I'm going to address a couple personal items today - again, more for my own journaling but read as you wish.
I have been training in the mornings for the last week or so. I recently took on a part time job in the evenings so this will continue for the foreseeable future. I will be training young athletes - mostly hockey players aging from 7-18 for now - toward improving speed and agility and also in the weight room. More to come on that subject later. I've adapted my fasting routine to fit my new schedule; I'm continuing with daily 16-17 hour fasts, only now my eating window begins post-training, around 7:45AM on most days and I skip dinner. The adjustment has been easier than expected.
We're about half-way through August so it's time for an update on the goals. No ice cream yet! I have had a few ravenous cravings but I think I can hold off for a couple more weeks. Not sure I'll be able to accomplish my strength goals, though. Heavy lifting has been put on hold for a while due to the morning training; I'm just not willing to get in there at 5AM so I can rest 3-5 minutes between sets. I've made a few calls about acquiring tractor tire; still no word, but I did make a 50# sandbag a couple weeks ago. Next on the agenda: a car tire-based sled. This past Saturday I did some jogging with that sandbag, plus a pretty serious met-con. I doubt you have the guts to take on that workout.
Now for the WODs:
SATURDAY AM
-200 jumprope/dynamic flexibility
-~3/4 mile jog (with partner, alternating 50# sand bag carry)
-4 x 10 pullup (mixing grips each set)
-6 rounds (I go, you go)
o6 x 10yd shuttle
o30 line jumps
o12 50# sandbag swings
o10 burpees (no pushup)
-~1/2 mile jog (alternating sandbag carry)
MONDAY AM
-Warmup: 2 rounds
o20s hip flexor stretch
o8 strict pullup
o10 OH squat with a stick
o10 judo pushup
o10 good morning
-Dynamic flexibility
-1 round
o20 135# squat clean
o100 forward jumprope (2 feet)
o20 HSPU
o100 backward jumprope (2 feet)
o20 ring row
o100 forward jumprope (alternating feet)
o10 pistol to Russian lunge (each leg)
o100 backward jumprope (alternating feet)
o10 x 5yd forward/5yd backward crawl (with feet on power wheel)
TUESDAY AM
-Warmup: 1 round
o20s hip flexor stretch
o8 strict pullup
o10 Y-squat
o10 judo pushup
o10 good morning
-AMRAP 30 minutes – I completed 5 rounds plus a 6th set of 20 snatches
o20 single-arm snatch (10 each arm – 35# KB)
o40 med ball cherry picker (each side)
o60s plank
o80 box step ups (each leg – 12” box)
o100 jumprope
QOD: Rocky Balboa comin' atcha!
Lastly, wishing a very happy birthday to my sunny day, MLP!
If we truly are what we eat, Tori Spelling is even scarier than I thought. I can’t imagine anyone read that whole first section, but what you've spent a good deal of time scrolling through is the list of ingredients that a person might ingest on ONE DAY of the Nutrisystem plan we've all seen advertised on TV by Tori herself. To be fair, I did select some of the more interesting choices for dramatic effect (breakfast burrito, meatball parmesan melt, Salisbury steak with macaroni and cheese, and a milk chocolatey delight bar for a snack), i.e. not all of their items contain quite so many ingredients; still, there are hydrogenated oils, preservatives, and artificial colors and flavors all over the place. Also, I’m sure many people would see some weight loss eating this menu (only 890 calories! This makes the ingredient list even more astonishing.) every day (until they enter “starvation mode” as discussed previously - they will also likely experience several other side-effects). However, that this program* claims to be a “healthy” weight-loss solution is downright laughable. And/or pukable. *Not to single out NutriSystem; I'm just using it as an example for the many other programs also promising a quick fix.
One of my favorite pastimes is judging the items in other peoples’ carts at the supermarket – I’m not proud of this, really, but the fact remains. Weird that I like it, too, because I generally feel disgusted as most carts (especially those pushed by fat parents with fat children) contain more than their share of chips, cookies, soda, etc. My feelings border on sympathy, though, for those containing advertised “diet foods” - reduced fat Wheat Thins, LeanCuisine, turkey hot dogs, sugar-free Pop Tarts, you get the picture. At least those people are trying. It’s unfortunate they’ve been fed so much propaganda and even more so that I can make that pun. If I could offer one word of advice, though: stay out of the middle aisles, and if you can’t do that, at least be wary of nutrition facts and ingredient lists. I can honestly say that my ingredient list for this entire week is nowhere near 100.
Special thanks to fitbomb.com for the QOD as well!
No SOD today...spend those 3-4 minutes focusing on how that quote applies to you. At the very least you will find you had a better day than these guys.
