Narrow-mindedness
narrow-minded – lacking tolerance or flexibility or breadth of view; “a brilliant but narrow-minded judge”; “narrow opinions”
So in a comment a little bit ago, I was called narrow-minded.
It kind of made me laugh because that isn’t something I’d ever considered myself to be.
I mean yes…am I arguing in support of MY viewpoint on this site….OF COURSE!
Anyone writing anything is basically supporting THEIR VIEWPOINT.
But while I may support one very specific viewpoint in terms of what I believe to be the BEST diet and exercise programs on this site, I would argue that I’m not narrow-minded.
First and foremost I tell people to constantly learn, experiment and evolve their diet and workout program. As I’ve said before, one size doesn’t fit all!
You have to find out what works for YOU and you only do that through research or learning, self-experimentation and constantly being open to evolving your beliefs and programs.
I have clients that don’t hold near the same diet beliefs that I do. And I have clients that LOVE running. I don’t try to change their diet views and I don’t tell them to stop running.
I will question their diet beliefs just like I hope people question mine. The only way we can make sure we are constantly learning and getting better is by questioning. I never just want to accept something as truth….I want to know WHY it is truth.
So I question them. If they are going to be eating a certain diet, I want them to know WHY they are eating that way.
And I help guide them to become more educated. I don’t say they are wrong or that they should follow my diet. I help them find their own way.
Because as I said before, it doesn’t matter what works for me. It matters what works for you.
And that client that loves to run…Do I force them to become a powerlifter?
HECK NO!
Am I completely dumbfounded as to why they love running? OF COURSE! đŸ˜›
BUT I don’t tell them to stop doing what they love. Instead I show them exercises and/or lifts to help them become fitter, stronger runners.
You have to do what you love. If you don’t love your workouts, you probably won’t stick to them for very long.
If you love running, do it. If you love lifting, do it.
But that doesn’t mean you can just ignore the rest of your fitness. You need strength training to make you a better runner. And you need cardio to help make you a better lifter. You need to give your body some variety in training and plenty of recovery or you won’t see the results you want in the activity that you love!
So maybe I am narrow-minded. I believe I’ve found something that works for me and I want to share it…hence the birth of Man Bicep. I respectfully disagree that I am not, but it is really up to you to decide.
All I can say is I hope that you find the diet and exercise program that works for you and if you need any coaching along the way, I’m always here…Even if you are a vegetarian runner and my arch nemesis….
Workouts – What should we really be doing?
So last night when I was talking about workouts with a friend I realized how deeply it is ingrained in us that not only are certain exercises the key to weight loss success but so is a certain duration of activity.
She assumed I ran a lot and worked out for long periods of time because I’m “thin” and “in shape.”
Most women assume the same thing. They believe that running and long workouts are the key to weight loss success.
But they are wrong.
For one, I rarely ever run and when I do it usually is sprints or really light jogging if I’m going any distance over a mile.
And two, I don’t think any of my workouts have been anywhere near an hour for months now. Shoot, at least a few times a week my workouts aren’t even longer than 15 minutes!
Running and cardio in general is a key piece of the weight loss puzzle, but it isn’t the only piece. Strength training, and diet, are also very important.
If you don’t do strength training, you won’t add muscle.
Why do you want to add muscle when your goal is weight loss?
Because by adding muscle you burn more fat. When you have more muscle, you burn more calories allowing you to lose weight more easily and keep the weight off!
If you only do chronic cardio, when you take time off and eat normally, you will find the weight goes right back on. Also, you will find that your body will get used to the chronic cardio that you are doing and that you will constantly need to be upping the amount of time you spend running to get the same calorie burn!
BUT if you’ve added muscle, you will find that you won’t gain the weight back near as easily because you’ve raised your metabolic rate by adding muscle which needs more calories to be maintained!
Also, strength training will help prevent injuries that may develop from repetitive motions, such as running, that would hinder your progress or keep you from working out!
So while cardio is important, STRENGTH TRAINING, is actually more key to maintaining a healthy “in shape” weight!
Now to workout length….
Workout intensity is what really matters when you are trying to figure out how long your workout should be.
When I go for a hike or a walk, my workout will be longer. BUT if I workout super intensely, there is no need for my workout to pretty much ever go over 45 minutes.
