I Have To......

With a somewhat dutiful expression he said, "I have to go for a run this afternoon."  My reply, "you get to go for a run this afternoon."  This has been my response to people way too often recently.  You see, as a Health and Fitness Coach it is my responsibility to assist people to make positive, lasting changes in their lives.  While the above exchange does show a level of commitment from my friend (not a client) to his training program, it also shows an interesting relationship that many of us, myself included at times, have with exercise - workouts, going to the gym, runs, biking, suffer-fests, pumping iron (does anyone say that since the early 90's?).  Whatever you call your times of activity, too many of us see it as something to just get through or to endure - something "I have to do."

Years of working as a firefighter and paramedic have helped to shape how I view the world around me.  None of us are guaranteed tomorrow.  This is something many of us often hear and it sounds like a nice proverb or word of wisdom.  However, I count myself as "fortunate" to have seen countless examples of this truth - of lives cut short and the pain left behind with their families and loved ones.

Wait a minute I thought this blog was about fitness, running and all things that can make me feel good!  It is, but it is also about our thought patterns, attitudes, and my approach to coaching as much as anything.

My response in the opening lines was shaped by the most recent event that brought back memories of my days as a firefighter/paramedic. An acquaintance of mine was recently seriously injured in a mountain biking accident. Being a very active person, I'm sure she would love to be able to go out for a run, ride, or anything rather than laying in that hospital bed.

So, the next time you are talking to someone about the fact that you "have to go to the gym,"
"have to go for a run," etc. take just a moment to rephrase your statement to "I get to go......."  It might just be the change needed to help get you to your health and fitness goals.

So Much To Be Thankful For

It has been a while since my last post; amazing how times clicks on by!  What has struck me this past month, more than ever before, is the importance of slowing down.  I know it is so hard to do; society tells us the exact opposite.  Hurry and buy this on Thanksgiving Day instead of on crazy Black Friday, rush to get the shopping done, rush to make dinner.  The list of things to do will never get done.  And you know what, it's okay.  I have found that if the list and the tasks it contains are the focus, I miss out on the moments, the moments that really matter!  6:00pm - me thinking, "I gotta check this email and respond to it because it's from a new client," and I start typing on my phone.  Logan, "Dad it's after dinner play time, put the phone away!"  He was right plain and simple.  There will always be "other" things vying for my attention.  Having worked as a firefighter/ paramedic for over the last 10 years has allowed me the opportunity to see many people die well before their time.  I say opportunity because it has given me a perspective on my own life and what is truly important.  As I spend time with my kiddos, I try not to let a teaching moment go by.  This means that I have to be completely engaged with them and what is going on.  I have by no means perfected this.  I was recently reminded by someone that I truly love and respect, that for all those other times when I don't do it as well as I would like, God covers them with his grace.  But it is a conscious choice that I have to make moment by moment.  I have been struck by the fact that with a little organization of each day the, "Big Things" get mostly done, and the "most important things" stay the most important.  Slow down a little.  The list will always be there, enjoy your journey and those that are in your life to share it.  Happy Thanksgiving!

A good friend of mine, who is much better with the written word than me, wrote a great post earlier this month regarding family and those little teaching moments that are so important. Here's the link; I think it's worth a read.


   http://inthelionsname.blogspot.com/2013/11/thanksgiving-tradition-window-on-our.html

Is Coffee a Miracle Food?

That Morning Cup

 

 

 

Like many of you, I start my morning off with a cup of coffee.  My wife calls me a bit of a coffee snob; she is probably right.  I have my favorite roaster and like to point out what subtle nuances of other coffees I do not like.  Too much of a citrus and floral note in that one, too much of a spicy finish on that one.  When we go on vacation, I know how much she loves hearing my commentary on the coffee that our Bed and Breakfast or Hotel is serving.  Side note, if you are going on vacation and need coffee stop recommendations, I can probably steer you in the right direction.

 

As I mentioned in my Facebook post last night, the media often leads us to wonder whether our morning cup is good for our health or bad for it.  It seems like every week a new study comes out that contradicts the last one.  Coffee is not alone in this, it happens for all types of food and drink, especially those most of us consume on some type of regular basis.  I have heard many conversations that go something like this, "I heard the other day that drinking coffee can help lower your chance of heart disease."  Next week it will be, "I heard on the news that  drinking coffee can increase your risk of heart disease."  The word coffee could be replaced with a multitude of items we eat and drink each day.  The answer to whether it is good or bad for you most likely lies in your parents.  Without going into the whole science based explanation and putting many of you to sleep, just start getting to know the word NUTRIGENOMICS.  Some of you technical types may have already know that this relatively new science essentially looks at an individual's genes and studies how they respond to the chemicals that make up our foods.  There is a good chance that in the next five to ten years this science will start to explain why different people have different reactions to given food items (the whole spectrum from weight loss, to food sensitivities, to cancer).  Personally, I'm hoping that means that they find a favorable Butterfinger candy bar gene because, confession here, I took three of them out of my son's trick-or-treat bucket when we were strolling the streets last night.

