Category Archives: Exercise

Using exercise like the Hammer of Thor

Posted on by
Reply

Happy Monday… we survived!

Where, oh where did we get the idea that exercise is a form of physical punishment, a real-life mulligan, a good-negating-bad choice, a means to self-worth, self-confidence, and self-love? And if we don’t exercise, do we not punish ourselves mentally with shame or through other physical reasoning such as diet restrictions or binges or vices? I’m certainly generalizing on behalf of a few, but I still think that a few involves… well… many.

Shit, I used to think or feel this way. I know a lot of my health-seeking peers share those thoughts or feelings, too… at least that’s the reality I peering-eye experience on my social networks; i.e. facebook prophecies, instagram progressions, twitter vents, and tumblr no-holds-barred’s. I experience people who hold exercise as the parting of the Red Sea to the healthy promise land. I experience people whom are publicly frustrated with themselves over poor diet choices. I experience people whom are up in a never-ending cycle of searching for themselves with external justification. I experience people whose achievements or success are based solely on hard-work, burning the wick at both ends, and pain.

I am aware that there is an extreme to this; one that is more in-touch with an inner peace as a means to reach outer satiety (as I have so novice-ly discovered along my journey). But not everyone is at that point, and there could be many drifting along in purgatory; searching for a quick-fix way out that could send them further down or a patiently-puzzle-pieced journey that may give rise to one of many epiphanies. I am not one to say who is right or wrong. I am no one to say my way or the highway. My point is to bring this constricted reality to light because it’s been on my subconscious radar for some time; that is, why does it have to be this way?

I do not have a black-and-white answer. What I have are some qualms. As long as work-out dvds exist, as long as diet-fads promoted by wolves looking to profit from sheep, as long as fitness buffs market an external body-image as the end and quick video clips of them exercising as the means, as long as specific advice is given to a world of individuals then this reality will continue to exist. There is, however, a growing awareness that health doesn’t mean pain, agony, stress, turmoil, punishment, or a daily kill-yourself. There is a growing awareness that health comes from within, from an awareness of one’s wants vs. needs, from an awareness that love and understanding precede permanent change (and not the yo-yo we may experience). There is a growing awareness of smarter, not harder to accomplish goals. There is a growing awareness that it’s ok to be less of an image and more of a path.

I am not bashing exercise. I think there is a time, a place, and an individualized need for exercise. I think that exercise has incredible benefits… when it is implemented properly. I think that people have built exercise up to be more of a reaction than action. I think that exercise went from a daily instinct to a daily grind. I think that if someone uses exercise for self-discipline, self-control, or self-confidence, I’d say there’s a lot more going on underneath it all that is in dire need to be addressed and not suppressed.

jdperryhealth.com
jdperryhealth.tumblr.com
jdperryhealth@gmail.com

Is cardio healthy?

Posted on by
Reply

Happy Monday people of earth,

I ran into a friend’s father at a fitness expo recently. Over the past year he has experienced his fair share of significant health obstacles and is in a much better place these days, but still “in recovery.” So, we got talking, caught up on life, jumped from one topic to another, and eventually breezed over on his current diet and exercise prescriptions from his physician. “[the doctor] wants me to do more cardio because of my age and what I’ve been through.” Hold the phone… doctors are STILL prescribing cardio to their patients as a HEALTHY form of exercise and a necessary path for surgery-recovery? I thought that whole 1980′s cardo-for-a-healthy-heart movement fizzled out by now? Obviously, by my inner dialogue you can tell that it really shocked me. I then gandered around the floor at everyone else who looked like they use cardio as a their go-to form of exercise, weight loss, and healthy living… and I was immediately put in my place that a majority of people still just don’t get it.

BURN FAT? LOSE WEIGHT? RUN. RUN. RUN. RUN. RUN. RUN. RUN… myself into the ground, develop dark circles under my eyes, lose a significant amount of the-highly-desired-highly-metabolic muscle weight, displace muscle with fat, down-regulate my thyroid (metabolism epicenter), severely decrease my metabolic rate and blood pressure and caloric demands (cool, I can eat less now!… ?), and invoke a stress hormone response that can promote fat storage, chronic pains, aches, sores, and possibly bowel, hormonal, fertility, libido, mental, or emotional dis-eases.

