Have you ever thought of your body as a machine?  Have you ever thought about your body as a car?

I hope this is not you.

I’m a big fan of the car analogies with our body, so let’s just imagine that your body is a car;  But not just any car.  Your body is a race car.

Yeah. That about sums up my body.

Now, what do you think food is?  Alissa and I are often told that we focus too much energy on what we eat, but I usually tell people that we focus the right amount on what we eat.  When a race team is filling up the tank before a race, are they just throwing any fuel in there?  When they’re building that racing engine, do they throw cheap 30W oil into the motor, or do they carefully build the engine to use the best quality racing oil to keep it lubricated?

The disadvantage we have, is that we only have one shot to use the best fuel possible–  If a race team doesn’t know what they’re doing and blow a motor, they can get a new motor. . .  What do you do when you don’t use the best fuel possible and your “race car” breaks down?

Too often, people focus on what is pleasing to the taste buds, but don’t realize that what goes into your mouth is the fuel for your body.  If you give it poor fuel, you will get poor performance as an outcome.  Would you ever put 87 octane “regular gas” in your race car?

Sorry McDonalds, it’s not just you. . . It’s all fast food.

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Before really getting into this blog I would like to say that I realize many of you may not like what I have to say.  I also realize that the environment does lead to health and obesity problems, I just don’t believe that it is the full cause of the obesity epidemic in our country.

Recently I was talking with a co-worker, who is morbidly obese, about weight.  She was telling me how she grew up eating fast food and that all of her family is overweight… This story sounds pretty similar to my own.  The difference is that I decided to change my body, she let her “circumstances” dictate hers.  She is now suffering from many health ailments including hair loss at only the age of 33.   She said she doesn’t know what to eat to help lose weight, but as soon as I started giving her suggestions her response was “that sounds too hard” or “that is too time consuming.”

Come on people… We have to be responsible for ourselves.  We will not be able to change our bodies, our health, or our minds until we can hold ourselves accountable.  So much of our society likes to blame everyone but themselves.  They also tend to forget that we are in control of what we eat, no one is forcing us to eat anything.  Do fast food restaurants make it easier to eat thousands of unhealthy calories? Yes.  Are junk foods cheaper and easier to find than the healthier options? Yes;  But if you truly want a healthy body, a body that works the way it is meant to, a body that will be strong for many many more years to come, then you will make the sacrifices necessary.  Society may make empty, non nutritive calories cheaper and more accessible, but at the end of the day, we are the people that choose to eat the doughnut instead of the banana.

It doesn’t mean you have to eat all organic, or even 100% natural; It means that you find ways (like buying at Costco) to afford the foods that will be good for your body.  It means you cut out as much processed food and sugars as you can.  In a lot of situations, a healthy alternative is very close–  It just takes a little willpower and knowledge to choose the correct option.

We only get one body, a healthy body not only makes us feel more attractive and healthier but it helps us to live a fuller life.

Let’s learn to take responsibility. Let’s chose to make healthier choices. . .  And let’s not forget what most bodybuilders and fitness experts will tell you:  Genetics don’t determine your health or body composition–  They only determine how easy or difficult it will be to stay healthy and achieve your fitness goals.  You are the master of your own destiny.

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Here’s an important thing that everyone should either be aware of, or keep in check. . .

Serving size.  I often tell people that, while carb cycling, I’ll eat scoops of peanut butter straight out of the jar, but what determines a “scoop”?

These are the same, right?

Obviously, the leveled off Tablespoon is the proper “scoop” as this keeps your measurement accurate so you know for a fact you’re having half of a serving of Peanut Butter.  (A serving is typically 2 Tablespoons.)

So why is this important?  How many calories are in the larger, unmeasured scoop?  If you were tracking your calories, how would you track that?  2 Tablespoons?  3 Tablespoons?

