Kimberly Garrison

You can post any questions at the COMMENTS link or e-mail Kimberly at kimberly@phillynews.com.

It keeps you motivated and offers immediate feedback on your workout.

WHETHER you're a fitness novice or a seasoned veteran, a heart rate monitor (HRM) is one of the best fitness investments you can make. It will keep you motivated, in the zone and honest about your workout performance.

I discovered this wonderful little tool about 15 years ago, and I still rely on it to know in an instant if I'm doing too little, too much, or just right.

Each of our From Flab to Fab Fitness Challenge participants received a Polar Heart Rate Monitor last week to stay on track with their fitness goals.

What is a HRM?
A heart rate monitor is comprised of two items: a transmitter and a watch. The transmitter has two electrodes that detect your heartbeat. Mounted on your chest with an elastic band, it relays the signal to a watch (wrist receiver) that displays your heart rate in beats per minute.

Why use an HRM?
A heart rate monitor delivers continuous feedback, whether you're doing weight training, running, or simply walking. In a nutshell, a heart rate monitor permits you to train smarter. Exercising in your target heart rate zone and at the right intensity level are two key components to reaching your fitness goals.
Sure, many people check their heart rate the old-fashioned way, by feeling their pulse. However, by the time you find your pulse, you may have missed 10 to 20 beats, and thus have an inaccurate reading. If you've ever taken a traditional aerobics class, the instructor typically does a pulse check after the aerobic segment. Most people manage to fumble around and find their pulse just when the instructor says to stop counting.
Listen to your heartbeat.

The target training zone for the average person is typically a heart rate of 50 percent to 85 percent of their maximum heart rate (MHR).
MHR is best defined as the number of times a person's heart can beat during one minute of exercising - a number that depends on many variables, such as age, gender, genetics and fitness level.

Clinical testing on a treadmill administered by a physician is by far the most accurate way to determine MHR. But there are also formulas you can use to approximate your MHR and your target training zone.

• To determine your MHR, subtract your age from 220. For a 40-year-old, for example, the maximum heart rate would be 180 beats per minute. The target training zone would be 50 percent of that (90 beats a minute) for a beginning or out-of-shape exerciser, up to 85 percent (153) for an intermediate to advanced exercise enthusiast.

• Another, more accurate method for determining your training zone is the Karvonen Formula. You must also know your resting heart rate (RHR) to use this formula: (MHR - RHR) x (Intensity + RHR).

Let's try this one using our 40-year-old, who has a RHR of 60 and is an intermediate/advanced exerciser. Her MHR is 180. Thus, her target training range would be 120 (minimum intensity, or 0.50) to 162 beats per minute (maximum intensity, or 0.85).

Check your meds
If you take prescription medications - for high blood pressure, for instance - you will likely have an artificially lower resting heart rate and will need guidance from your doctor to learn what your upper limits are.
In the end, working out comes down to one word - effectiveness. How effective is your workout?

Sherita Jackson
Giving up foods I love is tough, but I do have more energy. I'm adjusting, and it feels great!

Trainer Jeff Shablin says: Again, Sherita is on a winning track. She is improving in every area. I'm delighted over her progress.

Mary Leonard
I'm 100 percent positive that if this challenge was over tomorrow, I would not go back to my old eating habits. I feel too good! I really needed this challenge to get me started, and now I'm off and running. I've lost 12 pounds, but it feels like more.

Trainer Gabriel Gaskin says: I'm so proud of Mary and the progress she is making. Her clothes are swimming on her now, and she is just tickled pink!

Vaughn Morrison
Last week, I only made it to the gym when I met with Melissa. Unexpected conflicts keep challenging my schedule, yet I proposed to expand my Flab to Fab routine. I have been reluctant to weigh myself, but when I do I feel the scale is joking. It's saying I've lost over 20 pounds! Something must be wrong - right?

