Which diet should I choose?

The bottom line when it comes to special diets is "What am I trying to accomplish?"  There is a ridiculous amount of dieting options in this world, virtually one for every person who studies nutrition and fitness.  To name a few:

Atkins Diet
Buddhist Diet
Cookie Diet
Crash Diet
Detox Diet
Diabetic Diet
Dukan Diet
Earth Diet
Fruit Diet
Feingold Diet
Gluten-Free Diet
Grapefruit Diet
Hallelujah Diet (you don't say hallelujah during the diet....)
Inuit Diet
Jenny Craig Diet
Juice Diet
Kosher Diet
Liquid Diet
Low-(insert type of food here) Diet
Mediterranean Diet
Organic Diet
Paleolithic (Paleo) Diet
Raw Food Diet
South Beach Diet
Subway Diet (thanks Jared!)
Vegan Diet
Weight Watchers Diet (ranked #1 of all popular diet plans)

I hope you're still reading.  Have you ever tried any of those diets before?  How did you do?  If you're like the average American, you've probably struggled with getting into one of these diets before, and struggled even more when you stopped.  What typically happens when you start a new diet is you give yourself a crash course in moderately starving yourself.  In our culture in the U.S., we have been raised to eat.  We know what we like, it is easily accessible (sometimes entirely TOO easy), and there is no one to stop us.  Therefore, we overeat...thus creating the need to begin a diet.

Now you will hear from the conspiracy theorists about how all diets are meant to fail so you will keep going on more diets.  I'm not buying that.  However, ALL diets are based on our ability to maintain discipline.  There is no diet that is successful without some means of self-control.  After all, the lack of self-control is what got us here in the first place.  Now I'm not about to tell you which diet is best and which is worst, because there is no clear way to define that for every individual person.  I will say that I know multiple people who have tried Paleo diets, Jenny Craig, and Weight Watchers.  Of all the folks that could maintain self-control, they saw great results.  Those who cheated more often than not, found themselves right back at square one.

For me, dieting was as simple as picking one thing at a time to either cut back or cut completely from my menu.  As you may have read earlier, I had (have) an obsession with sweet tea.  I probably drank around a gallon of sweet tea a day (special thanks to Chick-Fil-A and Bill Miller's BBQ).  That delicious nectar of heaven was my staple for any meal, snack, or just because I was driving by.  It had to go.  It wasn't easy.  But it worked.  Pounds melted off from one simple adjustment from my menu.  And that's exactly what I want to encourage you to do.

If you like a specific type of diet, then go for it.  But do so slowly.  Don't try to shock your body into submission, but TRAIN it to be okay with less portions, and different things.  If you just can't cut something out of your diet, try and modify it.  Though I would never wish this on my worst enemy, I will say it did help me to throw in the occasional sugar substitute in my unsweet tea in order to get by.  Like I said, WHATEVER IT TAKES.

So what did we learn from this?
1.  There are ten million diets on the market out there
2.  Ask yourself "What Am I Trying to Accomplish?"
3.  Take it slow.  Moving too fast only sets yourself up for disaster.

Like always, if you have any questions, or would like to sit and talk fitness and nutrition in your life, shoot me a message.

Stay Strong,
CHAD

Functional Training

You've probably heard of FUNCTIONAL TRAINING around the gym, blogs, or other places on the web.  It's becoming more and more of a buzz term across the fitness world, though it's been around for a very long time.  Before we move on, let's clarify...

Functional Training:
-An exercise continuum involving balance and proprioception, performed with the feet on the ground and without machine assistance, such that strength is displayed in unstable conditions and body weight is managed in all movement planes.
-Multi-joint, multi-planar, proprioceptively-enriched activity that involves deceleration (force reduction), acceleration (force production) and stabilization; controlled amounts of instability; and managament of gravity, ground reaction forces and momentum.
-A spectrum of activities that condition the body consistent with its integrated movement and/or use.
(credit: http://www.nsca-lift.org/)

Basically, functional training is that which challenges the body in acceleration, decelaration, with challenges to your balance as well.  There are simple functional training movements, such as a push up, pull up (chin up), bodyweight squat, or lunge.  EVERYONE should be able to do at least one clean repetition of each of these exercises.  You don't need machines...just a couple moderate weight dumbbells (and perhaps a chin up bar).  It's the beauty of simplicity.  There are many machines that will help you perform movements and lift "weights" in an attemp to build muscle.  The reality is, however, most movements in life don't occur while seated on a bench, or with your back pressed against a nice soft pad.  Train your body to behave in normal environments that don't involve being completely stable.  In case you aren't sure about what to do, here's a great example training session:

Incline Push Up using a bench (focus on form; keep that back straight, and that butt down)
*10-12 reps, from knees if necessary

Pull Up (give yourself a little boost if you need one; don't be ashamed, just do your best)
5-10 reps
*give a little "jump" when necessary

Crunch (progress to a stability ball if you have one)
20-25 reps

Bodyweight Squat (focus on form; back straight, push through the heels)
10-15 reps

Push Up from floor (focus on form)
10-12 reps

One Arm Dumbell Row (back straight; squeeze the shoulders)
10-12 reps/arm

Bicycle Crunch
20-25 reps

Lunge Walk (shoulders back; chest out)
8 reps/leg (16 total steps)

You'll want to do about 2-3 sets of every exercise, either one exercise at a time, or for better metabolic challenge, do 1 set of everything in a circuit, taking a short rest every 8 exercises.  Get after it, and if you have any questions or you'd like some one on one attention, shoot me an email.

Stay Strong,
Chad

Football and Sore Feelings...

Now normally I'm not much of a college football fan (outside of Texas teams), but I did in fact watch the National Championship last night.  As were many football fans across America last night, I was surprised at the lack of awesomeness in that game.  I truly believed that despite his missed attempts, Alabama's kicker was more worthy of the offensive MVP award.  In any case, it was a lackluster offensive performance last night from both teams.  

On a lighter note, I got together for football Sunday with a group of friends to put on a little more of an offensive effort.  And by offensive effort I mean I ran my rear off...literally.  I made up my mind before kickoff that I would sprint every play, no excuses.  This was such a great idea, boosting my heart rate and destroying calories by the hundreds (and thousands).  It was a great idea of course, until Monday morning. It took just about everything that was within me to pull my tired, sore, tight legs out of bed.  I was immediately reminded of one monumental aspect of training: stretching/flexibility.  Most people, like I did, don't think about stretching (either before or after) exercise.  Unfortunately, we are missing some important qualities:

1.  Circulation:  the last thing we need AFTER exercise is for the blood to stop flowing properly.  Proper stretching after exercise increases the blood flow, decreasing risk of blood pooling in the limbs.  It also helps to prevent waste, like lactic acid, from building up in the joints and muscles.

2.  Lubrication:  stretching out those joints and muscles that just gave their all for you is like sending them to the spa for a quick once-over.  It helps to prevent waste, like lactic acid, from building up in the joints and muscles.  

3.  Improves Flexibility:  A good stretching practice (both before and after exercise) increases your overall range of motion.  Increasing your range will not only provide you with more flexibility, but will help perfect your form in your current exercises.

4.  Reduces Soreness:  By decreasing muscle tension, you reduce the amount of soreness/stiffness you will feel later on.  Your muscles after exercise are still prepared to work, so they keep their tension, even when you're done.  You have to tell them to release, which is done through stretching.  If your muscles are extremely sore (inhibiting your mobility), maybe it's time to grab a foam roller and have someone help you roll it out.

If you'd like more info. on stretching or foam rolling, shoot me an email.

Stay Strong,

Chad