Language of training, nutrition and life hygiene. Part 2

Now its time to clear out the nutrition terminology. Unfortunately, nowadays there are so many sources where the person can receive information on nutrition and so many conflicting messages out there that average person with no specific education will not be able to separate right information from wrong one. So before we move actual nutritional advice, lets discuss main issues that anyone who start thinking about healthier lifestyle is doomed to bump into:
1. Simplicity and Complexity.
   That's right, simplicity is an issue. Nutritional information right now is either overly simplified or overly complicated, balance is very rarely there. Example of overly simplified nutrition advice is Oprah's, Dr. Phill's, or any other TV host's advice to eat cereal or oatmeal in the morning. Listen, just because they say so, does that mean its a correct information? So that means that anything we here on TV is true, right? Even when they advertise McDonald's Big Mac combo? Exactly. Its way too simple to be true.
However, example of over-complicated approach in nutrition is when person with no previous  nutritional knowledge except the one picked in the childhood decides to start new life and goes simultaneously on a diet, quits all bad habits, changes grocery to organic, goes gluten-free, lactose-free, fat-free, low-carb, blood-type specific etc, etc. Issue with this approach is too much too soon. Some of that advice is perfectly healthy. However to try to apply it before you settle certain life habits is sorta like trying to comprehend information of fourth year of university before you graduate high school. Too complicated too soon. Make sure you do all the basics first.
2. Conflicting messages.
   Fat-free or low-carbs? High protein or low protein? Three meals a day or five-six smaller meals? To eat breakfast or not to eat breakfast? How about late night eating - good or bad? To eat meat or to go vegetarian? Or vegan? Organic or non-organic? Atkins or Beverly Hills diet? Or Weight Watchers? Or Herbal Magic? Or Paleo diet? Or Slimfast? Or.....???

The flow of information is never-ending, every day, constant and very aggressive. Yet we can draw few conclusions out of this fact.
First - if there are so many conflicting, self-assuring and reciprocally denying messages out there, it means that the single and simple solution to the issue doesn't exist. Simply put, different approaches can work for different people. There are, however, flat-out wrong theories that are proven to be harmful for any population. Guess what? Huge Fat-Free Theory, that started back in 80-s is one of them. Once again - constant and regular consuming of fat-free products is bad for ya. Need to know why? Hang around, we will cover it later. Or do your own research.
3. Regulation.
In any field that you can pick there are few authorities that proven to be the most influential in the industry. Very often they also teach what they know. However, once in a while the aforementioned authorities go out of there way and try to deliver messages to non-related areas. Usually its taken with a huge grain of salt by most of us.  When a movie star shows up on the Food Network show, we all smile and don't take culinary talent of theirs very seriously.
But the advice on nutrition, for some unknown reason, is a different story. Despite their obvious success in TV industry, who gave people like Oprah to give nutritional advice?

What does she keep saying? Eat cereal in the morning? Hmmm...

 Most likely its done with good intentions, but isn't it obvious that their own advice didn't work all that well on them? Success multiplies success, failure multiplies failure. But success in business will not necessarily bring success in health. And vice versa of course. Nothing against anyone who wants to share their ideas about nutrition, but if you ever decide to take advice from TV host or celebrity about the nutrition, think about if this person qualified to give such an advice? And should you take advice from, for example you veterinary doctor about your real estate? Wouldn't it make any sense?
Phew! That totally seemed like a rant. B-)
Okay, rant is over, lets move on to what you should and shouldn't do with food to get the body of your dreams.

Language of training, nutrition, and life hygiene. Part 1

   We meet a lot of people daily. In the bus or subway, at work, in the club, while walking the dog, during sports events, while shopping or staying in line (especially Walmart before Christmas), and the list goes on. Relatives, neighbors, friends, loved ones, hate ones... With many of these people we start conversation. Or they start first. Topics vary, and more often than not we find that we can speak about the topic and understand each other pretty well.
   However, once in a while we bump into conversation where we seem to talk about the same topic yet our understanding of an issue is nothing like that other person's. Fitness, nutrition and healthy lifestyle is quite good example for it. Let me explain how.
   Just recently I was talking to one of the clients who attended my class, and her question, of course, was "Alex, what exercise I need to do to get rid of my love handles? I already do 300 situps a day". For quite some time my reaction to this question was something like this:

OH, NO!!! NO MORE OF THAT!!!

