Reader question - "How can we convince females to train hard?"

Today's question is from one of my readers in Germany. He's frustrated about the way people train in the "Globo-gyms" over in his part of the world. I understand that frustration!


Hi Kim,

One big problem I see [in Germany] is convincing females to do hard and challenging training. Most of them stay on the cardio machines forever and do some machine exercises with ridiculously light weights (even for women) and bad form. What are some clues or ways to convince females of the "right" way?

Best regards
Tobias




Tobias -

I'm still struggling with this myself!

It feels close to impossible to change the misconceptions of hundreds of thousands of misinformed females. Yikes!

It's true that most women want to lose fat. And since the general public (especially women) thinks that 'cardio = fat loss', and that 'weight lifting = unattractive, massive muscle gain'... well, they continue to do the excessive treadmill sessions and ineffective strength training exercises. Like hamsters on wheels. Running in place but going nowhere...

I try to let women know a couple things:

#1 - Muscle is the part of your body that burns fat. So, it's not a bad thing to have a bit o' muscle tone. If you add a bit more muscle to your frame, you will be burning more fat at any given moment! Your metabolism will naturally be higher!

#2 - It's really hard to put on gobs of muscle without trying. Lifting relatively heavy weights will not automatically make a woman muscle-bound. It will simply give her workout the intensity necessary to create an 'afterburn'... meaning, she'll burn calories for hours after the workout is over!

#3 - Muscle takes up less space than fat. For instance, five pounds of muscle is a much smaller pile of tissue than five pounds of fat. Therefore, if one replaces their excess fat with lean muscle, they'll be smaller! They may weigh the same... but who really cares about weight? As a woman myself, I'd rather be more compact and look good in my clothes.

It's no secret... I am 5'5" and 145 pounds. No one ever believes that I'm 145 lbs. I don't look like I weigh that much. I have a high percentage of muscle - much higher than most women, so I am not necessarily the norm. I've worked extremely hard to build a muscular physique. Anyway, my weight doesn't tell you anything about my body composition, my size, my metabolism. But the weight doesn't matter, really. And it shouldn't matter that much to any other woman.

Put on some muscle... probably melt off some fat... maintain your weight, but look smaller, tighter, and more toned... AND be able to stay at that body composition easily? Now, THAT's the way to go!!

#4 - Slow, long-distance cardio is NOT an effective way to shed fat. Intense, short bouts of cardio... and intense, relatively heavy bouts of strength training are the best way to create LARGE amounts of calorie burn over a 24-hour period (which is what will ultimately eliminate the unwanted fat).


And even with all this evidence, as well as the proof of all the lean, yummy females that have decided to trust that weight lifting can only help them... you will probably still find yourself frustrated with the resistance of females to the idea of working hard in the gym.

But keep me posted! If you even convince just a small handful to tap into their potential, you have been successful!

Thanks so much for the question, Tobias.
I feel your pain!
Hope my answer helped -

Kim


**Remember!! Any other fitness/nutrition questions can be directed to kim@deliberatemovement.com

Quotation of the Week

"The greatest education in the world is watching the masters at work." -Michael Jackson

To pay a bit of homage to the late, great Michael Jackson,
I pulled out one of his quotes.

It was certainly sad to hear the comments of those recently surrounding him during the process of his upcoming comeback. It was said that the MJ of old was preparing to give us some amazing, new creations in the world of entertainment. Alas, it wasn't meant to be.

However, we cannot deny that he really was a master at singing, dancing, performing, and entertaining. Anyone who has ever wanted to be in the entertainment business could learn a whole lot from watching Michael at work.

And it's this way in all aspects of life.

Want to be fully educated in the world of business? Find the 'masters' of business/marketing/management and emulate them.

Want to be a phenomenal cook/chef? Seek out the best of the best, and you'll get a solid foundation about what it takes to cook.

Want to become strong, fit, and healthy? Search for those persons who have injected strength, health, fitness, and wellness into their own lives. Learn from the fitness 'masters'... imitate the steps they take... adopt the habits that make them the best at what they do.