So it isn’t that long workouts can’t be good, but if you are working out super intensely for an hour, you are probably going to either burn out or start feeling the effects of overtraining, which will actually hinder your progress toward your goal (be your goal weight loss or added strength or merely feeling fitter!).
So I guess to sum up what I’m saying is there is no one form of exercise or a certain length of time you have to spend working out to reach your fitness goals!
Variety is key!
(HMMMMM….Variety is key….That sounds familiar….I was going to link to another post here but there are too many preaching this on this site to pick just one! :-))
Top 10 Healthiest….
Oh who cares!
Every other day you see a new news article about the Top 10 Healthiest Fish/Cereals/Fruits/Vegetables…But seriously…WHO CARES!?!
Yesterday I made a comment to Ryan about how someone was eating swordfish instead of salmon and that salmon was much better.
He said, “Yay but still…it could be way worse.”
“It could be way worse.”…SO TRUE!
Why are all of these news articles so focused on telling us what the healthiest of already goods food are? Why not focus on making people more aware of how bad vegetable oils and processed foods are!?!
It is almost like what I was saying about supplementation the other day. We worry about micromanaging our diets when our macronutrient intake is awful – we focus on what is the best of an already healthy food instead of at least getting people to eat the worst of a healthy food!
I mean really…If someone doesn’t eat fruit or vegetables, isn’t it way better that they eat bananas and iceberg lettuce than no fruits and vegetables at all? I know we could argue that berries and spinach are way better for you, but isn’t eating fruits and vegetables the most important part.
At least they are eating something non-processed with nutrients!
As Ryan said, “It could be way worse!”
So next time you want to tell your friend that iceberg lettuce isn’t as good as spinach, think about how many WORSE choices they could have made!
Patience = Consistency over time
I’m not a patient person.
Generally, I work hard and want results fast.
But unfortunately that isn’t how things work.
They say “patience is a virtue” and it really freaking is.
Unfortunately you don’t reach your fitness goals overnight. True lasting progress is consistency over time.
Consistency over time….patience…bleh…
BUT…you need to be patient!
If you create a program, progress yourself forward and give yourself proper recovery, you will reach your goals if you stay the course. This can mean weeks or months or even years.
The key to keeping yourself on course, to helping yourself be patient and consistent over time, is to set mini goals. Break your yearly goals down into monthly, weekly and even daily goals.
Achieving these mini goals will keep you dedicated each and every day. And shoot, a daily goal may just be to exercise for 10 minutes every day! They shouldn’t be anything crazy. They should be realistic and achievable.
You want goals that will motivate you to keep moving forward not goals that will make you feel like you’ll never achieve your goals.
Remember, BE PATIENT and consistent over time and you will achieve your goals!
P.S. The only good part about all of this is that one slip up also doesn’t mean you’ve destroyed all of your progress. What matters is consistency over time!
Food Logs
So for work this past month, I’ve had to keep a food log, which is something that I honestly haven’t done since I did my low-fat diet experiment a couple of years ago.
The reason I haven’t done one is the same reason I haven’t counted calories for the past year or more….because I don’t need to.
I’m very conscious of what I’m putting into my body and I know that if I eat whole, natural, unprocessed foods, I don’t need to count calories.
For me looking at the nutritional breakdown of what I’ve consumed is interesting, but I also don’t like getting caught up in what I do on a day-to-day basis and I don’t like getting caught up on calories.
For me the overall picture is more important. I know I will have slip ups and bad meals and I don’t want to get caught up on them because I know if I stick to my diet in the long run that is what will matter.
How I FEEL, how my body functions, and how I even look are enough to tell me if I’m on track.
BUT that doesn’t mean that keeping a food log doesn’t have merit or benefit. And I did find it very interesting to look at my macronutrient consumption now that I’ve added in corn tortillas and some rice for carbs instead of only getting carbs from fruits and vegetables.
I think for anyone about to start a new diet, or evening starting a new diet, it can be a great tool. It can get you more in touch with what you are ACTUALLY eating.
I think sometimes we aren’t truly aware of the nutritional value, or calories, of what we put in our mouths. I think sometimes keeping a food log can be eye-opening.
