Be Aware of Calories: Don't Count Them

Please, I urge you: Just say "no" to calorie counting. For one thing, you might drive yourself mad tallying numbers that are often inaccurate and/or estimated. For another, you may start destroying any positive associations (i.e. enjoyment - yes, you are supposed to like eating) you have with food by assigning a number to every blueberry and grain of rice that goes into your mouth. I have yet to meet any calorie-counters with the ability to enjoy eating and healthfully negotiating their weight management efforts. A better idea is to develop a concept of how weight loss/gain occurs in general, and how your particular caloric intake (what you eat) and output (what you do for physical acitivity) patterns are affecting your results.

There are 3,500 calories in one pound of body weight. In order to lose one pound, you must expend, or burn, 3,500 calories. If you consume 3,500 calories in excess of your body's requirements, you will gain one pound.

Most people require about 2,000 calories each day to sustain vital organ function and carry out daily activities like washing dishes, brushing hair, driving, etc. If you are a person requiring 2,000 calories per day and consume 2,000 calories per day, your weight will remain steady. No rocket science there.

Unfortunately, anything that you take in over 2,000 calories will be stored by the body as fat - whether that calorie came from protein, carbs, or fat. So if you've been eating an average of 2,500 calories each day, you will gain one pound over the course of a week: 500 calories/day x 7 days = 3,500 calories = 1 pound. On the flip side, by reducing your caloric intake under 2,000 per day, you can start to lose weight. A daily caloric intake of 1,500 would yield one pound of weight loss over a week's time.

Now on to applying the science of calories without carrying a calculator around...

Consider this common scenario: A woman (or a man) says to me, "Lindsey, I don't understand...I'm working out during the week every day and I watch what I eat. Sometimes I cheat on the weekends when I go out, but overall, I'm working really hard and I'm trying. I've been trying to lose 15 pounds for months and months, but my weight just stays the same."

The first question that arises is:

How do you cheat and to what extent?

This woman may be working very hard the majority of the week but not realize the profound caloric consequences of her cheating patterns. Let's say she goes out every Friday with her friends for Margaritas, and usually has about 3 drinks. Then Sunday she hits a BBQ and has 3 beers. Margaritas run about 350 calories each, beers 200. So she could easily (we all know how easily the drinks go down...) take in over 1,500 calories over the weekend. Assuming her other eating habits stay the same, two weekends of this activity would account for nearly one pound, one month of it for two pounds. I speak with people quite frequently who are eating in a manner that supports weight loss/maintenance most of the time, not realizing how insidious and detrimental their indulgences - even when they are sporadic - may be.

So the second pertinent question is:

How hard do you exercise and does it offset the effects of your cheating?

If this woman is taking in an excess of 1,500 calories per week, she needs to expend that additional 1,500 through exercise to maintain her weight and expend even more if she wishes to lose the 15 pounds. Let's say her workout schedule entails five workouts per week - 2 Elliptical sessions, 2 body sculpting classes, and one yoga class. From the details she offers me, I estimate that she burns about 300 calories/workout, putting her at about 1,500 calories each week. This expenditure would effectively cancel out her calorie consumption from alcohol on the weekends, but it would not be enough to fuel her weight loss efforts.

This is a classic example of the manner by which people tend to underestimate the calories they consume and overestimate the calories they expend. It is not necessarily sound logic to say, "Well, I can have this ice cream because I worked out." You have to ask the questions and be honest with yourself about the answers: How are you cheating and to what extent? How much ice cream are you having - a scoop? A pint? You have no idea? Can these calories likely to be incorporated into your body's daily caloric needs? Or have you worked hard enough through exercise to offset the effect of eating the scoop or pint?

There is no need to account for every calorie you eat each day, but having an educated and honest awareness about your body's energy balance may lead to significant improvement in the decisions you make regarding food and exercise. As my friend and yoga teacher, Corina, frequently reminds us in class, "You can have anything you want; but you can't have everything you want." You can have chocolate, Margaritas, and french fries...but you also have to find balance and moderation in order to comingle these yummy foods with fitness goals. Talk to a trainer or nutritionist who can help you understand more about the calories in your particular food/beverage indulgences, and to what extent they are conflicting with your goals.

www.outfitphilly.com

Summer Smoothies

Don't chuck your nearly-rotten fruit. If you can get to it before the fruit flies do, fill a sandwich bag with fruit that you would otherwise toss - browning bananas, the mango you've been too lazy to cut up all week, blueberries that will mold in your fridge when you head to the beach for the weekend, etc. 

On mornings when you're in a rush, throw a bag into the blender with some OJ and maybe a scoop of yogurt and - Voila! Breakfast is served. 

www.outfitphilly.com.

Check out the New Website!

http://www.outfitphilly.com/

Exercise Common Sense in the Heat

The short-lived season Philadelphians call "Spring" appears to be over. Tomorrow, it's official: summer, with its stagnant humidity and oppressive heat, is here to stay. The high temperatures will certainly have an effect on your body - and will probably slow you down, but they don't have to stop you from exercising outside altogether. Understanding the physiological changes your body undergoes when working out in the heat can help you make smarter and safer decisions about continuing to do it.

When its ultra hot, your body's main concern is cooling itself down, which is does through perspiring. As sweat evaporates from the skin, it cools the body. (Think of the way rubbing alcohol feels cold on the skin as it quickly vaporizes.) Sweat's downside is that it reduces overall blood volume, forcing your heart to pick up its pace in order to do the same amount of work. On a hot day, you might feel your heart rate sky-rocketing for a task that normally feels easy. 

A second method of regulating body temperature lies in blood redistribution. Your body directs more blood to the skin to dissipate heat (this is why your face gets so red), therefore less is available to the working muscles/organs. Reduced blood flow to exercising muscles is another reason why your normal workout intensity may feel compromised. 

That's the nerdy scientific background on exercising in the heat - even Temple couldn't take the geek out me - but here is a user-friendly and practical checklist for how to handle these effects:

• Realize that you are not going to set any records in the heat. If you typically run a 9 minute mile with ease, don't be surprised when it feels nearly impossible on a hot day. Slow down. Respect that your body has a tremendous responsibility to regulate its temperature - your brain doesn't function at 105 degrees!
  
• Avoid exercising when the sun is higher in the sky, between 10am and 4pm. 
  
• Wear synthetic clothing that wicks away sweat. Remember, sweat has to evaporate off of the body in order to cool it. Cotton clothing will soak up sweat and cling to you, leaving no room for this process.
  
• Wear light-colored clothing. White = good. Black and navy = bad.
  
• Stay hydrated. Plan your route around water fountains or carry a water bottle.
  
• Try to stay in shady areas.
  
• Don't be afraid to take breaks!
  

Air Conditioner Deadlift

Ok, ok...I know I'm getting a little carried away here with this whole no-gym-needed concept, but rest assured, I am not suggesting that you do 3 sets of 12 deadlifts with your window unit. It occurred to me though, hauling the A/C upstairs this morning, that it would be pretty easy to injure yourself lifting one of these monsters improperly - or not being strong enough to lift one in the first place. 

So, if you know this job would be better left to someone a little bit burlier, invite said friend over and offer him/her a cocktail in exchange for the lifting and installation. If you are going about this yourself, keep a few things in mind for your own safety:

• Clear the path from the A/C to the window before you pick up the unit.
  
