Nutrition
Friendly Advice
05/30/11 09:28 PM
A friend recently messaged me on Facebook and asked for some advice on how to get back into getting in shape after his wife had a baby and priorities changed for him a bit. Here’s what he asked:
Well, I guess I was in a talkative mood, so I had quite a reply. I’ll copy it below. Enjoy!
A very similar thing happened to me with the birth of my children (check out Couvade syndrome)...
As far as getting back to 200ish, I would start at combining strength with cardio:
Strength increases muscle mass in turn burning more calories and causing you to look stronger in turn causing you to feel better about yourself in turn causing you to lift more... It also fights the issues of bone density loss and increases testosterone which also helps burn more calories.
Cardio is the most effective at burning the most amounts of calories in the shortest amount of time. The optimal format is interval training. This could be sprinting for 30 seconds then jogging for 90—repeat. Or swimming or biking or...
If you enjoy strength and despise cardio, focus on strength, but get cardio in too. I would lift each body part no more than 2 times per week. You can structure it anyway you like it beyond that, but be sure to give each body part 48 hours of rest before lifting it again.
Running is just about the best form of cardio. Swimming, boxing, jumping rope are all close behind. Biking, jogging, sports, etc. are good things to do, but not as demanding on the cardiovascular system as, say, running.
I'd go for at least 3 times a week of 30 minutes or more for cardio. The more you can do, the better. You can combine the cardio workouts with your strength or do them at different times/days.
Depending on how you break up your body parts, it will take you a different amount of time.
If you did a typical upper body/lower body or push/pull workout, I'd say 30-45 minutes should be good. If you did full body, I'd say 45-60 would be good.
Design your sets around getting in about 25 total reps for the specific movement. E.g. If you're doing a bench press and you want to do 3 sets, do about 8 reps per set for a total rep count of 24-25 (5 sets of 5, 2 sets of 12, etc.)
As far as supplements, you should be taking a daily multivitamin. I use the Equate branded (walmart) Active Male or something. Nothing special. I also take 500 extra mg of Vitamin C every day.
The only other supplement that I am comfortable with and use myself is whey protein. My favorite is Dymatize. Look for low-fat, and avoid artificiality if possible.
I prefer to add this to my shakes, but it tastes fine with milk too.
The third area (which I struggle the most with) is nutrition. Since we are about the same age and size, I can say that your average caloric needs are probably at around 2000/day (there are online calculators that can help with accuracy of that number.) So, if you could cut 500 calories off of that number then do a 500-1000 calorie workout, you've gotten yourself a good caloric deficit.
Ultimately a calorie is a calorie regardless of where it comes from, but it is good to eat healthy whole foods whenever possible. Stuff like fiber and whole grains can keep you fuller for longer and eating snacks (with carbs for short term energy and fat or protein for longer term energy) are a VERY good thing. ~55% of your calories should come from carbs, 25% protein and 20% fat (does that make 100%?)
The most important thing to do is start. If you can just do one day/week and you currently doing zero, then just get that one in. Shoot for two next week, etc. Look for excuses to be active. Take the stairs. Park further from the entrance to the store. Play ball. sign up for a 5k.... etc.
Last summer I was weight training quite a bit. I was in the best shape of my life. Anyhow, we had a kid, and that does damage to the physique. So, I'm about 230 now, and would like to get down to a healthy 200-210. I want to do this mainly from weight training. So, where do I start, and what supplements (if any) should I take?
Well, I guess I was in a talkative mood, so I had quite a reply. I’ll copy it below. Enjoy!
A very similar thing happened to me with the birth of my children (check out Couvade syndrome)...
As far as getting back to 200ish, I would start at combining strength with cardio:
Strength increases muscle mass in turn burning more calories and causing you to look stronger in turn causing you to feel better about yourself in turn causing you to lift more... It also fights the issues of bone density loss and increases testosterone which also helps burn more calories.
Cardio is the most effective at burning the most amounts of calories in the shortest amount of time. The optimal format is interval training. This could be sprinting for 30 seconds then jogging for 90—repeat. Or swimming or biking or...
If you enjoy strength and despise cardio, focus on strength, but get cardio in too. I would lift each body part no more than 2 times per week. You can structure it anyway you like it beyond that, but be sure to give each body part 48 hours of rest before lifting it again.
Running is just about the best form of cardio. Swimming, boxing, jumping rope are all close behind. Biking, jogging, sports, etc. are good things to do, but not as demanding on the cardiovascular system as, say, running.
