Tag Archives: gym

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

Weight loss 101

Posted on by
2

Happy Monday to yinz,

Losing weight is healthy. It’s really interesting how scaled weight has become this iconic health standard because, apparently so, if we are overweight then we are labeled unhealthy. We have freakin’ weight charts in every doctor’s office that communicate if you are this height then you should be this weight, otherwise something is wrong with you. This tiny little example of societal standards and manipulated norms is what actually screws people up. We are completely fine in the first place until professionals began shoving it down our throats that this is right, this is the way we should live when they completely fail to realize that life should be lived on an individualized basis and not by biased status quo studies that turn health into a math equation all-the-while manipulating the hell out of what it takes to be healthy for you.

Ranting aside, do you know what causes the body to gain weight? Do you know what causes YOUR body to gain weight? We all act/react differently to every single experience and we all store fat in different ways and in different places. A person can store fat if they’re depressed, if they’re angry, if they are exhausted, if they are awake for too long, if they drink too many protein shakes, if they apply a specific deodorant, if a street reminds them of a frightening experience AND a person can store fat in an area of the body that is specifically affected by emotions, grudges, regrets, or shames. Pretty neat, huh? All of this is very important to consider in our individual plight towards better health and it is my goal for today’s post.

In order to understand weight loss and the industry bullshit that surrounds the poor bastard, we need to understand the mechanisms/why’s in which the body can gain or lose weight. We’re up to our eyeballs in misinformation, marketing stunts, biased research studies, and a sheer lack of knowledge of how our bodies work. You want to be in touch with reality? Start with yourself. Because you and only you knows what is best… that is, if you take the time to learn and understand who you are and what you’re all about under a universal reality (no external/personal bias, conditions, judgements, etc.).

Now, for my favorite, over-used word… perspectives!

1) Get healthy to lose weight, don’t lose weight to get healthy – I love this quote, which can be accredited to Josh Rubin of East West Healing & Performance. Why is weight loss the goal when it’s really just a symptom of good health? Why is weight loss the goal when true weight loss, the natural progression and prolonged maintenance due to well-tailored/well-implemented metabolic shifts, cannot be achieved through a quick-fix program or beating yourself into the ground with popular work out dvds? I understand the need for goals or milestones along the way, but weight should not be health-basis-numero-uno. The weight will come off when the body is at a point where it doesn’t need it anymore. I will say that again, the weight will come off when the body is at a point where it doesn’t need it anymore.

2) The body stores fat for protection - Fat is literally a life saver and it’s more or less a result of the body doing damage control. Meaning, if there is a homeostatic imbalance due to some sort disruption – a caloric deficiency, a caloric surplus, too many of the wrong calories, malnutrition, over-exertion (exercise, work, school, relationships, family), lack of sleep, excess mental and physical stressors, environmental toxins/chemicals, emotional trauma, etc. – the body will most likely store fat as a protective reaction (I say most likely so I can note that not everyone reacts accordingly). We are all familiar with the relationship between fat and cholesterol, and that the body produces its own cholesterol, right? Well, an increase in cholesterol production is also a form of protection since cholesterol is actually one of our body’s most powerful anti-oxidants. We all hear that high cholesterol is bad and, while it can be a sort of warning sign, few fail to make the holistic connection as to why it’s elevated without pointing fingers at diet. Got stored fat? Consider what your body is protecting you from (and why you need to store fat). Fat also protects us from the cold! Hooray!

3) Scales mean jack - Because fat weight vs muscle weight vs water weight vs poop weight… DUH. All weight is not created equal and scale cannot differentiate between the three pounds you lost after pooping or the three pounds you lost from sweating your butt off in a sauna (only to be naturally regained by eating and drinking mineral water, respectively). Don’t forget that muscle weighs more than fat and if you are involved in some sort of physical training program with a caloric-sufficient diet, chances are you won’t see that scale budge even though you could be gaining muscle weight while losing fat weight. Our weight fluctuates on a daily basis and it is absolutely not an indicator of [good] health NOR progress. I hear people all the time proclaim, I lost ____ pounds this week! That’s cool and all, but what type of weight did you lose? Maybe that weight loss isn’t permanent and maybe it could be due to an unhealthy result (i.e. stress, suppressed appetite, depression, stimulants, dehydration, etc.). At a recent family party I had a person tell me that they recently lost 30+ pounds. When I asked And how do you feel?… I got… Well, I feel god-awful. *facepalm*

