“100 Smartest Diet Tips Ever” - Oh Yeah?

There was a news blurb that caught my eye today on Yahoo! News: "100 tips for your toughest diet challenges." But the headline might as well have read “Hey Chris, read this now or we’ll tell all your trainer friends about the Snickers in your freezer.” It’s not mine, really. It’s, um, for next Halloween. Or it’s from last Halloween. Or something. Anyway, I checked out the link ASAP, and I was...confused. It was a mix of some pretty good advice, along with some less-than-good advice.

Right off the bat, their first two tips left me feeling a bit squirmy:
1. Add just one fruit or veggie serving daily. Get comfortable with that, then add an extra serving until you reach 8 to 10 a day.

2. Eat at least two servings of a fruit or veggie at every meal.

I get where they’re coming from with these, but it sounds like we’re adding calories to our daily intake from the get-go. I don’t like this idea much at all. My first step in straightening out a crooked diet plan is usually to incorporate several meals per day. Fruits and veggies are super-important (Captain Obvious strikes again!) but I wouldn’t make them the #1 priority to start with.


They quickly redeemed themselves though:
5. Start eating a big breakfast. It helps you eat fewer total calories throughout the day.

This is pretty much true. During the 1940’s and 50’s, legendary (albeit controversial) American nutritionist Adelle Davis coined the phrase “eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper.” This has remained one of the most consistently effective calorie-management methods in circulation.


Another tidbit I liked from this list:
12. Instead of whole milk, switch to 1 percent. If you drink one 8-oz glass a day, you'll lose 5 lb in a year.

I’d like to rephrase “you’ll lose 5 pounds in a year” to “that’s 5 pounds you won’t be gaining”, but aside from that, this is a great tip and I agree entirely. I hate skim milk. Repeat: I H-A-T-E skim milk. When I was 8 or 9 years old, I remember my pediatrician telling me “You may want to start drinking skim milk with the school lunches, even though it tastes like dirty dish water.” The guy was right. If you find skim milk palatable, more power to you. But I have no problem with you making 1% your dairy beverage of choice.


Another killer tip:
14. Get calories from foods you chew, not beverages. Have fresh fruit instead of fruit juice.

I just sent that first sentence a marriage proposal, because I love it. If you’re drinking something that has a significant calorie content, it better be a high-protein shake. There aren’t many exceptions to this rule.


Unfortunately, the list took a wild left turn next:
16. Follow the Chinese saying: "Eat until you are eight-tenths full."

I’m sure there’s a deeply motivational and powerful meaning in this one. I just have no freaking clue what it is.


After that, wait...I forgot to mention that these 100 tips are divided into a dozen handy, dandy sub-topics. Under the topic heading “What Can I Eat for a Healthy Low-Cal Dinner if I Don't Want to Cook?” They list:
52. Scramble eggs in a nonstick skillet. Pop some asparagus in the microwave, and add whole wheat toast...

Scrambling eggs, microwaving asparagus, and making toast counts as cooking in my book. But call me a nit-picker. (It is a great meal though.)


Okay, I could go on for a while since there really are 100 tips presented. My point is, the American Dietetic Association put out this list of what they’re calling the “100 Smartest Diet Tips Ever.” That’s a mighty bold claim, and I don’t think they quite nailed it. However, there are more hits than misses overall, and there are definitely a dozen or so great ideas that I’ll be stealing, tweaking, and sharing with clients right away. Maybe a few of them are just right for you too.

I Don't Care What Your Bodyfat Is.

Here’s the thing...if you’ve decided that you want to “lose some weight”, the first thing you need to realize is that you’re wrong. You don’t want to lose weight. You want to lose fat. Losing weight is easy. Go for those long, multi-mile jogs in the morning, have two apples and a hard-boiled egg white for breakfast, and maybe consider snipping off a finger or three. (Hey, they’ve got to be a few ounces each. That’s just about two pounds of deadweight right at your fingertips. Literally.)

If weight loss is all that’s important, if we only care about getting the number on the scale lower, then these methods will work just fine. Losing fat, on the other hand, is what makes a bigger difference both visually and from a heath perspective. Losing fat takes some more concentrated effort. You’ve got to pay more attention to preserving (or actually increasing) your lean muscle tissue, while whittling away bodyfat through targeted nutrition and specific resistance and cardio exercise.

