Bariatric Support Group

Bariatric Support Group

Date: May 21, 2016

Facilitator: Greg Justice, M.ED

Greg talked to the group about metabolism, how to boost it, and the importance of mixing strength and resistance training into your routine.

Greg started by explaining that metabolism is the total sum of all the chemical reactions that take place in your body. The four components of metabolism are:

·  Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) – what your body burns due to normal breathing, heart pumping, resting activity – accounts for 70% of your daily metabolism

·  Physical Activity Level (PAL) – what you burn when you exercise – accounts for 20%

·  Thermic Effect of Feeding (TEF) – what you burn digesting food – accounts for 5%

·  Non-Exercise Activity Thermogensis (NEAT) – based on genetics – accounts for 5%

The only one you cannot control is NEAT – your genetics. All the rest you can influence.

Metabolic Training is a way to maximize calories burned and increased your metabolic rate not only while you exercise, but also after your workout. After you workout, there is something called the Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC) or “Afterburn.” EPOC is the increase in your metabolism and calories burned following exercise. Resistance training (using the weight of your own body as resistance) and High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) or circuit training, give you a higher EPOC than cardio training, where you do one type of exercise for 30 -60 minutes. Metabolic training takes much shorter period of time, and give you a much higher EPOC. All exercise is good for you, but when trying to lose weight, the metabolic training is the best. A couple of patients demonstrated the typical resistance training workout circuit for everyone, and Greg told everyone to go online to YouTube and there are tons of workout videos. You can also work out with Greg at one of the classes for bariatric surgery patients and learn how to do it. All classes are $10 each, and information on the classes is available from Chris at