Kelli Calabrese, MS, CSCS Talks About Fat Loss

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First published at www.MohrResults.com, August 2007

CM: Today we’re sitting down with 2004 Online Personal Trainer of the Year, Kelli Calabrese.  Kelli has helped 1000’s of people shape up in her 20+ years as a successful trainer.  Our goal is to bring you information from the cream of the crop, so this week, we sat down with Kelli for your benefit!  Kelli, beach season is around the corner.  What do you think most people struggle with when trying to shed body fat?

Kelli Calabrese (KC): In order to lose fat, people must do three things.  First, decide that they want to shed body fat and believe that it’s possible. Second, they must find a program that is proven to work and third, they must follow through with that program.  Unfortunately people run into road blocks at all three of those steps. 

First, people struggle with the poor habits they have created over a lifetime and then they want to change them all in a single day or week.  A person will get to the point where the pain of being over fat becomes greater than the pleasure of sitting around eating junk food and being sedentary.  When that moment in time happens, they begin planning in their mind how they will go about the fat loss process.  For example they will say, “I am going to stop drinking alcohol, quit smoking, order more salads when dining out, give up meals at the drive thrus, start taking vitamins, get to the gym 5 times a week” and so on.  Their motivation may be high at that moment, but trying to change too many things at once is a mistake.  They then become overwhelmed by all they believe has to take place or they remember past failed attempts and no longer believe its possible and feel its too painful to go through the process.  Each time they decide to lose fat (which may be every Monday morning), they have less hope than the time before.

The second challenge to shedding body fat includes finding a program that is proven to get results and will work for their preferences and lifestyle.  There are so many options in the 30 Billion dollar weight loss industry that one does not know where to begin.  Many of the programs are flawed in one way or another or take a partial truth and expand it out to make it appear as a quick, easy magical solution.  Some programs are incomplete in only including a supplement with out a nutrition plan or exercise prescription.  Others are unhealthy or unrealistic.  Sometimes there are so many options, the person gets overwhelmed and confused and can not choose a starting point.    

The third key is consistency.  Once a sound fat loss plan is decided upon and begun, it must be followed through consistently. If it is a proven, safe and effective plan, results are guaranteed.  Sometimes it can take up to 3 or more weeks before someone can see and feel the results of a great fat loss plan and some people are just too impatient or feel too deprived in the process to follow through for the long hall.  People see diets as being “on” and “off”. They see foods as “good” and “bad”.  It does initially take work to figure out a few healthy breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks to prepare and consume, however once a person has done it for a few weeks, it gets easier and the body will respond amazingly well. This is something like Meal Plans 101 helps; it takes the guesswork out of the equation by helping create the guesswork out of creating those meals.

People can be very sore from exercise sessions initially. They may feel excessively fatigued.  Figuring out the correct combination of eating, exercising and recovering to produce the best fat loss results may take some trial and error initially for a variety of different reasons – especially if someone is trying it alone. You would not consider assembling the engine of your car you were going to put your family in and drive across the country without proper information, instructions, and some previous training.  People think they can figure out the best fat loss formulas on their own through starvation, supplementation and excessive exercise. They come to find very quickly that is not the long term solution. I recommend everyone seek the professional help of a fitness and nutrition professional—and if you are a fitness and/or nutrition professional, seek the best information out to enhance your programming. 

People should not approach fat loss as deprivation through food and pain through exercise.  The goal should be to treat the body the way it was made to eat, move and recover.  When that happens, the effects are far reaching to your health and energy and a side effect you will naturally lose fat in the process.

To summarize:

1. Change your mindset to one that focuses on treating your body well through nourishing, wholesome and supportive foods, regular and intense exercise and enough recovery to allow your body to repair.
2. Think about making the very best choices at each moment regarding what you are putting in your body, getting in enough physical activity and sleeping 7+ hours a night. 
3. Plan ahead as much as possible for your meals, exercise and sleeping.  Again, hiring the best trainer, or following a model of a successful program, such as Feminine, Firm, and Fit takes the guesswork out of exercise…Meal Plans 101 takes guesswork out of meal planning.  The sleeping part becomes a no brainer! 
4. Make taking excellent care of your body a priority and you will be pleased with the fat loss results.   