Eventually I realized that this way I offend people and its no surprise they no longer want to talk to me. B-) So the strategy changed. Now I take a minute to explain them the value of good nutrition in combination with sound exercise routine and healthy lifestyle and hygiene habits... But in the situation with a client above, as many times before that, the immediate answer was "But I eat really well! My nutrition is great! I start my day with a bowl of healthy low-fat cereal!".
   Well, this is exactly where we start speaking different languages. You see, I don't consider cereal or oatmeal in the morning a healthy breakfast. And in terms of exercising, I don't consider 300 situps a day very healthy strategy either.
   So now its time to lay out some beginning principles which I'll be referring to in future to make sure we speak the same language.

Language of Training:

Not everything you do in the gym is very healthy for you. When you hear advice on the radio or on TV or read in the newspaper about "working out for good health is as simple as doing 30 minutes of cardiovascular activity daily and up to 3 times a week exercising your main muscles with machines or free weights" it is great advice. However, with no previous experience and knowledge it is very easy to do something wrong with this routine. Lets talk about various ways where things can be misinterpreted:

• Start doing cardiovascular conditioning first, then finish with resistance training. It is popular way, but in terms of achieving results its less effective than if you warm-up, do resistance training, and THEN finish with some form of conditioning. There is very big evidence-based data for it, so I will cover this topic in future
• Hoping for spot reduction. It doesn't exist. Example of spot reduction - when you do 300 crunches a day, you DO NOT make your fat burn in the stomach area. Its just not happening, regardless of how much it burns. If you want to know more about the issue, hang around for some time, in nearest future I will be covering this topic
• Picking training routine of a world champions instead of assessing what YOU need to do to achieve best health possible
• Picking exercises randomly, with no specific order, without understanding why you chose certain exercise is a sure way to get yourself in trouble. Easiest way of trouble - no results. Hardest way - injury. Enough said
• Going too light, so your body never needs to adapt. No adaptation - no results
• Going to heavy to stroke the ego. Chances of injury are increasing immediately
• Doing the exercise by copying someone who is doing it wrong. Even if you spying on the experienced trainer, maybe there is a trick that needs to be explained to you, such as breathing properly, or keeping posture in a certain way. If you don't know that, chances are that you are doing this exercise wrong
• Again, as I said numerous times - even if you learnt everything you know in life by yourself, somebody still taught you alphabet. So don't reinvent the wheel and ask the trainer in your gym to explain and show you what you need
• Now, one time quickly about this topic, because I will be back to it later, but, trust me, this one is huge - what makes you feel good is not necessarily what brings results. 
• Not a single routine will be consistently bringing results if it performed repeatedly and consistently for a period of time longer than two months. None. Don't tell me it does for you, if you keep doing your routine for over 2 years. Its not. It only does so in your imagination

Well, this is very briefly ideas that are important to keep in mind when we speak about training, mostly resistance training. Next topic is cardiovascular training

Why am I always tired? Charles Poliquin answers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFhwnGjBwh8&feature=player_embedded#!

Battle the Cravings Monster

Today I had a conversation with a client of the studio. Its started as one of the questions I get every day: "Alex, I have a sweet tooth, what should I do?"

I get that a lot. Sweet tooth for girls, beer tooth for boys, pizza tooth at night for both... Originally my first response was something like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhQGzeiYS_Q

Unfortunately, the issue is more difficult than that. Just stopping the habit is not easy. Without the strategy you are most likely to come back to it, even if your initial determination is high. Some strategies proven to work better, some worse, but its a complex approach that works best. So, in regards to Battling the Cravings Monster here what the plan is:

1. To fight temptation successfully, stay away from temptation to begin with. 

In other words, how can you fight sweets or junk food if your house is filled with it? Sweets in the vase in the living room, chips in the cupboards, cookies in the kitchen, lollipops in the bedroom, cake in the fridge? Sure, go ahead, try not to have a sweet tooth. So get rid of it all to begin with. Have you ever seen "The Last 10 pounds Bootcamp" show? That is exactly what Tony Europe does first for clients - shows up at their house and accurately puts to garbage bag everything that is considered "food garbage". No exceptions.

2. Start with one habit at a time to be able to maintain the compliance level. 

Examples of these "one habit at a time approaches":

- Turn off TV at night. Or record the show and fast forward all the commercials. Did you realize how much food commercials are there, especially at night, when people have issues resisting the urge to munch on something? Out of curiosity, make a quick peak - its insane. In 15 minutes of a "Two and a Half Men" there were 4 commercial breaks with 9 different food products that are completely unhealthy. How long you think your brain will be able to say "no" to this bombarding?