Why reinvent the wheel when you want to accomplish something great in your life?

We all know, especially from MJ's untimely passing, that life is short.
Go after what you want! Find a role model and follow him/her!
What have you got to lose??!

Maybe you don't have the natural talent to get you to the point of a 'master'.
But you can sure try...

Maybe you'll still be a bit mediocre when comparing yourself to the best.
But isn't an 'average/mediocre' label better than being on the bottom, simply wishing you could do more with your life?

Thanks for the wisdom and the pleasant memories, Michael Jackson.
You will be missed...

Abdominal Wednesday... structural flaw?

Let's get right to another reason for the suck factor of crunches, crunch variations, and situps!

Reason #4: The structural design of the abs shows that torso flexion is not the primary purpose of the abdominal muscles.

If the primary purpose of the abs was to bend the torso forward, the rectus abdominus muscle (the "six-pack") would be one long muscle - kinda like the bicep (which stretches from the shoulder to the elbow), or the hamstring (which stretches from the hip to the knee), or any other muscle whose primary function is to cause flexion.

BUT... the rectus abdominus is NOT one long muscle. It is divided up into small packages.

Upon inspection of this muscle's structure, it can be proven that the rectus abdominus helps to make integrated movements with the other abdominal muscles AND it helps to stabilize the spine by preventing extreme movements.

Let's try an exercise that targets more than just torso flexion...



Another crunch replacement exercise: SIDE PLANK
... laying on your side, in a straight line from head to heels, prop yourself up on your elbow and hold your hip up off the ground for at least 20 seconds
... more advanced: keeping the hip elevated, place the free arm behind your head, then rotate the elbow down toward the ground and back up to the ceiling (the entire body will rotate, too)

Truck Pushing GALORE!

Well...
Two and a half more weeks until the 2009 CrossFit Games. Wow.

Us SoCal qualifier girls have been training hard, trying to prepare for a competition whose parameters will continue to be unknown for another 2 weeks.

Yeah. Talk about nerve-wracking...


Honestly, it's been absolutely fantabulous to work amongst such strong women!
We have so much fun!

Maybe you don't think this is fun... but we sure had a blast the other day.

Thanks for coming down to Long Beach, Kris and Val!
And thanks for allowing us to push your big ass truck, Jason ;)

Reader question - "Why is my stomach girth increasing?"

I recently received another great question on my YouTube channel. The query came in response to my 'Pet Peeve' video about the use of weight belts. If you haven't seen the vid, just know that I am not a fan of weight belts. They put a lifter at risk for back injury because they teach improper activation of the abdominal muscles. Read more below!

"I was especially interested in your comment about how the superficial ab muscles push outward against a weight belt. What I notice is this. Whenever I start doing weight training my entire abdominal girth increases- I actually develop a gut whether I wear a belt or not. This is exactly what I do not want. Could this be because I have lax or weak superficial abdominal muscles? Or am I just using them wrongly? I have no gut otherwise- please help! Everyone at the gym believes this cannot happen..."

Thanks for submitting your question! I understand your frustration...

It's not that you have weak superficial ab muscles. It's that you probably use your superficial muscles TOO much through incorrect technique (and possibly have weak "deep" ab muscles). Instead of activating the deep AND superficial muscles together and "bracing the abs", you might just be pushing your stomach outward during the abdominal contraction of a heavy lifting exercise.

And, since we've never met, the reason I believe your technique of tightening your abdomen may be wrong... you mention that you sometimes wear a belt. Since the belt teaches you to push outward, then you probably do it without the belt as well. That practice of leaving out the ever-important deep abdominal muscles through weight belt use is dangerous because it puts excess pressure on the spine - instead of giving it stability.

When doing any sort of weight training movement, try to actively tense your midsection like an invisible corset. Don't pull the stomach inward like a vacuum... just brace!

Initiate the exertion part of an exercise (the "push", the "pull", the "thrust", etc) by bracing the abs and simultaneously exhaling with control. This will help you activate the deep and superficial ab muscles together - or at least activate the deep muscles BEFORE the smaller superficial muscles kick in.

