and weight loss is small, it is not meaningless and is important to note.

In one study, a high protein diet increased the thermic effect of food by roughly 6-8 kcals per hour when compared to a low protein diet, which may translate to ~50-75 calories per day.

However, not all studies show this large of an effect, and the thermic effect of protein is not likely responsible for most of its benefit, but it may be the “cherry on top” of adequate dietary protein during weight loss.

PROTEIN IS HARD TO STORE AS BODY FAT
During periods of weight loss, there are often times where more energy is consumed than expended. As such, minimizing how much of that excess energy (i.e. calories) is stored as fat is important.

The body processes the three different macronutrients (i.e. proteins, carbohydrates, and fats) in very different ways.

Leaving out a lot of jargon and mumbo jumbo, in order for protein to be stored as fat, it goes through a much different biochemical process than either carbohydrates or fats.

This process makes it much harder for protein to store as body fat.

One study found that protein is stored as body fat with roughly 66% efficiency, while carbohydrates store with 80% efficiency and fats store at 96% efficiency.

During weight loss, overeating protein results in much less stored body fat than overeating on carbohydrates or fat.

While many different diets can be successful for weight loss, the protein content of a diet is one of the important factors to consider when planning a diet. Protein has been shown to promote satiety, help maintain lean body mass, increase the thermic effect of food slightly, and can reduce how efficient the body is at storing extra calories as body fat.

Courtesy of NASM.org

There Are No Short Cuts to Your Fitness Goals!

February 5th, 2020 by Debbie Martilotta

In order to see any kind of progress in your health and fitness journey, you must show up for a 30-minute, high-intensity workout, twice a week and eat a clean, high protein, low carb diet! There are no short cuts, just say’n…

Let’s get real. Sure, you can cut your calories in half, or spend your mornings or evenings doing cardio to lose some pounds, but I can promise you your results will not last nor will they give you a healthy, functioning body.

When it comes to weight lifting for weight loss, it is important to keep a few key points in mind.

  • First, you will not get BIG from lifting weights. You get “big” from overconsumption of energy (calories), which can be converted into fat or muscle based on the types of foods you eat and the exercise you do.
  • Second, you can lift more than you think—and you should (with the help of a personal trainer).
  • And finally, if weight training is done properly you may be sore the day or two after your workouts (especially if you are new to resistance exercise). This is called delayed onset muscle soreness, or DOMS, and it is a normal response to weight training. Be sure to stretch, drink plenty of water and incorporate sound nutrition to help your body recover quickly between workouts.

Watching the scale too closely is another issue for clients. I’ll hear, “So the scale is up and I’m doing everything right, my clothes are even fitting better! I don’t get it?!” Then we measure and sure enough, their inches are down. Muscle is denser than fat and it also takes up less room. That’s why you can look leaner yet actually weigh more than someone without muscle definition.

Again, if your goal is to be strong, healthy and have a fully functioning body, proper diet and lifting heavy weights with the guidance of a certified personal trainer will get you there!

in part from ACEfitness

The Surprising Benefits of Weight Training

February 5th, 2020 by Debbie Martilotta

The most common misconception about weight training is that it adds bulky muscle mass, a fear of some women. While elite male lifters can — and want to — get very developed, for most people the result is simply well-toned muscles.

Other benefits are increased mobility, more support for your joints and the ability to stay self-sufficient in your later years.

As an added bonus, having more muscle can also help you with your weight goal. That’s because the more muscle you have, the higher your metabolic rate and the more calories you burn. Add a calorie cut into the mix and you’ll lose weight.

Muscle is denser than fat and it also takes up less room. That’s why you can look leaner yet actually weigh more than someone without muscle definition.

To make the most of strength training, lift heavier weights than you think you’re able to. Yes, challenge yourself, staying within safe limits. You don’t want to try to lift a weight you can barely pick up off the weight rack, but most people underestimate the amount they can handle or fail to progress to heavier weights, according to the American Council on Exercise, and that limits the effectiveness of strength training.

