Exchange the Scale for a Journal

67% of adult Americans are overweight or obese; 60% don’t exercise; 82% report having at least moderate stress, 21% still smoke and 56% have at least one chronic illness


Does this make you think about your lifestyle habits, maybe a little? That said, whether you are at an unhealthy weight, you eat poorly, you don't exercise, whatever- weighing yourself every day (even multiply times daily) is just another bad habit.  Let me explain: YOU ARE OBSESSING. How is that healthy?  Fact: stress (emotional health) has a huge impact on physical health.

It would be much more beneficial to start by making small, positive, life changes. Such as drinking more water, allowing yourself only one unhealthy snack (chips, chocolate, a beer, etc), going for a short walk once a day... Jumping on the scale all of the time isn't going to make you feel like you are making positive changes. And you know what, the number on the scale is not that important. Your weight fluctuates so much throughout the day/week/month and even if your weight is going down at a consistent rate as we all hope it does when we are trying to lose weight, it doesn't tell you anything about what you are losing. Is it water weight? Fat mass? Muscle mass???? The number on the scale isn't going to tell you.

Your percent fat mass is much more important and it can be found several different ways. The least accurate but also the least invasive tool- is the bioelectrical impedence, which is much like a scale but sends currents throughout the body (top to bottom or bottom to top, depending on the device) to differentiate between cells.  It does not tell you about body fat placement, which can be important, but it gives you an idea, over time, as to whether you are losing body fat (desirable) or muscle mass (sucky, don't lose that).  Skinfold tests are more invasive because it means a qualified physiologist, trainer, etc is pinching small sections of skin in anywhere from 4 to 11 different locations (i.e. the arm, back, stomach, thigh, chest, etc) but it is also much more accurate. The most accurate way to go is the underwater weighing. So fun! Not practical. Obviously, it requires some fancy equipment, like an underwater scale.

All of that said, Gallup has developed six domains of overall well-being that I think we should all be much more mindful of, while limiting our trips to the scale.

• Life Evaluation – on a scale of 1 – 10, how a person feels about their general life today and how they think they will feel in five years
• Physical Health – the amount of acute and chronic illnesses people experience
• Emotional health – how much people experience happiness, stress, anger, and even depression, among other emotions
• Healthy Behavior – how often people exercise, eat properly, consume alcohol, smoke and observe other proper or improper health habits
• Work Environment – how much support people receive at work and how they perceive they are treated
• Basic Access – the access people have to basic necessities such as food and shelter, but also the access they have to elements of a supportive environment, such as a safe place to exercise or affordable fresh fruits and vegetables

Ultimately, the changes that we make cannot be those temporary diet and exercise crazes. Something ridiculous like 80% of those who try this will gain the weight back (and then some). Have patience. Don't worry about the quick fix. Just take baby steps. Be mindful. That is what makes all of the difference. If you are aware of how your body feels when you eat this, after doing that workout, you will be able to make much healthier decisions.

I encourage everyone to write down how they feel throughout the day (before/after meal, pre/post exercise, sleep, etc) because it will help to see patterns, to understand what needs to be changed, to see how things impact our emotional health.  All six domains of well-being are important factors of our overall health. We can make small changes over time that help us to live full, healthy and energetic lives.

Crossfit Guarantee

Let us preface this article with a note to the wary- there are components of Crossfit that worry us and we will use this opportunity to share our fantastical thought processes about it- in the form of crazy and mind blowing rants. Please use your head and think about it for yourself while you read this.

I will first start with a quote from the 'What is crossfit' section of the crossfit website, crossfit.com:

We’ve used our same routines for elderly individuals with heart disease and cage fighters one month out from televised bouts. We scale load and intensity; we don’t change programs. 

Why would I want to do the exact same thing that EVERYONE ELSE is doing, but perhaps with a different load and intensity. I mean, I'm glad they, at the very least, have the common sense to vary that for each person, but NONE OF US have the exact same needs and goals.  And NONE OF US have the same muscular, tendon and joint balance of strength and "functionality".

Let's talk about what it means for an exercise to even be considered "funcional".

There's a new fitness craze out there called "Functional Fitness" which I think has a great fitness mentality. It's all about doing full body exercises that make daily activities fun and easy. Women are as much the culprit as men when it comes to doing exercises that accentuate certain body parts (I think it's safe to assume those are mainly the pecs and the glutes) and when it comes time to DO something, the muscles necessary to DO it, aren't the ones you've been working on... HMMM.

