Hello all,
I've decided to freeze this blog indefinitely, as responsibilities in the gym and with other projects have to take precedence. If you are interested in personal training, check out my regular site at www.JimBathurst.com, or my more active site dealing with bodyweight feats of strength, www.BeastSkills.com
Thanks so much!
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Is wine a superfood? Boy, we always hope so.
Read through an article at Slate.com about Americans obsession with finding the healthy benefits of wine (read here). More specifically, the author begins to mention all the health benefits we've attributed to resveratrol - something found in grape skins.
I, like the author, tend to find all of these health claims a bit misleading though. Is resveratrol as beneficial as studies might be showing? Perhaps. But we can get that compound into our bodies through grape juice (albeit in slightly smaller concentrations), and even in nutritional supplements. But those options don't carry with them wine's one major appeal - THE ALCOHOL.
The alcohol, that pesky little detail, doesn't quite allow wine the "health food" status that so many people want it to have. We've just rationalized our vices by looking at anorexic french people and drawing wishful conclusions out of scientific studies. But in the end, alcohol is a toxin.
Now I'm not a teetotaler by any means. I like many tasty varieties of beer, but I'm not drinking it and trying to argue that its a great way to consume extra water during the day. Just like anything unhealthy, if I enjoy it at all, I enjoy it in moderation.
Most of my diet is filled with actually healthy (and tasty) food, so that when I do have a pint of beer or a glass of wine, I can enjoy it because it's an occasional sin, not because I've deluded myself into believing it has magical health benefits.
I'll drink to that.
I, like the author, tend to find all of these health claims a bit misleading though. Is resveratrol as beneficial as studies might be showing? Perhaps. But we can get that compound into our bodies through grape juice (albeit in slightly smaller concentrations), and even in nutritional supplements. But those options don't carry with them wine's one major appeal - THE ALCOHOL.
The alcohol, that pesky little detail, doesn't quite allow wine the "health food" status that so many people want it to have. We've just rationalized our vices by looking at anorexic french people and drawing wishful conclusions out of scientific studies. But in the end, alcohol is a toxin.
Now I'm not a teetotaler by any means. I like many tasty varieties of beer, but I'm not drinking it and trying to argue that its a great way to consume extra water during the day. Just like anything unhealthy, if I enjoy it at all, I enjoy it in moderation.
Most of my diet is filled with actually healthy (and tasty) food, so that when I do have a pint of beer or a glass of wine, I can enjoy it because it's an occasional sin, not because I've deluded myself into believing it has magical health benefits.
I'll drink to that.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Personal Trainer piles on pounds
No, this post isn't about how I gained a ton of weight on my recent trip to the Caribbean. It's about a personal trainer in Australia, Paul "PJ" James, who has decided to put on a ton of weight so he can feel what his overweight clients feel.
Read the article here
Basically, he is living many people's dreams of a bacon and chocolate milk diet as he's looking to put on a whopping 88 lbs of fat onto his body (he's halfway there already). After three months with the hard-fought weight, he's going work it off with his clients - again, so he's able to feel what his clients feel.
What do I think? Noble, but misguided.
The biggest difference between PJ and someone who's fought with weight their whole life is exactly that - the clients have probably fought with weight problems their whole life (or a significantly longer time than 3 months).
What am I getting at?
That putting on a bunch of weight, then losing it shows that it can be done - we all know it can be done. But I don't think it addresses the underlying issues.
Whether an overweight individual is a highly stressed professional, or perhaps uses food as a reward at the end of the day, you'll often find that there are many underlying issues that need to be addressed before someone can work towards a new, healthier them.
Deep down, people really know what needs to be done to get healthier (or at least move in that direction). The problem comes in actually applying it to their lives. It's tough, trust me!
So while PJ has the best intentions, I'd warn him that he needs to look at all the factors in his clients lives that are making them overweight, not just the extra weight itself.
Read the article here
Basically, he is living many people's dreams of a bacon and chocolate milk diet as he's looking to put on a whopping 88 lbs of fat onto his body (he's halfway there already). After three months with the hard-fought weight, he's going work it off with his clients - again, so he's able to feel what his clients feel.
What do I think? Noble, but misguided.
The biggest difference between PJ and someone who's fought with weight their whole life is exactly that - the clients have probably fought with weight problems their whole life (or a significantly longer time than 3 months).
What am I getting at?
