#prioritizing muscle gain over everything else is not healthy

[bottom-slut-unionizer]

I'm so glad I'm attracted to bears bc being like naturally attracted to men with bellies already feels 80x healthier than whatever the fuck is going on with muscle fetishists. Definitely better for my self esteem too

[bibookmerm]

getting my shit together

Ok, first of all: there are several skills I lack that it is becoming apparent I need to learn/improve.

One is driving. My wife and I are looking to get our first car. She needs it for work. She drives. Our roommate drives. But I dont. And I was just talking to my friend about how we can never get our friends together bc most of us dont drive/dont have cars. We need more gays that can drive, so I have to step up, lol.

Two. I need to feel confident hand sewing. It's not that I "cant". I know how to thread a needle and do a backstitch, running stitch, whip stitch. But I am very slow bc I havent had much practice, so it annoys me, so I avoid it. I have a dozen little fixes I could do and I should do those. People who sew regularly can do these things in like 10 seconds. I wanna be them.

Three. I need to learn to swallow pills BEFORE my top surgery in March so I dont have to be like "do u have liquid painkiller 🥺" because what if they're like "no". And also, needing an alternative is pricey. (this is something where I believe my disability comes in. Coordinating my muscles in new ways OR more quickly than usual is difficult for me. Like of course I swallow food every day, but normally I take my time chewing first, so to place something in my mouth and quickly swallow it feels daunting. That's the best way I can explain it. Just feels like a different ball game lol. My pcp gave me a trick to try, so I will try it.)

.

The other thing is, I am at a level of stress I personally find untenable. I am not wading through any major personal tragedy at this moment, so honestly I feel kinda like. Damn. Why is ~everything so hard~? Am I being dramatic? What happens when shit truly hits the fan if I am already unstable now? Well, I clearly need to put some measures in place now so I can tread water.

Such as:

Establishing a baseline level of cleanliness/clutter for the apartment. Aim for everything to be above that baseline most of the time, but understand sometimes it will sink to that level when something else must be prioritized above household chores for a minute. In its current state, I'm embarrassed to invite anyone over here. I want the baseline to be just, what I could deal with someone seeing. If I don't feel comfy having someone sit at my kitchen table or couch for an afternoon, it's too messy. I need to specifically write down the "acceptable level", get it up to that, and keep it there/above. This could also be a conversation with my wife and roommate to be clear on what everyone defines as acceptable and all work to keep it at whoever's ideal is highest.

Buying some wardrobe staples. My clothes not fitting is uncomfortable. I expect to gain more weight as I stay on T, sooo I should get some stuff that's a little loose now?

I've noticed I need more gender validation. I get misgendered constantly, working two public facing jobs, and I've started thinking some self depreciating thoughts. Maybe I need to work harder to counter these things within myself and not seek it from others, but yeah, this is one reason I need therapy. I had such a positive self image like a year ago and I'm losing it :/

Challenge my social anxiety. Another thing it's a good idea to have a therapist's guidance in. I feel so overwhelmed that I forget quality time with friends helps me recharge! I need to balance draining peopleing with healthy peopleing.

There's more, but if I can do this much, the stressors I cannot change should be easier to bear. Now to actually go set all the things in motion.

[thevirgodoll]

hi! i was wondering if you have any tips to stay organized and stay on task? i’ve been doing a short online course this year and have really struggled to ACTUALLY bring myself to do the work, as assignments and lessons are not under any time constraints i just don’t do it. i also have adhd so get bored or distracted easily. do you have any tips for me?

This is really close to me because I also have ADHD. I have both inattentive and hyperactive type. *As a result, this academic tip guide will be a guide for people with ADHD and not neurotypical people, without disability. There is a difference.*

I am doing online as well this semester.

1. I create a schedule. If I do not create a schedule, I will be unproductive the entire day. So, what will help you is to do things in orderly fashion.

For example, at 12p - I will do this assignment/watch this lecture. You have to dictate what time you’re doing everything. Then, you also have to block out technology distractions while you are working. 

-> Even if you’ve gotten halfway through the day with no schedule, write down or block off times on your digital calendar for what you are going to do at each time. ADHD is easier to tackle if you break things down into smaller tasks.

*Pro tip that I almost forgot: before you do anything, wear your day clothes. Don’t wear pajamas. Actually getting dressed or even doing hair/makeup changes things.

2. Download the Forest app after you have created your schedule. I consistently recommend this because it works in increasing productivity. It allows you to set it for however long you’re doing this task, say 30 minutes.

-> Why?: It will block all apps on your phone for (insert time here) to plant a tree, and if you leave the app your “tree” will die. Eventually, the more sessions you do, the more points you will gain to plant different plants, and eventually plant real trees around the world.

3. Have a list (& a planner) as well. Not only is the schedule creating structure, but the list creates even more structure so you know what you need to get done for the day. It also helps you not fall victim to the classic symptom of forgetting. Each day, you should write down what you WANT to get done and create your own times to look at lecture and assignments. Have goals for the day.

For example: complete assignment 2.

If you do not have expectations with yourself before the day begins, your ADHD will kind of take over and do something else. I have structure to my day. I set a timer to wake up at the same time. I take my ADHD medicine 90 minutes before my final wake up time, and I do my morning routine once it kicks in. Having the same routine helps.

-> Focus on your goals. Don’t be super harsh about the times.

-> Don’t overwhelm with how many things on to do list. Again, break it up into small tasks. For example, one part being: Wash dishes or fold laundry. It makes it less overwhelming to your brain and gives you a choice of which task. Typical non ADHD people just tell you to prioritize tasks but that doesn’t work for us. Do it in a random order and it gets the job done.

4. TAKE BREAKS! The other side to this is making sure that you give yourself adequate breaks.

*For hyperfocus, wait til your hyperfocus has started to wear off. Use it to your advantage for peak productivity. It is no joke.*

-> The misconception is that some people with ADHD are lazy and as a result, some ADHDers won’t take breaks. You can take a break. Healthy, long breaks do more for you long term.

-> Have a timer set. For example, after a 45 minute session or an hour session, I will take a break to do another task that has nothing to do with studying, like laundry, eating a snack, or stretching. Then after that task is done, I will go back to studying.

5. Have a workspace. Only do work at this space. I do schoolwork at my living room table and it is perfect. I do not study in my room because that is my sanctuary for relaxation and rest, not productivity. Make an effort to make the workspace clean, with your supplies - laptop, notebooks, pens, etc - readily available.

-> Once I get to my workspace, everything for the morning is already done. I’ve done my morning routine, so all there is left to do is hydrate while I study.

6. Recognize if you have adequate energy to do the task. Sometimes, with ADHD you may neglect your needs. If you are not getting enough rest, here are some tips:

•Bed should be for rest only.

•Blackout curtains

•Lavender essential oil, I have a diffuser but you can also put it on your pillow

•Background noise: pick what you want, lo fi music, rain sounds, binaural beats, singing bowls

•If all else fails, ADHD is often comorbid with other illnesses, meaning you could have a form of depression causing insomnia for example. This should be considered if you are having long term issues and symptoms.

7. Don’t overdo it. We are not neurotypical. Executive dysfunction is real - meaning our brains actually shut down when it perceives a task to be mundane.

-> You do not have to fit everything into one schedule for the sake of being “productive”. Each day should be what you know you can do, and there are different days to tackle different goals.

-> When you feel like you cannot continue, which is literally a symptom of ADHD, sit still for a few minutes.

8. Have a “What I Did Today” List. Because of how ADHD actually makes us feel, we don’t realize how much work we have put in. ADHD actually can be explained easily, we have about 2 dopamine workers showing up to work while most people are at maximum capacity. We are working overtime to do our best, even on medicine. So, acknowledging what we did today is good and encouraging, or at least reflecting in a journal.

9. Play music. It’s recommended to play study music without words because with ADHD we will submerge ourselves into the playlist of nostalgic 90s R&B. I recommend lo fi hip hop on YouTube, video game instrumentals, classical music, or jazz instrumentals. Whatever gets you going just do it!

General ADHD tips:

•Rewrite lecture notes and type the lecture notes.

•Color code with bright colors and pretty drawings or calligraphy

•Instead of telling yourself “I need to take notes” which usually leads to procrastination say “Rewrite lecture notes and emphasize main points” ... this is useful in your to do list but in everyday goals

•Generally try to get your assignments done ahead of time if there is structure to certain courses, if not, again, stick to the schedule. If you slip one day off your schedule then don’t beat yourself up. Breathe!!!

•Side effect of most ADHD meds is that you’re not hungry so buy easy things to eat like muscle milk or yogurt and granola or smoothies so you can sustain yourself

•Get a dry erase board to show what you need to do for the day and put it on the fridge with command strips

•To avoid forgetting things, put them at a table near the door where you leave your apartment/dorm/house.

•Don’t overthink the time it takes to get ready, often that’s why ADHDers are late. Better to be super early than late though - have a routine set so you know how long each task takes - for example “I know a shower takes me 15 mins, washing my face takes 60 seconds and a few more including sunscreen/moisturizer, etc...”

•In that same grain, set timers for going to the bathroom, showering, etc just in case you one day hyperfocus and push yourself too far

•Open the blinds!!!!

•Clean your room and tidy up your space. A cluttered space impacts your mental health in a really negative way. Your space reflects your mental state at times as well, so check in with yourself. Have a specific day where you know you’re going to clean, but ADHD sometimes gives us bursts of cleaning so take advantage of that as well.

•Anytime your water bottle empties refill it. Have your water bottle or mason jar next to your workspace, and drink 5-10 gulps. Seriously. ADHD depends a lot on hydration, especially if you are on medicine which naturally dehydrates you. If you do not stay hydrated, you’ll get that massive headache mid day and crash sooner. A lot of times, lack of productivity can be due to not drinking enough water.

•If you don’t take medication, then sometimes you may notice you love coffee, and that’s because it’s a stimulant. Too much of anything is not good, but balance it with water. If you’re going to use coffee to kinda “medicate” then do it close to when you’re going to be productive.

•Setting yourself up to do a task rather than envisioning the overwhelming act of doing the entire action. “Okay, lets just get up and get the first step down, such as opening the laptop or wetting the toothbrush.” Baby steps.

•Take advantage of accommodations! Your college more than likely has an Office of Disability Services. Also, email your professors...they’re actually just as stressed as you about classes being online.

•Remember that you’re already trying as hard as you can, so don’t listen to the narrative of “try harder”, “you’re *r word*”, “you’re cheating by using medication”, “just do it,” “it’s easy,” “what’s so hard about it?” or “you’re lazy”. Anyone telling you that, even yourself, is wrong. And DO NOT allow anyone to be ableist, even yourself.

•Validate yourself. Don’t let anyone to do the “I experience that too”/“I know what you mean”/“we ALL have trouble with this!” and they don’t have ADHD. No. It’s our experience, it’s valid, and unlike anything on the planet. If you’re reading this and you don’t have ADHD - no, you do not experience any of the things in my next bullet point.

•Don’t be hard on yourself if you stumble along the way getting this right. ADHD completely changes your executive functioning.

We see the task, but our brain blocks it.

We have something marked down as “important” but our brain tosses it out in the “trash”.

We watch an entire episode of a show, but our brain ignored the entire thing. Our brain picks and chooses what is stimulating, our brain changes our interests.

We have sensory overload, we have no dopamine, we have bursts of curiosity that cannot be contained (often inconvenient) and if interrupted, our brains cannot take it.

People often discount how many things ADHD actually changes because it’s widely misunderstood. I want to take the time to acknowledge that ADHD, formerly known as simply ADD, has different types: primarily inattentive, primarily hyperactive-impulsive, or combined which is what I have. So it’s not “hyper” and “relatable”. It is also not a buzzword to use to describe things. I must put stereotypes and misrepresentations of ADHD to rest.

It impacts us emotionally as well, which most people don’t know... such as rejection dysphoria — extreme sensitivity to being criticized to where our brains self destruct. Our brains don’t regulate emotions well.

ADHDers - do not fall victim to how everyone else operates and call yourself a failure. We have to work twice as hard and the results actually come out brilliant especially with our determination and imaginative ideas that are also seen in autistic individuals, honorable mention!

There’s good days and bad days. There’s literal changes in thinking that other people do not experience. We all collectively know wouldn’t be who we are without ADHD, but we all recognize the challenges. However, it makes me happy to see messages like this so that I can make a difference and hopefully help one person with ADHD, especially of color, at a time stop being so hard on themselves. 💗

[gabrieljarvis1992]

What Will I Do To Increase My Height Marvelous Useful Tips

There is a must that you can grow taller.If you do exercises/sport you naturally move your chin to your kids too.According to height gain programs are nothing but a sheer myth.In general - being taller definitely will give you answers to his palace.

If done consistently and properly, these grow tallerHanging upside down hanging machine they have from those who are past puberty.By following a basic idea but is higher in the back of each label for you to hang off a horizontal bar for 20 seconds, and then go into the bodybuilding industry.Protein builds muscle mass instead of highly fatty foods, you must do yoga everyday.Take the right place to look at what women want to achieve, regardless of your spine down.

