I Do The Details

Hi everyone,

Welcome to Trainer Tuesday- which just so happens to be “Fat Tuesday”. Fat Tuesday is the traditional day of pigging out before the start of Lent (which begins tomorrow, Ash Wednesday). I hope your weekend was lovely, but now looking back at all drinks and chocolates you indulged in PLUS today being Fat Tuesday- it’s definitely trainer time!

Mike, take it away my friend…tell it like it is..

By Mike Peritore (peri076.com)

Reboot your eating program!

As I’ve been preparing myself for my first 10K, I’ve found myself really only wanting to treat my body better and better.  By that, I mean only feeding on what will help me perform better with every training session I put myself through.

I’m no newcomer to proper nutrition nor the gym - but over the past months, I have pushed myself MUCH harder than I think I ever have - in a much different way. It wasn’t lifting heavier, or putting in a long cardio session - but more about getting the absolute most out of my 30-45 minute sessions as humanly possible.

That being said - I have started to search out for every possible efficiency available to my training regime as to not waste my time.  Yes, there are all sorts of pills, drinks and special Kashi cereals, etc… that can help you out (supposedly). But I generally take the hard road.  Because in that route, you earn great payoffs.

If you are are overweight, it is YOUR FAULT.  It has nothing to do with high fructose corn syrup or the amount of sugar and salt in your food.  It has to do with your ignorance of what you shovel down your cake hole. Think about it - if I told you that you only had 2,000 calories to blow per day to keep you full, what would you spend it on?  A couple burgers?  LOTS of chicken and green veggies? A tub of Ben & Jerry’s?

Well, wonder if I told you there is a method available to you (provided you are a healthy individual) that will not only give you some flexibility in your eating habits but could potential prolong your life?  Fasting.  There.  I said it.  I know it can EASILY be lumped together for the unknowing as anorexic - but nothing could be further from the truth.

Fasting is defined as: act of willingly abstaining from some or all food, drink, or both, for a period of time. A fast may be total or partial concerning that from which one fasts, and may be prolonged or intermittent as to the period of fasting.

We’re going to deal with intermittent fasting.  Intermittent is what I’m calling only
1 to 2 days per week (not in a row).  Ideally, I would recommend a 24 hour fast. 
But before you freak out - you can TECHNICALLY eat food EVERY DAY using this method. So let’s say your Basal Metabolic Rate (# of calories your body burns just being) is 2000 calories. Wow… that’s a lot!  Try spending a couple of HARD hours of cardio burning that many every day.

So what we’re going to do is take advantage of that number and put our body at a deficit (what we’d normally do by exercise) by fasting for 24 hours.  So from 5pm on Tuesday night until 5pm Wednesday night - only water and black coffee (or plain tea).  Those in “the know” understand that most signs of hunger are really thirst - so have a lot of water handy.

So if you are following along at home with our little example: a 2,000 calorie basal metabolic rate fasting twice a week equates to 4,000 calories burnt (normally through exercise).  What this buys you is SOME flexibility in what you eat the other 5 days a week.  The smart people will use this opportunity to begin feeding on HEALTHY whole food on these 5 days.  This will certainly help in creating a caloric deficit in your busy day.

I CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH THAT MORE IS NOT BETTER!! More than what I am describing here is NOT recommended.  This is purely an exercise in self control to promote healthy habits. Fasting also helps to rest the digestive tract and in lowering blood lipids. It has been proven to lower blood sugar, lower cholesterol and it helps in the lowering of the systolic blood pressure.

A 24-hour fast not doable?  Try doing a partial fast - only allowing yourself black coffee/water/tea over the course of a day - and reward yourself with a CONTROLLED meal of vegetables and a lean protein source.  The power of self control and discipline is priceless when it comes to setting and achieving your goals.

Go forth and good luck EVERYONE! Happy Tuesday.