• Squat down to pick up the A/C, keeping your back flat.
  
• Come to a stand the same way you squatted down, with a flat back.
  
• As you come to a stand, keep your abdomen very tight to stabilize your spine. 
  
• Lift with your legs, not your back. The joint angle will change at your knees and hips, but your spine should stay extended throughout the movement. 
  
• Make sure you have someone to help you secure the A/C within the window. 
  

Bar Calisthenics

Muscle Group attendee recently spotted performing late-night couch dips at Pub on Passyunk East. Other possible calisthenic bar adaptations include:

• Bar stool squat jumps
  
• Dart board to pool table shuffle
  
• Break-the-seal squats
  
• Counter top planks
  

3 Breakfast Ideas

Several of my clients have mentioned to me that they either skip breakfast, skimp on it, or eat something that more closely resembles dessert (fyi, you put icing on a muffin and it becomes a cupcake). In each case, it seems that they are not eating enough food to supply adequate energy to the body until lunch time. If you are starving at your desk by 10AM, it's a good sign that you need to reconsider the morning oatmeal packet as a wholesome meal. Here are the main problems I see with what people are eating for breakfast:

• Not eating enough food. A single packet of flavored Quaker Oatmeal has about 140 calories. If you are someone who should be eating 1800 or so calories per day, you're not even eating 10% of the calories you need. 
  
• Lack of Fruits and Vegetables. It is actually possible to diversify your breakfast fruit menu beyond bananas. I promise.
  
• Not enough fat/protein. Fat and protein take longer to digest than carbohydrates (especially simple carbohydrates) so they keep you feeling full longer. 

To address these problems, here are three simple breakfast ideas. Bear in mind here, I am not a nutritionist. I'd be ok with swallowing any of this advice should a more qualified professional challenge any of it. But most of what I'm offering is pretty practical and widely available information. 

1. As pictured, half a bagel (or a slice of toast) with peanut butter and a handful of strawberries. You could substitute any piece of fruit but berries are coming into season:) If you are a more active person, the whole bagel might be more appropriate.
   
2. A 2-egg omelette with spinach and a sprinkle of cheddar, and a piece of toast. Again, you could substitute a different vegetable in the omelette like peppers.
   
3. A smoothie with vanilla yogurt, orange juice and berries/banana. Toss all the ingredients in a blender and pour this in your own to-go cup. I would recommend using a yogurt that is NOT fat-free because this breakfast has no other fat source. Many will contest this I'm sure, but again, you want something that will keep you feeling full until lunch. 
   

Take Time to Recover

I recently read an article about how to tell if you are adequately recovered from an endurance event like a marathon. Most of its content was pretty specific to committed athletes with grueling schedules. While I'm fairly certain most of my readers (if I still have any...I know, one post in May = lame) have more moderate exercise routines, we all have days where we don't feel 100%. On these days, should you push through it or back off and give your body a rest? Here are a few things to consider:

1. If your resting heart rate is elevated above normal, it means that your body's central nervous system is still "on" and you are not fully recovered from your training. If you don't know your resting heart rate, count your pulse in the morning right when you wake up for one minute...preferably not when you've jolted awake to an alarm or started thinking about your to-do list for the day.
2. If you have no idea what your resting heart rate is and you feel extremely sluggish, try a systematic warm-up before your next workout. If you're a runner who can typically run a 9-minute mile comfortably, try jogging for a couple minutes at an 11-minute pace. If the workout feels abnormally hard even at the lower intensity, again, you probably have not fully recovered. For those who lift weights, you could perform a warm-up with 50-75% of your normal load and gauge the difficulty. 
3. Don't forget to factor in the emotional recovery your body needs when you are experiencing stress over relationships, exams, pressure at work, etc. These will all prolong your recovery time. 
   

Not recovered? First off, give yourself a break. I see too many clients and friends who are really hard on themselves when they aren't performing to their own high standards, saying things like, "I don't know why this is so hard," or, "I should be able to do this." You will get back to your ass-kicking workout agenda when your ass is rested!! In the meantime, take a day off if your body feels depleted. (I recommend doing this once/week anyway.) The other option is to use active recovery - easy or light exercise - until you feel rejuvenated. This will facilitate the removal of waste products from the bloodstream. 

Broad Street Run 2008

The Broad Street Run: Where there's always someone faster than you. 

This year, I ran an 8-minute mile and still came in 4,146th overall. Oh, but wait, I came in 1,000-something among women. And 269th among women in my age group. My friend, Dan, said, "Don't worry there's a medal for you...I think it's zinc." Yea, yea. My point is, if you're gonna run Broad Street, you need to have your reasons in order. 'Cause this race dumps you into a land of crazy, swarming, GU-toting, die-hard runners that will whoop your ass, personal trainer or not.

This was the 4th time I've run Broad Street. It's not about crossing the finish line anymore. Here are the reasons I run it:

1. Community. Runners eat GU (essentially liquid tootsie roll). They wake up early on weekends in freezing cold weather to run long. They use Body Glide to prevent nipple-chafing. There is something very settling about standing among a community of 22,000 people, otherwise strangers, who consider this behavior normal.  

2. Spectators. Because I've lived in Philly for my entire life, I typically see a few familiar faces along the course. This year I was cheered on by my childhood best friend, my old roommate, a classmate from high school, and my chaffeur for race day. And that's not to mention how exciting it is to receive the generic fanfare coming through Center City.

3. Fever. I wasn't even going to run this year. I registered about five days before the event. But damn, May rolls around and I get this itching to be cruisin' down Broad Street.

4. Adrenalin. When I go out for a jog, I don't run 8-minute miles, and if I do, it's not necessarily easy. Last Sunday, I was so wired from all the excitement that despite having slept for only 3 hours - long story - I still felt like I had springs in my shoes.

5. Price. The Broad Street Run has all the frills of other distance runs (expo, goodie bags, water stations) but you're only charged for the price of the average 5K - $25 if you're on time.

6. Port-a-Potty Lines. You tell me where else thousands of people are anxious for their turn in a Johnny on the Spot, and I'll register for that event too. 

7. Challenge. For me, the challenge is obviously not to beat any body, or even to finish the race; it's to look up from the pavement once in a while and enjoy the run. 

8. Pictures. This year, there were so many participants that it was a tough job for the photographers to get a decent shot of everyone, unless of course, you knew exactly where they were stationed 'cause you wanted a picture for your blog!!!

Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Tuesday night I attended a presentation of four psychologists titled "Body Image Issues for Gays and Lesbians." At the panel, sponsored by the civil rights organization Equality Forum, I learned quite a bit about Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) - and its applications to those in and beyond the gay community.

Taken from Wikipedia: "BDD is a mental disorder in which the affected person is excessively concerned about and preoccupied by an imagined or minor defect in his or her physical features. The sufferer may complain of several specific features or a single feature, or a vague feature or general appearance, causing psychological distress that impairs important functioning or social aspects of life."

Panelists used the example of men in the gay community who have a preoccupation with big and lean muscles, one which drives them to spend countless hours in the gym.