Trainer Melissa Kolczynski says: After three weeks of smooth sailing, Vaughn admitted to me that, for the first time, he's seeing that sometimes life gets in the way of the workout. He's doing a good job at making the workout a priority, despite how difficult it can sometimes be.
.
Cynthia Santiago
I was comparing the photos I initially sent, and I cannot believe the transformation that is taking place. I can see my muscular physique coming through. I'm sure I will surpass my 24-pound weight-loss goal. I'm looking at a size 8 - soon!!

Trainer Kimberly Garrison says: Cynthia is soaring. She has surrendered to the fitness lifestyle and is reaping the benefits. She realizes now that exercise and healthy eating work together like a marriage. Together, you're unstoppable!
.
B.J. Wilson
It's hard to resist eating things that you like. Clearly, the eating and mental challenges are the toughest part.

Trainer Jim Hart says: BJ is still missing those cheesesteaks. He is gradually adjusting to the inconvenience of having to pack lunch and not just run out and buy food. Despite having a cold, he continues to be faithful to the cardio program and loves his new heart-rate monitor. We also use it during strength-training to assess intensity.

This week he began interval training on the EFX and treadmill, which have jacked up his metabolism. He is becoming a lean, fat-burning machine! He has lost 13 pounds!

Look for Flab to Fab Fitness Challenge weekly updates on Channel 3.

PERSONAL TRAINER JIM HART DISCUSSES SMART SUPERMARKET STRATEGIES

IT'S BEEN a month since five brave Philadelphians began the Daily News From Flab to Fab Fitness Challenge, and the weight is coming off.
With help from five trainers, including Daily News fitness columnist Kimberly Garrison, participants are sweating it off at the gym, exercising at home, watching their calorie intake and losing as much as 10 to 20 pounds each so far.
While the first few weeks were focused on creating fitness and diet routines for folks who say they hardly ever exercised or watched what they ate, this week, focus shifted to long-term maintenance of their improving physiques - and that meant learning permanent healthy eating habits.

The secret to a thin waist is a full fridge bursting with vegetables, fruits, low-fat dairy, fish and lean meats, according to personal trainer Jim Hart, who led Flab to Fab challenger Mary Leonard on an eye-opening do's and don'ts of food shopping tour through the Super Fresh supermarket at 10th and South streets last week.

Jim and I recently sat down to talk about successful food-shopping strategies, super foods and the keys to permanent weight loss.

Q: Jim, what are the three keys to successful and permanent weight loss?

A: Preparation, preparation and preparation! That is the universal rule whether you're an athlete, a CEO, a college student, a chef, a party planner or a surgeon. It is an old cliche, but it still holds true - you will not be successful if you do not do your homework.

Q: In other words, "Failure to plan is planning to fail!" What's the best way to establish an eating plan?

Sherita Jackson
I have had some hills to climb this past month, with two deaths in my family. I have seen and smelled every kind of food I'm supposed to keep away from. Usually, I am an emotional eater, but while different feelings erupted, I didn't explode and turn to food. I exercised more. I read more, and I didn't let food control me.

Trainer Jeff Shablin says: Sherita is dealing with real life. She has stood strong through it by maintaining her diet. She prepared healthy food for [guests] who stayed in her home and did not falter from her workout regimen. I am very proud of her!

Mary Leonard
I can't believe how working out and eating the way I am feels like it's been part of my life longer than five weeks. Cardio is still the toughest part for me, but it is getting a little easier. Everyone else sees the changes in me, but I want to see a bigger change.

Trainer Gabriel Gaskin says: Mary is down 12 pounds and counting. I'm so pleased with her excellent progress. She is truly an example of what you can do when you make up your mind to do it.

Vaughn Morrison
As we approach the midpoint of our adventure, I find myself more than halfway to my goals, which means the easy pounds have been shed and the deeper challenges await me.
I am working my way out of the valley of unfitness one workout at a time... . I am growing stronger each day.

Trainer Melissa Kolczynski says: Vaughn's consistency and dedication have helped him lose 20 pounds. This kind of weight loss is only partially due to his workouts. The major strides have been due to his changes in eating habits.