- Drink water. I know, you've heard it, its good for you to drink water during the day to avoid dehydration, blah blah blah... Guess what. Here is another perspective on the issue. If your body's toxicity level is off the chart, you WILL be craving bad foods. Toxicity level of your body will disrupt normal stomach flora, less good bacteria are dealing with food, and more parasites, bad bacteria and fungi are requiring.... bingo. All the junk there is. First step to fix it - water. Why? Brilliant phrase of Paul Chek: "The quickest solution to pollution is dilution". Dilute toxins in your body. Create enough environment for good microflora to grow, and healthy person never feels like dying for a piece of chocolate. 

- Start taking fish oil or omega-3 supplement, if you don't do already. It reduces inflammation in the body. Very big deal. Less inflammation - less stress for tissues - more health - longer and happier life.

- Have a safe substitute handy all the time. Carrots, almonds, apples, broccoli. Usually when the craving onset happens and you don't have any food around you, you will make a bad choice. Very high chance of it. But if there is food around, there is fairly high chance that you will have no willpower to look elsewhere for cakes and chocolates.

3. Failing to plan is planning to fail. However good on paper, it is still very difficult once the craving hits all of a sudden. But what if you plan to have a time when you are allowed to have a treat? First of all, you'll feel like a winner, because you are controlling your body, not vice versa. Secondly, it is MUCH easier to resist the temptation. You just know that in a day or two you can have whatever you want. Even though there is no difference in calories consumed, whether that piece of cake is eaten now or on Sunday, but there is huge psychological factor that binds you to guilt feeling. Guilt feeling will lead to the cycle of abstaining from bad foods - overflowing with cravings - going loose again - feeling guilty - starting over. So harnessing that feeling is huge. 

4. And lastly for today - it is a long-term process that WILL BE WON BY YOU. As in every battle there are wins and loses, but it all comes down WHO wins the war. So don't get frustrated easily. Persist and stick to your guns. You didn't forget that it wasn't always A+ at school, did you? Life is the same way - not always straight A+.

Tooth Brushing and Exercising. Part 2

Okay, so today I'm talking about the points to take about organizing your training process this way so it will not steal away from your daily energy, won't frustrate you, won't depress you etc. Developing "no negative emotions" mindset towards exercising. Regardless of how busy you are. B-)

   1. Prepare for bumps on the road. Do not plan for failure though! Plain and simple, success of any manager is being determined not just of how successfully he/she manages/organizes any business, but of how he/she is dealing with something gone wrong. As one of my former bosses said "I don't care how good you are, but I definitely want to see how you are dealing with the situation when something is screwed up". Very true with working out as well. Be mentally prepare that not everything will go smooth according to the plan. In the past 9 years of training that I keep training log, there wasn't a single training cycle when everything went smooth. At least once you will have to tweak things. So be prepared for it, don't let it stop you from training altogether.
   2. Be proactive. When it comes to nutrition - set the time and date and make all the grocery. Then set the time and a date to make all or most of cooking. If its more than once a week - set all these times and dates. There is no shortcuts to it. If you feel like its too hard - again, look for options, buy healthier pre-cooked meals. If budget is not an issue - there are many catering services in any city, hire a chef to cook meals and get them delivered to you.
When it comes to training:
a) put your gym bag in the place when you can't miss it or forget about it. Put all the gear in it beforehand.
b) write down a plan beforehand. Don't think about training plan for any specific workout, but plan months, if not years ahead. Then stick to it. Big planning will determine what you should do during every single workout. Its not a simple topic, so I will expand about it in future.
c) if you don't know what to do in the gym or don't know how to organize a plan - hire a trainer. I mean, how many people learnt how to play Rachmaninoff  symphonies by themselves, without a teacher? How many people learnt how to drive a car without the instructor? What gives you confidence that designing comprehensive training plan for your body is any easier? Of course, not all the trainers are the same, but that is different topic. For now, remember this - if you decide to hire a trainer, you immediately remove frustrations, associated with scheduling/showing up/deciding what to do in the gym. And you will also keep your motivation at high level.
   3. Have a plan B. It is closely related to the first one above. How you can tweak things to make training work?
- if somebody took or occupied your piece of equipment in the gym, have a substitute exercise in mind, so you're not wasting your time.
- if you can't make your schedule work on certain days, put another day in your daily planner, and put priority of that time high, so it cannot be changed or moved by, lets say, a meeting with an old friend, or movie night.
4. Make keeping yourself accountable easier. Make a deal with your training partner, if you have one, to carpool. That keeps you much more accountable, but takes away the frustration in case if you have a lower energy day. It needs to be done. The person is waiting. Done.