WOD: WEDNESDAY AM
-2, 4, 4, 2 KB complex (35#)
o2-arm overhead swing
o1-arm swing (each side)
o1-arm C&J (each side)
o1-arm snatch (each side)
-Dynamic flexibility
-3 x 10 each side explosive side med ball throws
-3 x 5 deficit (3” platform) sumo-deadlift (355, 335, 315) / SS w/ 4 x 36” box jump
-5 to 1:
o12 plate leg press x 3
oDouble under x 10
oReverse hyperextension x 2
-3 rounds:
o45* lunge holding ~20# tire overhead x 10 each leg
o20 x scapular retraction w/ cables set to 20# resistance
*Finish with 400m gasser row.
SOD and QOD:
"They race in circles like they raisin' a gerbil; I race in a circle like I'm raisin' a horse. I'm racing a Porsche while they racing in place; they race in a cage, I race on a course."
Last week I left you in a carbohydrate dilemma: to eat or not to eat. After giving it some thought over the weekend, I feel I may have provided an unfair analysis and I’d like to set the record straight. As with fats, not all carbohydrates are created equal. The glycemic index (GI) is a measure of the effect 50g of a food source has on blood sugar levels. Carbs have varying complexities of chemical makeup; therefore we digest them at different rates. The faster the source can be broken down into glucose, the greater the blood sugar spike and ensuing insulin release. Glucose is given a value of 100.
As you can see, a high GI source is associated with a spike in blood sugar. Our bodies want to control this right away so the pancreas releases more insulin than actually required, hence blood sugar levels soon drop below homeostatic levels. We’ve all experienced blood sugar highs and low (categorized as hyper- and hypoglycemia, respectively) and most would agree that hypoglycemia can be pretty miserable. The blood sugar “roller-coaster” that most Americans ride is solely responsible for the trending diabetes. That’s why “complex carbs” are the “good” ones; they digest more slowly and thus keep blood sugar and insulin relatively stable.
Insulin is not all bad. Yes, it does stop lipolysis, but Athletes and the like have long-praised its anabolic effects relating to amino-acid synthesis within muscle cells. Muscle growth will not occur in the absence of insulin, thus the reason all those post workout complexes you see at GNC contain high GI carbs. But again, we’re faced with a dilemma – whether we want to gain muscle, or burn fat. Fortunately, you can manipulate blood sugar through appropriate diet practice and get on the right path toward your goal – whatever that may be.
If your goal is simply to gain muscle (bodybuilder in a “bulking phase”), manipulation is pretty simple: eat low GI carbs, along with adequate protein and fat several times a day. Emphasize high GI carbs and protein before and after workouts – fat actually slows absorption and reduces effect on blood sugar, so it should be avoided during this higly-anabolic time.
If your goal is to shed body fat with little concern for muscle mass (obese individual), it’s just the opposite. Minimize carbohydrates to trace amounts from nuts, seeds and non-starchy vegetables. If you exercise at a high intensity, a complex carb source an hour or two beforehand may assist with energy requirements. Consider implementing an intermittent fasting protocol.
It IS possible to lose fat and maintain (or even GAIN) muscle mass at the same time, but blood sugar manipulation becomes much more complex and specific to the individual. This generally requires strong will-power and extreme dedication to a prescribed nutrition plan (view one example of a former experiment here). If you are serious about taking your body and performance to the next level, contact me directly at klbednarcyk@gmail.com, and perhaps we can get you on the right track.
**The purpose of these kinds of posts is to give you a basic idea of the nutritional aspects that I find to be most important. I will do the best I can to explain without getting too deep into the physiology, but I realize some of this may be difficult to wrap your head around. As always, feel free to contact me with any questions you may have. CARB-e diem!
Yesterday I attempted to shoot down the argument for a “low-fat” diet to promote health and weight loss/maintenance. Nobody refuted, so I’m calling it a success. The “low-carb” diet has has been enjoying its day in the sun for a while now (though the daylight is dwindling a bit), so today, I’m putting carbohydrates under the microscope.
Let's first talk about insulin. Insulin is the central hormone that regulates carbohydrate and fat metabolism in the body. Our body ultimately processes all starch (and proteins, if needed) into glucose (read: blood sugar, which is dangerous when excessive). Glucose is the chief source for energy and growth for most cells, but in order for the cells to utilize glucose, the pancreas must secrete insulin. Cell membranes have special receptors that insulin can bind to, sending a chemical signal that opens glucose channels and allows glucose to enter the cell. Think of a cell membrane as a door, and insulin as the key that unlocks it for glucose.