 

Seriously though, most of us have a pretty good idea what we should be eating and what we should not.  I think most would agree that Butterfingers would fall into the "not" category.  So, before you get even more frustrated with the media, remember that they are just doing their job of highlighting the latest headlines and rarely have time to tell the whole story.  I will still fall back on what my nutrition professor said many times to us.  "Eat really, really good most of the time, and enjoy your food."  For me this means working towards getting my plate to contain mostly vegetables, some fruit, some lean type of protein and small amount of healthy fats, along with a reasonable amount of minimally refined carbohydrates.  I say working towards because, like most people, I probably do not eat as many vegetables as I should and I'm continually trying to find creative ways of getting them into my diet.  

 

So, the take home message is this - the next time you hear about a "miracle" food or diet, the answer is that for some people it may be beneficial.  But for some people it may not.  Do not let yourself get tossed back and forth by all of the information out there (especially in the media).  If you have specific goals, whether fat loss, muscle gain, or performance sports related, and are having a hard time getting there ask yourself, "Is my current way of eating helping me, or is it hindering me?"  Most of us should be getting more fresh vegetables, good lean protein, and less starchy carbohydrates.  Focusing on these things will get you much farther than the latest "miracle food."

 

That's enough for today, I need to go make my one cup of coffee for the day.  Below is a link to a full article on coffee and nutrigenomics, by John Berardi, PhD.

 

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-berardi-phd/coffee-health-benefits_b_3881377.html

 



Most Overlooked Aspect of Health

I was painfully reminded the other day one of the reasons sleep is so important. I had a headache painful enough to make me feel nauseated and to stand up to any painkillers in my cabinet.  It was a full on open the vise, insert head, and tighten, headache.  I will also not call it a migraine, or even the worst headache I have ever had, but it was a doozy.  I have friends who suffer from recurrent diagnosed migraine headaches.  This post is not about those folks (although I certainly empathize with them and hope that they can find some sort of helpful treatment).  This is about those of us who have odd sleep schedules due to work, kids, stress, too much Facebook at night, gaming into the wee hours, etc...

My particular headache was likely the product of lack of sleep from work, trying to start a new career, and all the normal activities of life.  Those of you who know me, are aware that my career as a firefighter/paramedic does not lend itself to great sleep at night while on duty.  Then the next two days and nights off are spent trying to catch up on sleep before it starts all over again.  When you have small children, a lot of projects at home, and an overdeveloped need to accomplish things, catching up can be a real challenge.  Actually, those who study sleep say you really can't make up for lost sleep by "catching up" anyway.  And as you have probably heard or read by now, consistent sleep deficiencies can have a negative impact on overall health, including weight loss and fitness goals.  I have recently spent some time researching sleep and wanted to share a few helpful tips for improving this aspect of health.

Increase melatonin production.  
This happens when it is dark!  What this means, obviously, is that you should eliminate sources of light.  At my house this means put a piece of black paper over the glaringly bright light of the video baby monitor.  Don't get me wrong, every overly paranoid parent, especially those who have seen too much in their line of work, should have one of these fabulous devices. But maybe just being woken up by the audible noises that the little one makes is enough.  Turn your cell phone upside down or off.  Turn off all other lights, at least in your sleeping space, if not in the whole house (if you have a sleepwalker you might need a night light in the hall so you can help him find his way back to his room).  Other sources of light can be taped over with black electrical tape if needed.

White noise.  
A quiet air filter helps drown out the noise of the baby monitor (the normal night time noises they make in their sleep, not the actual crying if they wake up). Plus it cancels out the tinnitus in my left ear!  There are also several great apps on your smart device that can help, some will even fade out after a predetermined amount of time.

Put away all electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime.  
Hmm...that's a tough one for me, and I suspect a lot of you.  When else is a dad of two great, energetic kids going to work on getting his business off the ground, or do one of the other twenty things that need to be done on the computer?  Certainly not when those little fingers are trying to push all the buttons!  Stats show that the time most people are on Facebook is late in the evening (don't check the time of my most recent post).  Seriously though, creating a bed time transition period of 30 minutes where you are turning off the lights, electronics, and winding down can help immensely. 