Cynthia Santiago
I'm often asked how difficult it's been to give up junk food. I have discovered that because I am nutritionally balanced [now], I do not have an urge to snack. I am not craving salty or sweet things. What I have done is substitute my foods. If I feel like something sweet, I'll have berries. Something chewy or crunchy? I have dried pineapples, dates or almonds.

Trainer Kimberly Garrison says: To say I'm delighted at Cynthia's progress is an understatement. A busy career woman, a single mother of four, and she's doing it. Cynthia is proof positive that whatever the mind conceives and believes can be achieved.

B.J. Wilson
My routine for the week is pretty solid, but the weekends have proven to be very tough. I have found that when I do stray even a little, I feel very guilty. It's time to rededicate myself to my program and continue in the direction of good health.

Trainer Jim Hart says: B.J. has lost 17 pounds! I continue to be impressed with his dedication and consistency. This week, I taught him a circuit strength routine that he can do on his own. B.J. does what he is told without question (furthering my theory that practicing and former Catholics always make the best clients). This past weekend was quite a challenge, but he came through with minimal alcohol consumption ("just a wee nip," as we Irish say).

IN CASE you hadn't noticed, the From Flab to Fab Fitness Challenge team is slimming down fabulously, with weight loss totals of as much as 20 pounds during the first month of the challenge.

Losing weight must be as easy as 1, 2, 3, right?

Wrong.

Winning at the losing game requires determination - and conscious living. But the Fab Five have clearly demonstrated that while never easy, losing weight and toning up is possible with this simple, time-proven method:
EAT LESS AND EXERCISE MORE!

B.J. vs. the Cheesesteak

In addition to huffing, puffing and sweating off the pounds, the Fab Five also had to make serious changes in their eating habits and, in the process, retrain their palates.

B.J. Wilson's resolve has clearly been challenged. Until the contest began, his idea of a vegetable was french fries. He is seriously missing his cheesesteaks,too.

B.J.'s diet used to look something like this:

Breakfast:Nothing.

Snack: Sandwich and stuff from Wawa.

Lunch/dinner: Sandwich and soup from Wawa.

Snack: Vending machine chips, pretzels, Twix and (his favorite) Snickers bars.

Much to his trainer Jim Hart's chagrin, B.J. does not cook, nor does he eat green vegetables. Hart worked around this obvious handicap by introducing strict portion control while allowing B.J. to eat some of the foods and snacks he loves.

B.J.'s diet now:

Breakfast: Couple of pieces of fruit.

Snack: Breakfast cereal, plus fruit.

Lunch: Portion-controlled frozen meal.

Dinner: Portion-controlled frozen meal.

Snack: Bowl of soup and fruit.

Nothing tastes as good as she looks

Before the challenge, Cynthia Santiago was a tired, constipated, self-proclaimed junk-food junkie.

She was a regular at Dunkin' Donuts, picking up either a croissant or, when she was "being good," a bran muffin. Those good-for-you bran muffins sure taste good. They should. A typical bran muffin has the same ingredients as any good cake - plenty of flour, sugar and loads of artery-clogging fat. Yum!

Ironically, the Dunkin' Donuts bran muffin has 210 more calories than its eclair (480 vs. 270), according to the company Web site.

Here's a peek at Cynthia's former diet:

Breakfast: Black coffee with sugar substitute, Dunkin' Donuts croissant or muffin or, for a treat, eggs, bacon, home fries and toast.

Snack:Chips, crackers or candy.

Lunch: Fast food, hoagie, or, when she was being "good," a fish hoagie.

Snack: Jordan almonds (candied almonds).

Dinner: Fried or sauteed chicken, rice, beans and corn.

Snack: Bowl of cereal with whole milk.

Now, Cynthia's new diet:

Breakfast: Coffee, cup of oatmeal ( ｽ cup raw oats) or an egg white omelet, and a piece of fruit.

Snack: Apple or half a grapefruit or a half-cup of berries or carrots.

Lunch: Typically, salad with teriyaki salmon, broccoli, asparagus, green beans.

Snack: Piece of fruit.

Dinner: Chicken, or baked salmon with tons of green veggies.

