The other day I received a message from a new strength client asking about testing strength since my style of programming rarely, if ever, calls for one rep maxes. He was quite confused as to how I could guarantee he was getting stronger if he didn't test his maximal strength every few weeks. As a newer lifter, he was seeing quick gains in strength as his body adapted and he wanted the undeniable feedback of pushing a one rep max every few weeks. I understood his concerns because I made the same mistakes before I knew any better, before I really understood Personal Records (PR's). There's a secret in strength training that isn't very secret; strength doesn't come from a one rep max. Strength comes from the accumulation of our efforts and there are many ways to demonstrate the gains we make.
I understand the desire to say "I squat xxx" or "I bench yyy" and I know the high you get from nailing a new PR, limiting progress with the idea that increases in maximal strength progress comes only from a one rep max is erroneous thinking. Simply, one rep max tests take a lot out of the body, can be dangerous without proper spotters, and can actually hinder progress if done too often. At minimum, I have 12 weeks of training before scheduling a test week. If I can move a weight faster, if I can do more reps, if the weight feels lighter, or if I can recover faster, I have demonstrated increased strength expect some impact in my 1 RM as well. More and more people are catching on to the idea that a PR is a PR, whether it's a 5 RM, a 3 RM, or a 1 RM. Strength isn't just one all out effort, but is defined by how we use it. Think of a mover; they may not have a tremendous squat max, but they can run up and down stairs with furniture all day long. Or consider a warehouse employee that is shifting, lifting, and moving boxes eight hours a day. We would all agree they are strong, but their 1 RM means nothing.
Instead of programming one rep max tests during cycles, I use two elements to measure progress and strength gains with my clients and myself. The first element is the repetition max. The second element is an indicator lift. The combination of rep maxes and indicator lifts provides valuable information about your training, your progress, and ultimately, your strength. Because both of these occur over time, a good workout log is essential in recognizing the changes.
Repetition Maxes - By now, most people understand rep maxes. Briefly, a rep max can be either the most weight you can do for a set number of reps (2, 3, 5, etc.) or it can be a weight done as many times as possible. The first option is primarily used by self-regulating programs that allow you to push as hard as you can for that training session as long as you don't miss. The second option is seen in programs like Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 series. Either version can indicate strength increases. Think about it for a minute; if you benched 225 pounds for 6 and then a month later later hit 225 pounds for 8, you got stronger! Or maybe you're doing 3 sets of 5 and last month you did it with 315 but this month you just did it with 340. You'd agree you got stronger, wouldn't you? And if you want to relate back to a one rep max, it can be done. With repetition maxes of eight or fewer, we can estimate our 1 RM using a simple formula: weight x reps x .0333 + weight. Example: 225 x 5 x .0333 + 225 estimates a 265 pound max.
Indicator Lifts - These take some experience to identify, but everybody has them for each major lift. An indicator lift is another lift that correlates to your "tested" movement. Sometimes they are trained in place of the actual lift or they are done as the first assistance lift. The indicator lift uses many of the same muscles as the main lift, which is why the two are related. For me, when my Incline Bench increases, so does my Flat Bench. For some, it may be Front Squat indicating Squat increase. Whether you are aware of it or not, we all have them. This is where the workout log is so important. The longer you have been training, the easier they are to find. Go back and look at how you were training when you were getting stronger. Find the assistance lift that you were doing that also got stronger. That's your indicator. If you're newer to lifting, this may be harder, but it certainly is possible as long as you keep records of everything.
So if you find yourself always testing your one rep max and never making progress, maybe it's time to step back from test mode and start looking at other PR's using the rep max and indicator lift method of analyzing your strength gains. Your body will thank you for it and I'm willing to bet that you will see more from it in the long run.
Monday, June 29, 2015
Thursday, June 25, 2015
The 1,200 Calorie Myth
The other day I encountered another poor soul led to believe that she must eat 1,200 calories per day in order to lose weight. After explaining why she was incorrect and how she'd been misled by the internet, I decided it was time to see how many cases actually line up with 1,200 calorie diets. Before I dive into the math behind this, I freely admit there are exceptions to every rule in fitness. The odds of someone being one of the exceptions is very small.
Weight loss can be simplified to a single statement, "eat fewer calories than you burn." Whether you perform exercise to raise your caloric burn level or you reduce your intake, weight loss occurs at a deficit. The bad news is that too big of a deficit results in muscle loss, hormonal damage, and metabolic slowdown. The end result is making weight loss harder. There are always exceptions in health and fitness, but chances are, needing 1,200 calories to lose weight isn't because of their body, but because of what they have done to their body.
It is suggested that the caloric deficit not exceed 500 calories below maintenance. Under the assumption that one must eat 1,200 calories to lose weight, that would mean the number of calories needed for maintenance is 1,200 + 500 = 1,700. With the simple multipliers used to convert RMR into TDEE, we can determine the corresponding RMR's. The following table displays the five measures of activity along with the corresponding RMR that matches a TDEE of 1,700.
This simple analysis gives us two cases where 1,200 calories is below RMR. This is exquisitely bad over a long period of time as it is typically not sustainable, slows metabolism, slows growth and repair of tissue, and negatively effects hormone levels. The remaining three demonstrate an RMR highly unlikely to be found by anybody working out at the required level to reach a TDEE of 1,700.
In order to test large amounts of hypothetical data, I created a program to calculate RMR and BMI based on a set of conditions. The program was run with the following limitations:
Age: 18 - 64
Height: 4'11" - 6'0"
Weight: 103 -250 pounds
The test program reported no instances of a sub 1000 calorie RMR that would not be considered "Underweight." Further, of the 97,384 potential combinations based on the restrictions, there are 8% (7,703) cases of RMR between 1,000 and 1,200, with approximately 2% having a BMI classified as "Overweight" and .05% considered "Obese." Of those 2,030 cases, all of them are under 5'4" and older than 34 with the "Obese" starting at age 54. The lightest bodyweight meeting these qualifications is 129 pounds for a 4'11", 34 year old ranging up to a 146 pound, 5'4", 64 year old. If we look at RMR from each factor, RMR decreases with age and increases with weight. As weight typically increases with height, it can be seen that as height increases, so does RMR.
Again, the chances that the average female looking to lose weight falls into "1,200 calorie diet" are very slim.
As the calculations found, there are some exceptions to the "1,200 calories is not for you" rule, but chances are you aren't one of them. One exception is the person that has already damaged their metabolism by chronically under-eating. This metabolic slowdown may result in needing to eat 1,200 calories, but through proper diet, this can be reversed back to a more sustainable level. Another exception would be someone on a prescription medicine that impairs metabolic rate. The only other exception I will mention is under the direct care of a medical professional and they will have very specific reasons and guidelines for using the 1,200 calorie diet.