Yes, that can all be true. Yes, there are plenty-o-arguments that promote cardio as healthy. Yes, I am being a bit over-dramatic and pointing fingers at one thing when there always are many factors at play when it comes to being healthy. But this is a blog about distance/endurance running and that’s where my finger is pointed at right now.

Cardio burns muscle. I don’t care how you look at it. It will burn muscle for energy because distance running is a great energy demand and a body in distress will burn through sugar stores then convert proteins into sugars for energy; it will never touch fat stores because fat saves lives. Distance also kills the metabolic rate. Runners have to run almost every single day just to “stay in shape,” which also causes a greater stress hormone response and screws with ya if you happen to have a high-caloric meal because god-forbid if you eat a cheeseburger and fries. Long-distance runs do the complete opposite of what most exercising-folk are after… it increases fat storage, it burns muscle, it demands a higher workout frequency, and just degrades the body beyond what it can handle. “But, I feel great after long runs and I feel a rush of energy!” That is called adrenaline… and it’s sucking up your sugar stores and eating away on your muscle stores because your body doesn’t know if it’s running from a tiger or for sport and it’s doing what it is designed to do… keep you alive no matter what.

Google distance runner vs sprinter. Show me an athlete with a well-built, muscular physique that attributes it solely to distance running. Try to tell me that right-minded strength coaches or trainers don’t incorporate high-intensity, short-interval training in their program if they want a significant anabolic and metabolic muscle response for their clients. There is a time and place for cardio. I think it should be used sparingly as an endurance-building aspect of a training program and NEVER the foundation. I get the whole fad of distance running. I get that people lose [usually muscle] weight or turn their lives around because of the mentality-shift it provides. I just think there are much better, less-stressing, more positive, healthier ways to approach exercise… and in my friend’s father’s case… recovery.

If you’re a runner, here is the best advice I can provide if you really want to benefit your body from the inside-out: Run shorter distances and run them fast. The goal should not be to run further each week. The goal should be to run quicker each week because THAT incorporates fast-twitch muscle fibers, which “burn calories” or “burn fat” more efficiently; that is, it’s healthier, thyroid-supporting, and provides a longer rest period while still maintaining a higher metabolic rate! A marathon program has people increasing their distances EACH WEEK. If a weight lifter transposed that to a lifting program that would be utterly impossible to have that significant of a weight increase in such a short and quick time period… but people push their bodies with running and don’t realize how much damage their doing until it’s too late when they’re walking around with knee-braces, stress-fractures, poor sex-drives, shitty attitudes, flabby legs, and one hell of a fitness plateau.

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

jdperryhealth.com
jdperryhealth.tumblr.com
jdperryhealth@gmail.com

Functional exercise and my CrossFit review

Posted on by
Reply

Happy Monday guise!

Last week I threw in some recent experiences with CrossFit for a blog about weight loss, stating that I actually increased my fat storage due to a stress response via over-exercise/exhertion in relation to a lack of calories to meet my body’s energy demands (I wasn’t eating enough in relation to my work out intensity). This week I want to dive further into my CrossFit experience, functional exercise, and what I can offer those who are considering this program or something similar that involves high-intensity, full-body workouts with short-to-no rest periods.

For those who aren’t familiar, CrossFit is a workout program used by the armed forces and trained athletes that has made a name for itself amongst the layfolk because of the kind of resulting functionality it breeds. Resulting functionality: functional movement patterns that can be transposed into all aspects of life such as squatting, bending, picking up, tossing, throwing, heaving, standing, twisting, running, and extending. The exercises CrossFit uses are demanding and require the use of proper technique/form. Yet, because of this, they also offer a degree of correction because proper physiological function cannot exist without proper form and kinetic chain movement. And, when these types of exercises are performed at high levels of intensity and in high volume, form is extremely important and it naturally becomes an obvious checks-and-balances. The resulting benefit is that the body has very little choice but to respond anabolically and metabolically, thus creating a more fit, able, and physically-apt person. I really enjoy the full-body, universally adaptive functional approach of CrossFit rather than the cliche muscle-isolation and body-sculpting exercises that a lot of training programs offer.