I'd go for at least 3 times a week of 30 minutes or more for cardio. The more you can do, the better. You can combine the cardio workouts with your strength or do them at different times/days.
Depending on how you break up your body parts, it will take you a different amount of time.
If you did a typical upper body/lower body or push/pull workout, I'd say 30-45 minutes should be good. If you did full body, I'd say 45-60 would be good.
Design your sets around getting in about 25 total reps for the specific movement. E.g. If you're doing a bench press and you want to do 3 sets, do about 8 reps per set for a total rep count of 24-25 (5 sets of 5, 2 sets of 12, etc.)
As far as supplements, you should be taking a daily multivitamin. I use the Equate branded (walmart) Active Male or something. Nothing special. I also take 500 extra mg of Vitamin C every day.
The only other supplement that I am comfortable with and use myself is whey protein. My favorite is Dymatize. Look for low-fat, and avoid artificiality if possible.
I prefer to add this to my shakes, but it tastes fine with milk too.
The third area (which I struggle the most with) is nutrition. Since we are about the same age and size, I can say that your average caloric needs are probably at around 2000/day (there are online calculators that can help with accuracy of that number.) So, if you could cut 500 calories off of that number then do a 500-1000 calorie workout, you've gotten yourself a good caloric deficit.
Ultimately a calorie is a calorie regardless of where it comes from, but it is good to eat healthy whole foods whenever possible. Stuff like fiber and whole grains can keep you fuller for longer and eating snacks (with carbs for short term energy and fat or protein for longer term energy) are a VERY good thing. ~55% of your calories should come from carbs, 25% protein and 20% fat (does that make 100%?)
The most important thing to do is start. If you can just do one day/week and you currently doing zero, then just get that one in. Shoot for two next week, etc. Look for excuses to be active. Take the stairs. Park further from the entrance to the store. Play ball. sign up for a 5k.... etc.
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iPhone & Lose It!
08/14/09 09:25 AM
While there are many health and fitness apps on the iTunes App store, I found one that I can’t live without. It is called, Lose It! It allows you to track calories consumed and calories burned through exercise. It has a very large library of foods and exercises and it keeps things pretty tidy by allowing you to put in your goals then it customizes your needs.
It is very much worth checking out, and it is free!
It is very much worth checking out, and it is free!
Disney Fitness
03/18/09 02:13 PM
I am at the happiest place on earth for the week with my wife and her family. It has been, and promises to be, a lot of fun. I’ve been here before, but have never stayed on Disney property. We are at the All Star Sports Resort and it is a fun hotel....but that’s not what I want to talk about.
Here are some tips we just used that you should try on your next vacation:
1. Keep exercising.
I know I’m on “vacation” but my body still needs at least some maintenance. The hotel doesn’t have a weight or fitness room, so I’m left to body weight exercises and running.
The resort claims they have a “jogging trail,” which sounded really cool when I read about it before I came. Turns out - it is just a sidewalk along the side of the road. Nevertheless, it works, and is still a nice change of scenery.
A lot of people consider all of the walking around the parks as their exercise, and while I don’t disagree that it is exercise, I find that running in the morning gives me a little extra energy to get through the day. I did a 4-5 mile run the first morning here and a 5-6 mile run this morning. My legs are tired, but I also know, I’ve done my cardio for the day (at an elevated heart rate). It also helps me counteract any excess calories I may consume from bounteous food options.
2. Bring and wear a CamelBak.
[To be fair, my “camelbak” is actually made by Trek]. Especially since Orlando is almost always warm or hot, proper hydration is vital. One really nice thing about Disney, is the ability to bring your own food. Since you can bring as much food and water as you can carry, you might as well as have it all on your back at easy access.
3. Share a meal with your mate.
We went to the Rainforest Cafe yesterday. This is a fun restaurant. To save money and calories, my wife and I ordered one meal and two plates. We saved a bunch, ate really well, and were satisfied. (We got grilled salmon w/ mango sauce and coconut shrimp with a lettuce salad (italian dressing)).
By sharing the plate, we saved at least $25 and didn’t eat more food than we needed (we were both satisfied with the portions we ate.) This kind of activity can be super useful if you’re trying to be fit and watch your wallet.
p.s. I did a report on genericide in grad school - CamelBak is a good example of it.