Now that we know our minimum (RMR) and maintenance (TDEE), we can create our deficit. The deficit should not force you below your RMR and should be no more than 500 calories below TDEE. I'm willing to bet fewer than five people reading this will calculate 1,200 calories as an appropriate deficit and remain above their RMR. In a perfect world, we would increase the space between our RMR and our TDEE by increasing activity, allowing us to lose weight while eating the most calories possible.
Again, if we eat too far below our TDEE, we risk slowing our metabolism, making it harder to lose weight. When this happens, the standard response is either a) eat less or b) be more active. Both options create a bigger deficit forcing the body to slow metabolism further. Remember, the human body has learned to survive over thousands of years and it will compensate to survive.
Weight loss can be simplified to a single statement, "eat fewer calories than you burn." Whether you perform exercise to raise your caloric burn level or you reduce your intake, weight loss occurs at a deficit. The bad news is that too big of a deficit results in muscle loss, hormonal damage, and metabolic slowdown. The end result is making weight loss harder. There are always exceptions in health and fitness, but chances are, needing 1,200 calories to lose weight isn't because of their body, but because of what they have done to their body.
It is suggested that the caloric deficit not exceed 500 calories below maintenance. Under the assumption that one must eat 1,200 calories to lose weight, that would mean the number of calories needed for maintenance is 1,200 + 500 = 1,700. With the simple multipliers used to convert RMR into TDEE, we can determine the corresponding RMR's. The following table displays the five measures of activity along with the corresponding RMR that matches a TDEE of 1,700.
| Activity | Multiplier | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | 1.2 | 1,417 |
| Light | 1.3 | 1,308 |
| Moderate | 1.55 | 1,097 |
| Heavy | 1.625 | 1,046 |
| Very Heavy | 1.9 | 895 |
This simple analysis gives us two cases where 1,200 calories is below RMR. This is exquisitely bad over a long period of time as it is typically not sustainable, slows metabolism, slows growth and repair of tissue, and negatively effects hormone levels. The remaining three demonstrate an RMR highly unlikely to be found by anybody working out at the required level to reach a TDEE of 1,700.
In order to test large amounts of hypothetical data, I created a program to calculate RMR and BMI based on a set of conditions. The program was run with the following limitations:
Age: 18 - 64
Height: 4'11" - 6'0"
Weight: 103 -250 pounds
The test program reported no instances of a sub 1000 calorie RMR that would not be considered "Underweight." Further, of the 97,384 potential combinations based on the restrictions, there are 8% (7,703) cases of RMR between 1,000 and 1,200, with approximately 2% having a BMI classified as "Overweight" and .05% considered "Obese." Of those 2,030 cases, all of them are under 5'4" and older than 34 with the "Obese" starting at age 54. The lightest bodyweight meeting these qualifications is 129 pounds for a 4'11", 34 year old ranging up to a 146 pound, 5'4", 64 year old. If we look at RMR from each factor, RMR decreases with age and increases with weight. As weight typically increases with height, it can be seen that as height increases, so does RMR.
Again, the chances that the average female looking to lose weight falls into "1,200 calorie diet" are very slim.
As the calculations found, there are some exceptions to the "1,200 calories is not for you" rule, but chances are you aren't one of them. One exception is the person that has already damaged their metabolism by chronically under-eating. This metabolic slowdown may result in needing to eat 1,200 calories, but through proper diet, this can be reversed back to a more sustainable level. Another exception would be someone on a prescription medicine that impairs metabolic rate. The only other exception I will mention is under the direct care of a medical professional and they will have very specific reasons and guidelines for using the 1,200 calorie diet.
How Can I See Where I Am?
First, we need to find our RMR. From there, we can find our TDEE. Many calculators refer to BMR which is a very strict hospital monitored measurement of the RMR and is typically slightly lower than RMR formulas estimate. In my opinion, BMR is not relevant unless you literally sit in bed and do absolutely nothing all day. While no formula is perfect for everybody, there are two that have the best RMR predictions for the largest population. Mifflin-St Jeor is the most recent formula developed and demonstrated a greater accuracy than previous formulas. Harris-Benedict is the second formula and is still used by many of the online calculators. In order to calculate the TDEE, the RMR is multiplied by an activity quotient. You can use the Z Strength Calculator to determine your RMR and TDEE and save yourself some time.Now that we know our minimum (RMR) and maintenance (TDEE), we can create our deficit. The deficit should not force you below your RMR and should be no more than 500 calories below TDEE. I'm willing to bet fewer than five people reading this will calculate 1,200 calories as an appropriate deficit and remain above their RMR. In a perfect world, we would increase the space between our RMR and our TDEE by increasing activity, allowing us to lose weight while eating the most calories possible.
Again, if we eat too far below our TDEE, we risk slowing our metabolism, making it harder to lose weight. When this happens, the standard response is either a) eat less or b) be more active. Both options create a bigger deficit forcing the body to slow metabolism further. Remember, the human body has learned to survive over thousands of years and it will compensate to survive.
Regarding the Program Used to Gather Data
Using the limitations, the program calculated more than 97,000 combinations, finding fewer than 8,000 that resulted in an RMR of 1,200 or lower. In an attempt to relate these numbers to a common factor, it also calculated the BMI (Body Mass Index) for each of the combinations. The majority of these combinations resulted in a BMI below 22, which is well within the "Normal" range. While many of us agree BMI is a bad tool because more muscular people rank as "Overweight" or "Obese", it is a useful tool for the less muscular developing weight loss goals.Friday, June 19, 2015
Not All Free Information is Good Information
Seems like an obvious statement, but for the fitness newcomer there is so much information out there that it's hard to decipher what's good and what's guru. Over the last few weeks, I have read, heard, and seen some terrible advice given to fitness novices as they try to learn about training, develop technique, and improve themselves. I'm not talking about "bad information" that says there is only one way to build arms. I'm talking about legitimately dangerous information. Some bad information comes from forums, some from the local broscientist at the gym, and some from well-meaning but ill-informed novices that perpetuate myths. Regardless of where it originates, somebody without knowledge or a bs-o-meter for fitness is at risk.
I won't be the first to say it, but there is more than one way to accomplish any fitness related goal, and while the paths may be more or less efficient, given the correct information, they will lead to the ultimate goal. So, the goal of this post is to help you learn to identify good and useful information while discarding (and maybe even battling) the bad information while increasing your own knowledge. I'm not talking about controversial or less than optimal information; I'm talking about blatantly wrong information.