This is why it’s incredibly important to properly measure things out before you eat them–  Especially high calorie foods like peanut butter.  If you underestimate the spinach you’re putting in your smoothie, that’s fine. . .   That’s a difference of up to 20 calories if you don’t level it off.  However, not leveling off a scoop of peanut butter could add anywhere from 30 to 200+  extra calories.

Measuring your food may seem daunting at first, but once you settle into a rhythm, you’ll find it’s quick, easy, and helps you reach your goals a lot faster!

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This is how a “support system” works, right?

Well, I am now done with 3 out of 6 weeks of my program to fix my metabolism.  It has been extremely frustrating and trying on me mentally.  I knew going into it that I would gain weight, and surprisingly I haven’t gained as much at this point as I was fearing, but it doesn’t make it easier to gain weight when you are so close to your goal.

I am also using this time to put on a little extra muscle.  Even though I am eating at maintenance my body thinks I am eating in excess so I should be able to add a little muscle before my body regulates.  And I could certainly use some more muscle in my shoulders!

I know I am doing the right thing, and that once I start cutting again I will be able to lose weight eating the right amount of calories instead of starving myself to get to my goal. The biggest factor in my success at keeping with this as long as I have is Gabe’s never ceasing support.  Once I start to question if I should go back to less calories he is right there to keep me on track.

This brings me to the point that a strong support system, even of just one person, is imperative in being successful with a new diet or fitness regime. He reminds me of the long term goal not just the short term gratification.

So far I have gained about 3.5 lbs, here is to hoping I don’t gain anymore; Only time will tell.  Sort of silly how hard it is for me to eat so much mentally.  I think perhaps this is a way to repair not only my metabolism, but also my mindset on food and how to properly eat for optimal health.

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http://hellogiggles.com/body-image-is-still-a-thing-apparently

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If ever you talk to me, or if you’ve read our posts, you’ll hear / see the term “nutrition plan” often, but what will be absent, is the term “diet.”  I abhor this word as it is the reason why people can’t seem to get in shape, and if they manage to, they can’t stay in shape.  It all has to do with what the term diet has come to mean. . .

No longer does it mean what your consume on a regular basis–  Now, it has come to mean, “Which [gimmick] do you subscribe to?  Atkins?  South Beach?”  That normally would be too much of an issue, except that I’m not “on a diet.”  I choose to eat healthy on a regular basis, and don’t intend to change this.

The other issue beside this is the inherent problem with all of those “diets.”  While I’m no expert on fad dieting, they all seem to have a finish line–  A point at which you will “achieve” your “goal,” and you can stop dieting.  Does no one see the problem with this while they’re doing it?  If it took you all of this effort to get to a point, what makes you think that you can stop this “diet” and maintain.

This, is my second problem with the word “diet.”  A “diet” should not have a finish line–  Rather than define it as “What / how you eat to lose weight for a period of time,” it should be defined as “The kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats.”  Because of these misconceptions, I only use the term “Nutrition Plan,” which keeps people from asking how many “points” I’m at for the day.

I am sure you have all heard the phrase you are what you eat, and it is true.  If we eat the foods our bodies really want we will have lean strong bodies.  It is only when we start eating things in excess that our bodies start to have excess.  So, my wish for you is that you can start to really listen to what your body wants, and only feed it that.  No more refined foods, no more unnatural sugars, less carbs, more fat, and more protein.  At first you may crave the bad foods, but after you wean your body off of them you will most likely never crave them again.  Good luck!

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Lately, I’ve seen this picture floating around on facebook a lot:

"Which one weighs what? You have the option of 120 lbs. and 140 lbs.

I’m actually very happy that this is floating around, because it demonstrates what today’s blog is about, and something that is unbelievably important:

When most people talk about dieting and getting in shape, they only think about “losing weight.”  Well, what weight do you want to lose?  Most people only concern themselves with the number on the scale, and do obsessive amounts of cardio to “attain” their “goal.”  Without any focus on weight training, the body will catabolize (read: eat) muscle for energy rather than your fat stores, and while you will “lose weight,” you won’t look any more lean until you’re on the verge of looking emaciated from lack of muscle.  The high cardio approach only works for those who are excessively overweight, and only initially.  You need a balance of cardio and weight training, and they need to be done at optimal times.