Also, surround yourself with like-minded people. Charles Poliquin said that you are representation of 5 closest people in your life. Make sure these 5 people are someone you want to be like.
5. Do the most important thing first in the workout. This way even if emergency hits and you have to leave early, or you are just super-tired, you can still count this one. The most important part of training routine is strength or resistance training. Everything else follows - mobility drills, stretching, cardiovascular conditioning, sport-specific training, whatever. Dan John has a wonderful test for figuring out whats important "If you only have 45 minutes a week to train, what would you do?" Figure it out and do it first. If you don't like strength training and rather do cardio - again, do you strength training first, get it done and then go do your favorite treadmill "alpine walk", or elliptical "fat burning".
6. Start small. This one is huge. John Berardi, the founder of Precision Nutrition totally blew my mind when he showed statistical data of this approach compared to classic approach. Start changing ONE habit at a time. Don't attack the exercising mountain with no tools. First get the tools.
- start doing something rather than nothing. BUT!!!! Be honest with yourself that this is the very first step. The baby is learning to walk. If the thought of gym makes you shiver from disguise - join Frisbee league on the weekend. If you don't like lifting weights - learn how to do bodyweight exercises and progress them. Trust me, there are no unfit people who can do 5 chin-ups and 5 single-leg squats. But then again, PROGRESS from there! Next point:
7. Avoid boredom and routine.

 As Dan John, my mentor, said "Everything works. But nothing works forever". Brilliant. Very often frustration and negative emotion come from inability to make exercising fun. Turn working out into adult playground, and you'll be looking forward to next workout. Again, if you don't know how - don't reinvent the wheel and ask for help.

So here you have them, few tips. This topic is much broader than I covered, but at least you get the point - with a right approach you can control your attitude towards working out, you can build that routine into your lifestyle, regardless, how busy you are, and whats more - you can even make training enjoyable. Or at least don't have hate onset or panic attack every time you step your foot in the gym. Body is here doing stuff, but mind is busy doing something else.... like tooth brushing. B-)

Tooth brushing and exercising. Part 1

Imagine your regular morning. You went to bed at okay time, woke up with decent mood, its time to make your morning coffee. And while its waiting for you, you're heading to brush your teeth. You are brushing you teeth and thinking about the coffee... or about the commute to work... or about work... or about the joke that somebody told you yesterday and it was so funny, but you forgot it already.... Okay, stop right here. What do you feel? 

Every time I test my clients this simple test, they don't know what exactly I am asking. "Alex, what are you talking about? What am I supposed to feel? I'm just brushing my teeth!"

Lets go to second part of the test. Lets plan your training strategy for next month. 

   First, you have to figure out your goals. You have to define them why they are important to you, so every time life gets in the way, you will remind yourself and push it through. 

   Second, you have to figure out what kind of training regime suits your goal the best. Is it cardio? Or strength training? Or both? Or classes? Or yoga? Should you hire a personal trainer or just try to figure it out yourself? And, whats most important, what if that regime that you picked DOESN'T WORK? Do you have a plan B?

   Third, now you have to find out the time in your busy life to actually put this plan to work. Morning before work or evening right after work? Or, perhaps, few hours after work? How far the gym is? How you get there?    Remind yourself not to forget workout clothes... towel... water... shoes...put everything in the gym bag... not to forget the gym bag...

Okay. Stop right now. What do you feel at this point? 

Exactly. At this point lots of people get it. It is very overwhelming. For beginners it is also very uncomfortable and outside of their comfort zone to go through all this thought process and preparation. And very often it becomes very frustrating. So frustrating that some of us hesitate to even start. 

Now lets compare these two mindsets that are different - tooth brushing in the morning and getting organized with a new lifestyle. Emotional state is totally different here. Why? The answer is THE HABIT. When you have a habit developed, you have no feelings or emotions about it. Its just there. Brushing you teeth? You usually don't even remember if you did it or not, although you always do. You don't get frustrated to start it, and you don't feel relieved to finish it. Its just there. Strong habit doesn't steal from your mental energy pool.

How is it possible to combine such a great lifestyle change as exercising with such a mellow mindset when you brush your teeth in the morning? Tomorrow comes part 2, where I will go through practical steps of it.