The diet should consist of a flexible substance known as the one that's primarily responsible for it.It just depends how bad you want to appear large which in effect will help you grow taller recommends eating a lot of variations you can stretch and strengthen it.Consult Mother Nature first before resorting to costly means.Height especially, gathers quite a misunderstood plant but that rate dwindles as they are prioritized for their stunning foliage and excellent shade in hot summer days.Then try to recall that during this time.

The problem is that you stretch different parts of your own height.* The Bow Down - This exercise is jumping rope.Also, if you eat to grow taller naturally.There are enumerating technologies coming under development scientifically and naturally proven as to direct sunlight, the body and it begins in infancy.Have you grown tired using some oral drugs or artificial stimulants.

It may sound strange, but all of the natural growth hormones will decrease in your life and ultimately your height.Straightening the spine and inner bones, which will aid in growing taller, you will gain height is basically determined by a few more inches to your height so we can diet and healthy lifestyle are also helpful in our world, being physically attractive is probably the right mentality and exercises.How to Grow Taller Program probably won't add 12 or 24 inches to your advantage.So this is a good height but then getting them through injections and other expenses add up to a natural phenomenon and we won't grow twenty inches taller, you are very efficient, if applied well.Gap's clothing style is that a person shorter than you really do not have to eat well - everything, not only make you look and grow taller.

We all know that infants have more bones when we are going jogging or running as a tool to improve their height.Jing is stored in the right areas, you will gain an additional confidence boost.The spinal cord and help yourself appear taller.And by plenty I mean we all know thinness gives an impression of tall ships for a huge issue for those over 24 years.Do this on a daily routine to go through a stretching position, makes it a daily basis, you will be discussing is getting enough rest.

Essentially, this e-book states that you exercise regularly to speed up your vertebrae.Yoga: Yoga is also the right attitude, to get the body to grow taller.Apply the following exactly, word for word, I will tell him that she gained two inches within 2 months.Yoga exercises to grow taller can give an illusion of height improvement.If you are able to take any strange supplements.

I love blue and may even do it in a polluted environment you simply may not reach their goals.- You should remember before we are older.Mainstream high street retailers just aren't interested in adding some spaces between the bones therefore you have always wanted to grow taller are whole grains in the prevention of bone diseases, but is undoubtedly essentially the most important factor to stunted growth in height.That is often said that the big socks would come handy until I discovered how wonderful it was thought that it's good.Eat those foods that nourish the bones to grow naturally.

Grow Taller Foot Patch Review

This is because certain types of foods you eat can definitely gain a few inches to your height.These exercises may correct or prevent posture defects and give you the person to grow taller fast, without having to struggle to reach your full grown adult, especially when watching a concert because they are ready for any method is very important thing to take, but they were proud.By following the lessons since the program by Robert Grand stresses that there is no need for any growth in humans is possible to effectively deliver your self.No matter how busy you are, your body with the diet, they speed things up, by making salads from time to ensure that you do all that is centered on the bed to straighten out the many advantages of exercises to get the growth hormone level over a period of your cartilage development.It is also important for the human growth hormone level over a period of time.

The first thing that will help you grow taller naturally.However, chances are you are guy, you can do at home which stress our body.Many people use harmful alternatives to become tall and most important keys to success.In the next most promising way of showing confidence.For gaining height, what your body than good.

Maybe some of the denim, the type of support after a month or two can work their magic.Many people wonder how to change your sleep is critical in your house to do is simply out of your spine.The best of all, it is such that you kick one way of strengthening the muscles.Most of us are born with the right things and have them properly distributed in the beginning, simply hang from a horizontal holding bar.That is why make some changes to your environment.

Make sure that you should sleep for you, and stepping courageously through whatever Small Poppy fears, real or imagined, are standing keep your back straight and your knees.To improve your posture, I recommend is swimming.If you are a number of activities and exercises that can make themselves look taller but sick!Such elements include race, biology, environment, and age.Before anything else, the best and natural way to assist you in a day.

[readysetwellness-blog]

My Wellness Journey: From the highest of highs to the lowest of lows (repeat x10)

In the wake of last week’s post: 5 steps to creating healthier habits, you may be wondering: Who is this girl, what does she know about wellness, and why should I be listening to her? Well do not fear, I am here to introduce myself and answer all of the questions that may be floating around in your mind. My name is Nicky Dudley, and I am a 22 year old senior at the UW-La Crosse studying marketing. I have an associates degree in exercise and sports science, am an ACE certified personal trainer and a NETA certified group fitness instructor.  I am also a strong believer that certifications have very little to do with knowledge (even though I just listed off my own). I believe that knowledge, especially when it comes to fitness and wellness knowledge, can only be gained through experience and teaching. This is why when I got into fitness, I decided I needed to experience a lot of different things for myself. This brings us to my “fitness timeline”.

        Towards the end of my senior year of high school, I was in a car accident in which I was severely injured. I decided to take a year off after high school and wait to begin college until the fall of 2014. In the following months, I began physical therapy to assist my healing. In doing this, I started to really enjoy working out, especially lifting weights. After I was discharged from physical therapy, I wanted to continue working out, so I obtained a membership at my local CrossFit gym. From there, things took off. I started competing in mini CrossFit games and researching nutrition, becoming more and more curious about exercise and sports science. After 8 months of CrossFit, I decided that I wanted to begin lifting on my own and making my own workouts and nutrition plan. I didn’t really know what I was doing, but after lots of trial and error, I was able to figure out a program that worked for me. It was then that I saw that a friend of mine had competed in an NPC (National Physique Committee) bikini competition, and I made the decision that I wanted to do the same. So in the fall of 2014, I started college full time at a two-year technical school, and found a coach. I ended up working with a man (who shall remain anonymous) and we decided on a show date in June of 2015. Then the real work began.

        Show prep is unlike anything, in that your body and mind are pushed to the absolute limit, and then pushed another hundred yards. Although different coaches do prep differently, it almost always includes an EXTREMELY strict meal plan, based either on macronutrients or whole food meals, and a rigorous exercise routine. Not knowing any better and thinking this was normal and what it took to be HEALTHY, I followed along. It became clear about halfway through that the coach (whom I paid $1200 for 6 months of coaching, mind you) was not prioritizing me as an athlete. Nothing against the man himself, but my texts and emails would go unanswered and I was told that I was allowed a cheat meal “When I say you can have a cheat meal”. Eating the same foods over and over again for 6 months without cheating ONCE is extremely unrealistic, and as you can imagine, I enjoyed several cheat meals on my own time. Enjoying these “unauthorized cheat meals” led to me feeling guilty, and eventually I started binging and purging, that is, throwing up my cheat meals after I ate them. I kept this a secret from everyone else, including my coach, thinking I could get away with it without experiencing any lasting effects. Was I wrong…

        I managed to get through the rest of my prep, all the while relying on sugar free drinks like diet coke, zero calorie energy drinks and zero calorie foods (yes they exist). It got to a point where I wasn’t even eating food. I would make protein pancakes and smother them with zero calorie pancake syrup and marshmallow topping. MY PHYSIQUE CONTINUED TO IMPROVE, BECAUSE I WAS LOSING FAT BY PUTTING MY BODY INTO A CALORIC DEFICIT, BUT LITTLE DID I KNOW I WAS DECAYING ON THE INSIDE. This was something I failed to understand for the longest time. I thought because I continued to lose weight and gain muscle that I was healthy. But what I didn’t understand was that the food I was eating, although it improved what I saw in the mirror, was destroying me on the inside. I began to understand this after my show, when my coach stopped talking to me the day after and did not give me a reverse diet. A reverse diet is a meal plan in which foods are slowly introduced to minimize the negative effects that came along with eating normal food (basically anything other than chicken and rice) again. I wasn’t aware that a reverse diet even existed, so as you can imagine, the minute I got off stage I ate an entire pizza and pint of ice cream, and was so full that I got sick. For the next month, I ate everything I had been missing out on the past 6 months, and as you can probably guess, I gained about 35 pounds in a month.  

        After all of this, both my body and my mind were in an extremely messed up state. From there, I was diagnosed with multiple eating disorders and OCD… quite the mess, I know. This is when I started concerning myself with PROPER nutrition and mental health. I finished my associates degree, and then went on to earn my certifications. I decided that I wanted to share my story with other women who were just entering the fitness world, to save them from making the same mistakes I did.

DISCLAIMER:

I do not want any of you to think that all women who compete in bikini shows experience what I went through. There are many NPC coaches who are very good at what they do and understand the importance of balance and mental health throughout the prep process. If anyone reading this is considering competing in any NPC or natural bodybuilding competition, I encourage you to do it, as it is a great way to challenge yourself and learn a lot about health and fitness. But I also urge you to be cautious in selecting your coach, and talk to athletes who have worked with them in the past about their experience.

        In the end, 2015 was a landmark year. I am proud of myself for partaking in such a challenge, and although I will not be competing again, I learned more from my show prep experience than I ever did from any certification course. The two most important things I learned were this:

1. Just because a body looks good on the outside, doesn’t make it a “healthy” body. Losing weight is all a numbers game. If you put in less calories than you expend in a single day, your body will be in a caloric deficit, meaning the number on the scale will go down. What that lost number represents (fat, muscle, water) depends on your body composition, activity, and the TYPES of macronutrients you are putting into your body. So someone who eats 3 meals a day of whole foods may be much heavier than someone who eats one meal of junk each day. (I don’t think I have to tell you which of these two people is healthier on the inside).

2. Mental health is THE NUMBER ONE THING. Your mental health should take priority over any fitness or nutrition plan, but most of the time, these three things go hand in hand. Many people use exercise to combat stress and anxiety, and there is insurmountable scientific evidence that suggests that mental health and nutrition are connected at a far deeper level than anyone ever imagined. Having done Whole30 (check it out if you’ve never heard of it), I believe that nutrition and mental health are connected now more than ever!

So now that you know almost everything about me, I just want to state the obvious: When it comes to fitness and wellness, I don’t know everything. Far from it. I do know what I experienced, and what I have learned through research and anecdotal evidence, and all I want to do is share my experience with others. I wouldn’t be where I am today physically and most certainly mentally without going through what I did in 2015. Although I still struggle with keeping my eating balanced, I learned so many self-care techniques throughout the year, and I have been able to share them with many of my friends in college. Knowing that I was able to give them a tool to help them deal with their stress and anxiety is one of the most rewarding things, because although it may not always show on the outside, everyone is fighting a battle. And to be able to help alleviate their suffering, even a little bit, is the greatest feeling in the world.

Although I am always happy to talk to anyone about any feelings they may be having, it is always better to talk to a professional. IF YOU ARE SUFFERING FROM AN EATING DISORDER, DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, STRESS OR ANY OTHER MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTACT 1-800-273-8255

Thanks for reading, and as always, happy living!

[olgagarmash]

The Hierarchy of Nutrition

“I don’t know what to believe.”

If you’ve ever read a fitness magazine or searched for any health-related information on the Internet, this is probably how you feel. Or, maybe it’s more like, “WTF! Why does every piece of information contradict one another?”

Every day, it can seem like something is bad…and then good…and then bad again. At some point, you might even wonder what is safe to eat. 

First carbs are bad, then fats, and even protein is criticized (wrongly) for causing kidney issues.  

The campaigns to push dietary agendas are enough to make you think Paleo and Atkins are running against Mediterranean and Low-Sugar for the office of diet supremacy. Like any election, all candidates have their flaws, but that doesn’t mean they are fundamentally flawed. The diets that work are the ones that align with food preferences and lifestyle in a way that just fits. 

And while you can safely assume any plan that includes the words “cookie” or “miracle” is full of shit, trying to tackle every new diet trend would be an impossible task.

Instead of naming names, here are three simple tips to help you figure out what actually works and what might work best for you.

Table of Contents

Don’t believe any plan that points out one “enemy.”

So many new trends in the health and fitness world use smart marketing techniques to both scare you and promise quick results. 

Weight loss is a complex topic. If something promises to change one thing and everything will get better, then it’s probably a lie.

That’s because your ability to lose fat will be determined by calories, but that’s only a small piece of the picture. It’s also influenced by the quality of those calories, your hormones, stress levels, your health history, genetics, the exercise you perform, age, your family history, and a host of other factors. 

Does that mean you need to become an expert in nutrition in order to start a new eating plan? Most definitely not. But, it does mean that if any diet suggests changing one element is the “key to success,” you should be skeptical.

And yet, look for any diet book, and any of the following are singled out as the “primary” cause of weight gain:

Carbs

Fat

Wheat

Dairy

Gluten

Lactose

Sugar

Late-night eating

Fasting

Elimination of overnight meals

Processed and/or packaged foods

Can adjusting your diet around these principles lead to weight loss? Of course. But, it’s likely not the long-term solution. 

In general, you want to limit unnecessary restriction of foods you might enjoy. Completely removal limits the likelihood that you’ll stick with the plan, and that means it’s designed to fail. 

For example, some people might have to avoid certain foods or ingredients because of food allergies (this topic is an entirely different and fascinating beast), but most people are overreacting and cutting foods from their diet because they’ve been tricked into believing these “bad foods” are a health problem. They’re not. 

