2) A Healthy Way to Lose Weight Before Surgery for Men Over Forty

Q: Hiya Billy. My name is Joe Macejko II, and we had met last year. I was going to All Natural Gym until October or so due to torn cartilage in my right knee. A work related injury, is keeping me at home currently until I get surgery lined up. Hopefully that will be soon. But until then, is there a healthy way to drop some weight while in this condition? Diet recommendations? I am 40 as well. Thanks Joe Macejko II

A: Hi Joe. Good to hear from you. While your improvements won’t be as astonishing as when your knee is healthy (after your surgery), you can still get a positive metabolic effect by eating small frequent meals. The meals should consist of a lean protein, a complex carb, and a fibrous vegetable. The weight loss you experience from this supportive way of eating will result in less pressure on your knee (before and after the surgery).

You can double check with your doctor but I would suggest you avoid any exercise with significant knee bending (i.e. squats and leg extensions) as it will contribute to pressure on your knee. You can also ask your physician about cardio options. If you can get your hands on a Shwinn Aerodyne (if there are any around), you can perform aerobic exercise by simply working the arms while your legs remain in a fixed position. From my own experience I once did the same thing when I had a minor knee injury.

Last but not least, you can certainly perform machine, dumbbell, or medicine ball exercises for the upper body. This will raise your BMR (increase the amount of calories your body is burning at rest). You can break the upper body into two groups so your training week might look something like this:

Monday-chest, shoulders, tris, abs

Wednesday-back, traps, bis, abs

Friday-chest, shoulders, tris, abs

Monday-back, traps, bis, abs

Wednesday-chest, shoulders, tris, abs

Friday-back, traps, bis, abs

Do what you can, perform the exercises seated if it’s more comfortable, and stop if you feel any pain. Other than that, use this time to read information that will help you (info on my site and other credible fitness info) and motivate you to break through this minor set back. Let me know how you make out and what we can do move you closer to your goals.

3) “6 Secrets to Getting Lean” Mini-seminar Hits the Road

The “6 Secrets to Getting Lean” mini-seminars are hitting the road. The tour will begin with one the third Saturday in March at Chiropractic works in Masapequa with Dr. Jennifer Fitzgibbon. A couple of weeks after that I’ll be conducting a seminar at Corso Rehab in Huntington with Tony and Gary Corso. Both seminars should be a great time because no two seminars are the same.

If you’d like to attend or would like me to come and speak to your group, call (631) 225-7831 to find out specifics. Your investment for the “6 Secrets” mini-seminar is only twenty dollars and rumor has it that there will be food available at Dr. Fitzgibbon’s chiropractic clinic.

I also wanted to mention that we now have a list of fitness products available. There will be a page posted soon with the “product list” but just so you know, meal replacements are available. They’re top notch quality and I use them myself. The meal replacement formula (MRF) is called EAT! Meal replacement and it’s made by personal training great Phil Kaplan.

We also have a book and two audio tapes available. The book is called THE POWER OF ONE and it’s written by Stephen Moss. I can’t say enough good things about it. Many dieticians and personal trainers are making it “mandatory reading” for their patients and clients. This is what Rudy Brenner, M.D. had to say about THE POWER OF ONE.

“Read this book thoroughly and then read it again. It will change your life.” -Rudy Brenner, M.D.

Last but not least are the audio tapes. We have “Body Transformation Secrets” by Billy Hofacker and Doug Jackson as well as an interview by a CD magazine company called Personal Trainer Secrets. In the interview I am grilled for 30 minutes by Ryan Lee, owner of Personal Trainer Secrets. Your investment is only $12 per tape. If you live on Long Island, you can save on shipping by stopping by my office. Call (631) 225-7831 for details.