We need to “Lose Fat,” rather than “Lose Weight.”

When are those optimal times?

Glycogen has everything to do with fat burning.  You want to weight train when you’re not hungry, and when your glycogen stores are stocked–  This will ensure a quality workout and will keep your muscle from being catabolized.  That’s simple enough–  Just eat a short while before going to the gym. . .  Now, when you’re doing Cardio, there are only two times you should really do it if you’re looking for it to be effective:  Immediately upon waking up, and immediately after weight training (Though, with this second option, you shouldn’t do more than 15 minutes).  Why is that?  At these points, your Glycogen stores are depleted and your body is chemically correct to separate the fat and burn it for energy.  If you do Cardio at other points throughout the day, you’re burning off food that you ate throughout the day, which will prevent it from being converted to fat, but it won’t burn the existing fat on your body.  A word on post workout Cardio:  If you’re going to do cardio and weight training together, be sure you do the cardio after–  This will cause your body to burn fat for fuel since weight training depleted your Glycogen stores.  If you do the cardio first, you’re going to burn muscle for fuel as your Glycogen stores were already depleted from the cardio, and you’re body can’t readily switch to fat for a fuel source during anaerobic activity (read: Weight Training).

Remember, muscle weighs more than fat (Something the picture above is pointing out), and there’s no such thing as “toning;”  If you want to look lean, you need to build muscle, then preserve muscle, while burning fat.

So, the next time you, or anyone else says “I need to lose weight,” just ask yourself what exactly you’re trying to lose.

In the coming few posts, we’re going to do some new progress pictures, and will have a Vlog soon!  Stay tuned!

*Obligatory Disclaimer: It’s worth noting, and is fairly obvious, that this is not our photo.*

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Let’s talk reality here.  I know most of my life I was under the assumption that exercise was more important than diet.  I thought if I could just burn that extra 3500 calories a week at the gym then I wouldn’t have to count my calories.

This will make me fit in no time!

This mentality is wrong.  Unless you are an extreme athlete you are not burning enough calories through exercise to be free with your food.  I struggled for years with this.  I would workout 6 days a week and really push myself, and never see any weight lose or results.  It wasn’t  until about June of last year that I decided to try out a theory Gabe had.  He thought I was eating too few calories and doing too much cardio.  For a week I didn’t work out at all and ate the 1300 calories a day I had been eating before.  Guess what?  I started to drop the weight like crazy.

What do you mean this isn’t a good post workout meal!?

The healthier I have been eating the better I look and the less time I spend at the gym.  I honestly believe that diet is 80% of the equation while exercise is only 20%.  I’m not the only who thinks that–  Actually, we’re not the only one’s who think that. . .  This is a popular opinion.

I know that changing the way you eat can be difficult and time consuming, but if you are really serious about getting into shape and being healthy then your diet is the most important element.  I eat something every 2-3 hours throughout the day, and I make all of it before I leave for the day so it is ready to eat when I need it.  It takes me about 20 minutes in the morning to prepare my food, but it is worth the time.  Soon I will post a blog detailing my current nutrition plan!

My intention is not to say that exercise isn’t important, it is very important in leading a healthy and fit life, but it is not going to do you much good without the proper nutrition.

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How are your New Year’s resolutions coming?  Hopefully well, especially considering we’re not two weeks in.  We’re going to take a moment to talk about a common problem amongst those who set a New Year Resolution to get into shape.

It was only last year that I read about an interesting study regarding a phenomenon that occurs amongst people who group together to help motivate each other toward health and fitness goals.  In the study, one group they talked to was a group of ladies that started off the New Year by speed walking to help get themselves into shape.  These four ladies, after dropping their children off at school, would go speed walking through the neighborhood.  It was on day two that they decided they deserved a reward for their exertion.  They began their walk as normal the next day. . .