Also, I guess I can't say that your increasing abdominal girth completely comes from incorrect technique while lifting. While evaluating your technique, make sure to evaluate diet and overall activity levels as well. Some folks find that their appetite increases when they add strength training to the mix. Excess caloric intake is a great way to increase abdominal girth! :)

I hope my advice helps you avoid that increased abdominal girth... And maybe even causes you to sport a newly chiseled stomach!

Good luck!
Kim Ball


**Remember!! Any other fitness/nutrition questions can be directed to kim@deliberatemovement.com

Quotation of the Week

"What you do in the gym should improve quality of life first and foremost, and any activity that carries a high likelihood of injury is very rarely worth the risk." - Eric Cressey

I am dedicating this quote to those people who:

1) Perform prehistoric bodybuilding-type workouts, filled with isolation exercises and movements that are unsafe in terms of body biomechanics.

2) Have an injury and push through pain (the bad kinda pain... the sharp, shooting kind!), with complete disregard for the area that needs rest and recovery.

3) Practice extremely high exercise volume, in hopes of reaching a goal faster (and because they think 'more is better')


Eric Cressey's words pertain to anyone who falls in these three categories.
Because...

#1 - If we exercise the body with faulty biomechanics, or in a manner that's different from the way the body actually works, then that exercise is not going to improve our quality of life! In fact, it'll probably end up leading to incorrect movement patterns, muscular imbalances, annoying aches and pains, and nagging injuries. So, stop doing behind-the-head lat pulldowns and endless bicep curls!

#2 - If we don't tend to things that are irritated and painful, then we are eventually gonna get injured! That is pretty much guaranteed! It's just not worth it to "push through the pain" or to ignore physical issues. Those pains are important signs that something is wrong! It's just not worth it to risk creating injury from that pain. So, even though it sucks to have to avoid certain movements temporarily... and to have to do some extra rehab-type exercises/stretches... it'll only improve quality of life to get rid of not-so-friendly pains.

#3 - The body can only handle so much physical stress. If we are using exercise excessively and in a compulsive way, in order to reach a fitness goal - and NOT because we really enjoy the activity we are excessively participating in... then we are most likely going to become run-down, exhausted, and possibly injured. If lots of physical activity is present in life because it is extremely enjoyable, and if we can step away from that activity when it's necessary to take a break, then I'm all for a hefty exercise schedule! BUT - if we are exercising whenever we possibly can, because of guilt, obligation, compulsion, or any related issue, then we are not using physical activity to improve the quality of our lives. Period.


So, like fitness pro extraordinaire Eric Cressey has stated so well...
THAT should be your main focus when adding exercise to your life.

Is it the kind of exercise that improves the quality of your life by working the body in a balanced, functional way?

Is it the amount of exercise that will give you the results you seek, yet won't allow you to become burnt out and exhausted?

If not, it's time to make some changes.

Now, I'm gonna go improve the quality of MY life by climbing some rocks in Joshua Tree this weekend! Talk to you on Monday!

Abdominal Wednesday... superficiality

Another reason why crunches, situps, and other typical variations of these exercises are bunk!

Reason #3: Crunches and crunch variations only work a very small percentage of the superficial muscles in the abdomen.

There are many layers of muscle in the abdominal cavity. And the most important layers in which to develop a good base of strength are the deepest muscles. This is because the deep ab muscles help to protect the lower back, and they help to form the protective, invisible muscular "corset" surrounding the organs and the spine.

Crunch-type exercises do nothing to stimulate this extremely important deep layer! They suck!

Yes, we want to make sure the superficial layer of abdominal muscles is also strong... but it is essential to strengthen the innermost muscles FIRST. If the deep muscles are weak, but the superficial muscles are strong, injury is almost imminent.


Also, exercises that stimulate the superficial muscles are not very intense. They burn little calories. They have little effect on the metabolism.

