It's a NOUN!!

I'm going to say something that is not so popular.  Ready?  STOP DIETING!  Why would I say that, wouldn't that verge on being irresponsible?  Actually, no it's not.  A diet is not something you do, it is what you eat on a daily basis.  Typical Americans eat a high-fat diet with little to no exercise.  The reason Americans have become over-fat is simple.  It's not necessarily eating a high fat diet (in fact, fat is supposed to equal anywhere from 15-25% of daily intake in the form of unsaturated or polyunsaturated fats), nor is it eating the "wrong" carbohydrates or whatever the new fad is.  The reason Americans have gained so much fat is that we've become accustomed to not exercising and eating food-like substances.

I define real food as whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and meats.  There are many reasons to switch to eating these foods, not the least of which is that humans are created to eat what nature provides out of the earth.  The reason there are so many people who have extra fat and have become extremely unhealthy is the fact that most people eat processed foods that have little to no value to our bodies.  Clearly, eating the above types of foods would help create a healthier population.  

There is a diet that helps people who exercise get the most out of what they eat.  For example, someone who is active requires around 23 kcal (calories) of food per pound of weight so that there are enough calories to provide for optimal performance.  If you're not an athlete however, this diet still applies so that your body can burn the right fuel for the right time.  The ideal diet is about 60% carbohydrates (gasp!), 15-20% protein, and less than 25% fats ( William McArdle, et. al., Exercise Physiology, 91).  Carbohydrates like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are the best at providing energy as well as optimal health.

Further, exercise is an important part of the health equation, not just for the looks either. 

Regular exercise increases muscle strength so that we can get through our lives, as well as reducing bad cholesterol and the chances of heart disease, among many other benefits.  It doesn't have to be hard, vigorous exercise, no matter what a personal trainer tells you.  The American College of Sports Medicine states that humans need at least 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise 5 days of the week and 45-60 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise to lose fat. Exercising is not hard and will benefit you for the rest of your life.  

It's never too late to start an exercise program, no matter how old you are.  Change everything you've ever thought about the word "diet," it's not a verb, it's a noun.  You have nothing to lose and your health to gain.

I've Heard It All Now

Well, now I've heard it all.  Let me preface this post by saying this.  I do not think that there is such a thing as a "global warming" that humans are causing.  I do think that mankind does need to better protect and conserve natural resources both for future generations as well as for health. There is nothing wrong with being better stewards of our planet.  If you wonder what I think (I know deep down you REALLY want to know what I think ;)), you can contact me and I will let you know how I feel about global warming based on my own research of the issue.

Now that's out of the way.  There was a news story out of the United Kingdom that is saying that overweight and obese people are contributing to global warming.  WHAT?!  Yes, you read that correctly.  A team at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine says that overweight and obese people "require more fuel to transport them and the food they eat...".  While it could generally be said that most overweight or obese people eat more than they should and don't exercise, I fail to find the link with the whole rising CO2 emissions just because they eat unhealthily.  

Science has proven that overweight and obesity are multi-factorial instead of the one-size fits all solution: eat less.  Genetics, physiology, race, social status, etc. all play a key role in why people become overweight or obese.  This is why obesity is one of the hardest challenges that the medical community has ever faced.  It's not something that can be treated like an infection, cut, or anything else.  If it was, scientists would have found a way to treat it long ago and it would not be a problem.  

Even though someone is obese does not ALWAYS eat more than a healthy person would.  The type of food, the amount of calories in the food, how the food was cooked (grilled, steamed, broiled, fried, and so on), how often the person exercises (at home, in a gym, or outside), and the list goes on.  The point I hope to establish is that just because someone has excess fat does not mean they got that way just by one way: eating lots and lots of food.  That could be an explanation, but it does not take into account other issues that may cause overweight and obesity and therefore relays a distortion of the truth.  

It seems that researchers are apt to blame ANYTHING on exacerbating global warming, when in fact the link is not there.  The link to the news post is: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20080515/tsc-uk-food-climate-obesity-011ccfa.html.  Tell me what you think, I'm interested to hear what you have to say.