Also from Wiki: "Most people wish that they could change or improve some aspect of their physical appearance; but people suffering from BDD, generally of normal or even highly attractive appearance, believe that they are so unspeakably hideous that they are unable to interact with others or function normally for fear of ridicule and humiliation about their appearance."

Panelist Elan Cohen described many of his male clients with BDD as having "ideal" body types (ripped abs, huge arms and chest, etc) who still believe themselves to be fat. Another therapist, Carly Schulman, mentioned that 90% of her BDD clients - mainly women who believed themselves to be fat - weren't actually overweight.

BDD should not be taken lightly as it seems to go hand-in-hand with depression, OCD, anxiety, and eating disorders. The panelists spoke of the frequent need to medicate clients with BDD.

So how do you recognize this condition? Some signs include:

• Compulsive mirror-checking or obsession with one's reflection


• Reassurance-seeking from loved ones


• Social withdrawal


• Frequent referencing of celebrities the person wishes to resemble


• Obsession with plastic surgery

Two unique signs came from Dr. Petros Levounis, who compared the disease to that of an addicted gambler, and offered the following:

• Someone who makes a promise or an agreement to do (or not do) a certain behavior - i.e. "Today is my day off from the gym." - and then still does it, may be suffering from BDD.


• Someone who lies to his/her family or friends about eating or exercise behaviors may be affected as well.

____________________________________________________

As a trainer, what concerns me is that there seems to be a fine line between encouraging people to take interest in adopting healthy behaviors and feeling proud of their body's resulting physicality, and pushing them to the point where they are obsessed over these habits and their accompanying aesthetics...where things like BDD enter the picture. Unfortunately, our culture likes to emphasize feeling proud about the body more than adopting healthy behaviors. Just think to the widely-accepted "If you got it, flaunt it" mantra. The media feeds us images of men and women with "perfect" bodies in magazines, advertisements, movies, and on TV. And because we dwell on these nicely-packaged finished products, we spend less time exploring and becoming excited about the other part of the equation, which is adopting healthy behaviors.

This leaves me wondering, Is BDD specific to active people who workout in the gym? Or does it occur evenly across populations of those who seek exercise outside the gym (like outdoor runners, bike commuters, or those practicing yoga)? We try to keep the addicted gambler from the casino, the alcoholic out of the bar...should we be trying to keep the person with BDD out of the gym?

Two friends of mine - one a sociologist and the other a psychologist - weren't sure, and agree that I may have stumbled upon a dissertation topic. Yikes!

Any thoughts?

The Spot Reduction Myth

"What exercises can I do for a flatter stomach?"
"How can I get rid of my belly?"

This might be the most common type of question clients and acquaintances ask me. Usually, it's as if they are expecting a one-minute answer and an easy, simple solution. Sorry! There isn't one. No magical crunch variation will make abdominal fat disappear.

As with any body part, you can't "spot reduce," or eliminate fat at one region in particular - i.e. belly, back of the arms, inner thighs, etc. - by simply doing exercises to target that body part. Your body is composed of muscle tissue covered by a layer fat tissue. You cannot turn fat into muscle tissue. Period. It's impossible. You definitely can't put in a few sets of crunches every now and then and expect to turn a pot belly into a 6-pack. Exercises like sit-ups, crunches, and planks will strengthen and grow the abdominal muscles but they still will not appear toned if they are covered with a layer of fat tissue.

Reducing fat at a particular body part requires reducing fat on the body overall. This can be done most efficiently with a combination of:

1) Strength-training. Perform exercises for the entire body. Choose exercises that have a core stability component (typically for these your feet will be on the ground) over those that don't: squat over leg press, push-up over lying chest press, pull-up over lat pulldown. This way your abs are at work all the time. Include ab-specific exercises but don't obsess over them. Spend about 10 minutes three times per week doing abdominal exercises that fatigue your muscles in 45-60 seconds. PS - The people who say they do 1,000 crunches are foolish. First of all, I would LOVE to see anyone do 1,000 crunches with correct form. And second of all, you'd still have to figure out a way to reduce body fat for those PHENOMENAL abs to rip through...

2) Cardiovascular exercise. Make sure you are regularly doing some form of exercise that elevates your heart rate and keeps it elevated - i.e. walking, running, biking, boot camps, etc.

3) Balanced caloric consumption. If you are taking in more calories than you are expending, your body stores those extra calories as fat. Most people I talk to know exactly what they are eating that is causing weight gain or delaying weight loss. They are simply not making any changes. You don't need to count points or go on a cleansing cocktail fast to moderately adjust your areas of indulgence. You might reduce your portions, avoid processed foods, eat more fruits and vegetables, stop buying takeout, stop going back for seconds, cut down on soda and sweetened beverages, limit fried foods, or - horror of horrors - reduce alcohol consumption (No!).

Get the idea?

It's a commitment.

If it were easy, more people would be running around with rock hard abs.

April Book Review: My Depression

About four months ago, I started seeing a therapist for depression. I put it off longer than I probably should have because I thought myself to be far more emotionally superior to those who had experienced trauma or sexual abuse or personality disorders. Those were the people who needed help. I just needed to get over it. 

To look at my life on paper, things were going great. Making decent money? Check. Great partner? Check. Exciting friends? Check. Supportive family? Check. 

But when acquaintances casually asked me, "Hey, Linds, how's it going?" I felt disgusted with myself when I fired back automatically with, "I'm great. How are you?" or "Hangin' in." The truth is that I felt unstimulated, dragging myself through most days, unable to account for the funk that I was in, and hating myself for not being able to break through it. As it got worse, I cried myself to sleep on many evenings, not knowing how to accept comfort from others. I felt lonely and isolated. After nearly breaking down at work one day, terrified to teach a class for fear that I wouldn't be able to hold it together, I finally realized that maybe it wasn't such a stretch after all for me to talk to someone about the way I was feeling. 

I didn't intend for this post to be about me, only to relay how relevant a book like My Depression has been to me, someone who seems so "buttoned-up" (a phrase someone actually used to describe me recently!) on the outside yet often feels a lack of control inside.  

Elizabeth Swados, a well-accomplished musician and writer, shares the intimate story of her own depression using a children's book format in My Depression. With simple illustrations and humorous captions, Swados takes us on a 20-minute journey down into her "black hole" and out again. We learn what triggers a depression, how it feels to spiral downward, what it feels like to be in it, and the slow process of climbing out. While many people suffering from depression may relate directly to the feelings expressed in the book, others may gain insight into the lives of affected friends and family members. I learned about the book through my friend, Dan, a psychologist who uses the book to help clients, and their loved ones, connect to and understand the condition. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in taking a closer look at this disease in a refreshingly non-clinical way. 

March Book Review: Strength Training Anatomy

February Book Review: In Defense of Food

January Book Review: Mindless Eating

Take a Walk. Eat Gelato.

The forecast for Thursday afternoon is 70 degrees and sunny. Catch spring fever: park your car on the edge of the city, walk to Capogiro, and eat the best tasting gelato EVER.

Capogiro, with two locations in Philly (13th and Sansom; 20th and Sansom), is a family-owned gelato producer devoted to using seasonal ingredients and milk from local, grass-fed and hormone-free cows.