On the other hand, exercises that target the deep, inner abdominal muscles are generally more intense. They generally involve more than just the abdominal muscles. Therefore, those exercises not only improve abdominal strength, but they help to create a pretty hefty metabolic disturbance in the body... which will help with fat loss!


The PLANK, some pushups, relatively heavy squats, and this exercise (below) will help activate and strengthen the deep muscles!



Another crunch-replacement exercise: TUCK-UPS on BALL
... assume a pushup position, shins on a stability ball, hips open & stomach tight
... keeping the shoulders directly over the wrists, tuck the knees into the chest, then return to a straight body position with control

Replacements - Finally!!

Okay, okay - I've got some readers who want to know what kind of exercises should replace the crunches and the situps...

I hate to make my readers unhappy with impatience ;)
So, let me offer some clarity.

But first and foremost, let me tell you that -
Exercises that target the abs will only really help you improve your abdominal strength. They will NOT flatten your stomach.

The layer of fat covering your abs will be best removed through overall activity (especially the addition of intense activity) AND proper nutrition.

Strong abdominal muscles will come from exercises which mimic how the abdominals work.

The abs work to:
-stabilize the spine during coordinated movements and heavy lifting
-absorb force and momentum (in order to stop the spine from undergoing extreme movements)
-transfer power from the lower body to the upper body
-place the pelvis in a neutral position so as to protect the lower back

Did you notice I didn't say that 'the abs primarily flex the torso'?

They do not.

Get that idea out of your head... it's incorrect!

So - in order to stimulate the abs in a similar way to their purpose, we need to:
-perform exercises where the abs undergo isometric contraction (PLANK, SIDE PLANK, PLANK MOVEMENT VARIATIONS)
-perform movements where the abs work with other muscles in the body to produce power (CABLE WOOD CHOP, PUNCHING, KICKING)
-perform activities that allow the abs to absorb impact and force (MEDICINE BALL DRILLS)
-perform heavy lifting motions which force activation of the abs


Here's one for you to work on...



1st crunch replacement exercise: PLANK
... a pushup position on the elbows, body in one straight line, hold the isometric contraction for at least 30 seconds
... more advanced: put elbows on a stability ball OR feet elevated on a raised surface
... even more advanced: without wiggling the hips, transfer from the plank to the pushup position and back down (one arm at a time)

Reader question - "Your opinion on Les Mills classes?"

Let's get back to the reader questions. I've had a couple good ones as of late...

Good morning Kim,

I'd like to know what do you think about the Les Mills Body Training Systems.

Thanks,
Henrique

Thanks for the question, Henrique!
I wasn't 'in the know' about the Les Mills fitness programs - but I did some research, and I'd be happy to give you my opinion from what I've read and seen. Obviously, I've never taken a class, so I cannot give you a complete testimonial or position statement - but I appreciate that you'd like to hear my thoughts :)

First off, for those of you who are unawares...
All over the world, gyms have implemented pre-programmed group fitness classes, created by the LES MILLS Group Fitness System. These classes include:


BodyAttack- a sports-inspired cardio workout, complete with interval training

BodyBalance- a holistic, calming class, involving elements of yoga, pilates, and tai chi

BodyCombat- a cardio kickboxing type of class, combining skills from karate, boxing, Tae Kwon Do, Muay Thai, and Tai Chi

BodyJam- a funky, hip-hop-style dance class

BodyPump- a barbell class with basic strength exercises

BodyStep- a modern step class with some cross training

BodyVive- a low-impact workout with stability balls, tubing, and small hand weights

RPM- a high-energy spin class


Basically, the Les Mills Body Training System involves a variety of challenging classes filled with movement, high energy, and up-beat music.

Anything that involves movement... motion... activity... major muscle stimulation...
can NOT be a bad thing.

I am not going to reprimand anyone for taking part in these classes. I'm not going to say that they are a waste of time. I will only commend those who participate because the classes do involve more challenging forms of physical activity.


That being said...
I do find negative aspects to these classes.