Worth repeating...
I've said it once and I'll say it again, permanent weight loss comes down to:
� Portion control, and
� Exercise.

If you're exercising and not losing weight, don't blame it on carbs or fat. The bottom line is, it's all about total calories consumed.

Stop believing you can eat whatever you want because the label says "low-carb" or "low-fat." You can eat whatever you want in moderation, as long as you don't go over your body's caloric budget.

Whenever you eat more calories than your body needs, you'll store those calories as fat.

Period.

And remember, it's easy to eat more than you exercise. For example, a measly, 150-calorie, 1-ounce serving of potato chips would take the average woman 30 to 40 minutes to burn off by walking. A weekend binge can set you back an entire week.

In the end, you must count, slash and burn those excess calories. Read nutrition labels like you would a contract - look at the small print on the back, not the big-print "sizzle" on the front label.

There's no such thing as a "healthy" cheesecake or cheese-steak. French fries are unattractive fashion accessories. Come on, join the Fab Five and win at the losing game! *

THE FROM FLAB to Fab Fitness Challenge Five had a real treat recently - an amazing culinary experience that wasn't at odds with their fitness goals.

"Eating healthy without compromising taste is simply a matter of using a few cooking techniques and applying them to a variety of foods," explained Chef Christina Dimacali of Clean Your Plate private chef service, who did a cooking demonstration last week for some of the Fab Five in a kitchen at the Lofts 640 apartments on Broad Street.

Chef Christina taught us how to create quick, easy and mouth-watering dishes that danced on our tongues. There's a recipe below, but first here are five tips to help you be a real winner in weight loss and in the kitchen:

1. Do your homework. Plan and write out out menus for the coming week. Make a shopping list of the ingredients you'll need. Then, alas, you must go to the market and buy everything.

2. Prep your meals. It's important to prep and season ingredients before cooking.

Chop onions and vegetables, mince the garlic, etc., and set ingredients aside in small bowls so they are ready when you begin to cook.

Season meat, poultry or fish with fresh herbs or marinades so they're bursting with flavor.

3. Eat whole foods. At every meal, eat fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains and lean proteins.

If your budget allows, you may want to buy organic produce and free-range meats.

4. Ditch the white stuff. To maximize nutrition and keep your energy high, delete energy-draining foods made with sugar, white flour, white rice and other processed ingredients.

5. Go wild.The Fab Five were surprised to discover that wild salmon is superior in nutrients and flavor over farm-raised varieties.

According to Chef Christina, farm-raised fish are grown rapidly in giant pens and fed concentrated fish pellets that contain chemicals, and antibiotics. Farm-raised salmon are fattier (they get less exercise) and would be light gray if they weren't fed dye to create the familiar pink salmon color.

What's great about this quick dish is that you can vary the vegetables and herbs, or the kind of fish you use. Just be sure the vegetables are sliced small so they will steam quickly.

WILD SALMON FILLET EN PAPILLOTE

Light oil, such as grapeseed

or canola

2 skinless wild salmon fillets,

4 ounces each

ｼ teaspoon salt

ｼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 to 1 ｽ cups julienne-sliced

vegetables and fresh herbs of your choice (See * below)

1 tablespoon minced shallots

1 cup diced fresh tomatoes

1 tablespoon capers

6 thin slices of lemon

For this recipe, you'll need two sheets of parchment paper, 24 inches by 16 inches, and a sheet pan. Parchment is available at most grocery stores, or you can substitute aluminum foil or two small brown paper bags.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Fold each paper in half widthwise and brush one side of each lightly with oil.

Season both sides of the fillets with half the salt and pepper and place each fillet on the oiled side of a parchment sheet.

Scatter the slivered vegetables and herbs over and around the fish and season with the remaining salt and pepper. Fold the dry half of the paper over the fish and vegetables.

Starting at the crease, pleat the paper along the edges to create a half-circle or heart shape, sealing in the food. To secure, press folds down firmly, rubbing the pleats, then twist closed after last fold.

Set the package on the cookie sheet and bake 8 minutes for a thin fillet (less than an inch) or 10 minutes for a thick fillet (1 inch or more).