Bare Feet

Until recently, I was just like every other "normal" American.  My favorite shoe that I really wanted to sink my money into was the Nike Shox.  Stylish and comfortable, the shoe was what I needed for my tired feet.  Then I read an article on the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico and I became intrigued about the minimalist footwear those people used.  They are able to run for not a mile or miles, and not just an hour or a couple of hours.  They can run for DAYS.  To top it off, they do not use any expensive training or running shoes, but open-toed sandals like Jesus would have worn.  This article and my subsequent research has made me a believer of using less shoe and more foot.

Think I'm weird?  At first, I thought the same thing.  Until I did more research and realized that the foot came about through evolutionary design and is perfect as is.  Imagine this scenario.  An arm-wrestler decides to put his wrestling arm in a cast for 6 months so as not to damage or misuse the arm while he's not competing.  His muscles would atrophy significantly and put him at greater risk for injury when he competes with his bare arm.  Nobody would dare do such a thing!  

The same goes for your foot. From our first pair of shoes onward, we have been told to look for cushioned shoes that provide our feet with padding so our feet will be more comfortable. What we have done however, is effectively place a cast on both feet and the full musculature of the foot never develops.  Add in the fact that almost all people in the US run with incorrect mechanics, if they exercise at all, and it's easy to see where we have went wrong.  We have babied our feet and therefore we are not as efficient as we could be.  Our feet are weak.

Were it not for dangerous and/or gross things, the solution would be simple: go barefoot everywhere.  This recommendation is just not practical in today's industrial America though.  There are products that are sold that are good for your feet and training, but I'm not here to sell a product.  My recommendation is to go barefoot as often as possible.  When you can't go bare, wear shoes that have minimal padding and cushioning.  Work your feet, you won't be sorry. 

Environmentally Friendly Fitness

With all of the focus on people becoming more eco-friendly, I set out to investigate how to make exercise environmentally friendly.  It then occurred to me...we don't have to make exercise environmentally friendly, it's already there!!  What do I mean by that?  The following statement is my advice about gym membership (I've had my own before, too!).  You don't have to join a gym to exercise.  You don't have to get in your car, drive to the gym, run on a treadmill that requires electrical energy and lift free-weights or get on a weight machine.  

Start with our ancestors, who neither had cars or had a "personal trainer."   They walked, ran, lifted heavy things, and were generally constantly active.  They gathered food from natural sources, drank water, ate fruits and vegetables, and hunted meat.  The best example of how our bodies are meant to be used is the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico.  The Tarahumara wear open-toed sandals instead of the cushioned "best running technology" shoes we have in America.  These people wear what an American would consider very little on their feet, yet they are able to have races that do not just last a mile or an hour.  Their races last days!  Moreover, the Tarahumara are almost immortal when it comes to diseases that kill the majority of Americans every year, heart disease, diabetes, colorectal cancer, and such.  As author Christopher McDougall puts it, how is it that Americans live in the most technologically rich country inthe world and spend millions of dollars and devote terabytes of information to how to become healthier, yet we keep getting fatter and sicker?  How is it that these societies continue to not just survive, but thrive?  

The answer is simple, they use their body for what it is made for.  They exercise and eat right every single day of their lives.  They have no use for a gym nor have they probably seen a treadmill.  The corn-mash (pinole) that the Tarahumara graze on all day is packed with phenols, a powerful disease fighting plant chemical that beat out oats, wheat, and rice in the phenol department.  They do eat meat, but since it's a little harder to come by, the majority of their diet is vegetables, pinto beans, pinole, and small game.  Want proof the Tarahumara are stronger than even the toughest men and women?  In 1993 the Leadville ultramarathon was won by a 55-year-old Tarahumara man.    

See, you don't have to own a membership to a gym to obtain the benefits of regular aerobic exercise.  You can exercise outdoors, where your body will have to overcome natural obstacles. It won't be easy at first, but anything worth having (fitness) is never easy.  

The Green Issue

It seems that there are at least 10 new articles every day that focus on humans causing climate change, at least to me.  These articles discuss what we can do to stop climate change, and some governments have proposed laws to stop global temperatures rising.  That sounds funny, especially since last time I checked, I can't do a dang thing to change the local temperature, let alone the world's.  All of this has led me to think about what we can do to reduce our own "carbon footprint."  

The definition of a carbon footprint is what we as humans contribute to global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by driving, eating, etc.  Some experts say that to reduce our carbon footprint, we need to change our way of life by not driving, eating food locally, changing lightbulbs to more energy efficient ones, not watching TVs, etc.  Should we change our lifestyle, or is it too little action, too late?  Should we continue buying dirty fossil fuels?  Should we even bother?  

