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The Twelve Myths of Fitness – Day 12: You should eat 5 meals per day

December 24, 2016 by Leave a Comment

The theory that there’s a magic number of meals per day for weight loss, muscle gain, etc. is something doctors, nutritionists and celebrities have varying opinions about. While you’d think we’d take an educated and certified professional’s advice over a celebrity, that sadly isn’t always the case. The media and we as a culture often admire and adore folks in the limelight, and give them perhaps far more credibility than we should. And so many myths becomes “facts” in some warped way.

The advice that 5 small meals per day will lead to weight loss is somewhat both a myth and sometimes a fact. When we go long periods of time without eating, it can be common to feel a dip in energy, mood and focus. Maintaining somewhat consistent blood sugar can prevent dips and spikes in energy. So it makes sense that continuously fueling your body at a slow burn would keep your energy, metabolism, and blood sugar all happy and in check. Here’s the danger with that: it can be easy to overeat and consume far more calories if you are actually eating 5 “meals.” And if you are eating around the clock, your body will be using the fuel in your stomach for energy, not the body fat you are hoping to lose. Remember that insulin plays in a big role in how we use what we put in our mouths – and when.

The best way to eat for weight loss, maintaining weight, and feeling fueled tends to trend with the concept of 3 meals per day, and some snacks throughout the day. Now, snacks of donuts or candy probably aren’t what doctors are recommending. Instead, something nutritionally dense, and in the 100-300 calorie range. Think of a piece of fruit, a container of greek yogurt, sliced veggies with hummus – that kind of thing. Another thing to keep in mind is portion size for the meals. In general, portions are way too big in America. So that means we are consuming more calories at a sitting than necessary but assuming that’s “normal.”

It’s also important to remember that we are all different. While our bodies are all quite similar, we have different variables. Working different hours, sleep, age, activity level. Some of us are naturally grazers. Others need the ritual of sitting down to a “real meal” in order to feel satisfied. While some people like to drink their calories (smoothie, shake, etc.) others feel the need to chew their food. It is common that when hangry, we will reach for the most available and desirable item. This scenario rarely leads to good choices. So preventing that hangry state from occurring can help.

So while there may be no magic number of meals for us across the boards, a balance in macros throughout the day and at each meal can help. And if you are consuming the amount of calories needed, weight gain won’t be an issue. If you are looking to lose weight, stay away from temptations, and keep your macros in check.

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The Twelve Myths of Fitness – Day 9: Your body will fall apart at 30 years old

December 21, 2016 by Leave a Comment

Unless you find the fountain of youth, aging is pretty much inevitable. I say “pretty much” because we all age differently. Some of that is due to genetics. And some is due to lifestyle. I remember when I was in my 20s, I was told by 30-something year olds that once I hit 30, everything would go to shit. I’d feel different, and staying in shape would be tough. I never understood why a number would matter so much. Why not 29? Or 34? Why was 30 this magical age where we go from youthful, calorie burning, fit and hangover-free kiddos to old, tired, fat, hangover-fighting people, remembering better days? Having now spent a few years in the “over 30” category, I am now warned and cautioned relatively frequently that my days of being fit, improving as a runner, and eating pizzas and pints of ice cream will catch up with me any day now. So today’s blog is about that magic number, and what’s true and not so true about the “over 30” theory.

Genetics are something we cannot control. If you can look into the physical, mental and emotional aging of your siblings, parents, cousins, grandparents and so on – there are some clues for what you may be able to expect. Some traits, diseases, weaknesses and so on are genetic. Others are brought on by other factors. So your mother isn’t necessarily a clear example of what you will look like, feel like, and be capable of when you are her age. Though you can expect some similarities. Hormone levels play a huge role in how we age – from mood, energy level and sex drive to muscle density, bone density, and so on. Men and women naturally experience a dip in hormones at some point in their life. The dip or change in hormones, combined with perhaps less activity can naturally lead to weight gain, fatigue, and change in mood.

The cool thing is that while we can’t control our genetics, we are pretty darn in control about our choices we make in our lives. Our happiness, quality of life, stress level, sleep, hydration, activity, nutrition choices – all greatly factor into how we age. And while there are certainly things that cannot be helped, like work deadlines or sick children, choosing to eat well and exercise regularly can help many of us age in a slightly more graceful manner. Here’s some helpful info on exercise and being active, food and lifestyle adjustments you can try to make.

Now, if you are an athlete, your body may at some point need extra recovery time and there will be a time those personal records tend to stop happening. But lifting heavy can greatly help our bodies age, and runners can certainly achieve very impressive things after 30, 40, 50, or 60. I’ve had athletes in their 50s and 60s achieve things many folks in their 20s can only dream of doing. And personally, I am faster at almost every race distance in my 30s than I was in my 20s. And I am definitely in better shape. Other runners will peak in their early 20s, but those are usually folks who were running and competing in high school, and quite possibly now feel the consequences of pushing a body still growing and developing.

While we cannot fight Father Time, there are things we can do to stay as active, energetic and strong as possible. So remember the next time you don’t feel like going to the gym or eating a big bowl of greens, that doing things that are good for you are always worth it. This article from Harvard Medical School breaks down how we age when exercising versus not. It’s a good reminder that some changes as we age we cannot really feel, but those changes are important.

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The Twelve Myths of Fitness – Day 8: Cleanses are good for you

December 20, 2016 by Leave a Comment

The cleanse/juicing/toxin myth is a topic that fuels some strong opinions and emotions. Why this topic fuels such passion (and bad research and advice) has surprised me over the years. It certainly is a topic many talk shows (hello, Dr. Oz) spend lots of time promoting. And while “rebooting” your nutrition for a day or a week usually isn’t a bad thing, there’s little evidence there’s any good to come from extreme measures.