CM: Do you train women any differently than men when working towards the same goals, such as fat loss? 

KC: The concepts are the same regarding getting in regular and intense cardiovascular and strengthening exercises.  The recommendations I have regarding exercise prescription are similar.

1. 20 – 30 minutes of cardio 2 – 3 times weekly
2. 40 – 60 minutes of cardio 1 – 2 times weekly
3. I recommend 3 strengthening sessions weekly.  Strength and cardio can be done on the same days. I recommend the shorter cardio sessions on the strengthening days. 

NOTE: Cardio sessions are done using interval training to optimize fat loss. Time and intensity are obviously inversely proportional.   

I do a lot of total body workouts if the women or men are committing to 3 sessions a week.  It’s more functional and practical.  No two workouts are ever the same for men or women.  Variety is absolutely the key to fat burning. Using different speeds, intensities, ranges of motion, resistances, times, reps, sets, etc. help with continued success and the health and results of the clients.  Feminine, Firm and Fit gives you this model to succeed; I’ve done the thinking and guesswork for you and the results have been fantastic with my clients. 

I do find women are more open to trying different exercises. With women I do a combination of kickboxing, Pilates, yoga and boot camp style drills in addition to traditional training.  I use up to 20 reps on some exercises.  I tend to do less sets of the same exercise and instead give several variations of exercises in a sequence for the body part.  I do find women enjoy having more body specific exercises for the hips and thighs as well as abs.  I have women push an SUV around a parking lot as well as run suicides across a foot ball field. I find the women are very resilient and willing to try just about anything. 

Not to stereo type, but I find men enjoy more traditional strengthening exercises and also prefer multiple sets to single sets.  I do incorporate functional training including bosu’s and stability balls as well as sport specific drills with both men and women.  I find men are more confident with anything having to do with sports such as drills using basketballs and women tend to have less confidence with some sport drills. 

Some exercises are more dependant on the person and personality more than the gender. I push each person to their abilities to maximize fat burning each session, but of course keeping it safe and within their limitations.    

CM: What type of nutrition tips and suggestions to you talk to clients about when trying to change their simple behaviors?

1. Choose wholesome and nutritious real foods
2. Consume several meals of similar caloric value spread out throughout the day.
3. Compare food labels to ensure you are making the best choices.
4. Understand a serving size and eat slowly.
5. Avoid fads like low calorie or high protein diets.
6. Drink a minimum of 8 eight ounce glasses of water each day.
7. Time meals with your workouts to best fuel your body
8. Consume lean protein, complex and fibrous carbohydrates and polyunsaturated fats each meal.
9. Treat yourself to your favorite foods one meal each week.
10. Journal and track meals daily.
11. Take a multi-vitamin/mineral supplement each day.
12. When possible, eat foods in their most raw natural state.
13. Minimize dining out.
14. Clean out the pantry and the refrigerator of processed snacks or any “trigger foods”.
15. Grocery shop after you have eaten and stick to your shopping list of wholesome foods.
16. Shop around the perimeter of the supermarket and avoid going up and down the aisles.
17. Keep healthy foods readily available such as having a salad cut up or a fresh bowl of berries in the refrigerator.
18. Swap out whole fat dairy products for low fat or skim choices.
19. Bake, broil, poach, steam, stir fry or grill for lower fat options.
20. Put a serving of food on your plate and put the rest in the refrigerator.
21. Sit and enjoy your meal – this is not the time to multi-task.
22. Savor meals putting your fork down between bites.
23. Trusting your appetite will heighten awareness of hunger and fullness.
24. Be wary of the ‘heart healthy’ or ‘light’ selections on menus.
25. Do not be afraid to ask to have a meal prepared to your liking when dining out.
26. Lighten up on sauces and dressings by asking for them on the side.
27. Skip the bread, appetizers and dessert.
28. Share a main course with a friend or get a take-out container when your meal is served
29. Ask for extra vegetables on your plate instead of extra starches.
30. Establish consistent eating habits.
31. Use salad plates and cups instead of dinner plates and bowls.
32. Eat slowly, cut food into smaller pieces and chew each bite thoroughly to help digestion.
33. Prepare for situations where an abundance of food will be available by eating ahead of time or bringing your own dish which you know is a healthy option.
34. Only go to the buffet line one time.
35. Stay out of the kitchen when not eating.
36. Cook with herbs, broth, citrus juices or flavored vinegars instead of oil, marinades, sauces and dressings.

