Something came to me today while I was swimming. Yep, not the first time a blog has come out of my laps in the pool. And in all honesty, I do my best thinking when I'm exercising. It's one of the main reasons I prefer to workout/exercise alone... well except for spin class.
Anyways, it evolved from a convo I had with my dad a little while back. We were talking about how odd it is that we have to pay to go to these crowded gyms and schedule it in to our lives, when in reality, shouldnt what we're doing daily take care of both of those things?
Let me elaborate. 100 years ago, had you opened a dictionary (did they have those back then?) you would have been hard pressed to find the word 'obese'. Wanna know why? People worked. And not at a computer. They were digging trenches, bailing hay, building fences and barns, climbing up and down the hayloft carrying stuff. They was burnin energy! Right now, I'm not. Pressing these keys and pushing around my pen come fairly easy to me.
So what's up with the title of this post? Well, what if I told you that you could get in some of the best shape of your life, lower your cholesterol, improve your lipid panel, decrease your risk for developing heart disease and cancer, and... get this.... wait for it.... get PAID TO DO IT!!!!????
"Psh, c'mon Alec, that's everyones dream. What, are you conducting some experiment and need test subjects?" -- You --
"Nope." -- Me --
All you have to do is decide that you've had it. Enough of this sitting at a desk in an enclosed office building in slacks and a tie. Time for some Vitamin D and fresh air. How? Well, there's construction workers, ditch diggers, the forestry department, parks department, farming, etc. The list goes on and on. By the way, I've worked 3 of those 5 jobs before. They were great.
Ok, so I didnt give you the answer you were looking for... sorry. This post was really more to get you thinking. Although most of you are probably thinking "Alec's lost it." Maybe I have. This has been a long, crazy day. Peace, I'm out.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Should you take a mulitvitamin?
The multivitamin, or MVI for my medical chart reading friends, is a hot issue as of late. Are they necessary or can we really get all the nutrients we need from food? Do they really increase the risk of developing certain cancers or do they decrease our risk? Do they actually shorten the life span or do they increase it by preserving the telomeres on our DNA? Do they give us a sense of invincibility (I had my multivitamin today, so I don't really need to exercise).
All of the questions above are legitimate and quite frankly, SHOULD be asked. Obtaining the answers to each of them, however, is a whole different story altogether. Here's a snap shot of how it all plays out. And just for reference, I'll use eggs as an example.
"We real smart science people here think eggs are good, wait, no they aren't... or are they? Yes, they're definately good.... we think.... ok yes, they are good.... for now anyways." And that sequence of events took DECADES to occur. Still think humans are the smartest creatures on the planet?
Ok, that was maybe a bit harsh, but the truth is that until we test these things over and over and over again with steady results, it's difficult to be definitive. And then you have a push from both the makers of Egg Beaters and their counterpart, farmers, who are trying to make a buck. And on top of that, the consumers want ANSWERS. It ain't easy.
So getting back to the multivitamins. Dietitians differ in their view on it. And really, that's a good thing. Keeps us on our toes. Keeps us learning. Moving forward.
Raise your hand if right about now you're thinking, "So Al, what's your take on multivitamins?"
Glad you asked! I've posted before that I take a multivitamin daily. And yes, I typically recommend it to my clients. Why? Insurance. I'm a realist. I know those reading this and those who sit on the other side of my desk are probably not getting in all of the fruits and veggies they need on a consistent, daily basis. That's not to say some people don't. Because to answer a question from paragraph I: "Yes, I think you can get all the nutrients you need from food alone. We just don't, that's all."
Take Home Message: Eat more fruits and veggies.... BOOM!
All of the questions above are legitimate and quite frankly, SHOULD be asked. Obtaining the answers to each of them, however, is a whole different story altogether. Here's a snap shot of how it all plays out. And just for reference, I'll use eggs as an example.
"We real smart science people here think eggs are good, wait, no they aren't... or are they? Yes, they're definately good.... we think.... ok yes, they are good.... for now anyways." And that sequence of events took DECADES to occur. Still think humans are the smartest creatures on the planet?
Ok, that was maybe a bit harsh, but the truth is that until we test these things over and over and over again with steady results, it's difficult to be definitive. And then you have a push from both the makers of Egg Beaters and their counterpart, farmers, who are trying to make a buck. And on top of that, the consumers want ANSWERS. It ain't easy.
So getting back to the multivitamins. Dietitians differ in their view on it. And really, that's a good thing. Keeps us on our toes. Keeps us learning. Moving forward.
Raise your hand if right about now you're thinking, "So Al, what's your take on multivitamins?"
Glad you asked! I've posted before that I take a multivitamin daily. And yes, I typically recommend it to my clients. Why? Insurance. I'm a realist. I know those reading this and those who sit on the other side of my desk are probably not getting in all of the fruits and veggies they need on a consistent, daily basis. That's not to say some people don't. Because to answer a question from paragraph I: "Yes, I think you can get all the nutrients you need from food alone. We just don't, that's all."
Take Home Message: Eat more fruits and veggies.... BOOM!
