Fitness Articles Written by Dan Lemoto for the Newspaper - The Kingborough Chronicle/The Eastern Shore Sun 

Strength over Stress

Nov 19, 2019

There’s an old Chinese proverb that says; ‘It is bet- ter to light a candle than to curse the darkness.’

Dan Lemoto of Tazfit wants to help people develop a strong set of tools to help keep them out of the dark.

“All too often we curse the darkness,” said Dan.

“We focus on the problems and sabotage ourselves before we reach our goal or solution and we give up. “I’m too tired, he/she doesn’t love me, I’m injured, I can’t

afford it, it’s too far away, I’m not motivated, I can’t lose weight, I’m not a morning person, it’s all too hard etc.”

Despite the problems and adversity people face throughout their lives, Dan believes that everyone can find a way to keep their candle burning.

“For me it is having a very strong, positive mindset,”

Dan said.
“This was forged over the years by being mentally

and physically strong through reading/mentors/coach es/military/martial arts/international competition/work ing in a profession.

“Furthermore, I took a Kaizen approach to always learning more strategies to overcome obstacles, which enabled me to create effective solutions.

“Whether it is family, work or sport I continue to be successful with the support of my family, friends and social media to stay alight,” finished Dan.

Dan encourages people who want to develop their mental and physical strength to join the team at tazfitgroup.com for group fitness or personal training.

Preparing For Winter

May 29, 2018

Tazfit Director, Dan Lemoto has some tips on how to prepare for winter: 

Can I exercise during winter?

“The answer is yes!” said Dan. 

“This answer is common knowledge but it is more of a question of whether you want to.It is understandable that people don’t prefer to exercise when it is cold and wet during winter, not to mention dark- ness creeping in so early (5pm). The mornings don’t help much either, with sunrise around 7:30am. Only enough time to prepare for work/get the kids to school/go to University.” 

Despite these conditions, Dan said people do choose to work out through a number of suitable options: 

       1.   Train during the day. If you are used to going for a run during the evening, try doing a lunchtime run where visibility, temperature and environment safer. “I was only chatting to a friend last week and she trained in the dark and suffered a rolled ankle,” said Dan. “Better visibility will enable you to identify risks earlier on your running path and prevent injury.” 

       2.   Too cold outside? Try working out indoors. Join a local gym or an indoor bootcamp. You will warm up in no time!

       3.   Work out at home. There are plenty of routines online or seek a registered personal trainer to design a customised program for you. Always seek medical advice before undertaking any exercise program if you are starting an exercise program.

What foods can I eat during winter? 

“Hot chocolate and sugary comfort foods tend to appear more often during the winter period” said Dan. However, the alternatives are not as bad as you think. “Try starting the day with a nutritious warm porridge. Add pears, apples and a pinch of cinnamon. Porridge is a slow energy release option that will keep you going for most of your morning. If you’re not keen on porridge, then eggs and spinach are a great option. Beetroot, sweet potato, vegetarian pies and nutritious soups stacked with beef, spinach, kale, broccoli, garlic and ginger are some of the items you can throw in the mix to keep healthy and boost your immune system. These foods are rich in vitamins such as zinc, vitamin C, and iron. If you aren’t sure or require a specific diet, then seek a qualified dietitian for guidance.”

Can you exercise if you have a cold? 

“Most athletes or sports people tend to push through in these circumstances and continue to train.” said Dan. 

“As their immune systems are much stronger from the exercise conditioning, they find that adjusting the training still allows them to progress towards their goals. The key is ensuring that you are not overtraining and making the matter worse. The same is evident for non-athletes. It is better to err on the side of caution and scaling down exercise commensurate with your condition. 

If you present with colds which cause fevers or show symptoms of chest congestion, it recommended you rest until recovered. Many times as an athlete I have continued through minor colds during exercise, but when I was hit with a nasty virus last year, I was horizontal for a good week and training was shut down. Exercise should not be encouraged with the argument that it would reduce the risk of colds. Therefore, exercising when you have a cold should be decided on a case by case basis. 

