There is no best diet. The foods you should be eating are very dependent upon your lifestyle. Level of activity, allergies, intolerances, and causes of inflammation are just a few of the things that should be taken into account. For those that follow the cult of one specific diet, it’s time to reconsider your position. Much like personal training, each person’s nutrition should be treated on an individual versus a one-size-fits-all basis.
I constantly hear trainers asking their clients if they’ve warmed up. I agree that it is helpful to obtain this information, but if the client says he or she has not warmed up, I don’t think they should be told to hop on the treadmill for five minutes. It’s almost an automatic response from the trainer, and it’s a reinforced expectation from the client. Well, hopping on the treadmill for five minutes can be a good warm-up if the goal is to improve the speed or duration of walking on a treadmill. However, the five minute treadmill warmup is misunderstood as a reliable method for readying the body for a workout. What if the trainer takes that client through a series of upper body exercises? Or lower body exercises that require a greater degree of knee flexion or hip flexion, which exceeds the degree performed on the treadmill? With only a five minute treadmill warmup, the body is ill-prepared for these activities.
What if we, as trainers, prepared our clients for the specific activities we will have them perform that session? Let’s check ranges our clients’ range of motion to see what he/she has available and assess his/her tolerance. Let’s call this their “active range of motion.” If we’re going to work on their back and chest, then let’s be sure and warm up the back and chest muscles specific to their active range of motion. Triceps and biceps day? Well, the treadmill warm up isn’t going to help that much. Instead, specifically designed, custom-built exercises will warm up the specific muscles of that specific individual.
Yes, old habits die hard. But we need to think about what is best for our clients as individuals. We should not be treating each individual the same because we are all structurally different and we all have a different physical makeup. Think about what is best for each person, and apply your knowledge, your experience, and the science.
“Exercise to stimulate, not to annihilate. The world wasn’t formed in a day, and neither were we. Set small goals and build upon them.”
Oftentimes we want things and we want them now. Patience needs to remain a virtue, and sometimes we need to adopt the mindset that slow and steady wins the race. There are no quick fixes that are healthy or sustainable. Our bodies respond to stimulus (exercise), and adaptation is a result of the human body’s response to this stimulus. If we hope to see a favorable outcome, we must first set realistic goals in both the short-term and long-term, and progress our stimuli appropriately.
I had the opportunity to go to the Cubs vs. Pirates game earlier in the week. I was seated behind home plate in the second row. Awesome seats—best I’ve ever had! One thing I noticed was that the guy on deck would warm up with a donut on his bat, which generally add 16 oz to the bat. Theoretically, warming up with a weighted bat will increase the bat’s speed when the weight is removed. Seeing this made me think of science, of course, and what impact this weighted bat actually has on performance. According to Greg Rose, studies show that “feel and real aren’t always the same thing.”
As Edward De Bono once said, “It is historical continuity that maintains most assumptions, not repeated assessment of their validity.” Coaches and trainers tend to take an external or superficial view of the body and how things function. What the industry deems functional is actually just the opposite. We need to take an internal approach—from the inside out—and realize that exercise is invasive and that modality will have a tremendous affect on the outcome.
Finally, a step in the right direction! It amazes me every time I see someone pick up a product from the shelf, look at the nutrition label, and think things aren’t bad based on what the label says. Labels are deceiving, and oftentimes serving sizes get overlooked. The FDA’s new nutrition labeling proposal would require that all the contents of the package, including how much of the product a person should consume in one sitting, be identifiable at a quick glance—no thinking or calculating needed. I believe this will make a difference and promote greater health awareness.
“Success or failure depends more upon attitude than upon capacity…. [S]uccessful men act as though they have accomplished or are enjoying something. Soon it becomes reality. Act, look, feel successful, conduct yourself accordingly, and you will be amazed at the positive results.”
I see people from all walks of life enter gyms or fitness studios on a daily basis. Each person has something different on his or her mind before they enter and after they leave. It’s the in-between time that’s crucial.
Everyone has a goal specific to his/her needs, whether short-term or long-term. Some go to the gym out of habit. Some go because they are committed. Others go so they can tell people they went. But all too often, I see someone on the treadmill, elliptical, or stair master with his/her headphones in while reading a magazine, scoping out others, and watching the television simultaneously! I’m a fan of music because it can be a great motivator, but not with ten other things going on at the same time. Why exactly do we go to the gym? Talking on the phone is a big one too. Can your phone call not wait? Unless you are on your phone speaking to a motivational coach, put your phone away! On average, people spend 30-60 minutes “working out.” If the workout is your primary goal, your attention should be concentrated. If your attention is being divided by several different stimuli, you’re not spending your exercise time as efficiently as you could be. Limiting distractions enhances your experience both physically and mentally.
Find a mindset, find an intention, maintain your focus, and show up for yourself. Remember: you will get out of it what you put into it. Your efforts will dictate your results.
As a society, we are often bombarded by the media regarding food, diets, what works, and what doesn’t work. As individuals, we have no choice but to make choices. This can be overwhelming. Without background knowledge or a firm grasp on nutrition, we are left to the opinions, biases, misinformation, and marketing ploys of others.
Here are two safe, simple solutions for cutting down food intake, especially if you’re looking to curb overeating/binge eating:
- Drink a glass of water before each meal. Already do that? Then drink two. Water induces a feeling of satiety, not to mention that it’s good for you! Considering our bodies are roughly 70% water, why would we want to deprive ourselves in the first place?
- Eat a medium size portion. Do not eat until you feel stuffed. Try eating less than you normally would, then…wait. Give it 20 minutes to hit bottom. We often eat and eat and eat until we can no longer stomach any more food, giving us a false sense of satisfaction. Eating slower and allowing things to settle will sate us to a more comfortable degree, which puts you in control of the situation.
Always be mindful of the situation and what you are eating. You can show up to the gym, exercise outside, or do your at-home dvd’s, but the bottom line is you cannot, I repeat cannot, out-train a poor diet.
March is National Nutrition Month. In celebration, here’s a list of fruits and vegetables that you can enjoy for both taste and health benefits. I suggest you begin incorporating these foods into your diet if you are not already doing so. The takeaway: keep your diet colorful!
“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day of the year.”
Be thankful for who you are and what you have. When someone is healthy, generally they are happy. This starts with you first and foremost. Put forth the effort and commit to yourself.
February is American Heart Month. Be cognizant of what you can do to increase your activity level, better your diet, and avoid unhealthy habits in order to prevent heart disease, the leading cause of death in our society. Even if heart disease runs in your family, it can be controlled and prevented, depending on your awareness.