Keep in mind, too, that you don’t have to spend hours in the gym. All you need are 20 to 30 minutes every other day to accomplish training goals. Do one to three short sets — eight reps per set — with high weights and a mix of exercises that target all the major muscle groups.

If you’re new to strength training, get your doctor’s OK first and work with a trainer on proper form.

Our recommendation is 2 30 -minute sessions or group class + session each week, along with a clean diet, and you’ll be amazed at how good you feel, and look!

By Len Canter
HealthDay Reporter, U.S. News

New Studio Location Announced: Bigger and Better!

August 15th, 2018 by Debbie Martilotta

We Are Moving!

DBM Strength Training is moving, our new address is 
6809 Cascade Rd SE, Suite A, GR, MI 49546
Northeast Corner of Cascade Village Centre
(Cascade Rd SE at 28th St. SE), next to Heffron Farms

We are excited to offer;
more space, more windows, and possibly a shower facility.

We will be at the east end of Cascade Village Centre, next door to Heffron Farms and across from Starbucks.

Yes, you read that correctly – Starbucks!

The new studio space will be completed by Monday, August 27th. All classes and sessions from that date on will be in the new building.

 

 

 

CLASS SCHEDULE REMINDER:

Tuesday & Thursday 6 pm |  Saturday 10:30 am | 30 minutes, $10, drop-ins welcome!

We suggest our clients have 1-2 personal training sessions per week by appointment, We also offer group classes at $10 each and find they are a great way to supplement your training sessions.

CLIENT REFERRAL PROGRAM:

For each new client who trains a minimum of 3 months with DBM, the referring client receives a $100 credit on their DBM account. *Be sure to introduce us to your referral prior to their training.

Why Mom’s need strength training

May 16th, 2018 by Debbie Martilotta

In owning a personal training studio I am often confronted with a Mom trying to find time and energy to get back in pre-baby shape. Walking, jogging, spin class, yoga maybe even some boot camp interval type classes are the standard go to’s they try.

The second common scenario is Moms that did not get back to their younger body and thinking they need to be realistic that their pre-baby body is gone forever. They simply can’t keep up the cardio and can’t always eat like a bird because they need energy, as well as help, relaxing and ‘keying down’.

Enter the best, yet most unknown solution – once a week weight training. What Mom has lost isn’t her figure but her muscle. She may have put on some fat but that is for feeding the child. The reason the fat doesn’t come off well is cardio won’t do it. Lost muscle from a changed hormone profile has reduced her metabolic rate. She has become the best fat storage machine on the planet.

The side effects are:

– lowered overall energy

– change of body shape

– the beginning of osteoporosis

– disrupted sleep

– back and joint pain

The crazy fact is Mom’s who have stuck to once a week strength training find the bulk of the side effects listed are staved off almost entirely! Even Mom’s who are relatively young and don’t immediately notice big changes in their body see them crop up big time in their 40’s. Again they chalk it up to their lot in life and slowly lose the cardio battle of the bulge and ‘sag’ wins out.

What we have witnessed over the years is those Mom’s and mom to be’s’ who retain once a week strength training do not face these supposed aging issues and in fact often improve their overall body fitness over the years. This because women, as opposed to men, already deal with having less lean mass. Working on the muscle they have in their 30’s pays huge dividends later in life.

The number of drugs and semi-helpful holistic remedies being prescribed to Mom’s is in the billions of dollars…all of which can be almost completely replaced by a simple solution. It is time the fitness and wellness industry stop feeding into the combination of an anxious and overtired mentality of a Mom with sales of symptom masking band-aids.

BY WEFIT.CA 

7 Reasons to Squat Ass-to-Grass

February 12th, 2018 by Debbie Martilotta

THIS is how you take it to the next level!
Don’t fear for your knees, one more PLEASE!

There’s a golden rule in squatting: break parallel. But do you strive to hit full depth? I’m talking full range of motion (ROM), ass-to-grass position.

There’s no doubt some people may have mobility issues that prevent them from exercising their full range of motion, but squatting to full depth is far more effective—and safe—than squatting to just below parallel.