Some of you may be wondering what's wrong with the answers. In the first example, a knowledgeable lifter sees poor technique despite the made lift and provides critical feedback while others convince the lifter he's doing it right. If the poster chooses to accept the compliments of the masses over the criticisms, he runs the risk of injury as the weight increases. With the second case, the lady is already under-eating for her activity levels. If she chose to follow the standard advice of "eat less, do more," she will most definitely tank her metabolism, which we all know is worse than gaining a few pounds over time to improve her metabolism.
While forums and social media provide us fast access to free advice, the fast and free advice can also be one of the worst parts. Before the explosion of fitness forums, you had to know somebody, pay somebody, or spend hours experiencing in order to find the answer to fitness questions. Because the community was so small, it was easy to identify who was providing legitimate information and who was not. With large internet forums and the "community" of social networks, Brosef is now out in full force, providing information read in some rag, heard in some rumor mill, or picked up at a Holiday Inn Express. This isn't to say all information in these forums are bad, but being able to sniff out crap makes them much more useful.
This brings me to the heart of this post, identifying good information versus bad information and how to filter what you need. Some will say only coaches and certified trainers should be giving advice. I've even seen a person claim you should listen to them solely because they are "certified." Bull! I've seen my fair share of ignorant coaches and certified trainers giving bad advice online and doing stupid stuff in the gym. The certificate doesn't mean you're good; it means you passed a test. I learned more from training with non-certified people that had years of experience than I did by reading the book for the CPT test.
The first rule, and this one trumps them all, if they demand you listen to them because of their piece of paper, move along to somebody with less fake alpha-ness. The truly knowledgeable will always put the information out there with their rationale when the fakers just tell you to do it and resort to some form of "because I said."
If the information giver passes the first test, there are a few more steps you can use to sort the useful from the bad:
To your education!
I won't be the first to say it, but there is more than one way to accomplish any fitness related goal, and while the paths may be more or less efficient, given the correct information, they will lead to the ultimate goal. So, the goal of this post is to help you learn to identify good and useful information while discarding (and maybe even battling) the bad information while increasing your own knowledge. I'm not talking about controversial or less than optimal information; I'm talking about blatantly wrong information.
As an example, a gentleman is seeking advice on his deadlift technique, so he posts a video to be checked. Despite glaring technique issues, he gets the thumbs up and a host of "attaboys" just because he pulled more weight than the people watching the video.
Another example is a lady asking a diet / nutrition based question as she has not been able to lose weight for several months despite her high 4 days of activity and her low calorie diet. Instead of relevant and educated responses, she receives "cut your calories" and "add HIIT to your training" as advice.These ignorant responses lead people into potentially dangerous situations where they risk injury or other health problems. With more and more people turning to forums for advice, form checks, programming and nutrition advice, it's hard to know who is and who isn't giving you qualified advice.
Some of you may be wondering what's wrong with the answers. In the first example, a knowledgeable lifter sees poor technique despite the made lift and provides critical feedback while others convince the lifter he's doing it right. If the poster chooses to accept the compliments of the masses over the criticisms, he runs the risk of injury as the weight increases. With the second case, the lady is already under-eating for her activity levels. If she chose to follow the standard advice of "eat less, do more," she will most definitely tank her metabolism, which we all know is worse than gaining a few pounds over time to improve her metabolism.
While forums and social media provide us fast access to free advice, the fast and free advice can also be one of the worst parts. Before the explosion of fitness forums, you had to know somebody, pay somebody, or spend hours experiencing in order to find the answer to fitness questions. Because the community was so small, it was easy to identify who was providing legitimate information and who was not. With large internet forums and the "community" of social networks, Brosef is now out in full force, providing information read in some rag, heard in some rumor mill, or picked up at a Holiday Inn Express. This isn't to say all information in these forums are bad, but being able to sniff out crap makes them much more useful.
This brings me to the heart of this post, identifying good information versus bad information and how to filter what you need. Some will say only coaches and certified trainers should be giving advice. I've even seen a person claim you should listen to them solely because they are "certified." Bull! I've seen my fair share of ignorant coaches and certified trainers giving bad advice online and doing stupid stuff in the gym. The certificate doesn't mean you're good; it means you passed a test. I learned more from training with non-certified people that had years of experience than I did by reading the book for the CPT test.
The first rule, and this one trumps them all, if they demand you listen to them because of their piece of paper, move along to somebody with less fake alpha-ness. The truly knowledgeable will always put the information out there with their rationale when the fakers just tell you to do it and resort to some form of "because I said."
If the information giver passes the first test, there are a few more steps you can use to sort the useful from the bad:
- Know who and where you're getting advice from.
- Experience is king, everything else is second (certifications, degrees, staying at a Holiday Inn Express).
- Check the content on the site you're using. If a site caters to bodybuilding, asking questions about triathlons may result in horrible information.
- If you're on a site related to infomercial products (Beach Body, the Wraps, Detoxes), find at least 2 more sites with no ties to those products before accepting the information.
- Ask yourself if the answer makes sense.
- If you're doing an exercise and it hurts but somebody is telling you it's perfect form, clearly, it's not perfect.
- If you already exercise hard and don't eat a lot but aren't losing weight, it makes no sense to eat less and train more.
- If the answer applies to a different situation than yours, disregard the response because they couldn't even take the time to answer your specific question.
- Research your question and whatever answers you're considering for some form of consensus before accepting the advice.
- If you're looking for technique, there are a lot of youtube videos out there for instruction of movements. Video yourself and compare the two. If you're computer savvy, you can use kinovea to do side by side analysis.
- If you're looking for programming or diet advice, stay away from popular mags (Men's Health, Women's Health, Oxygen, etc) because while they may provide some good information, often times they provide partial solutions.
- If the article is trying to sell you a product, re-read the article without the product. If the answer still makes sense, use it, if not, move along.
To your education!
Friday, April 3, 2015
March Q&A
Kettlebell Workouts... do they really burn more?
Theoretically, a kettlebell workout could burn more calories than a standard workout. Given the majority of kettlebell workouts incorporate full-body exercises (swings, cleans, snatches) with periods of higher intensity exercise, the potential to burn more calories exists in the same time frame when compared to a standard barbell or dumbbell workout. HOWEVER, if one were to perform barbell complexes or super / giant sets with minimal rest, a similar training effect could occur. An ACE Study showed an equivalent calorie burn to a 6 minute mile (http://prn.to/1eC0hOR).
As a training tool, especially for somebody that needs to develop muscular endurance or that wants to have the body composition benefits as well as cardiovascular benefits, performing kettlebell workouts are a great addition to your training program.
Does it matter, weight versus reps, if enough muscle fiber is engaged?