Proceed with caution but consider rest and recovery as the best option” said Dan. 

Its Never too late to start!

Jan 11, 2018

Says Fitness Expert and Elite Athlete Dan Lemoto, Director of Tazfit Personal Training and Bootcamps. 

Yes, you have had a good break, enjoyed the holidays, caught up with friends and family, ate and drank a little extra and now its time to get back into routine. This means work, family commitments, school AND getting back to into fitness or starting a fitness plan.

I know most holiday breaks are 2-4 weeks long, therefore it won’t take long to get back up to speed and aim for new goals for 2018. A study from the Journal of Applied Physiology Dec ’84 (“Time course of loss of adaptations after stopping prolonged intense endurance training”) indicated that after 2 months, the subjects’ V02 Max reduced only 15%. V02 Max is used as a measure of fitness ie how much you are out of breath compared to before. Hence, after a few sessions for fitness levels will return quicker if you have exercised previously due to muscle memory.

Those who are starting, congratulations! You have made the first step in deciding to improve your health. Start slowly and build with confidence. Don’t forget to check with your Doctor prior to undertaking any exercise regime.

A key motivator is getting back into it is having a goal and keeping motivated. Ensure your goal is solid. Make it powerful. Add emotion. How bad do you want it? A broad goal such as “I want to lose weight” is not as strong as “I will lose 10kg to enable me to have more energy to play with my son. I want to set an example for him so that when he is my age, he will be motivated to follow my footsteps when it comes to keeping healthy!”.

Key Notes to get you started for 2018:

-      You haven’t lost as much fitness as you think

-      Create a goal

-      Set a schedule and commit to it

Stay Fit. Talk soon. Dan Lemoto

Group Fitness classes launched this Monday 8/1/18. Check out www.tazfitgroup.com

Is Exercise Safe for Seniors older than 65?

Sept 29, 2016

The answer is … Yes! According to a British Medical Journal (Gene Feder, Colin Cryer, Sheila Donovan, Yvonne Carter on behalf of the guidelines’ development group. “Guidelines for the prevention of falls in people over 65”. BMJ 2000; 321:1007), a number of multifaceted interventions proved beneficial for seniors over the age of 65 in reducing the risk of falls. These include exercises such as strengthening of muscle and training of balance. Tai Chi (Chinese Martial art which involves breathing and movement) also showed evidence of improving such risk.

As with all ages, additional physical activity can be beneficial for almost all of our ageing population. Regular exercise prevents chronic disease, reduces risk of injury and can improve your mood. A number of medical conditions are improved with exercise, including Alzheimer’s and dementia, heart disease, osteoarthritis, diabetes, colon cancer, high blood pressure and obesity. Therefore, exercising regular far outweighs the risks of not exercising. It is paramount that you are guided by a qualified professional to ensure safety based on your ability.

Some of the recommended exercises for Seniors surrounding this age group include:

  1. Aerobic/Endurance – this may include walking, swimming or cycling. This form of exercise is designed to improve your cardiovascular fitness and circulation. Over time you can expect not to get as tired when conducting daily activities.
  2. Strength and Resistance – this form or exercise can be with bodyweight or resistance bands and are conducted in the form or repetitions. Weight bearing exercise can help strengthen bones, improve balance and subsequently help with fall prevention.
  3. Stretching and Flexibility – this area is important before and after exercise or even to relax the mind and body. By conducting a daily routine in this area will help improve mobility and support regular exercise.

Note there are some people whose physical abilities are limited by medical conditions or general frailty. These seniors however, don’t have to miss out on exercise completely, but more care is taken when considering a regime. Seek proper instruction and guidance by qualified professionals when doing so. Exercise is even more important for generally frail people as they can be more prone to falls and broken bones.

Try activities in a class setting with proper supervision by a trained professional. Consider swimming, cycling, walking, Tai Chi or classes in your area specific to Seniors. Tazfit operate a weekly seated exercise class in Blackmans Bay each Thursday at 10am to improve Strength, Balance, Mobility and Flexibility. Further details at www.tazfitgroup.com.

