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12/15 UpdateAfter getting a number of comments on Facebook and learning more from strength and conditioning coach Kelly Starrett and his book, Becoming a Supple Leopard, I realize there is a problem with 1 of these suggestions. You should not have to use a back brace if you are using good form and you need to make sure you are using good form without a brace. If I feel my back hurting, I now take that as a sign that I need to lower the weight, figure out the problem with my form, and correct that problem before going back up. IntroThere are a few things that I find help during a workout and experts have backed up that they help as well. These are extra things, obviously you should have a water bottle and the right clothes. None of these extras are too expensive but I suggest these to anyone who has heavy lifting in their workout regimen. 1. Gym Chalk
2. Mouth Guard
3. Back Brace
ConclusionAny step you can take to prevent injury in the gym, especially if it does not cost much money, is a smart move. An injury can put you out of the gym for a long time and all it takes is one slip-up. The back brace will help you keep correct form, the chalk will help you keep a firm grasp, and the mouth guard will protect your teeth while also allowing you to breathe easier. Don't think you're invincible because you bought a few things but get as much support as you can.
Discussion Question: Do you have anything different that you bring to the gym to either boost your strength or protect you from injury? What exercises are benefit most?
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One of the things almost everybody, especially athletes, has to deal with is issues with digestion - whether it is constipation, bloating, or what have you. Family Physician/Health Expert Dr. Cate Shanahan has some interesting tips on this topic that I want to share because I believe they do help.
I know this is a short post but these are not your usual tips. Personally, the first tip I do believe has helped me a lot. I make sure to start my day with at least a cup of yogurt and have noticed vast improvements with my digestive system. Obviously, having enough water and vegetables in your diet are likely the things that will benefit your gut the most. So, before you think you found a simple fix, you may find more helpful tips on how much water and vegetables you should be including in your diet in my other blog post, 4 Easily Implementable Tips From Health and Fitness Experts.
The research for this book did not only include her education in Biochemistry at Cornell or Medicine at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, but mainly from reading Biochemistry textbooks on her own, looking at cookbooks from all different cultures, and researching the diets of indigenous peoples around the world. Dr. Cate states that we do not have to go back far to find healthier cultures - before the 1950s, most diseases, including cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer's were much more unusual than they are today.
From her research, she discovered all cultures focused on what she calls the Four Pillars of the Human Diet:
This book is close to 500 pages and goes deep into the science of why we need to avoid vegetable oils and sugars and include the Four Pillars in our diets if we don't want to get roped into the health care system with a disease later on in life. My opinion is that this is a great book if you have an interest in the Biochemistry - how everything we eat affects our cells throughout our body and also our genes. This book had a little too much science for me but I am definitely glad I read it because it has a TON of great information. She even gives tips on things like making your own salad dressings. If you want a shorter version, look for her book Food Rules. For more book reviews/descriptions, check out my Recommended Books page. IntroThere are a few things that I do every day - just like I make sure to brush my teeth, take a shower, kiss Taylor goodbye, and take my supplements in the morning. I feel routine is definitely important and I'm always working to improve my routine so I can make sure my energy level and mood is consistent. Morning WaterThis was brought to my attention mainly by Shawn Stevenson. He shares a lot of great health tips and one episode worth listening to on The Model Health Show is the Hydration and Water Masterclass. I always aim for around a gallon of water each day (about 130oz), and one reason why I drink about 30oz before I head to work is to get a jump start on that. A couple other reasons are because it is very refreshing and I think it is good to flush your system a bit first thing in the morning. Daily Reading
2 Cups of Vegetables (Minimum)Mainly from Dr. Gundry's books, Diet Evolution and The Plant Paradox, I realized how important vegetables are as a daily staple in order to keep a healthy gut. Every day, I try to make sure to have at least 1 cup of vegetables with my lunch and 1 cup with dinner. Usually my dinner includes leafy greens like lettuce and spinach while my lunch includes veggies like onions, peppers, corn, carrots, etc. Multiple health experts have explained that vegetables are MUCH more important than fruit even though we usually stick them together as "fruits and vegetables." Most fruit is overloaded with sugar and lacks much nutrition, so you should not have more than 1 serving a day (this is advice from Dr. Gundry, Dr. Cate Shanahan, Ben Greenfield, and Shawn Stevenson). Consistent CaloriesMike Matthews and his book Bigger Leaner Stronger really pushed the point that, while nutrition is important, it is important to know your calorie intake and make sure it is aligned with your goals. If you are trying to cut weight, you need to make sure you are not overeating and if you are trying to gain muscle, you need to make sure you are eating enough calories to do so. From playing around with my diet just over these past 10 months, I've learned how to be comfortable whether I want to do either - when I want to gain muscle, like right now, I aim for at least 3,500 calories per day and when I need to cut some of the fat off, I will go back down to around 1,800 calories per day. By just counting calories and macros for a month, I learned where my macros should be and how to easily keep track of both calories and macros. ConclusionTake these habits as you will - I'm sure there are ways I could improve them. For instance, I could write a reflection after each daily reading or possibly increase my number of vegetable servings. There really is no excuse not to include these daily habits or your own version of them into your routine - they don't take much time and if you try it, I'm sure you will find it's time well invested.
