Okay, so I will probably offend 80% of readers with this but I speak truth, people. And truth can hurt. Often when I'm following a strict competition diet or cutting out sugars, people say, "Well, I believe all things in moderation." It's usually said in that tone that implies I'm insane, extreme, stupid, or unwise.
All things in moderation, my gluteals! Read the real meaning: I want to eat what I want to eat & drink what I want to drink. Or: I don't have the willpower or desire to cut things from my diet that I know are harmful so I will soothe my guilty conscience with Aristotle or scripture (whichever you feel holds more value) which so clearly states: all things in moderation.
Well, right off the bat, that contradicts itself by saying "all things"-- is the word "all" moderate? But I digress.
When people claim they follow this premise in their diet, all things in moderation, it most likely breaks down to: 25% processed food, 25% real food, 25% diet soda, 25% Nutella (or HoHos or Oreos or you get the picture-- and yes, I realize the latter 2 categories also belong to the first). Possibly I'm being generous with the 25% real food. And yes, it may be stuck up to say, but I'm not sure most Americans know what I mean by "real food". Again, I digress.
Back to the matter at hand: MODERATION. This is bogus to believe a diet can be moderate. If it were truly meant to be moderate, the food guide would look like a square with equal parts, not a triangle/pyramid (of the past) or a round plate with differing pie sizes (sorry, didn't mean to set you drooling with the word "pie").
A good diet is anything but moderation. Some food items you should eat ABUNDANTLY (vegetables), some MODERATELY (fruits, complex carbs, proteins) and some SPARINGLY (healthy fats). Some people discover from experimentation or their doctors that certain food items are completely off-limits, gluten, peanuts, shellfish, lactose, etc. Consuming these items, even in moderation, could lead to itchy, if not fatal, consequences.
So "all things in moderation" is probably the worst motto by which to live. I'm sure one could continue to argue many aspects of life in which this theory does not hold true, effective, or productive.
So for my clients who are getting this line from "well-meaning" friends, just nod & smile. Or send them this link. Let them eat their words . . . in moderation, of course :)
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Plank Standards
So what's up with this planking phenomenon? I find it both dumb but totally awesome at the same time! If anything, it brings attention to one of the greatest exercises of all time: the plank.
A true plank, in the fitness world, is basically the top of a push-up. Or a low plank, which is actually just as challenging if not more so than the high plank, is the same except resting on the forearms instead of in the hands. A good, solid low plank requires strength in the entire body, especially the core (which includes abs, back, glutes, trunk, hip flexors). It requires muscular actions in the upper back, triceps, biceps, chest, & shoulders, as well as engagement of the thighs, calves, feet. It is everything. I love it.
As a personal trainer, I find a plank test to elicit valuable information about my client's strength overall, but I have yet to find any standard measurements to use to provide my clients feedback on their results. Instead, I simply administer a timed test & compare their results over time, looking for hopeful increases in time duration. I've performed this test on enough clients now that I've decided to compose my own standards chart. So here it is. Feel free to use it for your own strength assessment; trainers, feel free to use it with the disclaimer that this is NOT backed by years and years of study, nor is it promoted or utilized by ACSM, AFAA, ACE, or any organization that I know of. But alas, this may be the only chart out there, & I hope it proves fairly accurate!
Be sure you or or your client is performing a proper low plank, on toes & forearms, body firm and long (aka, the booty is not sticking up in the air nor are the hips dropping to the floor), neck should also be lengthened, gaze to the floor.
A true plank, in the fitness world, is basically the top of a push-up. Or a low plank, which is actually just as challenging if not more so than the high plank, is the same except resting on the forearms instead of in the hands. A good, solid low plank requires strength in the entire body, especially the core (which includes abs, back, glutes, trunk, hip flexors). It requires muscular actions in the upper back, triceps, biceps, chest, & shoulders, as well as engagement of the thighs, calves, feet. It is everything. I love it.
As a personal trainer, I find a plank test to elicit valuable information about my client's strength overall, but I have yet to find any standard measurements to use to provide my clients feedback on their results. Instead, I simply administer a timed test & compare their results over time, looking for hopeful increases in time duration. I've performed this test on enough clients now that I've decided to compose my own standards chart. So here it is. Feel free to use it for your own strength assessment; trainers, feel free to use it with the disclaimer that this is NOT backed by years and years of study, nor is it promoted or utilized by ACSM, AFAA, ACE, or any organization that I know of. But alas, this may be the only chart out there, & I hope it proves fairly accurate!
Be sure you or or your client is performing a proper low plank, on toes & forearms, body firm and long (aka, the booty is not sticking up in the air nor are the hips dropping to the floor), neck should also be lengthened, gaze to the floor.
- 0 seconds- very poor
- less than 20 sec- poor
- 20-40 sec- below average
- 40-60 sec- average
- 60-80 sec-above average
- 80-100 sec- good
- 100+ sec- excellent
New Directions
Okay, okay . . . yes, I am a Glee fan, but in no way is the title of this blog post a reference to one of the greatest TV shows of all time. Instead, it is in reference to the fast that I am reviving this blog, which has sat neglected and bored since I completed my first round of bodybuilding competitions a year ago.
For those of you who followed, it was a humorous, self-deprecating, but interesting & truthful look into how a mama who enjoys & teaches fitness classes (yes, me) transforms into a mama who can stand on stage in an itsy-bitsy bikini and be ranked against young, hot bodies by scrutinizing judges. I may consider doing more competitions, but that's besides the point at the moment. At the moment, I would like to take this blog into a new direction, one that encompasses whatever aspect of fitness & mama-hood I feel so inclined to discuss. I hope it proves helpful, insightful, or at least entertaining to anyone who chooses to follow . . .
First up, if you would like ideas for nutritious meals your kids will (hopefully) eat, join my facebook group "Healthy Meals for Kids" where parents share recipes, tips, & tricks for making veggies appealing, meals more well-rounded & colorful, & treats healthier.
For those of you who followed, it was a humorous, self-deprecating, but interesting & truthful look into how a mama who enjoys & teaches fitness classes (yes, me) transforms into a mama who can stand on stage in an itsy-bitsy bikini and be ranked against young, hot bodies by scrutinizing judges. I may consider doing more competitions, but that's besides the point at the moment. At the moment, I would like to take this blog into a new direction, one that encompasses whatever aspect of fitness & mama-hood I feel so inclined to discuss. I hope it proves helpful, insightful, or at least entertaining to anyone who chooses to follow . . .
First up, if you would like ideas for nutritious meals your kids will (hopefully) eat, join my facebook group "Healthy Meals for Kids" where parents share recipes, tips, & tricks for making veggies appealing, meals more well-rounded & colorful, & treats healthier.
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