Explaining terms and phrases in the fitness industry
In the world of fitness there are many terms and phrases that fly around the gym floor which may make you question the language they’re speaking.
Here are some broken down phrases that may help you better understand the “gym slang”.
IIFYM:
IIFYM stands for ‘If it fits your macros’, it is a flexible dieting technique which allows you to focus on macronutrients rather than calories.
It allows people to lose weight without feeling restricted. It is done by counting your macronutrients such as protein, carbohydrates and fats rather than calories.
Based on your height, weight, activity level and how much weight you want to lose, you are given a daily allotment of macros. You then subtract from that number whatever you eat or drink.
It is a good option for people who don’t like strict diets or dramatically changing their eating habits. However, it is important you still keep an eye on your blood sugar levels, cholesterol levels and mealtimes.
TEF:
TEF stands for the thermic effect of food.
The thermic effect of food in other words is the increase in metabolic rate after ingestion of a meal. In even simpler words, it is the amount of energy it takes for your body to digest and absorb the food you eat.
TEF makes up a part of your daily calorie expenditure. It usually represents around 10% of the caloric intake of healthy adults eating a mixed and balanced diet.
This means if you eat 2000 calories a day. 200 of those will be burned through digestion. Certain foods have a higher thermic effect as your body has to work harder to break them down. For example, proteins are made from long chains of amino acids, so it takes a lot of effort to break them down compared to dietary fats which are relatively easy to break down.
This is why it’s important to take TEF into consideration if you’re aiming to be in a calorie deficit or calorie surplus (aiming to lose or gain weight).
NEAT:
NEAT stands for Non Exercise activity thermogenesis.
NEAT is the energy your body uses for physical activity that is not part of a structured exercise program. In more detail, it’s the energy expended for everything we do which isn’t eating, sleeping or planned sports or exercise in the gym.
Total energy expenditure, put more simply, is the number of calories you burn in a day.
NEAT can help regulate your body mass and energy balance and is a vital part of your metabolism.
Examples of NEAT can include:
– sitting or standing
– Going up and down the stairs
– Walking anywhere
– Doing household jobs like mowing the lawn, ironing and cleaning
– Playing with pets
Non exercise activity thermogenesis can account for 6-10% or even up to 50% of your total daily expenditure depending on how active you are.
By increasing your NEAT, there can be great benefits. These include reducing your risk of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular issues, improving your mental well being and losing weight. It will also reduce the risk of obesity, diabetes, strokes and long term health conditions
There are ways to increase your NEAT should you wish to. A couple of ways are:
– Aiming to stand or move around for 5-10 minutes during daily activities
– Choosing to walk to the shops rather than drive
– Instead of using a drive through, park up and walk in
EAT:
EAT stands for Exercise Activity Thermogenesis.
Similar to NEAT which is unplanned exercise, EAT is any sort of exercise or sport that you have planned. This could be anything from your group PT sessions at Griffin to planning a walk around the local park.
Other planned exercise could be:
– Planning a swimming session
– Attending training sessions for your sports team
– Going to the gym
– Going on a run
Technical failure:
You may hear your coach / trainer, or somebody online use the term ‘go until technical failure’. Unlike complete failure where you can’t lift any more weight on an exercise, technical failure is when you can no longer lift the weight with the correct form. For example, starting to swing your back during a standing bicep curl.
Reps and Sets
Short for repetitions, reps are the amount of times you lift a weight or do an exercise. They are a single execution of an exercise.
Sets are a group of repetitions performed in a row, with a short break in between. For example, if your goal is to perform 30 squats you may break your workout up into 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
Macros and Micros
Macros and micros stand for macronutrients and micronutrients.
Macronutrients are nutrients that the body needs in large quantities to function such as carbohydrates, fat and protein. Micronutrients are needed in smaller quantities but are still important for health and they include vitamins and minerals.
AMRAP Workout
AMRAP stands for ‘as many reps as possible’. It is a structured workout method designed to have you complete as many rounds or repetitions as possible of a specific set of exercises within a fixed timeframe.
Bulking and cutting
Bulking and cutting are phases of a cycled routine that help you gain muscle and lose fat.
Bulking is a muscle building phase where you eat more calories than you burn and includes heavy weight training. A bulking diet includes calorie dense foods to improve muscle gains but also makes you gain weight through being in a calorie surplus. So, although you will gain more muscle through bulking you will also gain fat. This is where cutting comes in.
Cutting is a phase where you reduce calories to lose body fat while aiming to keep the same muscle mass. This would typically include a high protein and lower fat / carb diet to maintain muscle mass and lose fat.
Calorie Surplus / Deficit:
You are in a calorie surplus when you are consuming more calories than you are burning in a day. This in turn makes you gain weight.
Being in a calorie deficit means you are consuming less calories than your body burns in a day. This forces your body to use stored energy and will make you lose weight.
You will maintain your current weight if you are consuming the same amount of calories as your body uses in a day as the expenditure will be balanced.