I was reading an article on the New York Times, where the writer stated that our reliance on "specialists" has driven the way we live now to an unsustainable level.  That everything we do we rely on experts to tell us to do.  We wait on government to enact laws, we feed the "agribusiness" CEOs so that we can fill our tummy.  We complain and grumble about the cost of gas, but do nothing to change how we drive.  We think, this is life, what can we do.  I have one option, something important I believe...what do you think?

I actually say that we should bother, not to combat climate change per se, but to use energy that is all natural so that we do not make someone else richer.  It is easier to rely on someone else, any child will agree with that.  Are we, as adults, really only big children who must rely on someone else to give us food, money, and the other "necessities" of daily life?  Waiting on the government to enact laws is futile, as far as reducing our carbon footprint goes.  Little has been done and indeed little will change while big corporations continue raking in millions of dollars to clothe ourselves, feed ourselves, for transportation.  

What's wrong with waiting on gas companies to continue powering transportation?  What's wrong with waiting on car companies to make cars that use less gas and more environmentally friendly?  Well, if you're waiting on those things, don't hold your breath.  Gas companies like Exxon, Shell, and their buddies, will continue raking in money as long as car companies force us to rely on non-renewable energies to power our vehicles (natural gas, biofuels).  These industries rely on each other for support.  With the money these companies are making, it's not hard for them to pay lobbyists for legislation that is favorable to them.  I still find it funny that Congress questioned the big oil execs about why they're making so much money and still getting tax breaks.  The oil execs were being questioned about why they are making so much money, which is what they are supposed to do.  They are in the business to make money, just as everyone else in every other occupation.

We, as consumers, have the most power in our economy (70% of the economy is based on consumer spending).  Make your money count for something.  

It's time for those questions to be answered by myself as well as you.  I understand that some things cost money, there's no denying that.  I remember thinking that in the year 2000, there would be flying cars that would be powered by the sun.  I contend that some things are meant to be free and accessible to all, not just the powerful few.  I also contend that we, as Americans, need to eliminate our need for foreign oil, especially based on what the president of Iran stated just Friday.  He said that oil prices at $115 per barrel are too cheap and that oil must "discover" it's real value.  As crazy as he is, he's correct on that one statement.  For the balance of power to change, all OPEC has to do is influence the rise of prices enough so that oil consuming countries come to their knees.  Do you believe in energy independence?  I think we all should.

Oh Yea!

Well, this has nothing to do with the purpose of the site, but I just wanted to let everyone know that reads that I got accepted to UNC-Chapel Hill's School of Pharmacy for a doctorate (Ph.D.) in Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy.  :)  Albeit, it's conditional on 1 class that I have to take in stats, but I'm still accepted!

First Tips

There are tons of personal trainers in gyms, but there are few that have degrees.  A quick internet search of "personal trainer certification" returned 317,000 results, but there are only 9 organizations that are certified by the National Commission on Certifying Agencies.  Of those 9, only 2 require at least a Bachelor's degree, the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and the American Council on Exercise (ACE).  The American College of Sports Medicine requires at least an Associates or Bachelor's degree for their certifications.  

What does the above paragraph mean for you?  Well, if you went to a gym and wanted a personal trainer would you want a knowledgeable professional who has spent years studying human anatomy, human physiology, human biomechanics, exercise physiology, and has some previous work experience, or someone who paid a fee, got a workbook, and got certified as a personal trainer?  I think we all know whom we would prefer.  But, there are things you can do so that you receive a personal trainer who is knowledgeable and can actually educate you.  

1). Look for trainers who are certified by the American College of Sports Medicine, National Strength and Conditioning Association, or the American Council on Exercise.  If they are not certified by these agencies, ask if they have at least a bachelor's degree from a university.  Some trainers can be certified by other agencies, but make sure they have a degree.

2). Ask if the trainer believes if they will be a permanent part of your gym experience.  Good trainers will help you taper off of their services.

3). Ask questions about the exercises you are doing and why you are doing them.  These trainers can give you in-depth answers that are unmatched by uneducated trainers who may tell you to do an exercise, but have no clue why you are doing it.  They just know what they were told.

I hope these tips help you in discerning the right personal trainer for you as well as keep you and your body healthy and safe.