To serve, carefully transfer the package to a dinner plate and unfold or cut the parchment. Serve in parchment or slide it out onto the plate.

Serves two.

Each serving has approximately 225 calories, 7g total fat (1.1g saturated), 10g carbohydrate and 28g protein, depending on the vegetables selected.

*Try a half-cup each of julienne-sliced zucchini, carrots and shiitake mushrooms, with about 24 flat-leaf parsley leaves and two sprigs fresh thyme.

Christina Dimacali will present "Mondays in May with Chef Christina," a healthy cooking class, at the Williams-Sonoma store at the Bellevue on Broad Street. Cost is $55. Register at the store or at www.cyplate.com.

CNN brings its Fit Nation initiative to Philly & the nation
"LET'S GET physical," Olivia Newton-John's classic 1981 hit urged, a rallying cry that may become a new national anthem if physician Sanjay Gupta and former President Bill Clinton have their way.

The two spoke about "Fit Nation," a national health and fitness initiative started by CNN, to a packed house at Drexel University last week. The plan is simple: to encourage Americans to make health and fitness a No. 1 priority and, in the process, stomp out the nation's obesity epidemic.

"We need your help," exclaimed Gupta, CNN's senior medical correspondent. "We're in a crisis. Eating is killing us,

we're not as productive, and we're falling behind."

Being overweight or obese has become the most serious risk to our nation's health. If you need confirmation, consider these sobering statistics from the American Heart Association's statistical sourcebook:

• 16 percent of U.S. children and teens are overweight.

• 65 percent of adults age 20 and over are overweight or obese.

• Obesity by itself is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease.

• Obesity raises blood pressure levels.

• Obesity can induce diabetes.

Clinton told the Drexel audience that "27 percent of [overall U.S.] health care cost is related to obesity, and we spend 50 percent more on health care than any other nation."

However, both Gupta and Clinton agreed that this is a fixable problem.

It takes a village

Fixable indeed.

The Daily News From Flab to Fab Fitness Challenge participants are fine examples of what can be achieved with teamwork, motivation and increased awareness about exercise and proper diet.

The Fab Five have learned that super-sized meals are no bargain. They know now that so-called "value-added" meals are not a good deal for the waistline or the wallet.

Cynthia, Vaughn, B.J., Mary and Sherita all know that cheap, convenient but high-calorie meals ultimately come with a much higher price.

In just seven weeks, the team has demonstrated that we can do it if we try. Most Americans, however, do not follow the recommended guidelines for either exercise or healthful eating.

Instead, Americans are literally busting out, taking in unprecedented calories. Dining out is on the rise, fast-food and convenience-food consumption is climbing, as is consumption of snack foods and sodas.

Fuel rules

The Japanese, who eat a low-fat diet, are generally lean. But have you ever considered that, despite eating a high-fat diet, the French remain svelte also?

It's all about portion size.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between 1971 and 2000, American women increased the number of calories they consumed by 22 percent (from 1,542 to 1,877 a day), while men increased their intake by 7 percent (from 2,450 to 2,618 calories).

On the other hand, 1995 federal recommendations were 1,600 calories a day for sedentary women and 2,200 a day for sedentary men. But the 2005 recommendations are 2,000 calories a day for women and 2,400 for men.

Hmmm. Which recommendation should we follow?

I'll venture to say that if we begin trending toward the CDC's earlier caloric guidelines, we'll be moving in the right direction. The French and Japanese eat roughly 700 calories less each day than we do.

Serving sizes at most American restaurants are two to five times larger than they were in the 1970s. Even our dinner plates have been super-sized from 8 inches to 12 inches.

A lesson from the Amish

The Amish community is yet another example of what we should follow. That population has an obesity level of 4 percent.

Amish men do a reported 10 hours of vigorous work per week and walk an average of 18,425 steps a day. Amish women perform more moderate activities, but they, too, manage a hefty 14,196 steps a day. The average American? A mere 5,000 steps a day.

So what are you waiting for? It's time to dust off the sneakers, get physical and let your body talk. *