In this issue...
- What's New at StrongFast?
- Feature Article: Tricks or Treats
- Fitness Found Online
- Recipe: Cantaloupe Bacon Salad
What's New at StrongFast?
Don't panic but...this is the last StrongFast Planet Newsletter.
Say it isn't so! Fear not: The Planet will live on...as a blog. The newsletter has proven to be too restrictive in what I can write and when, so the old blog is coming back, renamed StrongFast Planet, and all the things you're used to seeing in the newsletter will wind up there, and a lot more.
Planet posts will also be linked on our Facebook page, but some additional content will occasionally appear on Facebook that doesn't make it into The Planet. So if you're on Facebook please "like" our page so you don't miss anything.
Now, on with the last "issue" of The Planet...sure to be a collector's item!
"Knock knock."
"Who's there?"
"The Planet."
"The Planet who?"
"The plan: it is to move the newsletter to the blog."
Feature Article: Tricks or Treats
There's an old article I've been meaning to write about for a while, and now here we go. The article is "Five Tricks I Used to Beat My Unhealthy Eating Habits". I don't know how author Mikael Cho is doing now, and I'm not going to analyze the entire article, but here are some things that jumped out at me regarding the five tricks.
#1: Cut Sugar and Starch (Gradually). I don't have big problems with this one. We do tend to eat way too much sugar (since it's in almost everything) and starches can be problematic, particularly for sedentary folks. I will say that while cutting back gradually apparently worked for Mr. Cho, it's certainly not the only way to go about it. Going "cold turkey" can be very effective, once you get past the first couple of days. The desire for sugar will begin to wane pretty quickly. The gradual approach of a few days without interspersed with some days eating sugar keeps re-introducing it, which can make getting off it really hard. A better gradual approach would be to gradually reduce the sugar in the foods you eat, and do that consistently. But your mileage may vary.
#2: Removing Guilt with a "Cheat Day". The "cheat day" concept is popular, though not everyone agrees. But in any case, I'd like to replace the word "cheat" with "indulgence" because "cheat" has such negative connotations. Most people consider cheating to be wrong (because, you know, it's wrong), so rather than removing guilt, a "cheat" day can add it, whereas an "indulgence" is something we do for ourselves that we know isn't a great long-term strategy, but it's not inherently bad. One might "indulge" in a shopping spree, which would be problematic to do regularly if you're not wealthy, but it doesn't generally provoke guilt. It's just a well-deserved treat. You could think of an ice cream sundae like that: a one-time indulgence. Nothing to feel guilty about, but keeping it up will cause problems. In any case, I'd rather people limit themselves to indulgence meals (or snacks) rather than entire days. That can be a lot of indulging!
#3: Use a Mint to Master Portion Control. He backs up this tip by (indirectly) referencing a study in which participants sniffed mint; they didn't eat it. The problem with eating mints (or chewing gum) is that they almost all contain sugar, or a sugar substitute that can have a similar effect. That kind of contradicts #1. If it really helps, fine. Just be aware of the potential downside (making it harder to give up sugar).
#4: Replace "Crispy". This one I have no problem with. (Yay!) Lots of people like the crispy crunch of chips and other junk food; replacing them with something healthy is a good idea. Not sure his suggestions of a cucumber or bell pepper are so great, though, but hey, whatever works. You can also jazz it up by adding a healthy dip or topping, like carrots with hummus or celery with cream cheese. (Yes, I'm advocating some cheese, but only because it's a non-smelly one.)
#5: Never Skip Breakfast. I must admit, I used to think this, too. "Most important meal of the day," right? Turns out, not so much. Research has shown that eating breakfast doesn't have any real statistical effect on fat-loss. Some people do well eating breakfast, some people do well without it. If skipping breakfast makes you ravenous later, your diet is probably too sugary (or simple carby). Skipping a meal shouldn't be painful. And if you don't want to eat breakfast, you don't have to. But if you do eat breakfast, make sure it's something good. (Think protein.)
And why are these "tricks" anyway? They're not particularly tricky. But that's just being picky. Mints: they can be sticky. My candle has no wiki.
And with that, this article is officially over.
Be seeing you.
-gary
Fitness Found Online
 Did you hear the one about the nutritionists' convention that was sponsored by McDonald's? Sounds like it could be a Saturday Night Live skit. But it's just another case of big corporations trying to skew the definition of healthy food. |
 Lots of people run to try to lose weight, and for many it can help. But not always. Here's a list of 5 reasons running may not help you lose weight. |
Recipe: Cantaloupe Bacon Salad
Another blast from the past...a summery treat!
Imagine you could take a pill (with no side-effects) and instantly double your strength. How would that feel? What might you do differently (other than crush your enemies, of course)? Suddenly, you could run faster, jump higher, climb, lift, throw...do all kinds of activities that were previously very difficult or even impossible. But even the simple things are affected: standing up from a chair, climbing stairs, carrying the groceries, mowing the lawn...almost everything is easier. How much would you pay for a pill like that?