The Cost of Eating Natural

One of my good friends in the health community is Paleo Mike (check out his blog at http://paleopa.blogspot.com/ although he is a bit lazy these days with his posts). Today we were discussing peoples reaction to organic meats, vegetables or heritage products in relation to the money they spend on recreational items. Last week millions of people rushed out to buy a new IPAD due to the fact it is .3 lbs lighter. This new product cost almost $600 minimum. But ask that same person to buy organic eggs or a heritage turkey and they scoff at paying an extra $2 per pound or per dozen eggs. A few posts ago I mentioned that while in the gym to maximize results you need to maximize effort. The same goes for your diet, to maximize your health you need nutrient rich foods. And like any quality product quality parts (or ingredients)cost more money. This is the same reason why people spend $1500+ on a macbook and yet an Acer sells for less than $400. There is a reason why McDonalds and other fast-food chains can offer dollar menu items while a similar item at Whole Foods can cost 8-10x as much (Headlines such as 'McDonalds removes chemical ammonium hydroxide from hamburger recipe'). If you want to feel good, lose weight and thrive (e.g. be healthy) treating yourself to the best food available is the ideal place to start.

Ankle Mobility

My preferred sneaker of choice is the Nike free trainer 3.0. Recently I changed shoes and tried the Nike free flyknit. The shoes are minimalist and super lightweight which was one of my motivation for purchasing the shoes. After a few days running in the sneakers I started to develop pain in the back of my heel. I eventually identified the root cause as Achilles tendinitis. One of the benefits of understanding your body and educating yourself about the human movement chain is self diagnosis and treatment. One of the major causes of achilles pain is lack of ankle flexion. With the minimalist shoes (e.g. lack of a heel) running puts extra pressure on the ankle when dorsiflexing (think toes moving toward the shin) and plantarflexing (think pressing on the gas pedal). If the ankle does not have proper flexion it puts an increased strain on the calf and the achilles. Long term pain can lead to tendinitis or long term injury. There are a number of ways to test ankle flexion. One way is to front lunge (knee aligned over toes) with the back knee on the ground or just hovering at the bottom. If the front heel raises at the lowest part of the lunge there may be some restriction in ankle mobility. A full body weight squat is another test. Again at the bottom of the squat both feet should be firmly on the ground. There are a number of tools to help with ankle flexion. If you have not already purchase the Supple Leopard by Kelly Starrett you should. In the Supple Leopard there is an entire section dedicated to ankle flexion and mobility. Other exercises to improve flexion include calf stretches and calf raises. Finally I have moved back to my old shoes until I finish my program to increase ankle flexion. Once I have finished this program I will give the flyknit's another chance. --rich **note this is not medical advice and a doctor should be consulted regarding any pain or injuries**

Just Bring It

Many of our recent posts on the blog have been about nutrition. Today we will shift gears and discuss a crucial aspect of training, the mental aspect. I was inspired by a statement from Jason Khalpia who finished second in the 2013 crossfit games. The hosts of the Barbell shrugged podcast asked Jason about this new website nccflab.com. For some background the website documents the program that Jason and his team do each day. The question was if Jason was worried about other competitors knowing his workout and possibly copying it. To paraphrase his answer he said he was not worried because he feels like no one brings it as hard and as intense as he brings it. This statement was inspirational but also very relevant to each of us that works out. 

When I am a client at Unite Fitness the coach designs a program and gives motivation to get through it. My only obligation or worry is to bring my best to that workout. Many times people go to the gym, fitness class, spin or crossfit and walk through the motions. What we owe ourselves is to give our best effort each time we step into the gym. If you are going to do Olympic movements on your own then hit it as hard as you can. It sounds simplistic but to achieve maximum results you need to put in maximum effort. Maximum effort does not mean you need to PR every time in the gym. What it does mean is that you do each workout with intensity and focus.To achieve maximum effort you need focus and this is where the mental aspect is important. Once you walk into the gym put the phone down, put your worries in your pocket and save the gossip. Prepare yourself mentally by remembering why you walked into the gym today. Remind yourself of your goals (dress size, abs, growth, etc).Once the workout is over you can go back to worrying about all the other ills or problems in your daily life.The Rocks sums it up best with his catchphrase "Just Bring It"