Another way to explain the principles of Functional Fitness is using the scientific terminology- Sport Specificity. Sport Specificity means that you are doing exercises that help you improve physiologically in the areas you need most.  For example- as a rock climber, it is extremely important that I have a strong core and I have good power output (among other things). Climbing (especially for short people) often requires a lot of jumping from one rock feature (hold) to another (this technique is called a dyno). So do you think I should put an emphasis on building muscle in, say, my pecs or my ass? Should I focus on running? NO. While those are fun and great, I should probably emphasize doing exercises that strengthen my core and help me jump better (among other things like flexibility and grip strength). So while I will definitely incorporate the aforementioned muscle groups and programs, I will probably focus more on exercises like glute bridges, planks, leg lifts, etc. and power exercises such as the dead lift, jump squats, power cleans and snatches.

When designing an exercise program, there are so many INDIVIDUAL factors to consider: What do you do throughout the day? What energy system do you rely on most? How much rest time do you/can you take between activities? How many days a week do you perform easy-medium-heavy activities? Which muscles do you use the most to perform the activity? I could go on. If I don't learn these things about you when offering my counsel on your exercise regimen, then I am not taking into account muscle balance, tissue repair, nutrition, and about a million other things.

And another matter of extreme importance- not only must the exercises that you are performing be relevant to your goals, they must be FUNCTIONAL. That means, when performing these exercises, the mobility of the joint(s), joint angle, the muscular contraction, the force production, the bone, tendon, and muscle strain, etc MUST ALWAYS be considered. In other words, your body better be moving/working/performing in the way that it was made to move. You are much more likely to be injured if you do exercises that are not functionally stable.

Now that I've gotten that off of my chest. Let's look at some of the exercises that are unique to crossfit. I will not say that I disapprove of every exercise cross fitters do, because some of them are fantastic exercises- when done properly. And among those exercises, most of them are not unique to crossfit.  Some of the exercises found on the crossfit website are as follow: kips, squats, clean and jerks, snatches, burpees, muscle ups, box jumps, double-unders, dips, presses, lunges, etc.

I LOVE some of these exercises- the ones I think are great for a lot of people include squats, box jumps, and lunges. Some depend on the parameters of the individual and a couple should be ERASED FROM THIS WORLD. Those, my friends, are the kips and burpees.

Why the HELL would you voluntarily do something as ridiculous as a kip or a burpee to your body on a regular basis? If you do not know what these two exercises are, please educate yourself. Youtube it. Something.

Before I explain my reasoning scientifically, I want to rant. Ok. Kips. You are using momentum to do a pull-up. Wuss. Man up and do a proper pull-up. You think you look so awesome doing a fancy little jump to help you do a fancy little pull-up. Give me a break. 10 years from now, you'll be needing back surgery and I will still be showing off how many REAL and proper pull-ups I can do. And I bet my guns will be better than your guns. I know my back will be better. Now for burpees- seriously- you look silly jumping up and down like a monkey! Can you please just do some box jumps, squats and push-ups instead? You'll be doing a huge favor for your back because about 90% of you burpee-lovers are doing a stupid exercise and doing it wrong (or should I say, worse?).

Here's my scientific reasoning: Those exercises are NOT biomechanically sound. You are putting a lot of compressive forces on your spine. There is no way to avoid it, you might be able to curve the damage slightly by keeping your hips up while doing a burpee... but the damage is still going to be there. You have absolutely no way to protect and stabilize your back while performing these exercises. So why do them? Sure, there might be a couple weird circumstances where you have to do a kip, perhaps like Jackie Chan and a whole lot of other actors have done during dramatic fight scenes in movies (or perhaps as a contestant in Ninja Warrior, as there are a couple of components to this physical challenge that incorporate kips) but I should think that those instances be few and far between. I'm pretty sure that doing more efficient and functional exercises that utilize the exact same muscle groups will help you a lot more when you do come across those crazy and rare circumstances.

