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BOX BREATHING
Box breathing, also known as square breathing or four-square breathing, is a simple yet effective technique that can help reduce stress and anxiety, improve focus and concentration, and promote relaxation. It involves deep, slow, and controlled breaths, which can help calm the mind and body, and bring you into a state of mindfulness and presence.
One of the main benefits of box breathing is that it can help regulate your breath and improve your respiratory function. By taking slow, deep breaths, you can increase the amount of oxygen that reaches your lungs and bloodstream, which can help improve your overall physical and mental well-being.
PRIORITIZING MOVEMENT WITH KIDS
Helloooo! Coach Tom here to discuss why and how we should help foster kids to learn about healthy movement.
First let’s consider some simple facts from the CDC regarding childhood obesity:
The prevalence of obesity was 19.7% and affected about 14.7 million children and adolescents. Obesity prevalence was 12.7% among 2- to 5-year-olds, 20.7% among 6- to 11-year-olds, and 22.2% among 12- to 19-year-olds.
These are numbers that have only increased over time as well. We know that early childhood obesity can result in a number of adverse health conditions earlier in life. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, breathing problems such as asthma and sleep apnea, and joint problems.
What’s the solution to this ever growing problem? How can we combat all the forces at play that are working against kids such as? As a parent I believe the first place to start is by setting an example and working on yourself first. Prioritizing your own health by displaying a positive relationship with food and exercise is a great way to set your kids up for future success. I can assure you future parents - that kids are most definitely “monkey see, monkey do”. As far as the fine details of nutrition for kids, I'll leave that to nutrition experts.
WHAT IS METHYLATION AND WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT?
Methylation is defined as a transfer of one carbon atom and three hydrogen atoms (CH3) from one substance to another, which affects a wide variety of functions in the body. Now, we won’t take you back to biochemistry but this transfer of methyl groups (CH3) is what silences (or turns off) a specific gene. DNA methylation is one example of epigenetics, which refers to expression of certain genes, without changing the DNA sequence (i.e. how our environment impacts us). This is also the “nurture” part of nature vs. nurture.
I know, I know, enough of the scientific jargon. Simply put, we can support the process of methylation through healthy lifestyle behaviors so that genes that support our health can be expressed and genes that contribute to poor health and disease are turned “off”. We can think of this like a light switch!
Methylation should be a household name with its impact on cardiovascular health, neurological functions, hormones and reproductive health as well as our body’s detoxification pathways…
TRANSITIONING AWAY FROM TRACKING MACROS
The end goal for all clients is NOT a lifelong relationship with a food tracking app. Even for us as coaches, most of us don’t envision pulling out our food scales and smart phones at every single meal for the rest of our lives. What we want for our clients (and ourselves) in the long run is the ability to maintain a healthy weight range and fuel our bodies for the activities we love by using both our knowledge of nutrition and our bodies’ internal signals to guide us. For many clients, we like to think of tracking calories and macros as “training wheels” for a long, healthy relationship with food - to be used for a period of time until we can comfortably navigate eating without the extra help.
So how do we bridge the gap between meticulously tracking what we put in our mouths to using our awareness and intuition to help us make decisions around food? Let’s talk about a few ways I like to help my clients do just that. We can use these approaches as progressive steps on a path, or as distinct practices to try on their own. Feel free to play with each approach as you see fit!
YOUR GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING PROTEIN
In a recent IG poll of mine, hundreds of people voted that confusion about “protein” was where they struggled most in terms of optimizing their nutrition. How much protein should you be consuming? Do you need it at every meal? Is it only for building muscle? Is it safe long term? So, let’s address this!
HOW TO TALK TO FRIENDS/FAMILY ABOUT YOUR LIFESTYLE CHANGES
Have you gotten these comments before?
“That's all you're eating?”
“Are you really going back for seconds?”
“That's a little extreme, don't you think?”
“Wow, you're eating that much?”
“Oh come on, live a little!”
“Can't you just skip the gym?”
“Be careful, I read/someone told me/I saw on TikTok that ____ is good/bad for you.”
Receiving unsolicited, negatively-connotated comments and feedback from those close to you can feel discouraging no matter how we dice it.
COULD YOU BE ADDICTED TO STRESS?