#1 - The classes are pre-programmed. New choreography and music are created for each class every 3 months. Now, some gyms may alternate between new and old choreography. But for those individuals who spend oodles of time doing these classes alone, even that small amount of variation will not help to progressively overload the body toward one's desired results! The way to cause change and transformation is to progressively stimulate the body with more difficult challenges as a training program advances. Since these classes remain the same over time, there is no effective progression to help someone lose fat (which is one main reason why people take the classes in the first place!)

#2 - The longer an activity is, the less intense it automatically has to be. You can only keep up extremely high intensity for shorter time periods. Since these classes are 60 minutes long, most exercisers will end up working at a relatively lower intensity - much like longer, slower cardio sessions. Since intensity is a huge proponent of a workout that creates a huge metabolic disturbance... these classes would not be an optimal solution by themselves. They cannot elicit the high intensity that shorter training sessions can accomplish. However, as an adjunct to a complete strength training program, I am all for the inclusion of these classes.


Now, the positive aspects...

#1 - These classes involve explosive movements, compound exercises, and full ranges of motion. Because of this, they are a much better choice for activity than long, slow, boring cardio. Even though the exerciser might adapt to the choreography over time, it is very probable that they will still be exuding more energy through these energetic activities (and moving through a larger range of motion) than they will on the cardio machines.

#2 - The BodyPump class involves an instructor teaching the correct technique of basic lifting exercises. I think that it is important for exercisers to gain that positive reinforcement about proper technique from a knowledgable instructor. This class would likely be very beneficial for many less advanced gym-goers.


So, to conclude all my ramblings - I believe that a strong resistance training program is necessary for an individual to get measurable results from exercise. But, activities that tax the entire body - more metabolic activities like circuit training, interval training, and challenging classes - are also an important part of a complete training program. Because of that, I think the Les Mills Body Training classes (or any other similar classes that you might enjoy) are a great inclusion to your week of exercise.

Hope that helps!
Kim


**Remember!! Any other fitness/nutrition questions can be directed to kim@deliberatemovement.com

Quotation of the Week

"Anyone can give up, it's the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when anyone else would understand if you fell apart, that's true strength." -Author unknown



Have you ever known an individual who just seems to avoid crumbling to pieces when challenges are constantly being placed in front of them? That's the sign of strength.

Have you ever seen an Ironman triathlete push past the point of exhaustion to finish the most extreme physical competition known to man? That's a sure sign of mental strength.

Have you ever heard the stories about those people who have been caught in severe conditions out in the wilderness - and who have survived through the night? Those individuals have really exuded immense amounts of strength.

It doesn't matter how strong you are physically (well, it does to some degree... a progressive increase in physical strength is desirable to most exercisers!) -

What does matter is the strength of your mind - your mentality.

When you want to give up, it shows true mental power to resist that urge. And even though you may think that you fall into a different category than the people described above, I really want to make you believe that you can be just as strong.

In my area of expertise - fitness and nutrition - it's extremely easy to give up when something is new and uncomfortable. But if you want it bad enough, you'll persevere past the discomfort by calling upon your own mental strength.

In my training for the CrossFit Games, my training sessions are focused on pushing past the point of wanting to quit. That's right! Not only are the workouts physically challenging, but they are mentally challenging as well.

In my clients' training sessions, I attempt to teach them how to work through difficult, uncomfortable feelings, and how to push the limits of their physical abilities.

For those that request my nutritional advice, I try to explain that each choice they make can lead them to better health - that is, if they don't give up on their efforts to adopt better eating habits.

Mental fortitude is key in health, in fitness, and in all aspects of life.

I hope you strive to be strong :)

Abdominal Wednesday... spot reduction?

In keeping with this new, short series on the popular abdominal area, here is another reason why crunches, situps, and typical abdominal exercises are ineffective...

Reason #2: You cannot reduce the fat off of one spot on your body by working that body part specifically. Therefore, working the superficial ab muscles will do NOTHING for getting rid of that flabby tummy!

Simply isolating the abdomen and doing movements that only target that small group of muscles in the front of your midsection... in order to slim that midsection... is a waste of time!!