My favorite realization after CrossFitting for a little over a month is the foundation of every single functional exercise that CrossFit incorporates: they all involve the hips. The stability, momentum, and power derived from the hips are what we rely upon for movement every single day in our lives. And there isn’t one specific isolation exercise found in a CrossFit routine. Each exercise, although it may target one area or rely upon an area more than the rest, still involves a whole body movement and will always be dumbed down to the functionality of the hips. Here are some of the exercises…

  • Squats – Bodyweight, front-loaded, back-loaded, over-head, kettle bell
  • Lunges – Bodyweight, front-loaded, back-loaded, over-head, kettle bell
  • Snatch – Ground to Overhead Snatch, Hang Snatch, Snatch Squat
  • Clean – Ground to Shoulders Clean, Hang Clean, Clean Squat, Med Ball Clean
  • Clean & Press/Push/Jerk/Split Jerk
  • Thrusters
  • Deadlift and Sumo Deadlift High Pull
  • Push Ups and Burpees
  • Muscle Ups and Dips
  • Rope Climb
  • Jump Rope
  • Rowing
  • Running
  • Kipping Pull Ups
  • Kettle Bell Swings
  • Wall Balls
  • Kipping Hand Stand Push Up
  • Toes to Bar, Head and Toes, Reverse Hyper Extension, Glute-Ham Raise

All = Hips for stability, momentum, and power

This realization really put things into perspective for my own exercise and weight lifting trials since I began in 2004. For the past 8 years I was caught up in isolation movements, body-building techniques, and feeding my ego. Even when I adopted the CHEK Institute’s program in 2010, which incorporates functional movement patterns and I managed to see some progress with their correctional exercises, it still didn’t register that function is THE foundation. I think because CrossFit is such a high intensity exercise and that correct form is an absolute must-have otherwise flaws will be highlighted, I was able to truly see the value of functional movement and its place in my life. Since the start of 2010 I kept my exercise program very light after years of not really knowing what the hell I was doing. I stretched and performed low-intensity correctional exercises without any weight-load so my body would not be over-stressed and, in theory, it would eventually find its way back to square one so I could take on a greater workload. While that is a well-researched and well-used approach, I believe that the use of weights and the extremely important awareness of good form for high-intensity, full body exercises CrossFit provides is possibly a better approach IF used properly. And I say better by my definition and by my realizations with my body.

There are some stipulations and some cons with all of this good that I am reporting. I do believe that CrossFit can be for anyone at any age and at any level of conditioning. However, those who are newcomers and those who are not familiar with weight lifting, Olympic lifting or the movement patterns that coincide should yield some caution when first starting such an in-tune program. This is one big spot where my eyebrow finds itself on the up and up. I have tried out two CrossFit gyms (known as “Boxes”) and each gym only had one coach teaching a class of 8-10 people (I know that some gyms have more than one coach for a class so bear with my example). I’ve attended about 8 classes and each had various levels of CrossFitters – from literal first-timers to 4-year veterans. In those classes I was able to categorize people into good form and poor form. Now, I didn’t really know who were the beginners or veterans, I just knew that some people were moving properly while some were not. And with only one coach in the room, form is more apt to slip-by for the sake of finishing a workout. Yes, CrossFit’s exercises can force proper movement patterns but only if individuals in-need/without much form knowledge can get the attention that they require when first programming these exercises into their body’s learning system. The body can learn correct movement patterns… oooor it can learn incorrect movement patterns. For about a year I was performing deadlifts with poor form by not using my hips correctly and by increasing the weight-load beyond my strength abilities which eventually lead to my body cutting corners in form. It resulted in my hamstrings firing before my glutes and that lead me on a path of low-impact, correctional exercises for about 20 months. I saw some progress and I also saw annoying regression if I didn’t keep up with my stretching and specific movements on an almost daily basis. BUT, within a month+ of CrossFit I was able to significantly correct my movement pattern because I was taught proper form. I retained that awareness and my body adapted accordingly! Regardless of my story, the need for more coaches or more individual attention in my short experience at CrossFit is a make-or-break factor when it comes to performing these kinds of exercises without injury and with benefit.