I think it can also force us to be honest with ourselves about our diet.
I hear lots of people say, “Well I was pretty good today. I BASICALLY stuck to my diet.”
But if they were to food log their day, I guarantee most of them wouldn’t be saying it was a good day at all.
Most people don’t realize how quickly that handful of nuts adds up. Most people haven’t really stopped to think about what a handful of potato chips as a snack every day really looks like as part of their diet.
Heck most people have no idea about the nutritional or caloric value of half of the food they eat, especially when they dine out or order in!
So if you are happy with your current diet, I’m not saying you have to start keeping a food log.
But if you want to make a change or have failed to really achieve success in the past, maybe you should think about starting a food log. It may just reveal the flaws in your current diet program.
Here are some great logs you can use online!
SparkPeople –Â http://www.sparkpeople.com/
Fit Day – fitday.com
MyFitnessPal –Â http://www.myfitnesspal.com/
Do I cheat?
Holidays are usually full of partying and bad food. The question is, “Do you cheat or do you stick to your diet?”
Both can work. And frankly what I do depends on the holiday.
On holidays where BBQ is common, like Memorial Day, the fourth of July and Labor Day, I find it very easy to stick to my diet.
So I do.
BUT on holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Ryan or my birthday, I find it much harder to eat well.
I don’t believe in all of those tips to keep the fat off during the winter holiday seasons. I mean seriously…get a smaller plate so you don’t eat as much?!?!
I would much rather just eat badly with family on those days and then go right back to my diet afterwards. I would much rather eat super clean before the holidays and super clean afterwards than deprive myself of food in a social environment that has so much meaning for me.
I don’t like having feelings of deprivation. That is why I eat the diet that I do!
So if I think I’ll feel like I missed out, I indulge. A little indulgence one day could keep me from binge eating for the next week or so.
But it is really up to you. The question I always ask myself way in advance is, “Will I feel like I missed out enough to make me want to cheat for the entire week after or will I be satisfied eating well?”
Spending time with family
In Boston, all too often Ryan and I would spend time together by watching TV or a movie. We would do active things together, but not near as frequently as we should have.
Since moving to Cali, we’ve spent so much more time together doing active things – even just activities such as walking around a farmers market together.
Ryan holding our purchases from the market.
There is something about being ACTIVE together that brings you even closer together. There is a bonding that goes on when you DO things together.
Yoga outside together…Ryan didn’t want to pose… haha
Like yesterday…We did a quick workout together then got some coffee and walked about 4 miles on the beach, watching the waves. We later put together some furniture. All active things. All times to bond.
There is just something about the bonding that happens during physical activity that is so different from the bonding that happens at any other time.
That is why I encourage all of my clients, friends and family to DO things together. Go paddleboarding. Go rock climbing. Go for a hike or jog or even do a workout together!
Team IR paddleboarding.
Yea there may be some competition when you do a workout with your spouse, friend or family member, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
The fact that you are overcoming a challenge together will bring you closer. The fact that you are both talking and playing together while getting endorphins from the exercise will bring you closer.
Playing together will help you develop a stronger bond. A healthier relationship. And a healthier you.
So today…go play with your family and friends!
Go do headstands on a paddleboard even if you do flip over and fall in! (which by the way I did…numerous times…)
The Sled
If you’ve ever pushed or pulled a sled, you know it is perfectly wonderful torture.
Tonight Ryan came in to the gym for a workout and I started our workout out with a sled pull (pull the sled toward you by pulling a long rope in) and then pushing it back to the starting position. (This was made even more torturous by the fact that you then had to bear crawl backwards back to the beginning.)
BUT tonight I’m not going to discuss how torturous the bear crawl was. I’m going to discuss the torture and the benefit of pushing and pulling a sled.
If you want to develop strength and power in your legs, you should be doing sled pushes. If you want to strengthen your core and your upper body, you should be doing sled pushes. Sled pulls are great too for the upper body, core and even the legs.
The sled helps you develop POWER and STRENGTH. AND it also helps you develop great ACCELERATION and SPEED.
Corey, one of the owners and trainers at Innovative Results, posted this article about sled training to our Facebook group a few weeks back and I’ve been thinking about it ever since.