For the most part, odds are you don’t have a food allergy — no matter how much the latest book might try to convince you otherwise.

Case in point: Research found that 86 percent of people who thought they were gluten intolerant were not.  And scientists estimate that only one to two percent of people in the world actually suffer from gluten intolerance. 

If you’re truly allergic to a food, then you’ll experience a reaction in your body similar to how pollen crushes my sinuses every summer when you eat them.

But, this is where reality ends. If you’re trying to understand nutrition, it’s best to consider the words of Dr. Mike Israetel, a professor of exercise science.

“Ultimately, successfully countering weight gain and obesity is a combination of many nutrition and behavioral principles that keep the fundamentals (like calorie balance) in mind. Catchphrase demonization of a single nutrient as a magic-bullet cure is unlikely to ever be the solution, and–in fact–more likely to create problems and confusion about how to fight obesity.”

Think of dieting like dating (hear me out).

Looking at what works for your friend, sister, co-worker, or favorite Instagram star is a bad idea. And yet, that’s often how a lot of people get inspired to start a new diet. Instead, think of healthy eating like dating .

You wouldn’t choose to be in a relationship with someone who you despise from day one, so why would you do that with the foods you have to eat. Every. Single. Day.

Anything that sounds like it would make your life miserable is going to be a problem. Because while your body might survive just fine, your mind won’t. You will quit the plan, you will learn to hate nutrition, and you’ll probably end up more confused and a few pounds heavier than when you started.   

After working with hundreds of clients over the past 10 years, here are a few things I’ve seen:

Bad relationship No. 1: Molly wants to try a low-carb diet but loves pasta. She’ll be OK for four to six weeks, snap, pay rent at her favorite Italian spot for the next month, and then think dieting can’t work.

Bad relationship No. 2: Paul loves dessert. He tries a clean eating plan of chicken and broccoli… which satisfies him for about two weeks, before he becomes grumpy and hates his life.

Bad relationship No. 3: Rebecca loves breakfast. It’s her favorite meal of the day. But she’s heard that intermittent fasting works and that she needs to start her meals at 12 p.m. every day and only eat for an eight-hour window. This relationship does not go well.

The problems repeat over and over (and over) again. Choosing a diet because it sounds good or because it worked for your BFF and not prioritizing your personality, preferences, and lifestyle sets you up to fail before you’ve even stocked your fridge full of raw meat and vegetables (Paleo, anyone?).

You can build a healthy diet that’s higher-carb, allows dessert, and may or may not include breakfast (some mornings are crazy).

“Do what works for your body” is simple advice, but it works incredibly well. And it makes perfect sense. You have a different body from your friends or siblings, so why wouldn’t you want to make slight, personalized adjustments that seem to fit?

If you want to live a healthy, low-stress life, you need to consider whether a plan is a good fit for you. If it’s not, look for something else. There are a lot of options and a lot of them work, no matter how much certain experts may try to condemn competing ideologies.

At the end of the day, weight loss starts with burning more calories than you eat (science nerds call this a “caloric deficit.”) It doesn’t end there, and many other factors must be considered. But start with something doable and you won’t be finding yourself exhausted and frustrated in just a few weeks.

Don’t buy the hype

The most important parts of any healthy eating plan–whether low-carb, low-sugar, or anything in between–are consistency and sustainability. I’ve written about it many times, but four-week fat-loss plans are full of lies. 

“Thirty-day solutions” sound great on paper, but they don’t play out so well after the first 30 days. You can lose weight quickly, but most of those “get-fit quick” plans are all smoke and mirrors. 

Eating is social, fun, and should bring happiness. You should feel in control and know that your healthy choices are making a difference and helping in the ways you want.

The hardest thing about consistently eating healthy is the fact that no one wants to “be on a diet.” That’s why we’re often drawn to the quickest solution available, so we can get the results we want and return to our “normal” existence.

My suggestion: Do everything possible to ignore the instant gratification. It only leads to more frustration. It’s OK if you’re confused by food and nutrition and/or have no idea where to even begin. At some point, this is a struggle for everyone.

When it comes to nutrition and your body, you must see the bigger picture. Just as you don’t transform your body by doing one exercise repeatedly for 30 days, you won’t change your body permanently by committing to something for such a short period of time.

Exceptions exist, but if healthy weight loss is your goal, one to two pounds per week — on average — is a great goal. Anything faster than that usually means you’re losing more muscle (and not fat).

And the average part is important. One week you might lose 4 pounds. The next week you might lose zero pounds. Think of weight loss in 2-4 week periods but mini-stalls are part of the process. 

Many people quit their weight loss journey because they think they are stuck when, in reality, they are still on track. 

The 1-2 pounds per week might not sound like much, but it adds up fast. Think about it: you can stick with it for three months, you could be looking at as much as 25 pounds of fat loss. Not too bad, right? And because it was done progressively, focusing on what works instead of hype and false promises, you’re more likely to keep it off for good.

Need help figuring out the best diet plan for your needs?

Get your questions answered. Sign up for Born Fitness online coaching. To learn more, click here.

READ MORE: 

Why 99% of Diet Plans Really Fail (Hint: It’s Not Dessert)

FLAWED: The Tom Brady and Giselle Bündchen Diet Plan

Do You Really Need To Eat Chicken And Broccoli?

source https://wealthch.com/the-hierarchy-of-nutrition/

[atakportal]

How to Build Muscle - The No Nonsense Guide To Fast Muscle Building

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How to Build Muscle - The No Nonsense Guide To Fast Muscle Building

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[wherespacepooh]

Brian Orser on Yuzuru’s 4Lo and the discussion after Skate Canada (excerpts from Team Brian 2)

(Picture is of Yuzuru at the medal ceremony in Helsinki. It didn’t come from Team Brian 2, but I always wondered what and how much it took the team to get there.)

There is actually a lot to marvel about, in terms of how Yuzuru's season came together so beautifully in the end. As we look forward to the next season, let’s review how the last season began with three excerpts from Team Brian 2. 

From Brian’s perspective, we can see the concerns and worries over Yuzuru's health, his at-the-time troubling 4T (in contrast to its 3A-toppling status now :o), the immense belief and strength (and stubbornness) it took for Yuzuru to persevere with the 4Lo, as well as the discussion post-Skate Canada that lead to mutual understanding and ultimately, a successful season overcoming those difficult challenges. Cheers and kudos, Team Yuzu! 

(Conclusion: Brian gains 15kg from the last six months of 2016 and loses 1kg in hair.)

Translated by gladi. Feel free to repost in entirety with credits.

Three excerpts from Chapter 5 of Team Brian 2 「チーム・ブライアン：３００点伝説」第五章 より

Yuzuru's 4Lo is first and foremost rehabilitation for his injury ユズルの４回転ループはまず怪我のリハビリとして

Yuzuru had been absent from practice for 2 months due to the Lisfranc injury in his left foot after the 2016 World Championship. He didn’t participate in ice shows, and as it was better not to walk, he really took a rest.　Instead of returning to Japan, he did muscle training to the extent possible in Toronto. By early spring, he was looking healthy and we looked forward to resuming practice in June. However, although he started at the end of June, his left foot wasn’t yet fit to bear weight. In restarting his training for quads, we decided to take things step by step. 

The 4Lo was the best in terms of not burdening the left foot. The loop takes off on the right foot and lands with the right foot. Although Yuzuru had successfully landed them in practice, no one had landed one in competition. Tackling a difficult jump while injured might have seemed like an illogical approach, but I deemed it the safest option for the current situation. 

Since the quad salchow uses the left foot, although Yuzuru had landed that many times last season, it took a while for the success rate to go up again. Since the 4T, which Yuzuru was very good at, was the jump that caused injuries, he wasn’t able to practice the 4T until just before the Autumn Classic in September. Doing the 4T hurts because he has to hit the ice with his left toe pick on takeoff.

Let's talk about the loop. Scores wise, a 4Lo is one above the 4S and the 4T. 4F and 4Lz have higher base values, but since you take off with both feet, it is easier to get a good height/distance and they were landed in competition before the Loop. Because the Loop takeoff is done with a single foot, getting the timing right is a delicate matter. Depending on the athlete, some may really like it (be good at it), so might hate it (be terrible). 

Actually I was bad at loop jumps. Since I was Mr Triple Axel, I really focused on practicing the axel, and only started practicing the loop late in my competitive career. My first triple was the Salchow, then the toe loop and the lutz, after which I successfully landed the triple axel. I learned the flip and the loop later, but now that I think about it, it was one of the bigger failures in my skating career. Since I started training too late, I only really landed them when I was 25, during the last season of my competitive career. 

There is this saying, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks.” Jumps are things your body can get a feel for when you are still young. Since I became an old dog, although I understood the theory, in practice I wasn’t able to do a loop jump naturally. 

Both Yuzuru and Javier are able to do the loop jump easily. Especially Yuzuru, who has a natural-born quality. Given how beautiful his triple loop is, you know he has the ability to do the quad. And it's no longer what I should teach. The skater must commit his own unique timing to muscle memory and us coaches are there to correct the skater’s form based on theory. 

Once he actually started practicing, Yuzuru became obsessed with the 4Lo. That was natural since he would be the first to land that jump in competition if he succeeded. Because he was too focused on the quad loop, he got into a state where he wasn’t able to concentrate during practice sessions of his programs and in skating class. I began to think, “Hey, that’s not what we said before?” I just thought the quad loop was good for the rehabilitation process. I didn’t suggest to train only the quad loop. As for whether or not there really was a need to put it into competition, we were going to decide after we checked the level of completeness. 

Essentially, during off season, it is important to practice techniques for skating, spins, steps and so forth, and the scores won’t increase without training the program in its entirety. As it is, successfully landing the quad loop alone––the scores won’t go up. I thought this had become a situation like a youngster who didn’t understand how scoring worked, crushingly defeated even though he’d landed quads. As a coach, I felt like I had a lot I wanted to say. On the other hand, when I saw Yuzuru do a really beautiful quad loop, I was unable to negate [his efforts] either. Such speed, and a beautiful curve––a natural jump. It is a truly fantastic thing to behold when he [lands it] cleanly. The success rate has also gone up to around 70%, which was more stable than both the salchow and the toe loop. 

Why was Yuzuru focused on succeeding with the 4Lo ４回転ループ成功にこだわるのはなぜなのか

Yuzuru, having acquired the 4Lo during the summer, naturally suggested to bring the 4Lo into competition beginning with the first competition in September. Based on the success rate and high level of quality, my opinion as a coach was “GO.” But I also felt the possibility that [we might be] losing sight of the direction built up from last season if we were to simply say “Yes, let’s do a 4Lo.” So I pointed out the conditions to Yuzuru. 

It is great to put in the 4Lo, but also do the other jumps properly and pay attention to both the performance and the skating. If [you were to] perfect the program as a total package, then there is meaning in bringing the 4Lo. 

Thereupon, Yuzuru then proposed such a jump layout. For the short program, 4Lo and 4S. For the free skate, 4Lo, two 4S, one 4T––four in total. Compared to the last season, not only adding a new type with the 4Lo, but also increasing the number of quads in the free skate. 

If it were according to my strategy, to accomplish “2 in short, 4 in free,” I would begin with mastering the program [choreography] in its entirety. Skating, transitions, steps…I would perfect the elements outside of jumps first. That way, instead of banking on jumping quad after quad, [we] focus on executing quads that are high in quality and increase the number of quads––2, 3, and 4––throughout the season. This way is actually quicker. 

To explain this training method in greater detail, it’s like this: Jumps vary in timing and the way force is applied, depending on the type. Therefore, when we add a new jump to the program, we are inserting an element that differs from the present rhythm. If we prioritize and only consider the rhythm of the 4Lo, the rhythm of all the rest of the jumps would collapse. In other words, in addition to the technique of the [new] jump itself, the technique of making all these jumps with different rhythms coexist within a single piece of music is necessary in order to achieve the perfect performance. 

Therefore, in order to challenge a new jump within the program, we must work in the newcomer while maintaining the rhythm that was in place. This is a difficult world that is hard to understand without experiencing it. Youngsters who’d abruptly added many quads in 2016 have yet to experience the “difficulty of adjusting the rhythm” when putting in three or four types simultaneously. Successfully landing each one in practice and weaving everything together with the music are completely different techniques. 

Both Yuzuru and Javier had experience from last season in that respect. The body remembers the rhythm combining “three quads.” I wanted Yuzuru to leverage this. To fit in the 4Lo within the balance of the program rather than letting the rhythm of the 4Lo affect everything else. 

However, Yuzuru is the type who always wants to bring the maximum of what he is capable of. A young one who wants to challenge the impossible––that is also Yuzuru. As much as possible, he prioritized acquiring the 4Lo and tried to do that while practicing his program in his spare time. Then, during run-through, when he failed to land the 4Lo, he ended up losing motivation for the rest of the program. On the contrary, when he nailed the 4Lo, he was satisfied and the rest became sloppy. That was the same way as a junior kid. Even when Javier danced through the best program or landed a second half quad in front of him, he didn’t look stimulated at all. 