Another con is the exercise approach of “performing as many rounds as possible for time,” known as an “AMRAP.” Form and fatigue rarely go hand-in-hand. I don’t like the stipulation of racing in the presence of fatigue with a great need for proper form in all movements. At my last CrossFit class experience I tweaked my right, lower back during what’s called a “Chipper.” That day, the Chipper was 200 collective reps of 10 exercises yielding 20 reps each. And these weren’t bodyweight exercises; they were Olympic lifting, advanced exercises. I had to freakin’ stop before I could finish the workout so where did that get me? Yes, the argument that “everything is scalable” from one person to the next exists. For each workout there is a prescribed weight, an “Rx,” and then for those who are new or not as strong it is allowed/recommended to use less weight or assistance bands. But poor form will still show its face with or without weight, and it will show especially when a person is fatigued and pushed beyond their limits and/or are unaware of their movements. On similar note, let’s say that a person is fairly well-conditioned and can get through such a work out front to back, but since they’re racing against the clock they may cut corners on form just to finish quicker. How is that beneficial? Great, you have a fast time and you’re out of breath, but what benefit do you get from performing poorly? One coach cannot see all and quantity should never come before quality!!!

Another-another con is over-training and how easy it is to push beyond one’s limits at CrossFit. I would hope that everyone has a decent sense of their limits and a decent idea of how much they can push themselves, but that can get clouded when there are specific rounds and time limits in a work out (plus we can’t forget that thing called the ego). It’s very easy to “red line” at the beginning of a work out and, from what I hear, most first-timers puke within their first week. If you are throwing up from a work out that is a huge warning sign that your body is literally rejecting what you are putting it through… “Remember… crazy; not stupid.” Vom aside, the frequency vs. rest days is super important. I know of some CrossFitters who train 6 days a week on top of a full-time job and may not get a full 8 hours of sleep each night. If that’s not a recipe for over-training and a slow degradation of the human body, then I need to re-check my facts (advanced athletes aside). Of course, that’s an extreme example but it’s important to pay attention to your body’s need for rest; that includes rest days AND enough hours in the sheets. Even if you cannot sleep throughout the night to get that “good night’s rest,” at least lie there, relax, and try to put your mind to rest through breathing exercises or meditation. Our brains need as much down-time as our bodies do and the adverse effects are certainly obvious.

Yes, I have one more con that I’d like to point out… the Paleo Diet encouraged by many CrossFitters. So, after that Chipper workout I mentioned earlier, I didn’t bring enough sugar-water along to replenish my glycogen stores, but luckily there was a pot-luck dinner where everyone brought food for after the workout. Unfortunately for my poor plumetted blood sugar levels, it was purely paleo food with as few carbs possible. I completely support carbohydrates and NEED simple sugars after any workout (and in daily life) to recover quickly and efficiently. So, I’m in the standard CrossFit recovery position with my hands on my knees in the parking lot trying to regain consciousness and my friend comes out with a Paleo cookie saying, “Here, man, eat and get your blood sugar back.” I asked if it had sugar. He said, “Nah, it’s paleo, but your body will convert it to sugar so it’ll do the same job.” Red flags were raised and air-raid sirens went off everywhere in my brain. I couldn’t think of a more inefficient way to provide [recovery] nutrition to my body. I am going to give my TIRED-ASS BODY a nutrient that it has to CONVERT using MORE ENERGY just so I can elevate my blood sugar? The body can convert protein into sugar for energy if it needs to. The body can also convert fat for energy if it needs to. But any physiology-versed person will [hopefully] tell you that the body prefers to use sugar as energy because it can be used immediately, thus expending as little energy to provide itself with more energy. The concept of using energy to convert energy to provide energy is absolutely back-asswards to me. I understand why Paleo “works,” but I really think there are better ways of approaching diet and providing the body with what it needs in a more timely and cost-effective manner.

Whew. So, I know it sounds like this turned into a CrossFit bashing blog when it started out so nice, but my point is to raise some much-needed awareness for those who are considering CrossFit or for those who are already involved and could use some perspectives. I also wanted to emphasize the importance of using proper form along with highlighting a functional fitness approach to exercise. Tangent: I really dislike work out machines and any exercise that’s designed to isolate or target. Your body works as a unit – it is a system of systems. No way in hell will anyone ever achieve function on a machine that straps you in and to “protect” you from injuries… because that actually creates injuries by teaching your body how to not support itself and how to not work in unison. Anyway, I think CrossFit is a great workout and can do wonders for those who really want to learn how their body functions and how they can adapt that function to improve their every-day lives. But, like anything that requires awareness, there will always be some possible downsides if that awareness does not exist. Whether you are a beginning athlete or have a few years of experience and want to get into CrossFit, I highly recommend taking an Olympic Lifting class prior to CrossFitting so you can get that individualized attention and an education of proper form. I know some Boxes offer an introductory course with form education and some coaches offer one-on-ones on top of that. Form over physique, plz.