Brain DumpThis is probably one of the best tips for very busy people.  Basically, take 5 minutes prior to winding down for bed to write out 3 to 5 of the most important things you have to do the next day.  This will help clear your head so you can rest without your mind spinning and keeping you awake longer (this one is so me!).  It will also help with your productivity the next day.

Technology to help sleep? What?
First is a wake-up light.  One I have read about is Biobrite, but I'm sure there are others out there. They basically work on the premise that being slowly awoken by steadily increasing light will cause a person to be more alert and relaxed.  I am very intrigued by this idea and think I'll put it on my Christmas list!  

There are also apps for your smart phone that claim to sync with your natural sleep cycle by monitoring your body movement as you sleep and correlating that to your depth of sleep. The app then wakes you during one of the lighter parts of your sleep cycle.  This sounds promising.  However, in my house, between the air filter and the baby monitor, I'm not sure that the 'ultra sensitive' accelerometer in my smart phone would even be able to detect a small explosion.  Tonight may be the night the baby monitor gets unplugged...

I have not tried any of these options yet but am intrigued to find out if any of you have and hear about your experience. 

For more on this topic, head on over to Precision Nutrition blog link posted below.  Thanks for reading and have a better night sleep.    

Jon

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/hacking-sleep

What is good food?

Blog post #2 finally If you read my last post, you know that I enjoy food! I was going to write "I enjoy good food," and it got me thinking about definitions. The word 'good' itself can mean so many things. Some things taste really good but as I eat them, I'm pretty sure I can feel my artery walls slamming shut. 'Good' can also mean healthful, tasty food. There's not much better than a piece of wild salmon just off the grill, caught earlier in the day by my five year old son while both grandpas cheered him on, paired with a fresh garden salad containing more than 6 kinds of fresh veggies, along with a small handful of toasted hazelnuts and a small amount of dressing. Yes I said dressing! If the latest diet craze has you thinking once again that you must avoid all fat and eat that pile of plain yard, like a bunny, leaving you feeling like a deprived, food martyr who must suffer through another bout of veggie torture, then again run the other way. Fat helps with flavor, no way around it. Just take some time to think and educate yourself on exactly what fat you are using and how much. Hoping that my son can kick the Hidden Valley Ranch habit soon, but for now I will continue to buy stock in the parent company as he dredges more food items than I care to list through the stuff. I know we all have different tastes and each of us have likes and dislikes but, when I have recently heard adults say they do not like any vegetables and in the same breath are complaining about their health and blood test numbers I can't help but to scratch my head. If I only ate what I thought tasted the best I would hire a great pastry chef, make them live in my kitchen and turn out Boston cream filled donuts! Those things are amazing! My point is that all food has its place, if you are at a point in life where are not happy with your energy level, body composition, sports performance, etc you may just want to take a look at your plate, and the snacks in between, but that post is for another day.

Pachyderm Auricle and Maize Coated Nitrate Stick

Yep, it's State Fair time!  Which means for me above all else: food. I started off the grand culinary tour with 2 delicioso street tacos at noon. Yes, you know the little devils: the ones with the 4" corn tortillas, containing meat product that is oh so tasty but of unknown origin, and topped with what are likely the only fresh veggies at the state fair, save for the ginormous, nitrogen injected produce hidden in the dusty corner of some less often visited 4H building.  I could not get enough of those street tacos, so for dinner I wandered back and devoured 3 more.  I decided that the pollo ones from lunch were too bland so I went for all asada, which I'm sure were the cheapest, most fatty, tastiest cuts of bovine available.  Not only were the fresh veggies still present, but I forgot to mention the lime wedges (ohh the lime wedges!).  I was feeling pretty good about the nutritional density of my meal choice. Time to blow that up!  I rounded out my feast with that once a year corn dog, elephant ear, and yes, a scone.  I'm sure that revealing my darkest gastronomic cravings and consumption will send some potential readers and clients running to Dr. Oz for some sound nutritional counseling. However before you run too far, here is a small nugget of advice that a nutrition professor once gave me: "Enjoy your food, and eat really, really good most of the time!"

With that in mind, those 5 leftover cupcakes from my daughter's 1st birthday party that look oh so tempting will not be on a nice little plate next to my morning coffee.  I will give them to the dog.  Now don't go calling PETA.  I know that dogs can't have chocolate...maybe i'll give them to the chickens.