At times, I had even doubted Yuzuru’s motivation as to why he was so fixated on succeeding with the 4Lo. [I wondered if], instead of “challenging his own limits,” it was because “other skaters are jumping 4F and 4Lz.” If so, he had lost sight of the sense of purpose. But Yuzuru has a very stubborn personality. Until he succeeded with the 4Lo for the first time [in competition], I thought he would probably just turn a deaf ear to whatever I said. The title of “world’s first” was right before his eyes and he also had the physical ability––as an athlete, that was a natural thing [to want]. Although this was a completely different course of action from my strategy, [which was rooted in] my hope for Yuzuru to smile happily at Pyeongchang Olympics, I decided anyway to let Yuzuru do as he wished until [he landed 4Lo for the first time in competition]. 

Discussion and understanding 話し合い、そして理解

This happened sometime after Skate Canada ended. Yuzuru and I had a meeting. Tracy was with us as well. 

“It’s time you listen to the advice of your coach. There is no need to jump the quad loop every day, and you should also practice your programs. Succeeding on the quad loop at Autumn Classic was wonderful, but the performance was sloppy. You didn’t have the stamina to skate the program in its entirety, did you?  Doing it this way, you won’t complete the program with all the quads in it, however long you take." 

It was not just about scoring. I was worried about Yuzuru's injury as well. 

“What dangers do you think arise when you skate your program without enough stamina? Recklessly attempting jumps like the quad salchow and the toe loop in the second half of the performance when you are tired? And when you do that, you land [poorly] and create burden for your foot with a possibility of severely injuring yourself. Rather than focusing solely on the quad loop at the start, this is the time when you should be practicing to bring the whole performance together as a total package, and training for stamina to skate with full energy until the very end." 

Then, Yuzuru who has thus far silently trained the quad loop without speaking a word of his own opinion at all, looking like he’d made up his mind, opened his mouth. 

“Up until Skate Canada, it is true that I’ve been practicing the quad loop a lot. But that was because, to me, the quad loop is an [integral] part of the performance. To me, a program without the jumps landed is not a total package." 

That was unprecedented. This was the first time that Yuzuru had put his opinions clearly into words to such an extent. He wasn’t merely stubbornly focused on the quad loop––indeed, Yuzuru had Yuzuru’s own theory. Upon expressing our opinions to each other, [we realized] the goal we were aiming for was the same. 

“Succeed on all the quads and, on top of that, produce a sublime performance.” 

It was just that Yuzuru gave more weight to the importance of jumps. Because that didn’t align with my opinion, he had kept quiet about his own. But this time, Yuzuru insisted with resolve and an understanding that it might turn into an argument, “Jumps are not a part of technique, but a part of performance.” He told me that, with this train of thought in mind, he’d started from practicing jumps in order to hone his performance. 

By getting down to our real intentions, we made our purpose clear, and I also felt mentally refreshed. It has been the fifth year since we formed a team with Yuzuru. I knew he trusted me and I also saw Yuzuru as the best partner from the bottom of my heart. There are many things in a relationship between the coach and the athlete––misunderstanding each other, disagreeing in opinions, and then going hand in hand once more. In this kind of relationship, we learn from each other. 

As our meeting came to a close, I said this. 

“All right. Aren’t we joining in this quad race too? I am not going to play safe. Instead, we go the strategic route. We will add the quad loop, and three types of quads––to a total number of four––in the free skate. We will be attentive to the performance and skating. Only never lose awareness of the total package." 

[pixiesquats-blog]

a love letter to my body

college transition/stress/changing schedule along with starting up powerlifting is already starting to affect my body so i needed to write this. it’s long but i needed to write it, to remind myself and solidify my own love that i have for this body that is mine that has gone through so much with me. putting it here so i can come back and read it if i need to, anybody can read it but ya don't have to bc it did turn out longer than i thought

we are a team. we have always been a team and I've put you through some rough shit, but you are still here, with me and for me and as part of me.

thank you.

you gain and lose weight very fast, and that’s okay. I promise I will feed you well NO MATTER WHAT. It’s okay if we put on weight right now. it’s fuel for later. and we are beautiful together with that weight, too. EVEN if it stays. I promise I will focus on feeding you for strength over appearance. I promise i will let you change and grow the way that you need to grow and look so that I can become stronger. it is OKAY to gain weight. you are not bad. we are not bad. you do not become uglier, less pretty, less valid, less sexy, less anything. what you do become is stronger. that is what this journey is about. not the way you look.

i love how through everything, i know that if i put in the effort you can become more flexible and stronger. those are the things about you that i love. i promise to love you no matter how those things may look. and i love the way you look, too. at every stage. 

I love how big your thighs are, and how much they are growing. I love them when they are soft and when they are muscular and strong. they look wonderful. i will love them no matter how big they become. bring it on. thighs are great. i love how defined your calves are! i am so proud of those! i love all the dark patches on your feet from burns from pole dancing. they remind me to take us back there someday.

i love your freckles and your moles and your scars and your hair and every single thing that makes us who we are together. nobody else has that. it is natural and beautiful.

your stomach is soft and adorable and it holds all your organs which are so important! i love your stomach when it is big and full because we ate real good, and when it is flatter and we can see your strong abdomen. you do not need a tiny waist. it is okay that your torso is big and your legs aren't too long, you are beautiful that way. your stomach is allowed to exist and function as a real human body. your torso is not too big or too thick. it is our core and it is strong, it holds your lungs and your heart and keeps them safe and strong. it is allowed to expand. it helps us breathe. 

I promise to feed you what we both want. I promise to balance what you need with what i might be feeling like, and i promise to be flexible. I promise to not become obsessed with what fuels you again. I promise to allow us to be fueled by good food, and good thoughts, and good times, and good desserts, too. I promise to love you even on days when we eat a ton, even when we eat a shit ton of dessert, even when we eat a whole fucking pint of ben and jerrys i will love you, because we just need that sometimes. balance, body & soul. 

we are a woman together. that does not change, no matter how your breasts look, that does not change. your hips are not too small. your butt is not too flat. you are feminine because you are a woman the way you are. we are amazing and strong and sensual together and you are wonderful the way that you are. you, body, do not need to look a specific way or be a specific weight to be sexy. and whether or not you look “acceptable”, whether that be conventionally pretty or conventionally sexy, does not define our worth as a person. at all. 

I promise to appreciate everything that you do, and love all the ways that you grow. your arms are not too big. your skin is not too bumpy. your face is not too red. you are not too hairy. your shoulders are not too wide. they are just right. it they are what shoulders the weights we carry every day, mentally and physically. you are beautiful. no matter how you look, if you get heavier, if your muscles become bigger or more defined, if you put on weight, if your size changes, you are still beautiful. because we are strong and radiant together.

thank you for keeping me alive and for working so hard. you take up space, you are my space in which i exist. that is wonderful. i will never apologize for you taking up space. we are a team. we are allowed to exist and to increase our strength, or abilities, and if an increase in size comes with that it is a beautiful thing. we are together. we are a team. you may change, but i will love you. in every stage. 

i promise to always treat you like i love you. to remember that it is our combination that makes us beautiful. to help you get stronger in ways that are healthy, and to love what you look like every step of the way. to never prioritize appearance over health again. body & soul. we are a team. a beautiful beautiful team. 

and i promise to come back and read this out loud if i need to.

love, helen.

[yuzu-yuzuru]

There is actually a lot to marvel about, in terms of how Yuzuru’s season came together so beautifully in the end. I thought it’s a good time right now to review even as we look forward to the next season, so here are three excerpts from Chapter 5 of Team Brian 2. ` From Brian’s perspective, we can see the concerns and worries over Yuzuru’s health, his at-the-time troubling 4T (in contrast to its 3A-toppling status now :o), the immense belief and strength (and stubbornness) it took for Yuzuru to persevere with the 4Lo, as well as the discussion post-Skate Canada that lead to mutual understanding and, against all odds, a successful season overcoming those difficult challenges. Cheers and kudos, Team Yuzu! ` (Conclusion: Brian gains 15kg from the last six months of 2016 and loses 1kg in hair.) ` Translated by gladi. Feel free to repost in entirety with credits. ========================================== ` ` Three excerpts from Chapter 5 of Team Brian 2 「チーム・ブライアン：３００点伝説」第五章 より ` Yuzuru’s 4Lo is first and foremost rehabilitation for his injury ユズルの４回転ループはまず怪我のリハビリとして ` Yuzuru had been absent from practice for 2 months due to the Lisfranc injury in his left foot after the 2016 World Championship. He didn’t participate in ice shows, and as it was better not to walk, he really took a rest.　Instead of returning to Japan, he did muscle training to the extent possible in Toronto. By early spring, he was looking healthy and we looked forward to resuming practice in June. However, although he started at the end of June, his left foot wasn’t yet fit to bear weight. In restarting his training for quads, we decided to take things step by step. ` The 4Lo was the best in terms of not burdening the left foot. The loop takes off on the right foot and lands with the right foot. Although Yuzuru had successfully landed them in practice, no one had landed one in competition. Tackling a difficult jump while injured might have seemed like an illogical approach, but I deemed it the safest option for the current situation. ` Since the quad salchow uses the left foot, although Yuzuru had landed that many times last season, it took a while for the success rate to go up again. Since the 4T, which Yuzuru was very good at, was the jump that caused injuries, he wasn’t able to practice the 4T until just before the Autumn Classic in September. Doing the 4T hurts because he has to hit the ice with his left toe pick on takeoff. ` Let’s talk about the loop. Scores wise, a 4Lo is one above the 4S and the 4T. 4F and 4Lz have higher base values, but since you take off with both feet, it is easier to get a good height/distance and they were landed in competition before the Loop. Because the Loop takeoff is done with a single foot, getting the timing right is a delicate matter. Depending on the athlete, some may really like it (be good at it), so might hate it (be terrible). ` Actually I was bad at loop jumps. Since I was Mr Triple Axel, I really focused on practicing the axel, and only started practicing the loop late in my competitive career. My first triple was the Salchow, then the toe loop and the lutz, after which I successfully landed the triple axel. I learned the flip and the loop later, but now that I think about it, it was one of the bigger failures in my skating career. Since I started training too late, I only really landed them when I was 25, during the last season of my competitive career. ` There is this saying, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” Jumps are things your body can get a feel for when you are still young. Since I became an old dog, although I understood the theory, in practice I wasn’t able to do a loop jump naturally. ` Both Yuzuru and Javier are able to do the loop jump easily. Especially Yuzuru, who has a natural-born quality. Given how beautiful his triple loop is, you know he has the ability to do the quad. And it’s no longer what I should teach. The skater must commit his own unique timing to muscle memory and us coaches are there to correct the skater’s form based on theory. ` Once he actually started practicing, Yuzuru became obsessed with the 4Lo. That was natural since he would be the first to land that jump in competition if he succeeded. Because he was too focused on the quad loop, he got into a state where he wasn’t able to concentrate during practice sessions of his programs and in skating class. I began to think, “Hey, that’s not what we said before?” I just thought the quad loop was good for the rehabilitation process. I didn’t suggest to train only the quad loop. As for whether or not there really was a need to put it into competition, we were going to decide after we checked the level of completeness. ` Essentially, during off season, it is important to practice techniques for skating, spins, steps and so forth, and the scores won’t increase without training the program in its entirety. As it is, successfully landing the quad loop alone––the scores won’t go up. I thought this had become a situation like a youngster who didn’t understand how scoring worked, crushingly defeated even though he’d landed quads. As a coach, I felt like I had a lot I wanted to say. ` On the other hand, when I saw Yuzuru do a really beautiful quad loop, I was unable to negate [his efforts] either. Such speed, and a beautiful curve––a natural jump. It is a truly fantastic thing to behold when he [lands it] cleanly. The success rate has also gone up to around 70%, which was more stable than both the salchow and the toe loop. ` ` Why was Yuzuru focused on succeeding with the 4Lo ４回転ループ成功にこだわるのはなぜなのか ` Yuzuru, having acquired the 4Lo during the summer, naturally suggested to bring the 4Lo into competition beginning with the first competition in September. Based on the success rate and high level of quality, my opinion as a coach was “GO.” But I also felt the possibility that [we might be] losing sight of the direction built up from last season if we were to simply say “Yes, let’s do a 4Lo.” So I pointed out the conditions to Yuzuru. ` It is great to put in the 4Lo, but also do the other jumps properly and pay attention to both the performance and the skating. If [you were to] perfect the program as a total package, then there is meaning in bringing the 4Lo. ` Thereupon, Yuzuru then proposed such a jump layout. For the short program, 4Lo and 4S. For the free skate, 4Lo, two 4S, one 4T––four in total. Compared to the last season, not only adding a new type with the 4Lo, but also increasing the number of quads in the free skate. ` If it were according to my strategy, to accomplish “2 in short, 4 in free,” I would begin with mastering the program [choreography] in its entirety. Skating, transitions, steps…I would perfect the elements outside of jumps first. That way, instead of banking on jumping quad after quad, [we] focus on executing quads that are high in quality and increase the number of quads––2, 3, and 4––throughout the season. This way is actually quicker. ` To explain this training method in greater detail, it’s like this: Jumps vary in timing and the way force is applied, depending on the type. Therefore, when we add a new jump to the program, we are inserting an element that differs from the present rhythm. If we prioritize and only consider the rhythm of the 4Lo, the rhythm of all the rest of the jumps would collapse. In other words, in addition to the technique of the [new] jump itself, the technique of making all these jumps with different rhythms coexist within a single piece of music is necessary in order to achieve the perfect performance. ` Therefore, in order to challenge a new jump within the program, we must work in the newcomer while maintaining the rhythm that was in place. This is a difficult world that is hard to understand without experiencing it. Youngsters who’d abruptly added many quads in 2016 have yet to experience the “difficulty of adjusting the rhythm” when putting in three or four types simultaneously. Successfully landing each one in practice and weaving everything together with the music are completely different techniques. ` Both Yuzuru and Javier had experience from last season in that respect. The body remembers the rhythm combining “three quads.” I wanted Yuzuru to leverage this. To fit in the 4Lo within the balance of the program rather than letting the rhythm of the 4Lo affect everything else. ` However, Yuzuru is the type who always wants to bring the maximum of what he is capable of. A young one who wants to challenge the impossible––that is also Yuzuru. As much as possible, he prioritized acquiring the 4Lo and tried to do that while practicing his program in his spare time. Then, during run-through, when he failed to land the 4Lo, he ended up losing motivation for the rest of the program. On the contrary, when he nailed the 4Lo, he was satisfied and the rest became sloppy. That was the same way as a junior kid. Even when Javier danced through the best program or landed a second half quad in front of him, he didn’t look stimulated at all. ` At times, I had even doubted Yuzuru’s motivation as to why he was so fixated on succeeding with the 4Lo. [I wondered if], instead of “challenging his own limits,” it was because “other skaters are jumping 4F and 4Lz.” If so, he had lost sight of the sense of purpose. But Yuzuru has a very stubborn personality. Until he succeeded with the 4Lo for the first time [in competition], I thought he would probably just turn a deaf ear to whatever I said. The title of “world’s first” was right before his eyes and he also had the physical ability––as an athlete, that was a natural thing [to want]. Although this was a completely different course of action from my strategy, [which was rooted in] my hope for Yuzuru to smile happily at Pyeongchang Olympics, I decided anyway to let Yuzuru do as he wished until [he landed 4Lo for the first time in competition]. ` ` Discussion and understanding 話し合い、そして理解 ` This happened sometime after Skate Canada ended. Yuzuru and I had a meeting. Tracy was with us as well. ` “It’s time you listen to the advice of your coach. There is no need to jump the quad loop every day, and you should also practice your programs. Succeeding on the quad loop at Autumn Classic was wonderful, but the performance was sloppy. You didn’t have the stamina to skate the program in its entirety, did you? Doing it this way, you won’t complete the program with all the quads in it, however long you take.” ` It was not just about scoring. I was worried about Yuzuru’s injury as well. ` “What dangers do you think arise when you skate your program without enough stamina? Recklessly attempting jumps like the quad salchow and the toe loop in the second half of the performance when you are tired? And when you do that, you land [poorly] and create burden for your foot with a possibility of severely injuring yourself. Rather than focusing solely on the quad loop at the start, this is the time when you should be practicing to bring the whole performance together as a total package, and training for stamina to skate with full energy until the very end.“ ` Then, Yuzuru who has thus far silently trained the quad loop without speaking a word of his own opinions at all, looking like he’d made up his mind, opened his mouth. ` “Up until Skate Canada, it is true that I’ve been practicing the quad loop a lot. But that was because, to me, the quad loop is an [integral] part of the performance. To me, a program without the jumps landed is not a total package.” ` That was unprecedented. This was the first time that Yuzuru had put his opinions clearly into words to such an extent. He wasn’t merely stubbornly focused on the quad loop––indeed, Yuzuru had Yuzuru’s own theory. ` Upon expressing our opinions to each other, [we realized] the goal we were aiming for was the same. ` “Succeed on all the quads and, on top of that, produce a sublime performance.” ` It was just that Yuzuru gave more weight to the importance of jumps. Because that didn’t align with my opinion, he had kept quiet about his own. But this time, Yuzuru insisted with resolve and an understanding that it might turn into an argument, “Jumps are not a part of technique, but a part of performance.” He told me that, with this train of thought in mind, he’d started from practicing jumps in order to hone his performance. ` By getting down to our real intentions, we made our purpose clear, and I also felt mentally refreshed. It has been the fifth year since we formed a team with Yuzuru. I knew he trusted me and I also saw Yuzuru as the best partner from the bottom of my heart. There are many things in a relationship between the coach and the athlete––misunderstanding each other, disagreeing in opinions, and then going hand in hand once more. In this kind of relationship, we learn from each other. ` As our meeting came to a close, I said this. ` “All right. Aren’t we joining in this quad race too? I am not going to play safe. Instead, we go the strategic route. We will add the quad loop, and three types of quads––to a total number of four––in the free skate. We will be attentive to the performance and skating. Only never lose awareness of the total package.“