We’ve all been there – we get to a breaking point where nutrition has spiraled out of control. It can be as simple as realizing you’ve consumed french fries every day for the last week or month, or have been seriously skimping on your fruit and veggie consumption. Or maybe you have gotten into a habit of skipping breakfast but feasting on the office baked goods midmorning, and you want to break that cycle. Often we want to do something epic, something to shake things up and to make the change seem “real.” Perhaps that’s why extreme measures like cleanses are so popular.

To understand the whole theory behind cleanses, you need to understand toxins. Most cleanses are advertised and credited with flushing our bodies of toxins. Toxins sound bad, right? Like, ewe. So without doing any research, you’d probably be on board and eager to “cleanse” yourself. But here’s the thing, if you spend 5 minutes actually reading something medically and scientifically backed up, you’ll quickly understand why the whole cleanse/toxin thing is complete BS and simply a great way for the health industry to make a fortune. The toxins that naturally exist in our bodies are processed by our liver and colon. And they do a pretty awesome job. In fact, unless you have an extreme medical condition, or were somehow poisoned, our bodies are equipped to handle and process everything in an extremely effective manner. So the whole idea of fasting or a cleanse of some sort is silly. Still wanting to read more on toxins? Here’s a good read.

Now if you are still interesting in juicing or fasting, and understand that there’s no guaranteed benefits, keep in mind that these extreme measures are not sustainable. And while you will drop weight (you’ll lose the weight of food in your stomach, for one thing), you may also end up losing muscle mass and no fat. So the number on the scale will go down, but is that the end game? Here’s an interesting view on juicing, fasting and some recent research.

So if you now understand toxins, fasting and cleanses, and want to overhaul your habits or nutritional choices, try to eliminate processed foods for a week. You’ll reset your relationship with food, and be very aware of the choices you are making. You will also never risk being deficient in your macro’s – so your blood sugar and energy levels won’t be all over the place, and you shouldn’t feel starved.

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The Twelve Myths of Fitness – Day 6: I don’t need sleep

December 18, 2016 by Leave a Comment

I don’t know how, where or when, but at some point we as a culture have decided that sleep is a luxury. That if you don’t sleep much, you are badass, stronger or work harder than the person in the office next to you or on the race course. Somehow sleep has a stigma that’s bad. Sleeping makes us lazy. We should be working more. Doing more. Socializing more. Sleep should be last priority.

Well, that’s wrong. Really, really wrong. Sleep is incredibly important and necessary for humans for many different reasons. It’s good for us. We are usually healthier, happier, stronger, and better at pretty much everything when rested. We should prioritize sleep with eating good food, hydrating, and exercise. Statistically, people who don’t sleep much or well are heavier, less focused, and less happy. Some jobs require long hours, or perhaps you have small children who wake up early. There are certainly many challenges for navigating how to prioritize sleep. But you may find you are more productive at work or have more energy or patience as a parent if you get some quality zzz’s. You will probably also consume less calories (usually snacks) if you get in 7-9 hours of sleep. Still making excuses for why your 4-5 hours per night is enough? Here’s a study from Harvard Med that should hopefully convince you to at least try to prioritize sleep a bit more.

I often stress for my athletes the important of rest days. The adaption to the training happens when we rest and recover, not while we are actually training. Skipping out on rest can have consequences, or simply prevent you from maxing out all the benefits of your training. Sleep is the best form of rest/recovery. If a runner has to choose between sleep and a run, I will sometimes suggest they opt for sleep. It’s usually better to train less but have better quality workouts than to be dragging your tired butt through too much. Here’s a helpful article on sleep, running, and general health.

At the end of the day, everything is about balance. Just try to remember that sleep, food, hydration and exercise are necessary for a happy and healthy life.

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The Twelve Myths of Fitness – Day 4: Eating fat will make you fat

December 16, 2016 by Leave a Comment

Depending on your age and generation, you have quite possibly heard quite a few conflicting theories on food, nutrition and fat. Does eating fat make you fat? No. In fact, you need fat in your diet. Obviously you shouldn’t eat only fat, but that’s true for every macronutrient. Fo a long time, fat has had a bad name. Think about how many packages at the grocery store proudly advertise “fat free.”

It’s not fat that makes us fat. It’s calories. And to be fair, fat has more calories per gram than protein, carbohydrates, alcohol, and so on. Fat has 9 calories per gram, while carbs and protein have 4. So you while you can consume more carbs/protein at a lower total calorie count, it’s not the fat that is a factor in weight gain – it’s simply the calories. In fact, some studies suggest that people on a reduced-fat diet are prone to consuming more sugars and starches, which can cause weight gain, diabetes, and other health concerns. And while a high-fat diet can also be an issue, moderation is usually best. But if you are a healthy person, you should make it a point to get in some fat – eggs, salmon, peanut butter, olive oil, avocados, most nuts, dairy, meat – all can be good sources.

Cutting all fat can be incredibly harmful, and it’s not uncommon for someone looking to lose weight to cut as much fat from their diet as possible. Be careful. Your brain needs fat to function properly. And our bodies rely on it for dozens of things – like energy, absorption of certain vitamins, and feeling full longer – as fat can take a while to digest. Now this isn’t me suggesting you only eat foods that are deep fried. Not all fats are created equal. If you are looking to lose weight or have more energy, avoid fried foods and look for good sources of fat. Stay away from white/simple starches and stick to whole grains. Load up on fresh or steamed veggies and fruits, and lean meats. Moderation really is the best way to keep your body, brain and mood satisfied, fueled, and energized.

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