It occurred to me this weekend that my stomach was just like my girlfriend’s five year old son when we go to the store and he wants something. He knows he wants a toy, but he doesn’t understand the value of money and thus does not know how much something is or how much we give him to pick the toy out. But he does understand quantity. He knows that 10 objects are greater than 1. So if we give him ten one dollar bills compared to one twenty dollar bill he thinks he has more with the one’s than with the twenty. It is easier for him to break down the worth of each dollar as opposed to holding a twenty.
When we’re hungry our body sends a signal to our brain telling our brain we are running low on something, i.e. energy, building blocks, liquid, etc. Our brain then interprets that signal into the message “feed me”. Our body might be telling our brain, “I need more protein and Zinc to build more muscle and up regulate my testosterone level”. But the brain interprets that signal as “feed me, now”. So we suddenly get a craving for sweets because our brain knows that ultimately all of our systems in our body run off simple sugar, i.e. glucose. Our bodies can break down any macronutrient and reassemle it into sugar. Sugar is actually the only nutrient we do not have to take in through our diets. So, candy bar it is. However, since your body and brain don’t really understand the value associated with nutrients (it’s not like your brain is telling your body that we need 30 grams of protein and 60 grams of carbs after a workout) it wants the easiest thing to break down, i.e. sugar. It’s already broken down a lot for us.
Side note: Your body understands how hard it is to break something down, i.e. fat is harder to break down then carbs. However, the end product (the amount of calories you get from that breakdown process) is unknown to your body. It just knows, “To break down this fat gram it will cost me 3 calories. To break down this protein gram it will cost me 1 calories.”. Nevermind the fact that the fat will provide more energy.
But, if you give your body some protein it will do the same thing with protein that it would do with the candy bar: metabolize it into sugar. The difference is it has to work a little bit harder to break down the protein, which in turn means that it will burn a little bit more calories. It also means that since protein is not easily stored as fat your body will only use as much as necessary to satiate its energy needs, i.e. if you give your body 300 calories of protein vs. 300 calories of sugar when it only needs 200 calories your body will metabolize all of the sugar and turn the excess 100 calories into fat, whereas the excess protein will be excreted or go towards tissue repair/regeneration.
Protein is a little bit harder to break down which will lead to less fat storage and more burning of calories than simple sugars, but since your body doesn’t know the value of nutrients…eat your protein. Just like a child doesn’t know the value of a twenty dollar bill, give him ten ones. You will save money and your kid will be happy. Win-WIN!
March 17th, 2009
Posted by
bendearman |
Nutrition |
Everyone can come up with tons of excuses why they are not doing what they are supposed to be doing with their diet and exercise program.
But very few people can come up with actual reasons.
Which one is it today? Excuses or Reasons?
March 17th, 2009
Posted by
bendearman |
Uncategorized |
Every time I talk to my dad I give him health tips. Last month it was diagnosis and treatment for “tennis elbow” which actually just happen to be lateral epicondylitis caused by over exertion during spinning. I actually think it was caused by an imbalance between his bi’s and tri’s along with front to back imbalance, but we won’t go there.
Here is this month’s tip: Put your socks on after your pants and put your boxers/under wear on first. If you have to ask why, be happy.
March 11th, 2009
Posted by
bendearman |
Uncategorized |
Monday night I was heading towards a meeting and I decided to stop by the WRJ Co-op to get some food. As I ventured back to the fridge that held the food I had a bad feeling when I spotted the soups. All organic (not bad), but no meat and imitation meat at that! Uh-oh. When I got to the food fridge they had tons of sandwiches…all of which they tried to keep as “healthy” as possible. I say “healthy” because they were tofurkey, vegenaise (I still don’t know what the hell that is) tuna and turkey…all on white bread.
So here is this store that is trying to be healthy and not only do they put the food on bread but white bread at that. Um….helllllooooooooo. If your going to go healthy with organic and vegetarian food (Incidentally, there is little documented research that says eating vegetarian or all organic compared to a regular healthy diet is better) put it on a low carb bread choice or wrap.
So basically the WRJ Co-op is telling me meat is bad, but it’s ok to consume bread. Something that will bloat me up, negatively affect my insulin level and inflammation level on top of being a filler with little to no nutritional benefit.
March 11th, 2009
Posted by
bendearman |
Uncategorized |
What is the difference? A coach as defined by google:
- (sports) someone in charge of training an athlete or a team
- a person who gives private instruction (as in singing, acting, etc.)