By Dan Lemoto (Director of Tazfit, Exercise Leader for Tazfit’s Aged Care Exercise Program, Blackmans Bay)

Carbohydrates – essential for good food balance

June 19-20, 2010

This week DAN LEMOTO from Bootcamp Kingston provides Kingborough Chronicle readers with another great article about something that is vital for our body to produce energy – Carbohydrates.

Most of our energy comes from Protein, Fats and Carbohydrates (Carbs). Today we will look at Carbs and how they benefit us.

Broken down, Carbs are made up of elements known as carbon, hydrogen and oxygen ie (H2O or water). Carbon is arguably the single most important element as it plays a major role in building large biological molecules necessary for human life. If you did not have this element you would be just a pile of loose atoms – Not a good look.

As you are aware of how important water is from our previous Hydration article, we are made up of at least 60 per cent water, hence we must keep hydrated daily. Carbs are also known as macronutrients. Macronutrients are nutrients the body requires in large amounts as opposed to micronutrients (small amounts) such as vitamins and minerals.

Primarily, Carbs fuel the body’s energy to power muscular contractions and proper organ function. In other words, they contribute to the energy we need to perform our daily activities, exercise and/or sport.

Carbs are found in a wide range of foods we eat such as bread, pasta, cereals, potatoes and rice. Other sources of Carbs include fruit and vegetables and some dairy products. Categorically, there are two types of Carbs - Simple and Complex.

Simple Carbs are sugars such as lollies, fizzy drinks and juice. Complex Carbs are starches, fibre, glycogen and dextrin. Some examples of Complex Carbs include whole grain products, vegetables, and fruits.

Regardless of the type of Carbs we consume, they are both broken down when digested and are converted into energy. Simple Carbs are quickly digested and can therefore give you a boost in energy (blood-glucose levels) in a short time. This can be ideal before an intense workout, but not desirable as a snack/meal as you may become hungry and tired.

Complex Carbs on the other hand take longer to be released into the body (slow changes in blood-glucose due to taking longer to digest). Consequently, this gives more sustained energy consumption over a longer period of time. They are also low in fat, high in fibre and contain vitamins and minerals.

In terms of energy from Carbs, a guide known as the Glycemic Index (GI) is used for determining how quick blood-glucose levels may rise from consuming various carbohydrates. Although it is only a guide, Simple Carbs (Hi GI) usually score above 70 and Complex Carbs (Low GI) are foods below 55. If you consume too much sugar we therefore store it as fat, thereby increasing body weight. The reason for this is that the body can only store so much energy (stored Carb reserves ie glycogen).

If we use all of our energy that has been stored in the body from Carbs, then our body uses fats and proteins to provide our energy. Going one step further, once these stores begin to diminish as in starvation, there is potential to lose muscle tissue.

It is important to therefore maintain a balance of Carbs based on your daily activities and health goals. Energy in is energy out. Even when considering LowCarb diets, it is vital you are still getting enough Carbs to maintain optimum health. In addition, eating adequate portions and being in control of what you eat will help you make better decisions about your Carb intake. Some healthy Carbs include spinach, lettuce, broccoli, potatoes, brown rice, cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, zucchini, muesli, whole oats, low-fat yoghurt, skim milk, apples, oranges, strawberries, pears, kidney beans, lentils, soy beans and multi-grain bread.

Here are some of not so healthy Carbs you want to keep to a minimum – table sugar, corn syrup, fruit juice, fizzy drinks, lollies, all baked goods/pasta/bread made with white flour, most packaged cereals and cakes. Basically if the label lists sugar, sucrose, fructose, white/wheat flour, corn syrup, they contain simple carbohydrates.

So again, ensure you maintain a balanced healthy nutritious meal/hydration plan throughout the day to meet your physical and mental demands and remember - Good Carbs are better than no Carbs! Here is a quote from Olympic and Commonwealth Swimmer, Sharron Davies: “Carbohydrates are essential for good food balance".

