Squats and Deadlifts are DANGEROUS!

If you asked most physical therapists, they'd probably tell you that heavy back squats and deadlifts are inherently bad for the body. Biomechanically, these exercises create immense shear and compressive forces that can lead to soft tissues injuries, ruptured discs, joint pain, and all sorts of other awful pathologies. WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD BACK SQUAT AND DEADLIFT!

DANGER: May cause a backside to die for & an uncanny increase in strength and confidence

The danger is not in the exercise, but the individual. Would anybody say that "sex is inherently dangerous?" No, of course not, but if the individual was engaging in multiple, unprotected rendezvous with some seedy partners then we might consider otherwise. Did you know you already squat and deadlift, multiple times a day? How many times do you squat on the toliet? Squat down to a chair or bench? How many times a day do you pick stuff up off the ground?!

As a therapist, I've seen some pretty amazing feats of recovery. The human body is a highly adaptive mechanism that can overcome what we logically assume impossible. Actually, we're genetically DESIGNED to adapt to these progressive stressors (like heavy lifting), otherwise we'd be a generation of weak, flabby individuals with rapidly detoriating bone mass and no idea how to properly lift heavy things off the ground (oh, wait...) This is an unfortunate phenomena because by forgoing proper instruction on the squat and deadlift with this undeniable idea that they are "inherently dangerous" is actually putting people at a higher risk for injury. Again, we squat and deadlift many, many times a day. But even though these are very natural movements, our very unnatural world of chairs, desks, cars, couches, and other convenience inventions have compromised our mobility and our ability to properly perform these movements. So, because the squat and deadlift have been deemed "inherently dangerous" then people are not only limiting their strength potential, but they're also limiting their ability to simply learn these functional movements. If we never train anymore in these functional movement patterns like the squat and deadlift, we're probably compromising our safety with these inevitable movements in daily life. I'm assuming you're not squatting 1.5 times your bodyweight when you sit down for a crap in the morning, but recall that you do squat multiple times a day -- and this repetitive motion, without weight on your back or not, may still lead to injury if the pattern has not been properly trained.

If this is you all day, please don't tell me about compressive forces on your spine when deadlifting

I think everybody should squat and deadlift. But again, it all comes down to the individual. Some people will fare better with single-leg deadlifts, others with front squats, others with trap bar deadlifts, or maybe some with goblet squats. Most people can handle a wide variety of these exercises, and feel more strong, pain-free, and mobile after safely and gradually implementing them. Remember, don't be the floozy sleeping around with all their mystery lovers, be responsible and practice makes perfect! ;-)

Do I Eat Paleo?

I noticed a lot of my previous entries are "paleo" in nature. If you hadn't read my "about" section, I suggest you do, which touches upon my thoughts on "do or die" health mentalities. However, I do eat a fairly "paleo" lifestyle within the parameters that I try and eat foods closest to nature like meat, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, butter, coconut, avocado. I avoid highly processed foods void of nutrients, because I believe in properly fueling your system with the right vitamins, minerals, and calories. Food is medicinal in every sense of the word, we can literally HEAL ourselves through the right dietary choices. However, a fascinating phenomena that's often over-looked in devising the "perfect diet" is that most people become fixated that anything outside their said "perfect diet" will cause catastrophy. For some individuals with serious autoimmune conditions or other diseases, this can literally be the case. However, for the vast majority of people, this isn't the case. Instead, they self-inflict them with an almost equally dangerous pathology: guilt, stress, and anxiety. You should never feel guilty for, say, sharing a bowl of icecream with your spouse, or having your favorite brew with an old friend. Stressing over the fact that you are not eating "perfect", or experiencing true feelings of guilt after consuming something "bad", is feeding disordered eating habits and an unhealthy emotional state. Your optimal wellness can not be reduced to the nutrients you consume, how much weight you can lift, how fast you can run; remember that we also need to nurture our emotional well-being.

I'd never feel guilty about loving you, Talenti...

This means cutting the negative talk and enjoying that slice of cheesecake from time to time. With that said, I don't personally eat "strict paleo" (meaning absolutely no alcohol, added sugar, fake sugar, legumes, soy, dairy, grains, corn, oats). At my leanest, I did eat very strict with paleo. It was actually easier for me because I knew how to cook basic paleo meals pretty quickly, my grocery bill was always consistent, and I never expected any noticeable weight fluctuations. In my experience, eating strict paleo is actually CHEAPER than otherwise, which was beneficial to a poor college students relying on food stamps. However, after four years of eating paleo, I had honestly forgotten the taste and sensations of "non-paleo" fare. While this is great from a food craving perspective (what is this cheesecake you speak of?), there are some instances where eating outside the "paleo box" is a fun, new experience and won't cause your health to deteoriate or cause you to gain ten pounds in a week (again, stress can do that just as easily!) I've never had problems with binge eating, but this can also be a problem with people who are restricted into their paleo bubbles. When they finally give in to that piece of cheesecake, it's like a monster has been unleashed and anything goes. Then, not only do they probably have awful stomach pains, maybe even a migraine, or just exhausted, but they're probably feeling pretty damn guilty as well (so now we've got physical stress as well as emotional, yummy!)

While I think strict paleo (like the Whole 30) can be a great intervention for some individuals, especially those that are trying to find their true hunger (instead of eating out of emotion or habit,) it's typically a hard and perhaps unnecessarily rigid way to eat. Perfection, remember, is a personal thing and eating strict paleo may not be "perfect" for YOU.