Comment with any questions and subscribe to my blog if you enjoyed this post! Discussion Question: What are your daily habits that you swear by? IntroLast March, after hearing multiple podcasts and finding numerous experts that I enjoyed listening to, I decided to do deep research into these experts to learn what they have to say and where their research comes from. Whether they are dietitians, personal trainers/muscle building coaches, or physical therapists, my goal is to get research from all sides and find which experts I trust and appreciate the most. For at least a month each, I focus hard on one expert: only listening to podcasts including that expert, reading their books that interest me most, and reading their blog posts/articles. Here are the 5 experts I have researched so far... Shawn Stevenson (March 2019)Shawn is a dietitian who has given me a great foundation from hormones to heart health to exercise to relationships to success. His book, Sleep Smarter is a great book highlighting how sleep is just as important as nutrition and exercise when it comes to overall health. He also has a podcast, The Model Health Show, where he interviews other experts as well as shares masterclasses where he gives tips like what benefits come from walking in the morning and drinking plenty of water. Dr. Steven Gundry (April 2019)Dr. Gundry is a physician/dietitian who focuses on helping those with immuno-deficiencies. He believes a plant-based diet is the best for anyone and gives warning to what lectins and large amounts of animal protein can do to your body. Other experts speak negatively about Gundry but he has a lot of knowledge shared in his books, The Plant Paradox and Dr. Gundry's Diet Evolution. Ben Greenfield (May-June 2019)Ben has an insane resume from bodybuilder to personal trainer to CEO and consultant to fellow CEOs/athlete. Over the past 5-10 years, his books and work stems from his experience between triathlons, bio-hacking, and research in longevity. His book, Beyond Training is a guide on how to be a top-performing athlete while making time for other things in your life as well by using things like High Intensity Interval Training and technology. He also has a health and fitness podcast similar to Shawn's, Ben Greenfield Fitness. Mike Matthews (July-August 2019)Mike is a muscle-building coach and CEO of his supplement company, Legion Athletics. Most of his fans come from his flagship books, Bigger Leaner Stronger (his fitness book for men) and Thinner Leaner Stronger (for women) where he gives his advice on diet and exercise and gives a plan on how to build muscle while staying lean. He also has a podcast, Muscle For Life. Dr. Cate Shanahan (September-Today)Dr. Cate is a dietitian who led the Pro-Nutrition program for the LA Lakers and who also has been featured on The Model Health Show, Ben Greenfield Fitness, Muscle For Life, and several other podcasts - mainly to discuss her popular diet book, Deep Nutrition. This book delves deep into the science of nutrition, telling us why we must avoid vegetable oils and sugar at all costs while enjoying all fresh foods, from veggies to broths to organ meats. ConclusionAll posts (other than personal journal posts) on this blog come from information I've learned from these experts. Here are a couple experts I plan to research in the near future...
