Fitness Philosopher

Nutrition 101 -- It's What's Inside That Counts

We have an abundance of information available to us about calories and nutrition, yet a majority of us still look at our plates (or at the "Nutrition Facts" listed on our food packaging) and have no clue about the amount of calories we're getting with each portion of food that we eat.

As such, I thought this link was cool:  What 200 Calories Looks Like

Hopefully, this material will take some of the mystery out of the whole "How much can I eat?" question.

A couple of points worth noting:
1)  Calculating calories based on volume of food eaten can be misleading.  A heaping plate of vegetables (delivering more nutrient rich food than you can comfortably eat) delivers only 200 calories, while half a candy bar contributes the same.  Don't fall into the trap of thinking that eating "just a little bit" of something is consistent with ingesting "just a few" calories.  Is it any wonder by looking at these pictures that overeating is so easy to do? 

2)  Calories are important, nutritional value is more important.  Though the above link focuses on  calories, food choices should not be made solely based on the amount of calories eaten.  You may only drink 200 calories worth of soda, juice or alcohol -- or eat 200 calories of a muffin -- but what building blocks are those food items giving you so that you can build a healthy body?  If you view your body as a home, is your home built with an infrastructure of steel, concrete and oak or is it made of aluminum foil, cardboard and balsa wood?  Get your calories from high quality sources of food to ensure health and strength of your body.

It's all about Balance.

I'm always telling my clients about the importance of balance.  Granted, most of the time I'm referring to muscle balance as it relates to strength, joint mobility and integrity, but there are plenty of discussions about the importance of balance in life:  balancing family and career, work and play, workouts and recovery. . .   

As it pertains to training, living a balanced life in conjunction with a well-thought-out training program can  bring you amazing results; without balance, though, progress will be much harder to come by. 

It is with this thought in mind, that I bring you the blog of Penelope Trunk, the "Brazen Careerist."  I found her one night when, ironically, I was in a state of imbalance -- procrastinating much more than I was working.  Many of her articles, centered on her desire to deliver "advice at the intersection of work and life," emphasize the importance of, what else?  Balance.  So, if you're looking for tips on topics like goal setting, knowing yourself, time management, parenting or fulfillment check out Penelope's blog. 

It may just give you the advice you need to bring you balance. . . so that you can get the most out of your workouts.

My Journey to Fitness Blogdom (Part II of III)

Lesson II -- Take the time to discover the real you; FIND YOUR PURPOSE.

Setting goals is analogous to finding your purpose and it is a crucial function in any fitness endeavor.  You need to be open to your intuitions and let them assist in defining your purpose in life; let them map out a path so that you can fulfill that purpose.  In much the same way, specific goals have to be set for your fitness regimen.  It's not enough to say, "I want to be in shape" or "I want to eat better" -- not because those statements aren't meaningful, but because they're not specific enough.  Clearly specifying your goals will allow you to more effectively design a course of action that will make your journey easier and increase your chances for success.

"Find a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life." 

                                                                            -- Confucius

I was a little behind schedule.  While many college students spread their wings and explore all that life has to offer, I more closely resembled a hermit.  I rarely took time to heed the wise advice of my professors and friends who suggested that I "smell the roses" and enjoy life.  Apparently, I was hell bent on doing that after I'd earned my degree -- when I was supposed to begin my career.

As I left the world of research behind, my thoughts essentially were, "I don't want to be laying in my bed when I'm 95 wondering 'what would have happened if . . .' so I'm going to try every occupation that's ever intrigued me."  My experiences included:

-- Dealing blackjack at Mystic Lake Casino/Hotel
-- Temping for Lab Support (trying science in the corporate setting)
-- Bartending
-- Modeling
-- Bouncing

Throughout this adventure, I also focused on improving my level of fitness.  I'd always been around sports and competition, but weight training hadn't ever become a consistent habit . . . and developing that habit proved difficult.  I'd start for 1-3 months and fall off schedule.  Then, when consistent training wasn't an issue, I limited my progress with substandard nutrition and inadequate rest.  Frankly, I dealt with many of the same obstacles that my clients and countless others have faced. . . until my mindset changed and I matured enough to clearly define my goals and follow through with them.

And with this improved mindset, my expedition lead to the discovery of my soul's purpose -- during a workout, none-the-less.  My self-esteem had greatly improved as my body transformed and started to function better than it ever had.  I felt great, like I was becoming the person I'd always wanted to be, and realized that I could take this newfound love for training and use it to better the lives of others. 
"This is it," I thought, "I'm going to be a fitness professional."

I overcame my fears and took a risk to explore my deepest desires;  leaving me open to find my purpose.  I embarked on a career that perfectly blended my educational background with my desire to help people.  Not only that, but it pushed me to live to my highest ideals, to lead by example and practice the lifestyle that I teach . . . to be the same person publicly and privately.  This decision gave me plenty of opportunity for self-improvement while enabling me to bring people health and keep them OUT of hospitals.  As far as I was concerned, I'd found the perfect career; and from here, the future would only get brighter.