I know, you're thinking, But isn't that fattening? Why is a trainer telling me to eat ice cream? Gelato, the Italian version of ice cream, actually has half the fat and half the calories of ice cream. It is a denser dessert, containing less air, so more of its flavor reaches the palate. When I go, I order a small (portion control - holla!). It will look kiddie-sized, but I promise, it is more than enough.

Plus, I am advocating that you walk. If you park in Fairmount near the Art Museum or on one of the Schuylkill River bridges in West Philly (where you'll find parking more easily than in the heart of the city), it will take you a 15-20 minute walk to arrive at Capogiro. By the time you walk back to the car, you'll have expended the calories you just enjoyed consuming.

And if that's not enough convincing, Capogiro will let you sample the flavors until you find the one or two you like best.

Join the Yogurt Brigade!

We are about to collect LOTS of yogurt cups.

And save the environment.

And donate to a local non-profit.

No, forreal though. 

I just signed up to collect Stonyfield yogurt cups as part of the Yogurt Brigade, a pilot program run through a hip new eco-friendly company called Terracycle. As explained on the website, Terracycle aims to recycle the yogurt cups into planting pots: 

"Every year millions of yogurt containers end up in garbage and landfills. Stonyfield Farm, the organic food leader and environmental pioneer, is partnering with Terracycle in a pilot program aimed at collecting used yogurt containers and reusing them as planting pots. TerraCycle will then sell planting pots to large retailers who currently use black plastic planting pots, millions of which are discarded by consumers every year."

Even cooler than turning trash into usable stuff? Terracycle will donate 2 cents for every 6 oz yogurt cup and 5 cents for every 32-ouncer to Back On My Feet (my non-profit of choice). For more info on BOMF, click here to check out my blog post or visit their website at: www.backonmyfeet.org. 

What you can do: Save your Stonyfield yogurt cups!! Stack them in your basement or in a closet or right by the trash can so you don't forget to throw them away. If you know me and see me, you can hand them off at any point. Over the next couple weeks, I will be working on putting together drop off points and will make rounds periodically through the city to collect! 

Email me at lindsey.schweiger@gmail.com if you will be saving your yogurt cups so I can keep you posted on collections. Spread the word by guiding your friends, family, and co-workers to this post! 

Different Types of Pull-Ups

Cathy posted a comment on the last post, wondering about the different types of pull-up grips. She asked how they vary with regards to muscles targeted and level of difficulty.

Any pull-up variation will involve contraction of the back mucles (mainly the latissimus dorsi, or lats - these are the muscles that offer a V-taper to one's back when well-developed) and biceps. When you take a wide-grip on a pullbar, you are relying on your back muscles to do almost all of the work, placing your biceps in a position where they aren't able to assist the movement efficiently. Without the help of your arms, the wide-grip pull-up is the most challenging variation, and intensely targets the back.

As you narrow your grip, bringing the hands in to shoulder width, to a neutral grip (hands facing each other), or to a chin-up grip (hands facing you, supinated), you are increasing the help/activation of the biceps in the order listed. By recruiting the help of the arms, you are increasing your ability to perform more repetitions. As you move your hands in, the pull-up will feel less challenging overall, though you may feel more of a burn in your biceps.

March Book Review: Strength Training Anatomy

Strength Training Anatomy

Frederic Delavier

Despite the meathead-looking dude on the front cover, this is my favorite strength-training reference book for men and women alike. Inside you'll find over 100 exercises broken down by body part: 21 for arms, 17 for shoulders, 14 chest, 20 back, 18 legs, 10 buttocks and 15 abdomen. 

Usually when people learn exercises for a certain muscle group, they learn one or two moves tops. If I were teaching someone chest exercises, I might show him/her a Bench Press and a Dumbbell Fly. But soon, these two exercises may become boring. Delavier's book provides such a thorough listing of exercises for each body part that even a well-versed body builder could probably find at least one fresh idea for a workout. 

Not only does Strength Training offer pages of exercises, it also explains variations on those exercises where appropriate. For example, when performing a Triceps Push-down on the cable, what's the difference between using a bar or the rope as an attachment? How does a push-up change when you narrow the stance of your hands? When lunging, does it make a difference if you take a big step or a small one? These peripheral questions are addressed alongside the main exercise. As further side notes, Delavier covers common errors in form (i.e. rounding the back while squatting) in addition to common weight-lifting injuries. 

The illustrations are phenomenal. Paging through, you may feel like you are reading a book specifically for body builders. Admittedly, there are some thick guys and gals pictured. But most importantly, the visual connection of the muscle group working during a given exercise is well-depicted. I was happy to see that men and women were used as models, perhaps helping to dispel the myth about females "bulking up" from strength training. Although, it didn't seem like a coincidence that the Buttocks, Legs and Abdominal sections were female dominated, while the upper body sections were shown using all male models. Hmmmm...too many sociology classes in college maybe...

One final thought...the publisher of Strength Training, Human Kinetics, is a great resource for exercise-related reading. My exercise physiology text from college came through them, in addition to other selections on my bookshelf like Lore of Running, Jumping Into Plyometrics, Strength Ball Training, and Yoga Anatomy. If you end up browsing a store like Borders for a book, I'd recommend checking the spine for the Human Kinetics logo or shopping directly from their website: www.humankinetics.com. 

February Book Review: In Defense of Food

January Book Review: Mindless Eating

Boom!

Yesterday at Muscle Group, I made the mistake of saying, "Boom!" as my foot touched down to demonstrate the pictured side step-up. I had to endure a wall full of people mocking me for 30 seconds, shouting, "Boom! Boom! Boom!" as they stepped.

Even though we lost a few expected attendees to Hillary Clinton's appearance at Temple, we kicked off the spring workout season with a strong effort. Shout-outs to Cathy, Emily, John Adams, Angie and the Dans.

Go Vertical

This weekend was all about fitness outside the gym...but inside the rock gym. I went climbing once when I was about 12. My mom and I went to Philly Rock Gym in King of Prussia, where she did little climbing but spent the day as my belayer. This time, my BFF, Dan, and I went to Go Vertical on Delaware Avenue to frolic away a Friday afternoon that we both did not have to work. 

On the way, Dan asked me, "Linds, I've known you for 5 years...why are we just now going rock climbing?" I couldn't say, other than the fact that I needed to change things up even if it was only for a day. In the world of strength training, we tend to move in patterns. Someone who asks, "Am I doing this right?" is asking whether or not they are following the correct movement pattern for that exercise. That's all fine and dandy, but going through the motions can get boring. Rock climbing seemed like a fun way to explore creative movement patterns but stay within the realm of muscular strength and endurance. 

So here's the scoop on indoor rock climbing...

Very fun. Go with one of your friends and you are sure to have a laugh about how ridiculous s/he looks in a harness, you will learn to trust other each even more as your partner is protecting you from going Kersplat! on the gym floor when you lose your grip, and you will feel like Spiderman scaling the walls and hanging from ropes. 

Not very cheap. This sport is not for the poor or inexperienced, to do regularly anyway. We went during off-peak hours so our day pass rate was reduced from $17 to $14. Oh, but wait. Then we had to pay $10 each for equipment rental, and since we needed a 20-minute belaying lesson, that was another $20-something each. Then we found out we could get 2 additional day passes if we paid an extra $12 for the 2-hour belaying lesson. What? But we did it. When Dan looked at the website and saw the day pass rate, he thought we'd be paying $14 each. Turned out it was $65 each. Woops! (Of course, if you became invested in your climbing habit, you could buy your own gear and take part in Go Vertical's membership options. Plus, you only need to take a belaying lesson once.)