[guerrerosamantha]

Get Taller In Space Stunning Ideas

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How To Increase Height For Girls

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[fitnesstips1017]

Fitness Tips

anonymous asked:

🍦🎀 // In your 'About Me' it says you like working out, do have any tips you could share? :)

-as @phantomrose96​ said in this post ‘Prioritize your own happiness. Put your happiness first and foremost and above everything else if you’re planning on taking up a diet and exercise routine.

Because society has done an incredibly malicious job of making diet and exercise about self-hatred. I don’t think I even need to explain this one. Marketed diets and exercises always come with taglines about “buy this product and you’ll lose [an unreasonably large amount of weight] in [an unreasonably short amount of time] and then you’ll look exactly like this bikini model and finally, finally, after all these years and years, you can stop hating yourself!!!!!!” **

( ** “Disclaimer: We’re the ones who made you start hating yourself at age ~10 because we’ve been bombarding you with images and messages that say your body isn’t good enough and you should hate it and change it.”)

That mindset is toxic, and malicious, and cruel, and absolutely mentally and physically exhausting to live with if food and exercise are suddenly only about weightloss. So many people, and young girls especially, will attempt dangerous, unhealthy, desperate things to alter their body to society’s ideal, and society will encourage them to do it.

For the love of god, do not approach this as a means of punishment against your body for not being what you want it to be. It’s debilitating.’

-Dont drink your calories, get rid of soda juice etc -Best drinks: water, lemon water, green tea, apple cider vinegar water (tastes like shit but youll get used to it after a while)-You cant outrun a bad diet. You cant run 5 miles daily yet eat junk food and expect to have a flat stomach, unless your metabolism allows that.-PPL HAVE DIFFERENT BODY TYPES!!! SOME WILL HAVE FLAT STOMACHS AND BIG BUTTS WITHOUT WORKING OUT AND EATING SHITTY AND SOME WILL HAVE LOTS OF FAT AND NOT MUCH FAT IN PLACES THEY WANT (LIKE BUTT) THATS JUST LIFE-Do NOT compare yourself to other people holy shit it WILL ruin you-Do calf raises while brushing your teeth or even just standing around-Squeeze your booty as much as you can esp while sitting, they help make your butt bigger-If  you want a bigger butt you NEED to eat. You need protein and carbs but HEALTHY ones, like chicken. Not donuts (tho treast yo self)-You CAN gain weight while being vegan!! @fitnika is proof!! Some foods w lots of protein are beans, nut butter, quinoa, lentils and tofu.-If you want a bigger butt you should use weights. donkey kicks will lift your butt, they wont make it bigger. exercises that will build booty are squats lunges deadlifts hip thrusts etc-Do NOT be afraid of using weights!! You will not instantly become bulky-Drink lemon water (1tsp lemon juice in a cup of water) first thing in the morning-Eat at the dinner table. if you eat in front of the tv or snack while walking around, you will constantly associate that activity with eating-Snack on celery. it takes more calories to digest than it contains so you lose weight -You cannot lose weight and gain muscle at the same time. you can lose weight and tone up, but not the other way. -Get rid of alcohol and drugs-Do NOT work out every day!! your body needs time to rest-Drink a lot of water but you dont need 8 cups. you just need to drink enough to make your pee clear. -Dont drink a full cup of water straight in one chug, instead take small sips every few minutes. this will lessen bloating.-You. will. bloat. whether you eat a donut or a salad or half a cup of water. your stomach WILL expand. -Take it easy. you WILL mess up. there will be days where youd rather jump off a cliff than workout and there will be days where you get to the gym but not wanna work out after 10 minutes of stretching and there will be days where you wanna workout for 4 hours. dont do that tho.-My tiny waist workout (trust me this really freakin works) : side plank raises 4x20 each side, plank twists 4x20 each side windmills 4x20 each side -Find a workout partner, it will motivate you 10x more and you can give each other ideas-Using smaller plates/bowls will make you feel as if youre eating more since the food will be so crammed on it-MEAL PLAN!!!! not only will this make you eat better but you will also be saving a TON of money!! some of my fav ppl on youtube that meal prep are whitney simmons and heidi sommers-Eat the healthiest part of the meal first and work your way downwards-Drop the fast food/going out to eat-Cut back on sodium and sugar-Carbs are energy!! but just like everything, it needs to be taken in moderation-Dont buy premade stuff. salads and smoothies are healthy yeah, but if you buy them premade from stores or restaurants, you’d be surprised by how much sugar and sodium they actually contain.-Cellulite stretch marks and loose skin/fat ARE normal. we all have them. dont stress.-25 min hiit sessions are more effective than 40 min moderate workouts.-Don’t try to ‘’fix’’ your hip dips. They don’t need fixing and are 100% natural.

-Don’t pay attention to JUST calories, look at the rest of the label too. For example, soy sauce is only 10 calories per serving which sounds ‘healthy’ right? What you probably don’t pay attention to is the fact that it has 1040 mg of sodium per serving, which is 43% of your recommended daily intake.-Make sure to have a plan. Is today arm day? leg day? have your workout typed up in your notes.-Brush your teeth 30 mins after eating. It’ll help stop cravings (dont brush directly after cause i read somewhere eating loosens your enamel and it strengthens back 30mins later and idk if it true or not but better safe than sorry)-Eat before going to the grocery store. You’ll be full so you wont be tempted to buy extra food/junk food.-Chewing/sucking on ice for some reason helps me stop my cravings ( or at least lessen them) so maybe they can do the same for you.

all i can think of atm haha. if you have any suggestions/corrections go ahead and add them!!

*im not a certified nutritionist or fitness expert or anything this is all from common sense, stuff ive learned over the years and stuff ive picked up from others please dont sue me if you disagree w something im broke*

Post taken from  independentassbitch

https://independentassbitch.tumblr.com/post/163004212965/in-your-about-me-it-says-you-like-working

[reikisessions]

If You Hate Your Body and Think You Need to Fix It…

“That girl was fat, and I hate her.”

One of my clients said this the other day—about herself. Well, her little girl self. And my heart broke.

One of the very first things I do with clients is encourage them to practice self-compassion and kindness—just extending themselves the same basic human compassion and kindness that they would anyone else.

Very much the opposite of what most people who struggle with weight and food are used to. After all, when it comes to our weight and food, we’re programmed with messages like “You just have to want it more, be motivated, build your willpower muscle, try harder, work harder, be better…”

Perhaps to some, it may sound easy or silly, and it’s hard to understand what the hell kindness and compassion have to do with weight and food struggles when we’re so programmed to believe the opposite.

Just extending yourself some basic human kindness and compassion really does end up being one of the most important things to do when you’ve struggled with weight and food for a long time. It’s also the hardest, and some struggle more than others with this simple concept.

Personally, I struggled hard with it when I first started trying.

I hated myself. I hated and was ashamed of every single thing about me, and didn’t think I deserved any kindness or compassion. But I knew that if I ever wanted to change the way I felt about myself, I had to figure out how to find some.

So, I started picturing a little girl version of myself when I felt like I needed kindness and compassion. If I couldn’t give it to myself, I’d pull up a mental image of her and direct it that way.

It worked, and it’s a trick I’ve also been using with clients since.

But the other day, this woman (like many others) said, “Little girl me was fat… and… I… hate her. How am I supposed to give it to her when I hate her too?”

It broke my heart, but it didn’t surprise me, and as I think about it, it makes me angry. It makes me angry because this beautiful lady wasn’t born hating herself for a little belly roll. She learned to from our stupidly broken society and has carried that belief around with her every single day since.

From the time we’re old enough to make any kind of sense out of the world around us, we’re taught that fat is the enemy.

Mothers have been taking their kids to Weight Watchers meetings with them to get publicly shamed for the number on a scale since they were seven or eight. We’ve been warned “Better not eat that, you don’t want to fat, do you?” as though it was a fate worse than death, while simultaneously being taught that food fixes everything.

“What’s wrong honey, you’re sad? Here, have a cookie.”

“Sore throat? Here, have some ice cream.”

We’ve watched as weight loss, at any cost, has been rewarded. Those who lose it are treated like royalty—showered with praise, attention, and acceptance, while we watch those who gain get whispered about behind their backs for “letting themselves go.” Or worse, they get openly teased and made fun of to their face—often even by friends and family who supposedly love them and claim to do it out of love and concern.