4) Are you even eating enough? - Consider this: the body needs [enough] energy to function. If I limit my daily caloric intake and, thus, deprive my body of the energy it takes to perform tasks at a high efficiency rate and in a timely manner, why the HECK would it think… hey, now is a good time to lose weight… ? Actually, HOW the heck would it have the energy to do such a high-energy-demanding task, which usually requires a higher metabolic rate? THIS is huge when people approach me about weight loss because I often find that they aren’t eating enough calories (any calories) throughout the day for their body to even consider losing weight on top of all the energy it takes to breathe, think, eat, drink, digest, detoxify, poop, pee, move, exercise, sleep, recharge, remember, be creative, and deal with life’s daily stressors. The body ain’t stupid. Having said that, I have had many-a-conversation lately with various peers of mine all umbrella-ing under one classic, underlying theme… People are dumb. I’d also like to point out that sleeping enough is also über important… also. 

5) Diet is a factor, but your food education is, too – This is where misinformation comes into play. We’re taught that saturated fat, cholesterol, red meat, dairy, sugar, starch, salt, soda, and fruit juice (a.k.a. sugar water) are all bad for our health; they will make us SO fat and sick. Instead, we’re taught that unsaturated fats, vegetable/nut/seed oils, wheat, corn, soy, grains in general, copious amounts of vegetables, six to eight daily servings of fruit, beans, lentils, nuts, and seeds are all healthy and will keep us lean. My response to that is… Who says so? The government? The medical system? Please tell me when was the last time you had my best interest at heart and also when it didn’t involve an industrial profit. 

6) Intolerances, allergens, detox issues, poor digestion, malabsorption, deydration – First, I’m going to point some fingers at the over-saturated amount of chemicals and toxins that we are exposed to on a daily basis. We breathe, apply, and come in contact with this crap and it could be a big factor in our body protecting us with fat storage. The chemicals in your deodorant, in your makeup, in the air freshener, in car fumes, in your window cleaner, in your tissues, in your laundry detergent or fabric softener… you name it (actually, if you can’t read it) and it can probably affect your physiology in some way and it can greatly affect the detox system if it’s not already under distress. The same goes for food additives (the gums, the dyes, the non-pharmaceutical grade added vitamins). Then there are food intolerances that make your body think it’s in a war zone every day (this can also spur an auto-immune deficiency). Gluten, for instance, is one major food intolerance that can cause weight gain and people may just think that they need to run a few more miles each day and find out that they just gain more weight (probably due to a grand stress reaction). Which brings me to poor digestion and, thus, malabsorption. You can eat all of the healthy, leaning-out food you want, but if you cannot absorb said food it is possible that your body isn’t getting enough calories to meet its energy demands. Finally, dehydration… I’m hoping this is a no-brainer after reading through my alluding-theme perspectives. Spark that awareness!

7) Exercise smarter, not harder… or not at all – I started Crossfitting about a month ago. Within the first three weeks of going hard I noticed that I began to put weight on around my stomach. I added some muscle mass here and there but I was also adding fat. No, I wasn’t eating too much… I actually wasn’t eating enough to meet the demands I was putting on my body AND this started to affect my sleeping patterns… waking up in the middle of the night, restlessness, resulted dehydration, etc. I thought this was really cool in a weird science-nerd kind of way. I absolutely love the fact that I went through this because it gave me some more perspective into how MY body works, acts, and reacts at this point in my life. Sure, I could have probably done this type of workout and recovered with ease when I was 18 with the endless testosterone running through my body, but I’m not 18. I’m 27 and I’m not as active as I was almost a decade ago. And I say “or not at all” because I hate the stipulation that in order to lose weight exercise is necessary. Any intelligent personal trainer or health enthusiast will tell you that an exercise program will never outwork a poor diet. The diet will always be the foundation and exercise is a complementary component towards your specific goals. No, you don’t have to exercise to lose weight. It helps, but it’s not as important as the media makes it out to be (i.e. the biggest schmuck… I mean, loser). My solution will always be to go smarter by taking the time to sit back, rest, reflect, and look at the big picture of the why and how in respect to my body.

8) Emotions – What your choice of manifestation? Where are you storing yours?

