• YOUR BODY REBUILDS WHEN IT RESTS. During the course of your workout, we’re asking your body to do a lot of work. We’re essentially ripping up the muscles. During your rest days (and while you’re sleeping – more on that “sleep thing” in a later blog) your body rebuilds those rips and rebuilds them to be stronger. No rest = no rebuilding.

• DECREASE RISK OF INJURY. While injuries can’t always be prevented, we CAN do some things to decrease injury potential. When you’re body is fatigued, it finds ways of compensating – and quite often those “ways” aren’t the best ones. It’s kind of like when you’re so tired your feet are literally dragging. Sure, you’re still walking, technically, but we want that “pep in your step” – especially when you’re doing step-ups.

• OVERTRAINING CAN MESS UP YOUR ZZZZ’s. It can get in the way of your sleep. You’d think that more exercise would mean your body wants to sleep more. But more exercise can also get in the way of your sleeping ability. As explained by Muscle for Life “your sympathetic nervous system can remain excited at all times and you’ll feel restless and unable to focus, and your sleep will be disturbed and broken.”

• NOT RESTING CAN GET IN THE WAY OF WEIGHT LOSS. Okay, so this might be number one. Not resting can get in the way of weight loss. Yup! Read that again! If you’re trying to lose weight and you’re not resting, all that work you’re doing could be for not. WHY?It kind of goes along with #4. With that increased feeling of energy, the adrenal system kicks up in order to deal with the extra demands being placed on it. This can cause spikes in insulin. When insulin increases, fat burning decreases and your body starts to store exactly what you’re trying to get rid of with all that exercise.

SO HOW DO YOU TRAIN THAT “REST MUSCLE”… BY ACTUALLY RESTING IT.

The Secret Of Weight Loss

I’m going to say it right up front – the secret to weight loss is that there isn’t a secret.

Over the past years, we’ve complicated the whole system. Eat acai, not bananas. Eat half an apple 15 minutes before your workout then have a protein shake exactly 35 minutes after your workout to optimize your body’s uptake. Don’t eat after 6. Do this, don’t do that.  No wonder people are confused. We’ve overcomplicated the whole thing.

So I’m going to say it right now – you can throw it all out the window. Okay, maybe not all of it, but most of it. When it comes down to it there are only a few hard and fast rules and here they are:

But first, a disclaimer:

The same system that worked for Person A most likely will not work for Person B. Or it will work, but only for the first three weeks and during the 4^th month of the year and when the sun is shining at exactly the right angle. Does that make sense? You have to figure out what works for you. Sometimes that takes trying a few things. And sometimes it’s not even that difficult.

That being said, here’s why it’s not that difficult. There are basic rules of nutrition:

• Eat whole, unprocessed food. This means checking your food labels. If that list of ingredients goes on for a whole paragraph, I can guarantee you are not eating a whole, unprocessed food.
• Eat balanced meals. “Balanced” means there is protein, a carb, healthy fat, and vegetables on your plate. Sometimes those proteins will have fat with them, sometimes those carbs mean vegetables. What I’m saying is that most foods aren’t 100% protein or 100% carbs. But don’t complicate it. If you have a palm-sized amount of chicken on your plate, a fist full of sweet potatoes and kale, and a thumb’s worth of olive oil, you’re sitting pretty.

1. Eat till you’re full.
2. Stop eating when you’re full.
3. Know what fullness feels like.
4. That probably means slow down.
5. Do the above every day – at least three times a day.
6. Drink water.
7. Limit alcohol. I know.
8. Limit sugar. Fruit sugar = okay. Cookie sugar = not so okay. Don’t complicate this.

Eating Habit For Best Performance

Hey Jess, so what about the protein shake? What about meal timing? Is alcohol really that bad for me? etc…?

Here’s what I’d say: If you’re planning meals like the ones listed above, you might not need that protein shake. If your meals lack protein, then you probably need that shake. Are you passing out during your workout? Then eat before. Are you starving after your workout? Then eat after. Is that vodka soda habit doing you well when you can’t sleep well or you wake up hung-over? As for the “etc…” well we could be here all day.

Truthfully, it’s simple. I get it, it’s actually very very hard to put these things into practice… or is it? As I say, don’t complicate it.

Still confused? Let us help! Give us a call at 818.790.7727

Get Motivated. Stay Motivated

A couple of weeks ago I attended the Perform Better Summit and one of the things that stuck with me (amongst many other things) was what Martin Rooney said: Get Motivated. Stay Motivated.

Makes sense right? Well.. how exactly do you do that? Get motivated and then stay motivated.

When we feel that kick it’s not always clear where it comes from. Maybe it’s just divine inspiration? Or maybe you just watched Khloe Kardashian’s “Revenge Body” and you’re thinking of all the ways you can get your own revenge body. Whatever it is, when it hits, it’s strong.

When you feel that motivation, ride it.

Realize when you usually feel that motivation and then schedule your “X” then. For example – you feel most motivated on Monday morning. Great! Schedule a workout and weigh in then.

Sometimes it feels like weeks drag on without anything inspiring happening… so how do you get motivated then? Maybe try a few of these things?

1. Read a book.
2. Watch a documentary.
3. Watch a Ted Talk.
4. Check out your Instagram feed or do a hashtag search. Suggestions: meal prep, fit mom, fit dad, short workouts, fitspo, happy
5. Talk to someone you know will inspire you.
6. Go on a hike.
7. Take a shower – some of my greatest brainstorming time is done in the shower.
8. Talk to a coach!
9. Remember a time that you WERE motivated.

And the next time motivation hits?

Write down what you’re feeling in that moment – in a spot you can access. Maybe write it in your bathroom mirror or make a note on your phone. Take note of what happened to make you feel motivated. Can you recreate it in the moments you don’t feel that motivation?

Get motivated. Stay motivated. OR at least try to.

See ya in the gym!

Eating Habit For Best Performance