None of us are strangers to stress. The tight deadlines at school and work, having a full schedule, waking up early to workout, too busy to eat, running from a packed day at work to shuttling the kids around to evening activities…it’s never ending. Most of us are aware of the health implications of chronic stress, yet we can’t stop. We are told to slow down, to do less, to be more present and practice mindfulness, yet it’s so uncomfortable to implement. We feel guilty like we should be doing something. We feel bored so we pick up our phone. We don’t know how to do this “doing less thing”.
Why does this happen? Our stress hormones, such as cortisol, epinephrine and adrenaline in the short term can give us a boost of energy and can make us feel darn good for a while. These stress hormones also release dopamine. Dopamine is a “feel good” chemical in our brain. It activates the reward centers in the brain encouraging us to repeat behaviors. Overtime, we can learn to depend on this boost of hormones and neurotransmitters and it becomes our new baseline.
ALCOHOL & DIGESTION: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
If you’ve ever had a heavy night of drinking, you’ve probably experienced some sort of (to say it nicely) digestive distress. You may have experienced the DADS (Day After Drinking “S*$#s”), or ended up completely backed up digestively.
You might even notice that alcohol really impacts your body even long after it leaves your system. If you track your weight, you’ll also likely notice a big spike in the scale the day or few days post-booze fest.
Let’s talk about why those things happen and how alcohol impacts digestion in the short, medium, and long term.
SHOULD I MAKE A NUTRITIONAL ADJUSTMENT? (WHEN AIMING FOR WEIGHT LOSS)
So you’ve decided you want to lose some weight. You understand that in order to do so you need to be in a caloric deficit.
You acknowledge that you can do that via nutritional and / or exercise interventions. You admit that nutritional interventions are the most impactful and effective.
You set a starting caloric intake goal.
Weight is being lost.
All is well and good in the world.
But what happens when the needle stops moving in the direction you want?!?! Do you reduce calories ? Do you do so right away? If not, when?
SHOULD I SET A NEW YEAR GOAL?
It’s that time again where we start to reflect on the year that has been and the year to come. For many of us, we like to reflect on both the wins and losses with hopes to set some new goals moving forward. Hopefully, you have experienced more wins than losses and successfully achieved all of your 2022 goals. However, if that is not you, that’s okay!
Big goals take time. Big goals are not easy. But big goals are always worth it! It is my hope with this article to provide some support and tips on ways to improve your success in 2023.
Let's get started!
WHAT KIND OF CARDIO IS BEST FOR ME?
It's important to note that cardio shouldn't be done at the expense of losing lean body mass. With increases in cardio, we often need increases in calories or sleep needs to help protect lean mass and to keep recovery and biofeedback in a good place.
The goal is to optimize overall health without sacrificing other aspects of it.
Believe it or not - There is now research that shows a strongcorrelation between loss of lean body mass and a rise in all cause mortality and muscle mass as an indicator for an increase in longevity. Do your cardio - but don't forget to prioritize strength training & adequate nutrition!
LOWER BODY FAT & SIX PACK ABS, BUT AT WHAT COST?
The drive to look our best is a large factor for many of us when it comes to why we get into working out and eating healthier. The truth is, there is nothing wrong with having that be used as a motivator. What many don’t know is that to be truly lean–the guy with the 6 pack, the girl with no lower belly fat, there is a LOT more work involved than just exercising regularly and eating healthy.
You have probably heard of the 80/20 rule, the balanced lifestyle, and you have potentially even gone through dieting phases where you were stricter than these. The main difference in these types of diets or lifestyles is the true cost of changing your life. You may think it is worth it, that you’re ready for that kind of commitment–but let’s talk about what it truly means to live the super lean lifestyle.
BEHAVIOR CHANGE IS HARD
Behavior change is hard. And unfortunately, the more “failed” attempts you have had in the past, the more difficult change usually becomes. So why is that?
One theory that is commonly used to develop and evaluate behavior change is the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT). This theory has been developed by Albert Bandura to help explain why (or why not) people participate in various health-enhancing behaviors.
In this theory, there are four main components that ultimately relate to behavior change: Self-efficacy, Outcome expectations, Psychosocial factors, and Goals. Each one contributes, in some degree, to peoples’ participation and ultimately success in behavior change.