It is a very functional tool that can work your entire body.
So why aren’t you doing workouts with the sled?!?!
Add this circuit into your next routine:
5 rounds with a challenging weight on the sled:
Sled pull toward you for 20 ft.
Sled pull
Push it back to the starting position (20ft)
Then bear crawl backwards to your starting position at the rope (20ft)
REPEAT!
The good, the bad and the simply stupid
When I was doing my low-fat diet a few years ago, Ryan and I would watch Man vs. Food and plan out our next cheat. Our meals simply weren’t satisfying. We actually watched a ton of food shows or “food porn” as many of us call them.
Right now Jamie, Tucker, and baby Cooper! are watching Man vs. Food. They just showed a huge Cinnamon Roll and I have to say, my belly started hurting just looking at the 3 pound monstrosity. WOW! What a difference between my current diet and my previous low-fat one! I’m pretty much ALWAYS satisfied!
Welcome home baby Cooper! Congrats Jamie and Tucker!
The Good
- You CAN eat pretty healthily even if you eat out. Here are a few of our quick and easy meals out since coming to Cali.
Homemade corn tortilla tacos (steak shrimp, carnitas) and a protein style hamburger. LETTUCE BUN!
- See I’m not the only one that claims you can eat healthy on a budget!
- I also thought it was cool to see a number of recent articles and posts against vegetable oils and in favor of cooking with natural fats!
- An interesting article especially for any trainers out there – what and how we can motivate people to exercise!
The Bad
- Uhm seriously!?! We need to adopt a vegetarian diet or we will face a food shortage crisis!?! HAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHA!
- So Statins really don’t have any benefit…Yet half of our nation is taking them….(This article is good…the whole fact that it even needs to be written is bad.)
The Simply Stupid
- So Sunday night Ryan and I ate pizza for the first time in over two months. Right now we are living with cats and I’ve had problems with allergies and cats in the past. I haven’t had any trouble with allergies while I’ve eaten Primally. BUT Monday after the pizza, not only did I feel swollen, dehydrated and sick, I also had ALLERGIES. Of course a return to my version of Primal got rid of them quickly, but still the whole experience was eye-opening. The reason this whole story is under stupid is because many people are too lazy or stupid to go without gluten for any extended period of time and see if they feel better without it. I guarantee they will! Health issues they just accepted before, like allergies, may just go away!!!
- READ THE INGREDIENT LABELS PEOPLE!!!!! Soybean oil and other crap is hidden in random products. You may have gone Primal, but if you are still eating some of these products laden with hidden gluten and vegetable oil, you may not be reaping all of the benefits! Check your spices even! Some may not be simply the herb or spice!
Competition = Support
There are just certain feats of fitness that we can’t seem to accomplish on our own.
There are just certain tasks that seem to always thwart our best attempts.
But sometimes just a little friendly competition and support can get us there.
Sometimes you don’t realize you can lift more, run further or push faster until someone else tells you that you can or “forces” you to.
It isn’t that you didn’t believe you could it, it’s just that sometimes a little extra push from someone else encourages you to try just a little more than you did before.
While so many people, women especially, shy away from a little friendly competition, competition may be the extra SUPPORT they need to help them reach their goals.
When I work out with a friend, I don’t want to be the person that drags or slows down the workout. If we are running, I don’t want to be the person that says, “Let’s stop.” I want to make sure that no matter what, I go as far and as fast as we can
I don’t want to let the other person down.
If my workout partner can lift more or do more reps, I always push myself to keep up with them as much as I can.
And sometimes I can’t keep up, BUT I know that I’ve pushed harder TRYING to keep up than I would have on my own.
It isn’t about “beating” the other person. It is about the support of having someone else battling right next to you. It is about the competition to push just that little bit harder.
So next time you shy away from working out with your friend/family member/spouse/random person at the gym because you are worried that they are more fit/stronger/faster than you, DON’T (ok…maybe you can shy away from the random person at the gym…but only maybe…).
Who cares if you beat the other person!?! If having someone there that you are “competing” against pushes you to work harder than you would have on your own, then you won! You won because you just got fitter/stronger/faster!
So seek out a little friendly competition in your workouts. It may just be the support you need to reach your goals!
Man Bicep 