The Official Blog of Tara Marie Segundo, M.A.

"To be successful, you must have the three C's: Conviction, Creativity, and Courage." ~Tara Marie Segundo, M.A.
March 15, 2011

The Leanness Lifestyle

I am starting a new category on my blog for Book Reviews!  I come across many fantastic books, as I interview brilliant authors for my radio show, TARA MARIE LIVE.

There is a book that is so comprehensive and so useful for teaching the fundamental principles of transforming your body, your health, and your life that I have chosen it for my first review!

Called, The Leanness Lifestyle, this “bible” of body transformation is just what you need to get on the right path and avoid the pitfalls of everyday life on your way to becoming the best version of yourself!

The author, David Greenwalt, is a professional colleague, a frequent guest on my show, and now a friend.  Most importantly, he himself has totally transformed his body, his health, and his life using some very basic but key principles that he shares in the pages of this gem.

March 9, 2011

Mitigating Muscle Loss

Have you ever heard an old man brag that his weight has not changed since he was twenty-something?  That’s great, and as a trainer I am always thrilled to hear that people are keeping their weight in check as they age.  However, as a trainer I am far less concerned about the number on the scale and far more concerned about how much of the weight is lean muscle mass and how much of it is fat mass.

Let’s consider the old man again: at 23 years old, his 175 lb. frame probably had a good bit of muscle, and his torso was the shape of an upside down triangle, with broad shoulders and a tapered waistline.  Now at 83, if he has not been doing anything to maintain his muscle mass, his 175 lb. frame likely looks like a triangle, only right side up!  His broad shoulders and small waist have now become narrow shoulders and a wide waist—but he still weighs 175 lbs, so he does not see the problem.

From a health perspective, however, there is a problem. As we age, both men and women will lose muscle mass and increase fat mass.  Since muscle is metabolically active tissue, meaning it requires calories just to exist, the more muscle you have on your frame, the easier it will be to stay lean.

That added body fat also increases the odds that you will suffer from any one of a number of diseases that can be prevented, including diabetes, metabolic syndrome, different cancers, and heart disease.