CM:  Wow, that was worth the price of admission!  What a simple list of 36 effective, fat loss (and just general health) strategies!!  Is there a role for dietary supplements for fat loss with your clients? 

KC: I have never been a big supporter of supplements for fat loss. I typically recommend a detoxification plan if not initially by the second month of training. Sometimes I find that a person is not ready for a detoxification process while their body is getting used to regular exercise and they are working on making some behavior changes. By the second month, I will typically recommend a detoxification program. 

I also recommend a multi vitamin / mineral as well as Omega and  Flax Seeds / Oil. I also recommend they have complete blood chemistries done to see if anything is off of balance and needs correction. When something in the body is not within normal limits, the body is constantly trying to maintain homeostasis and there will be some correction factor in the body that may inhibit the release of fat. 

CM: If you could have clients change only 5 behaviors, what do you think would be the most critical changes they need to make to get the body they desire?

1. Eliminate processed foods and beverages including alcohol.
2. Eat out less often. There are too many hidden fats, sugars and calories in restaurant foods, not to mention that the quality may not be as good as we would like.
3. Use water as your primary beverage. Eliminate or limit coffee and soft drinks along with any artificial sweeteners.
4. Get in some physical activity most days of the week. Have deliberate, regular and intense exercise planned for at least 5 days out of the week. 
5. Sleep at least 7 hours a night.  Nap when you can.  Have a day of recovery where no formal exercise is planned.

CM: How do you help your clients plan -- you're with them a few hours a week, but then they're on their own the other 160+ hours each week without you looking over their shoulders. 

I start out with a 90 minute consultation with most of my clients. In that time, they leave with a pretty clear understanding about how and what to eat as well as behaviors to work on based on their current behaviors, goals and abilities when I initially take them on as a client.  I have found Meal Plans 101 beneficial in that it helps determine the specific calorie needs of clients depending on their goals; then together we can utilize the set meal plans that can come with the program (they have been a Godsend!) or sometimes clients have very specific likes and dislikes and they can choose those foods they desire.

I also have my client’s journal. It keeps them accountable. I also have them turn in food logs to see patterns as well as what’s working and what’s not. I empower them weekly with newsletters.  I offer grocery shopping tours and cooking classes so they can involve all of their senses in learning about shopping, cooking and eating. I offer monthly nutrition seminars.  I offer monthly teleconferences or webinars.  I think the constant communication is important. Those who take the most advantage of the tools available to them through me see the best results.  I also schedule fitness assessments monthly, buddy people up and get my clients together in groups monthly to celebrate their successes.  The list can go on, but these are really the basics for helping my clients reach and exceed their goals. 

CM:  Thank you so much, Kelli!  This information has been exactly what folks are looking for—straightforward, solid information.  For more information about Kelli’s successful fat loss program, Feminine, Firm, and Fit, visit www.femininefirmandfit.com.

For more information about healthy eating and incorporating a variety of nutrients in the diet, check out Mohr Results - Grocery Shopping Made Easy DVD!