That putting on a bunch of weight, then losing it shows that it can be done - we all know it can be done. But I don't think it addresses the underlying issues.
Whether an overweight individual is a highly stressed professional, or perhaps uses food as a reward at the end of the day, you'll often find that there are many underlying issues that need to be addressed before someone can work towards a new, healthier them.
Deep down, people really know what needs to be done to get healthier (or at least move in that direction). The problem comes in actually applying it to their lives. It's tough, trust me!
So while PJ has the best intentions, I'd warn him that he needs to look at all the factors in his clients lives that are making them overweight, not just the extra weight itself.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
10 Steps for a Healthier 2009
Well, it's January 1st. Hopefully we all survived the holiday season and New Year's Eve intact. Now as we wake up with headaches on the day the entire world has off, it's time to stumble out of bed and starting planning how we're going to make 2009 the best year ever!!! YAY!!!!
OK, maybe you don't quite have that level of enthusiasm about your resolutions, but chances are you have been thinking about them lately. In order to really tackle your goals, there needs to be a plan. So in the time-honored tradition of top-10 lists popular this time of year, I give you 10 steps to a healthier 2009.
1. Throw Away Your Junk Food.
Yes, I'm telling you to throw away your junk food. Get it out of your house. If any bit of food sits in your house long enough, you will eat it. Remove the temptation. People don't really like doing this, but then again people don't really like being overweight and out of shape. Something's got to give.
2. Try cooking a healthy recipe.
Cooking your own food is the sure-fire way to control what and how much goes into your body, but I can understand how cooking can be intimidating at first. Just like anything we do in life, we need to try it slowly and work on getting better. For those who drive, your first time behind a wheel probably wasn't your most confident experience. It felt like there were millions of things to look out for and control. But you took it slow, you took it easy and now I'm sure you're proficient enough to drive while talking on a cell phone and eating an ear of corn. Maybe you even have fun driving now.
Finding and cooking just one healthy recipe can be thought of as "Driver's Ed" in the kitchen. Take your time, get used to the steps and procedures, and just like driving you may find yourself having a bit of fun after all.
You can start by checking out Eating Well, a great online resource, or pick up a copy of Gourmet Nutrition, one of my favorite cookbooks that I use almost on a daily basis.
3. Buy Tupperware.
Whenever I'm cooking, I always make plenty of leftovers, sometimes tripling or quadrupling the recipe. Not only does it save time cooking the same meal over and over again, but we're assured that we're eating healthy food, instead of being at the mercy of restaurants and fast food chains.
Now some people may have more difficult conditions when storing their food, perhaps they need a cooler or a thermos, or something a little more advanced than just plastic tubs. The point is that cooking a surplus of food and storing it is an easy path to a habit of healthy eating.
4. Get Your Groceries Delivered.
Grocery delivery services like Peapod and Safeway.com, are a God-send for anyone who's busy and still wants to eat healthy. With delivery charges less than $10, why not give them a try? Rather than take time driving out to the store, finding parking, fighting crowds, searching endlessly through the aisles for ingredients (often the case when trying out a new recipe), and then standing in a line that stretches halfway through the store, we can now shop anytime from the comfort of our homes. Finding ingredients with just a couple keystrokes was reason enough for me to try this out.
5. Buy Curtains.
High levels of stress have been shown in study after study to affect body composition and mood. A good night's sleep is one of the best remedies to high stress, and this is where the curtains come into play.
Not only is quantity of sleep important, but quality. Many people have their bedrooms far too bright and even a small amount of light can disrupt their sleep pattern. Try and make your bedroom as dark as possible with a set of heavy curtains. These "blackout" shades will do wonders for your sleep and subsequently help to lower your stress levels.
6. Clean The House And Organize.
Another cause of stress is a messy and disorganized home/work environment. There are tons of books on cleaning and organization, but just start with something simple like donating old and unused clothes and books to charity. Just removing a bit of that clutter will help you relax.
7. Try Something New (Physically).
With the start of the New Year, many people feel they need to go to the gym and hop on a treadmill now. If you enjoy that then go ahead, but I'm guessing that most don't. Instead, just think of something, anything, physically challenging that's new to you. Rock climbing? Hiking? River Kayaking? Pick-up games of Frisbee or soccer? Find something that's always interested you and give it a go. Enjoy getting in shape, while you learn a new skill.