Boom,

jdperryhealth.com
jdperryhealth.tumblr.com
jdperryhealth@gmail.com

12 totally awesome exercise tips!

Posted on by
1
  1. Increase sugar consumption - Sugar (carbohydrate) is the body’s primary fuel source. To limit sugar is like limiting gas for your car. Unfortunately (yet fortunately), the body can find ways around limited sugar intake and will MacGuyver other means to produce energy, which usually result in cut homeostasis corners and hormone imbalances. Every single cell and every single bacterial organism in your body uses sugar as their go-to food. There are over 50 trillion cells in the human body and bacterial cells outnumber those cells 10 to 1. Say you were the Ruler of a village and you decided to completely cut off the people’s food supply… what do you think will happen? They’ll find ways to get by in the interim, but you better believe that those people will eventually revolt the hell out of you and bring you down to Chinatown. Sugar is rapidly consumed/used/converted/burned by the body in a state of stress (exercise, dietary, allergens, intolerances, emotional unhappiness, sleep patterns, etc.) and, with that in mind, sugar (and salt!) is extremely therapeutic for the Adrenal Glands (which produce/regulate the stress hormone Cortisol). So, without an ample supply (stored and consumed) of therapy the body becomes very susceptible to stress. Note that all sugars/carbohydrates are not created equal and they all do not assimilate in the body in the same manner.
  2. Increase salt consumption – Say you’re excessively dehydrated to the point where you have to go to the hospital. What do they hook you up to? A saline-solution IV a.k.a. a SALT DRIP. Salt is bad for us? Well, that depends on the type of salt, but, in-general, it’s an essential nutrient. A good-sourced Salt naturally contains potassium and magnesium; all-three-of-which are factors in hydration and cellular energy. Then there are commercial salts that commonly contain anti-caking agents, which can cause those funs things like high blood pressure, water retention, swelling, and other salt-related dis-eases.
  3. Limit water consumption - It’s very possible to dehydrate through over-hydration. I do believe it’s necessary to drink an individualized amount of fluids, but water isn’t really that nutritious… at least the average bottles that do not contain trace minerals are not nutritious (and can be antagonistic). Too much water can actually flush the body of essential nutrients. The cells can only hold so much water, nutrients, and waste. An over-saturated state will cause the cells to release some essentials and non-essentials. A good indicator of over-hydration (essentially dehydration) is clear pee because we all know that drinking dehydrating alcohol makes our pee clear. So, what do you drink? Sugar-based liquids such as Orange Juice or Coconut Water will do the trick as they contain sugar, potassium, and magnesium… add some salt and you’re good to go! DON’T FEAR SUGAR.
  4. Eat/drink before, during, and after a work out - I find it interesting that some people limit their nutrient/caloric intake around work outs (and even throughout the day) thinking that consuming calories will prevent the body from burning them or that calories will make them fat or that calories will negate any work out they just did. The body needs energy to produce energy and, just like in the first point, the body will cut corners to make things work in a nutrient/calorie-deficient state. Be sure to give yourself enough energy surrounding (especially after!!!) and during your work out. Don’t be afraid to consume calories because the body needs a means to burn them.
  5. Leave/end a work out with energy - What good will it do if you absolutely kill yourself in a work out? I’m being serious. The no pain, no gain feel the burn mentality is out-dated and defunct. Over-training is very detrimental to progress and all-things-homeostasis. Under-training, however, isn’t bad – in fact, it’s much more beneficial to under-train than to over-train. Exercise is a marathon, not a sprint. Take your time, pace yourself, keep it simple and to the point.