Mixing it up

When I travel for business I know what to expect from the hotel gym. Typically there is a treadmill and a set of dumbbells ups to 50lbs. I supplement this by bringing my own TRX and Rogue cannonballs. I design specific workouts for myself and am generally quite happy. Last week I was inspired to see if there was a gym that would offer me a solid group training atmosphere. Since I do not crossfit visiting a local box was out of the question. A google search of Redmond,WA area yielded Warrior Strength Training. The owner of WST was awesome and agreed to let me workout (for a fee) but with no other BS. As I am normally used to dumbbells from Unite and my hotel gym workouts using the different techniques gave my body a real shock. The first day we used sandbags for a variety of lifts including snatches and lunges to overhead press. The second day we used balls for slams and wall balls which were brand new to me. It is important to remember when performing a new movement to ensure proper form and the best way to ensure proper form is starting off with a lower weight. In the beginning the head coach had recommended a higher weight but I countered with a lower estimate not letting my ego override solid judgement. After a few rounds the coach understood my mindset and was able to adjust his recommendations for weight accordingly (a sign of a great coach/trainer). The workout, even with lighter weighs, was difficult and very effective. The added bonus was learning new techniques that can be incorporated into my workouts and those of my clients. Do not be afraid to step outside your comfort zone every once a while opens your body and mind to new exercises. Many places will allow a drop-in for $20 which can repay it back many times over. ---rich

Unite Fitness Decathlon

This Saturday (10/12) is the Unite Fitness Decathlon (UFD) which features 10 events + 10k of running. This year the events are paired in 5 segments and in between each segment is a .75 mile run with a 5k at the end of the 10 events. The website and more information can be found at http://unitefitnessdecathlon.com. I am participating in the event and you should challenge yourself to check it out! --rich

How Much Protein

Proteins are the building blocks for our entire body including bones, muscles, skin and blood. It has become standard operating procedure that if you are looking to add muscle increasing your protein intake is the correct action. Many companies and books claim that 1g of protein per pound of bodyweight is the optimal value for increased muscle gain. A website I use to track my calories/nutrition (www.myfitnesspal.com) recommends an astounding 1.4g of protein per pound (for my recommended daily allowance they recommend 236g!). But is this true? A new article titled 'The Myth of 1g/lb: Optimal Protein Intake for Bodybuilders' debunks the myth of 1g per pound. The article which can be found at http://mennohenselmans.com/the-myth-of-1glb-optimal-protein-intake-for-bodybuilders/ So what is the optimal protein intake? Many papers and articles listed in the link state that .82g/lb is the upper limit of protein intake where benefits were observed. The article also discusses that the more advanced your are in body building the less protein you synthesize due to the fact you are nearing your genetic limit. Walberg et al. (1988) found that lean body mass can be maintained with as little as .73g/lb. But what about bodybuilders you ask? They certainly intake more than .82g/lb and are very muscular. Bodybuilders use anabolic steroids or growth hormones which effect the natural chemical balance of the body. There are a lot of supplement companies who have invested millions of dollars in the myth of 1g per pound which is another reason for the proliferation of this benchmark along with the fact their studies/marketing as based on the bodybuilder diet and lifestyle. That being stated none of the studies mentioned any adverse effects to consuming more than .82g/lb nor does the article mention any issues. A new guideline is being established for this blog for protein recommendation is .64g/lb-.82g/lb. For a 170lb athlete that would result in 140g per day at the highest end of the spectrum. how does this effect your diet? ---rich

Short on time workouts

The number one reason for people not working out is the lack of time. One of the most time conscience and effective methods of training is called tabata training. Tibata training is categorized as high intensity training which essentially means short but intense aerobic exercise combined with short test. A complete tibata session is 4 minutes broken up in 20 second active 10 second rest for 8 rounds. There are studies that show tibata improves both aerobic and anaerobic systems whereas standard aerobic exercise only improves the aerobic system. A tibata set can occur any where and no weights are needed. You can sprint up and down your block for 4 minutes. A great suggestion from Mark Sisson is to try to 'race' yourself each sprint. For example in the first 20 seconds if you make it from your driveway to your neighbors driveway, for the next 20 second sprint run back and try to pass your driveway. Have only 25 minutes before the kids come home from school, string together 5 4min tibata sets such as burpees (or push-ups), body weight squats, jumping jacks, mountain climbers and plank. You have a full body workout without the need for weights. Tibata training is an excellent addition to any workout routine! --rich