8. Get A Friend Involved.
Some see a workout partner as company in misery (if that's the case maybe re-read #7), but getting active with a friend does hold you accountable if you want to take a day off (or week, or month...) . It's also just fun to spend time with your friends, no matter what you're doing!
9. Schedule Something.
Sometimes when you leave exercise for your "free time," you find there's no free time left. Instead of just exercising "whenever," make yourself accountable by scheduling a class, or a personal trainer, or an appointment with your workout friend (see #8!). Starting just once a week with this can quickly make exercising a habit.
10. Just Go!
This might be just one of dozens of top-10 lists you read around this time of year. And then of course there's the dozens of other exercise articles that give you the best exercises for X, Y, and Z. What can start to happen is a "paralysis by analysis." You are trying to process so much information before you make a decision, that you never make a decision!!
So just start with something, anything, and do it today. Figure out later if it's the best option, but just get going! Action is the key!
I wish you all a healthy and happy 2009! Now go!
-Jim
OK, maybe you don't quite have that level of enthusiasm about your resolutions, but chances are you have been thinking about them lately. In order to really tackle your goals, there needs to be a plan. So in the time-honored tradition of top-10 lists popular this time of year, I give you 10 steps to a healthier 2009.
1. Throw Away Your Junk Food.
Yes, I'm telling you to throw away your junk food. Get it out of your house. If any bit of food sits in your house long enough, you will eat it. Remove the temptation. People don't really like doing this, but then again people don't really like being overweight and out of shape. Something's got to give.
2. Try cooking a healthy recipe.
Cooking your own food is the sure-fire way to control what and how much goes into your body, but I can understand how cooking can be intimidating at first. Just like anything we do in life, we need to try it slowly and work on getting better. For those who drive, your first time behind a wheel probably wasn't your most confident experience. It felt like there were millions of things to look out for and control. But you took it slow, you took it easy and now I'm sure you're proficient enough to drive while talking on a cell phone and eating an ear of corn. Maybe you even have fun driving now.
Finding and cooking just one healthy recipe can be thought of as "Driver's Ed" in the kitchen. Take your time, get used to the steps and procedures, and just like driving you may find yourself having a bit of fun after all.
You can start by checking out Eating Well, a great online resource, or pick up a copy of Gourmet Nutrition, one of my favorite cookbooks that I use almost on a daily basis.
3. Buy Tupperware.
Whenever I'm cooking, I always make plenty of leftovers, sometimes tripling or quadrupling the recipe. Not only does it save time cooking the same meal over and over again, but we're assured that we're eating healthy food, instead of being at the mercy of restaurants and fast food chains.
Now some people may have more difficult conditions when storing their food, perhaps they need a cooler or a thermos, or something a little more advanced than just plastic tubs. The point is that cooking a surplus of food and storing it is an easy path to a habit of healthy eating.
4. Get Your Groceries Delivered.
Grocery delivery services like Peapod and Safeway.com, are a God-send for anyone who's busy and still wants to eat healthy. With delivery charges less than $10, why not give them a try? Rather than take time driving out to the store, finding parking, fighting crowds, searching endlessly through the aisles for ingredients (often the case when trying out a new recipe), and then standing in a line that stretches halfway through the store, we can now shop anytime from the comfort of our homes. Finding ingredients with just a couple keystrokes was reason enough for me to try this out.
5. Buy Curtains.
High levels of stress have been shown in study after study to affect body composition and mood. A good night's sleep is one of the best remedies to high stress, and this is where the curtains come into play.
Not only is quantity of sleep important, but quality. Many people have their bedrooms far too bright and even a small amount of light can disrupt their sleep pattern. Try and make your bedroom as dark as possible with a set of heavy curtains. These "blackout" shades will do wonders for your sleep and subsequently help to lower your stress levels.
6. Clean The House And Organize.
Another cause of stress is a messy and disorganized home/work environment. There are tons of books on cleaning and organization, but just start with something simple like donating old and unused clothes and books to charity. Just removing a bit of that clutter will help you relax.
7. Try Something New (Physically).
With the start of the New Year, many people feel they need to go to the gym and hop on a treadmill now. If you enjoy that then go ahead, but I'm guessing that most don't. Instead, just think of something, anything, physically challenging that's new to you. Rock climbing? Hiking? River Kayaking? Pick-up games of Frisbee or soccer? Find something that's always interested you and give it a go. Enjoy getting in shape, while you learn a new skill.