Hopefully you can get the jist that there will never be a one-size-fits all solution nor will there ever be just one solution to a problem that really isn’t a problem at all. Fat storage is a symptom, a mechanism, a safety device, a warning sign, a smaller result of a much bigger picture. It’s not a reason to define yourself, to get down on yourself, to beat yourself up, or to think you’re not pretty enough, not handsome enough, or not fit enough. The body is trying to send you a message and only you can decipher its underlying cause. Don’t believe in the bullshit; believe in yourself.

Happy trails,

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

Bikini season shmakini season

Posted on by
1

Why does the thought of being scantily clad for three months out of the year suddenly spur us into a buckle-down-and-get-healthy mode?

Do the people that bust their asses for bikini season just leave it at that and the rest of the year they spend their days foraging for hibernation season?

Given we naturally store more body fat during the winter months to keep our body at a warm temperature, so why can’t that be taken into consideration as an adaptation mechanism/maintaining homeostasis and not a reason to punish ourselves [in the gym or kitchen]?

Why does bikini season have to last just for three months?

Why does bikini season have to be synonymous with ripped and shredded (when it could really mean malnourished, catabolic, chronically stressed, and hyperthyroid)?

Why does a fashion model-featured summer catalogue have to be the stereotyped basis for body comparison when a good majority of the featured are the complete opposite of healthy on the inside?

Why can’t we just make whole, well-rounded, considerate, and balanced decisions throughout the year and not put our bodies through a boot camp-esque hell just to “look good” in publicly accepted underwear?

If you’d like to discuss this perspective along with other health-related insights, please contact me for a FREE Conversation.

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

Unhealthy symptoms and causes

Posted on by
1

Originally, I started this post geared towards headache-prevention and my thoughts as to what could be its various causes. For some reason I always get the headache question from my friends – hey, I’ve had a headache all day and I don’t know why so I figured to ask you - and most of the time it just requires a small effort on their end to reflect, gain perspective, and put the pieces together themselves. Headaches (amongst other dis-eases) are always the symptom to a greater cause: they just don’t happen, there’s a reason why they occur and it’s good to pay attention because your body is trying to tell you something important. So, as I got more involved with writing I realized that my perspectives and suggestions are really geared towards all types of “symptoms” – headaches, stomach aches, sleeplessness, restless leg, fatigue, swelling, muscle spasms, constipation, weight gain, muscle loss, dizziness, fainting, brain fog, forgetfulness, etc. – and that a universal post would make more sense.

Of course, it’s better to take the steps to prevent symptoms before they occur (awareness, priorities, responsibility), but sometimes it takes the experience of discomfort to help put comfort into perspective and how it can be achieved. Below are a few simple thoughts as to what could be causing various “dis-eases”…

  • Hydration is usually my first thought: What/how much have you had to drink today/in the past few days? Were you dehydrated a few days ago and never caught up? How frequently do you urinate? What color was your urine? Dark yellow urine = dehydrated. Clear urine = over-hydration. Light yellow = hydrated. Do you consume Salt regularly or do you limit its intake? Dietary Salt can provide potassium and magnesium; all three are big factors in hydration and cellular function (add salt to drinks or food). Epsom Salt baths can also provide hydration through skin absorption (just make sure they’re not overwhelmingly hot and long because that situation can create a stress hormone reaction, encourage hypoglycemia and use up all stored sugar = light headed, dizzy, faintness, shaky hands, muscle atrophy, cortisol/adrenaline rush).
  • Nutrition is next: What/how much have you eaten today or in the past few days? Are you eating proper meals or just picking on things? I come across many people who don’t eat breakfast or will “forget” to eat dinner the previous night or may go a whole day without eating because they were “busy.” My thought: What fuel does the body to be busy, to operate, to expend and create energy? Food! Make time or get into the habit of putting it on your daily schedule. Yeah, it’s important to eat the right food, in the right ratio and at the right time but for energy’s sake just make sure that you’re providing yourself with some calories.
  • Sleep: How much have you slept in the past few days? Did you experience a restful night’s sleep or was it tossing, turning, and waking up intermittently? Ok, so sleeping is one thing, sleeping enough is another, sleeping at the right times is next, and sleeping well ties it all together. Hydration and nutrition affect sleeping patterns, too: dehydration or malnourishment (not enough caloric energy) can disrupt sleeping patterns because the body also needs energy to rest effectively. I’d like to see people take sleep more seriously and not just write it off as a lazy-man’s game.
  • Exercise: How much and how often do you exercise? Are you overtraining? Are you staying hydrated, nourished, and sleep enough (all energy input) to compliment your energy output? Exercise is a major stressor on the body – it breaks down muscle and depletes energy. Without a complimentary diet and lifestyle, exercise can be an extremely hindering activity in achieving health. 
  • Digestion: Are your bowel movements like clockwork? Do you go regularly (1-3x daily) and eliminate fully? Are they healthy BM’s? Do you experience bloating, gas, fatigue, or mood swings after eating certain foods? It is important to eat right. It is even more important that you are able to digest, utilize, and eliminate food properly. What good does food do if the body cannot even absorb it or if it becomes “stuck” within the intestinal tract? You are what you eat. You are what you digest and absorb. You are what you don’t eliminate. 
  • Posture: Do you sit up straight? Do you look down when you walk? Are you shoulders rounded? Is your spine straight? Does your neck align with your back to align with your pelvis? Do you wear restricting clothing that doesn’t allow for proper movement or circulation? Posture is important for all bodily functions: breathing, thinking, drinking, eating, digestion, eliminating, moving, and sleeping. Any sort of imbalance or “kink” can throw one or more things off and can cause the body to find other round-about ways to function.
  • Mental/Emotional Stressors: What’s on your mind lately? Do you have work, school, family, social, relationship, or self-image on your mind? Are you happy? The mind-body connection is real and it’s an important factor. Non-physical stress can very well lead to physical dis-ease.