We cannot determine where fat is lost from our body during the fat shedding process. Even if we do hundreds and hundreds of crunches. It's just not gonna happen! The body will determine specific location of fat loss all on its own.

So, if crunches don't do diddly squat for getting the excess fat off your stomach (and we also already know that too many crunches can be harmful for the lower back and shoulders), then why don't we do exercises that target the stomach in a way to strengthen it (and keep other joints healthy)?


My abs didn't get this ripped from crunches - no sir!!

The saga continues next Wednesday... :)

Are we having FUN yet??

Well, I've been pushing a big-ass truck as part of my workouts these days...

Just tryin' to add a little excitement to the training regimen, ya know? ;)

Clients, friends, and readers have been requesting some visual proof of this truck pushing activity. So, here's a little clip of me and the truck - cruisin' along. And fyi - there are a bunch of weights in the bed of the truck as well. Just fyi.

Maybe in the near future, I'll document some more strenuous workouts that include truck pushing as just one station of a larger obstacle course. Maybe I'll film it... if you really want to see it...

Enjoy!
I sure do.

Reach for the sky!

In the pursuit of a goal, who do you surround yourself with?

Do you solely remain in the comforts of a group of folks that have similar abilities?

Do you underestimate your skills and talents, hiding behind people who are weaker than you?

OR - do you seek out the people who are WAY better than you are?


I, personally, like to surround myself with greatness.
I like to find the individuals who are super talented at something I want to accomplish.

Even though it ends up being a lot of hard work, I get the most self-fulfillment from putting myself amongst the best of the best.

Therefore - in my life as a fitness enthusiast, I like to spend my time with people who are faster, stronger, more powerful, and more experienced.

The practice of allowing greatness to encircle your life will ultimately help you to move closer and closer to your own potential. Especially in the world of fitness/exercise.


And as time inches closer and closer to the 2009 CrossFit Games for which I'm training, I have found a truly fabulous group of GREAT women with which to challenge my abilities.

Katie, Becca, Kris, Michelle, and Val (and soon to join us... Linda!) are some of the most physically potent ladies that I've ever met. Each of us has our strengths and weaknesses - but we seem to feed off each others' strengths. We somehow squeeze the best out of each other each time we meet up. It's been an absolute joy to train with these powerful females - and I will continue to look forward to our remaining weekend workouts, for sure! I can't wait to represent Southern California with them in a little over one month! Whoot! (that's for you, Michelle)



Show 'em how it's done, SoCal 7!!

Will you reach for the sky as well?
Give it a try - you won't be disappointed :)

Quotation of the Week

"Just because you're not sick doesn't mean you're healthy." -Author unknown


The absence of a cold or an ailment is not good enough to proclaim health.

Being disease-free or free from any sickness is certainly a good thing.
But it is not enough.

Complete health comes about when mental well-being is intact, when the body is well-rested, when clean, nutritious foods make up the bulk of your diet, when moderation is practiced, and when the body is given the physical activity that it craves.

And when any one of these things is missing, it is possible that the body could be suffering from a certain level of unhealthiness...

Stress, anxiety, depression, sadness, and negativity - each mental upset can bring a person away from true health and cause unfavorable effects.

Sleep deprivation and constant exhaustion - these challenges suck the vitality out of a person.

Processed, fake foods and preservative-filled, convenience foods - these substances don't nourish the body. Instead, they add unnecessary things into the body and they mess with one's hormonal balance.

Excessive amounts of anything are not healthy for the body.

And lack of physical activity, along with prolonged sitting and laziness - this common practice can age and deteriorate the body at a rapid pace.


Friends -
If we give the body what it needs, we will be healthy.
If we deprive the body of these essential necessities, we cannot claim health, now can we?

Can you claim to be truly healthy??

Let's be food snobs!

Let me preface this post by saying... I do love me some junk food, some processed food, or some fast food every now and again.

But, you know what?

Usually, I get cravings to eat those fav "naughty" foods because they are comforting, familiar, and oh-so-yummy. And I give in to those cravings because...
I get temporary amnesia about how I felt the last time I ate nutritionally deficient, sugar coated, grease-laden mystery food!