Full squats are better for knee health. It might seem counter-intuitive, but the deeper you go in a squat, the increased knee stability you’ll experience. This is because there is increased contact between the back of the thigh and the calf, reducing the shearing forces on the ligaments within the knee. In fact, a 2013 study from Sports Medicine found that the highest compressive forces are placed on the knee when it is at a 90-degree flexion angle. Essentially, allowing the knee to move freely in a full range of motion helps to build tissue strength around the knee joint—not to mention decreasing the amount of stress (and therefore reducing the risk of injury) on the knee itself.

As world-renowned strength coach Charles Poliquin states, “Not only do full squats keep you honest and encourage you to achieve functional mobility, they allow you to train for better structural balance throughout the body.”

When you squat to full depth, your muscles are stretched further and are better activated than if you were to just perform a parallel squat. With all that tension in your muscles, you can generate more power when coming out of the bottom position. Furthermore, when you squat deep, your hips take more of the load than your knees and ankles, and hip extension torque is increased.

The squat is renowned as the best compound movement in the world of fitness. During the squat, the hip, knee and even the ankle joints (plantar flexion occurs at the joint when you press into the ground during the concentric phase of the squat) are all involved in the movement. As a result, your soleus (the calf), hamstrings, quadriceps, glutes, abdominals (core stability), hip adductors and erector spinae are all engaged during the back squat.

When more muscles are being worked, the body secretes more HGH (human growth hormone) and testosterone, two hormones that are vital for building muscle. In addition, the more tension that is placed on a muscle, the more muscle fiber is recruited, which increases muscular hypertrophy and strength.

Under my guidance, clients should have no fear of improper form. Want a trainer that will get you there, contact Debbie at 616-901-6247.

Read entire article here; http://bit.ly/2BUiXQ2

REVERSE PYRAMID TRAINING

February 9th, 2018 by Debbie Martilotta

I’m often asked why, in my classes, I have my clients start with a heavy weight set and reduce the weight in subsequent sets. There’s a good reason for doing this. The method of going from heavier to lighter weights is called Reverse Pyramid Training (RPT).

Here are 3 benefits of RPT:

BENEFIT #1 – YOU DO YOUR HEAVIEST SET WITHOUT FATIGUE

In an RPT workout, you’ll be doing your heaviest set first while you’re completely fresh. This means being able to handle heavy weights with more ease and power than ever before. No other training style allows you to lift as close to your limits as RPT. You do your heavy set first when you have the greatest strength potential and get full muscle fiber recruitment from the beginning. The fatigue created by that heavy set may actually make the lighter sets more effective because you’ll be lifting closer to failure.

BENEFIT #2 – YOU DO JUST ONE HEAVY SET WITH MAXIMUM EFFORT

With RPT you’re only performing your heaviest set once.

That’s it! One heavy set is all she wrote, baby. If you take that set to the absolute brink of your capabilities, you will not be able to replicate that set again for the rest of your workout.

What’s amazing is that there is a great wave of relief when you know that you only have to do that heavy weight for one set!

Mentally this is a huge advantage; it puts you in the winning mindset and ensures maximum effort. This will lead to consistent personal milestones like you’ve never experienced before.

BENEFIT #3 – YOU DO TWO EASIER SETS AFTER THE HARD SET

The beautiful thing about your maximum effort set is that it will SUPERCHARGE your body! You see, lifting a heavy weight requires near maximal muscle fiber stimulation from the very first rep. This is unlike light weights, in which you only recruit all of your muscle fibers on those last few really tough reps.

By performing your heavy set first, you shift your body into a temporary state of heightened muscle fiber activation. This means that all of the lighter sets you do afterward will promote more muscle growth than if you did them beforehand.You can see this for yourself when you go to do your lighter sets; the first few reps will feel extremely easy. This is because you’ll be using more muscle fibers than you’d normally use for that weight.

Not every personal trainer uses the RPT method. There are as many ways to strength train as there are to cross a room. Which one is best? The one that WORKS! The RPT method has been very successful for me and for my clients. I believe in the results.