Very challenging. My forearms were so pumped after scaling a few walls - and attempting a few others - that I chuckled thinking of weight lifters who actually train their forearms! There are different routes up the wall, each labeled with colored tape to show the specific course, and each denoting a certain rating of difficulty: 4 being doable for Dan and Linds, 12 being the most challenging and unthinkable for Dan and Linds. As amateur climbers, we had varying success within levels 4-6. I found that when I got stuck somewhere, I wasted a lot of time hanging out, growing tired, and trying to figure out what to do next whereas, as we saw on our return trip Sunday (with our freebie passes!), the more experienced climbers seem to conserve their energy by gripping the rocks less urgently, pausing when appropriate, and moving faster at challenging points in the course. 

A little scary. The first time you climb and the first time you belay will probably be a little scary, if not very scary. Trust that your instructor knows what s/he is doing and won't let you try anything stupid. Plus, once you see how easy it is to be the belayer, you will start to feel much more confident as a climber. Still, we both made it to the top of walls that were about 5-6 stories high and couldn't wait to be lowered to the ground from such a height.

A little time consuming. They recommend making a belaying appointment for first timers which can take 20 minutes or 2 hours. Even if you know how to belay, they are probably going to ask that you show them your skills, which may take 20-30 minutes to get someone's attention. Then you are free to climb for the day so it really depends on how quickly your body recovers. Dan and I spent 3 hours the first day and 2 the second. 

A little intimidating. When we went on Sunday, the climbing subculture had emerged from their day jobs. We kind of felt like tools in our "Go Vertical" harnesses and smelly rental shoes, having trouble navigating the level 5 courses with all the experienced folks blazing up the wall. So we encountered a few why-are-you-on-my-wall?-you-stink looks, but there were plenty of down-to-earth climbers, happy to see new people trying the sport, who instilled a sense of belonging. 

Shiver by the River

A few folks in Reading, PA must have been looking for fitness outside the gym - in the dead of winter - when they started Shiver by the River, a "no frills" winter race series. Once a month, from December through March, 400 or so runners take to the 5K course that winds through a residential Reading neighborhood and then shoots back down along the Schuylkill River. Participants have the option of doing the loop once for the 5K or twice for the 10K.

Last Sunday, I was part of two mother-daughter combinations running the 10K. My mom, Cathy, and I drove in from Philly to meet Clare and her daughter, Liz. Everyone except for me is currently training for the Broad Street Run, and after seeing how strong everyone ran the Shiver, I am optimistic that Broad Street will yield similar results, if not better.

Clare's number is posted as she was the catalyst for the Broad Street training process that landed us all in Reading for a 10K trial of sorts. After running the 10-miler over a decade ago, Clare has returned to running with aspirations to complete it once again. Her daughter, Liz, has recently taken up running pretty seriously as a high school senior and I believe Shiver by the River was her first race ever. Shout-outs for Liz - very cool. And as for Cathy, she is looking to place in her age group (60-64) this year at Broad Street. (Note to Mom: If there is prize money, remember who came to Reading with you!)

But back to Shiver on the River, this is definitely a race I would come back to. It was $8 to register, or $25 for the series. There were heated bathrooms with sinks (no port-a-potties) and really nice volunteers. Handfuls of M&Ms and goldfish are waiting for you at the finish. And it's a good excuse to spend time with your family.

Reducing Blood Pressure Through Exercise

A woman at work recently shared with me that she has had above normal blood pressure (BP) readings at her last few doctor's visits. Her physician is giving her several months to see if she can lower her BP through lifestyle changes before prescribing medication.

The American College of Sports Medicine makes the following recommendations for reducing hypertension through exercise:

• Perform mainly aerobic activities that involve large muscle groups.
• Exercise at moderate intensities (about 50-85% Max Heart Rate) seems to reduce BP as much as, if not more than, exercise at higher intensities. Click here for more information about calculating target heart rate.
• Frequency of aerobic training: 3-7 days/week. However, because blood pressure may remain reduced for several hours after aerobic exercise, working out every day may provide the most optimal BP control.
• Duration of training session: 30 to 60 minutes
• Resistance training is not recommended as the primary form of exercise training for reducing BP, but should be combined with aerobic training. Resistance training regimens should incorporate incorporate lower resistance with higher repetitions.

My Acupuncturist Thinks I'm Possessed

Last Saturday I tried acupuncture for the first time. What got me there was a combination of curiosity and convenience. When clients ask for my opinion of acupuncture, I want to have first-hand experience so I can speak intelligently about it. "Oh Stacey did that and she LOVES it," feels a little pathetic if people are asking me for advice and a professional opinion. I was intrigued, too, by the idea of lying around on a table with needles sticking out of me.

But as most know, acupuncture ain't free, and (oddly) the PGW bill is not dwindling, so scheduling an appointment "just to see what it was like" never seemed opportune. However, my massage therapist's wife, Marnie, is nearly finished a grad program at the Won Institute, which runs a student clinic featuring $30 acupuncture appointments. So I tried it...

The appointment lasted about 2 hours - this is standard anywhere you go for a first appointment. Marnie, assisted by another student, interviewed me for the first hour, taking a detailed physical and mental health inventory. Marnie now knows of my battle with depression, the three hip surgeries from my early teens, and the color of my menses. (Hey, she took it there, not me. And boys, they will ask you about your *area* too!) While I entered this treatment with no specific complaints, some people come to acupuncture with a certain need - i.e. please cure my headaches. Regardless, they are going to take a complete look at you. Western medicine will give you a pill for the headaches. Chinese medicine is going to dig a little deeper, so patience will be important.

After the interview, Marnie did a brief physical exam. She checked my pulse from somewhere near my wrist, though I understand this to be completely different from the heart rate I might check with clients. (Apparently, we have pulses that correspond to our other organs...pretty cool.) Then she looked at my tongue, don't know why. Later, she poked around my abdomen to see how my organs were doing - good! - and felt different parts of my body for temperature differentiation. Because this is a student clinic, a licensed acupuncturist came in to double check some of these tests, namely my pulse.

At this point, she left the room to draw up plans for my needle stickin'. The procedure she selected had a lot to do with our interview, though at the time, I had no idea what they were trying to do with me or what to expect. Emily (my gf) goes to acupuncture regularly to treat her allergies. She told me she can't feel the needles at all when they go in, so I am hanging out on the massage table, nice and relaxed...

Listen, I'm not gonna lie...the needles hurt me. They put seven in me, all in the front of my body. I was relaxed for the first one and terrified for the next six. I'm not typically scared of needles unless they're in my mouth, but because I was expecting the kind of needles you don't feel, the needle insertion process was an anxious one for me. Marnie said that the response is different for everyone. She herself winces a bit while Emily's sitting there like, "Is it in yet? Did you put the needle in?" Even I can say the three needles that went in my right side (my feminine side) hurt more than my left, which didn't bother me much. I wonder if there is an implication here that it hurts me to be lady-like...hmmm.