Like all other answers for training questions, it depends on the goal. Quick science, there are 3 types of muscle fibers (Type I, Type IIa, Type IIb) that are trained during our workouts. Type I fibers are the slow twitch, or endurance fibers. Type IIa fibers are a "hybrid" fiber that can demonstrate both slow twitch and fast twitch properties. Type IIb are fast twitch and prone to fatigue quickly.
One of the first principles of training explained to me was simple, "the body will only use as many muscle fibers as it needs to." Sounds simple enough, right? The second was "a muscle is either on or off." The body uses the smallest fibers first (that's Type I) before moving to larger fibers. So when we lift a weight, the body does just enough to lift the weight, whether it's 1 rep or 20 reps. This creates the dilemma about weight versus reps and maximal muscle engagement. Old school convention says heavier weight is the only way for more muscle engagement. However, our fast twitch fibers exhaust quickly, which means training with heavy weights for higher reps isn't possible, which provides little training stimulus for the Type I fibers.
So can we get recruit our largest fibers (Type IIb) along with the Type IIa and Type I fibers? Thankfully, somebody with far more knowledge confirms my belief that we can. Dr Ralph N. Carpinelli, of the Human Performance Laboratory at Adelphi University did an exhaustive review of the scientific literature regarding muscle fibers and weight and reported his findings in the Journal of Exercise Science and Fitness, volume 6, number 2, 2008. One of his main points discussed that effort of action is the key factor in determining the number of muscle fibers recruited. Carpinelli's conclusion was simple, whether it was a 5, 10, or 20 rep max, the most important factor in maximal muscle recruitment is being at "maximal-or near maximal-effort" at the end of each set.
And back to the "it depends" part of my answer. If I am training for a competition, whether it's weightlifting, powerlifting, rowing, or cycling, it will be more beneficial to train in a way that mimics your event. On the other hand, if training to be healthier. I would recommend a variety of weight and rep schemes following the principle of near maximal effort at the end of each set.
Follow up from last month: I've been reading "periodization training for sports". In reading about the maximum strength phase it suggests that the maximum load method should not be used before a minimum of 2 years of general strength training. Of the ms methods reviewed this seems like the only one accessible to me. How hard and fast is this rule? Is there another alternate maximum strength method I can use in the interim? I've only been lifting for about six months and during that time only in a somewhat body building style. Finally the edition of this book I have is from 2005. Is it totally outdated?
The 2005 edition is the 2nd edition of the book, so while some parts may have been updated, I don't believe the book could be considered "outdated." Here's where I disagree and my experience working with youth and new- to-training athletes effects my perspective. I don't believe you need to train for 2 years in general strength before attacking maximum strength. While I do believe there is a prerequisite level of experience and conditioning to be met, I don't believe it has to take 2 years. Training maximal strength takes a toll on the body and developing a solid base is key to avoid preventable injuries that come from jumping in too fast.
The NSCA Periodization model (http://bit.ly/1FoaFZx) also contains the same basic cycles. A deeper explanation of the block methodology can be found on EliteFTS (http://bit.ly/1ChzyRP) with Jeremy Frey's videos. While there is a lot of information directly related to powerlifting, it is easily applied to multiple disciplines. And here's another link to explore (http://bit.ly/1HpvOCq) about maximal strength training through periodization.
I honestly believe if you have a high enough level of GPP you can do block periodization. If you feel you need more GPP, I recommend training at least 6 weeks with the focus purely on GPP. So that begs the question, what is "enough"? For each person it is different and there are millions of opinions. For me, GPP is being able to complete an entire workout without needing 10 minute rest periods on non-ME days or being able to run a sub-10 minute mile or sprint and change direction like playing a sport. For others it may be different, like running 6 minute miles or swimming 500m, or performing 100 kb swings, unbroken.
Theoretically, a kettlebell workout could burn more calories than a standard workout. Given the majority of kettlebell workouts incorporate full-body exercises (swings, cleans, snatches) with periods of higher intensity exercise, the potential to burn more calories exists in the same time frame when compared to a standard barbell or dumbbell workout. HOWEVER, if one were to perform barbell complexes or super / giant sets with minimal rest, a similar training effect could occur. An ACE Study showed an equivalent calorie burn to a 6 minute mile (http://prn.to/1eC0hOR).
As a training tool, especially for somebody that needs to develop muscular endurance or that wants to have the body composition benefits as well as cardiovascular benefits, performing kettlebell workouts are a great addition to your training program.
Does it matter, weight versus reps, if enough muscle fiber is engaged?
Like all other answers for training questions, it depends on the goal. Quick science, there are 3 types of muscle fibers (Type I, Type IIa, Type IIb) that are trained during our workouts. Type I fibers are the slow twitch, or endurance fibers. Type IIa fibers are a "hybrid" fiber that can demonstrate both slow twitch and fast twitch properties. Type IIb are fast twitch and prone to fatigue quickly.
One of the first principles of training explained to me was simple, "the body will only use as many muscle fibers as it needs to." Sounds simple enough, right? The second was "a muscle is either on or off." The body uses the smallest fibers first (that's Type I) before moving to larger fibers. So when we lift a weight, the body does just enough to lift the weight, whether it's 1 rep or 20 reps. This creates the dilemma about weight versus reps and maximal muscle engagement. Old school convention says heavier weight is the only way for more muscle engagement. However, our fast twitch fibers exhaust quickly, which means training with heavy weights for higher reps isn't possible, which provides little training stimulus for the Type I fibers.
So can we get recruit our largest fibers (Type IIb) along with the Type IIa and Type I fibers? Thankfully, somebody with far more knowledge confirms my belief that we can. Dr Ralph N. Carpinelli, of the Human Performance Laboratory at Adelphi University did an exhaustive review of the scientific literature regarding muscle fibers and weight and reported his findings in the Journal of Exercise Science and Fitness, volume 6, number 2, 2008. One of his main points discussed that effort of action is the key factor in determining the number of muscle fibers recruited. Carpinelli's conclusion was simple, whether it was a 5, 10, or 20 rep max, the most important factor in maximal muscle recruitment is being at "maximal-or near maximal-effort" at the end of each set.
And back to the "it depends" part of my answer. If I am training for a competition, whether it's weightlifting, powerlifting, rowing, or cycling, it will be more beneficial to train in a way that mimics your event. On the other hand, if training to be healthier. I would recommend a variety of weight and rep schemes following the principle of near maximal effort at the end of each set.
Follow up from last month: I've been reading "periodization training for sports". In reading about the maximum strength phase it suggests that the maximum load method should not be used before a minimum of 2 years of general strength training. Of the ms methods reviewed this seems like the only one accessible to me. How hard and fast is this rule? Is there another alternate maximum strength method I can use in the interim? I've only been lifting for about six months and during that time only in a somewhat body building style. Finally the edition of this book I have is from 2005. Is it totally outdated?