  6. Rest harder than you exercise - Sleeping and having an adequate amount of off-days are essential to a good nutrition and exercise program. The body rests, recovers, regenerates, and literally rebuilds itself at night. Cutting sleep and/or working out excessively (in my book: consecutive days without rest days in a week) will turn progress into regress and send stress hormones through the roof, thus completely negating anything “good” you are providing the body (i.e. weight gain, increased estrogen, cortisol, adrenaline, and serotonin, inflammation, anxiety, anger, irritability, mental fogginess, and the list really can go on for days). If you’re tired, listen to your body and rest… you’ll benefit much more than running on stress hormones.
  7. Stretch before and after - Most exercises encourage very contraction-specific movements and with all of that contracting there should be a balance of elongating. If you don’t like stretching around your work outs then set up designated stretch days that fall on your rest days.
  8. Take cold showers - Sounds wild but cold showers can actually increase anabolic hormones (testosterone, progesterone, pregnenolone, etc.). Guys will notice (aside from shrinkage) that whenever they go into a cold pool that they get “turned on” and girls can experience the same affect in their own right. From a chinese-medicine POV, cold provides the body with a dose of Yin energy (cool, calm, female) while exercise is predominantly a Yang energy (hot, fiery, male). It doesn’t have to be a long shower – just finish up your usual hot shower with a cold-as-cold-can-be-handled blast for 1-5 minutes.
  9. Change it up - The body is very adaptive. It’s smart. It learns repetition rather quickly, i.e. how to perform movements, resistance, and tension exercises so it can do them more efficiently and effectively the next time around. This adaptation happens about every 2-6 weeks, depending on the person and type of exercise. Learn how your body adapts and change it up accordingly to keep from hitting a progress plateau.
  10. Wear flat shoes - We’re really not meant to wear shoes. Shoes teach the body how not to walk, how not to balance itself, how to rely on external support rather than self-sufficiency. Try to find the flattest shoes you can that support your arch-height. Personally, I enjoy a pair of chuck taylors for weight lifting and running. I have a rather flat foot so they support my arch accordingly. There’s a lot of hype about the five-fingers. I’ve never tried them, but I hear great things once the body adjusts. I suggest that you do your own field research for yourself. As for shape-ups, air-pockets, ankle-support, or anything that’s extra-cushioned… no. Note: Foot or ankle issues are symptoms to a kinetic-chain cause (the cause could very well lie within the knees or hips, which produce a ripple effect if they are not balanced properly).
  11. Use exercise as a tool, not a foundation - I’m going to burn this off in the gym is not an efficient nor enjoyable way of living. Exercise is meant to compliment a healthy diet and lifestyle, not try to make up for it or, essentially, negate any choices that were made prior to or to reason a work out. Exercise as a foundation is an outward-in mentality – it’s thinking that a mental choice can be fixed with a physical choice. You live in your body, your body doesn’t live in you. Make choices accordingly and take some responsibility!
  12. Use nutrition as a foundation, not a tool - Nutrition is the true foundation for health. The body uses the nutrients its provided to make new blood cells, new skin cells, new tissue cells, new organs, new eyes, new chemical reactions, new hormones, etc. every single day. The body can definitely make chicken salad out of chicken shit and we intuitively know that (just gotta listen to that intuition!). Build and establish health within all inner realms (spiritually, mentally, emotionally) to reap its benefits on the outer (physically).