[*In the case of type I diabetes, the cells that produce insulin in the pancreas are destroyed via autoimmunity beginning at birth (through no fault of the individual), and therefore insulin injection is required to regulate glucose in the blood. Type II diabetes results when glucose "wears out its welcome" in the cells, i.e. chronic carbohydrate intake and the resultant binding of insulin cause the cells resist opening their channels, or "change the locks." Even in the presence of insulin, glucose remains in the blood stream, which can cause numerous complications, including death.]
The problem with insulin is when it binds to cells, it completely shuts down the fat metabolism in those cells. Cells can either produce ATP (energy's "currency") from glucose (glycolysis) or from fatty acids (lipolysis). Lipolysis results in more energy (~9 kCal/g opposed to ~4 kCal/g) but also requires more time, so the cells prefer glucose if present (especially during exercise, when energy is needed faster). When a person consumes excess carbohydrates, some of the glucose that is not needed for energy (when ATP yield is greater than energy requirement) is stored in muscle and liver cells as glycogen, which can be re-converted to glucose in a future energy crisis. When glycogen storage units are full, the liver cells convert glycogen into FATTY ACIDS (via a process called lipogenesis). Meanwhile, lypolysis is halted. Oh, and I almost forgot, the persons current fat cells let the glucose in too, but they are can't use it for energy, and it only makes them bigger – so you can gain fat without eating any! Finally, when all the glucose has been absorbed and/or stored, the pancreas stops secreting insulin and the cells can begin using fatty acids from the liver and stored adipose tissue for its fuel.
So what happens when someone goes on a diet featuring few to zero carbs? First, the body will utilize the glycogen it has stored in the muscle and liver cells. When the body has no free carbohydrates available, one of two (or both) processes must occur in order for the body to produce energy:
1.) Lypolysis – The breakdown of fatty acids requires several steps, but yields a lot of energy. Low-carbers prefer this to occur. And it does, often, when at rest and at low intensity exercise.
2.) Gluconeogenesis – A complex process in the liver that produces glucose from non-carbohydrate carbon substrates such as lactate, glycerol, and glucogenic amino acids (ingested protein or stored muscle. YIKES!). This becomes the body’s fueling mechanism when it needs to make energy quickly (moderate-high entensity exercise). Because this process ultimately results in glucose metabolism, it also stimulates insulin, shutting down lipolysis.
By this logic, shedding fat is as simple as sitting there and not eating! But that’s not really the case. First of all, your muscles are continually breaking down and rebuilding even at rest, so you need to eat some of that “muscle-building” protein (not THAT simple, be on the lookout for a future protein interest piece: A Day in the Life of an Amino Acid). Secondly, lipolysis requires energy of it’s own, hence you need to “eat fat to burn fat.” Lastly, without ingested calories and/or periods of higher-energy requirement (exercise), your body will enter “starvation” mode, in which cells become stringent with their energy use (lipolysis occurs at slowest possible rate and you feel like dog shit).
By now you’re probably freaking out. “You’re saying if I eat carbs, I will get fat, but if I don’t, I will lose muscle even if I work out?!” That's what I'm saying today. Of course, it's entirely false, but you’ll have to wait until Monday to see why. This weekend you’re on your own. I’m about to go eat some carbs. PAYSH.
WOD: Slow-pitch softball. 7 innings!
Song of the Day and Adam Perlo Workout of the Day are the same today:
(Sweatshop Union - Hit The Wall)
QOD: "Besides, we both know that I'm training to be a cage fighter." - Kip Dynamite, and a million and a half other wannabes.
I had a conversation yesterday with the wife of a co-worker at our company happy hour. She was very intrigued by my adamancy to avoid even one of the "loaded french fries" the table had ordered (Lays' "betcha can't eat just one" is a safe bet, 100% of the time), so the conversation shifted toward nutrition. She told me she had a friend who took a few nutrition courses in college and had informed her to avoid "all products with more than two grams of fat per serving." I fought the urge to ask about jelly bean and fluff sandwiches and said calmly, "well, that's a little outdated. I was happy to report my feelings about dietary fat and I find this the perfect opportunity to lay the low-fat myth to rest once and for all (at least for the 8 of you who will read this).
Your body needs fat. Yielding about ~9 kCal of energy per gram, fat is the most efficient source of energy for the body. Fats play a vital role in maintaining healthy skin and hair, insulating organs against shock, maintaining body temperature, and promoting healthy cell function. Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat soluble and cannot be absorbed without it. Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are required for many processes, including the construction and maintenance of "structural" elements such as cell membranes, but the body cannot synthesize them, therefore they must be obtained through ingestion. In addition, fats can prevent overeating by prolonging digestion and triggering appetite suppressing hormones in the brain (see image). There is no proof that restricting dietary fat improves weight loss or even reduces heart disease risk. In fact, during the 1960s before the low-fat diet craze, Americans consumed about 45% of their calories from fat, and 13% were considered obese. Today, we consume about 33% of calories from fat, but an alarming 34% of us are obese.
