If you read my last post, you know my beef (no pun intended) with the term "clean eating." In a nutshell, my biggest problem with the term is that there are so many opinions as to what it means that the term is too vague to be useful for a lot of people. Same goes for cute little clichés such as "Everything in moderation!" and "It's not a diet, it's a lifestyle!"
By now you are probably wondering what the heck I do believe in. Wonder no more, friends, because my philosophy for fitness (and life in general) is this:
Eat, train, and live with PURPOSE!
When you have a specific purpose and plan behind every choice you make, whether in the kitchen or in the gym, you are much more likely to get the results you want-- roughly 300% more likely, in fact, according to the Harvard Business Review (https://hbr.org/2011/02/nine-things-successful-people)!
Remember in my previous posts when I talked about finding your "why" and "how" for getting fit? (Are you noticing a recurring theme in these posts)?!
Do you remember the old Tony Robbins infomercial for "Personal Power?" It was an audio program (on cassette- that's how long ago it was!) that promised dramatic changes in your life if you followed his secrets of success. Well I bought that program at a particularly challenging time in my life, and I listened to it over and over again. (While I never became a millionaire, it definitely had a positive impact in getting me through that rough patch).
Anyway, Tony dedicated one chapter of the program to purpose, and how it makes you think every time you make a choice or take an action. Whether you have eggs with turkey sausage and fruit for breakfast, or bagel with cream cheese and a latte, think about why you are making that choice. Likewise, whether you take a walk after dinner or watch Wheel of Fortune, what is causing you to do one versus the other? Even if your reason for choosing the bagel and latte is simply "because it tastes good and I can eat it in my car," then fine-- this is not a judgment as to whether it is "good" or "bad," rather, it is an evaluation of whether it is bringing you closer to or farther away from what you want in your life. Make sense?
Purpose can make simple, everyday activities more meaningful and rewarding. For example, suppose you are playing with your child, or going to visit a friend. Think about what you want to accomplish--maybe it's simply to reconnect or to make that person feel cared about.
There is power in purpose. Even though it has been several years since I last heard Tony say those words through my Walkman, this is one little piece of wisdom that still sticks with me today.
Thursday, July 9, 2015
Saturday, July 4, 2015
Why I Can't Stand "Clean Eating"
Did that get your attention?
I should be more specific: I can't stand the term "clean eating." (As opposed to what, "dirty eating?")
I suppose if you are talking about "clean" foods in a biblical context that's one thing. But in a contemporary context, what the heck is it, really?
Unless you have been living in a cave, you know that "clean eating" have become huge buzzwords in health and fitness circles in recent years. There are a lot of fitness gurus who claim to have the "correct" definition of clean eating (and one in particular tried-- unsuccessfully-- to have the term copyrighted and credited to her). But the truth is, if you ask ten different trainers what clean eating is, you will likely get ten different answers (unless of course they are of the sort that regurgitates back whatever their employer tells them- and in that case, I would suggest you find another trainer).
Most of them will start out by saying it consists of "whole, unprocessed, natural foods that come from the earth." That's fine (in fact it's great!), but then they continue with a restrictive set of rules regarding what and (mostly) what not to eat. On one side you've got your Paleo (latest repackaging of low-carb) camp that insists grains and starches should be avoided like the plague; on the other you've got hardcore vegans stating that meat, milk, and even honey are not meant for human consumption. Then you've got more extreme protocols, such as raw foodists who will not cook anything above a certain (very low) temperature, and fruitarians who will only eat "what nature gives up" such as fruit that has already fallen from the tree or vine (I am not sure how they feel about eating animals that die of old age). There is even one guy who claims that all plant foods are poisonous and only eats raw meat- I don't even know what to say about that one.
Even the term "processed" is subject to debate when it comes to food. Sure, most of us think of colorful boxes with characters on them when we hear "processed" food. Some of us would also consider things such as flour, sugar, cheese, tofu, and yogurt to be "processed." But guess what? If we're going to get technical about it, cooked food is "processed." Juices, oils and nut butters are "processed." Soaked and sprouted grains and seeds are "processed." Even fresh fruits and vegetables become "processed" once they are cut or peeled. So the seemingly simple advice to avoid "processed" food can be subject to interpretation.
But what really bothers me is the implication that there is one particular way of eating that is best for everyone-- and that simply isn't true. When I was studying for my first personal training certification, one of the instructors told me that when it comes to nutrition, any plan is better than no plan. (I don't think she knew about raw meat guy at the time, but I digress). But you don't want any plan, do you?
You want the best plan for helping you to achieve your health and fitness goals!