If you read around, you’ll find that women are considered “average” when they have a bodyfat percentage somewhere around 18-22%, and men are “average” around 13-17%. Truth be told, I’d rather we not get hung up on reaching certain numbers.

Wayyyy too often, I’ve seen people (usually younger guys) ask on message boards “Anyone know how I can get down to 7% bodyfat? I think I’m stuck at around 14% right now.” Does this dude seriously think he’s going to look drop-dead awesome if he reaches 7%, but he’ll be disappointed with 8% or 9%? The numbers game is a tricky one, and I just don’t like to play it.

Along those lines, how do you even go about measuring your bodyfat? The majority of scales that give bodyfat readouts use an electrical impulse that can be dramatically different each time you use it depending on how thirsty you are, or even the last thing you ate. Bodyfat calipers can be more accurate, but they require a semi-competent professional to perform the measurements.

Your best bet, and the one that’s been consistently effective with a number of clients, is a two-pronged method. First, pick out something you’d wear to the beach. Whether it’s a two-piece or a one piece for ladies, or long board shorts or Speedos for the guys. Now have four pictures taken of yourself; from the front, left side, back, and right side. We’re not posing for magazines here, just take a deep breath, relax, exhale, and snap the picture.

This is the photo evidence. You can’t lie to a photo you took three weeks ago. It will let you know if you’re on the right track. Be sure to keep these pictures someplace safe, so you can look back on them once you’ve reached your goal. This kind of motivation is irreplaceable.

Second step: Pick out one full outfit, something you’d wear to go out to the diner, but it can’t be super-loose fitting. Some variation of “jeans and a t-shirt” usually work best. Try it on and take a mental note of how it feels. Are the thighs tight? Is the waist loose? Can I tuck the shirt in without anything unpleasant spilling over the belt? Also, look in the mirror. Are things looking good, or not so good. Honesty, with yourself, is key here.

Now choose one day each month to be dress-up day (could be the first of the month, or the 17th. It doesn’t really matter, just keep it the same day each month.) You’ll try this exact same outfit on and you’ll pay attention to how your body is changing, using this outfit as a constant. If you’re trying to gain muscle, you might notice the sleeves getting tighter around your newly muscled arms, or the calves may be getting snug. If you’re trying to lose fat, the waist and thighs should be gradually getting looser.

Physical and visual standards like these are going to have much more real-world impact on your motivation and your goal-setting than any number-based formula. It’s going to be easier to do, and they'll be more tangible and more applicable to you than haphazardly deciding “I need to hit X% bodyfat or I won’t be successful.”


P.S. – The popular Body Mass Index that the media talks about really doesn’t give an accurate depiction of people with any appreciable lean muscle. Because it only factors in height and weight, you’re more likely to be deemed “overweight”, even if you have a relatively low bodyfat percentage and a significant amount of lean muscle tissue. Clothes and pictures are still the best standards to use.

Random Q & A

Q: Can you help me with a strength building routine that can be done at home (no gym nearby and no equipment at home).

I’m not looking for huge muscles, just some muscle/strength building and a generally healthier life.

I need some advice including exercises, diet changes, and/or supplements (though more cost is a factor).


A: You're willing to buy nutritional supplements, but not a gym membership or some basic home equipment? There's something wrong with those priorities. For the cost of about two month's worth of basic supplements, you can get a home gym setup that will last your lifetime, or longer.

You should be able to find a 300-pound barbell set for about $150 at places like Omni Fitness or Dick’s Sporting Goods. There are also stores like “Play-It Again Sports” that specialize in selling less expensive, used equipment. Don’t forget to check out Ebay.com or your local Craigslist.org to find cheaper used stuff.

But if you still want to train at home on the cheap, no worries. Grab a backpack or duffel bag; There's got to be one laying around your house somewhere. Now stuff it with everything that'll fit. Not sweaters and t-shirts, but heavier things like textbooks, phonebooks, boots, whatever you can cram in there. Congrats, you just built a weight.