The Story on Vitamin E

Did you know that the use of some vitamins, hormones and other illegal products as performance enhancers is a rather popular route chosen by athletes?  Did you also know that the use of athletic performance enhancers can be traced to Ancient Greece, 776 BC where athletes in Olympic games consumed hallucinogenic mushrooms and sesame seeds to enhance performance (Silver, 2001)?! Bet ya didn’t know that Vitamin E has sometimes been used for the very same reason!  And THIS ergogenic aid (performance enhancer) happens to be completely legal and commonly utilized during competition. 

Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that has been shown to improve aerobic capacity by attacking free-radicals, enhance the immune system and even prevent or control some forms of cancer.  Vitamin E (also called tocopherol) is lipid soluble and is able to break chains and protect the system, specifically polyunsaturated fatty acids (FAs), against lipid peroxidation by attacking free-radicals, which are produced during metabolic reactions (Viitala & Newhouse, 2004; Packer, 1991). So basically, it “eats up” these radicals in order to prevent any damage.

            During exercise, as oxygen consumption increases (I’m sure everyone has felt a little out of breath or winded while working out!), the number of free-radicals in the system increases.  Free radicals basically cause cell damage or cell death.  This mainly takes place during moderate to high intensity aerobic exercise (so on a scale of 1-10, you are “feeling the burn” at a fatigue of somewhere between 7-10) that oxygen free-radicals can cause damage to lipid membranes (lipid peroxidation), proteins and DNA. This causes polyunsaturated fats to deteriorize, which can cause the inactivation of cell membrane enzymes and increase ion permeability across membranes. That produces a decrease in muscle function- not what we want to happen! Vitamin E supplementation during resistance training (weight-lifting), however, will protect skeletal muscle by reducing muscle damage caused by free-radicals.  And we all want our bodies to be in the best “buff up” scenario possible!

            Quick recap: vit E seems to reduce muscle damage and maintain or even increase muscle function! Whoo hooo!  The RDA for Vitamin E is 15-20mg IU/day, which researchers believe to be best because higher doses may provide little additional benefits. SO, a simple multi vitamin will do the trick J Vitamin E requirements may increase a bit with endurance training because levels of Vitamin E in the system rapidly deplete with the exercise (Packer, 1991).  Meeting the RDA for Vitamin E should be sufficient for most of us.

Whether you are a smoker is important to your intake of Vit E- Cigarette smoking creates oxygen free-radicals, so a smoker may require a greater intake of Vitamin E to combat the additional free-radicals created by the cigarette. Additionally, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) suggests that athletes suffering from nutritional deficiencies may benefit more from supplementation than their apparently healthy counterparts. ACSM further implies that only nutritionally deficient athletes will see the beneficial impacts of Vitamin E supplementation on performance.  

Again, as always, we seriously recommend consulting with a Registered Dietician because it’s important to take into account dietary intake, smoking habits and the presence of nutritional deficiencies such as malnutrition, malabsorption and genetic defects (remember last week’s discussion on Celiac Disease!!!).

            Dietary sources of Vitamin E include corn, nuts, green leafy vegetables and vegetable oils.  Consumed as an ergogenic aid Vitamin E is considered to increase overall health of athletes by decreasing cellular damage and enhancing the immune systems responses by attacking free-radicals.

Why Go Gluten-Free?

Do you go to the bathroom frequently?  Are you overweight?  Do you get stomach cramps after eating?  Oh my god! Stop the presses! You have to go gluten free or YOU WILL DIE!!!!   No seriously though, you will die.  Tomorrow.  End of story.  Oh and by the way, start doing Crossfit too.

Going gluten free is becoming more common than people with good manners these days.  This is fine we suppose, except that the only reason to go gluten free is because of something called Celiac disease and we will talk about the truth of Celiac disease in a moment.  For now, lets talk about the fact that gluten free food is more expensive.  So not only are you limiting your ability to eat tasty foods, you are also hurting your pocketbook!  Both compelling reasons to figure out whether you really should be gluten free or not.  Moving on though, lets talk about Celiac disease.

There are people who would claim a food intolerance or allergy to gluten products, but the truth is, the need to go gluten-free is the result of a disease called Celiac disease, which is classified as a genetic disorder.  A food intolerance has nothing to do with the immune system, it just means that some foods cause gastrointestinal discomfort, aka tummy aches. Food allergies result when the immune system is sensitive to some foods and it causes inflammation. Food allergies are more serious than food intolerance because the inflammation can be local (mouth and throat) or it can affect the entire body, which may be fatal. Food allergies are usually caused by some kind of food protein, for example lactose intolerance is an allergy to the enzyme lactate found in dairy products.