So, do I eat paleo? Honestly, for the most part, I do eat fairly paleo. However, I don't eat paleo because everyone else is loving it, or because so-and-so got super lean on it, or because all the other health professionals reccomend it. I eat it because I honestly like the way it makes me feel, it makes logical sense to eat real food, and I like what I'm eating. I love eggs in the morning, I feel great eating meat again, eating some good salted butter still makes the world stop moving for a minute, and I find vegetables to be a great additive to round out a hearty meal. If I could pick the five foods I could eat forever, I think it'd have to be lightly spotted bananas, cashews, watermelon, sashimi, and butter (duh). So basically all "paleo". However much I love real "paleo" foods, I do eat a little bit of gluten-free bread (a slice of Udi's cinnamon & raisin bread fried in butter and salt with a side of eggs is AMAZING,) oats, peanut butter, cheese, corn. More decadent indulgences may be icecream, chocolate, sushi, alcohol. However, the staples of my diet are still the real, good stuff that make me feel the best. And whenever I do eat outside my paleo box, I do so with awareness and I only eat it if I really want it (and not a ridiculous amount). Even when indulging, I try to eat those items with the least amount of ingredients. When there are options available to eat simple icecream made from milk, sugar and eggs rather than hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup, why choose the latter?

To simplify things, I just eat real food most of the time. The rest of the time, I am enjoying myself and not sacrificing my emotional health by experiencing guilt, remorse or anxiety for indulging. I'll end this in the cliche "don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good", but this seriously needs to be emphasized for a lot of folks striving for the elusive "perfect health".

30-Day Challenge! GUARANTEED Better Health, Better Body, Better Sex!

It's summer. So, no surprise that you've probably seen DOZENS of different "weight loss challenges" that focus on the seemingly common goal of LOOK GOOD NOW! For some people, this is great. The short time-frame gives them a swift kick in the ass to get going, the community's support keeps them motivated, and making their goal public holds them liable (because god forbid you publicly FAIL at something!)  However, sometimes I think these "weight loss challenges" are possibly the worst idea for some individuals. Notably, this is the wrong approach for people with previous obsessive behaviors toward food, exercise, or dieting in general. It's hard not to succumb to the pressure, or even the challenge itself. But what if fitness professionals posed a different kind of challenge?....

This challenge won't necessarily be a task for your muscles, but more for your mind. Instead of forcing yourself to eat less calories or exercise more to look a certain way, I want you to challenge your mind to enjoy yourself right now and everything that you are capable of at this moment. I want you to challenge yourself to go through every one of these 30 days without a single negative thought about your body image. Instead of exercising with the sole purpose to lose weight and "look good", I want you to challenge yourself to exercise because you want to perform better, you want to feel better, and/or you want to do something healthy for yourself. I want you to challenge yourself to focus on the things you like about your body, instead of finding all of the tiny things that you don't like. I want you to challenge yourself to treat yourself like you treat your friend; if she was your size, would you think she was fat? Would you constantly tell her she is fat, or needs to eat less? I want you to challenge yourself to eat enough to nourish your body and your performance, instead of restricting calories and doing excessive exercise (if you need more help on this, check out Eat to Perform's calculator to give you a starting point.) I want you to challenge yourself to reduce the negativity in your life, whether that be releasing yourself from having unrealistic role models (like genetic "freaks",) engaging in energy-sucking relationships, or holding on to regret, remorse, guilt. I want you to challenge yourself to appreciate the body you have at this very moment, in all its unique-ness, through all its abilities, and with all its history.

So, if this is just a "mind thing", why do I guarantee "better health, better body, better sex?" How can I have a better body if I'm not eating less and exercising more?? How can I have better sex if I don't get rid of this belly flab?? How can I be in better health if I'm not doing crazy juice cleanses and super fancy metabolic workouts????

Because all you need to do is change your MIND!

Health can literally be defined as "without disease." Health is not defined by how fast you can do a Crossfit Fran workout, or how much weight you can deadlift, or even how many vegetables you eat in a day. Health is feeling your best and operating at your best. In your best health, you are operating optimally and you are literally thriving. Healthy living isn't all about eating well and exercising regularly, but it's also about taking care of your MIND. Having positive thoughts, reducing your stress, and being happy within yourself is exponentially more important to your health than even the most perfect diet and exercise plan. Now, how can I guarantee a better body? Because a "better body" is also all in mind; it's about perspective. If you think you look good and you're giving yourself positive affirmations, you're gonna look damn good! And this usually won't only come from your mind. Since you'll love the way you look and you can appreciate how good it feels to move during this challenge, you'll be exercising the right amount for you instead of forcing yourself into unrealistic or unsustainable workout plans. Nobody can give you the "perfect" workout plan, you have to adjust according to how you feel and how you fast you can recover. Now, how can I guarantee you better sex? Because you're getting right in your MIND! Whether that be from releasing yourself from negative thoughts ("oh my god, I hope he doesn't notice how fat my thighs look today") or because you've released yourself from negative or stressful thoughts ("work is going to be horrible tomorrow"), then you inevitably will just enjoy EVERYTHING better in life, sex included!

I would bet that this challenge is going to be a WAY more of a daunting task than any other "weight loss" challenge out there today, so are you up for it?

Some good reads on this topic:
Stop Setting Goals - Mother Fitness
2013 In Review - In My Skinny Genes