So, those are some of my thoughts without going too in depth or in great detail as to what may be the “simple” causes to many of life’s unhealthy symptoms. Bring some awareness into your thoughts simply by taking perspective and reflecting on the symptoms to find the underlying cause. We all know why our body may be out of balance, in pain, tired, aching, or sore. It is a matter of looking within to find the answer from self.

The answer is within the question.

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

The fat loss web

Posted on by
1

a larger version of the diagram can be found here

As you can see from Fat Loss Web, fat loss is a bit more involved than anything that can be read in a health magazine or diet blog, i.e. Long-distance running, incorporating sprint intervals after a weight training session, performing calorie-burning squats 3x a week, cutting carbs from the diet, increasing daily protein intake, drinking ice-water, or consuming metabolic-stimulants such as caffeine or ginseng. While these have all been promoted as fat-burning practices for some years now (and have worked in some cases), they aren’t necessarily the best approach.

The body wants to survive. What happens when it is in survival mode? Well, fat storage (amongst other processes) And the reasoning (for the sake of today’s post)? (from top left to right)

  • Blood Sugar Imbalances
  • Adrenal Dysfunction (Stress)
  • Gut Dysfunction (Digestion)
  • Thyroid Dysfunction (Metabolism, Digestion)
  • Mind/Body Issues
  • Hormonal Imbalances
  • Cellular Dysfunction (Energy)
  • Brain/Neurotransmitter Dysfunction
  • Immune System Imbalance
  • Liver Dysfunction (Detoxification)

A few weeks ago I wrote a blog about taking fat storage into perspective as a positive occurrence (the body saying, “yo, I’m trying to keep you alive here!”) and this blog is to take that perspective one step further by listing some of the mechanisms that can encourage fat storage (and thus providing a perspective on fat loss)…

  • Not eating enough calories to be alive: Breathe, think, drink/eat, digest/eliminate, move/exercise, and rest/sleep. The body needs enough energy to at least keep the lights on!
  • Over-consuming intestinal-inflammatory foods such as grains (gluten, wheat, corn), beans/legumes (soy), polyunsaturated fats (omega -6′s), dehydrated foods (commercial flour, sugar, salt, meal/protein powders), or raw/uncooked above ground vegetables (a great debate, of course).
  • Over-consuming a nutrient-void diet via refined, packaged, boxed, canned, artificially-made, or commercially-raised foods.
  • Over-consumption of toxins vs. the body’s rate of detoxification via smoking, alcohol, plastic/canned food, skin-applicants (lotions, soaps, make-up, etc.) herbicides, fungicides, pesticides, or air-born toxins (gases, fumes, smoke, etc.).
  • Dehydration and/or Over-hydration: Not consuming enough liquids or over-consuming water, which over-saturate cells and flush them of their vital nutrients.
  • Not sleeping enough/irregular sleeping patterns: 7-8 hours/night and a bed time of 10-11pm to 6-7am are ideal for hormonal patterns.
  • Over-training/over-exercising (this is co-dependent with rest/sleep) – Energy In vs. Energy Out vs. Energy Recovery.
  • Avoiding carbohydrates (sugar) – The body’s primary fuel source are carbohydrates (which are broken down into sugar within the digest system). Avoiding or limiting carbohydrates can cause the body to burn muscle for energy.
  • Avoiding fats (specifically saturated fat) – Dietary fats are required for many hormonal processes, tissue stability, vitamin absorption, and bodily functions.
  • Personal unhappiness and a lack of self responsibility

A common theme? Stress.