With that said, not all fats are created equal. Some fats, including but not limited to trans fats, deserve all the bad press they've received over the years. All fats are composed of glycerol and both saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, but are generally characterized by their level of saturation.
All fatty acids contain an even number of carbons in a chain, from 4 to 28. As you can see, aside from the first carbon in the chain, a "saturated" fatty acid contains hydrogen atoms at all available bonding sites. "Unsaturated" fatty acids contain double bonds within the carbons, therefore there are less hydrogen atoms bonded due to now occupied bonding sites.
First, let me explain saturated fatty acids (SFAs). They are abundant in animal products and tropical oils and and have the unfortunate reputation of being "artery clogging." Truth is, they are not the monsters they are made out to be. SFAs are highly stable, due to the saturation of hydrogens, and they make up about 1/2 of cell membrane structure. They also improve immune function, and provide cholesterol which, contrary to popular belief, is required to establish proper membrane permeability and fluidity. For those looking to build muscle, you'll be happy to know that saturated fat boosts testosterone levels. Dairy fat, particularly from grass-fed animals, contains high levels of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) - an isomer that has been shown to mobilize stored fatty acids for energy in mice, resulting in fat loss. Go ahead and have a nice ribeye and a big ol' glass of whole milk.
The mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) found in numerous oils, nuts, and avocados have one double bond in their carbon structure. They are granted the most approval by convention these days due to their "heart-healthy" properties. It should be noted, however, that these oils contain varying levels of MUFAs, and the rest is composed of a mix of SFAs and poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Canola oil, for example, contains 60% MUFAs, to olive oil's 75%.
I'm sure you can guess by now that PUFAs contain more than one double bond in the carbon structure. These are the real bad guys! The problem with PUFAs is they tend to oxidize due to instability, particularly when heated, resulting in plenty of free radical damage for you and yours. These are found in many grain products, soybeans, peanuts (say it isn't so!), and fish oil.
"But wait," you say. "I thought fish oil was supposed to be good for you!" Just relax...enter the EFAs - remember the ones your body can't produce? Omega-3 FAs are found primarily in fish, algae, flax, and nuts. Traces of Omega-3s can also be found in eggs of chickens fed these things and in grass-fed meats. These aid circulation by naturally thinning the blood, fight systemic inflammation, support brain function and even ease symptoms of depression, anxiety, and hyperactivity. Omega-6 FAs are important to skin integrity and renal function, to name a few. Good news is, they're all over the place - in corn (which is in EVERYTHING) and other grains, as well as grain fed live stock; bad news is, they spur inflammation if your 6:3 ratio is too high.
Ideally, you should strive for a 1:1 ratio of Omega-6:Omega-3, but the typical western diet ranges anywhere from 10-30:1! All the inflammation, high blood pressure, depressed immune function is clearly a result of all the corn oil (46:1) and grain fed meats we eat. So what can you do? Invest in some fish oil (look on the label for a DHA+EPA concentration of at least 50%, otherwise you're getting a whole lot of filler, and aim for at least 1.5g of those total. I use NOW Foods Ultra Omega-3, which is 75% DHA+EPA.) It's also well worth the extra couple dollars to buy grass fed meats if you have access to them, especially if you're buying fattier cuts. Olive oil has a 3:1 ratio, which isn't that great, but consider that it's only 11% PUFAs and it becomes pretty insignificant, especially with the polyphenols that would probably reverse any damage caused by the problematic ratio. Olive oil gets the go-ahead.
Last AND least, the trans-fatty acids (TFAs). These are naturally-occurring MUFAs or PUFAs that have been chemically modified by adding hydrogens where they don't belong in order to improve stability (read: shelf-life). And the process works, so those Keebler cookies stay fresh on the shelves for months. The problem is, our bodies don't recognize the transformed fats and don't know how to eliminate them. TFAs are absorbed through cell membranes and basically wreak havoc on cellular metabolism. In short: TFAs cause fat gain. They are also associated with inflammation, atherosclerosis, diabetes, and immune system dysfunction. In the U.S., anything under .5g TFAs per serving can be labeled as 0g, therefore you must read your list of ingredients. If you see the word hydrogenated, run for the hills.
In conclusion, fat is your friend, as long as you maintain an appropriate calorie level for your goals. Be weary of PUFAs and eat at least 25% of your calories from fats, emphasizing coconut fat, egg yolks, grass-fed meat, full-fat dairy, olive oil, nuts, and avocados. Stay tuned; next time we'll address the "Fat vs. Carbs for energy" debate!