Both are rather unfortunate food disorders, but not nearly as limiting as celiac disease. Now, this digestive disease affects 0.5%-1% of the U.S. population. That's about 1 in 133 people. This disease targets the lining of the small intestine and makes it very difficult to absorb nutrients like vitamins A, D, E, and K, iron, folic acid and calcium which can lead to malnutrition (Thompson, 2009). No good.

The worst part is, some people don't have symptoms or their symptoms mimic those of other disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, which is why getting tested is important.  Only 1 in 56 people who exhibit symptoms of celiac disease actually have it.  Some of the symptoms include fatty or frequent stools, cramping, anemia, weight loss, fatigue and irritability (Thompson, 2009). But because these symptoms can be confused with those of other issues, it's important to get tested to find out if you really have celiac disease.  Not a really fun test, it does involve drawing a blood sample and in some cases a biopsy. However, we would MUCH rather do the test than put myself through such a drastic diet without concrete reason.

Going gluten-free is particularly difficult because foods can be contaminated by wheat products during processing and a lot of processed foods are derived from gluten (you shouldn't eat processed foods anyway, but still).

Let's talk more about the diet itself- No wheat, rye or barley. Oats are allowed but you have to be careful because it can be contaminated. Good news in today's age- breads can be found made from corn, rice, tapioca, potato, soy, etc.

I (Owl, the Rhino doesn't have any friends) have a friend from college who has celiac disease and the poor girl BARELY survived our study abroad experience in Spain because her house mom had absolutely NO idea how to deal with her dietary restrictions.  That said, most people have no idea what they are getting into when they learn that they have celiac disease (or when they decide that they feel like changing things up and going gluten-free because its a "healthy" thing to do).  The 0.5%-1% of the U.S. population that does have celiac disease really should consult a Registered Dietitian to learn more about their dietary needs.

We do also want to mention that there appears to be an increased predisposition (5-10%) for celiac disease if you suffer from Type I Diabetes or Down Syndrome.

Our main reason for writing this article is to help people better understand their own diets. If you get stomach aches, diarrhea, bloating, gas, etc., you should try to figure what foods cause that kind of reaction and if you have the opportunity, go in for a blood test.  Whether you have dietary restrictions or not, it is SO important to be aware of how your body reacts to the food you eat and how you feel emotionally after eating it.  As personal trainers, we have always recommended keeping a food journal to record everything you eat/drink and keep track of how you feel (still hungry, overly full, tired, etc) because it will tell you a lot about yourself.

For more information about Celiac disease check out http://www.uchospitals.edu/pdf/uch_007937.pdf

In conclusion, we present the following observation about economics.  You see, if demand goes down, the price goes down as well!  So the more people who go gluten-free, the less non-gluten-free food will cost!  Awesome!  So since neither of us has Celiac disease, please, everyone else go gluten-free so we don't have to pay as much for groceries!  In all seriousness however, before you choose to commit to such a restrictive diet, talk to a doctor and/or a registered dietician to find out if you really need to.  Remember fitness is all about good choices, and you can't make them if you don't have all the facts!

Yours in Fitness,
The Owl and the Rhino

P.S. Please note, as always, we are not trying to insult with our comments, merely trying to provide more information to help you make better decisions.

10 Things Dad Should Do To Stay Fit

So, since we have decided to start a blog together about fitness(since we really don't know anything about anything else and want to feel important), we decided, in the spirit of Father's Day, to start with a blog about general fitness tips for Dad!  So here it is please sit back, prepare to laugh, cry, or send hate mail to one of us(probably the Rhino), and enjoy learning(hopefully) about fitness!


1.  Find a new form of transportation.
Dad- There are so many ways to get to work other than driving ALL by yourself! Is walking or biking an option?  Perhaps you could attempt busing or carpooling? Heck, this is the northwest, swim to work!