Search the web for info on sandbag lifting, and you should be able to do most of the exercises with your new bag. Some of the easiest ones: Bearhug it and walk. Bearhug it and squat or lunge. Press it overhead with one or two arms. Press it overhead and squat. Bend over and row with one or two arms. Swing it to different heights (chest level, eye-level, straight overhead). Basically, take the weight, pick it up somehow or move it somewhere, and repeat for reps or time.

Another great at-home solution is to become very familiar with bodyweight exercises and their variations. Push-ups, squats, lunges, jumping jacks, squat thrusts, things like that. If you search around the web, you can find a few sites that explain the basics. Or shoot me another e-mail at chris@bodyfuelfitness.com for some more specifics.


- Chris.

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Q: I joined a buddy's softball team and it looks to be a pretty competitive league (multiple games per week). I’ve always had a fairly strong throwing arm, but it can’t hurt to get a little more zing in the wing, so to speak.

I have some resistance bands that I was thinking of using for going through the throwing motion. I am looking for your thoughts on improving my throwing arm.


A: Strength Coaches Alwyn Cosgrove, Eric Cressey, and Mike Robertson have all used a similar analogy for this situation; If a baseball player came to them, the first thing they would do is train the opposing throwing muscles (like the biceps and upper back), and the absolute last thing they would do is to mimic the actual throwing motion against resistance. This advice is 100% spot-on.

If you were to work these same muscles in the weight room, they'd quickly get overtrained, and it would only encourage muscle imbalances (which lead to injury). I dare you to keep track of how many "reps" of throws you do during your next practice or game. You'll lose count for sure. Anatomically, the muscles that are supposed to balance these throwing muscles need just as much attention, if not more.

So, unless your league is using an 8-pound softball, there's no point in training the band that way. Use the weight room for building a stronger and faster body, then use time on the field in practice to translate that strength and speed for the game.

Just as important as the rotator cuff/shoulder/scapula area is the hips, abs (core), and grip. A weak point in any of those three, and it doesn't matter if your shoulder is super-healthy.

I'd consider going on a primarily dumbbell routine for about four weeks, with limited barbell exercises, in conjunction with a basic rotator cuff/scapula pre-hab program. Big exercises like dumbbell snatches, the clean and press, step-ups, bent 2-dumbbell rows, and full contact twists (which requires a barbell, but it's awesome and well-worth including), will all be key players. Send me an e-mail at chris@bodyfuelfitness.com, and I can flesh out the details for you after I get some more information.


- Chris.

You Don't Have The Time?!?

You work 60 hours a week, you’ve got 2 kids at home, and you only sleep for six hours a night. Can you somehow manage to squeeze in a few hours a week to take care of your health? Wait, I forgot to mention that you’re hypertensive, your “bad” LDL cholesterol outnumbers your “good” HDL levels 3:1, and you have some kind of non-specific, chronic pain between your shoulders giving you headaches that kick in right around 3:00 p.m. Can you consider fitting in a quick workout sometime now?

It kills me (no pun intended) that people can so easily let their personal health slip down the list of priorities, while sometimes taking extra steps to place work and errands at the top of the list.

Quick question: Do you give your teeth a brushing at least once or twice a day (even though 2 two-minute sessions are what the ADA recommends)?

Why? Isn’t it because bad things will happen to them if you don’t? Right, thought so. Even though 25 percent of older adults have no natural teeth. Dentures all the way, baby.

Here’s one of my favorite scenarios, and I wish I could remember where I first heard it. If you saw an ad for a part-time job that paid $800 per week and required working one hour a day for four days a week, would you take it? No brainer, right? Unless you’re stupendously well-off, I don’t think anyone in their right mind would turn down that offer.

Now, if you can find the time for four hours a week to do some extra work in exchange for more money, why oh why can’t you find the time for four hours a week (heck, I’ll even start with three) in exchange for better health, a more vigorous and more fit lifestyle, less aches and pains, better fitting clothes, more fun recreational activities, more flirty look from guys and gals (whichever you prefer) at the mall, so many benefits for putting in so little effort.

Yes, workouts make you sweaty. And yes, some workouts might seem tough to get through. And yes again, your schedule might seem overbearing as it already is. But if you wanted to, if you really, sincerely, deep to your core wanted to, you’d find the time. No, actually, you’d make the time. If it was really important to you. But then again, if it isn’t important to you…