Physical, dietary, mental, emotional, and/or spiritual stress. Every single dysfunction and mechanism listed above are stress reactions – symptoms to a greater cause. 

What encourages stress? I will take a wild guess that you already have a good idea as to what is causing your stress. To those who have no clue: take some time to listen to yourself, become aware of your actions and reactions, take note, and reflect.

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

The Gym: We’ve got a first timer over here!

Posted on by
1

So, I took the plunge and signed myself up for a membership at LA Fitness. I was never really a gym guy because I enjoyed the challenge of MacGuyver-ing a work out where ever, whenever, with whomever and with whatever (as I’ve done plenty of times throughout my travels and home-stays). But, for my current goals, I want a few more resources at my disposal. After two days, here’s what I have observed…

  • A PERSONAL Trainer training clients while on a cell phone throughout the duration of the paid service. How very IMpersonal trainer of him.
  • The same Personal Trainer not even paying attention (looking, observing, or critiquing) to a different client doing walking lunges. What about their form? What if they are doing them incorrectly and slowly setting themselves up for an improper muscle recruitment pattern? What if they are not completely a full range of motion and are doing half reps which can incorporate less of the desired target area. The body will adapt to a situation – whether right or wrong – and it can learn how NOT to lunge (using the wrong muscles to move) if incorrect form is consistently used. 
  • Rows upon rows of exercise machines, which seem to consistently be occupied throughout the duration of my recent off-peak-hour visits. I can maaaaybe see the point of exercise machines in a rehabilitation situation to ease into muscle and nerve recruitment, but, in reality, these machines teach the body how NOT to stabilize, support itself, move, bend, twist, flex, rotate, extend, adduct, or abduct. Oh, you can do an assisted sit-up? Let me know how that goes when you’re trying to SIT-UP out of bed without a machine helping you. Sincerely, Condescending Wonka.
  • More rows – this time of treadmills, stair-masters, and ellipticals – all equipped with televisions, radios, and iPod charging capabilities, and also consistently occupied. I’m all for running (believe it or not). I’m all for getting up off your ass, moving, and creating a healthy blood flow – I just think there are better means, methods, and environments to do so. It’s a big world out there…
  • Five flat benches… FIVE. Hey, uhhhhhhh, how much ya bench? The last time I checked the bench press was the most bass-ackwards measurement of strength. It’s a pure isolation exercise of the lower and middle pectorals (chest), the front deltoids (shoulders), and the triceps. Five. The body is a system of systems – it prefers to work in unison and not isolation.
  • I overheard a gentleman in a cut-off shirt shout across the weight room so all brethren could hear, “I guess all of those shots in the ass are finally paying off.” He was referring that the amount of steroids he injected into his butt are making his balls shrink, his eyes sunken in with rage, and his muscles more cut than a turkey sandwich. I have no words.
  • I experienced a tall, muscular gentleman bench press near where I was exercising. I stood close by without his awareness incase he needed a spot for a possible weight he could not manage. He did some warm up sets at 145 pounds with ease. He jumped to 195 – Ok, he put up a decent amount of reps. Lastly, he attempted 215 pounds. More power to him, but he could not lower the bar to his chest to complete a “full rep” and the bar was lop-sided the whole time (favoring his stronger arm and not so much the other). Wants vs Needs. Ego vs Logic. Sprint vs Marathon. 
  • A couple were exercising together. The male seemed a bit more experienced based on his build and lingo while the woman looked equally experienced, but their conversation enlightened me that she was not well-versed in anything weight-related (I’m assumed she was a runner and was giving the gym a try out of persuasion). They were doing squats nearby off a rack. He was going on about how squats were a full-body exercise, that they burn a great amount of calories due to the multiple muscle recruitment, and (he was excited to say this part) that it would “torch that fat right off your butt!” I raised an eyebrow at this mindset. It made me wonder if they correlate exercise and high energy output directly (and possibly only) to fat burning. While this concept can hold true in the appropriate circumstances, it is certainly not the whole piece to the fat-burning puzzle. I wonder because I’ve come across a lot of people that believe in the concept that “to burn fat or lose weight, high-calorie-burning-exercising (or durations) are absolutely necessary.” I don’t fully believe in that mentality as there is a time and place for exercise in relation to fat-loss, but it seems to have become a health-staple-mindset. #Fwomp

Personal observations, assumptions, and over-analyzations aside…

Why?