Why do I always forget about that unsettled feeling?!

My friends -

Once you feed yourself REAL food - and once you feel that strong, stable feeling of your body benefiting from the flavorful, delicious REAL food that you are oh-so-thankfully providing it... you come to realize that the over-processed stuff can truly be supremely GROSS!!

And the stuff that doesn't gross you out ends up making you feel gross. Especially if you're used to giving your body clean, whole foods... the flood of preservatives or excess, unnecessary ingredients can feel like a punch in the stomach. Yikes.

I just saw someone eating a flimsy In-and-Out burger in their car today, and it looked the most unappetizing piece of mystery "food" I could imagine! How can we be okay with shoving that kind of shriveled, preserved, processed, soggy grossness into our mouths?? How can that be a yummy treat for us??


I'm a bit disturbed by the "white trash foodie" mentality in today's society!

Yes, I am a fan of the occasional pizza, brownie, or burrito. I LOVE baked goods with a passion and I have chocolate binges once in a blue moon. I can be a white trash foodie on occasion, for sure. I won't deny it!

But on the whole, I try to be more of a food snob.

That doesn't mean that I eat plain chicken breasts and steamed vegetables for every meal. And that doesn't mean that I preach nutritional perfection or turn my nose up at certain "taboo" foods. But it does mean that I look for high-quality ingredients, I choose foods that have some sort of nutritional value, and I prepare meals that are both healthy AND flavorful!

I look forward to these foods - because they are not bland and boring like most people want to believe. Think "Top Chef" on a budget. Good, high quality, REAL foods... rich, flavorful foods... foods that have a purpose for the functioning of your body.


I invite you to join me in becoming a food snob for about 90% of the time.


And then, if you have some trashy roots that you need to revisit every now and again on your vacation from snobbery... go for it! Splurging on some despicable treats is okay now and again. But just be ready for that feeling of unsteady, sluggish, heavy, blah-ness. And use that feeling as a reminder that your "food slummin'" ways should be few and far between.


Til next time, fellow snobs!

Abdominal Wednesday...

Just like I promised...

The beginning of a short series on why crunches, situps, and other typical abdominal exercises are unnecessary!


Reason #1: Any exercise involving abdominal flexion and/or hip flexion, when done repeatedly and consistently, can cause problems in other areas of the body.

Mainly...
The lower back
&
The shoulders!

Lower back -
The hip flexors (those muscles running from the front of your thigh up to your torso - the ones that get super tight from you sitting on your a** all day!) are much stronger than the abdominal muscles. When doing any sort of full situp, the hip flexors will usually have to work harder than the abs. One of the major hip flexors runs through your body and attaches to your lower back. So, if you are overworking the hip flexors through situp movements AND suffering tight hip flexors from sitting a lot... those strong, tight muscles will pull the lower back into hyperextension. That means - pain and increased possibility for injury!

Shoulders -
Too much forward flexion of the torso ("crunching") will eventually shorten the abdominal muscles, pulling the rib cage down toward the pelvis. This unflattering adaptation rounds the shoulders forward, out of their proper alignment. So, if you attempt to do any activity involving the shoulders, that misalignment will lead to muscle compensations and... you guessed it... pain, decreased function, and increased possibility for injury.

Is that all too scientific for you?

Well, here it is, plain and simple...

Crunches, Situps, and any other exercise that involves high volumes of torso flexion will cause negative body adaptations and pain.

There's a better way to strengthen the stomach!!

Stay tuned for next Wednesday...
:)

THANKS A BUNDLE!

Thanks to everyone for their generous donations toward the benefit for Josh Birch!

Check out the original post to hear the entire scoop...

Last Tuesday, I requested some help from all of you - help in raising money for a family member suffering with Hodgkin's Disease. The request was last-minute, however (since his benefit was scheduled for this past Saturday!), so I wasn't too confident in my ability to raise anything substantial.

But, with your help, I was able to give my stepsister's fiance' a check for $300!