The 2005 edition is the 2nd edition of the book, so while some parts may have been updated, I don't believe the book could be considered "outdated." Here's where I disagree and my experience working with youth and new- to-training athletes effects my perspective. I don't believe you need to train for 2 years in general strength before attacking maximum strength. While I do believe there is a prerequisite level of experience and conditioning to be met, I don't believe it has to take 2 years. Training maximal strength takes a toll on the body and developing a solid base is key to avoid preventable injuries that come from jumping in too fast.
The NSCA Periodization model (http://bit.ly/1FoaFZx) also contains the same basic cycles. A deeper explanation of the block methodology can be found on EliteFTS (http://bit.ly/1ChzyRP) with Jeremy Frey's videos. While there is a lot of information directly related to powerlifting, it is easily applied to multiple disciplines. And here's another link to explore (http://bit.ly/1HpvOCq) about maximal strength training through periodization.
I honestly believe if you have a high enough level of GPP you can do block periodization. If you feel you need more GPP, I recommend training at least 6 weeks with the focus purely on GPP. So that begs the question, what is "enough"? For each person it is different and there are millions of opinions. For me, GPP is being able to complete an entire workout without needing 10 minute rest periods on non-ME days or being able to run a sub-10 minute mile or sprint and change direction like playing a sport. For others it may be different, like running 6 minute miles or swimming 500m, or performing 100 kb swings, unbroken.
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Lifter Levels and Program Selection
After the last post on dieting I received a message asking my opinion on different lifting plans and how they align with the different levels of lifters. There are so many programs out there that this could take days to list each program, so instead of labeling each and every program, (and then dealing with combating opinions) I'm going to give you a similar breakdown for the level of lifter and how I would define a training program.
Some people consider strength a measure of level, and I call bullshit. It's easy to fall into the trap that just because somebody moves a lot of weight, they must be a high level lifter. I have seen 17 year old high school students squat and deadlift over 500 pounds. I have watched a 6'6” 320 lb sophomore bench over 400. Their strength had nothing to do with their level; they were just strong. I've also seen very experienced and very knowledgeable people that can barely bench their bodyweight. Before judging level on the amount of weight lifted, you have to consider different body types (short limb-long torso, long limb-short torso, long limb-long torso, and short limb-short torso) and how their leverages make certain lifts harder or easier. You also have to consider what the person is training for before judging their strength.
A good starting point for determining the level of a lifter is time under the bar. (ExRx has a sample here) For most lifters, we learn by doing; we learn technique, we learn rep ranges, and we learn by paying attention. However, there is a huge downside to only considering time and I see it every day. I see the same people come in and do the same routine week after week, month after month, year after year, and make zero progress. If someone is training for five years and they aren't stronger, fitter, or more aesthetic, their five years of experience is as good as the person walking in the gym after three weeks. Months and years don't always equate to the level of the lifter.
We could also consider knowledge in determining the level of the lifter, but with a similar problem as experience. Tremendous book knowledge doesn't equate to a higher level lifter. Consider somebody that has studied books and watched videos on engineering. Does that make them qualified to build your house? A similar thing happens with lab research performed by non-lifters. There are countless studies by people with tremendous knowledge but with very minimal experience actually training. Do you rely on their book knowledge in a controlled environment to match up to your situation?
In my opinion, the only way to rank a person as a lifter is with a combination of time under the bar and knowledge. Typically, the longer a person participates in training, the more knowledge they will acquire from being under the bar, training partners, reading, and watching. And in the debate of knowledge versus experience, I'll take the experience every time.
Lifter Levels
Novice
Typically less than two consistent years of training. Knowledge of the basic lifts, but doesn't know much about how their body responds to different training protocols and in fact, their body responds to just about any training protocol.
Intermediate
They have a combination of research knowledge and several years under the bar. They've made it beyond the newbie gains and have reached their first true plateau. They are in a position where they have to be educated in structuring their program and choosing their assistance programming if they want to continue making progress.
Advanced
The advanced lifter has formal and informal education about lifting. They've spent time reading, attending seminars, and multiple years training. They're capable of demonstrating and explaining the lifts and have a good knowledge of how their body responds to different set / rep schemes. Their body requires varying stimulus and training methods to make solid progress and they can correlate assistance programming to gains in the main lifts.
Based on the above definitions, we can identify several training programs that will work for each level, but first, to identify the three main types of training progressions. By knowing the type of program, you can narrow down the appropriate programs that matches your level as a lifter.
Progressions
Linear Progression – These programs are characterized by their consistent and incremental increases. Each week, a consistent increase is applied to the lifts from the week before, whether it is increasing the number of repetitions or the increasing the weight. These are ideal for new lifters because their nervous system is learning to fire the muscle and they will see quick gains in strength and muscle growth. At some point these programs will fail to create progress because new muscle growth will slow and the weekly increases will exceed capabilities. If these programs could work indefinitely, an 18 year old benching 50 lbs and adding a mere 2.5 lbs per week would be benching over 960 lbs by the time he was 25.
Undulating Progression – After completing a linear progression, many typically move on to an undulating progression. This concept is similar in that there will be a change in the intensity and volume that can occur daily (DUP) or weekly. The variants most commonly seen increase intensity (weight) while decreasing volume (number of reps). Other versions decrease the weight while increasing the number of repetitions. After a multi-week cycle, the lifter “de-loads” for a week in order to let the body heal and prepare for the next cycle with a larger starting weight. These programs have greater potential for growth because they allow your body to adapt and to the increased load slowly over a period of weeks.
Non-Linear Progression – For those that move beyond linear progression and are typically more advanced there is the non-linear progression. It would be impossible to list all the variants of non-linear programming, but many popular powerlifting programs implement this technique. These programs vary in intensity (how heavy), volume (how many reps), and speed (how fast the bar moves) to create optimal strength, hypertrophy, and explosiveness. By using multiple training styles in the same week, the lifter is also minimizing the repeated stress on the central nervous system and connective tissue that takes a beating when training in only one fashion.
While this is how I look at programs based on level, there are always exceptions and varying opinions.
While there are many different opinions on what type of program will work best, I believe that there are some truths that cannot be debated.
If you're having trouble choosing a program that matches your goals, or would like a custom designed program to meet your needs, contact us and we will be glad to help.