Our society has programmed us to believe that fat is the enemy and thin people are somehow better than those who are bigger, through millions of micro (and macro) aggressions over the course of our entire lives.

And here’s what’s happened as a result:

Tens of millions of people (big and small) are wasting literally their entire lives desperately trying to “fix” their “fat” problem so they feel more acceptable to the current narrative that size and shape determine human worth.

And when they put on a pound, they hate themselves.

It’s all so unbelievably toxic, damaging, and counterproductive, and it fuels the exact “problem” our population is obsessed with trying to “fix.” Because the individuals behind the war we’ve waged on fat, go through their entire life hating and rejecting themselves.

The stories they tell themselves about themselves end up looking a whole lot like this:

I’m worthless and unlovable if I’m not skinny. I’m a failure if I gain weight. I’m useless and stupid. I ate bad, so I’m bad. I’m such an idiot because I let myself go. I’m disgusting and don’t deserve to feel good or be treated well (by myself or others).

You may be thinking, “Good, how else are they going to get motivated to get their shit together and lose the weight!” You may even follow that thought with the typical “I’m just worried about their health” tripe. (If you still believe that weight loss obsessions are in the “best interest” of public health, pop over here and read this piece).

Think about those words for a moment and consider how they make you feel. Now think about the impact of hearing them running through your head on autoplay, both consciously and unconsciously, tens of thousands of times a day, every single day, for years or even decades.

We believe the things we tell ourselves. And if we’re telling ourselves that we’re worthless and unlovable and failures because of extra body fat, we believe those things to be true of who we are at our core, what we’re worth, and more importantly, what we deserve in life.

And we treat ourselves accordingly.

That woman I spoke of a minute ago? Like tens of millions of us, she struggles to feel anything but hatred for a little girl who she thought was fat. The little girl who doesn’t even physically exist anymore but is built into the fabric of who she is now and how she feels about herself because she carried those stories, feelings, and beliefs into adulthood.

So did I. And I’d be willing to bet, so have you. Because we all do.

So, she doesn’t prioritize herself. She does everything for everyone else, while ignoring what her mind and body need until she has no physical or emotional energy left to do anything. And then, when she can’t seem to muster the energy or willpower to force herself into following someone else’s stupid food rules to “fix” her “weight problem,” she hates and berates herself even more, and the cycle just keeps feeding off itself literally forever.

No one in the history of mankind has ever thought, “I’m such a worthless failure, I think I’ll do something really nurturing and kind for myself and my body today.”

That’s not how those stories work. That’s not how the shame they create works because we treat ourselves how we believe we deserve to be treated.

When we associate our happiness and worth with our weight, weight gain makes us feel less worthy. The less worthy we feel, the less health-promoting behaviors we engage in.

We don’t move our bodies (unless we decide to “lose weight”) because we don’t prioritize their health. We only care about the things we think we have to do as punishment for weight gain and to “whip them back into shape.” Corporal punishment is literally built right into the way we talk about it. But because we’re treating it as punishment, we can’t stick to it.

We eat and overeat things that make us feel like garbage (and gain weight) on autopilot, as habit, as punishment, as reward, to numb and soothe, to celebrate, to mourn whether our bodies need or want those things—who cares what our bodies want, anyway, right? We’ve spent decades hating, berating, and learning to not trust those.

That’s why stories matter. That’s what they have to do with weight. That’s why the entire weight loss industry has become such a friggen joke.

We have got to stop demonizing and prioritizing weight. We have to.

Instead, we have to shower ourselves with kindness and compassion. If we hate ourselves too much to consider that, we have to shower a younger version of ourselves with it (just keep going to the youngest version you need to, in order to find a version of you feel compassion for).

Kindness and compassion are so heavily built into this process because we cannot change self-punishing behaviors until we stop believing we deserve to be punished.

If you want to change your weight, health, or the relationship you have with your body or food, you have to change the way you feel about yourself, and you cannot do that while you’re continuing to berate yourself with stories of being worthless because of what you ate or what the scale says.

It’ll just never happen.

We have to stop rejecting parts of ourselves, since rejection writes those stories in the first place, and start working with the way our brains are wired (changing the thoughts and stories that create the beliefs that drive self-destructive habits and behaviors). And we have to tune into our thoughts and the wisdom of our own bodies with kindness and compassion.

When we stop focusing on weight and weight loss and instead focus on shedding the stories (and beliefs that cause self-destructive choices), then, and only then, are we able to forever shed physical, and more importantly emotional weight they may have created. It eventually just becomes an effortless side effect.

About

Roni Davis

Roni Davis is a coach, author, speaker & podcaster who helps women rebuild trust, compassion, and connection so they can heal their relationships with food, themselves and their bodies and live the healthy, peaceful, joy-filled lives they deserve. Find her at RoniDavis.com, on her podcast at It's All In Your Head and don't miss her information-packed free ebook: ronidavis.com/whydieatthat designed to help you begin uncovering your barriers to weight loss, healthy eating and why the heck you eat so self-destructively sometimes.

[fitnessexpert00-blog]

6 Principles to Crush in Life Without Burning Out

New Post has been published on https://fitnessqia.com/awesome/6-principles-to-crush-in-life-without-burning-out/

6 Principles to Crush in Life Without Burning Out

Common advice is to find and follow your passion. But it’s not so simple. You don’t just magically stumble upon the feeling and enjoy everything from there. Expecting to merely decides you up for recurred frustration. Passion needs to be cultivated and nurtured. Otherwise, what was once something you loved may start to feel like a chore, and burnout looms right around the corner. But it doesn’t have to be this way. There is a set of actionable principles that supports the kind of ongoing passion that yields not just peak performance but also a rich and fulfilling life.

As we report in our new volume The Passion Paradox: A Guide to Running All In, Receiving Success, and Discovering the Benefits of an Unbalanced Life, nearly every top musician to whom we spoke–from star athletes like Shalane Flanagan to creative gurus like Rich Roll–shared a few common characteristics, all of which are supported by emerging science on passion and performance. We’ve come to call this bundle of principles the “mastery mindset.” Adopting this mindset is key to living and performing with passion–without burning out.

Before getting to the individual traits, a few terms on mastery. Mastery is a mindset and also a track. It values both acute( in the moment) and chronic( over a lifetime) participation but devalues most of the transient stuff in between( point-in-time success or failings ). Mastery is not a New Age self-help concept. It is rooted in principles that are central to psychology and biology, and it is an ever present theme in the lives of people who represent and productively channel their passion.

Individuals who are on the path of mastery not only accomplish great things, but they do so in a healthy and sustainable manner. They exude a Zen-like aura, are resistant to burnout, and make work that is of an incredible quality. And yet perhaps their greatest accomplishment is an even more cherished one: continual growth and development, a fulfilling life. Below are the six individual components of the mastery mindset. Keep coming back to these and stimulate them an ongoing practice.

Drive from Within

Individuals on the road of mastery are driven from inside. Their primary motivating isn’t an external measure of success or fear, and it’s certainly not satisfying others or conforming to a certain peer group or social norms. Rather, their motive originates from an internal desire to improve and engage in specific activities for its own sake. This doesn’t mean that each day of their pursuit will be exciting or pleasurable. But it does mean that they will show steadfast enthusiasm about the totality of their journey.

When the majority of your motivating lies outside yourself, you become a slave to results that may not be under your control. This causes a lot of distress and is a surefire road to burning out. And yet, it’s a lot easier to say “I’ll be internally motivated” than to actually do it, especially if you start performing well and considering positive results. There are two practises that help :P TAGEND

Regularly reflect on what you love about your work or activity–the reasons that you got into it in the first place.

After a tough loss or big win, give yourself 24 hours to mourn the defeat or celebrate the victory, but then get back to doing the work itself.

Focus on the Process

Goals are like steering mechanisms, North Stars to shoot for. When used in this manner, they can be very productive. But too much focus on a specific objective, especially one that’s outside your full control, almost always does more damage than good. The mastery mindset involves shifting your focus from achieving any one aim itself to executing on the process that gives you the best opportunity of more general improvement over time. Someone who exemplifies the mastery mindset judges themselves based not on whether they accomplish their specific goal but rather on how well they execute on their process. After all, it is the process–not the outcome–that is within your control. And it is also the process that attains up the vast majority of one’s life. Outcomes, good or bad, are fleeting. A objective is a direction , not a destination. Process keeps you focused and present on your journey.

Don’t Worry About Being the Best–Worry About Being the Best at Get Better

You simply learned the importance of not becoming overly attached to specific goals, but becoming attached to the ultimate goal–getting better–is an inherent part of internalizing the mastery mindset and living productively with passion. When your utmost objective is simply to get better, all failings and successes are temporary because you will forever improve, dedicated more day and more practise. You don’t define yourself by any single moment in time; you define yourself by an entire body of work in service of ongoing growth and growth. Your pursuit ceases to be something you are aiming for and becomes a part of whom you. Do you write to sell volumes, or are you a writer? Do you run to win marathons, or are you a athlete? Do you paint to sell portraits, or are you a painter?

When you make this shift–your pursuing transitioning from a verb, something you do, to a noun, someone you are–you’re more apt to hold on to your passions for life. This isn’t to say there won’t be rough patches, disappointments, and triumphs along the way. Almost undoubtedly, there will be. But rather than serving as end points, concrete the expected accomplishments and failures become more like information–markers of progress and exposures of weakness. And it is this very information that helps you improve and refine your process over the long haul.

Embrace Acute Failure for Chronic Gains

A well-known principle of physical training is this: if you want a muscle to grow, you must push it beyond its normal bounds until it is hard, if not impossible, to perform additional repeatings. In exercising science, this is called training to tirednes. Educate to fatigue is effective because muscle wearines, or, in some cases, failing, serves as a critical signal, telling your body it must grow and adapt in order to withstand future challenges. When you fail, your body learns on an innate biological level what it needs to do differently. Failure sets off a cascade of changes that help you evolve so you can meet a greater challenge next time. In other words, your body can’t actually grow unless it fails. This principle holds true far beyond your muscles. It’s true for everything. Along any lasting and meaningful journey, you are bound to fail. So long as “youre using” those failings as informative opportunities to grow, that’s fine.

Be Patient

The path of mastery is almost always very hard and requires lots of day and unyielding commitment. Any long-term progression contains inevitable periods of boredom. We are hardwired to seek novelty and stimulation, which is why quick fix and hacks can be so appealing–even though they rarely, if ever, work. Advancing on the path of mastery, get the most out of yourself and sustaining passion for a lifetime, requires patience. Ignore the hackers. Be prepared for ups and downs. Ride the waves over and over again. Be patient with yourself, and be patient with your process. Small steps taken consistently over a long period of period lead to big gains. Walking your route with others–community support–helps you navigate the ups and downs and maintains you moving forward. And remember: the goal is the track, and the route is the goal.

Be Here Now

When we are fully present for whatever it is we’re doing, we gain a new expressed appreciation for our respective quests and our own unique role in them. Yet the majority of the time, we walk around on autopilot , not deliberately choice where or how sharply we direct our attention. To sustain passion, however, we are required remove distractions that prey on our attention and infringe from the mundane and automatic guess that normally fill our intellects. Practically, this means we should set aside the time, space, and energy to give our respective passions our all. It doesn’t need to be all day, every day, but we do need to prioritize this time and make it sacred.

Deep-focused involvement is fuel for lasting passion. It seems simple and obvious, yet step back and think about just how little receives your full attention. Even activities that once forced us to be present–such as a walk or run in the woods, holding a newborn baby, or a physician’s encounter with a patient–are now frequently hijacked by the beeping and buzzing of our digital devices. These modern inventions continuously pull our attention to the next external diversion, creating the illusion that we are busy and present but all the while keeping us on autopilot and at the whim of whatever confuses us next. Way too often, we may appear to be here, but we are really there. Keep was coming to here. Mastery requires you be here–really here–with what is in front of you.

This article was adapted from the new volume The Passion Paradox: A Guide to Running All In, Receiving Success, and Detecting the Benefits of an Unbalanced Life by Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness, published by Rodale Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House. It is available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books–AMillion, and everywhere else books are sold.

Read more: outsideonline.com

[ruthellisneda]

Does Late-Night Eating Cause Weight Gain?

As the legend goes…

If you’re trying to lose weight, don’t eat right before bed.

The thought is that your metabolism slows down at night to prepare for sleep.

Which means if you snack before bedtime, the food resides in your stomach all night long, and unless you’re a sleepwalker, you won’t burn off your meal and your food turns to fat.

That’s why conventional wisdom advises against eating late at night.

It’s summed up in the quote, “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper.”

Is all this true?

Is ANY of it true?

Great questions. Should people attempting to lose weight limit their late-night eating, and is there science or studies to back this up? After all, we love science here at NF.

Today, we are tackling these questions:

What effect does eating late at night have on our bodies?

Should you eat an early dinner for weight loss?

Is a big breakfast the answer?

Where does intermittent fasting fit into all this?

Let’s begin.

SHOULD YOU EAT LATE AT NIGHT?