The needles stayed in for about 20 minutes. While the insertion of them was scary for me, the effects were sweet. Your body naturally releases endorphins in response to a treatment so I felt a little high. It's like taking codeine without the need to mask any pain in the first place. I remember feeling a certain lightness. Worries and thoughts passed through without me needing to stew on them - which, for me, is worth about 1,000 needle sticks! As nice as a 20-minute stress relief session is, it was what happened after the needles were removed that made me want to return to the clinic.

Marnie removed the needles, which I did not feel. (I remember thinking, "This is what I thought they would feel like on the way in.") She said she was going to grab her supervisor so that they could take another count of my pulse, and she walked out. Laying there on the table, I felt relaxed and clear-headed, and then all of the sudden, like a wave, tears started to pour from the inside-out. I wasn't trying to hold them back but I don't think I could have if I tried. It felt so cleansing to let them drain from me. Marnie and company came in to find me wiping my eyes, apparently not surprised by the results.

The treatment they performed was called Internal Dragons, used to rid the body of possession. I think this can be mistaken through a western viewpoint as a form of exorcism. But from my thorough research (cough - Google search - cough) and chatting with Marnie for a few minutes about it, it seems possession in my case had more to do with the stagnant state of my spirit and feeling as though I had little control over it. Indeed, in our interview I mentioned slipping into bouts of depression, brought on by something small, yet feeling unable and ill-equipped to lift myself out these moods. The Dragons treatment is used to drive out the "devils" that are possessing you. Perhaps my tears were a measure of relief that Marnie was through sticking me, or maybe it was the escape, the release, of whatever had a hold of me. In any event, I'm convinced that acupuncture will bring positive results for me. My next appointment is Friday...

PS - The picture shows my ankle with a pen mark where they stuck me. I know it's dumb and boring. I'll try to get Marnie to take one next week when all the needles will be in my back, making for a G-rated picture.

Office Stretching & Workstation Ergonomics

My girlfriend, Emily, recently moved from a very physically active day job to a fairly sedentary one. To make matters worse, the new job is located in a neighborhood that is not terribly safe, rendering walks at lunch time out of the question.

Having few options for a change of scenery during the day, she asked me (weeks ago, I've been slacking!) if I could post some stretches that can be done within the office to alleviate the tight muscles that come with repetitive work at a computer desk station.

I decided not to re-invent the wheel for this one... The Mayo Clinic presents a slide show on their website featuring 9 stretches that can be completed at your desk. One of the back stretches is displayed with this post. Clear here to view the complete routine.

In addition, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have a comprehensive website explaining workstation ergonomics. This will teach you proper positioning of your desk, chair, computer monitor and keyboard, phone, mouse, and much more, minimizing your chance of suffering repetitive overuse injuries of the neck, shoulder, back, arms and wrist. Click here for the CDC website.

February Book Review: In Defense of Food

In Defense of Food 

Michael Pollan

"I don't eat carbs after 3pm."

"I only drink skim milk because its fat-free."

"I drink Kiwi Snapple because I heard kiwis have lots of antioxidants." 

"I eat pine nuts because they have the 'good fats.'"

I've been hearing comments like these for years. While it seems my clients are expecting some sort of praise for their culinary deprivation and/or will power in the name of health and weight loss, I often find myself growing inwardly incredulous with them for these practices. I eat carbs at 9pm sometimes and I drink whole milk and I think Kiwi Snapple is disgusting and I eat pine nuts because they are good and WHO PUT ALL THESE CRAZY IDEAS IN YOUR HEAD ABOUT FOOD?! And how can I possibly shed light on what anyone should eat without writing a whole book about it?! 

Thanks to Michael Pollan, I don't have to. 

Throughout In Defense of Food, Pollan blames our confused notions about what to eat on "Nutritionism," the reigning American ideology that the nutrient components of food (i.e. fat, carbs, antioxidants...) are more important than food itself. Fueled by the powers of nutrition science, journalism, and the mighty billion-dollar food industry, we have been made to believe we need expert advice in deciding what to eat in order to consume the perfect array of nutrients. And since we can't see nutrients (only scientists can do that), we've become dependent on the experts to tell us what foods to eat so that we can stay healthy. If you don't see a problem with this, you should. 

All of the aforementioned industries stand to benefit financially from your confusion: nutrition science in the continued funding of research to find the perfect nutrient(s) to support health, journalism to use that breaking research for headlines, and the food industry to sell you food by making health claims according to the latest find in food science. The scariest part is, this research is often biased, the methods flawed, and the findings essentially meaningless. How can any researcher - no matter how good - study one food out of the context of its diet? 

So here we are...uninterested in whether a food will taste good or bad, fooled into eating "edible foodlike substances," processed foods pumped full of nutrients intended to make us healthy. And yet for all of our obsessing about diet, nutrition, and their effects on health, Americans are overweight and unhealthy. 

Pollan argues that the answer to the question, "What should I eat?" may not lie in reconfiguring the Western diet of overprocessed foods, of fortified cereals and pastas, of Vitamin waters and fat-free yogurts. "Nutritionism prefers to tinker with the Western diet, adjusting the various nutrients (lowering the fat, boosting the protein) and fortifying processed foods rather than questioning their value in the first place." Pollan questions their value throughout the entire book and offers suggestions on what and how to eat that are far more culturally intellectual than an Eat-this-food-for-this-Vitamin Nutritionism philosophy. He admits that 5 people could read his rules and come up with completely different menus, but their meals would likely all be healthier, and bring much more pleasure, than eating a menu of processed foods out of the car. I've pulled a few of my favorites (below) but I urge you not to substitute them for reading this book! 

Shop the Supermarket Periphery (Stay Out of the Middle): The middle of the supermarket contains all the processed foods. The perimeter contains the perishable items that should comprise most of what we eat: produce, meats, fish, dairy, freshly baked breads, etc. 

Avoid Products that Make a Health Claim: Pollan makes the point that a food has to have a wrapper to make a claim, meaning it has already been processed. Remember that big food companies have more money than farmers when it comes to advertising. The carrots in the produce section don't get a label that says, "High in Beta-Carotene!" but that doesn't mean drinking a Vitamin-fortified water is on par with eating a carrot where your health is concerned.  

Avoid Products Containing Ingredients that are a)unfamiliar b)unpronounceable c)more than 5 in number or that include d)high fructose corn syrup: Pollan analyzes the label of Sara Lee's Soft & Smooth Whole Grain White Bread, a product containing over 40 ingredients, including mysterious names like azodicarbonamide and ethoxylated monoglycerides. Isn't bread supposed to be made of water, flour and yeast?!

Pay More, Eat Less: This is my favorite. I have to share an excerpt here: "While it is true that many people simply can't afford to pay more for food, either in money or time or both, many more of us can. After all, just in the last decade or two we've somehow found the time in the day to spend several hours on the internet and the money in the budget not only to pay for broadband service, but to cover a second phone bill and a new monthly bill for television, formerly free. For the majority of Americans, spending more for better food is less a matter of ability than priority. We spend a smaller percentage of our income on food than any other industrialized society; surely if we decided that the quality of our food mattered, we could afford to spend a few more dollars on it a week - and eat a little less of it." 

Do All Your Eating At a Table: Pollan doesn't go into detail here (just to remind us that a desk is not a table) but I would imagine for many readers it is normal to eat breakfast in the car, lunch at a desk, and dinner in front of the TV, settings that don't make for very mindful food consumption. 