Some people consider strength a measure of level, and I call bullshit. It's easy to fall into the trap that just because somebody moves a lot of weight, they must be a high level lifter. I have seen 17 year old high school students squat and deadlift over 500 pounds. I have watched a 6'6” 320 lb sophomore bench over 400. Their strength had nothing to do with their level; they were just strong. I've also seen very experienced and very knowledgeable people that can barely bench their bodyweight. Before judging level on the amount of weight lifted, you have to consider different body types (short limb-long torso, long limb-short torso, long limb-long torso, and short limb-short torso) and how their leverages make certain lifts harder or easier. You also have to consider what the person is training for before judging their strength.
A good starting point for determining the level of a lifter is time under the bar. (ExRx has a sample here) For most lifters, we learn by doing; we learn technique, we learn rep ranges, and we learn by paying attention. However, there is a huge downside to only considering time and I see it every day. I see the same people come in and do the same routine week after week, month after month, year after year, and make zero progress. If someone is training for five years and they aren't stronger, fitter, or more aesthetic, their five years of experience is as good as the person walking in the gym after three weeks. Months and years don't always equate to the level of the lifter.
We could also consider knowledge in determining the level of the lifter, but with a similar problem as experience. Tremendous book knowledge doesn't equate to a higher level lifter. Consider somebody that has studied books and watched videos on engineering. Does that make them qualified to build your house? A similar thing happens with lab research performed by non-lifters. There are countless studies by people with tremendous knowledge but with very minimal experience actually training. Do you rely on their book knowledge in a controlled environment to match up to your situation?
In my opinion, the only way to rank a person as a lifter is with a combination of time under the bar and knowledge. Typically, the longer a person participates in training, the more knowledge they will acquire from being under the bar, training partners, reading, and watching. And in the debate of knowledge versus experience, I'll take the experience every time.
Lifter Levels
Novice
Typically less than two consistent years of training. Knowledge of the basic lifts, but doesn't know much about how their body responds to different training protocols and in fact, their body responds to just about any training protocol.
Intermediate
They have a combination of research knowledge and several years under the bar. They've made it beyond the newbie gains and have reached their first true plateau. They are in a position where they have to be educated in structuring their program and choosing their assistance programming if they want to continue making progress.
Advanced
The advanced lifter has formal and informal education about lifting. They've spent time reading, attending seminars, and multiple years training. They're capable of demonstrating and explaining the lifts and have a good knowledge of how their body responds to different set / rep schemes. Their body requires varying stimulus and training methods to make solid progress and they can correlate assistance programming to gains in the main lifts.
Based on the above definitions, we can identify several training programs that will work for each level, but first, to identify the three main types of training progressions. By knowing the type of program, you can narrow down the appropriate programs that matches your level as a lifter.
| Novice | Intermediate | Advanced |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Progressions
Linear Progression – These programs are characterized by their consistent and incremental increases. Each week, a consistent increase is applied to the lifts from the week before, whether it is increasing the number of repetitions or the increasing the weight. These are ideal for new lifters because their nervous system is learning to fire the muscle and they will see quick gains in strength and muscle growth. At some point these programs will fail to create progress because new muscle growth will slow and the weekly increases will exceed capabilities. If these programs could work indefinitely, an 18 year old benching 50 lbs and adding a mere 2.5 lbs per week would be benching over 960 lbs by the time he was 25.
Undulating Progression – After completing a linear progression, many typically move on to an undulating progression. This concept is similar in that there will be a change in the intensity and volume that can occur daily (DUP) or weekly. The variants most commonly seen increase intensity (weight) while decreasing volume (number of reps). Other versions decrease the weight while increasing the number of repetitions. After a multi-week cycle, the lifter “de-loads” for a week in order to let the body heal and prepare for the next cycle with a larger starting weight. These programs have greater potential for growth because they allow your body to adapt and to the increased load slowly over a period of weeks.
Non-Linear Progression – For those that move beyond linear progression and are typically more advanced there is the non-linear progression. It would be impossible to list all the variants of non-linear programming, but many popular powerlifting programs implement this technique. These programs vary in intensity (how heavy), volume (how many reps), and speed (how fast the bar moves) to create optimal strength, hypertrophy, and explosiveness. By using multiple training styles in the same week, the lifter is also minimizing the repeated stress on the central nervous system and connective tissue that takes a beating when training in only one fashion.
While this is how I look at programs based on level, there are always exceptions and varying opinions.
| Linear | Undulating | Non-Linear |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
- If you are new to training, learning proper technique is paramount. All of these programs will tax your body, and poor form will inevitably result in an injury at some point.
- Skipping to a more advanced program then you are ready for can result in nagging pains or severe injuries.
- Every program has strengths and weaknesses. Don't just switch to a program because it's popular. Do your research to see if it matches your goal.
If you're having trouble choosing a program that matches your goals, or would like a custom designed program to meet your needs, contact us and we will be glad to help.
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
The Three Types of Dieters
The other day I was rolling through Facebook and saw a post about the three different types of dieters and it made me think about the battle that every person trying to change their weight faces. There are training programs written for each level of lifter and tagged as such, but what about diets? With so many books and so much free information on the internet it can shut down even the most capable of us and we could be in way over our head in a hurry. Whether we want to gain lean muscle (because who wants to gain flab) or trim the fat, we've all heard “calories in versus calories out.” And never fail, shortly after, some rocket math appears with crazy equations, calculators, and scales and immediately tells you to count calories and macros.
But why are we making it complicated? Because this is what the pros do?
Does it need to be this complicated? No, it needs to be appropriate for the type of dieter.
If we want to be effective in creating or implementing diets, we have to know where the dieter stands. For most beginning their weight transformation they are hammered with terms they don't know or can barely define; macro, protein, carbohydrate, and fat are just a few. They're told to measure everything and prep perfect meals, or the big kicker, eliminate foods. But there's a problem with this, and I want you to think back to when you were in school and you first encountered that subject you didn't understand (you know, Algebra, Spanish, Econ) or that you didn't want to take and answer one question... would you have continued with it if you didn't have to? If you're starting a diet, I encourage you to communicate with your coach so they know how to help you the most, whether it's just making good habits, or giving you a set of macros to meet your goals.
Remember that kid that couldn't do something because it was too complex or too restrictive and wanted to quit?
This is the first type of dieter, The Novice.
The novice has never been on a real diet. They've never seen a nutrition plan. They don't own a food scale and have likely never thought about prepping meals for an entire week. They have gotten this far on luck, but have no idea why the changes happen. They try extreme restrictions and believe the infomercials about fasting and detoxes a long term solution. They're ready for guidance, but not the over-complication of equations, percentages, and measuring. Many just starting on the journey will throw their hands up when it isn't working or quit before they even start because it's a hassle or they can't defeat the cravings because they're “too restricted.”