jdperryhealth.com
jdperryhealth.tumblr.com
jdperryhealth@gmail.com

Define: Calories

Posted on by
3

A Calorie is Measured Unit of Energy 

Fat provides 9 units of energy while Protein and Carbohydrates each provide 4 units of energy. Keeping that in mind let’s take a gander at the USDA’s daily requirements for caloric intake: 2,000 calories per day. Alright, so if I want to follow a 2,000 calorie diet then what do I eat? I can eat 50 Twizzlers at 160 calories per 4 pieces to get my 2,000-calorie goal. This breaks down to 6.3 grams of Fat, 450 grams of Carbohydrates, and 12.5 grams of Protein. See where my extreme example is going here?

No two Calories or alike

The body does not digest or use calories in the same manner. Do you think the body uses the same energy to digest 100 calories of Carbohydrates than it does 100 calories of Fat? Of course not! Not only that, but there are so many different variations of Fats, Proteins, Carbohydrates, Vitamins, and Minerals that must be considered when dissecting how the body uses 100 calories.

Calories in =/= Calories out

Your body burns about 50-70% of its daily calories generating energy, heat, and that thing we call life. 5-15% more are burned just for digestion. Ok, so let’s take that from the top and say your body burns 85% of its calories just to keep the lights on. That leaves only 15% left to exercise, be social, stress out, or to sit on the computer all day. Cutting calories to lose weight can actually make a person gain unwanted weight because the restriction deprives the body of necessary energy to maintain homeostasis. When the body is deficient in calories (energy), it will turns to muscle for energy (after all of its stored sugar is used up (this takes about 3-4 weeks, which is why low-carb diets “work” and then hit a big old wall). Remember that muscle weighs more than fat, and those who are losing weight on calorie-deficient diets are mainly losing muscle mass and their body is replacing that muscle with fat because fat storage is its go-to in survival mode. So, it’s very possible that all of these people that are dieting and losing weight are actually getting fatter (“fat” doesn’t always mean bigger). In order to run efficiently the body needs an excess caloric intake compared to what it is burning on a daily basis. Don’t ignore your body when it tells you to eat.

The result of eating a low-calorie diet is simple: Adaptation

The body will adapt to the lower volume of foods by slowing down its metabolism, (which sends the thyroid into S.O.S.), it will eat itself, and it will cut corners so it can get by. Often these corners come out as unintentional weight loss, unintentional weight gain, an emotional roller coaster, easily susceptible to stress, mental fogginess, digestive issues, dis-eases, disorders, low libido/sex drive, vitamin deficiencies, poor gum/dental health, dysbiosis, candida overgrowth/yeast infections, or a person might be a straight up asshole (I’m serious – ever get cranky the longer you go hungry?). By this point calories or food intake are rarely the problem – it’s a lack of responsibility for oneself and an inability to see the self-sabotage.

In conclusion

  • Count your nutrients, not your calories.
  • Eat a lot of calories.
  • Eat a lot of good calories – nutrient-dense calories.
  • Take responsibility for yourself and how you treat your body.
  • Be grateful for your life, provide it accordingly, and it will return the same.

jdperryhealth.com
jdperryhealth.tumblr.com
jdperryhealth@gmail.com

Don’t ever say that you can’t

Posted on by
1

via

Can’t is temporary.

I’ve fallen victim to “can’t.” I’m sure we all have at some point. It’s hard to see the big picture when we limit ourselves to what was or what isn’t.

We must focus on what we can do as necessary steps towards what we truly desire. The man in the above video could not walk unassisted, he could not touch his feet, he could not fit into smaller clothes, he could not be happy with himself, he self-sabotaged with food and believed his limits were factual. His perspective shift didn’t happen over night, but he found a way to inspire and love himself through the inspiration and love of others. He focused on what he could do (or was capable of) in the present moment. He took small steps to better himself and to be happy with himself. He didn’t give himself a time limit. He didn’t place unrealistic expectations. I’m sure he experienced set backs and frustrations, but he focused on the big picture and not what he was temporarily experiencing.

Do not doubt yourself or others. Always give the benefit.

Believe and have faith in yourself. Believe and have faith in others.

We can truly do anything.

jdperryhealth.com
jdperryhealth.tumblr.com
jdperryhealth@gmail.com

Define: Addiction

Posted on by
1
  • Addiction is a form of control, but what leads to that control?
  • Addiction is a symptom to an underlying cause, so we must define our true pain that we are suppressing or escaping.
  • On the outside, addiction involves reflective escapes – food, drugs, alcohol, sex, anger, depression, exercise, etc.
  • Deep down, addiction involves an escape from self – self-shame, self-sabotage, a lack of self-responsibility, a lack of self-awareness, and, ultimately, a lack of self-love.
  • We can overcome addiction when we become aware of what we are escaping and take responsibility for our actions.
  • We can overcome addiction when we see the value in what releasing that addiction can bring.
  • We can overcome addiction when we stop running away from ourselves, others, and our self-made problems, boundaries, expectations, boarders, shames, pains, or walls.
  • Addiction is an external attempt to find internal love.

jdperryhealth.com
jdperryhealth.tumblr.com
jdperryhealth@gmail.com

The Secret to Life: How to Lose Weight, Gain Muscle, and Get Healthy Now!

Posted on by
Reply

The Secret to Life! How to Lose Weight, Gain Muscle, and Get Healthy now!

Here it is! The answer everyone is looking for: How to Get Healthy and Stay Healthy in three easy steps!

Sound too good to be true? It’s not!