Let’s look at each one and see why they matter.
MEAL PREP TIPS & TRICKS
Have you gotten out of the routine of meal prepping over the summer or just looking for some new ideas? Here are a few things that have worked for me over the years.
The key here is simple, yet interesting!
THE SCIENCE OF MOTIVATION & APPLYING IT TO HABITS
Motivation has been anecdotally referred to as the “secret sauce” for seeing, and keeping, results in the fitness journey. Influencers, coaches, and athletes alike “make it look so easy” because they seem constantly motivated. By similar logic, lack of motivation is often the scapegoat for stalls in progress. So what is the science behind motivation? Is it really a prerequisite for sustaining a healthy lifestyle? Let’s dive in.
YOUR BRAIN ON A DIET: COGNITIVE DIETARY RESTRAINT
Many of us have “dieted for decades,” yet continue to struggle with unwanted weight gain and the negative health consequences that can come with it. We constantly feel restricted around food, that we can’t have our cake OR eat it, and we are always saying “no” to foods we love.
If you’ve ever thought to yourself “I’m always on a diet, but I can never seem to lose weight,” or are a person who feels like you’re constantly food deprived, but can never see the physical results you want from all of the effort you put into dieting, this might be for you.
Today we’re talking about the concept of Cognitive Dietary Restraint. And while it might sound like stuffy research terminology, it could have major implications for you and your body.
STOMACH ACID: WHY YOU NEED IT & SIGNS YOU MAY NOT HAVE ENOUGH
So…why do we need stomach acid?
Digestion starts in the brain and mouth, but there is so much more that goes into the digestive process to properly absorb nutrients and experience smooth digestion. After chewing food and swallowing, the first stop in the digestive process is your stomach. Here your body secretes what is called HCL (hydrochloric acid), also known as stomach acid. The main purpose of HCL is to further breakdown food and liquify it so the body can better absorb nutrients from the food that we eat. It’s also an incredibly important step in the breakdown of protein into smaller peptide chains and amino acids. Stomach acid also helps us absorb some key nutrients such as iron, copper, magnesium and B vitamins.
IS SITTING REALLY THE NEW SMOKING?
Simply put, NO!
Smoking is terrible for you and while titles like the one above might catch your attention, they are pretty misleading based on the research.
Well, now that we have answered that question, let's take a few minutes to examine why some people claim sitting is as bad as smoking and what we can do to combat these issues.
So first, if you are sitting down while reading this, you might want to stand up. And no, not because the information isn’t shocking enough that you need to be seated, it is just more likely you have been sitting for a while and your body and mind could use the break (and no, not a smoke break either).
Currently, research (based on objective measurements of activity) suggests that adults spend roughly 60% of their time doing sedentary activities – activities that typically involve sitting or lying down (1). And while you might be thinking there is no way you are that “sedentary” because you exercise multiple times a week or you go for regular walks, if you look at the numbers, it is actually not that hard to be sedentary more than 60% of your week. For example, assuming you sleep 8 hours a night (which you should) and then you work a 9-5 job, that is primarily at a desk, you have already been laying or sitting 57% of the hours in the week. Then, if you are like me and enjoy a good movie here and there or a good sports game, the hours that we are sitting or lying down can quickly add up.
WHAT IS “WATER WEIGHT” & WHY DOES IT HAPPEN?
Water retention and weight fluctuations go hand in hand - most people understand that. But why? Why are you feeling “puffier” than usual? Why is your scale weight up a few lbs from day to day even when you’re executing your training and nutrition protocols properly?
TRAINING VOLUME: FURTHERING THE DISCUSSION
Spoiler alert: The answer is it depends. Numerous factors need to be considered when assessing the appropriate amount of work to be programmed to maximize your gains. Things like:
Training age/experience (are you brand new to resistance training or have you been lifting for years and years)
Exercise selection (are you performing compound or isolation movements, are you biasing long muscle lengths vs short muscle lengths, etc)
Nutritional Status (are you hypocaloric, hypercaloric, eating in maintenance, low carb, etc)
How much volume have you been doing recently?
Are you making progress at the current level of volume you’re performing?