Here are some tips we just used that you should try on your next vacation:
1. Keep exercising.
I know I’m on “vacation” but my body still needs at least some maintenance. The hotel doesn’t have a weight or fitness room, so I’m left to body weight exercises and running.
The resort claims they have a “jogging trail,” which sounded really cool when I read about it before I came. Turns out - it is just a sidewalk along the side of the road. Nevertheless, it works, and is still a nice change of scenery.
A lot of people consider all of the walking around the parks as their exercise, and while I don’t disagree that it is exercise, I find that running in the morning gives me a little extra energy to get through the day. I did a 4-5 mile run the first morning here and a 5-6 mile run this morning. My legs are tired, but I also know, I’ve done my cardio for the day (at an elevated heart rate). It also helps me counteract any excess calories I may consume from bounteous food options.
2. Bring and wear a CamelBak.
[To be fair, my “camelbak” is actually made by Trek]. Especially since Orlando is almost always warm or hot, proper hydration is vital. One really nice thing about Disney, is the ability to bring your own food. Since you can bring as much food and water as you can carry, you might as well as have it all on your back at easy access.
3. Share a meal with your mate.
We went to the Rainforest Cafe yesterday. This is a fun restaurant. To save money and calories, my wife and I ordered one meal and two plates. We saved a bunch, ate really well, and were satisfied. (We got grilled salmon w/ mango sauce and coconut shrimp with a lettuce salad (italian dressing)).
By sharing the plate, we saved at least $25 and didn’t eat more food than we needed (we were both satisfied with the portions we ate.) This kind of activity can be super useful if you’re trying to be fit and watch your wallet.
p.s. I did a report on genericide in grad school - CamelBak is a good example of it.
Amy Mac
03/13/09 03:28 PM
I’m always poking around online for useful sites that can help us reach our fitness goals. I found one site that particularly caught my attention.
Recently, I was able to connect with Amy McIntyre from the fitness site withamymac.com. Along with running the website, she is a personal trainer with a varied background. Her site provides all kinds of useful information including videos, articles, and discounts.
The videos that she produces are called “Fit Life” and can be viewed online or subscribed to in iTunes. I find them useful and entertaining and Amy’s personality keeps things fun and light.
While she says that wellness is one of the most overlooked segments of health, it is also very easy, “to make changes to your life that will eventually make a big difference!”
Amy feels “the confidence that comes from feeling healthy, strong, energized and in control of your life,” is the best thing about being fit and that, “a great workout can make you feel like you are on top of the world and can tackle anything.”
Two other great things about her site are the discount section and the ability to purchase her book. The book was an Amazon Best Seller in the Family Health section last Feb. and March. It looks like a great read, I’ll have to check it out.
Anyway - take a look at withamymac.com and keep striving to reach your fitness goals!
I first met Amy via Twitter.
Recently, I was able to connect with Amy McIntyre from the fitness site withamymac.com. Along with running the website, she is a personal trainer with a varied background. Her site provides all kinds of useful information including videos, articles, and discounts.
The videos that she produces are called “Fit Life” and can be viewed online or subscribed to in iTunes. I find them useful and entertaining and Amy’s personality keeps things fun and light.
While she says that wellness is one of the most overlooked segments of health, it is also very easy, “to make changes to your life that will eventually make a big difference!”
Amy feels “the confidence that comes from feeling healthy, strong, energized and in control of your life,” is the best thing about being fit and that, “a great workout can make you feel like you are on top of the world and can tackle anything.”
Two other great things about her site are the discount section and the ability to purchase her book. The book was an Amazon Best Seller in the Family Health section last Feb. and March. It looks like a great read, I’ll have to check it out.
Anyway - take a look at withamymac.com and keep striving to reach your fitness goals!
I first met Amy via Twitter.
Drink Cold
03/02/09 04:47 PM
Stock your fridge with an ample supply of cold water. Most people need to drink more water regardless of their fitness routines and one trick of how to get your body to take a little bit more in is by using cold (or at least cool) water.
By drinking cold water, your body will be more satisfied and will be more willing to drink more than if the water was at room temperature. So make it a cold one next time.
By drinking cold water, your body will be more satisfied and will be more willing to drink more than if the water was at room temperature. So make it a cold one next time.
Archer Farms
02/24/09 10:45 AM
I had Archer Farms Instant Oatmeal for breakfast this morning and I tweeted about it on Twitter. Wasn’t sure if they spell it “Strawberry Creme” or “Strawberry Cream” so I did a quick search for it at Target.com (it’s a Target brand). As it turns out, it is called “Strawberry Créme”.