Do you know of any experts that you trust and that I should be including in my research? IntroI spend a good amount of time researching health/fitness experts. I usually immerse myself in information on one expert I am interested and spend time reading their books, listening to their podcasts, reading their articles, and watching their conferences on YouTube and get a good picture of their background before moving to the next expert I want to research. Thinking back to experts I have done deep research on in the past, here are things that resonated the most when I think of their work... Shawn Stevenson
Dr. Steven Gundry
Ben Greenfield
Mike Matthews
ConclusionThese tips give a decent look at the information these experts have to share. Almost all of my other posts are related to the experts above so you can find more information on other posts or go to my Recommended Books page to find books from them.
Here are some examples of related posts:
Thank you for reading!! Go to the Contact page to subscribe!! This has been shared a couple times on Facebook recently and a couple weeks ago I decided to try it. It is gluten-free, low-carb, and the only not-so-good thing about it is how much cheese is in it. Most gluten-free pizzas are loaded with corn starch and sugars so in reality they may not be any healthier (or possibly worse for you) than regular pizza. Anyways, I find this pizza delicious and easy to make. Here is my rendition of the recipe: Ingredients1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella/cheddar cheese mix 2 tbsp cream cheese 3/4 cup almond flour 1 egg 1/4 cup pizza sauce +Toppings (Jalapeños, bacon, BBQ sauce, and extra cheese in the picture above) Instructions
Let me know what you think!Like I said, this is very easy to make and delicious. I split it up into 2 meals since there is so much cheese (even with that I would not want to make this more than once a week because of all the cheese). If you end up trying it, comment on here how you liked it or what could be done better!
Thank you for reading - subscribe to my blog here! A couple days ago, on a trip to the grocery store with my girlfriend, Taylor’s, family, I got some looks and questions like, “why do you eat healthy?” All I said back was, “because I enjoy it.” While that’s true, to give a full answer I would say it’s because I want to optimize my performance in the gym to achieve my ideal body while also doing minimal damage to my body. I’ve also learned to really enjoy it because I feel better than ever. Another question that I got was about the organic whole milk that I bought and I’m glad they asked me - “what’s the difference between organic and not organic?” While I had a decent general idea, before now I never actually looked into the USDA standards so I did some research and now want to share what I found! I was surprised to see that the USDA has good regulations set up in order to certify anything as organic. On-site inspections are held prior to approval and annually from then on to verify standards are being met, even including record keeping done by the farmer. To be able to call something “organic,” The farmer must provide a organic production and handling system plan, showing the practices, procedures, a list of all substances used, and more. Even to say “made with organic ingredients” without the USDA seal, at least 70% of the ingredients must be produced and handled to Federal standards. Let’s get into what these standards are... LivestockThe USDA works to make sure animals are raised in humane living conditions, provided organic food, and not given any antibiotics or hormones that are deemed harmful to the animal itself or the nutrition they provide us. Here are some key points in their standards pertaining to livestock:
CropsWhen it comes to crops, the USDA holds standards and also gathers tests and samples of soil, water, waste, seeds, and plants themselves to ensure practices are being done to minimize damage to the environment and to the health and nutrition of the crops. Here are some key points in their standards pertaining to crops:
ConclusionThe standards go far beyond this post but this was just to give an overview of what the USDA standards look like for anything to be called “organic.” This set of standards, I feel, is very important and eye-opening because it shows:
Before looking at this, I just trusted experts when they said how much of a difference it makes, but now I know that it is worth spending the extra: I would rather get quality and care than cheap and convenient. When foods are not organic, you could very well be eating meat from cows who are sick, overcrowded, and overfed and eating fruit that lacks a lot of the nutrition. Discussion Question: What products do you make sure are labeled "organic" when you buy groceries? Do you notice a difference in taste? SourcesThank you for reading!! If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to my blog here!