Here's the thing: what works best for someone else is not necessarily going to work best for you. Some people do just fine eating grains and legumes; others feel better without them. Same goes for dairy, eggs, peanuts, bananas, and just about any other food that is frequently tagged "bad for you." In other cases it's a simple matter of preference: some people never met a vegetable they didn't like; others wouldn't touch a veggie unless it were blended undetectably into a sauce, meatball, or smoothie.
I chose the name Your Personal Best for my business because it is about just that: YOUR (not mine- or anyone else's) PERSONAL (according to your goals, preferences and lifestyle) BEST!
Likewise, one of the main reasons I chose to affiliate with Beachbody was because of the sheer number and variety of comprehensive fitness programs they offer, each one with different fitness levels and goals in mind-- all of which can be done in the privacy of your own home! Check out my Beachbody site at www.beachbodycoach.com/YOURPERSONALBESTLKN and have a look at what they have to offer!
Whether you need to start taking charge of your health or want to take your fitness to the next level, I would love to help you! Visit me at https://www.facebook.com/YourPersonalBestLKN and post a comment or send me a message and I'll help you get started on your way to becoming YOUR PERSONAL BEST!
I should be more specific: I can't stand the term "clean eating." (As opposed to what, "dirty eating?")
I suppose if you are talking about "clean" foods in a biblical context that's one thing. But in a contemporary context, what the heck is it, really?
Unless you have been living in a cave, you know that "clean eating" have become huge buzzwords in health and fitness circles in recent years. There are a lot of fitness gurus who claim to have the "correct" definition of clean eating (and one in particular tried-- unsuccessfully-- to have the term copyrighted and credited to her). But the truth is, if you ask ten different trainers what clean eating is, you will likely get ten different answers (unless of course they are of the sort that regurgitates back whatever their employer tells them- and in that case, I would suggest you find another trainer).
Most of them will start out by saying it consists of "whole, unprocessed, natural foods that come from the earth." That's fine (in fact it's great!), but then they continue with a restrictive set of rules regarding what and (mostly) what not to eat. On one side you've got your Paleo (latest repackaging of low-carb) camp that insists grains and starches should be avoided like the plague; on the other you've got hardcore vegans stating that meat, milk, and even honey are not meant for human consumption. Then you've got more extreme protocols, such as raw foodists who will not cook anything above a certain (very low) temperature, and fruitarians who will only eat "what nature gives up" such as fruit that has already fallen from the tree or vine (I am not sure how they feel about eating animals that die of old age). There is even one guy who claims that all plant foods are poisonous and only eats raw meat- I don't even know what to say about that one.
Even the term "processed" is subject to debate when it comes to food. Sure, most of us think of colorful boxes with characters on them when we hear "processed" food. Some of us would also consider things such as flour, sugar, cheese, tofu, and yogurt to be "processed." But guess what? If we're going to get technical about it, cooked food is "processed." Juices, oils and nut butters are "processed." Soaked and sprouted grains and seeds are "processed." Even fresh fruits and vegetables become "processed" once they are cut or peeled. So the seemingly simple advice to avoid "processed" food can be subject to interpretation.
But what really bothers me is the implication that there is one particular way of eating that is best for everyone-- and that simply isn't true. When I was studying for my first personal training certification, one of the instructors told me that when it comes to nutrition, any plan is better than no plan. (I don't think she knew about raw meat guy at the time, but I digress). But you don't want any plan, do you?
You want the best plan for helping you to achieve your health and fitness goals!
Here's the thing: what works best for someone else is not necessarily going to work best for you. Some people do just fine eating grains and legumes; others feel better without them. Same goes for dairy, eggs, peanuts, bananas, and just about any other food that is frequently tagged "bad for you." In other cases it's a simple matter of preference: some people never met a vegetable they didn't like; others wouldn't touch a veggie unless it were blended undetectably into a sauce, meatball, or smoothie.
I chose the name Your Personal Best for my business because it is about just that: YOUR (not mine- or anyone else's) PERSONAL (according to your goals, preferences and lifestyle) BEST!
Likewise, one of the main reasons I chose to affiliate with Beachbody was because of the sheer number and variety of comprehensive fitness programs they offer, each one with different fitness levels and goals in mind-- all of which can be done in the privacy of your own home! Check out my Beachbody site at www.beachbodycoach.com/YOURPERSONALBESTLKN and have a look at what they have to offer!
Whether you need to start taking charge of your health or want to take your fitness to the next level, I would love to help you! Visit me at https://www.facebook.com/YourPersonalBestLKN and post a comment or send me a message and I'll help you get started on your way to becoming YOUR PERSONAL BEST!
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