Owl: I have an ongoing theory that driving is the number one stress factor in the U.S. Everyone is rushing around, there are a million things to watch out for, you have to fill the tank all the time these days...I say the U.S. specifically because it is more difficult to find alternative transportation, but not impossible. The biggest reason most of us choose to stick to driving, is simple- convenience.  Driving can save time, but that's about it. In the grand scheme of things, it feels great to start and end the work day with a nice bike ride. Not only because its a great workout, but because it saves money and keeps me mentally present and focused (not that I space out while driving..).

Rhino:  So here's the deal, you can burn up to 250 calories per mile when bike riding (assuming you are actually pushing the pedals, so downhill does not count).  This means that if you have to commute 5 miles to work, you can burn almost 2500 calories per day when combining the two trips.  Yes, this means you can stop at the pub on the way home and have a beer (although I do not advocate drinking and riding!).  My point is, why go workout after work, when you can workout on the way to and from?

2. Join a recreational sports team.

Owl:  My dad definitely has his health and fitness flaws, but he has been on a rec hockey and baseball team my entire life.  Life has a way of making it really difficult to commit to a team or gym, but its SO worth it. I won't throw all my eggs in the basket by telling you all of the benefits of regular exercise, but trust me, you'll feel better and sleep better!  I personally commit myself to rock climbing at least twice a week.  There are several indoor rock climbing gyms all over the place and its such a fun way to spend a couple-few hours exercising. The social aspect of joining a rec team doesn't hurt either!

Rhino:  Cricket is awesome!  Wait, I have no idea how to even play that.  I meant frisbee golf, yeah thats the one.  Anyways, we all know that community provides you with an external source of accountability.  While I hate to admit it, as I believe you should be able to motivate yourself, sometimes it is good to have other people making sure you are taking care of yourself and staying fit!  So go out there and do a sport with your friends!  There are many league options available for all kinds of sports if you take a couple minutes to search Google (and if you find a Cricket league, let me know, because I and so IN!).


3. Get some sleep!

Owl: I fear that all of you dads work too much and sleep too little.  It shouldn't be mission impossible to get 8 hrs of sleep every night! By turning off that brain of yours and getting some shut eye, you'll be more productive the next day because your mind has had the opportunity to process everything you did throughout the day before and your body has been able to repair and revitalize itself.  Don't feel guilty for sleeping! It's almost POINTLESS to do ANYTHING if we don't sleep.

Rhino:  Why would you not want to sleep?  I mean, as a friend of mine used to say, "Man I love sleeping!  Sometimes I wish I could wake up, just so I could go back to sleep!"  So I could get sciencey (don't try and find that in the dictionary), and tell you how glycogen recovery, daily information processing, tissue repair, emotional release, fluid dispersal within the body, secretion of human growth hormone increases, testosterone initiates the process of muscle growth, and digestion rate increases, but I won't.  Just do it man.

4. Make dinner for your loved ones!
Dad- its time to do the cooking! No instant meals, no short cuts.  You'll find that the work is worth it.

Owl: My dad is an amazing cook. However, as the years go by, he becomes less and less ambitious in the kitchen.  Find a fun recipe and try it out!  Even if the home-cooked meal is pasta or pizza, it's going to be a lot better than the processed food you would otherwise buy and it'll taste better because of the crazy amount of work you had to put into it!

Rhino:  So not only will you eat healthier if you eat at home (still working on proving that one, but I'm pretty sure its true), you exponentially increase your chances of getting lucky!  The problem with restaurants is that although you may have an idea of what you are getting, you know nothing about the quality of the ingredients used in its preparation.  Having control over the quality of the ingredients you use allows for total control over your nutrient intake (more to follow in future articles).  That and I just like getting lucky!

5. Go for a walk with your loved ones!
Dad, take mom for a walk. Holding hands is not optional.

Owl:  Walking after dinner is a great way to digest, if only because it helps to reduce stress, thereby allowing your body to focus on the breakdown and absorption of your food.

Rhino:  Uh yeah, see above comments about getting lucky.  Ok, so the truth about "cardiovascular" exercise will be discussed in more depth later in another article, but here is a teaser.  You don't have to run or bike ride to get your heart rate up, and getting a positive, for lack of a better word, effect from "cardio" requires only a minor increase in heart rate.  So go for a walk and while the effects will not be identical to the people out running, they will be similar and enough to keep your doctor off your back.

