Fitness 10 to 1

10-minute blocks (six blocks) dividing the hour is one of my favorite formats to work with clients. It includes around three minutes each for cardio, strength and core/flexibility; one each for back, chest, lower body, shoulders, biceps and triceps.

Nine is the spot, on a 1-10 relative intensity scale (one being super easy; 10 being nearly impossible), where I want my client to finish a short, high intensity cardio interval (usually two to six minutes each).

Eight is the number of muscle groups I work with clients when we do an isolating, single joint format: upper back, quadriceps, pectorals, hamstrings, shoulders, glutes, biceps and triceps.

Seven hours of sound, restful sleep is about the least you’re going to get away with and still have optimal results with your fitness and eating program. It’s important not to overlook this critical point when you’re assessing the effectiveness of your program. Work/rest balance is key.

Six is the average number of times I eat each day:

• Pre-breakfast of tea, veg juice and a whole milk latte (0500)
• Breakfast of a hard boiled egg, a banana and a cup of oatmeal or granola with mixed nuts (0800)
• Late AM snack or early lunch is raw veggies and hummus or a cheese stick (1030)
• Lunch is usually a small veggie and protein focused meal with tea (1330)

• Protein bar and a honey crisp apple (1530)
• Soup with a veggie base + a protein, a stir fry or roasted veggies with meat, beans or tofu (1700)

Five days a week exercise is the upper limit for me. Four is at least as likely. My typical workout week is:

Mon & Fri – Cardio, strength and core

Tue or Thu (optional) - Yoga

Wed – Muscle endurance circuits

Sat (optional) – Cardio

Sun – Yoga

Four components of fitness that should be addressed and balanced for the safest and most effective program are: Strength, Stamina, Core Stability and Flexibility/Range of Motion.

Three substrates (energy nutrients) that I think get too much attention are protein, carbs and fats. A better focus for overall health, fitness and sports performance is nutrient-density. That is the concentration, for a given calorie count, of vitamins, minerals, protein grams and fiber grams.

Two phases of the waking day, AM and PM, should, ideally supply a different level of energy intake that better matches the energy requirements of those phases. A good rule of thumb, assuming you don’t work out at night, is, roughly, 65% early day and 35% late day/evening. For most it’s the opposite, which contributes to long-term weight gain or stubborn weight loss plateaus for regular exercisers. If you work out at night, shoot for a 50/50 split.

One overriding, deeply personal goal should eclipse all other sources of motivation if you want to make fitness and healthful eating a lifelong commitment. For me, it’s quality of life.

What’s yours?

Dan Taylor, ACE, NASM-CPT, is a 20+year fitness trainer and writer, former faculty member for ACE and NASM and owner of Pleasanton-based Tri Valley Trainer. They provide personal training and small group fitness solutions at their studio and an innovative, medically endorsed web-based group healthy eating coaching program.