Then there are the other “simpler” diets. They look easy on paper, but in reality, it may be harder (and less healthy) in the long run. These diets mislead with promises of drastic changes by a simple elimination of a food. We've all seen the diets where a food group is eliminated because some wizard promises instant change (not for allergy or medical reasons)...and typically it does happen for the first few weeks, but if that's the only change, the transformation will stop and then the cravings hit hard...and then we're back to step 0.
For the new dieter, giving in may be the hardest “mistake” to overcome. They tend to have this perception that they must be perfect. Nothing can be further from the truth and nothing can be more detrimental to progress. Sweeping change is very hard and right now, making small positive steps is what it should be all about. Remember, these are the dieters that have never done any sort of diet before and now we've given them a pass / fail test if we make it too complex and say “YOU MUST.”
These dieters do best with simple, straightforward advice:
They are small, yet effective changes that are building in good habits that are sustainable. And more importantly, they aren't hard changes to make and they don't require extra effort.
Now you've grown enough that it isn't so miserable, but it still isn't easy. You still need help, but you're ready for more advanced topics.
The second type of dieter is The Intermediate.
The intermediate has tried to diet before. They can kind of define macros and how the body uses them, and they may even have tried some food prep. They may be more advanced than the novice, but they have no idea how to design their own meals or time them. They benefit greatly from specific meal plans with measurements and timing and from more advanced tactics like fasting, carb backloading, or carb cycling. These dieters are ready for some basic math, and this is where a program like FatSecret or MyFitnessPal comes in handy. These programs track and total the calories and macros for almost all common food and allow you to enter new foods for tracking. In addition, they show you the percentages so you can track progress based on how you are eating as well.
While these dieters have moved beyond the wholesale elimination of a food, they still have potential for making poor choices that can be counterproductive. Going back to the “calories in versus calories out” concept; we all know to lose you need a deficit and to gain you need a surplus. But there is debate over achieving the surplus / deficit. There are some that claim what you eat is crucial. And there are others that mistakenly believe IIFYM means you can eat any food you want if you just leave a space in your macros, whether it's Twinkies, Cinnabon, Ice Cream, or Bacon. **News Flash** It doesn't mean eat whatever you want all the time just because it “fits.”
These dieters have started to make healthy choices but now can use that extra direction with creating healthy meals or more complex strategies:
Meal 2 -
6 oz chicken breast or white fish
150g brown rice
80g green beans
Post Workout-
20 g protein shake made with water
1 medium apple
By providing examples of what and when, the dieter can learn to make smarter choices without all the stress of figuring out each meal. Many dieters are content to stay in this level, but if you get bored of eating the same meals over and over, I recommend making a conscious effort to learn.
You've made it to the point where you can make a lot of your own decisions, but there are still some things you struggle with. You have good habits and are consistent, but now you have shown you can have some freedom.
You've made it here, The Expert.
The expert is the most experienced of all the dieters. They know what macros are and they have an understanding about counting calories and matching macros. They accept that it will take time to see a progress and will stay with the plan long enough to see it happen. They have all the Tupperware, the slow cooker, the high tech scale, and the software to count all the macros with exact percentages, but they aren't sure what percentages would be best for them or their goals and still struggle occasionally to make good choices.
These dieters can take a little more self-direction with their plans:
Calorie Target – 2355 kCal
Protein Target – 42%, 250 g – Strive for lean meats (chicken breast, white fish) in all but 1 meal
Carb Target - 21%, 125 g – Majority to be consumed Pre and Post Workout
Fat Target - 36%, 95 g
These folks know their stuff. They know portion sizes, meal prep, can do substitutions with ease, and rarely miss their macros. While the experts tend to make good decisions, samples of meals that when consumed during the day, match the macros are typically included.
So how do you know where you are?
Look back through each of the types and see what seems most like you. Just because you become a certain type doesn't mean you can't struggle with the stages before. There is no shame in going back when things go wrong.
Novice – Never dieted before. Just trying to make healthy decisions. No knowledge of macros or counting calories. Unknowingly restricts self and causes more problems. Gets duped into things like fasts, detoxes, and wraps.
Intermediate – Has tried to diet, but never much beyond swapping out “bad” foods. Knows of macros and calories and knows about surplus and deficit but struggles to find the sweet spot. Just starting to meal prep and following a meal plan exactly. Can measure foods but still needs guidance to hit calories and macros.
Expert – Has dieted and knows about macros and calories. Only eliminates foods when absolutely necessary. Has the scale to measure food and can be left to just having macro numbers with basic meal examples. Can make intelligent substitutions and stays on point 90% of the time.
Pro - Not talked about because these people have made the lifestyle change necessary to keep making progress and have learned when to go back and make changes.
When choosing your diet (or working with your coach) be very realistic about what you are capable and confident in doing. Be aware of radical changes to your eating (elimination of foods) and understand,how they could effect you. Finally, choose a diet you can live with. Choosing a diet that requires strict measurements and timing when you don't like meal prep and you eat when you want won't work for you. If you choose the plan that matches your skill level, work hard at it, and continue to learn about how to make your diet better for you, you will continue to see progress and will develop that lifestyle we all talk about.
The following is just where I place some popular diets in terms of effort and skill to make them work for you.
Novice Diets: Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem, Body for Life, etc.
Intermediate Diets: Mediterranean, South Beach, Atkins, Renegade, etc.
Expert Diets: Keto, Paleo, IF, IIFYM, CBL, Carb Cycling, etc.
But why are we making it complicated? Because this is what the pros do?
Does it need to be this complicated? No, it needs to be appropriate for the type of dieter.
If we want to be effective in creating or implementing diets, we have to know where the dieter stands. For most beginning their weight transformation they are hammered with terms they don't know or can barely define; macro, protein, carbohydrate, and fat are just a few. They're told to measure everything and prep perfect meals, or the big kicker, eliminate foods. But there's a problem with this, and I want you to think back to when you were in school and you first encountered that subject you didn't understand (you know, Algebra, Spanish, Econ) or that you didn't want to take and answer one question... would you have continued with it if you didn't have to? If you're starting a diet, I encourage you to communicate with your coach so they know how to help you the most, whether it's just making good habits, or giving you a set of macros to meet your goals.
Remember that kid that couldn't do something because it was too complex or too restrictive and wanted to quit?
This is the first type of dieter, The Novice.
The novice has never been on a real diet. They've never seen a nutrition plan. They don't own a food scale and have likely never thought about prepping meals for an entire week. They have gotten this far on luck, but have no idea why the changes happen. They try extreme restrictions and believe the infomercials about fasting and detoxes a long term solution. They're ready for guidance, but not the over-complication of equations, percentages, and measuring. Many just starting on the journey will throw their hands up when it isn't working or quit before they even start because it's a hassle or they can't defeat the cravings because they're “too restricted.”