January Book Review: Mindless Eating

Vote for The Most Athletic Athlete

What type of athlete impresses you most with regards to athleticism?

A. Stunt Bikers

B. Boxers





















C. Figure Skaters







"It's like being really good at yoga. But on skates."
- Emily Teel

D. Gymnasts

February Weigh-In: Dan Dengel

"Weighing In" is a new monthly article I will be posting to the blog that features one individual's experiences with and perspectives on physical activity. Our personal health is linked to a unique history, upbringing, and exposure to resources. It is my hope that by sharing one another's realities, struggles, and successes, we can come to appreciate our own strengths, and be more forgiving of our perceived flaws. Perhaps learning from each other will breed self-acceptance and reservation from judging others. 

Dan is my best friend in the whole wide world. We met a little less than five years ago and forged a strong friendship largely over workout sessions at East Falls Fitness (EFF). Dan was a student at Temple, and I had a job that let me out at 2:30, so he would pick me up at "The Spot" (12th and Arch) and we'd cruise over to EFF. Early on, I remember teaching Dan how to lift weights body part by body part, showing the exercises that work certain muscle groups. But as the months went on, he became more self-sufficient with his workouts and less reliant on me for help. He did continue to ask me questions about new moves he'd seen others doing and suggestions for areas where he felt stale. Now he writes up his own workouts, balancing routines with the changing demands of his schedule. It makes me smile sometimes to see just how far he has come...

How old are you?

34

How was physical activity first introduced into your life?

I started running track as a boy and two of my brothers did the same. I tried baseball and basketball too, but found I was not very coordinated if a ball was involved, so stuck with running. In 8th grade, I added swimming. I was also a boy scout and the was pretty active with hiking and canoe trips a few times a year. I would say overall my family, specifically my siblings, helped keep things active.

In what type(s) of exercise, physical activity, or athletic pursuits do you currently participate?

I like to go to the gym and lift a few days a week. Outside of that I try to run the track at least 3 miles one or two days a week. Then, of course, Muscle Group!

What does fitness mean to you?

Fitness to me is a way of living. It is the recognition of what my body can do and how I take care of my body. I equate fitness with activity. This includes the activity of working out, but also what I eat, when and how much sleep I get, and my mental/emotional energy.

What is your favorite type of workout?

I love lifting! If I have a good lifting session I generally feel pumped and excited. I love working my biceps and triceps, lately been getting better with working legs and shoulders. I also love swimming but rarely get the chance, and when I do it does tucker me out, but I love it!

Speaking specifically, what is your favorite exercise? Least favorite? What is it that you like/don't like about these?

Fave exercise: Pull-ups (just fun to see how many I can do and feel the burn - like when my arms shake - so cool)

Least fave: Mountain climbers (they hurt my back and I get tired so quick)

What is your profession and what hours do you work? What time does that leave for exercise? How do you fit it into your day?

I am a psychologist and I work 9-5 weekdays with one late night a week. I like to exercise in the morning before work so I get pumped - I am there most days by 7am. I am not as good about working out on the weekends, but try to run when the weather is nice.

Who/what has supported you in your fitness pursuits?

I am supported by Lindsey Schweiger, who really helped me learn proper lifting form and helped me get over my gym anxiety...also by my brother, Greg, who I sometimes work out with - he is a good motivator. Early in life I had a running partner and that was great. I think I am mostly supported by friends who are willing to be active with me. I love OutFit's Muscle Group because everyone there keeps moving.

What factors play into your motivation the strongest? (i.e. friends, weather, money, work, scheduling, sleep, etc.)

If the weather is bad, it is easy for me to say, "Forget it." But I think the biggest motivator is a friend wanting to work out and pushing me to do so. I will always favor working out with a buddy than on my own. It just keeps me going.

Who are your health/exercise role models? What do they embody that inspires you?

Anyone who is active inspires me, but I am not sure I have a role model.

In what exercise settings do you feel comfortable? Why? What settings do you find uncomfortable and why?

I am not so comfortable in the big gyms with lots of muscular men all grunting and sweating and strutting about. When I have been in gyms that are more low-key and people just come in and do their thing, I tend to feel more comfortable. I prefer a place where a trainer is not working out right near me. My fave place was working out at the Johns Hopkins gym - the men and women would all be lifting and doing their own thing - staff and students - and people were friendly and seemed happy to be there (and this was at 6am so if there were smiles, they were genuine!)

Fill in this statement: I can't imagine exercise without __________________.

Music. Sometimes I love to just break from what I am doing and dance around a bit. I have only been caught once at the gym shaking my groove thing.

When it comes to exercise and health, what still remains a mystery for you?

How to eat right. I have a hard time with calorie counting and knowing how much I should take in and how much is in the foods, and then what is a good food versus a bad food. Besides the obvious - cake would be bad - well, if eaten too much. I think I just need to be better about what I eat, including portion size. 

What are your guilty pleasures when it comes to eating?

It would have to be chocolate chip cookies - and when in New York, the Black and White cookies. I am a cookie monster. (Ohhh, and sometimes cake too...)

What's your favorite OutFit?

Jeans and a T-shirt

January Weigh-In: Janet Harper

Splurge on Sneakers

If you...

...bought your last pair of sneaks because they were cute...(Hel-lo? Puma was having a sale?!)...

...haven't replaced your sneakers in 3 years...

...buy all your shoes at DSW or Kohl's according to what's on sale...

...I'm worried about you.

Buying sneakers is not the time to be cheap. I know it is tempting to roll into an outlet store and pick out something inexpensive and trendy. But logging miles in shoes that are a poor fit for your feet (or pounding away on worn out sneaks) is an invitation for aches, pains, and even injuries that are otherwise preventable. Every few months I start to feel tight in my lower back and hips, and I know it's time for a new pair of shoes. 

One tip to keep in mind is that sneakers need to be replaced every 300-500 miles. Yes, they go bad. Mileage is probably not a realistic way to gauge when we're up for sneaker renewal since many people are using gym equipment like the Elliptical machine and probably all of us, except for runners, aren't journaling exercise results. A rough estimate is to replace shoes every 3 months for those who are very active (exercise 5-7 days/week) and every 6 months for those who are less active (exercise 2-3 days/week). To preserve the life of your shoe, try to limit the time you wear your workout sneaks to when you are exercising.  

My best advice: Consult the experts when you buy shoes. Two stores that come to mind are Philadelphia Runner and Bryn Mawr Running Company. Staff members here will consider your arch type, your gait, and the tread on your previous shoes to individualize the pair that is right for you. You might pay $20 more for your shoes, but these companies will have the knowledge to put you in sneakers that are aesthetically appealing and preserve your health.

Isn't Juice Better Than Soda??

I recently spoke to a client, who is looking to lose over 50 pounds, about changes she could make in her diet to cut down on excessive calorie consumption. I asked her to tell me what she'd eaten and had to drink so far that day. She told me she was drinking juice at every meal, and my eyes bulged. "But isn't juice better than soda?" she said.  It depends. 

If you want to increase your Vitamin C intake, then yes, juice is better than soda. However, if you are someone with weight loss goals, juice is not any better than soda because, serving for serving, they contain nearly the same number of calories. In many cases, juice has more calories.