Wow! That's a pretty great amount to accumulate in only 4 days.

Thank you so very much for any support you were able to give. I am so lucky to have an amazing, generous, loyal pot o' readers.

Cheers, friends! And many thanks from my whole family...

Reader question - "How much exercise is too much?"

This week's reader question comes from down under :)
I know that I have pondered this same question - since I do love to exercise.
So, I'm sure many of you fitness enthusiasts out there have asked the same question...

Kim -
How much exercise is too much exercise? At some point, is a person being counterproductive by doing too much? I've read a bit about excess cortisol production due to excess exercise but it didn't say at what point this was a worry.

I also have read how exercising a couple times a week is typically sufficient and know that the way we eat is going to help us further along our weight loss goals (Fred Hahn, McGuff, Taubes). Besides having the time and enjoying the exercise - what are the benefit to doing more and if so, how much more? And how much is too much?

Thanks for your input-
Sybil


Alright, Sybil -

First of all, I think it IS important to ensure that you're not overdoing it on the volume of exercise. Too much volume can lead to overuse injuries, burnout, possible loss of lean muscle mass, and yes, excess cortisol. Since exercise is a type of physical stress, then too much exercise can act as additional negative stress. And the high cortisol that develops from too much stress will end up raising blood sugar levels. And as you probably know well by now, controlling blood sugar is the best way to ensure health and body composition.

That being said... our bodies can handle more physical stress than we know. It's not like we have to stick to a regimen of 30 minutes of exercise daily (or any other random suggestion like that). Each person is different. And within that person, the ability to handle certain quantities of exercise will change, depending on what is going on in that individual's life - or depending on what adaptations have accumulated through exercise (we get better at what we practice!). The things that will help to keep exercise from causing excess cortisol production is: sufficient rest in between exercise sessions, sufficient nutrition for proper recovery, and the ability to "listen to your body". Some days, against every good intention, it's just best to take an entire day off from exercise (some of us have trouble stepping away!) ;)

To answer your questions about "what are the benefits to doing more exercise?" and "how much is too much?"... Well, doing more exercise in an attempt to lose fat is, in my opinion, not a great way to go about fat loss and body transformation - and not a great purpose for adding extra exercise. Also, adding extra exercise in order to make up for a poor diet is absolutely worthless!

However, if one is performing lots of exercise because it is mentally stimulating, it is physically rewarding, it is incredibly fun, and because they simply LOVE the activities they are performing - then that is usually the benefit to doing more. There are definitely psychological effects of exercise.

Otherwise, I would much rather that an active person with specific fitness goals first work on tweaking the intensity of their exercise... NOT adding more. More does not always mean better.

Like I said before - the body can handle A LOT of physical demands. And this is especially true when we allow the body to effectively rest and recover. But... we know we're doing too much when:
1) we have tons of trouble recovering or we are always tired and sore, and/or
2) we are not seeing any results

Dr. John Berardi (http://www.johnberardi.com/) has suggested, from his research, that 5 hours a week of physical activity is the amount in which most people have reported they are the most satisfied with their bodies and their abilities. I think this is a good measure for most people.

Now, what all my rambling boils down to is:
If you are getting results and you are happy with your physique and your abilities... there is no need to worry about overtraining. But, if you are not getting the results you want, your eating habits are spot on, but you feel like your body does not match up to the amount of exercise you do... then you might need to cut back on volume and simply increase your intensity.

Quality over quantity!!
Besides - you can only sustain high-quality, intense workouts for shorter periods of time. If you are spending a whole LOT of time exercising... aren't you sacrificing quality and wasting your time?

Quality over quantity...

Also, yes, having healthy eating habits is extremely important in the quest for a fit body. No amount of extra exercise can mask a bad diet. One would be better off with an incredible diet and two solid days of exercise. BUT - more exercise is okay.

I hope that covers it all!
Thanks so much for your question, Sybil. And good luck!
Kim

**Remember!! Any other fitness/nutrition questions can be directed to kim@deliberatemovement.com