This Burns Me Up!

DISCLAIMER- I’m about to rant a bit. You can stop reading now if you want. I honestly don’t care. BUT…if you keep reading, I can’t promise you’re going to like it. You might get offended. You might have to think a bit. You might be one of the sheep I’m talking about or doing some of the same things. Just remember- it’s your choice.

I think one of my faults is that I care too much. I OCD over so many things about how to make CFW the best training facility around. If it’s going to make a good impact on our athletes, I’m willing to give it a try. But I’ll only go so far…

The main goal at our gym is to safely and effectively train to lose weight, get stronger and live healthier. The key word there is safely. We use time-tested, potent movements (squat, deadlift, clean and jerk) combined with smart conditioning to develop powerfully strong athletes. The side benefit of that type of training is a lean, muscular build. Does it take effort? Oh yea! Is it easy? No. Is it worth it? Heck yes!

I’d like to make one other point before I continue. I don’t care where you train or workout. I’m not trying to get everyone to do CrossFit. If you’re moving, having fun & getting results where you’re at- keep it up. What I do want is the people in our community to get moving smartly and enjoy an active, healthier life.

What’s getting me going right now are all the fake, fad, hyped up weight loss trends. I’m sick of seeing unqualified “experts” peddling potentially harmful products.

There have been countless diet trends over the years. Do they work? Yea, some work for periods of time. What you need to ask yourself is this- Can I do this for the rest of my life? In other words, is it sustainable? The answer to a lot of the fads out there unfortunately is- No.

Here are a few things burning me up right now:

1. People taking harmful chemicals in order to satisfy a number on the scale and starving themselves to feel better about how they look. I understand how our society is right now. It’s all about looks. But is it really worth the risk of malnutrition and the stress that starvation puts on your body?

Dangers and Health Effects of Anorexia Nervosa and Starvation

Whether it’s an artificial sweetner (all the sweet without any pesky food energy- ie calories) or hCG or “lite” foods that you’re looking to in order to slim your waist, it’s all pretty much the same thing- some form of calorie restriction. Will you get smaller? Probably maybe. Will you get healthier? Certainly not.

I’m not trying to “rain on anybody’s parade” here. I just want you to think. Your body needs energy- calories– to function. Your body needs nutrients- vitamins and minerals (like ones found in fruits and vegetables)– to be healthy. Reducing, restricting and replacing these vital calories and nutrients is a fast track to depleting energy and building blocks for hormones and body tissues. Not cool.

The fix- eat meat, fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds along with good fats like olive oil, coconut, and avocado.

Kick the processed, sugar-laden, preservative-filled foods out of your pantry and replace them with foods that spoil- just eat them before they do. If you’re trying to lean out, stick with more veggies than fruit.

2. The “go long” crowd. Cardio is good (on a Tuesday maybe) but if it’s all you’ve got going on, it’s time for a change. Our bodies are efficient. If we continue to do the same style of workout (running, elliptical, curls and lunges) we adapt to that conditioning and once the adaptation takes place, the workout becomes less and less effective.

Now what? A lot of people (mostly ladies) think the answer is MORE. The more time spent, the more sweat equity built up and the more hours I work- the better. Nothing could be further from the truth. In order to bust through a weight loss plateau, you don’t need to workout longer, you need to workout smarter. Change it up. Do different movements. Do some strength training. Get some intervals (work/ rest/ work/ rest) and bring some intensity!

3. Buy my product and it’ll change your life! Grrr! I know we’re all trying to make a little coin these days, but for goodness sakes, just because you can get a fat bonus for selling somebody some junk, doesn’t mean the junk is good. In fact, most of the pills, potions and shakes are snake oil. Nothing beats real food. Real calories. Unprocessed. Made by nature. Go buy some of that. They sell it at HEB or Burgundy Pasture Beef or your farmer’s market. Be sure and keep your receipt so you can bring me my 10% bonus on what you buy :-).

There it is. If you made it this far and you’re not mad at me, cool. If you are, cool. I’m not mad at you, I just want you to consider what you’re doing to your body in the name of thinness.  Is it worth it? Ultimately, it’s your choice.

I really care about the health, wellness and fitness in our community. I’m not going to sugar coat the truth. CFW will continue to spread the message of what eating real foods and training smart can do.

Peace,

Chris