By Dan Lemoto

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

May 12, 2010

This article is about a fat-like compound known as Cholesterol. Your body produces about 80% of
cholesterol naturally (Blood Cholesterol), with the balance coming from what you consume (Dietry
Cholesterol). Cholesterol is essential for helping the bodys' cells resist changes in temperatures
thereby protecting and insulating nerve fibres; the formation of sex hormones; the production of
bile salts which help digestion; and the conversion of Vitamin D in the skin when exposed to
sunlight. It plays an important role in ones health due to the fact that high blood cholesterol is a
major risk for heart disease and in some cases stroke. How important? Heart disease claims one
Australian life every 10 minutes! In terms of awareness, a National Cholesterol Test survey
discovered only 6% of Australians had a cholesterol check because they were concerned about heart
disease, despite heart disease being the leading cause of death in Australia. Furthermore a survey by
the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) indicated one in two Australians over 25
years of age are potentially at risk of developing heart disease. Are you one of these people? If so,
read on to find out what you can do to prevent heart disease by monitoring and regulating your
Cholesterol levels.

There are basically two types of cholesterol. The “Good”, also known as High Density Lipoproteins
(HDLs) and the “Bad”, which we call Low-Density Lipoproteins (LDLs). Lipoproteins are a
compound made up of protein and cholesterol which carries the cholesterol within your blood. So
when the “Bad” cholesterol gets out of control ie high LDLs, things get “Ugly”, thereby increasing
the risk of Atherosclerosis (Progressive thickening and hardening of the walls of the arteries) and
Heart Attack (Loss of blood supply to the heart, usually caused by a complete blockage of a
coronary artery).

A persons' cholesterol levels can be influenced by diet, age, weight, gender, genetics, diseases and
lifestyle (Stress increases total Cholesterol, cigarettes decrease HDL by as much as 15%). Foods
high in saturated fats such as avocadoes, cream, cakes, butter, and foods with high levels of
hydrogenated vegetable oils, coconut oil can increase blood cholesterol levels. This is also the case
with high cholesterol foods such as eggs and red meat. As we age our levels tend to increase also.
An analysis conducted by the AIHW in 2000, showed a 31.7% risk of High Blood Cholesterol for
people aged 26-34, 52.2% aged 35-54, 65.7% aged 55-74, and 58.8% aged 75+. People who are
overweight are also more likely to show higher levels and moreso if the weight is distributed
around the abdominal region as opposed to other areas of the body.

Ways to maintain healthy Cholesterol levels include regular exercise (Increases HDLs and
decreases LDLs) which therefore helps reduce excess weight; eating a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet;
stabilising high blood pressure levels and diabetes (Lowers HDLs); regular visits to the doctor to
check your levels (At least yearly, unless it is high now). If by maintaining a healthy lifestyle does
not bring your Blood Cholesterol level down enough, medication may be prescribed. See the table
below as a guide for Cholesterol levels (Australian Federal Government):

Total blood cholesterol
level equal to or below 5.5
mmol/L (214 mg/dL)
Normal

Total blood cholesterol level above
5.5 mmol/L (214 mg/dL) but
below 6.5 mmol/L (253 mg/dL)
Greatly increased risk of
developing coronary heart disease.

Total blood cholesterol level
above 6.5 mmol/L (253 mg/dL)
Extremely high risk of developing
coronary heart disease.

Please note that getting a Cholesterol test is vital as it is the only way you can determine whether
you have High Blood Cholesterol or not, as there are no signs or symptoms that indicate High
Blood Cholesterol. Even when Guy Leech (Australian Ironman Champion) was at his fittest, he
also had High Cholesterol at 19 years of age. So book your appointment NOW and get it checked
by a Medical Professional just to be on the safe side.
I shall now leave you with a Cholesterol quote from Dean Sanpei: “ If it's very expensive to get a
routine check-up, they tend to skimp on those primary care services that are preventative in nature.
The problem is that it's much easier to take care of high cholesterol early on than having a heart
surgery later on”.