A New Weigh For Big Tom Part 4

By Terry Hood, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- The weight loss effort continues by a Tulsa musician.  Tom Basler set out three weeks ago to lose 200 pounds.  Tom has now found a scale and reports that he's lost more than 30 pounds and taken in his belt two notches.  Part of Tom's success is due to the personal trainers who have volunteered their time to help him get in shape.

02/06/2009  Related Story:  A New Weigh For Big Tom Part 3

Most of us are on our own when it comes to fitness, but that doesn't mean we can't get the same results.  Steve Seidel is a personal trainer at Fitso, a health club in midtown Tulsa.  He has all kinds of tricks to whip folks into shape

One of his favorites is circuit training.  And, it's something you can do right at home.

For example, say you spend 30 minutes a day on your treadmill.

"It's very important to mix that up a little bit.  To change it up and not do the same thing every day," said trainer Steve Seidel.

With circuit training, you'd spend the first five to 10 minutes on the treadmill to get your heart rate up and then move on.

"You're awake; you're breathing harder, sweating a little.  Now what we want to do is build on that and add a little toning and strength training as well," said trainer Steve Seidel.

In a training session with Tulsan Jill Fleishner, Seidel adds a minute of work on legs and biceps and a minute on abs.

"Go ahead and pull that belly button all the way to your spine.  You're going to feel it in your quads and just keep everything tight," advised trainer Steve Seidel.

After another minute, you work on the back and leg muscles.

"It's like you're sitting back into a chair and just squeeze as you come up and take a big breath in," said trainer Steve Seidel.

Without taking any breaks, Seidel will repeat all three groups and then it's back to the treadmill.

Seidel says circuit training keeps your body from adjusting to one particular exercise and that burns more calories/

"We're hitting a little bit of everything.  We're getting cardio out of the way.  We're doing strength training, We're doing flexibility training.  We're doing a little endurance training.  You're keeping your heart rate up the whole time.  You're really burning the maximum amount of calories in the minimum amount of time I would say," said Steve Seidel.

For more about health and fitness visit the Newson6.com's A New Weigh Page.