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Monday, August 7, 2006
“Good habits that hurt you”
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
When it comes to our health, some of our most cherished assuptions about eating, working out, and body fat are wrong. In fact, some of our “healthy” convictions can be downright dangerous. Here are a couple of the most commonly made mistakes.
- “I rarely miss a day at the gym.”
Everyone needs a break from their workout routine - even Olympic athletes - for two reasons. First, your body needs new challenges in order to maintain or improve fitness. Second, overtraining can lead to muscle aches and tears, joint injuries, lack of energy, unrelenting fatigue, decreased immunity, even depression. If you’re gearing up for an event like a 10k, you might push yourself harder than usual. At other times, give yourself a break from the gym. Walk outside. Schedule days off and enjoy some social time with friends. Flexibility is key. The truth is that going as long as a week without breaking a sweat won’t impact your fitness signifiantly - but going too long without a break from your workouts definitely will. Doing more and more without building rest and recovery into your routine - does you less and less good.
- “I’ve cut way back on carbs.”
Carbohgydrates are vital to our diet - despite what the high protein proponents maintain. Carbs are the body’s primary source of fuel - for muscles and the brain. Eliminating carbs from your diet can lead to short-term memory loss, fatigue, lack of energy, and vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
Nutrition scientists agree that the staple of any healthy diet is carbohydrates. And those carbs should come from a variety of mostly whole foods. Look for foods that are as unprocessed as possible. Vegetables and whole grains are best, followed by fruits, high fiber breads and whole wheat couscous and pastas. The worst choices: cakes, candy, white bread, and crackers. The research has shown over and over again that whole grains reduce the risk of disease and help you maintain a healthy weight.
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Even if there was a Magic Pill
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
To this day, at any event I attend, whether with family or friends I am hit with the inevitable question(s):
* What do I do to get rid of this?
* What do you think of this diet?
* I walk, isn't that enough?
* What do you think about this pill I keep hearing about?
* Do you think I should do Pilates?
Most often times than not, these questions are not being asked in a way that is really asking for my opinion, but for me to support their position. To their dismay, I don’t tell them what they want to hear but what they need to hear.
My answer will always remain the same. “There is no single answer to any weight loss issue and/or fitness quest.” It will always be the three basics of exercise. Those basics are resistance (weight) training, cardiovascular exercise, and supportive nutrition. (But who wants to do that?)
Let me ask you a few questions:
- Can a diet give you muscle tone?
- Can weight lifting provide you with Vitamin C?
- Can running improve your strength in your arms?
- Does taking diet pills make you healthy?
- Does a high protein diet eliminate stress?
I can ask more questions similar to those above, however, I am hoping that you get my point and that you answered “no” to all of the questions. If you are not getting my point let me tell you again - There is no single answer (no magic pill) to lose weight, get fit, or healthy. No matter how hard you try or think about it, there will never be a “magic pill.” You have to incorporate a systematic, all encompassing fitness program to get in shape.
As I said before, I will not tell you what you want to hear, but what you need to hear. I will not pretend that working-out and eating well all the time is all that fun. However, by doing so, you reap the benefits of looking good, feeling good, and staying healthy.
For those who are incorporating a well-rounded fitness program, I commend you. For those who are not, I must ask- what are you waiting for? Get it going, avoid the short-cuts, and truly enjoy life.
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