Anyway, while I think the food is good and tasty, I was thinking about how Target does a great job with their image. We are big Walmart shoppers in our house (to the chagrin of some of my college buddies
) but we love Target. This Archer Farms store brand is a great example of how they do just the little bit extra to give the perception of higher quality. They also have the “lower quality” brand of Market Pantry, which is imaged in a way to give the perception that it is good quality, but not quite as much because of its packaging.
Walmart actually knows exactly what they’re doing with their image (I think). Their discount brand “Great Value” looks like it should be the least expensive and it is (typically). If it was packaged the way Archer Farms is, I think many of its purchasers would feel alienated in the sense that they couldn’t “afford” something that was so “nice”.
It brings out the point that while there certainly are advantages to purchasing the “higher quality/more expensive” brand from time to time, a lot of it is just positioning and marketing to different audiences. Take a few minutes to get to know the products you buy frequently. Read the nutrition label and the ingredients list. These are the best clue as to the real quality of products.
p.s. Walmart does have a higher quality brand called “Sams Choice” that is packaged and positioned to compete against the name brands with more unique product offerings.
Here are some images from Google Image search of some of the brands listed above:
Anyway, while I think the food is good and tasty, I was thinking about how Target does a great job with their image. We are big Walmart shoppers in our house (to the chagrin of some of my college buddies
) but we love Target. This Archer Farms store brand is a great example of how they do just the little bit extra to give the perception of higher quality. They also have the “lower quality” brand of Market Pantry, which is imaged in a way to give the perception that it is good quality, but not quite as much because of its packaging.Walmart actually knows exactly what they’re doing with their image (I think). Their discount brand “Great Value” looks like it should be the least expensive and it is (typically). If it was packaged the way Archer Farms is, I think many of its purchasers would feel alienated in the sense that they couldn’t “afford” something that was so “nice”.
It brings out the point that while there certainly are advantages to purchasing the “higher quality/more expensive” brand from time to time, a lot of it is just positioning and marketing to different audiences. Take a few minutes to get to know the products you buy frequently. Read the nutrition label and the ingredients list. These are the best clue as to the real quality of products.
p.s. Walmart does have a higher quality brand called “Sams Choice” that is packaged and positioned to compete against the name brands with more unique product offerings.
Here are some images from Google Image search of some of the brands listed above:
HFCS
02/19/09 07:09 PM
I was just thinking today about an ad that has been showing recently supporting HIgh Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). While it is almost impossible to eat food that doesn’t have HFCS in it, we rarely eat the altered sweetener. Originally, I was just going to mention how well structured the campaign is. Take a look at this ad:
While I completely disagree with how the ad minimizes the effects of HFCS, I think it is very well crafted. This is because it gives the uniformed viewer the impression that HFCS is really no different from natural sugar and that any hype that is going around has no foundation. It says that we have no idea why HFCS is bad for you so therefore it isn’t.
But, as I was looking for the above ad on YouTube, I found a video response. It does a great job at answering why to avoid HFCS. Enjoy:
While I completely disagree with how the ad minimizes the effects of HFCS, I think it is very well crafted. This is because it gives the uniformed viewer the impression that HFCS is really no different from natural sugar and that any hype that is going around has no foundation. It says that we have no idea why HFCS is bad for you so therefore it isn’t.
But, as I was looking for the above ad on YouTube, I found a video response. It does a great job at answering why to avoid HFCS. Enjoy:
Chocolate Milk vs Whey
02/18/09 10:22 PM
My sister told me that an acquaintance of hers said that after a workout it is better (nutritionally) to drink chocolate milk than a protein shake. While I have no problem with drinking chocolate milk as a post work-out energy refill, I don't think you can beat a well designed protein shake for nutritional power.
For example, a common concoction found in my mug is:
Now, of course you can't have huge portions of this (it's not just nutritionally high, but also calorically too), but I don't think chocolate milk can match the vitamins, phytonutrients, and overall good fats, proteins, fibers, and carbs.
For example, a common concoction found in my mug is:
- Whey
- Raspberries
- Banana
- Low-fat vanilla yogurt
- Skim milk
- Natural Peanut Butter
- Flax seed
- Plain oatmeal
- Ice
Now, of course you can't have huge portions of this (it's not just nutritionally high, but also calorically too), but I don't think chocolate milk can match the vitamins, phytonutrients, and overall good fats, proteins, fibers, and carbs.