8. Get A Friend Involved.
Some see a workout partner as company in misery (if that's the case maybe re-read #7), but getting active with a friend does hold you accountable if you want to take a day off (or week, or month...) . It's also just fun to spend time with your friends, no matter what you're doing!
9. Schedule Something.
Sometimes when you leave exercise for your "free time," you find there's no free time left. Instead of just exercising "whenever," make yourself accountable by scheduling a class, or a personal trainer, or an appointment with your workout friend (see #8!). Starting just once a week with this can quickly make exercising a habit.
10. Just Go!
This might be just one of dozens of top-10 lists you read around this time of year. And then of course there's the dozens of other exercise articles that give you the best exercises for X, Y, and Z. What can start to happen is a "paralysis by analysis." You are trying to process so much information before you make a decision, that you never make a decision!!
So just start with something, anything, and do it today. Figure out later if it's the best option, but just get going! Action is the key!
I wish you all a healthy and happy 2009! Now go!
-Jim
Monday, November 17, 2008
Eat This or That? How about neither???
If you've surfed around the web enough, or taken a look through your bookstores "health" section, then you've undoubtedly come across the book "Eat This, Not That!", which lists several lower-calorie options for a variety of fast-food and sit-down chains.
Can I tell you what I think? What I honestly think about this?
What. A. Load. Of. Crap.
"I'm eating a glazed donut, instead of a glazed cake donut! I'm saving 100 calories!!" (note: this is an actual example)
To start off, I think the basic rules of eating should be easy. Eat lean protein, eat fruits and vegetables, eat whole grains and healthy sources of fats. Avoid processed foods. Does this book make things easier? Well, considering the subtitle is "Thousands of Simple Food Swaps that Can Save You 10, 20, 30 Pounds--or More!", I wouldn't think so. Instead of basic rules to start living by, we're given a reference book to carry around wherever we go!!
"I'm saving 100 calories! nom nom nom..."
A book like this appeals to people that think they can still eat fast food on a regular basis, but if they just have the egg mcmuffin instead of the hotcakes, then they'll save calories and lose weight! (note: also another actual example)
Fast food is bad for us. We all know that. Eating out isn't much better and can sometimes be much worse. (look back at the October 6th post for simple tips when eating out). So should we completely forgo these things and sit in our home and eat celery all day?
NO!
Just strive to eat healthy 90% of the time during the week (many people fall well short of this. If you're unsure, write it down for a week!). If you eat healthy that often, then you don't have to worry about the fast food or dinners out. You don't have to debate over a big mac or a bag of fries. You just eat whatever you want, knowing full well that your healthy diet the rest of the time is keeping you on track for your fitness goals.
This whole "Eat This, Not That" sells itself as a big book of secrets. There are no secrets. Really. In the very least, the basics are not that hard to learn and remember. Don't deny yourself any food indulgences just to save calories. Just always remember what exactly they are - indulgences. Eat them sparingly and you can leave the books at home.
Can I tell you what I think? What I honestly think about this?
What. A. Load. Of. Crap.
"I'm eating a glazed donut, instead of a glazed cake donut! I'm saving 100 calories!!" (note: this is an actual example)
To start off, I think the basic rules of eating should be easy. Eat lean protein, eat fruits and vegetables, eat whole grains and healthy sources of fats. Avoid processed foods. Does this book make things easier? Well, considering the subtitle is "Thousands of Simple Food Swaps that Can Save You 10, 20, 30 Pounds--or More!", I wouldn't think so. Instead of basic rules to start living by, we're given a reference book to carry around wherever we go!!
"I'm saving 100 calories! nom nom nom..."
A book like this appeals to people that think they can still eat fast food on a regular basis, but if they just have the egg mcmuffin instead of the hotcakes, then they'll save calories and lose weight! (note: also another actual example)
Fast food is bad for us. We all know that. Eating out isn't much better and can sometimes be much worse. (look back at the October 6th post for simple tips when eating out). So should we completely forgo these things and sit in our home and eat celery all day?
NO!
Just strive to eat healthy 90% of the time during the week (many people fall well short of this. If you're unsure, write it down for a week!). If you eat healthy that often, then you don't have to worry about the fast food or dinners out. You don't have to debate over a big mac or a bag of fries. You just eat whatever you want, knowing full well that your healthy diet the rest of the time is keeping you on track for your fitness goals.