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

Metabolism, Stress, Cold Hands & Feet

Posted on by
1

I’ve been asked about (and have experienced) cold hands and feet on occasion. It’s not just a way of life, as it can be for some, but a true symptom of an underlying cause. External environment aside, the body isn’t meant to have cold hands or feet and stress is its most important factor. No, not running-from-a-lion stress (although that can be included), but dietary, physical, and mental (and thus all resulting in hormonal) stress can very easily be the cause.

You can live without an arm or a leg but you can’t live without a liver! (Paul Chek)

Paul is right. In a state of stress (or shock) the body will pull blood from the non-important areas of the body to bring it back into center where all of the vital organs reside. These vitals keep the body ticking; not-so-much the fingers, feet, or knee caps. The body knows exactly what it is doing and, as individuals, we must be responsible to keep an eye and ear out to understand, interpret and then react accordingly to what’s going on.

The temperature of [the] fingers, toes, and nose helps to interpret the balance between stress and thyroid; [the] fingers should be less cold as [the] metabolic rate comes up. In extreme hypothyroidism, the hands and feet can be very cold while the oral temperature looks o.k.; then as the metabolic rate increases, the difference between fingers and mouth decreases. (Ray Peat)

Thanks, Ray. He hit the nail even more on the head by correlating stress and thyroid function – metabolic rate, homeostasis, the epicenter of all-things-regulating-healthy-bodily-functions. Peat looks at the heart rate and body temperature as instruments in determining thyroid (metabolic) health.

It’s not rocket science to notice cold hands and feet, meaning you don’t need a thermometer to tell ya what you can experience through awareness. Why does it happen? Well, I can go on about diet, physical, and mental stressors, but I think I’ll be barking about what you intuitively already know. Instead, here are a few questions to get you pointed in a perspective direction…

  • What time of day do you experience cold hands and feet? Upon waking, before/after lunch, before/after dinner, before/after exercise, before/after bed.
  • What is your heart rate at the same times mentioned above?
  • Do you notice cold hands and feet or an increased/decreased heart rate when consuming certain foods/drinks, in between meals (note the duration), doing certain activities (exercise, showering, sleeping, work, school, sex), or pertaining to certain sleeping patterns (sleeping “on time” or enough)?

This perspective approach can be taken with ANYTHING, not just cold hands and feet. Lifestyle Journals are the new black.

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

Sunday wrap-up May 20th

Posted on by
Reply

Miss any posts this week?

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

Is a scale a good measurement of health?

Posted on by
3

A scale measures weight, not health. What does body weight actually tell us? It is no more than a number that tends to do more mental damage than good. When body weight is measured it cannot be broken down into what is what - i.e. water, blood, organs, muscle, fat, bones, bacteria, food, and fecal matter. How can a scale provide true measurements of water content, cell count, muscle to fat ratio, bone density, intestinal bacteria ratio and weight, digested vs undigested food, and, essentially, metabolic rate (thyroid regulation)? It can’t!

Furthermore, body weight can fluctuate so easily due to meals (size, type, frequency, nutritional value), elimination patterns (going regularly or constipated), metabolic rate (how efficient a meal is used for energy and the body’s hormonal response), water intake (depletion or retention), exercise routines, movement frequency, life stressors, and sleep patterns.

So, a scale cannot measure what’s going on the inside and it cannot provide insight into one’s lifestyle pros or cons. Yet, there are plenty of people out there that live and die over their daily to weekly weight measurements thinking that it is a true progression of health. It’s understandable that body weight gives a sense of progress and allows for goals to be established, but come on – there’s gotta be a better, more telling way!

  • How about measuring how good we feel on the inside?
  • How about measuring how happy we are compared to how sad we may be? And why!
  • How about taking note of our food, hydration, and elimination patterns, and putting it all into perspective as to what helps or hinders?
  • How about observing our energy levels throughout the day regarding our activities, meals, and sleeping patterns?
  • How about recording a lifestyle journal for a desired length of time to truly gain perspective of what works and doesn’t work for YOU?

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