If you are going to a sports game, what do you think of when it comes to food and beverages? Gatorade. Cheeseburgers. Hot dogs. Candy. And when a high school football team finishes a game, what's the first place players usually head to? McDonalds or Burger King to get 3 cheeseburgers, a large soda, and maybe some ice cream. Because that makes sense. The information we've gotten from Gatorade, Coca-Cola, and other Big Food companies like Kellogg's has fed us so much misinformation that we have completely thrown nutrition out the window. As Cate Shanahan has said, you can't out-exercise bad nutrition (https://legionathletics.com/dr-cate-shanahan-podcast/). Unhealthy eating habits will catch up to you sooner or later. This post isn't to bash the Standard American Diet but to share what I find to be the most important nutrition tips from these two experts. Dr. Steven Gundry is a physician and dietitian while Mike Matthews is a muscle building coach. Dr. Steven GundryThis is a controversial name, since his book The Plant Paradox where he has some fringe claims on nutrition - that all veggies, even tomatoes, should be de-seeded prior to consumption and to consume a liter of olive oil per week. That being said, his book Dr. Gundry's Diet Evolution is well-worth reading and is full of great tips including:
Mike MatthewsUnlike many muscle building coaches, Mike is a strong advocate for nutrition. "Your body won't positively adapt to your training if you don't support it with proper nutrition (Bigger Leaner Stronger - p. 160)." Here are some important tips that he shares:
Conclusion I trust these experts when they say these tips can dramatically improve your health. This is how I have been implementing these tips:
If you would like that information on more specific topics like supplements, macronutrient recommendations, or sleep hygiene - check out these blog posts: We all need a wake-me-up sometimes - in the morning, before a workout, or sometimes just to get the productivity juices flowing. You'll be happy to hear that some experts have shown that caffeine doesn't have any bad side effects, for most people, if used in a smart manner. Let's break it down. Mike MatthewsMike provides the best advice that I have read when it comes to caffeine in his books Bigger Leaner Stronger and Thinner Leaner Stronger as well as on his podcast, Muscle for Life. In an episode called Making a Good Supplement, Mike goes into how caffeine is not nearly as dangerous as everyone makes it seem and suggests that if your daily intake does not go over around 400mg, there are no serious risks for the average active person. Being a supplement formulator for his company Legion Athletics, he also advocates the use of caffeine and provides it in his pre-workout as well as recommends taking it with his fat loss supplements because of how it increases your performance, fat loss, and strength. Lastly, Mike suggests to play it smart and preserve your tolerance by using caffeine sparingly, only before your hardest workouts or, if you take it daily, to take a week off every 2-3 weeks. Shawn StevensonThere are definitely a couple factoids that stuck with me from Shawn's book, Sleep Smarter. He has an entire chapter on the topic called Have a Caffeine Curfew. Shawn states how caffeine can be beneficial to increase your cortisol levels in the morning, "increase alertness and focus, and even improve liver function if used the right way (Sleep Smarter - p. 34)." The key words here are "if used the right way." At the start of the chapter, he talks about a study done by Christopher Drake, PhD and professor of psychiatry and behavioral neurosciences, and how it shows that having a cup of coffee as much as 6 hours before bedtime causes you to lose an hour of sleep without you feeling a difference in sleep quality psychologically. Shawn explains that the half-life of caffeine is between 5 and 8 hours. To explain what this means, if we said the half-life was 6 hours and you consumed 200mg of caffeine at 4:00 PM, you still have 100mg at work in your system at 10:00 PM. To avoid the negative effects of caffeine, Shawn suggests the following:
Ben GreenfieldIn Ben's New York Times Bestselling Book, Beyond Training, he stays more on the hazardous side of caffeine, stating that it can stunt muscle growth, cause adrenal fatigue, and overwork your central nervous system. The one positive thing he states is that 100mg of caffeine has proven to increase memory recall (Beyond Training - p. 438). But when it comes to performance, Ben suggests limiting your intake as much as possible and simply getting the sleep your body needs instead. ConclusionI know there is a bit of mixed information here, but these are all experts who back their suggestions up with quality research. The biggest takeaway from this would be to take advantage of these tips from Mike, Shawn, and Ben:
Overall, I believe that caffeine can be very useful but realize that if you need it, it probably means you are lacking the adequate sleep your body needs. Enjoy its benefits but be smart about it. |
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