To answer our question on whether a late night meal is going to stick to your gut, it’ll be helpful to explore where this advice originates.

It comes down to our circadian rhythm, which tells our bodies what time of day it is. If everything is functioning properly, during the day you will feel alert. At night, when it’s time to wind down and sleep, you’ll start to feel tired.

Think of it as an internal clock that helps prioritize bodily functions. Waking, eating, sleeping, etc.

So what’s this got to do with late night chow?

The argument goes that having food past a certain hour goes against our biological clock. Eating outside of our circadian rhythm means our metabolism might not be in proper working order. Which could lead to fat gain. That’s the gist of the argument against late night eating.

And there might be some evidence it’s true.

Experiments in mice support the hypothesis that eating late at night causes fat gain.[1] If you’re picturing a group of mice arguing over what kind of food to get delivered at midnight, I’m right there with you.[2]

One group ate during normal waking hours. The other, at night, against their normal circadian clock. Everything else remained constant, including their exercise and activity.

And all things being equal, the late night eating mice gained more weight.

These are interesting observations, but do they tell the whole story? Is all of our knowledge around late night eating advice dependent on experimentation with mice?

There are some studies on humans that do show a correlation between late night eating and weight gain.[3] And again, those eating late at night tend to gain more weight than those who don’t.[4]

However, if you’re reading Nerd Fitness, you’re smart. And you know that correlation doesn’t prove causation.

There may be a correlation between wearing a stormtrooper uniform and death, but it doesn’t mean the uniform CAUSES death.

That would be a major defect, like creating an exhaust port that leads straight to your base’s biggest weakness. Oh wait.

Outside of correlation, is there anything physiologically different about eating calories at night versus the day?

DOES LATE NIGHT EATING CAUSE WEIGHT GAIN?

First things first. Let’s talk about your metabolism slowing down at night.

That’s generally what the advice on skipping late night meals rests on. If you eat late, when your metabolism is naturally slowing down (recall the circadian rhythm?), the food is more likely to be stored as fat instead of being burned off.

Yeah, that’s not true.[5]

Your body expends plenty of energy when you sleep!

For example, the process of REM (Rapid Eye Movement) burns quite a bit of energy because our brains are very active during this stage. This is also the stage of sleep where you dream the most. So when you are dreaming of battling a dragon or showing up to school naked, you’re burning calories. Not as much as literally battling a dragon or showing up to school naked, but enough to keep your metabolism engaged.

Also, our bodies do a lot of repair work on our cells, tissue, and muscles at night. All of which requires calories.

Plus, your body needs to do normal things too like breathing, pumping blood, keeping all of your organs functioning, and stealing the blankets from your partner.

When you factor all of this in, your metabolism only slows down about 15% during the night[6]

And even THEN, with this ‘gasp,’ 15% slowdown, it’s not enough to make you more likely to gain fat by eating later at night compared to during the day. So say the researchers at Oregon State University.[7] Granted, researchers at OSU did their studies on monkeys, but their conclusion matches other research on the subject.[8]

Now, to keep things in perspective and put us back on track.

If you look hard enough, you’ll find studies that show eating late at night actually INCREASES your overnight metabolism.[9] After all – your body needs to burn calories to process the calories you just consumed, right?

That TOO makes sense!

So if our metabolism is still running when we sleep, and calories don’t have a greater impact at night, what’s with the correlation between late night eating and weight gain in humans?

Why do people that eat at night tend to gain more weight compared to people that don’t?

MORE IMPORTANT THAN WHEN YOU EAT, IS HOW MUCH YOU EAT

So what’s causing late-night eaters to gain more weight, if it’s not a slow metabolism?

It’s actually a simple answer: eating anything between dinner and bedtime is considered an extra meal.

More meals equals more food, which equals more calories. Which could lead to more weight gain.

That’s right. People who are eating late at night are eating that meal in addition to all of their other meals. They are overeating, and thus, their body is putting on weight. The timing of the meal is irrelevant, it’s total calories consumed!

To reiterate: it’s not some physiological response to food past a certain hour that will cause weight gain. It’s just that those who eat late at night are probably eating more than those who don’t.[10]

If a late night snack helps you eat smaller meals throughout the day, great!

However, more often than not these late night snacks are just extra calories on top of the meals already eaten. Something we do mindlessly with no real intention. And this can be a recipe for disaster.

This is the real concern of late night eating: extra calories consumed. Not that our body’s metabolism slows down to hibernation levels at night. It’s that we are likely not planning on these extra calories at night.

And that’s not all.

There’s also the topic of food choices to consider. The reality is there aren’t as many healthy meal options late at night versus when the sun is out. People who eat late at night might have to depend on delivery like pizza. Or Taco Bell might be the only thing open at 3am. So it might not be the hour, but the food itself that is the concern.

These are foods that are nutritionally deficient, calorically dense, and very easy to mindlessly over consume in mass quantities.

Plus, lots of late night snacks that people eat are likely junk food. As bariatric physician Dr. Caroline Cederquist says, “At midnight, people will rarely make chicken and salad. They will eat ice cream or chips, the high-fat or high-sugar foods that our bodies store so effectively as fat.”[11] This point argues the central problem of late night eating lies with these high-calorie foods, which are easy to overeat, and don’t contain a lot of nutrition. If you eat these types of snacks consistently, weight gain could be the outcome, no matter the time of day you eat them.

This may very well explain the correlation between late night eating and fat gain. Which matches our philosophy here at Nerd Fitness, “You Can’t Outrun Your Fork” (Scope out Rule #4). It also correlates to America’s love of snacks, and America’s obesity problem: I cover this in our article on snacking.

So if you are going to eat late at night, stick to REAL food whenever possible.

Meats, vegetables, fresh fruit, etc. Stay away from processed junk food, which seems to be the real danger of eating before bed. Eating an apple with some almond butter before bed is a lot different than cookies. If you want help adjusting your snacks to REAL food, check out our Beginner’s Guide to Healthy Eating. That article will walk you through how to create habits on eating real, natural, nutritious food. Foods you can eat any time of day.

But let’s also be realists here, because I love junk food too. If you want to eat ice cream or have a cookie before bed, go for it! Just PLAN ahead by eating smaller portioned meals earlier in the day, and make up for it the next day by eating a significantly smaller breakfast.

If all this talk on the timing of meals and eating REAL food stresses you out, and you want to be told exactly what to do, we can help!

Our uber-popular 1-on-1 coaching program pairs you with your own Nerd Fitness Coach who will get to know YOU, your goals, and your lifestyle, and develops a plan that’s specific to not only your body, but also to your schedule and life. We take the guesswork and uncertainty out of the timing of meals and overall diet, to help busy people just like you level up their lives.

Wanna see if we are a good fit for each other? Click on the big box below to schedule a free call! We’d love to talk with you, no matter what.

SHOULD YOU TIME YOUR MEALS?

I want to make one more point. After saying everything I said above, there could be some benefit to planning and restricting the time you eat during the day.

I’m a big fan of scheduled eating times and scheduled fasting times – this is a generally referred to as intermittent fasting.

It’s not a diet per se, but a diet pattern.

I personally only eat calories in an eight-hour window each a day. For example, if I start eating at noon, I’ll eat my last calorie by 8pm. This means no late night snacks for me. This time-restricted eating strategy works as a great way to limit overall caloric intake.

Here’s why: although I eat bigger meals for lunch and dinner, skipping breakfast results in the net effect of “Steve eats less overall.” No snacks, no multiple small meals throughout the day. Just two big meals to fuel my needs.

If you’re looking to lose weight, intermittent fasting could be a strategy for calorie control that works for you. Specifically, if you can’t help but eat late at night for whatever reason, then cutting out breakfast and making lunch the first meal of the day could mitigate a lot of the additional calories you consume later. Now, intermittent fasting isn’t for everybody, and it affects men and women differently, so be sure to read our Beginner’s Guide to Intermittent Fasting to get the full details. We cover the ins and outs of intermittent fasting, and how to create a practice that works for your situation.

Many NF readers have experienced success with intermittent fasting. After all, it’s one less meal to worry about. You can use the extra time to focus on what your two healthy meals should be, instead of worrying about a bunch of small meals and snacks throughout the day.

If you want to learn more about IF, and download a worksheet to help you get going, you can grab our Beginner’s Guide to Intermittent Fasting FREE when you sign-up in the box below:

Download a free intermittent fasting guide and worksheet!

Complete outline of the Intermittent Fasting Protocol

Worksheets for tracking when you eat and how long you fasted

I identify as a:

Woman

Man

CONCERNS OF LATE NIGHT EATING

I couldn’t end this article without mentioning two possible concerns on late night eating, outside of extra calories and food quality.

I want to talk about how late night eating might disrupt sleep itself.

If you’re staying up late at night to eat, you might be doing this at the expense of going to bed earlier, which could lead to sleep issues. As we cover in our article on sleep, when you’re sleep deprived and tired, your body tends to crave more food. More calories to fuel your exhausted body. And if you’re already staying up later to eat more food, you’re creating a vicious cycle.

Crapola.

As pointed out by science and thermodynamics, losing weight is about burning more calories than you consume. Being exhausted and needing more calories to get through the day makes this much more difficult.

So if you’re eating late at night, make sure that you’re still getting plenty of good shuteye. Don’t stay up all night mindlessly snacking. A well-rested nerd is a happy and healthy nerd.

Also, one last thing: there is some evidence that a late night meal might disrupt the quality of your sleep. [12] This might come back to our circadian rhythm, as a late night meal does seem to have an impact on delaying the stage of REM sleep.

This might be the real danger of late night eating.

Not that the calories will stick to your stomach, but that eating late at night might disrupt the sleepy time you are about to embark on by shifting your body’s priorities to digestion, thus throwing off your circadian rhythm as you prepare for sleep.

So forgo late night eating?

My advice: experiment on yourself. No not like that.

With your food and the timing of your food consumption.

A lot of these studies are at the early stages, and more research needs to be done to reach concrete conclusions on the health impact of the timing of our meals. So:

If a meal before bed helps you skip breakfast the next morning so you can rock your day, do it!

If you notice a late night meal makes you toss and turn at night, try eating a little bit earlier.

I always encourage self-experimentation, and that holds true for the timing of meals. If your life sucks without breakfast, EAT BREAKFAST. If you do better with a good, healthy snack before bed, EAT YOUR LATE NIGHT SNACK.

For me personally, I know that eating too much food directly before hitting the hay leads to a night of tossing and turning without any awesome dreams of me with a jetpack flying around the world.

But, to each their own.

You’re an adult (I assume).

So don’t get so caught up in studies that you ignore what your own body is telling you. Do what works for you – and if eating late at night is causing you to gain weight, cut back on the calories and see if that changes things.

One last important point:

If you can’t help yourself from eating sweets and snacks late at night, then plan for it! Eat smaller dinners and breakfasts, or have one less snack throughout the day. We don’t plan for perfection. We plan for Murphy’s law – anything that can go wrong will go wrong.

And just hoping you stop eating late night food isn’t a strategy. So instead, plan for the worst and set yourself up to succeed even when you succumb to the late night cravings!

That about does it for this article. It’s up to you to decide if late night eating works for you or should be avoided. Either way, the next time you hear someone tell you to eat dinner like a pauper, maybe take it with a grain of salt. Nod politely, and then get back to doing what’s best for you.

Now I want to hear from you!

          Do you eat late at night or do you restrict your eating window?

          Does a late night snack help you prepare for the next day?

          Or does it disrupt your sleep?

Let me know in the comments.

Sweet (or unsweet) dreams!

Steve,

PS: ONE FINAL TIP: if you’re going to eat ice cream late at night, don’t eat it right out of the carton with a spoon. Get a scoop, put it in a bowl, and go sit down. You’ll eat half as much, and hate yourself half as much the next day.

PPS: I’ll wrap up this article by again mentioning our 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program. If you’re worried about losing weight, and not sure if your late night meals are helping or hurting, we can help! We’ll get to know you, your situation, and your goals, to come up with a plan! Schedule a call with our team to see if it’s a good fit for your situation!

###

All photo sources can be found in this footnote right here. [13]

Footnotes    ( returns to text)

Check out some studies on mice right here, here, and here.

It would have to be pizza with extra cheese, right?

Check out this study overnight eating and weight gain right here.

Two more studies on weight gain and late night eating here and here.

Check out this study on overnight metabolic rate or this one.

Check out this report in the International Journal of Endocrinology for that statistic.

Check out that report from OSU here.

As quoted in the Sydney Morning Herald, the Dietitians’ Association of Australia came to a similar conclusion as OSU.

Check out this interesting study on the benefits of late night eating.

That’s..

http://bit.ly/2LSO80u

[almajonesnjna]

Does Late-Night Eating Cause Weight Gain?

As the legend goes…

If you’re trying to lose weight, don’t eat right before bed.

The thought is that your metabolism slows down at night to prepare for sleep.

Which means if you snack before bedtime, the food resides in your stomach all night long, and unless you’re a sleepwalker, you won’t burn off your meal and your food turns to fat.

That’s why conventional wisdom advises against eating late at night.