Then there are the other “simpler” diets. They look easy on paper, but in reality, it may be harder (and less healthy) in the long run. These diets mislead with promises of drastic changes by a simple elimination of a food. We've all seen the diets where a food group is eliminated because some wizard promises instant change (not for allergy or medical reasons)...and typically it does happen for the first few weeks, but if that's the only change, the transformation will stop and then the cravings hit hard...and then we're back to step 0.
For the new dieter, giving in may be the hardest “mistake” to overcome. They tend to have this perception that they must be perfect. Nothing can be further from the truth and nothing can be more detrimental to progress. Sweeping change is very hard and right now, making small positive steps is what it should be all about. Remember, these are the dieters that have never done any sort of diet before and now we've given them a pass / fail test if we make it too complex and say “YOU MUST.”
These dieters do best with simple, straightforward advice:
- Reduce the amount of soda from 5 12 oz cans to 2 12 oz cans per week.
- Drink a glass of water before every meal.
- Increase protein consumption by eating a hardboiled egg every day as a snack between breakfast and lunch.
- Switch your yogurt from Chobani 2% to Oikos Triple 0.
They are small, yet effective changes that are building in good habits that are sustainable. And more importantly, they aren't hard changes to make and they don't require extra effort.
Now you've grown enough that it isn't so miserable, but it still isn't easy. You still need help, but you're ready for more advanced topics.
The second type of dieter is The Intermediate.
The intermediate has tried to diet before. They can kind of define macros and how the body uses them, and they may even have tried some food prep. They may be more advanced than the novice, but they have no idea how to design their own meals or time them. They benefit greatly from specific meal plans with measurements and timing and from more advanced tactics like fasting, carb backloading, or carb cycling. These dieters are ready for some basic math, and this is where a program like FatSecret or MyFitnessPal comes in handy. These programs track and total the calories and macros for almost all common food and allow you to enter new foods for tracking. In addition, they show you the percentages so you can track progress based on how you are eating as well.
While these dieters have moved beyond the wholesale elimination of a food, they still have potential for making poor choices that can be counterproductive. Going back to the “calories in versus calories out” concept; we all know to lose you need a deficit and to gain you need a surplus. But there is debate over achieving the surplus / deficit. There are some that claim what you eat is crucial. And there are others that mistakenly believe IIFYM means you can eat any food you want if you just leave a space in your macros, whether it's Twinkies, Cinnabon, Ice Cream, or Bacon. **News Flash** It doesn't mean eat whatever you want all the time just because it “fits.”
An example of a poor use of IIFYM: a person trying to lose weight leaving space for carbohydrates in their macros by not eating post workout and proceeding to stuff down a bowl of cereal right before bed. I understand that Nutrient Timing has proven inconsequential for a lot of people, but by not understanding how insulin effects weight loss, the benefit of IIFYM can be lost. Eating a carbohydrate right before bed has a different effect on the body than eating right after a training session, just like High GI is different than Low GI.
These dieters have started to make healthy choices but now can use that extra direction with creating healthy meals or more complex strategies:
Meal 2 -
6 oz chicken breast or white fish
150g brown rice
80g green beans
Post Workout-
20 g protein shake made with water
1 medium apple
By providing examples of what and when, the dieter can learn to make smarter choices without all the stress of figuring out each meal. Many dieters are content to stay in this level, but if you get bored of eating the same meals over and over, I recommend making a conscious effort to learn.
You've made it to the point where you can make a lot of your own decisions, but there are still some things you struggle with. You have good habits and are consistent, but now you have shown you can have some freedom.
You've made it here, The Expert.
The expert is the most experienced of all the dieters. They know what macros are and they have an understanding about counting calories and matching macros. They accept that it will take time to see a progress and will stay with the plan long enough to see it happen. They have all the Tupperware, the slow cooker, the high tech scale, and the software to count all the macros with exact percentages, but they aren't sure what percentages would be best for them or their goals and still struggle occasionally to make good choices.
These dieters can take a little more self-direction with their plans:
Calorie Target – 2355 kCal
Protein Target – 42%, 250 g – Strive for lean meats (chicken breast, white fish) in all but 1 meal
Carb Target - 21%, 125 g – Majority to be consumed Pre and Post Workout
Fat Target - 36%, 95 g
These folks know their stuff. They know portion sizes, meal prep, can do substitutions with ease, and rarely miss their macros. While the experts tend to make good decisions, samples of meals that when consumed during the day, match the macros are typically included.
So how do you know where you are?
Look back through each of the types and see what seems most like you. Just because you become a certain type doesn't mean you can't struggle with the stages before. There is no shame in going back when things go wrong.
Novice – Never dieted before. Just trying to make healthy decisions. No knowledge of macros or counting calories. Unknowingly restricts self and causes more problems. Gets duped into things like fasts, detoxes, and wraps.
Intermediate – Has tried to diet, but never much beyond swapping out “bad” foods. Knows of macros and calories and knows about surplus and deficit but struggles to find the sweet spot. Just starting to meal prep and following a meal plan exactly. Can measure foods but still needs guidance to hit calories and macros.
Expert – Has dieted and knows about macros and calories. Only eliminates foods when absolutely necessary. Has the scale to measure food and can be left to just having macro numbers with basic meal examples. Can make intelligent substitutions and stays on point 90% of the time.
Pro - Not talked about because these people have made the lifestyle change necessary to keep making progress and have learned when to go back and make changes.
When choosing your diet (or working with your coach) be very realistic about what you are capable and confident in doing. Be aware of radical changes to your eating (elimination of foods) and understand,how they could effect you. Finally, choose a diet you can live with. Choosing a diet that requires strict measurements and timing when you don't like meal prep and you eat when you want won't work for you. If you choose the plan that matches your skill level, work hard at it, and continue to learn about how to make your diet better for you, you will continue to see progress and will develop that lifestyle we all talk about.
The following is just where I place some popular diets in terms of effort and skill to make them work for you.
Novice Diets: Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem, Body for Life, etc.
Intermediate Diets: Mediterranean, South Beach, Atkins, Renegade, etc.
Expert Diets: Keto, Paleo, IF, IIFYM, CBL, Carb Cycling, etc.
Friday, February 27, 2015
6 Ways To Increase Strength / Elite FTS
6 Ways To Increase Strength / Elite FTS
Another great piece by Dave Tate. If you think you've tried everything to get strong, read this and see if advice from a truly strong man can help you.
Another great piece by Dave Tate. If you think you've tried everything to get strong, read this and see if advice from a truly strong man can help you.
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