Below you'll find the calorie content of popular sodas and juices. Keep in mind that these values are for an 8 ounce serving, less than half of what most bottles contain. (Think 20 oz. sodas or juices that you grab at a gas station.)

Coca-Cola........................................97

Pepsi...............................................100

Sprite...............................................96

Ocean Spray Cranberry...............130

Tropicana Orange Juice...............110

Welch's Grape Juice.....................170

Nantucket Nectars Pomegranate

Cherry Juice..........................120

My advice is to stay away from all of these products, whether or not you are trying to lose weight, whether or not they are 100% juice. They are basically liquid sugar, dessert in disguise. Drink water. And if you are looking to increase your vitamin intake, I suggest eating fruit instead of drinking juice (or soda). An orange supplies the same nutrients as orange juice, but contains half the calories. Plus, the fiber in an orange will help to keep you feeling full longer. 

Take a Baseball Bat and Smash Your Bathroom Scale

I recently talked to a woman who weighs herself 2 to 3 times daily. She admittedly calls it an obsession. I know of many others who weigh themselves at least once a day. Weight loss, or weight gain for some, is a part of measuring progress in a fitness program, but I'm seeing it used as a daily self-evaluation tool, a way to figure out if someone should feel good about themselves or downright shameful. This saddens me. No one should feel terrible all day because they weigh one more pound than they did the day before. I know that I can't change the emotional responses linked to weight fluctuation, but perhaps I can draw people away from the scale obsession with a bit of education. This post is going to take a look at why weight taken alone does not evaluate health/fitness and why daily weighing-in can be psychologically hazardous, and quite frankly, nonsensical.

BMI vs. Body Fat Percentage

Because the "obesity epidemic" gets so much attention in the media, most readers will have at least heard of the Body Mass Index (BMI) Scale. BMI is calculated by dividing your weight (lbs) by your height (in) squared and multiplying by 703. For example, I am 136 pounds and 67 inches tall so my BMI is 21. BMI readings indicate whether or not your weight is in a healthy range. Below is a breakdown of BMI categories:

Under 18.5 = Underweight

18.5 - 25 = Healthy weight

25 - 30 = Overweight

30+ = Obese

BMI is simple to calculate and accurate for the general population. However, it has limitations. Being only a relationship of height to weight, it does not take into account what percentage of that weight is fat and what percentage is muscle. Athletes who have higher percentages of muscle mass are often incorrectly categorized as "overweight" based on their BMI scores. In addition, individuals with low body weight but a high body fat percentage may be incorrectly labeled as being a healthy weight. 

Body fat percentage, a more accurate indicator of health than BMI, can be measured quickly and conveniently using skinfold calipers or a hand-held device known as bioelectrical impedance. Body fat categories are listed below:

Men

Under 10% = athletic

10 - 15% = lean

15 - 18% = normal

18 - 20% = above average

20 - 25% = over-fat

25+% = obese

Women

Under 17% = athletic

17 - 22% = lean

22 - 25% = normal

25 - 29% = above average

29 - 35% = over-fat

35+% = obese

For example, consider two men, Bob and Fred. They are both 5'10", 180 pounds and have BMI scores of 26, overweight by BMI standards. The two men have a trainer measure their body fat percentages using skinfold calipers and find that Bob's is at 13% while Fred's is 30%. The body fat reading distinguishes Bob to be in a "lean" range, whereas Fred would be considered obese! 

I often talk about the irrelevance of weight as a number by itself, stressing the importance of body fat percentage when dealing with weight-focused clients. However, there are two other reasons to ditch the daily weigh-in. 

Natural Weight Fluctuation

No one weighs the same thing every day. You could weigh yourself every hour and get a different response from the scale. We eat, we drink, we consume salty foods that draw water, some of us have menstrual cycles that bloat us and hold even more water...these things make us weigh more. But then we perspire, we expire, we urinate, we defecate...these things make us weigh less. Our metric weight is constantly rising and falling in small increments.

Think of daily weight fluctuations like seasons. In summer, we expect the temperature to be between 80 and 95 (in Philly, anyway). But if it's 79 one day, we don't go screaming about how it's fall, because it will probably be back up the next day. But if we find that the temperature drops into the 70s for 10 or 11 days in a row, we might conclude that fall is coming. We should assume that as with ups and downs in seasonal temperatures, weight too will fluctuate. Weighing ourselves month-to-month will reflect a more accurate change over time as opposed to daily weigh-ins which will only reveal natural fluctuations.

Misguided Sense of Self-Esteem 

Let's say a woman wants her weight to stay below 140. She wakes up one morning and weighs herself, finding that she is 139. She may evaluate herself positively for that day saying, "I'm great. I lost weight." The next day she wakes up and weighs herself, finding that she weighs 141, promptly degrading herself and feeling worthless for having gained weight. In either case, this woman is basing her self-image on misguided logic, be it for feeling like a success or a failure at her weight-loss efforts. As mentioned above, your weight will fluctuate - it's natural. So basing self-esteem off of day-to-day weight changes is a recipe for an emotional roller coaster. 

My advice is to set goals related to body fat percentage reduction, not simply weight loss. Meet with a trainer or fitness professional to take your weight, calculate your body fat percentage, and develop time appropriate goals for improving your health. Remove the daily emotional impact of scale readings but make an appointment in 4-6 weeks to assess your overall progress. 

 

January Book Review: Mindless Eating

Mindless Eating
Brian Wansink, PhD

In one of Brian Wansink's clever studies on food psychology, he and his team of researchers gave out free bags of granola to viewers at a movie theater. The granola was labeled either "low-fat" or "regular," but in reality, all the granola was low-fat. After the movie, those who were given granola labeled "low-fat" had eaten 49% more than those who had "regular" bags. Wansink attributes these results to what he calls the "Health Halo," the general assumption that a food is healthy which leads people to pay less attention to how much they are eating.

In his book Mindless Eating, Wansink, a food psychologist at Cornell University, speaks to the many hidden persuaders in the environment that affect how much we eat: size of glasses/dishes, how many people we are eating with, how conveniently our food is located, how desirable we perceive our food to be, how distracted we are, and many others. By understanding how these variables might cause us to overeat, we can manipulate them in our favor, and perhaps, mindlessly eat a bit less.

"If we eat way too little, we know it. If we eat way too much, we know it. But there is a calorie range - a mindless margin - where we feel fine and are unaware of small differences. That is, the difference between 1,900 calories and 2,000 calories is not one we can detect, nor can we detect the difference between 2,000 and 2,100 calories. But over the course of the year, this mindless margin would either cause us to lose ten pounds or gain ten pounds. It takes 3,500 extra calories to equal one pound. It doesn't matter if we eat these extra 3,500 calories in one week or gradually over the entire year. They'll add up to one pound."

As the excerpt above implies, this is not a diet book, per se. Wansink won't tell you exactly what to eat, but he will teach you how to restructure your environment so that you stay in the "mindless margin" and eat less (or more) of the foods that are already on your menu. This will enable you to gradually lose (or gain) weight without experiencing deprivation. Plus, for anyone who eats, it's a fascinating, albeit scary look, at how we make decisions regarding what goes into our mouths.