Monday, November 14, 2011
Still think the little things don't matter?
When it comes to what we put into our bodies, I’ve put together a list of changes that YOU can make and what those changes mean for you in the long run. WARNING, some of the numbers in the following list are shocking and may not be suitable for children…
French fries
4 oz (typical medium French fry for fast food) = 356 calories/18 g fat
When eaten 1x per week = 5.3 lb weight gain in a year
Doughnut
3 ¼ in diameter glazed doughnut = 240 calories/14 g fat/10 g sugar
When eaten 2x per week = 7 lb weight gain in a year
Pizza
2 slices stuffed crust pepperoni = 760 calories/34 g fat/2100 mg Na
When eaten 1x per week = 11.3 lb weight gain in a year
Soda
20 oz = 240 calories/65 g sugar
When consumed 1x per day = 25 lb weight gain in a year
Value meal
Quarter Pounder with cheese, Large fry, Large coke = 1320 calories/51 g fat/15 g sat/1540 mg Na/~ 90 g sugar
When eaten 1x per week = 19.6 lb weight gain in a year
Latte
16 oz White Chocolate Mocha Latte = 400 calories/11 g fat/61 g sugar
When consumed 2x per week = 12 lb weight gain in a year…. 5x/week = 29.7 lb weight gain in a year
Salad
Oriental Grilled Chicken Salad (Applebee’s) = 1290 calories/79 g fat/12 g sat/2,290 mg Na
When eaten 1x per week = 19 lb weight gain in a year
Alcohol
12 oz (typical bar size) margarita = 810 calories/47 g sugar/1440 mg Na/
When consumed 2x per month = 6 lb weight gain in a year
Chicken wings
6 wings with 2 T bleu cheese dressing = 540 calories/43 g fat/10 sat/1520 mg Na
When eaten 1x per week = 8 lb weight gain in a year
Spinach artichoke dip
1500 calories/over 100 g fat/25 g sat/2500 mg Na
½ order eaten 1x per week = 11 lb weight gain in a year
Appetizer sampler
2,430 calories/166 g fat/48 g sat/6000 mg Na
¼ order eaten 1x per week = 9 lb weight gain in a year
So remember, pay attention to the Little things!
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
The Follow Through
Such a simple, yet difficult to implement concept, isn't it? Tiger Woods and Peyton Manning have perfected it... although not so much lately with Tiger, but that's another story. And Peyton has an excuse. Again, another story. But I feel that it's an often overlooked part of success. Be it for obtaining a healthier lifestyle or fixing your slice. Now I don't typically like to talk about myself on these posts, but it's applicable here. I went on my last golf outing of the year about a week or so ago with my buddy. Beautiful course. Perfect weather. I couldn't hit an iron to save my life. If you know me, irons are where I'm solid. My "can't fail" clubs. And yet I was shanking every one of them, sans my wedges. It got so bad that I quit keeping score so that I could just enjoy the day (extremely atypical). I asked my buddy what I was doing wrong. He simply said, "your not following through, dude." And he was right.
I had taken the afternoon off, driven to the course, spent the money, and was putting some muscle and thought behind each and every shot. I was focused. Determined.
And yet I forgot such a simple and extremely important part of it. All I had to do was let my momentum carry my arms and body through impact and I would have been golden (ok, not golden because I'm not that good, but I'd have been a LOT better).
So how does this apply to nutrition and health? Look, if you're reading this, you are probably trying to obtain a healthier lifestyle. Who doesn't want that? So you get lined up with a meal plan... or at least a guideline of how to implement that healthier lifestyle, right? We've "driven" to the course. We've paid the money. We've put the thought and effort into it. But when it comes to weight maintenance and lifestyle, its the follow through that makes the real difference in the long run.
Take Home Message: Stay The Course. You'll hit rough patches, but they aren't cliffs. Think about the little things that may be keeping you from reaching your goals. Was it that extra couple of tablespoons of peanut butter, or maybe the handfuls of Halloween candy you had? It's amazing how fast the little things in life can add up and impact the big picture. Details count, so keep a close eye out.
I had taken the afternoon off, driven to the course, spent the money, and was putting some muscle and thought behind each and every shot. I was focused. Determined.
And yet I forgot such a simple and extremely important part of it. All I had to do was let my momentum carry my arms and body through impact and I would have been golden (ok, not golden because I'm not that good, but I'd have been a LOT better).
So how does this apply to nutrition and health? Look, if you're reading this, you are probably trying to obtain a healthier lifestyle. Who doesn't want that? So you get lined up with a meal plan... or at least a guideline of how to implement that healthier lifestyle, right? We've "driven" to the course. We've paid the money. We've put the thought and effort into it. But when it comes to weight maintenance and lifestyle, its the follow through that makes the real difference in the long run.
Take Home Message: Stay The Course. You'll hit rough patches, but they aren't cliffs. Think about the little things that may be keeping you from reaching your goals. Was it that extra couple of tablespoons of peanut butter, or maybe the handfuls of Halloween candy you had? It's amazing how fast the little things in life can add up and impact the big picture. Details count, so keep a close eye out.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)