. . .  And then they would end up at their local Starbucks, where they would indulge in high calorie drinks and pastries.  They would then speed walk home, and started doing this daily.

The Perfect Post-Workout Meal.

Now, what does this have to do with the study?

Well, these ladies ended up gaining weight through their New Year Resolution.  The amount of calories burned speed walking did not offset the calories from their “Reward” for speed walking in the first place–  In the period of time prior to the New Year, they never went to Starbucks, either.  Now, they were consuming an additional 500+ calories a day while only burning around 200 – 300 calories.  This translated to 1/2 pound a week of weight gain just from their new morning routine that was meant to lose weight.

So what’s the moral of the story?  Don’t “Reward” yourself in an indulgent fashion.  If you’re going to give yourself a reward for getting in shape, limit it to something small, and once a week.  If every morning you reward your workout with a pastry, that’s not a reward–  It’s a new routine.  I’m not against rewards;  Trust me, I have plenty. . .  But remember:  Everything in moderation.  Let us know how your resolutions are going in the comments!

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Have you ever heard someone refer to a body type?  If not, I am sorry, because knowing your body type will help you identify various problems in your quest for goals.  To start, there are 3 somatypes (Body types):  Ectomorph, Mesomorph, and Endomorph.  These were developed as part of the theory of constitutional psychology by William Sheldon (Though the study of Body Types goes as far back as B.C.E.).  While those familiar with the theory may know that this study is generally considered “dated,” it is still widely referenced in the worlds of fitness and bodybuilding.  It’s worth noting that you can be a mixture of two types, but some believe that this can’t be–  That you can only be a “pure” type.  Moving on!  By reading about each type, you’ll be able to determine which you are.

An Ectomorph (Ecto, for short) is someone who possesses the following characteristics:

• Narrow Hips and Shoulders
• Thin Legs and Arms
• Very Little (To None) body fat
• Thin and Narrow Chest and Abdomen
• Small Bone and Joint Structure
• Ultra Fast Metabolism

Ectos are those people who are naturally cut, even though they have very little muscle.  It is incredibly difficult for them to gain weight as their metabolism moves so quickly.

A Mesomorph (Meso, for short) is someone who possesses the following characteristics:

• Large Head, Broad Shoulders and a Narrow Waist
• Gains Muscle Easily
• Gains Fat More Easily Than Ectos
• Very Little Body Fat
• Naturally Muscular Body

Mesos are the envy of almost everyone at the gym.  They are typically very cut, very muscular people who have to exert very little effort to gain weight, lose fat, and stay within those goals. Mesos are considered genetically gifted as their body is naturally wired to be very lean and muscular.

On a tangent. . .  There’s a bit of advice that bodybuilders will often remind many people of:  “Never ask for advice from the really cut guy at the gym.” Chances are, he’s a mesomorph who has to work only 1/10th as hard as you to see more results than you.

An Endomorph (Endo, for short) is someone who possesses the following characteristics:

• Wide Hips and Narrow Shoulders
• Wide Bone Structure
• Slow Metabolism
• Gains Muscle and Fat Very Easily
• Difficult to Lose Fat
• Soft and Round Body
• Often Possess Slim Ankles and Wrists

An Endo is someone who has a very difficult time losing weight, and typically, is naturally overweight. While they have plenty of muscle naturally, they also have a lot of fat naturally, which hides this fact.

You can also be a mixture, but there are only two of these mixed types possible:  Ecto-Mesomorph, and Endo-Mesomorph.

Now, keep in mind that this is the very small role that genetics plays in this.  While you can’t change your type, anyone can change their appearance. . .   Knowing your body type just tells you whether or not you’ll have a difficult time or not.

Based on the information, I’m a Meso-Endomorph (Almost exclusively Endo), and Alissa is an Endomorph. . .  What are you?

Here is a great article on how to tailor your nutrition and workout plan to your body type.  This will also be put in the “Links” section.

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