This whole "Eat This, Not That" sells itself as a big book of secrets. There are no secrets. Really. In the very least, the basics are not that hard to learn and remember. Don't deny yourself any food indulgences just to save calories. Just always remember what exactly they are - indulgences. Eat them sparingly and you can leave the books at home.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Small Steps to a Healthier You
I came across the government website "SmallStep" the other day. It's located here, if you're not familiar with it. It lists over 100 steps that you can take to start living a healthier life today.
Just a small step can help
I applaud the website for giving people easy tips to enact today. Many people feel overwhelmed when they try to be healthier. There are so many choices! How should I work out? What should I eat? What diet should I try?
All of the tips I've read on the list look good to me, and they'll get you started in the right direction, but my head is spinning if I try to remember just a third of them! Therefore, I wanted to give you a much smaller list of steps you should take. Ones that I see provide the greatest change to my clients time and time again. You can look at these as the "biggies".
1. Learn to cook.
To some this sounds easy, to others this sounds completely impossible. I'll tell you though, time and time again, that those who learn to cook can actually control what's going into their bodies. You don't have to be at the mercy of restaurants, fast food joints, and microwave meals.
With them, you're never sure what is being added to your food, whether it's too much butter, or too many preservatives. By cooking for yourself, you can know exactly what goes into the recipe and into your body. Not too mention you save a lot of money! Who doesn't like that?
Now a lot of people will them come back at me and say "I don't have the ability to cook" as well as "I don't have the time". To the first one, I say that's nonsense. That's like saying "I don't have the ability to ride a bike" when you've never even tried to learn. It doesn't have to be complex. We're not shooting for a spot on the next season of Top Chef. (great show!) I've made tons of recipes that are both easy to make and healthy AND they taste great! So don't push off cooking yet. Who knows, you might even like it!
To those who say "I don't have the time", what I really hear is "I've chosen something else more important than my health." Now I understand that we all have stressful jobs, and families to raise, and all the rest of life's responsibilities. But can you spare two hours a week? Just two? You can cook up a ton of food in two hours and tupperware it up for the week. You should always try and cook extra. This bulk cooking allows you to better plan your meals too. You know what you're going to eat, because it's already sitting in your fridge ready to go!
I could continue forever, but I just want to emphasize the importance of learning to cook. There's a reason I listed it as number one.
2. Exercise frequently.
I know. Wow. What a revelation? Now when I say "exercise frequently", I also mean "with variety". I don't want you to add three more days on the treadmill this week if you hate it already. This will bore most people and they won't stick with it. I want you to find physical things that you LIKE to do. Yoga? Spinning class? Rock climbing? Martial arts? Biking? Hiking? Nintendo Wii? Just walking? Personally, I love Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and leave each class bruised, sweaty, and happy.
I don't want people to think of exercise as a chore, but as a way to move about and use their body. There's a lot of ways to use your body, so get out and get moving, if just for a little bit more each day.
3. Eat frequently.
This is probably going to sound the strangest coming from a personal trainer, but I want a lot of my clients to eat MORE. Now if you think this means camping out at a Chinese buffet for every dinner, then you're clearly proving that common sense ain't common. You also skipped step number one!
I want people to eat more often, especially breakfast, and eat a variety of foods. When we're getting in shape, a lot of people feel they have to starve themselves to get the body they want. Hardly! With all that activity we're doing (step number two!) we need to properly fuel ourselves! And this means more food!
More food eaten throughout the day actually keeps our blood sugar at a more constant state - which helps improve energy levels. It helps increase and regulate our metabolism as well.
What should I eat more frequently? If you give it a second of thought, you'll probably come up with the answer yourself. How about more fruits and vegetables? Haven't your parents been telling you to eat those since day one? They might be onto something...
4. Cut back on the alcohol.
This is definitely the hardest for a lot of people. Cook for yourself? No problem. Exercise more? easy. Eat more? I thought you'd never ask. But when I ask someone to cut back on alcohol, suddenly I'm the fun police looking to ruin their lives.
I'll interject that I love a good beer. Sitting down with some friends and having a pint or three is a fun, relaxing time for me. I'm not suggesting that you sit at home like a hermit, but I am suggesting that cutting back on the number of drinks you have a week will help tremendously to getting the body you want, and living a healthier lifestyle.