It’s summed up in the quote, “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper.”

Is all this true?

Is ANY of it true?

Great questions. Should people attempting to lose weight limit their late-night eating, and is there science or studies to back this up? After all, we love science here at NF.

Today, we are tackling these questions:

What effect does eating late at night have on our bodies?

Should you eat an early dinner for weight loss?

Is a big breakfast the answer?

Where does intermittent fasting fit into all this?

Let’s begin.

SHOULD YOU EAT LATE AT NIGHT?

To answer our question on whether a late night meal is going to stick to your gut, it’ll be helpful to explore where this advice originates.

It comes down to our circadian rhythm, which tells our bodies what time of day it is. If everything is functioning properly, during the day you will feel alert. At night, when it’s time to wind down and sleep, you’ll start to feel tired.

Think of it as an internal clock that helps prioritize bodily functions. Waking, eating, sleeping, etc.

So what’s this got to do with late night chow?

The argument goes that having food past a certain hour goes against our biological clock. Eating outside of our circadian rhythm means our metabolism might not be in proper working order. Which could lead to fat gain. That’s the gist of the argument against late night eating.

And there might be some evidence it’s true.

Experiments in mice support the hypothesis that eating late at night causes fat gain.[1] If you’re picturing a group of mice arguing over what kind of food to get delivered at midnight, I’m right there with you.[2]

One group ate during normal waking hours. The other, at night, against their normal circadian clock. Everything else remained constant, including their exercise and activity.

And all things being equal, the late night eating mice gained more weight.

These are interesting observations, but do they tell the whole story? Is all of our knowledge around late night eating advice dependent on experimentation with mice?

There are some studies on humans that do show a correlation between late night eating and weight gain.[3] And again, those eating late at night tend to gain more weight than those who don’t.[4]

However, if you’re reading Nerd Fitness, you’re smart. And you know that correlation doesn’t prove causation.

There may be a correlation between wearing a stormtrooper uniform and death, but it doesn’t mean the uniform CAUSES death.

That would be a major defect, like creating an exhaust port that leads straight to your base’s biggest weakness. Oh wait.

Outside of correlation, is there anything physiologically different about eating calories at night versus the day?

DOES LATE NIGHT EATING CAUSE WEIGHT GAIN?

First things first. Let’s talk about your metabolism slowing down at night.

That’s generally what the advice on skipping late night meals rests on. If you eat late, when your metabolism is naturally slowing down (recall the circadian rhythm?), the food is more likely to be stored as fat instead of being burned off.

Yeah, that’s not true.[5]

Your body expends plenty of energy when you sleep!

For example, the process of REM (Rapid Eye Movement) burns quite a bit of energy because our brains are very active during this stage. This is also the stage of sleep where you dream the most. So when you are dreaming of battling a dragon or showing up to school naked, you’re burning calories. Not as much as literally battling a dragon or showing up to school naked, but enough to keep your metabolism engaged.

Also, our bodies do a lot of repair work on our cells, tissue, and muscles at night. All of which requires calories.

Plus, your body needs to do normal things too like breathing, pumping blood, keeping all of your organs functioning, and stealing the blankets from your partner.

When you factor all of this in, your metabolism only slows down about 15% during the night[6]

And even THEN, with this ‘gasp,’ 15% slowdown, it’s not enough to make you more likely to gain fat by eating later at night compared to during the day. So say the researchers at Oregon State University.[7] Granted, researchers at OSU did their studies on monkeys, but their conclusion matches other research on the subject.[8]

Now, to keep things in perspective and put us back on track.

If you look hard enough, you’ll find studies that show eating late at night actually INCREASES your overnight metabolism.[9] After all – your body needs to burn calories to process the calories you just consumed, right?

That TOO makes sense!

So if our metabolism is still running when we sleep, and calories don’t have a greater impact at night, what’s with the correlation between late night eating and weight gain in humans?

Why do people that eat at night tend to gain more weight compared to people that don’t?

MORE IMPORTANT THAN WHEN YOU EAT, IS HOW MUCH YOU EAT

So what’s causing late-night eaters to gain more weight, if it’s not a slow metabolism?

It’s actually a simple answer: eating anything between dinner and bedtime is considered an extra meal.

More meals equals more food, which equals more calories. Which could lead to more weight gain.

That’s right. People who are eating late at night are eating that meal in addition to all of their other meals. They are overeating, and thus, their body is putting on weight. The timing of the meal is irrelevant, it’s total calories consumed!

To reiterate: it’s not some physiological response to food past a certain hour that will cause weight gain. It’s just that those who eat late at night are probably eating more than those who don’t.[10]

If a late night snack helps you eat smaller meals throughout the day, great!

However, more often than not these late night snacks are just extra calories on top of the meals already eaten. Something we do mindlessly with no real intention. And this can be a recipe for disaster.

This is the real concern of late night eating: extra calories consumed. Not that our body’s metabolism slows down to hibernation levels at night. It’s that we are likely not planning on these extra calories at night.

And that’s not all.

There’s also the topic of food choices to consider. The reality is there aren’t as many healthy meal options late at night versus when the sun is out. People who eat late at night might have to depend on delivery like pizza. Or Taco Bell might be the only thing open at 3am. So it might not be the hour, but the food itself that is the concern.

These are foods that are nutritionally deficient, calorically dense, and very easy to mindlessly over consume in mass quantities.

Plus, lots of late night snacks that people eat are likely junk food. As bariatric physician Dr. Caroline Cederquist says, “At midnight, people will rarely make chicken and salad. They will eat ice cream or chips, the high-fat or high-sugar foods that our bodies store so effectively as fat.”[11] This point argues the central problem of late night eating lies with these high-calorie foods, which are easy to overeat, and don’t contain a lot of nutrition. If you eat these types of snacks consistently, weight gain could be the outcome, no matter the time of day you eat them.

This may very well explain the correlation between late night eating and fat gain. Which matches our philosophy here at Nerd Fitness, “You Can’t Outrun Your Fork” (Scope out Rule #4). It also correlates to America’s love of snacks, and America’s obesity problem: I cover this in our article on snacking.

So if you are going to eat late at night, stick to REAL food whenever possible.

Meats, vegetables, fresh fruit, etc. Stay away from processed junk food, which seems to be the real danger of eating before bed. Eating an apple with some almond butter before bed is a lot different than cookies. If you want help adjusting your snacks to REAL food, check out our Beginner’s Guide to Healthy Eating. That article will walk you through how to create habits on eating real, natural, nutritious food. Foods you can eat any time of day.

But let’s also be realists here, because I love junk food too. If you want to eat ice cream or have a cookie before bed, go for it! Just PLAN ahead by eating smaller portioned meals earlier in the day, and make up for it the next day by eating a significantly smaller breakfast.

If all this talk on the timing of meals and eating REAL food stresses you out, and you want to be told exactly what to do, we can help!

Our uber-popular 1-on-1 coaching program pairs you with your own Nerd Fitness Coach who will get to know YOU, your goals, and your lifestyle, and develops a plan that’s specific to not only your body, but also to your schedule and life. We take the guesswork and uncertainty out of the timing of meals and overall diet, to help busy people just like you level up their lives.

Wanna see if we are a good fit for each other? Click on the big box below to schedule a free call! We’d love to talk with you, no matter what.

SHOULD YOU TIME YOUR MEALS?

I want to make one more point. After saying everything I said above, there could be some benefit to planning and restricting the time you eat during the day.

I’m a big fan of scheduled eating times and scheduled fasting times – this is a generally referred to as intermittent fasting.

It’s not a diet per se, but a diet pattern.

I personally only eat calories in an eight-hour window each a day. For example, if I start eating at noon, I’ll eat my last calorie by 8pm. This means no late night snacks for me. This time-restricted eating strategy works as a great way to limit overall caloric intake.

Here’s why: although I eat bigger meals for lunch and dinner, skipping breakfast results in the net effect of “Steve eats less overall.” No snacks, no multiple small meals throughout the day. Just two big meals to fuel my needs.

If you’re looking to lose weight, intermittent fasting could be a strategy for calorie control that works for you. Specifically, if you can’t help but eat late at night for whatever reason, then cutting out breakfast and making lunch the first meal of the day could mitigate a lot of the additional calories you consume later. Now, intermittent fasting isn’t for everybody, and it affects men and women differently, so be sure to read our Beginner’s Guide to Intermittent Fasting to get the full details. We cover the ins and outs of intermittent fasting, and how to create a practice that works for your situation.

Many NF readers have experienced success with intermittent fasting. After all, it’s one less meal to worry about. You can use the extra time to focus on what your two healthy meals should be, instead of worrying about a bunch of small meals and snacks throughout the day.

If you want to learn more about IF, and download a worksheet to help you get going, you can grab our Beginner’s Guide to Intermittent Fasting FREE when you sign-up in the box below:

Download a free intermittent fasting guide and worksheet!

Complete outline of the Intermittent Fasting Protocol

Worksheets for tracking when you eat and how long you fasted

I identify as a:

Woman

Man

CONCERNS OF LATE NIGHT EATING

I couldn’t end this article without mentioning two possible concerns on late night eating, outside of extra calories and food quality.

I want to talk about how late night eating might disrupt sleep itself.

If you’re staying up late at night to eat, you might be doing this at the expense of going to bed earlier, which could lead to sleep issues. As we cover in our article on sleep, when you’re sleep deprived and tired, your body tends to crave more food. More calories to fuel your exhausted body. And if you’re already staying up later to eat more food, you’re creating a vicious cycle.

Crapola.

As pointed out by science and thermodynamics, losing weight is about burning more calories than you consume. Being exhausted and needing more calories to get through the day makes this much more difficult.

So if you’re eating late at night, make sure that you’re still getting plenty of good shuteye. Don’t stay up all night mindlessly snacking. A well-rested nerd is a happy and healthy nerd.

Also, one last thing: there is some evidence that a late night meal might disrupt the quality of your sleep. [12] This might come back to our circadian rhythm, as a late night meal does seem to have an impact on delaying the stage of REM sleep.

This might be the real danger of late night eating.

Not that the calories will stick to your stomach, but that eating late at night might disrupt the sleepy time you are about to embark on by shifting your body’s priorities to digestion, thus throwing off your circadian rhythm as you prepare for sleep.

So forgo late night eating?

My advice: experiment on yourself. No not like that.

With your food and the timing of your food consumption.

A lot of these studies are at the early stages, and more research needs to be done to reach concrete conclusions on the health impact of the timing of our meals. So:

If a meal before bed helps you skip breakfast the next morning so you can rock your day, do it!

If you notice a late night meal makes you toss and turn at night, try eating a little bit earlier.

I always encourage self-experimentation, and that holds true for the timing of meals. If your life sucks without breakfast, EAT BREAKFAST. If you do better with a good, healthy snack before bed, EAT YOUR LATE NIGHT SNACK.

For me personally, I know that eating too much food directly before hitting the hay leads to a night of tossing and turning without any awesome dreams of me with a jetpack flying around the world.

But, to each their own.

You’re an adult (I assume).

So don’t get so caught up in studies that you ignore what your own body is telling you. Do what works for you – and if eating late at night is causing you to gain weight, cut back on the calories and see if that changes things.

One last important point:

If you can’t help yourself from eating sweets and snacks late at night, then plan for it! Eat smaller dinners and breakfasts, or have one less snack throughout the day. We don’t plan for perfection. We plan for Murphy’s law – anything that can go wrong will go wrong.

And just hoping you stop eating late night food isn’t a strategy. So instead, plan for the worst and set yourself up to succeed even when you succumb to the late night cravings!

That about does it for this article. It’s up to you to decide if late night eating works for you or should be avoided. Either way, the next time you hear someone tell you to eat dinner like a pauper, maybe take it with a grain of salt. Nod politely, and then get back to doing what’s best for you.

Now I want to hear from you!

          Do you eat late at night or do you restrict your eating window?

          Does a late night snack help you prepare for the next day?

          Or does it disrupt your sleep?

Let me know in the comments.

Sweet (or unsweet) dreams!

Steve,

PS: ONE FINAL TIP: if you’re going to eat ice cream late at night, don’t eat it right out of the carton with a spoon. Get a scoop, put it in a bowl, and go sit down. You’ll eat half as much, and hate yourself half as much the next day.

PPS: I’ll wrap up this article by again mentioning our 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program. If you’re worried about losing weight, and not sure if your late night meals are helping or hurting, we can help! We’ll get to know you, your situation, and your goals, to come up with a plan! Schedule a call with our team to see if it’s a good fit for your situation!

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All photo sources can be found in this footnote right here. [13]

Footnotes    ( returns to text)

Check out some studies on mice right here, here, and here.

It would have to be pizza with extra cheese, right?

Check out this study overnight eating and weight gain right here.

Two more studies on weight gain and late night eating here and here.

Check out this study on overnight metabolic rate or this one.

Check out this report in the International Journal of Endocrinology for that statistic.

Check out that report from OSU here.

As quoted in the Sydney Morning Herald, the Dietitians’ Association of Australia came to a similar conclusion as OSU.

Check out this interesting study on the benefits of late night eating.

That’s..

http://bit.ly/2LSO80u