No hype.
No bull.
No marketing campaign.
No diet or detox miracle.
You don’t have to take any pills.
You don’t have to take any drugs.
You don’t have to starve yourself for weeks.
You don’t have to go from one diet craze to the next.
You don’t have to drink protein shake after protein shake.
You don’t have to weigh your food or weigh yourself every day.
You don’t have to run miles upon miles and do sit up after sit up.

Want to know how the heck you can get healthy starting right now?

L. F. B.

  • Love yourself.
  • Forgive yourself.
  • Be happy with yourself.

L. F. B.

Why do we become sick in the first place?
Why do we become sad?
Why do we eat too much?
Why do we not eat enough?
Why do we go from diet to diet?
Why do we go from exercise to exercise?
Why do we burn the wick at both ends?
Why do we believe that a fit body means a healthy body?
Why, now more than ever, is the United States becoming so unhealthy despite all of the diets, studies, and supplements available that apparently promote health?
Why, no matter what we do, can we not seem to get healthy?

  • Health comes when we take responsibility for our lives, our choices, and how we experience life.
  • Health comes when we are aware of why we may be unhealthy.
  • Health comes when we understand what it means to be healthy by questioning everything and listening to hour body.
  • Health comes when we have respect for ourselves, our body, and the food that we choose to become part of our body – our life.
  • Health comes when we balance our life’s wants and needs.
  • Health comes when we let down our ego and open up our heart.
  • Health comes when we provide a healthy external environment to reflect our internal environment.
  • Health comes when we do not place unrealistic expectations upon ourselves, others, or our experiences.
  • Health comes when we forgive our past so we can be present in the now and work towards hour future.
  • Health comes when we stop self-sabotaging.
  • Health comes when we are not ashamed of who we are on the outside because we accept ourselves on the inside.
  • Health comes when we accept who we are, and how we came to be.
  • Health comes when we do not compare ourselves to others.
  • Health comes when we understand that we are doing our very best in every moment and that no moment is ever wrong nor a mistake.
  • Health comes when you Love yourself.
  • Health comes when you Forgive yourself.
  • Health comes when you Be happy with yourself.

L. F. B.

jdperryhealth.com
jdperryhealth.tumblr.com
jdperryhealth@gmail.com

How Vitamins Were Born

Posted on by
Reply

During the Second World War 49-51% of men failed their physical entrance exam into the Armed Services. Both the English and the American governments undertook an investigation to understand why these who-looked-to-be-healthy teenage to young adult men could not perform such routine physical activities.

The United States hired the Mayo Clinic to conduct their investigation. One area that the Clinic looked was the diet of the failed men. At the time the food and grain industry were booming – food processing, bleaching, hydrogenating, bottling, and canning were all making names for themselves due to the war’s demands. However, that very same processing was also stripping the food of its vital nutrients… i.e. vitamins. The investigation actually encouraged some of the first vitamins to ever be identified, specifically B Vitamins. In controlled tests, when those vitamins were isolated and placed back into the soldier’s diet in food-grade pill form there was a significant improvement in their work ability, in their increased work load, and also in their mental clarity.

The US Government attempted to pass a law requiring food manufactures to fortify foods with vitamins (aka vita-lity). In rebuttal, the American Medical Association threatened to sue to Government for practicing medicine without a license, stating that the Government wasn’t qualified to tell people that nutrient-void food can cause dis-ease. After some back and forth the two entities settled on a law that only fortified two foods: Milk and Bread – that law still stands today. However, the vitamins used to fortify these two diet staples are not actually real – they’re laboratory-made, artificial, and synthetic versions of the vitamins found in nature (or that can be found in food BEFORE it’s processed, stripped, or bleached).

The major problem with using Synthetic Vitamins is that the body cannot properly digest, absorb, or utilize their properties as they’re intended. Dead Foods such as Synthetic Vitamins actually cause the body work harder to figure out what the heck it can do with the things, thus expending more energy, time, and effort to do a simple task of digesting.

Any food/drink that is Fortified With or has ingredients Added To will do more harm than good – they’re artificial and yield damaged food molecules. 

Any Vitamin found in a store that’s not Pharmaceutical Grade will tend to be Synthetic and can also be laced with unwanted fillers: aluminum, lead, corn, soy, sweeteners, and other toxic chemicals. 

via

jdperryhealth.com
jdperryhealth.tumblr.com
jdperryhealth@gmail.com