- passenger car: a railcar where passengers ride
- teach and supervise (someone); act as a trainer or coach (to), as in sports; “He is training our Olympic team”; “She is coaching the crew”
A trainer as defined by Google:
- one who trains other persons or animals
- flight simulator: simulator consisting of a machine on the ground that simulates the conditions of flying a plane
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
- Trainers work in many different areas, mainly educating employees of companies on specific topics of workplace importance. Some trainers are in-house, and others work for training companies.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trainer_(business)
When I work with people am I teaching them to do anything that they cant already do? People have 6 basic human movement patterns: Push, pull, bend, squat, lunge and twist. So when I have someone do a push am I really “training” them to do an exercise? If you fell face first onto the floor, would you not do a push up to get your feet under neath of you then do a single leg squat or lunge to stand back up?
I coach people, I am not a trainer. You train monkeys to put on coats and not attack actors when they get pissed. I coach you to do a squat better.
March 9th, 2009
Posted by
bendearman |
Uncategorized |
So I was sitting here watching a DVD on fat loss (well not anymore because I am writing this post) and I hear a knock on the back door. Which is weird because I am not expecting anyone and it’s about 10:30 in the morning. It’s a woman standing out there with some pamphlets. Uh oh, oh boy. I answer the door and she begins to tell me how they are stopping at every house on RT 4 A talking about the economy. Doesn’t even stop to ask me if I am busy. (strike 1 and 2) I think to myself, this should be good. Then she delivers the clincher; “Have you looked to Jesus, our lord and savior, for help in paying your bills during this depression?” (strike 3, you’re OUT!)
STOP RIGHT FU$%ING THERE!!! I told her, “Sorry lady I am on a buisness call”. I didn’t like lying to her. But I am sorry, Jesus is not going to help me pay my bills. Furthermore if he did I would build a freaking chapel and a statue for him outside in my back yard.
I have nothing against religion. I consider myself a spiritual person. I believe in something. I am just not sure what it is. But some things really stood out to me from that meeting.
1. It’s 10:30 am on a Thursday and these two people are going up and down a fairly long stretch of road going to every house talking about the depression and how Jesus can help them. Listen ladies, at 10:30 am on a Thursday I am pretty sure you’re not gonna find anyone around to talk to. And if you do, they are probably jobless (like me!!!) and looking for work. Furthermore, I wouldn’t be surprised if some of them even blame Jesus for getting fired: “Jesus let that ass in accounting keep his job but he let my jerk boss fire me” ,or for the depression in general. Which is ridiculous, but some people just need someone to blame. BADDDDDDDDD MARKETING.
2. Don’t go to people’s houses without asking if you can stop by first. I mean seriously, call first, email first, send out flyers…I am not a genius but I just thought of three ways that you can contact me without actually stopping at my palace…my SANCTURARY. This has happened before to me, where someone has stopped by unannounced to tell me how Jesus can save me. I don’t dispute that. However, what on earth would make you think that you can come to my house in the middle of the day, unannounced, not bothering to ask me if I am busy, WHICH IS JUST PLAIN RUDE. That means that person basically thinks either/both of two things; 1) whatever I am doing is not near as important as what they have to tell me about religion and 2) they think that I am actually just sitting around doing nothing looking for an interruption in my day.
Ridiculous. Incidentally, the lady asked me if she could stop by later….I said yes. DUMB. I felt bad.
March 5th, 2009
Posted by
bendearman |
Uncategorized |
Do you look like this when you’re sleeping?
Or…..
this?
If so, change your pillow immediately! I recently just got back from basically two weeks of travel. I slept in a lot of different beds with a lot of different pillows. Every pillow was the fluffy kind, the kind where you lay down and your chin is resting on your chest. I hate those pillows. The unfortunate thing is that those pillows, the fluffy thick ones, are the most common pillows bought and used. You don’t need a fluffy pillow, you actually want a pillow that elevates your head slightly so that your cervical spine is in a neutral position. When you’re in a forward head position your air way is obstructed and you reinforce poor posture along with a host of other problems which can be found here http://www.causeof.org/posture_fhp.htm You should definitely check that site out, it is pretty crazy when you see what all the potential problems are caused by forward head posture.
Scenario: you sit at your desk for 8 hours a daywith horrible posture 
then you drive home which basically amounts to the same posture as if you were sitting at your desk. Then go to sleep with the same posture that you were in while driving and sitting at your desk. So for 16 hours a day you look like the guy above, whether sitting or laying down.
And people wonder why they end up looking like this guy…
March 3rd, 2009
Posted by
bendearman |
Uncategorized |