6. Trade your ice cold six pack for a six pack you don't buy at the store!
Dad, mom is lying when she says she likes your beer gut.  You don't have to put away the beer for good, but little moderation here and a little exercise there will help you tame the beer gut beast.

Owl:  There is nothing wrong with indulging in an ice cold one after a long day of work, but moderation and balance goes a long way. By reducing the amount of beer, soda and "junk food" you ingest, you'll be taking a HUGE step in improving your health.  At the very least, I challenge every dad to drink a tall glass of water for every glass you have of anything else.

Rhino:  Did you know that alcohol is a testosterone inhibitor? I won't tell you how bad alcohol is for weight loss, but yeah, testosterone inhibitor = bad.  Aside from the, errr, obvious side-effects of it being a testosterone inhibitor, this also means that you will have both impaired tissue recovery from daily wear and tear, as well as decreased ability for muscle development.  Need I say more?  No muscles, gaining body fat, lack of recovery ability, and "other" problems doesn't inspire me to go out boozing.

7. Don't ignore your kids at the playground.
Dad, its tempting to sit down on that bench and relax while your kids run around screaming, but join in! Go crazy! Run around with them, jump with them, climb with them!

Owl:  Running around with your children and/or pets may not sound like much of a workout, but odds are it'll be more beneficial than a 45min walk.  When you use those short bursts of energy to chase this kid and jump around with that kid, your body needs more energy for you to do it.  Essentially, its a higher intensity activity and it'll burn more calories and "build" more muscles!

Rhino:  So if you don't join a league, just play with your kids!  Not only will it make you feel younger, but it will also help you stay active!

8. Avoid Fast Food.
Making dinner for the family is one thing, avoiding fast food for every meal is quite another!

Owl:  By choosing to eat only food that Great Grandma Bessy would recognize (i.e. nothing in a box, tin, wrapper), you will be able to avoid or reduce health concerns such as high blood pressure (hypertension) and high cholesterol.

Rhino: Not sure what to say about this other than if you think McDonald's is a good idea, this is not the right blog for you to be reading.  Done.

9. Do something OTHER THAN the bench press.
Sure, the bench press is fun, but seriously, how big does your chest need to be?

Owl: Being a female, I should leave this to the Rhino, but I will say this: you do not use your chest for nearly as many activities as you do, say, your back, your stomach and your legs.

Rhino:  Did you know that if you have a bigger chest than the man next to you, it is a fact that you make more money, have a hotter wife, drive a nicer car, own a bigger house, and just in general are more awesome?  Well, ok, maybe I exaggerate.  But the point is, there is only one major muscle that is worked during the bench press (an oversimplification, but bear with me), your pectoralis major.  Doing a pull-up works your latissimus dorsi, trapezius, rhomboids, deltoids, etc.  I could keep going but the thing is, no matter how many I name, the number is already greater than one and they are ALL major muscles.  The truth about fitness is that appearance means very little and the fittest person is the person who can handle the greatest workload and still be able to function afterwords (again a simplification and my opinion, but bear with me until a later date).  So doing bench press, while fun, has a low muscular demand and as such, does not develop your overall fitness.  So do some pull-ups.  Or squats.  Or anything beside Bench Press.

10. Go do some SQUATS!

Owl:  Squats are SOOO great for you because, let's face it, we sit down and get up all the time! And most of us do it wrong.  It is important to learn how to squat properly because we need to be able to protect our back when we bend over.  To put simply, squatting is a very functional exercise because you are moving in a way your joints are designed to move. And hey, you're strengthening your legs, your ass and your core (which includes your stomach and low back).

Rhino:  Squats are awesome.  We will talk about these more in-depth later (at least if I have anything to say about it!) but real quick I will make one comment.  Just as a trees branches don't grow until the trunk can support it, your upper body can't get bigger until your lower body is strong enough to support it.  Again, more to follow.

Notes:

Disclaimer- when we refer to your loved ones, wives, children, pets, etc; we are not intending to make any assumptions. We don't care who wears the pants, who you are cooking for, chasing after or doing squats with, just so long as you are doing it.

This being our first article here on Logical Lessons in Health, we would love to hear (well, see) any questions or comments you have. We will be writing a new article every Sunday and although this first article was fun, we will be much more scientific in the future :) That said, let us know what you are curious about in the health and fitness world!  Oh yeah, and Happy Father's Day!

Thank you!