Personally, I'll have about 4-5 drinks a week, on average. This works for me. Your mileage may vary. To some it might be a lot, to others it's Tuesday night. But honestly look at the number of drinks you are having. Do you really need 2-3 a night? They add up and wreak havoc on the body.
A funny story - a friend of my sister's played in a recreational kickball league. Now if you're familiar with these at all, it becomes a reason to run around a field for a couple hours, then head to a bar and drink for a couple more. Now this friend hurt his leg one game and was unable to attend the games (and the drinking afterwards). He was concerned that this decrease in physical activity (no more kickball!) would result in an enormous increase in the scale. As you guess it though, he actually lost weight. Even though he wasn't running around, he also wasn't drinking afterwards. Let this show you that drinking really can put a lot of unwanted pounds on!
So those are my four steps. Are they simple? Yes. Are they easy? Not at first. It's not easy to change habits, but give just one of those a go and you'll start to develop habits for a healthy life.
Take that step!
Just a small step can helpI applaud the website for giving people easy tips to enact today. Many people feel overwhelmed when they try to be healthier. There are so many choices! How should I work out? What should I eat? What diet should I try?
All of the tips I've read on the list look good to me, and they'll get you started in the right direction, but my head is spinning if I try to remember just a third of them! Therefore, I wanted to give you a much smaller list of steps you should take. Ones that I see provide the greatest change to my clients time and time again. You can look at these as the "biggies".
1. Learn to cook.
To some this sounds easy, to others this sounds completely impossible. I'll tell you though, time and time again, that those who learn to cook can actually control what's going into their bodies. You don't have to be at the mercy of restaurants, fast food joints, and microwave meals.
With them, you're never sure what is being added to your food, whether it's too much butter, or too many preservatives. By cooking for yourself, you can know exactly what goes into the recipe and into your body. Not too mention you save a lot of money! Who doesn't like that?
Now a lot of people will them come back at me and say "I don't have the ability to cook" as well as "I don't have the time". To the first one, I say that's nonsense. That's like saying "I don't have the ability to ride a bike" when you've never even tried to learn. It doesn't have to be complex. We're not shooting for a spot on the next season of Top Chef. (great show!) I've made tons of recipes that are both easy to make and healthy AND they taste great! So don't push off cooking yet. Who knows, you might even like it!
To those who say "I don't have the time", what I really hear is "I've chosen something else more important than my health." Now I understand that we all have stressful jobs, and families to raise, and all the rest of life's responsibilities. But can you spare two hours a week? Just two? You can cook up a ton of food in two hours and tupperware it up for the week. You should always try and cook extra. This bulk cooking allows you to better plan your meals too. You know what you're going to eat, because it's already sitting in your fridge ready to go!
I could continue forever, but I just want to emphasize the importance of learning to cook. There's a reason I listed it as number one.
2. Exercise frequently.
I know. Wow. What a revelation? Now when I say "exercise frequently", I also mean "with variety". I don't want you to add three more days on the treadmill this week if you hate it already. This will bore most people and they won't stick with it. I want you to find physical things that you LIKE to do. Yoga? Spinning class? Rock climbing? Martial arts? Biking? Hiking? Nintendo Wii? Just walking? Personally, I love Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and leave each class bruised, sweaty, and happy.
I don't want people to think of exercise as a chore, but as a way to move about and use their body. There's a lot of ways to use your body, so get out and get moving, if just for a little bit more each day.
3. Eat frequently.
This is probably going to sound the strangest coming from a personal trainer, but I want a lot of my clients to eat MORE. Now if you think this means camping out at a Chinese buffet for every dinner, then you're clearly proving that common sense ain't common. You also skipped step number one!
I want people to eat more often, especially breakfast, and eat a variety of foods. When we're getting in shape, a lot of people feel they have to starve themselves to get the body they want. Hardly! With all that activity we're doing (step number two!) we need to properly fuel ourselves! And this means more food!
More food eaten throughout the day actually keeps our blood sugar at a more constant state - which helps improve energy levels. It helps increase and regulate our metabolism as well.
What should I eat more frequently? If you give it a second of thought, you'll probably come up with the answer yourself. How about more fruits and vegetables? Haven't your parents been telling you to eat those since day one? They might be onto something...
4. Cut back on the alcohol.
This is definitely the hardest for a lot of people. Cook for yourself? No problem. Exercise more? easy. Eat more? I thought you'd never ask. But when I ask someone to cut back on alcohol, suddenly I'm the fun police looking to ruin their lives.
I'll interject that I love a good beer. Sitting down with some friends and having a pint or three is a fun, relaxing time for me. I'm not suggesting that you sit at home like a hermit, but I am suggesting that cutting back on the number of drinks you have a week will help tremendously to getting the body you want, and living a healthier lifestyle.
Personally, I'll have about 4-5 drinks a week, on average. This works for me. Your mileage may vary. To some it might be a lot, to others it's Tuesday night. But honestly look at the number of drinks you are having. Do you really need 2-3 a night? They add up and wreak havoc on the body.
A funny story - a friend of my sister's played in a recreational kickball league. Now if you're familiar with these at all, it becomes a reason to run around a field for a couple hours, then head to a bar and drink for a couple more. Now this friend hurt his leg one game and was unable to attend the games (and the drinking afterwards). He was concerned that this decrease in physical activity (no more kickball!) would result in an enormous increase in the scale. As you guess it though, he actually lost weight. Even though he wasn't running around, he also wasn't drinking afterwards. Let this show you that drinking really can put a lot of unwanted pounds on!
So those are my four steps. Are they simple? Yes. Are they easy? Not at first. It's not easy to change habits, but give just one of those a go and you'll start to develop habits for a healthy life.
Take that step!
Monday, October 6, 2008
Dining Out - Tips For Healthy Eating
Eating healthy at home can be relatively easy once you get into the habit. You make a shopping list of healthy foods, you buy those foods, and when you're home, those are the foods that you eat. That pack of cookies isn't going to follow you home and jump into your mouth. If you can get into the habit of just buying healthy, then your home becomes a relative safe haven for eating.
Of course, no one spends all their time inside at home. We dine out! We socialize! We eat! We drink! We eat some more! And when all is said and done, we've completely ruined our diet.
Well it doesn't always have to be like this, or in the least we can minimize the damage. Strength coach Christian Thibaudeau listed in a recent article his tips and strategies for dining out and staying healthy. They are as follows:
Of course, no one spends all their time inside at home. We dine out! We socialize! We eat! We drink! We eat some more! And when all is said and done, we've completely ruined our diet.
Well it doesn't always have to be like this, or in the least we can minimize the damage. Strength coach Christian Thibaudeau listed in a recent article his tips and strategies for dining out and staying healthy. They are as follows:
1. Have a meal or snack two to three hours before going to the restaurant. It's fine to go in hungry, but you want to avoid feeling ravenous before you even see the menu.
2. Avoid drinking alcohol with your meal unless you're sure you can stop at one or two glasses of wine. If you know you'll drink a lot more than that once you get started, it's best not to get started.
3. Other than a glass or two of wine, stick to water, coffee, tea or diet soft drinks — don't drink anything with calories.
4. When ordering, your best choice is probably the simplest grilled meat or fish you see on the menu. Avoid things that obviously include extra butter and oil, and absolutely avoid anything breaded, battered, or fried.
5. If the meat or fish is covered with a sauce of any kind, ask for it on the side. That way you get to decide how much of it you need — and you may decide you don't need any at all.
6. When ordering a salad, ask the waiter to bring the dressing on the side. Again, you decide how much you need.
7. If you're tempted by a pasta dish, ask the waiter if the pasta is cooked in oil. If it is, choose something else; high-glycemic carbs and tons of fat are a bad mix.
8. After you've ordered, some restaurants will automatically bring bread to your table. If you're dining alone, politely decline. If you're dining in a group, let the others have it.
9. If you end up with butter on the table, don't add it to anything on your plate.
10. Drink a lot of water early in the meal. Then, when your food arrives, eat the veggies first. You'll fill up faster at the start of the meal, helping you avoid splurging at the end.
11. You're not at your mother's house. It's perfectly fine to leave something on your plate. The waiter won't be offended, and the chef will never know.
12. Finally, skip dessert. (Big surprise there, right?)
I'd have to agree on all points. Does this mean we have to deprive ourselves and never order the baked potato with butter and sour cream, warm bread, all washed down with a couple glasses of wine? No, of course not! I love to eat just as much as you, trust me. But if you're looking to change your body, then you'll have to eat healthier more often than not. So if you've already splurged on something unhealthy during the week and you're faced with a night dining out, then use these strategies so that you can get out and have fun, but still work towards your body composition goals.
Eat out, but eat smart!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)